Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Where the lost ones go ❯ Unwell ( Chapter 31 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

31. Unwell

He heard their voices even before he was within two meters from the closed door, but this time Rufus smiled at the familiar sound. Previously it had annoyed him beyond reason that the idiots couldn't just sit silently and wait, without turning to bickering and sometimes shouting. The voice booming the loudest of them all could only belong to the man called Barret. It had been quite a while since Rufus had seen the previous leader of AVALANCHE, and they'd never been anything remotely like friends. Still, a friend of Tifa was an ally of his, so Rufus figured he'd gladly suffer through anything to ease his wife's worrying. He drew a deep breath, then pushed the door open and stepped into the meeting room.
As expected, everyone fell silent and stared at the figure in white standing in the doorway.
Rufus let his gaze move over them in turn. Vincent closest to him on the left, with young Yuffie by his side making his neutral face even more lifeless by her awed expression. Barret was seated beside Yuffie, Aeris next, and Reeve had taken Rufus' old place at the end of the table. Opposite side was made up by Seto closest to the door, the bored looking Hojo and finally a trembling Scarlet.
Smiling faintly at their looks of disbelief, Rufus finally sauntered into the room and let the door close behind him.
"So it's true?" Yuffie exclaimed eagerly, "Rufus is alive, and back to kick ass?"
A look was enough to make Reeve dart away from his chair, and Rufus sank down into the familiar seat before speaking. "I'm going to say this once, and then we're going to drop it, ok? We have more important tasks to deal with." He then gesticulated faintly and sighed. "Yes, my chopper was shot down by Junon. No, I have no idea why I didn't die, but I'm not putting in any complaints, alright? I found myself in the Lost City a few days ago, and returned to Midgar as fast as possible. Now you people know as much about my situation as I do myself. Let's leave it at that. It seems like things have turned quite messy since I last sat in this room?"
"Understatement of the year," Yuffie muttered, ignoring the withering look Seto sent her. "Without your royal ass, ShinRa, everyone started running their own shops!"
Rufus folded his hands on the table and leaned slightly forward. "Yes, and that includes you and dear Mr. Valentine, I hear?"
Vincent didn't reply, keeping his expressionless face.
Barret slammed his hand on the table in his usual not-so-discrete way of getting everyone's attention. "Ta hell with that! What are we gonna do NOW, rich boy?"
Swallowing down his instinctive anger, Rufus focused his gaze on his folded hands resting on the table. "I haven't really had the time to go through all the mess you've all created, so I'm not going to declare any great decisions just yet. I want to make sure I've caught up on everything Jinrei has been up to." He then frowned and glanced around. "And WHY isn't Cid here?"
Hojo raised a dry eyebrow, not lifting his gaze from where he was absently doodling on the cover of the files he'd brought. "As I've stated in my report, the antidote has critically reduced it's efficiency since you, hrm, were among us last. He is currently under siege of yet another fever. If this one doesn't kill him, the next one will. Or the next one."
Suddenly everyone around the table was staring at the pale scientist, and worry was thick in the air. Fighting against the sickening dread gathering in a aching stomach, Barret stood up abruptly. "Ain't that why YER here? To find some damn cure?"
"There is no cure," Hojo declared silently through gritted teeth, tensing slightly with anger. "Whatever you may think, science cannot preform miracles. This virus breaks down the cells in the human body, and the shots I've been giving him has been to repair that damage. But as time passes, the virus only gets more aggressive while there is no way of hurrying the repairs. His body is breaking down faster than I can repair it."
Rufus motioned for silence, his own eyes resting intensely on Hojo. "It's not like you to admit defeat."
Hojo gave a small and bitter smile, still not gazing up from his doodling. "I have an idea."
"Well then, let's hear it!" Reeve snapped, refusing to believe that the loud Cid Highwind was even capable of dying.
"Indeed," Rufus added smoothly, slightly unnerved by the challenging smirk still lingering on Hojo's face.
Hojo finally gazed up. Golden brown eyes locked with Rufus' crystal blue. "I want to infuse Highwind with Jenova cells."

"What?" Barret just about screamed, slamming his hand on the table again. "Forget it, you freak! Ya ain't gonna play god with Cid, ya got that?"
Rufus frowned and raised a hand to signal for silence once again. Hojo's words had been a shock to him as well, but why would the scientist suggest something like that when he knew how they would react? "And what do you hope to achieve?"
