Author note: Bit long, but I ended up using a banked scene from my extra. I basically have this tab of documents that are scenes I think of for this story but it isn't time to put them in. I really, really wanted some Sephy/Soph development though, haha.

Chapter start

Zach had indeed scoured the small town until he'd found the perfect jeweler. It was with a flourish he presented Aerith with the restored butterfly hair clip, and helped her place it into the brown locks. Rather than hidden in a ribbon as it was in game verse, the Holy materia was beautiful in its metal casing.

They'd brought back everything they could from the old home, and piled up in Aerith and my room, pouring over documents. Gast was meticulous. And still had that rambling tendency he'd shown in the reports from Nibelheim, each page a mixture of cold fact with anecdotal folklore. I disliked it, and it became clear that the more detailed reports, with graphs and coding weren't something I could understand.

Sephiroth seemed to be able to read those easier, with Angeal and Genesis understanding them as well. Angeal was more vested in the folklore surrounding the research whereas Genesis would stab his own eyes out rather than decode scientific garbage. Zach merely shrugged, admitting he'd scored very low on those exams. So they fell to Sephiroth, who separated the reports whenever they became too ensnared in the fanciful, and Angeal took them happily.

Eventually Genesis huffed, stomping out with his usual dramatics, declaring he was hungry. Zach hopped up, eager to move. The puppy had been fidgeting since they'd settled down. His knee was at a constant jiggle, eyes darting to and from each of them. Really, it was shocking he hadn't leapt up earlier.

When the two returned with groceries, it was decided the reading could wait. Angeal took the bags, not protesting the thought of cooking. Since it was a 'luxury suite' there was a small kitchen, pots and pans provided for the discerning customer.

While he cooked, they played the recordings. Aerith had waited for me to drop to the floor before she struck, at the least. Her weight above me wasn't a lot, but it would have been hard to maneuver had I needed to balance her with myself. Her fingers curled into my hair, big green eyes focused on the grainy images moving on the screen.

This was, perhaps, the first ever view of her father. Gast hadn't been handsome by any stretch, but he had been normal, if one had to put a term there. Aerith had luckily seemed to inherit more from Ifalna than Gast.

Ifalna herself was beautiful, of course, and so very young on the screen. The grainy image couldn't quite capture the way her mouth quirked when Gast presented her with something beautiful, be it an intriguing idea or some trinket. The way her brows furrowed when he dug too deep.

An odd scientist was Gast, and perhaps dangerous. Hojo was manipulative but I doubted he could be as smooth as Gast. When the videos changed, when their intimacy began to show, Sephiroth lost interest. Aerith shuffled off of my lap, landing on Zach who quickly wrapped her up, cheeks Scarlet for a teenager of his confidence.

Angeal made simple food, this world equivalent of Chili, and God's know I wouldn't ask what meat was used. Small towns like this, like Nibelheim, never could say cow or chicken. Hell, I'd take chocobo. And I'd gotten used to that. I still didn't want to acknowledge I ate some monster they'd been able to hunt down and process. When I did make those inquiries, Vergil has always steered me away from the thought.

Even in the middle of nowhere Angeal could make amazing food. I would be jealous, but at least the man fed me, so I wasn't missing out by any means.

When Ifalna was obviously pregnant, Aerith sniffed. Again, the black and white grained images couldn't convey what she truly thought, image far too blurred as the Ancient cradled her stomach. Gast had sounded one part thrilled for a baby of his own, three parts thrilled at the idea of another Ancient in the world. Or perhaps the bitterness that clung with my thoughts of any of the scientists involved in this folly colored my views. That bitterness and hatred were strong enough to taste, to bathe in, if the inclination was there.

Sharing a look with Angeal, I realized it wasn't just me. the usually gentle giant couldn't quite wipe the scowl from his face as Gast gushed about his Ancient daughter, her healthy progress in the womb. The narrowing of his eyes, lips pressed thin. Genesis beside him held his hands together, white knuckled as he grimaced.

A glance to the silver haired general showed he was the only one somewhat hiding the visceral reaction. He'd settled into an armchair rather than the floor with us, forgoing his food. His arms were laid in his lap, not moving. He listened as they all did as Gast mentioned his colleagues' experiments, how perhaps they could introduce their child to their children. A manufactured Ancient being the playmate to a natural one.

