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Someone to Love/ Someone to Protect	By : MidoriBond Category: Final Fantasy VII > Het - Male/Female Views: 1756 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Author's note: Again,
I'm thanking everyone that's reviewed this fic. I didn't think so
many people would like it. I'm shocked. But anyways, I just wanted to
let everyone know that my updates are going to be slowing down. The
reason being is that I no longer have a laptop, and most of my
writing was always done away from home. Now I have to go back doing
it the old fashioned way.

Oh, and one thing
that I have to comment on: Sophia is crazy... but from the response
that I'm getting, no one sees that Peter is too!!! But don't worry.
You'll start to see it by the end of this chapter. Anyone that
guesses how this ends will get a cyber-cookie. And Devon, you don't
count. You know half of this when I write it.

Anyway, enjoy!

Midori

Someone to Protect...

by Midori Bond

Chapter 10

Reno sat on
the patio smoking a cigarette. Tifa had basically closed herself off,
and that worried him. The last time he had seen her do that, she
broke Rude's jaw when she reached the end of her rope. His sapphire
eyes narrowed as he heard the door open and close. Cid generally
didn't talk to him, and Yuffie would never let herself be known. That
only left one person. The one person at the dead center of this mess.
"Why couldn't you just leave her be?" he asked the ex-Soldier.

Cloud frowned
as he stepped to the railing. "Why did you take her in?"

Reno shrugged.
"I needed her," he said honestly.

"So do I."

"Bullshit."
Two sets of blue eyes looked at each other. Reno slowly exhaled a
trail of smoke before continuing. "You wanted someone to hold
your hand and baby you," he said.

"And you
didn't?" Cloud challenged. "I heard what you said to
Yuffie. You asked her to stay with you because you were lonely."

The redhead
nodded. "That's true. But the difference was that there were no
expectations. She didn't love me, and I didn't want her to. I just
wanted someone to keep my company. Not to pity me."

"I don't
do that."

Reno's eyebrow
arched. "Do the words dilly-dally-shilly-shally, mean anything
to you?" He ignore the way Cloud's eyes narrowed. "I was
there too, remember?"

Cloud did
remember the words that Tifa had told him so long ago. When he had
been wallowing in self-pity. He wasn't around when Loz attacked her
and kidnapped Marlene. He had been off licking his own wounds. Then
when the Geostigma became too much, it had been Reno and Rude to get
him and the brunette to safety. Something else to regret.

Reno watched
the expressions move across Cloud's face. "I don't get it,"
he said before taking another drag. He looked at Cloud and leaned on
one hand. "I have no idea what these chicks see in you. I'll
admit, you're nice to look at, but all the whining has got to be a
turn off."

"I don't
whine," Cloud growled.

"You
don't listen to yourself." Reno leaned back in his chair and put
his feet up on the table. "Then again, you don't listen to
anyone else either."

Cloud frowned
and sat roughly across from Reno. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Reno looked
into Cloud's frowning face. "Exactly what I said. You do not
listen. To anyone. Tifa told you to move on years ago Cloud. Years.
Frankly, I thought you were sleeping with her since you killed
Sephiroth. But when I found her that morning, and for a good while
after that, she was broken. And you did it." He saw Cloud open
his mouth to argue and shook his head. "No, I'm not one of your
friends, so I won't sit here and sugar-coat shit for you," he
said clearly. He put out his cigarette and glared at the blonde.
"All of your self-pity, and this need to atone for sins that
don't exist, dragged you into a pit and you can't get yourself out of
it. What you don't realize, is that you've pulled Tifa, and Yuffie
right down with you."

"I did no such...."

"Shut the
fuck up and listen Cloud," Reno hissed. "And I mean really
listen. Both of those women love you, but you never returned an ounce
of what they felt. You sucked Tifa dry, and she ran to Vincent. When
he shattered her heart, I had to pick up the pieces. Me. Not you.
After she left, you started in on Yuffie. And I'm going to let you
know right now, she's a cool chick. I will not let you do to her what
you did to Tifa."

Cloud felt his
jaw tighten. Now he remembered why he hated the redhead. He was
always so full of himself. Like he didn't remember that Cloud was the
one that kicked his ass up and down the planet more than once.
"Is that all you have to say? Stay away from Yuffie?"

Reno smiled.
The anger and malice from before was gone. He shook his head and
waved his hand. "No. I would never tell my girl who she can be
friends with," he said easily. "I'm letting you know that I
won't let you break those two again." He stared into Cloud's
angry eyes for a moment longer before standing and going back into
the house.

Yuffie looked
at Reno with folded arms. "Did you have to be so hard on
him?" she asked in a whisper. She had heard everything he said
to Cloud, and would wait a little while before she tackled the
subject of their relationship.

