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The Path to Redemption	By : Nakkinomiko Category: Final Fantasy VII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1095 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters. SquareEnix does. I make no money from this…I just like to play with them.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Disclaimer: I don’t own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters. SquareEnix does. I make no money from this…I just like to play with them.
A/N: Warnings for this chapter: Daniel’s karma continues to kick him in the ass, and sap. Muci and Kayla, thanks so much for your reviews! Yes, Rufus should certainly watch his step…I know I wouldn’t want Cloud, Sephiroth and Vincent pissed off at me!!!
Sorry it took so long to post this one…as it often does, real life got in the way for a bit, but things have settled down now, so I’ll try to get the rest of this up as quickly as possible.
******
Chapter 16
Daniel Kincaid was a prisoner in his own body.
When he’d become aware of his surroundings again, he’d been back in his apartment. For several long moments he had not been able to remember what had happened, and when the memories had finally surfaced, he had nearly collapsed. The rat that hadn’t really been a rat. And at that moment, he’d become aware of the voice whispering in his head.
It didn’t take Daniel long to figure out that the presence in his head wasn’t a figment of his imagination, and more terrifying, he could feel it trying to completely absorb him and his consciousness. Already it was sifting through his mind and his memories, and it terrified Daniel that it knew the people Maggie had come to his apartment with. He’d felt the entity’s sudden hatred, and then excitement when his memory of the white-haired, green-eyed man had surfaced. Gods, it knew these people, and it wanted the green-eyed kid, and for what, Daniel was afraid to imagine.
The entity, which Daniel thought felt strongly feminine, wanted to search for that kid. Daniel was fighting the urge to go look, because deep in his gut, he knew it was a bad idea. This thing in his head and system was malevolent, Daniel could feel it to his very bones, and while he’d been angry when Maggie had left him, he was man enough to admit that he’d deserved it, and that her friends were probably good people, and he had no wish at all to let the creature residing within him anywhere near them. And gods, if this thing went after that kid, it would probably start by finding Maggie, and that Daniel would not allow.
But his time was running out. Daniel could feel his body changing as the hours passed. It had been a slow process at first, but as the minutes passed, he could feel it happening faster and faster, and the last time he had taken his temperature it had been close to 102 degrees. Because whatever that rat infected me with is multiplying exponentially, like a virus. He knew that very soon he would be unable to fight whatever it was any longer, and that very soon Maggie would be in danger. That thought was first and foremost in his mind.
Daniel already knew his life was forfeit--it was a deep gut instinct that he knew wasn’t wrong. This thing would take him over and completely obliterate him, and there would be no stopping that. However, despite his cheating on Maggie and nearly hitting her, he was good man. Daniel truly believed that, because how else would he have attracted Maggie in the first place?
He had to warn Maggie. He glanced over at the telephone on the coffee table, and almost immediately he felt lancing pain throughout his entire body. Oh, she didn’t like that idea at all. Daniel choked back a scream as his whole body convulsed with pain. His eyes grew wide as the skin on his arms actually rippled, like there was something moving beneath it. Daniel closed his eyes and steeled his will and did his damnedest to ignore the searing pain coursing through his veins. He opened his eyes again, pressed his lips together with grim determination, and reached for the phone.
********
Rufus sat alone in the small office in his apartment and stared at the two swords lying across his desk. One was a double blade, no longer than an Utai katana, but razor sharp and deadly. The other spanned the entire length of his desk, and was in fact, longer. Both blades were perfectly polished and well cared for, and now the silver surfaces reflected the light beautifully.
Rufus had ordered the blades brought to him after Rude had left to take Kadaj back to the hospital. Vincent was still there, with Sephiroth and now Yuffie, and Kadaj had wanted to spend more time with his new family. Rufus had declined to join them. The paperwork had been piling up on his desk, and he needed to work through some of it, so he sent Kadaj to the hospital alone. He’d only worked on the paperwork for a few hours before he’d called Reno and had him bring the weapons to the apartment.