His vivid green eyes were half closed, long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. Practically carved from statue. If not for that faint rise and fall of his chest, he could mimic one.

Zach cleared his throat. "So like, we can all agree these guys are pieces of shit right?"

Aerith snorted. "That's my mother, Zach."

"Not her!" He defended himself, arms tightening around her. "But all these scientists… they're monsters."

Genesis scoffed, while Sephiroth shifted slightly. Angeal leaned back though, the anguish in his eyes clear to all. "One might say they're only human. And that we are-"

"They'd be wrong!" Aerith cut over him, eyes fierce as she glared. Angeal merely sighed.

This was a battle Aerith and I fought constantly, the three firsts usually adept at hiding their inner thoughts about their altered DNA. There were cracks though, growing despite best intentions and words, slips of expression. Winces and violent sparring sessions between them.

"Totally wrong! Shinra doesn't mean monster." Zach reached out, resting a hand on Angeal's knee.

Genesis scoffed, head tilted. "No… Shinra merely creates them. Their bloodline is far from tainted as ours is."

He glanced my body up and down. My brow rose at the inspection, the way he lingered his gaze. Poor flirtation tactics meant to distract. We all knew who had his real interest in heart, no matter how many they invited to their bed on the side.

"Shinra are the monsters," I stated bluntly. "Monsters of greed who want power and control."

Sephiroth twitched. Barely there, lashes fluttering. Green eyes captured mine, the slit pupils taking me in as I stretched my arms above my head.

"You are not a monster," he rumbled.

A small smile lifted the corner of my mouth. "Oh, I am. I'm totally a man eater. I'll be violent once I start."

It made the tension break, at the very least. It would return at random intervals, always in the back of the mind, waiting to strike. Maybe it was Jenova. Maybe it was degradation beginning.

That was another thing. All that could be done was to monitor them, to see if Angeal withdrew, or Genesis became vicious. To see if Sephiroth went mad. Pray that enough had changed that they wouldn't be swayed by the scientists overseeing their cases, wouldn't fall in line and be victimized by politics and greed. Pray Genesis would be honest, rather than stage some coup to flee Shinra. And hope that if he did fall as in the game, his hatred of Shinra wouldn't cause him to even run his sword through my heart.

"-The temple… I want to-"

My eyes glanced to the screen. Ifalna was heavily pregnant now, the sight really just comical. She was so slender, so young here. The swelling of her belly so large against her slender frame that it seemed fake almost. Gast had given her a rocking chair, the same one that still remained in that broken lab, turned home, turned tomb.

He'd upgraded his cameras during her pregnancy, everything in muted color now and slightly clearer.

"And the temple is important to your people?" Gast asked, settled into a chair beside he'd, her slender foot resting in his lap as he massaged her swollen ankles. Maybe he truly did feel some love for her, or affection.

Ifalna made a soft noise. "Very. It holds the greatest danger to our planet there. Yet also holds the greatest knowledge. Some have chosen to remain as guardians, to help teach our descendants, and also to protect the temple."

Gast paused. "Were you not the last living Ancient?"

Ifalna nodded, sad. "If there are more, the planet has not revealed them to me. And they have not sought me out."

Gast resumed his ministrations, fingers trailing up her calf, causing her lids to flutter as she sighed. She hummed softly. "The guardians of the temple are… no longer what you would identify as human… they've become not but wraith, truly, speaking with clarity only to another Ancient. One day, I will take my child there, to learn, just as I was taken."

"How fascinating…"

I glanced away, not quite able to look at Ifalna. She looked so hopeful, so sure of the future. That she would carry Aerith to that far off place, and teach her daughter things. That she would be a family with the man she chose.

Instead, she got watching the man be murdered in cold blood. Her troubles had led her to a small room with damaged and frayed furniture. A malnourished daughter. She had never seen Aerith happy and fully healthy. Free. Guilt wasn't there, as she'd chosen her fate, but there was pity. So much pity.

"Sophie, I want to go." Aerith was staring at me intently. So fierce even with eyes full of tears. "No, I… I have to go."

"Fair enough," I murmured faintly. "Any bright ideas where it is?"

She faltered, but Sephiroth shifted, speaking up. He rested his cheek against his fist, almost bored. "It is classified information, however the location in listed in these files."

Zach whined. "You have all the boring stuff though! Why would you have the reports about a temple?"

