Angeal Hewley was at a small island after Lazard sent him on a mission after various of complaints about a child screaming with pain, possibly child abuse, for nights that never seemed to end.

He just hopes it is nothing to do with child abuse. He presses the bell that was beside the door, a man opens the door. Angeal looks over at the man to see for the 33 year old man, he had a lot more lines than a man should, with pits of gray in his dark hair and he has coldness and unfeeling eyes staring at him, he was also overweight, too.

He puts his hand out to him, hoping he'd shake it.

"I'm Angeal, first class of SOLDIER. I was sent here due to the complaints."

"Ah, you're here for the girl, come in then and don't waste anymore time."

Angeal frowned, he didn't like this man's attitude. But he follows him to the living room which is full of smoke in the air.

But his blue eyes don't look around the living room, he looks to find the little girl in a corner by the couch like she was trying to keep herself from being seen. He walked over and knelt down.

He couldn't see her face since her face was against her knees, all he could see was a mop of brown hair that looked like it needed a good wash.

He'd wouldn't be surprised if she had nits or something. He hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder and he can feel the bone of it.

"Sin-Kairi, look at the man now." Billy said.

The girl, Kairi (But he did wonder what Billy was actually going to say to her) looked up with sad brown eyes that showed no spirit.

She was broken mentally like she had been beaten down so much that she had nothing else to live for.

"Hello, little one. I'm Angeal."

She said nothing, just blinked those eyes at him, but he didn't miss how she tensed up like she was expecting to get hit with a hand or something.

"Kairi!" barked Billy.

Kairi flinched from Billy, no tears fell from her eyes nor did she make a sound but he could see how fearful she became.

"Kairi, do you know what SOLDIER is?" he asked her.

She shook her head at him.

"All right, but they sent me here because people have told Shrina that they've been hearing a child scream with pain and how she is being bullied at school. Sometimes it tells me that it's you."

Kairi shook her head again. "N-No, t-they m-must be mistaken."

At least she can talk, he'd been worried that she was a mute child.

"Aren't you hot wearing that sweater? Come on, let's take it off so you can cool down." he said, but the girl just shook her head again.

"No. no."

"Kairi, why don't you play in your room while I talk to him?" Billy said in a sweet voice that hurt his ears.

Kairi got up and ran up the stairs like her life depended on it.

Angeal did get a good look at her, though. She was far too skinny and small for her age, she looked like something from old war movies as if she was a prisoner of war.

Just for some reason, he felt he had to protect the little girl.

"Why is she so skinny and small? She looks to be three or two years old." he said in a firm voice.

"She's a fussy eater, you know what kids are like."

Angeal did know what most kids were like, but Kairi was so sad and broken.

"Something tells me she isn't like that. Why wouldn't she let me remove her sweater? She has to be sweating in that."

"She gets cold easily."

Angeal had enough with the lies,he walked past him and went to her room, he had listened to where she ran to, he'd opened the door and his heart broke all over again for her.

The room was no little girl's room, it was the room for a prisoner. She only had a mattress, bars on the window and one closet. But other than that, there was nothing for Kairi to do, there were no books or toys in the room for her to play with and the little girl saw on the mattress, shaking with a fear that no child should have in their mind or body.

It made him want to protect her even more.

Angeal knelt down, he tilted her chin up with his hand and forced her to look at him.

"Are you going to do something horrible now?"

His heart dropped into his stomach. "Wh-the horrible? What's that?"

"The thing where you put your thing in my bum."

He felt physically and emotional sick, that monster has raped a little tiny girl? How dare he do that to a child.

He sat beside her and pulled her into his arms, giving her comfort that she's probably never had. He'd wondered if she was a victim to a kidnapping.

"Where's your mom and dad?" he asked.

"I dunno. Don't remember."

He had no doubt she was telling the truth. Something told him that she was too scared to lie to anyone like most kids would do so they wouldn't get into trouble.

He knew she couldn't stay here, who knows what else Billy has done to her other than the rapes.