"It's very simple really," Hojo returned to doodling. "Jenova has a simular structure to a virus, but her cells are much stronger. She does not tolerate sharing a host with another virus. In simple terms, Jenova would destroy Jinrei's virus as a rival to her host."
"But wouldn't that put Cid under her control as well?" Aeris' voice suddenly was heard, and the flower girl was also gazing directly at the dark haired man. As she rarely spoke, her question was followed by a respectful silence.
Hojo cleared his throat, his eyes narrowing slightly with concentration as he focused harder on his pen's creation. "There is a high possibility of that, yes."
Rufus wondered briefly how Hojo had made it an art form to avoid looking at the young woman ever since he'd entered the room.
"Then why the hell should we do that to him, ya foo!" Barret yelled, leaning slightly forward to loom dangerously.
Hojo's gaze suddenly shot up to meet Barret's eyes angrily. "Because he will be dead soon if you don't!" He got up to continue the staring contest with the taller man. "You cannot phantom how little I care for your opinion of me, but you claim to have Highwind's best interest at heart; so I suggest you listen to me! The cells in his body are being destroyed as we speak. Little by little, his body is shutting down. He's dying, but before he's allowed that; Cid Highwind will start attacking anything within reach. His only aim will be to kill, and then it will be too late! Do you want that?"
Barret felt sick, the horrible feeling of helplessness washing over him and drowning his anger. He wanted to say something, anything, but what was there to say?
"If we infuse Cid with Jenova cells, what will most likely happen?" Rufus asked silently, ignoring Yuffie's outcry.
Clearing his throat, Hojo sank down into his chair again and stared at his drawing. "I have little or no doubt that Jenova will try to gain control over him, but I cannot predict how much Highwind will be able to do about that. He's considerably weakened by the virus."
"If we kill Jenova, will the virus return?" Vincent's silent voice surprised them even more than Aeris speaking.
There was a slightly twitch in Hojo's shoulders, as if speaking to the other man was physically repulsing to him. "Jenova will not allow for anything to survive once battling the virus."
Rufus rubbed his eyes wearily, trying to force his mind to work faster. "So, we kill Jenova, and Cid will be free of her as well?"
Hojo nodded.
"But how are we going to get our hands on Jenova cells?" Reeve asked nervously, fidgeting with the sleeve on his shirt. "With both Cloud and Sephiroth gone, we have no one who is connected to her."
A short chaos of murmuring followed, but then Hojo cleared his throat again. "The lab. Several of Sephiroth's blood samples are still there. The Jenova cells are still active. I checked."
"I bet ya did," Barret muttered venomously, crossing his arms over his mighty chest to glare at the scientist. His mind knew it was perhaps the only way, but it didn't mean he had to like it, or that Hojo had to enjoy it as much as he probably did!
Rufus frowned slightly, absently flicking back a lock of his hair. "But discussing this has no real purpose, as it's only Cid himself who can decide this..."
"What is there to chose?" Seto declared, placing his front paws on the table to gaze at Rufus. "Cid Highwind is not to die. Whatever means to keep him alive has to be taken, they will be taken!"
Clenching his jaw, Hojo was about to glare over at the huge beast with a razor sharp reply when the chain around his ankle tightened painfully and reminded him that he was in no position to go against the wishes of the Cetra. A prisoner had no right for an opinion.
Just as the tension rose dangerously in the room, almost everyone staring furiously at Seto, the door suddenly opened wide to slam against the wall. In the doorway stood a tiny man with a huge beard and even huger hat. Glancing confused at them behind his sunglasses, the little man tilted his head. "Excuse me, is this the bathroom?"

Yuffie sighed where she was sitting outside the entrance to the ShinRa tower. They all knew what she'd been through, but still they didn't seem to understand that she had to keep busy or her thoughts would return to her family and home town.
Rufus might be the most interesting guy to interrogate at the moment, but there was no way that Yuffie could get herself to butt in on him and Tifa now!
Vincent always seemed to have an uncanny radar as to pick up when she wanted a little entertainment, as he pulled the old needle in a haystack trick whenever she was in said mood and when looking for him. No one had seen a pale guy, with crimson eyes, gold arm and a cape that would make superman weep with envy? Right!
The young ninja's eyes flickered slightly with sadness as she knew her previous source of fun was currently struggling for his life. She'd actually cried after seeing Cid the day before.