One silver brow arched in silent judgement. "Perhaps because some of you pass them to me the moment you can't understand a single word."

Zach laughed, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Heh, sorry man. I'm no good at reports."

The older man crooned slightly. "A most unfortunate habit I hope Angeal will break you of. Handling one slacker's paperwork is enough."

"I'm too beautiful to be locked in an office." Genesis crossed his legs nonchalantly. "Well, what are we waiting for? I say we leave this dreary little town and go on an adventure. Summon the chocobo!"

"You can't just summon my pet," I said with a pout.

"You can't just claim Cloud as a pet," Angeal corrected.

"Cruelty to friendship. If you can have a pet puppy, I can totally have a pet chocobo. Tell him Sephy."

"Leave me out of this."

It was decided then we would leave when Cloud could arrive with the helicopter, Reno as well. The surprising Turk had a revolving habit of either being solo, such as Tseng, or of being partnered with Reno, and occasionally Cissnei. I hadn't yet met the girl, which made sense I supposed. After all, the only game she appeared in was Crisis Core, so it could have been she wasn't active prior to these years.

With that thought, we broke up our viewing party, and carefully hid the reports with the three firsts. None, not even a Turk, had the balls to demand to search things owned by the silver general, a fact we often took advantage of.

All that was left to do was wait.

That night, I woke up feeling as though something wasn't quite right. Aerith and Zach had curled up together on the unmade couch. I didn't envy them. Without the cushions the thing had to be uncomfortable as all get out. I judged them from my position between Genesis and Angeal. I might have been sweating slightly, hair stuck to my cheek from the body heat Genesis threw off, but least I was also on padded blankets.

Sephiroth… that's what was missing. Curiosity killed a cat. Yet satisfaction…

Carefully, I crawled from my bed, and watched as Genesis immediately reached out, snorting in his sleep. Angeal tugged him close, and the fire headed male calmed almost immediately. His soft snores he denied making filtering through the air. Least he wasn't as loud as Zach. And didn't drool like him, either. Poor Aerith.

The inn was quiet besides the noises of my companions. A quick perusal of the shadows told me he wasn't in the room with us. Barefoot and somewhat regretting it, I padded out into the hallway and crossed to the room that would have originally been his and Zach's.

I didn't bother to knock. If he was awake, he recognized me by the pattern of my steps, and even if he didn't there wasn't any surprising him. He'd known someone was outside the door the very second I'd paused.

As evidenced by the fact he was staring at the door, the papers surrounding him in some form of chaos only he could understand. The green of the eyes was even more unnatural when viewed with the minimum light of his candles, sending a shiver down my spine. Not of fear. But something else.

"What are you doing up?" He asked lowly, eyes already dropping to the desk again.

I dared to come closer, humming. "I could ask you the same question." When he merely stared, I huffed. "I woke up because you were gone."

Crossing my arms, stiffening when he seemed to dismiss me. "It's true!"

His sigh was light, lids falling closed for a moment before he picked up another paper. "I do not doubt you. Merely doubt why you would be so attuned to one such as me."

"Excuse me?"

He narrowed his eyes, long silver hair shifting as he shook his head. "I am tired."

"Then let's go back to bed," I said. I'd crossed closed, now close enough if he reached, he could drag me across the desk.

"I cannot."

Deep breaths. "Why?"

Nerves were dancing along my mind, wondering what he could possibly say. Sephiroth hated touch, except with us. Sephiroth was more reserved, that was true. But he'd never completely refused to give attention, or vanished without cause.

"I…" His lips pressed together, fists clenching. "I am… a danger, I believe."

"Sephy? I called his name, some confusion in my tone. Heart pounding as rather than answer, he seemed to tilt his head away, like he heard something. I recognized his wince as pain now, something he rarely showed even me.

"Seph?" I called his name again, fear causing my heart to pound heavier. Was Jenova calling him? It was too soon, wasn't it? He'd not been in contact with her corpse, to my knowledge. Or… was she making different moves, sensing his closeness to her enemy?

When he ignored me again, I swallowed. And decided I was an idiot. Setting aside any reservations, I climbed over the reports and pushed him backwards, sliding in the circle made by his arms. It seemed to snap him out of his trance, my sudden blocking of his papers and the weight of my legs settling onto his knees. The material of his pants was soft against the soles as I settled myself, wriggling until I was close and seated properly on the edge of the desk.