He shrugged as
he went to the kitchen. "Someone had to."

* * * * *

Lucien looked
at the woman kneeling next to him. "You're..." he trailed
as he glanced back at where Sophia's body was sprawled. He was about
to go to her side when Tifa started to check his shoulder. "Don't
touch me," he hissed.

Vincent
growled as he kept his weapon trained on the... boy? Demon? He wasn't
sure. Tifa said that he was their son. That couldn't be possible.
Unless he had fallen asleep for another unknown amount of time.

Tifa fought
back tears, knowing that this wasn't going to be easy. "Lucien,
don't you think it's strange that I know who you are, and we've never
met?" she asked softly. As he shook his head, she moved closer
to him. "And this is your father. You look just like him."

"You're
not my mother," Lucien said with tears and confusion wrapped in
his voice. "You can't be."

She wiped at
the tears falling down her face. "I know you have a lot of
questions, but please, come with us, and I'll do my best to explain
everything." She helped the teen to his feet and dared to look
at Vincent. He was beyond angry. It showed in his eyes.
"Please," she whispered to him.

He put his gun
back in its holster and frowned to himself. He could still deny her
nothing. "We should leave now," he told her wrapping one of
Lucien's arms around his shoulders.

"I can
walk on my own," the teen snapped.

"You'll
hold us up," Vincent countered. "While you and I have a
high tolerance for the cold, your mother does not."

Lucien looked
at Tifa and saw that her skin was extremely pale and her lips were
starting to turn blue. He lowered his eyes to the snow under their
feet. "She's not my mother," he said quietly.

Tifa pulled
back her shoulders, trying to ignore the hurt in her heart. If he
believed that she wasn't his mother, she would have to let it go for now.

Vincent
frowned and looked at the boy's face. It was the same shape as
Tifa's. He had the same small nose and bow lips. The taller man shook
his head. "You look just like her," he mumbled more to
himself than Lucien.

Brown eyes
watched the pair for a moment. She was still trying to gather what
she was going to say to them both. Her son, a baby that was now a
teenaged boy, and the man she loved, who loved another. She folded
her arms over her chest, trying to stay warm. Her head shot up when
she felt the thick folds of Vincent's crimson cloak wrap around her.
She was so lost in thought, she hadn't even noticed that the two had stopped.

"We
should be at the cabin in a few minutes," he told her.

* * * * *

Yuffie sat
that the dining room table, nursing a can of soda. She was bored. At
the moment, she really didn't want to deal with Cloud, and Reno
wasn't up for any company. A sigh escaped her as she looked into the
living room and saw Cid fighting with the fireplace. "Why don't
you just use a spell?" she asked leaning on one hand.

Cid grunted as
he continued to poke at the dying fire. "Because not everything
can be fixed with Materia," he responded.

"That's
what you say," she mumbled.

He looked at
her. It amazed him. After all of the years they spent in each other's
company, after all the times he had to pull her little ass out of
trouble, she still didn't understand the concept of honest-to-God
manual labor. "One day, that Materia of yours is going to run
out. Then where will you be?" he asked.

She smiled at
the old argument. "That just means that I'll have to steal some
more. I'm sure I can find some poor, unsuspecting suckers out
there." When he snorted, she giggled. "I found you, didn't I?"

Cid could only
shake his head as he turned back to the fireplace. He added another
log and carefully shifted everything around. "And that's
something that we all seem to regret," he mumbled playfully.

Both Cid and
Yuffie looked at the door as it opened. They sat stunned as Vincent
practically carried a teenaged boy into the house, and Tifa moved in
after them. Yuffie slowly came to her feet and gasped as she saw the
injuries her friend was trying to cover. "Tifa, what
happened?" she asked jumping to her feet.

Vincent
frowned at the way Tifa shook her head. "She was in a
fight," he said sitting Lucien at the table. "I don't know
how much of that blood is hers, but she does have some deep cuts
along her neck."

Tifa returned
Vincent's frown as Yuffie tilted her face up to the ceiling. "It
wasn't his fault," she said lowly. "He didn't know what was
going on." She hissed in pain as Vincent's cloak was removed
from her body.

"I still
don't," Lucien said inspecting the wound on his shoulder.

Yuffie did a
double take. She swallowed as she looked him over. "I guess
tall, dark and handsome runs in the family, huh Vincent?" she
asked in awe. When she looked at Tifa, she shook her head. "This
shouldn't be possible," she whispered as she pulled off Tifa's coat.

"But it
is," Tifa said quietly. She drank the potion Cid gave her and
sighed. The throbbing pain from her wounds slowly started to fade as
she looked at the teen across the room. "Lucien, this is Yuffie,
and Cid. They're friends of ours."