Barret had barked to her that he didn't have time for little girls, and when she'd voiced her disliking to being called that, he'd given her a very rude suggestion what she could do with her opinions about his vocabulary...
Desperation had been evident when she'd even gone as far as to drop into chat with Mr Nut job himself, Hojo! But her visit had been met with little enthusiasm, and had ended when he'd threatened to put a hair-removal potion in her shampoo if she didn't shut up and left him alone! Talk about cranky pants!
Aeris... She was either tending to the wounded soldiers, or tending to the flowers in the church. And, let's face it, flowers can only be fascinating for about... two seconds!
Both Reeve and Reno were busy with their jobs, and basically ignored her when she was there. The bastards.
Seto was not an option. Yuffie would rather shrivel up into a prune of pure boredom than seek out his company!
Everyone was busy with their own lives, and Yuffie was free to dwell on the things she tried so desperately to block out! Hawk's face kept haunting her, and she felt guilty enough to barf that she'd returned from the mission without harm while her fellow ninja had simply vanished! She wondered if he was dead... If Cloud was dead... If Jessie was alive as well? Was her revenge worth sacrificing the ones still alive?
Suddenly footsteps tore her out of her gloom and the ninja jumped to her feet with fists raised, ready to meet whoever it was. But grey eyes widened and she numbly let her arms fall to her sides as she saw the men in front of her. "Think of the devil!" Yuffie exclaimed, rubbing her eyes to see if she was dreaming or something...
Cloud managed a faint smile, hoisting the unconscious Hawk slightly. "How nice of you to think about us, Yuffie, but do you think you could give me a hand here?"
Starting to life, the young woman darted over to wrap Hawk's other arm around her shoulders. Gazing worried at him, Yuffie was pained to see the blood covering the once so handsome face. "Is he...?"
"He's hurt pretty bad..." Cloud said silently as they slowly made their way into the ShinRa tower. "At first I didn't think he was alive, but... when I saw him breathe, I couldn't just leave him behind there..."
Yuffie waited until the elevator opened it's doors and they had entered, watching as the doors closed again, before she dared to ask. "What happened, Cloud? Where have you been? Who did this to you two?" It was almost just as painful to see the blood on Cloud's pale skin as well, horrible wounds, and she wondered how he had been able to bring Hawk with him when being in such a poor state himself. "And... Jessie...?"
Cloud stared emptily ahed, not answering at first, then he glanced over at the young ninja. "I found Jinrei. Or should I say, he found me?" The blonde swallowed hard, and closed his eyes. "I was captured. Brought to their base. That's where I met Hawk." The elevator kept climbing. "I don't remember much of what they did to me, but... One day, the alarm started blaring and the soldiers were panicking. Someone was attacking the base, and they were unable to stop it. Finally they released me, because... because I'd defeated him once before..."
Yuffie frowned confused, tilting her head. "What? Who?"
"Jenova must be controlling him again," Cloud mused absently. "I haven't seen him like that since Nibelheim... But..." He lifted his free hand to the cut in his temple and frowned. "But... he didn't kill me..."
Once again he remembered seeing the light playing over Masamune's deadly edge as it flew towards him, and in that moment; Cloud was certain he would die. Simple as that. It was over. Then he'd seen the pain in Sephiroth's eyes, and he'd barely time to draw a startled breath before the side of the sword connected with his skull and sent him careening into oblivion. Cloud woke up in pain, but he woke up very much alive. No sign of anyone but him and Hawk. No sign of Sephiroth, only a splitting headache.

Hojo refused to meet her eyes as Shera was lead out of the room by one of the lab assistants. He had a sneaky feeling that she was one of those emotional females, despite her brilliance, and he really wasn't in the mood for drama. A tough decision was going to be made, and he didn't want anything to influence Cid Highwind as he decided. It was risky, but it might just work...
Walking into the room, the scientist absently tapped the side of the syringe in his hand. For a moment, he was tempted to simply infuse the cells into himself like he'd done so many years ago, but Hojo shook it off. He was not succumbing again. Not matter how alluring it seemed...
Sitting down by the bed, the dark haired man studied the blonde pilot writhing in agony. Cid was, if possible, looking even worse. It could almost seem like the concern had not been unfounded; this fever would most likely be the end of him. Hojo cleared his throat as he daintily placed the syringe on the small trolley beside him, then called out for Cid's attention. No reaction. Frowning, he tried again. A little louder. Nothing.