"Okay, kiddo. You're not staying here." he said, after making a decision. "I'm going to pick you up and you'll be coming home with me."

"Okay."

He picked her up into his arms but he saw Billy at the door frowning at him. "She stays put."

The way he talks about her is as if she wasn't human, as if she was an animal.

Angeal looked to the little girl who was visibly shaking in his arms from fear.

"Okay, I'm going to do something that puts us away from here, so you might feel a bit funny after."

She nodded but said nothing. He'd activate his transporting materia and was back in midgar, he'd look down to Kairi to find her shaking with her eyes shut tightly. He rubbed her back gently, she whimpered.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head, but he removed his hand as he realized that her back felt sticky like dried blood. It made him wonder what that monster had done to her so he walked into the building, he ignored every person that stared at him until he saw his best friends, Genesis and Sephiroth walking towards him.

"Is ... .that the child?" Sephiroth asked, staring at the tiny child in his arms.

Angeal nodded but saw that Kairi was whimpering and shaking with fear. He placed his hand at the back of her head. "It's okay, they're my friends. They won't hurt you."

He watched Kairi remove her face from his shoulder, looking at them. Sephiroth gave her a gentle smile.

"Sephhie, Gene." she said, looking at them.

Angeal smiled at her, Sephiroth tilted her chin so she's looking at them and he knew there was a connection to them.

"There's something different about her."

Kairi then hid her face in his shoulder again. "Aiden."

He wasn't sure who Aiden was, but maybe that's what Sephiroth was sensing from her. Even Angeal knew that there was something different about her, like she wasn't completely human.

"Who's Aiden? Imaginary friend?" he asked her.

"Entity."

"What is he doing?" Sephiroth asked.

"Being pain in the bum."

Angeal smiled, maybe she wasn't as broken as she was made to be. It was hard to tell though.

"Is Aiden someone who died a long time ago?" Genesis asked.

Kairi just shrugged. "Dunno."

"She needs a medical check, she's been hurt badly by those who should have taken care of her."

His friends nodded. Angeal gave her a gentle heave, taking her to the medical room to find Hojo and Hollander there. He saw Kairi peeking from his shoulder and whimpered again, clutching to him tightly.

This poor child had gone through too much.

Angeal settled her on the bed as Hojo came towards, Angeal made a move to leave, but she just started to cry and scream. He and Sephiroth tried to calm her down.

"Angeal, you'll go." Sephiroth told him. "I'll stay with her until you return."

Angeal looked at the little girl that was clutching at his hand as she hiccupped. He tilted her chin up so she was looking at him.

"Sephiroth will stay with you, is that all right?" he asked. "I'll be back soon."

Kairi nodded. "Come back, please. Don't leave me."

"I won't." he said.

Angeal left the room, heading to the director's office, knowing what he will have to do to protect her. He won't let her be raised in the slums when she is something special.

Besides, Sephiroth never let himself get close to any kind of child for any reason. But if he is getting close to Kairi then she really is something special.

After he'd made his report as well as putting in a request, he'd made his way to the medical to find Kairi sleeping in Sephiroth's lap.

It's adorable, really.

He'd gone to them. "How is she?"

"Broken bones that never have been healed right, tearing in her abdomen. Half starved, bruises, welts, burns and cuts."

Angeal winces, so she just wasn't sexually abused, but physically and mentally as well. He'd figured as much but it didn't prepare him for it.

She yawned and opened her eyes, smiling gently as she saw him so he returned the smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

He smiled and took her from Sephiroth. "Let's get you into bed."

She looked scared again, he'll have to work on her confidence, it's obvious that Billy has beaten down her self-Esteem.

"If it's not a burden."

His heart broke all over again as she said it in a sad yet quiet voice. He gave her a small hug until she started to tense up. "You're not a burden and you never will be."

She didn't say anything on the matter, so Angeal took her to his room and placed her on the bed.

She looked up at him with those big brown eyes that looked so illgenit yet so broken like she had seen too much in her life already.