"They
helped defeat Sephiroth as well," Lucien said quietly. When
everyone looked at him, he turned his eyes to look at the potion the
girl, Yuffie, had given him. "My uncle... Peter made me study
what happened with him, and the Jenova project."

Tifa walked
over to the table and touched his hand. When his eyes flew to her
face, she sat next to him. "I know this is all a shock to
you," she said softly. "But we can work all of this out."

Confused ruby
eyes looked at her. "What's going on?" he asked quietly.
"I've never seen you before, yet, you know who I am. My mother
was saying all of these crazy things when you were fighting with her."

She gently
caressed his face, making him go quiet. "You were kidnapped the
day you were born, and taken away by that woman," she said.

"Sophia,"
Lucien supplied. When Tifa looked at him, he lowered his gaze to the
floor. "My mother. Her name's Sophia Gast."

Vincent's eyes
narrowed as he saw the way Tifa's back straighten. He looked at
Lucien, trying to put together exactly what Sophia did to him. Age
progression, mental and physical enhancements had to have been
injected to him. And from the distraught look the teen wore, Vincent
was sure that he didn't even know what they were doing to him.
"Who did they tell you was your father?" he asked.

Lucien eyes
narrowed as he looked at the man that shot him. "You. But she
also said that you died before you knew she was pregnant with me."

Yuffie heard
Reno's footsteps on the stairs and looked at Cid. "Hey, old man,
you're fixing dinner tonight, right?" she asked in a cold tone.

Cid moved from
the wall and gave her a salute. "On my way," he said before
walking out of the door.

Before Tifa
could ask what she was doing, the younger woman was up the stairs,
talking quietly with Reno. She allowed a small smile to cross her
face as she turned to Lucien. "I was the one that was
pregnant," she said quietly. "I carried you for eight
months, and two weeks ago, I gave birth to you."

Lucien started
to shake his head. "No, I'm fifteen," he argued.

"Sophia's
father was also a scientist for Shinra. He had developed medications
that would accelerate ones aging process," Vincent said from his corner.

Lucien
continued to shake his head. "No, I remember...." He
trailed as he tried to recall a memory, any memory, that would make
what they were saying a lie. "I remember."

Tifa felt her
heart being ripped out. She wanted to hold him, but knew he wouldn't
accept her. Not now, and after what she did to Sophia, maybe not
ever. She touched his hand. "I know you think you remember a
lot, but believe me, you're only a baby."

His eyes
flashed at her angrily. "Why should I believe anything you tell
me?" he asked in a growl.

"Why
shouldn't you?" she asked in turn.

Lucien fell
silent. It was true, he didn't have any reason to trust these people,
but the same could be said about them. They had brought him to their
home. Nursed his wound, and they haven't done anything to harm him...
at least not since Vincent shot him. He looked into Tifa's eyes and
saw the emotions that swam in them. He gently touched her face and
swallowed. "I don't remember you," he said before standing.

"Lucien?"
she asked as she stood.

"Where
are you going?" Vincent asked.

"I have
to think," he said opening the door. "And there are some
things I have to find out."

Tifa wiped the
tears that escaped her eyes as she stood and went to follow him.
"Will you come back?" she asked touching his arm.

Lucien
swallowed as he looked at her hands. "I don't know," he
said honestly. As his eyes lifted to hers, he saw the tears she was
trying to fight. "It depends on what I find out," he said
before flexing his wings.

She nodded as
she released him. "I'll wait here for you," she said with a
forced smile.

"Alright...."
A sigh escaped him as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I
don't know what to call you," he said in a frustrated tone.

Her heart
shattered. "Tifa's fine," she told him in a choked voice.
"I won't force you to think of me as your mother," she reasoned.

Lucien nodded
before stepping away from her. Without another word, Lucien flew off
in the direction of his home.

Tifa hugged
herself as she watched him. The tears that she fought suddenly broke
free, making her fall to her knees. Her mind didn't register the fact
that strong arms had lifted her up and carried her inside of the house.

"Tifa,"
Reno called as he ran down the stairs. His eyes widened when he saw
Vincent carrying her towards the stairs. He looked at the taller
gunman and stepped to the side. "What happened to her?"

He looked at
the redhead. "She saw Lucien. And we just watched him
leave." Vincent buried his nose in her hair. "We'll get him
to see," he whispered into her ear.

Reno went to
reach out to his friend, only to stop when Vincent turned and started
up the stairs. Reno sighed, knowing that Vincent would take care of
the woman in his arms. "Her room's the third to the right."

* * * * *

Peter rubbed
his arms as he trekked through the snow dunes. Sophia and Lucien were
running late, and he wanted those results. The boy should be ready
for the next phase of the experiment. His body should be able to
handle an infusion of the remnants of Jenova that he had found so
long ago.