A double shot of the weakening antidote, and Hojo was relieved to see Cid open his eyes. Fever hazed, but aware, the pilot glanced over at him.
"I guess I don't have to tell you we're at the end of the road," Hojo said solemnly, leaning forward on his chair to rest his elbows on his knees. "However, I'm not ready to give up yet. There is a way to destroy the virus within you." Here he barely lifted a hand to silence the words he knew the pilot would say. "Of course there is no remedy without a certain... risk."
Cid was fighting just to stay conscious, and Hojo's words barely made sense, yet a cold feeling entered him. Risk? How could things get any worse? "W... what?"
Hojo got up to rest his arms behind his back while gazing down at the blonde. His usual pose of self defence, as it gave a false appearance of confidence. "I have consulted the others, but the final decision is up to you, Cid Highwind." Hesitating one heartbeat, Hojo wondered briefly what he was going to do if the pilot refused. "I want to inject Jenova cells into you."
Closing his eyes, Cid didn't know wether to laugh or cry. He'd seen what had happened to both Cloud and Sephiroth thanks to the Jenova cells, and the thought of having anything of that alien in his body made him sick! So what choice did he have? Die as a zombie creature, or become a Jenova pawn? No, if Cid had to die, it was going to be with a lot more glory than either of those endings!
"Hear me out first, before you dismiss the idea entirely," Hojo muttered, sinking down on his chair again and picked up the syringe with the fluid containing the agressive Jenova cells. "This virus, it's eating away at your body. It destroys cells at an amazing speed, and there is nothing strong enough to even slow it down! ...Except Jenova cells. The dear Crisis will not tolerate sharing a host, so she'll destroy the unknown virus for you."
Cid forced his eyes open again, turning his face to gaze over at Hojo. It actually hurt to talk. "Then... what?"
"Then," Hojo sighed, knowing he'd never be able to lie well enough to get away with it. "Then the Jenova cells with start merging with your cells, and repair the damage done by the virus." Was there any point in scaring the man with theories about Jenova starting to influence Cid's mind, or even try to control him?
A ghost of a laugh was heard, and Cid was staring up at the ceiling again. "I'm better off dead..."
Snorting annoyed, Hojo sent him a sharp glare. "Nonsense! Here I am giving you a chance to cure yourself from that virus, and you refuse to take it? You fear Jenova's influence, you who keep bragging about his strong will? The great Cid Highwind is a coward? Yes, who knows what will happen once Jenova is in your system, but it will buy you time! And time is what you lack, blondie! With time, anything is possible!"
Cid didn't reply for a while, kept staring at the ceiling, but after almost an entire minute did his eyes close in defeat. "Fine..." He swallowed hard, trying to convince himself that he didn't really have anything to lose, right? "Shoot me up, Doc."
Hojo exhaled and his shoulders finally lowered from their tense position. "Very well..."
The scientist worked in silence, but as Hojo lowered the needle to pierce Cid's skin, he was startled to find his hand trembling slightly. What the hell was this? Over the years, he'd researched the effect of Jenova cells on different subjects and had found the differing results fascinating! Why was he suddenly hesitating? Why did the possibility of a bad outcome make him feel so uneasy? Shaking his head, Hojo pulled himself together and continued the procedure. There was no other way...

Vincent gazed up at the stars, almost as if the dark haired man was hoping that they could provide him with all the answers he yearned to know. Always so many questions, and never enough answers. Still, all he could do now was wait... At least that was something he was good at.
There was no sound, no movement to warn him, yet Vincent spun around and his golden arm shot up to fend off the Masamune. Sparks appeared at the impact, and Vincent trembled with the strain of keeping his arm raised as the infamous sword kept pushing down. Crimson eyes were locked with reptile eyes glowing with the colour of the Lifestream.
"Impressive," Sephiroth admitted softly, adding a little more strength into his grip on the Masamune. "But not good enough..."
Clenching his jaw, Vincent tried to remain calm despite the unease that flickered through him. He'd known Sephiroth was strong, but he had not been prepared for such power. "Then... you've finally joined Jenova's side again? We were wrong to trust you?" At least his voice sounded as calm as always.