"What are you reading," I asked.

Sephiroth graced me with an unimpressed look. "Why are you here?"

I cooed, sliding fingers into his hair to scratch his scalp lightly. "I asked first. You're closing off, Seph. It's hurting my feelings."

His arms were around me still. I heard the rustle as he dropped the paper. Leather creaked as he shifted backwards, his fingers coming to trace patterns on my bare lower legs. His touch was soft and deliberate. He'd gotten so used to casually touching me and the others to a lesser degree. He'd never be the sort to allow a stranger or mere acquaintance to so much as brush up against him, but his trust was so pure in us. I was beyond proud.

"What's going on Sephy?"

He sighed. "There is much we still do not know. And…"

"Yeah?"

"Ever since coming to this town… there has been pressure in my skull. A buzzing… Not quite a headache, but constantly there."

Swiftly, I calculated some things. It was very possible Gast had some cells or a body part of Jenova buried somewhere in this town. And really, Icicle inn town wasn't so far from Nibelheim. So, they had moved Jenova there. Of course, the one time I had to bring him near. The original game reasserting itself again. Fuck that. My breath hitched and he heard it.

"Status report?" He asked me plainly. I reached for his hand and he gave me it easily enough.

This was a habit I'd formed; one I acknowledged as odd. But feeling his strength had long since stopped being a hidden fear of mine. Rather now it brought me the most comfort. This time, I tugged the glove from his hand. He let me do it, although his brows contracted and he tensed a little.

Still, he let me keep it and tug it forward. I settled his palm against my heartbeat, between the swell of my breasts.

"I'm worried. Jenova was a being from the sky. And her cells are inside all of you. Aerith said she was still alive. What if she… what if she takes you away from us? From me?"

His grip tightened under my cradle of his palm. "I would not leave."

"Promise?" Promise me forever, at this point. Forever in my life, never a pawn to that bitch calamity.

"I've always returned to you. This will not change so long as you need me." So unintentionally smooth.

"I'll always need you all. Seph, somehow, I'll always need you in some corner of my life. With me."

"Then… you do not mind I am a monster, disguised as a human?"

He suddenly pulled away and rose from his chair. I felt a sliver of fear, recognizing the look. It wasn't dissimilar to the game Sephiroth after he'd went mad.

"You aren't a monster. None of you are."

"That's naïve. What that man did to me. Even though I came from a human male and female, her cells make up my DNA. My very being."

"What you're made out of isn't what makes you or anyone Seph."

"How can you be so sure? I will not lie to you. I hear her calling, sometimes. I believe it is her voice."

"You aren't-"

"Should I not? Of any being on this planet, she is closest to what I am."

I got up and went to him. I knew she had to be whispering all sorts of sweet things. Promising a mother's love to him. Promising him the planet at his feet. To make Shinra pay, and to make the whole of the planet suffer for thwarting her a millennia ago.

I stepped in front of him, grateful I'd come after him now. Had I left him alone longer with no sleep, stirring in his negative thoughts, she'd have had an even bigger opening.

I wrapped my arms around him, going onto tip toe. I pressed a kiss against the exposed skin between his clavicle. His hands had come to push me away but he stopped when he felt what I was doing. I kept going, pressing a few more until I simply buried my face there instead, intentionally blowing my warm breath against some of the saliva I'd left. Playing a body wasn't new to me.

"Sophie, you shouldn't do things because you fear losing. It isn't proper, being with one such as I am."

"I would do a lot more with you and only you," I muttered crossly. "You know why."

He was quiet, but he did embrace me. His head bent enough that his hair cascaded around us, a silver barrier that encased us from the rest of the world. I sighed.

"I don't know what she says to you or the others."

"Others?"

"You aren't the only ones with her cells. All SOLDIERS have them."

He grew pensive. "I hadn't thought about that. I was aware of it, yet I didn't think about…" Reaching out for comfort from the ones who would understand it better.

I hummed. "Perhaps not as much as you. Though Genesis and Angeal would have the guaranteed closest to you. This explains why they've had headaches too. She's calling for you all for some reason."

I stretched enough to murmur to him. "Let Aerith sooth you like she has been them. The headache will go away and then..."

"Then what?"

"Well, I'd say hot chocolate. Then, take a nap with me, even if you can't go into a deep sleep."