"Kairi, how old are you?" he asked.

"This many." She said, raising her hand with four fingers.

"Four, huh? Becoming a big girl, aren't you?"

Kairi shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't care. He tilts her chin up so she's looking up at him.

"Do you know when it's your birthday?"

"Tomorrow, I think."

Angeal looked at Sephiroth and both of them nodded, he then realized that Genesis wasn't with them. "He left on a mission."

But Angeal wasn't sure, so he looked down at the child and smiled. "Are you hungry?"

She cast her look down, not meeting his eyes. So he tilted her chin up so she was looking at him.

"Kairi, I need to know." Angeal told her in a firm voice.

She gave him a nod. He sighed, he made to get up but Kairi grabbed his hand with tears filling her eyes.

"Don't go, please," she begged, her tiny hand tightened around his. "Please, don't."

Angeal sighed and knelt down, but Kairi didn't remove her hand. "I'm just getting you something to eat."

"No, please don't leave me. I'll be good!"

Angeal sighed as he brought her onto his lap, wrapping an arm around her and looked up at Sephiroth.

"Get her something small, something that'll be easy on her stomach." He said to him,

Sephiroth nodded, he pushed a strand of her hair from her face, making her look up at him.

"What do you like, sweet child?"

"Tamtos stuff. Even though Billy didn't give it to me."

Angeal noticed she knew her abuser as his first name, not uncle or daddy. Just Billy.

Not that Billy had the right to have that term to be known by, perhaps torture or tormenter and let's not forget, monster.

"See if you can find her some soup."

Sephiroth nodded and he left. Kairi frowned. "He's got a really long sword."

Angeal chuckled, at least she wasn't trying to hide. Maybe…just maybe she felt safe enough to point little things out for now.

Soon enough, Sephiroth returned with the food, Angeal didn't miss how worried the child looked, she was afraid.

She looked down at the soup then looked at Angeal, who gave her a nod. "I know you're hungry, give it a try." he said as he picked up the spoon.

Kairi tried to fight him, but it was pitiful since she was still so weak. He even had to get Sephiroth to hold her hands so she would stop trying to push his hand away from her mouth.

"Kairi, stop it. You need to eat something." Angeal said in a firm yet gentle voice.

"No! I don't wanna be bad! I'll be sent to hell! I don't wanna go!"

Sephiroth and Angeal looked at each other in shock, what did that monster actually say to her?

Angeal knew Kairi would most likely have ptsd from her time with Billy, but they didn't know how deep it was. But he knew it was deep enough if she was scared to eat.

"Kairi, just try to eat a little. Just a few spoonfuls then you can stop."

She moved her head away as she cried and begged until she gave in, but soon enough she moved her head away.

"All right, that's done. Good girl, you did very well." Angeal said as he wiped her mouth.

She looked at him with tear stained cheeks.

"How's your stomach feeling, little one?" Sephiroth asked her.

"O-okay." she sniffled.

Angeal strokes her hair gently as he rocks her back and forth. "Try to rest, you deserve it. Just know when you wake up, no one will hurt you ever again."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Angeal whispered as he kissed her forehead gently. Her eyes went to Sephiroth.

"You, too?"

"I promise, little one."

Kairi sighed and closed her eyes. Angeal waited until her breathing was at a steady rhythm, he then put her into bed, putting the covers up to her chin. He pushed a strand of her hair away from her face.

"Sweet dreams."

His phone rang and he picked it up, answering the call. "Angeal."

"Angeal, Billy Watson has been arrested for child abuse. Now Kairi needs a family, I-"

Angeal stopped him from going further, he didn't know why he felt this parental protection for her, but all he knew he wanted to protect her from any physical and emotional harm that would ever threaten her.

"I'll take her."

He ignored Sephiroth's look of surprise and focused on what the director was saying.

"What about your missions? Who will look after her?"

"Who's ever left here, Sephiroth or Genesis." he said.