Sephiroth felt his fury reach new heights at the calm on the other man's face, and his insolent words! "Jenova has nothing to do with this!" He leaned forward and managed to press Vincent's arm a little lower, bringing the deadly sword a little closer to the man's neck. "And don't you dare speak to me about trust! You liar!"
"Whatever Jenova might have told you, Sephiroth, I have never betrayed you!" Vincent insisted, now struggling to keep his arm raised against the tremendous pressure.
Sephiroth sneered a smile. "Is that so? Didn't you find a woman named Lucrecia over a year ago? Why did you tell my mother I was dead then?"
Vincent was completely unprepared for Lucrecia's name, as well as the furious question that followed. Shock and guilt stunning him, making it easy for Sephiroth to be able to pull the Masamune free to aim for Vincent's neck.
Then there was a loud explosion, and Sephiroth felt something ram painfully hard into his shoulder to send a spray of blood over the railing. Fighting to keep his balance, Sephiroth saw his sword arm hang limply by his side with crimson droplets falling to the ground, while the fingers still refused to release the Masamune. What had just happened? A gun shot? Slowly turning around, Sephiroth blinked surprised. Pain was making him dizzy, but there was no mistaking the man behind the raised shotgun. "Rufus...? You're alive?"
Nodding, the brat prince held the shotgun aiming at his former friend. "Looks like it. Didn't know it myself until a few days ago. Woke up in that damn Cetra city."
"Good. I didn't like that you died." Sephiroth barely glanced over as Vincent moved over to Rufus, but he straightened when a small figure with a huge hat appeared. "That's not who I think it is, is it?"
Rufus managed a faint smile, cocking the shotgun. "I'm afraid it is." He swallowed hard, and gathered his courage. "Now, put the sword down, Sephiroth, and we'll work this out."
Frowning, Sephiroth gazed down at the Masamune. "A lot of things have happened since you left, you know..."
"Yeah, I know," Rufus acknowledged silently. "But I'm here now. We're going to turn everything around, and that Jinrei is gonna be sorry he ever messed with us!"
It sounded so good, and he really wanted to believe that. Sephiroth smiled faintly, seeing his own fingers tightening their grip around the Masamune. "I'm glad you're back... I trust you... You can take care of things..."
Shifting his grip on the shotgun, Rufus felt his skin turn damp and his shoulders tensed. "You don't want to do this, Sephiroth. Just put the damn sword down! Don't let Jenova mess up your life again!"
Sephiroth gazed miserably over at him, the pain in his eyes intensifying as a pale Aeris stepped up beside Rufus with tears in her lovely eyes. "I can't..." His arm was slowly rising with the sword, despite his trembling body's effort to stop it. "She's too strong..." He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."
Rufus felt his heart sink. "Me too." But he didn't hesitate as Sephiroth charged at them, and the shotgun had never sounded that loud as when he fired. Aeris' scream sounded distant as Rufus couldn't take his eyes of how the blood exploded from where the bullet tore into Sephiroth's stomach. He watched with a numb feeling as the silver haired man fell to his knees and touched the wound with a puzzled look. The Masamune fell from his hand with a clatter, and Sephiroth sent Rufus a faint smile.
Aeris was screaming Sephiroth's name, but Rufus held out an arm to prevent her from going over to the kneeling man. His blue eyes were locked on the Sage, and he tried to ignore his racing heart. One second passed. Two. Three. And then Sephiroth slumped over on his side, to lie lifelessly as blood pooled around him. Four seconds. Five. Six. Seven. Rufus felt panic starting to rise, but refused to acknowledge it. Eight damn seconds. Nine. Ten! The Sage gave a nod, and Rufus ran over to land on his knees beside Sephiroth. "Hang on..." Instantly casting Cure3, the brat prince could only hope their plan had worked.

The painkillers made him sleepy, yet they allowed Cid to focus sharper than before without pain clouding his mind. He clenched and unclenched his hand, feeling the sore muscles in his injured shoulder object angrily. Strange. He'd almost expected that he'd sprout tentacles the second Hojo injected that damn stuff into his vein, yet in these ten agonizing minutes there had been almost disappointingly little action. No shrill cries of war from the battle of the cells, nor any visions of headless, yet busty, aliens! Really strange. But then again, when had anything gone the way Cid Highwind thought lately?
"How are you feeling?" Hojo's voice tore him out of his thoughts, and the pilot glanced over at the scientist with a shrug.
Hojo nodded and walked over to his desk, gazing at some charts. "We should start to see some results soon..."