As he reached
a particular dune, he saw a figure mostly buried in the snow. Peter
ran over to the figure, and brushed the snow off of his partner. A
sigh escaped him as he saw the blood that surrounded them. "By
the Ancients," he whispered as he lifted her over his shoulder.
"I don't know if I want to know what happened," he mumbled
as he started back to the labs. He caught the low grunts that escaped
Sophia and rubbed his eyes with one hand.

It had taken
him twice as long to get back to the labs than it did to find her.
Peter adjusted his hold on her body as he saw Lucien's shadowed
figure fly onto one of the balconies. His eyes narrowed as he saw the
way the boy moved. Almost as if he didn't want anyone to know that he
was going into his own home. Peter's eyebrow arched as Lucien went
into his room, and quickly closed the door. As he glanced at the
burden on his shoulder, a smile crossed his face. With Sophia out of
the way, he could easily run those tests on the boy.

* * * * *

Lucien walked
into the labs and easily made his way to Peter's computer. He knew
the man had kept records of the tests they ran on him. If what he
thought was real, was true, then there would be fifteen years of
entries. He brushed his hair out of his face as he found the files he
was looking for.

Ruby eyes
widened when he saw the list of entries. There were only fourteen.
"No," he whispered as he shook his head. He opened the
first entry, with tears coming to his eyes.

Day 1:

Subject:
Lucien Lockheart. Mother: Tifa Lockheart. Father: Vincent Valentine
(believed deceased). Infant was born today, and taken from mother.
Sophia may have killed her. Beginning medical regiment of age
progression, memory modification meds. To see the effects of Chaos in
the infant, will also infuse with Jenova Cells.

"Jenova
Cells," he echoed. Lucien felt his blood go cold as he thought
of what he was taught of the Calamity that has continuously tried to
destroy the planet. He closed the first file and opened another.

Day 3:

The Jenova
Cells have been strengthening the Subject. Today, he was able to use
his wings to levitate three feet into the air for a short period of
time. The pressure became too much, and his left wing broke. Was
treated with a potion, and bandages from Sophia. Will begin infusing
with Mako in the morning.

"No, this
can't be right," Lucien whispered as he closed the file.
"They wouldn't do this."

Day 14:

The Subject
is progressing wonderfully. His combat skills and his mind are beyond
comparison. Tomorrow he will begin to train with Materia to see how
he reacts to it. Hopefully, we will be able to bring out Chaos and
open a path to the Promised Land.

"What are
you doing?" Peter asked from the door. He watched with detached
eyes as Lucien jumped away from the computer. "You know you're
not supposed to be nosing around my research."

Lucien balled
his fists up tightly. He was not going to let this man intimidate
him. Not when the man's own notes said that he could easily kill him.
"What are you planing on doing to me?" he asked lowly.
"How can I open a path?"

Peter smiled
as he walked across the lab. "You got that far," he said
mostly to himself. Brown eyes looked at the boy and folded his arms
over his chest. "I'll reward that with a quick history lesson.

"You see
Lucien, years and years ago, before I was even born, a small group of
scientist tried to find a way to what's known as the Promised Land.
During one of their more successful experiments, they used high level
Summons to break open a path. They came close, but not quite. They
then found the key to be Cetra. The Ancients as they're known now.
While this was going on, there were only two known Cetra. A woman
named Ilfana, and a woman named Lucrecia. Sophia's father became
obsessed with Ilfana, and a Dr. Hojo married Lucrecia."

"She was
Sephiroth's mother," Lucien said quietly.

Peter was
pleased to see the boy's curious nature overcome his anger. "Yes.
Sephiroth was born Cetra, and he was infused with Jenova Cells, like
you. Unfortunately, when he learned what he was, he lost his grip
with reality."

"Is that
what you expect of me? To go crazy and try to destroy the world?"
Lucien asked. He hated the way his voice was shaking.

Peter chuckled
as his hands caressed a console. "No, I wouldn't wish insanity
on anyone. It does ugly, ugly things."

"Then why
do you want me?"

"You are
Chaos. One of the pair that almost opened a path. Your father was
injected with the Spirit, but he has to reach a certain breaking
point to bring out the demon. Once we bring him out of you once, he
should be around to stay."

Lucien felt a
sense of dread wash over him. Without a thought, he jumped up and
extended his wings. "Stay away from me," he ordered. His
eyes widened when he saw Peter press a button on the console.

Peter watched
with disinterest as electricity shot out from the ceiling, and into
Lucien. As the teen screamed, he looked at the monitor and nodded.
"Don't worry Lucien, there are just a few more treatments you
have to go through before you take me to Heaven." His eyes
turned back to Lucien and watched as he fell limp to the floor.
"Hopefully, you'll get further than Sephiroth."

TBC...
- 9
- 10
- 11
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Someone to Love/ Someone to Protect