The director went silent for a moment. "If she wants to be a soldier when she's older?"

"Then I'll train her."

"That's never happened before. A female SOLDIER." the Director said in a surprise tone.

"There's a new thing every now and then. But for now, she needs to be a kid and I can give her that."

The director sighed. "I'll get the papers ready."

Angeal hung up and got up. "I need to search for something."

"I'll help you. The child….there's something different about her and I worry."

Angeal turned around, looking at him, wondering what his friend was worried about this time.

"What do you mean?"

"I sense something different from her. I believe she may be ancient, possibly one of the last kind in her world. I fear for her safety." Sephiroth said as he stroked the little girl's cheek.

"You're talking about Hojo." Angeal said, bitterly.

But he can see how worried his friend was for the tiny girl, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll protect her and we always will. One of us just has to stay with her."

Sephiroth nodded, "I'll return."

Angeal nodded as he head to the library for the hour, he searched for child abuse ptsd, trying to find a way to help her and build up her self-eestem. But he knew that it will be a long time til she can recover from the abuse mentally.

He walked to the room, he froze as he heard her screaming in terror. So he ran in to find her trashing in her bed, distress and fear written over her face. He went to her and shook her awake.

"Kairi, please wake up, you're having a nightmare." he said in a comforting voice as he shook her shoulder gently. "You're safe now."

Kairi opened her eyes, but then she looked down and a slight blush came to her pale cheeks. He tilts her chin so she's looking at him. "What's wrong?"

"I wet the bed, don't punish me." she whispered.

"Oh, Kairi." he said, sighing. She has so much trauma for a child so young. "It was an accident, you couldn't help it. Never apologize for things out of your control."

Kairi's brown eyes widened at him as he said it. He lifted her into his arms and took her to the bathroom, he put her on the toilet seat and he decided to run a bath for her.

Who knows how long she had a bath last?

After he finished running it, he saw how terrified she looked as she stared at the bubbly water.

"Kairi."

It snapped her out whatever trance she had been into, he knelt down to her. "Arms up, let's give you a good wash."

"No, no." she said, shaking her head. "I don't wanna."

Angeal sighed, how much did Billy abuse this little girl, she had such a deep fear of a simple bath.

"Kairi, are you scared of the water?" he asked, gently.

Kairi nodded as tears fell from her eyes. "B-Billy would make it burn my skin or he'd make it too cold and he'd put my head under the water."

She gave a shuddering breath. "He also told me that the water monster would get me if I didn't behave."

What did Billy do to this poor child? He pulled her in for a hug, ignoring her flinching. "Kairi, no water monster nor any other kind of monster will ever get you, I promise. Myself, Genesis and Sephiroth will always keep you safe."

She looked at him with judgingly brown eyes. "And you won't leave me? You swear?"

HE wondered who would leave her with that monster to begin with, if she thought he'd abandoned her.

"Kairi, I can't promise I won't leave you, but I will promise, as long as I live, no harm shall ever come to you."

Kairi did a small smile, probably one of the first smiles that reached her relief eyes, but her eyes also showed a slight fear as she glanced at the bath.

"Why don't you put your hand in? If it's too hot or cold, I'll change the temperature."

Kairi slipped off the toilet and walked to the bubble bath and put her hand in and she nodded. "It's warm but not too hot."

"Will you allow me to remove your dress?" he asked.

The tiny girl nodded, raising her arms and Angeal took off the dress, he winced at the slight bruises that were starting to heal and he sighed as he saw the bandages around her torso.

"Let's try not to get these too wet, shall we?" he said as he put her in the bath.

She nodded. She tenses as he starts to wash her greasy hair.

Hopefully after this, she will feel better.

After that, he brought her out, wrapping the towel around her body. He grabbed another towel and dried her hair with it. "There, was that so bad?"

"Suppose."

He chuckled and brought her in for a hug. "I'm proud of you."

Her brown eyes widened in shock at this. "Are you proud of me? I'm a good girl?"

"A very good girl," he said.