Though it was what he wanted, Cid couldn't help but to feel the fear spreading through him. Why did this have to happen? Dammit, he'd not been that much of a rotten person to deserve this! He just wanted to live his life, ok? If he just came out of this okay, then he'd even give up on his dream of reaching another planet out in space! It wasn't so much that he was afraid of dying, he just didn't want to! He had a wife, friends and a job he loved! Why did he have to lose them?
Glancing over, Hojo saw the worried look on Cid's face and he figured he couldn't blame the blonde. Hell, just because Hojo himself hadn't the wits to be afraid when he infused himself with Jenova cells back then, didn't mean that the pilot wasn't wise to worry. Jenova cells had yet to prove that they brought anything but misery. Sighing silently, the scientist put down his charts. It was no going back anyway, and only time would show if they'd made the right choice.
Cid felt a flicker of curiosity as Hojo came over to sit down on the chair beside his bed again. "What? You waiting for me to start growing tentacles too?"
"I have a question for you," Hojo stated casually, taking of his glasses to clean them with a flick of his white jacket. "If you're up to answer a query that might demand you using your brain a bit."
Snorting offended, Cid waved a hand weakly. "Bring it on, Four-Eyes!"
"I heard," Hojo said somewhat absently as he held up his glasses for inspection, "that your Highwind had nothing to put up against the Gelnika's speed. That ShinRa plane left your precious airship in the dust while carrying helicopters and other vehicles."
Blue eyes instantly flashed with anger, and Cid started with a stream of obscenities before falling into words that actually formed sentences. "That's a frigging load of bull! Yeah, okay, so my baby wasn't designed to be no damn speed plane, but ya haven't seen the jet engines I've placed in her! Those mamas go on a special fuel that Shera came up with as well!"
Hojo placed his glasses on and sent Cid a dry look. "So you're saying that your old tin-can could out run the Gelnika?"
Fuming, Cid launched himself into a long speach about the Highwind, her engines and whatnot. Each time he thought he'd proved the Highwind's superiority, Hojo came with some question that ended up in another long speach. It wasn't until Hojo glanced at the watch that the pilot understood what had just happened.
"Heh, not bad," Cid grinned, shaking his head in defeat. "Ya got me blabbering so I wouldn't think about turning into a squid, hah? Not bad at all, Doc. But I gotta say, I'm a bit impressed that you know that much about planes and engines."
"I might have chosen to specialize in genetics and biology, but I did do some dabbling in mechanics as well. I blame it on the male gene and my need to see how everything is put together to work." Hojo reached out and slowly fastened the restraint around Cid's right wrist. "I soon discovered that I preferred a profession that did not involve grease." He smiled faintly as he circled the bed and fastened the restraint around Cid's other wrist as well, seeing the wary look the pilot sent him. "What's the matter? Don't you trust me?"
Cid managed a faint smile and shook his head. "Nope, but I'm counting on that chain of yers wont let ya do anything to kill me."
Hojo cast a quick glance at the golden chain around his ankle and frowned displeased. "Hate the damn thing..." He then walked back to his chair and sank down again, gazing at the blonde with a look of empathy. "I just think it's safer this way..."
Nodding, Cid drew a deep breath and gazed up at the ceiling. "I was only joking, Doc..." He could already feel the burn starting to spread from the wound, feeling something foreign spreading through his veins. "I do trust ya skinny carcass..."
Hojo got up as the first convulsions started and he reached over for a syringe. "Then I'm going to make sure you live through this, Highwind..." Injecting the painkillers, the scientist thought back on all the times he'd never done that. How he'd let the specimen suffer through the battle. Not this time. And Hojo forgot to notice that his actions were by his own will, and not orders from the Cetra. They might have forgotten what pain was like, but Hojo was learning all over again. To feel was pain.

Rufus nodded as the doctor finished up on his report and he gazed at Aeris' still form in the hospital bed. It had finally gotten too much for the flower girl. She'd seen the soldiers lifting up the limp Sephiroth and the Sage had suddenly rapped Rufus over the head with his cane and told him to catch. He hadn't even time to ask what he was supposed to catch before Aeris collapsed and he barely caught her in time from hitting the floor. Over-worked, not enough sleep or food, and all her worrying had finally broken her. The doctors said it was a miracle that she hadn't lost her child as well! If she kept this up, the baby was surely doomed!
Sighing, Rufus pushed himself away from the doorway. The sedatives could keep her asleep for some time, so it was time to check up on Sephiroth as well.
He still had no idea how the Chocobo Sage knew Sephiroth would come with a mission to kill Vincent, but Rufus quickly learned that it was pure idiocy to ask the old man and expect a decent answer! The little man was a pure bundle of annoyance wrapped in a migraine! However, it had given them the chance to reclaim the silver haired warrior and hopefully it would also snap him out of Jenova's power. Cloud had firmly declared it was still hope!
Rufus hoped he'd never feel that dreadful feeling again that he'd felt when watching Sephiroth slowly bleed unconscious in front of him. The Sage had told him the power of Jenova was too strong over him that Sephiroth would be able to fight her, and as long as the silver haired man was awake then he would fight them. They had to weaken him to the brink of death to capture him.
Approaching the hospital room, Rufus had to draw a deep breath before he could make himself enter. It was no good feeling to see Sephiroth basically chained to the bed, with all sorts of machines monitoring his condition. Hospitals always wigged him out. Still, it appeared that the former general was in stabile shape.
"I'm sorry," Rufus said silently, feeling a sick twinge of guilt at the sight of Sephiroth's bandages.
"Don't be," Sephiroth slurred, and his eyelashes lifted just enough for him to gaze at the brat prince.
Starting, Rufus crossed his arms abruptly and shifted uneasily. "Y-you're supposed to be asleep!"
"And you're supposed to be dead." Sephiroth sounded awfully drugged, and his arms barely tugged at their restraints. He was obviously very weakened. "What...?"
Rufus swallowed hard and rubbed his neck awkwardly. "You... You're not yourself, Sephiroth. We just have to make sure that you don't do anything..."
"Crazy?" Sephiroth managed to make that word sharp before returning to his drawl. "C'mon, Rufus. You know I wouldn't do anything like that. I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell. Ok?"
Managing a faint smile, Rufus crossed his arms again. "I know." He then glanced over as another person entered the room, and was unable to hide his surprise at the sight of Vincent Valentine. "What are you doing here?"
Vincent's eyes were resting on Sephiroth even as he answered. "I came to speak with Sephiroth."
Reptile eyes opened fully, and Rufus was suddenly very glad that the silver haired man was terribly weakened by blood loss and under heavy sedation. "You sure about that, Vince?"
Vincent merely nodded and walked over to stand beside the hospital bed, while the brat prince discretely slid into the hall. This was not his business.
"It is true that I told her you were dead," Vincent said silently, not wavering under the harsh glare he was receiving. "But I would like to explain..."
Sephiroth tugged demonstratively at his restraints with a sour smile. "Well, looks like I'm not going anywhere..."
It had been so easy to plan, yet Vincent felt himself hesitate. His past was such a painful subject and he avoided it when possible, but Sephiroth had every right to know. "You mother, Lucrecia... I never used to believe in angels before I met her..." It was too easy to remember, despite he'd tried so hard not to all these years. "I will never forgive myself for failing to save her when Jenova's influence began... That I failed to protect her from Hojo... So when I learned that she was still alive, it was like being offered a second chance. A second chance to correct past mistakes. But..." He closed his eyes and forced down the pain that threatened to suffocate him. "That woman... behind the waterfalls... calling herself Lucrecia... Her mind was different, manipulated..." Vincent gazed directly into Sephiroth's eyes. "Lucrecia would never do the things this woman does. She would never harm another human being, nor use her son as a tool for her own advantage." The dark haired man gave the faintest smile. "Your mother loved you dearly, Sephiroth. You were Lucrecia's world. I failed to protect her, but I decided that I wouldn't fail to protect you. I knew if that woman learned that you were still alive, she would seek you out. I feared nothing good would come out of that... I had to make a choice, and I chose to protect you. You had Aeris. You were happy."
Sephiroth turned his face away, swallowing down all the emotions that raged through him. The words seemed to make sense, didn't they? And he was happy. With Aeris. And now he had a child that was going to need him as well. He couldn't change the past, but he could make sure that his own child didn't feel the pain of abandonment!
Vincent exhaled relieved when Sephiroth fell asleep, and there was a mild look on the previously so angry face. Had his words reached him? Insanity was not something that could be cured, but Sephiroth had said it himself; He wasn't crazy, he was just a little unwell.