Just what was this child doing to him? Why was she so different from most girls her age? There was something about her that just…draws you in.

He found one of his shirts and put it on her, it was long like a dress but it will do for now. He brushed her damp hair and then he picked her up.

Angeal took her back to the bed and he laid her down, putting the covers to her chin.

"Get some sleep. When you wake, we'll get something to eat."

She nodded and closed her eyes, soon her breathing slow and calming. He smiled and kissed her forehead gently.

He left to find the director handing him the papers and he signed them. He then went back only to meet up with Sephiroth and Genesis.

"How's the child?" Sephiroth asked him, looking pale.

Angeal knew he must've gone through some tests with Hojo, it makes him wonder what kind of experiments they've been doing this time.

"Not good, she was afraid of a simple bath, but we got there in the end."

"It's not going to go away overnight, Angeal." Sephiroth said in a grave voice. "It will probably takes years for her to get over her trauma."

Angeal knew this, of course, but he knows it will not be an easy road for her. He went back to the room to find Kairi out of bed, lying on the floor, surrounded by vomit. He went to her and picked her up.

The kid looked so sickly, what caused this? She hasn't eaten in a few hours now. So why was she sickly?

He shook her and she opened her eyes, he thought he saw a slight glow in her eyes, but it went as quickly as it came.

"I was sick, I'm sorry."

He shook his head and brought her to the bathroom, he cleaned her up. "Kairi, there's no need for you to apologize."

All he can do is reassure her until she understands that she doesn't need to apologize for things that are not her control.

3 days later…..

Angeal smiled as the little girl woke up, after a long time of searching, he'd found out when it was her birthday. So he got Sephiroth to stay up while he went to buy her some new things.

"Hey, Kairi. Look what's at the bottom of the bed." he said.

Angeal watched as she sat up and blinked in surprise at the presents at the bottom of the bed.

"Is it someone's birthday?"

His heart broke as she said, not realizing that the gifts are for her, not for someone else. He sat on the bed and gave her the bunny teddy.

"No, it's for you, all of it."

She looked at him in shock, then looked away with a meek look on her face as if she was in trouble.

"But demons don't get gifts or birthdays because demons don't deserve good things."

Angeal clenched his jaw in anger, it's not the first time in the last 3 days that she referred to herself as a demon or a child of Lucifer.

He hated it.

"Kairi, we've talked about this, you are not a demon nor a child of the devil. You're just a little girl."

He'll keep reminding her until she gets it through her brain. He knew her recovery wouldn't be an easy road, but he still didn't prepare him for this.

He helped her open her presents, he didn't do it for her, he'd just helped her with the wrapping.

Who knows when it was the last time she had a proper birthday that didn't cause pain and fear?

She opened the last small box, she opened the box to find a heart shaped necklace that said, "Daddy's Angel."

Suddenly, Kairi started to cry, Angeal pulled her in for a hug. "What's wrong, little one?"

"I'm bad! I'm nothing but a bad demon! I'm not good! I'm evil!"

His heart broke over the words, he wondered if Kairi would ever recover from the abuse she'd suffered at the hands of Billy and Dawn Lerner.

"Oh, Kairi." he said as he rubbed her back comfortably. "You aren't a demon, a bad girl or evil. You're a sweet little girl that's just been through too much."

She sniffled, rubbing her eyes with her hand. "I'm a good girl?"

"Very good girl." he said, feeling the lump in his throat.

After he got the necklace on for her, she gave him the biggest smile she had since he took her away from that hellhole.

"Now, would you like to have a small tour around Midgar?"

"Yes, will Seppie come?"

""Not today, little one. But he'll be here when we get back." Angeal told her.

"I don't like Hojo, he's creepy."

Angeal chuckled as he picked out an outfit for the day, he knew Hojo made Kairi uncomfortable with how he stares at her like she was some test subject.

"I know you don't. But don't say that in front of him."

Kairi nodded cutely, he pulled her hair up into a ponytail that she loved so much.

Soon enough, he was showing Kairi around sector 8 until she pulled at his hand. He looked down at her to find she was staring at the big doors that would lead her into the slums.

"What's down there?"

He smiled, he was glad she was asking questions like he had encouraged her to do.

"The slums." he said, he knelt down and took her tiny hands. "I don't want you going down there."

"Why?" she asked, innocently.

"Because it's dangerous, I don't want you to get hurt."

She nodded. "Okay."

He smiled and brought her in for a hug, once he parted from her, she hid behind him. "Hey.."

Angeal then noticed the Turk that was coming to him, Tseng. When he stands up, he can feel Kairi hiding behind his leg.

"Angeal, I got news. We found out what Kairi is."

Angeal wondered how they managed that without her leaving the room much. He watched as Tseng knelt down to the little girl with a friendly smile.

"Hello, Kairi."

She didn't say anything.

"Do you hear the whispers, Kairi?"

"No, I don't hear voices." Kairi mumbled in his leg.

"Kairi, do you even know who or what you are?" he asked.

"No, just a freak."

Angeal closed his eyes, his heart breaking over how upset she was getting. "Tseng, she's getting upset."

"You're an ancient."

His heart froze with shock, was that why everyone gets so attached to her? Possibly.

"I'm not ancient! Really, I'm not."

"But, Kairi. Don't you hear the voices, whispering secrets into your ear?"

"I hear voices, Aiden's."

"Tseng, is there anything else?" he asked, wanting to take the Turk's attention away from Kairi.

"Yes, Lazard wants to see you. He said, "you'd know what it's about." Tseng said, getting to his feet.

Angeal nodded and looked down at Kairi, he placed a hand on her head and she looked up at him with big brown eyes.

"Do you want to go back?" he asked.

Kairi nodded and put her hands up, obviously wanting to be picked up. He picked her up and she rested her head against his shoulder.

Angeal was soon back at the SOLDIER building, in the debriefing room. Lazard smiled and he looked at Kairi.

"So is this little Kai?" he asked.

Kairi looked at Lazard and gave him a shy wave. He smiled at her then turned to Angeal.

"Congratulations, you are the father to Kairi Anderson."

Kairi raised her head in shock, looking at Angeal. "You want me?"

"Yes. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to have false hope." he told her gently.

Kairi smiled and hugged him. "Can I call you daddy?" she murmured.

Angeal chuckled and rubbed her back. "I will be happy if you do."

"And can I call Septhie, papa?"

He smiled, he can't wait to see Sephiroth's face when she does. "OF course, let's find him."

Angeal nodded to Lazard and they found Sephiroth in the research department. He looked up and gave Kairi a smile.

"I hear it's your birthday, little one." he said.

"Yeah, it is, papa."

He looked dumbfounded. She said that then he smiled, looking at Angeal and they both nodded.

"Well, happy birthday, little Kai." he said, taking her from Angeal and giving her a hug.

Angeal smiled, he knew just with time and patience, Kairi would grow up to be a strong young and amazing woman.

ANgeal heard something move from the other bed, he woke to find Kairi missing, he'd gotten up and went looking for her to find her standing near an edge, which sent him to worry.

"Kairi."

But she didn't turn, but the voice she spoke in was sending him chills.

"Home." she just kept murmuring. "Must kill them all."

She then leaned forward to the edge and he ran, grabbing her by the waist, which made her start to scream.

"HOME! SILENT HILL! KILL THEM ALL!"

"We're home, Kai! It's okay!" he said, not wanting to scare the small 5 year old.

She opened her eyes sleepily and he pulled her in for a hug. "Daddy?"

"It's okay, what's a silent hill?"

She genuinely looked so confused. "Don't know, tired."

He nodded and took her back to bed, he later found out that it was an abandoned town after the coals never stopped burning underground and that people had been killed and mysteriously disappeared.

Angeal made Kairi swear never to go there alone, which she quickly agreed with.

Angeal knew all KAiri needed was a family…..