Rufus had been thinking a lot about Kadaj and Sephiroth, even as he was mindlessly crunching numbers and pouring over fiscal reports. They would need work, both of them. Sephiroth was a warrior, through and through; and while Rufus would be perfectly happy to let Kadaj do nothing but keep him company for the rest of his life, he somehow doubted Kadaj would be okay with that. And what kind of work would they be good for? Rufus couldn’t imagine either of them in a supermarket or pushing paper in some office. They were above that, both of them. No, they would both need something that was both challenging and rewarding.
Rufus already suspected that Sephiroth was thinking about rejoining the ranks of Shinra’s SOLDIER. Not that there was much left of SOLDIER, and Rufus didn’t really have any plans to add to the numbers any time soon, but the military division of Shinra was without a true leader at that point in time, and that wasn’t good. Soldiers without strong leadership tended towards anarchy, and that was exactly what Rufus was trying to avoid in his company. There had been more than enough of that in the past, and he was frankly, sick of it. Sephiroth would be perfect for the role, and Rufus planned on offering him the position. He’d already talked to both Dr. Graham and Dr. Winters, and both seemed to think that the position would help Sephiroth’s emotional scars heal further.
He’ll feel like he’s helping to rebuild what he destroyed in the past, Penelope had said. Rufus agreed.
As for Kadaj, Rufus was thinking a position in the Turks. Kadaj’s personality didn’t allow for a structured military life. He was a wild child at heart, just like Reno, and Kadaj would need a job that would allow for that independence. Kadaj would be able to follow orders, Rufus didn’t doubt that at all, but the younger man would need the freedom to execute those orders in his own way. It was hardly a wonder that Reno and Kadaj seemed to be forming a strong friendship--they were alike in so many ways.
It had been these thoughts that had led him to order the weapons brought out of storage. If Kadaj and Sephiroth were to work, they were going to need the tools of their trade.
“Sir? Ready to go?”
“Am I making a mistake?” Rufus asked Reno.
The Turk moved into the room and stared down at the two blades.
“They’re warriors,” Reno said after a moment. He was unusually serious, and Rufus looked up at him. “Those blades? They’re extensions of them . . . without them, they aren’t complete, right?”
“Am I trusting too much?”
Reno’s lips smirked in a slight smile. “There are a lot of reasons not to, ne? But if they’re going to rebuild their lives and make reparation for all that happened, someone is going to have to trust them, right?”
Rufus felt his lips twitch. “You never cease to amaze me, Reno. Who knew there was such a wise soul within the jokester?”
Reno grinned. “Just don’t tell anyone, ne? I don’t want it to get out.”
Rufus nodded and returned his gaze to the weapons.
“So, shall we go return these to their rightful owners?” Reno asked, his tone once again serious.
“Yes,” Rufus said. He sheathed both weapons and handed Kadaj’s katana to Reno. “Let’s go.”
***
The return of those blades left both Kadaj and Sephiroth utterly speechless.
“I . . . Are you sure?” Sephiroth murmured. He ran his hand lovingly over the dark scabbard of Masamune, and then partially unsheathed the blade. He was pleased to see that it had been well cared for, and the metal gleamed in the light.
“Yes,” Rufus said with a nod. “It belongs with you.”
Maggie leaned in closer, her eyes wide with admiration. She had finished her shift just minutes ago and had come to visit. Sephiroth was half hoping he would get the kiss she had promised on the previous night, although he was fairly sure he would have to wait until his visitors left. Sephiroth pulled the blade a bit further from the scabbard and then turned it in her direction slightly so that she could see the etching near the hilt.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Maggie breathed.
“If not deadly,” Yuffie said with a wry laugh.
Sephiroth looked up at her, but she was only smiling at him. He had been afraid of the woman’s reaction to his strange resurrection, but she seemed not to mind at all. Instead of the hostility he and Vincent had both been expecting, there was only a calm acceptance. In fact, she seemed to be genuinely interested in his well-being, which was far more than he could have hoped for.
“Why?” Kadaj said. He, too, had been admiring his blade, and sheathed the sword and held it close to his chest. Sephiroth could see that Kadaj was close to tears. His eyes were glassy as he looked at Rufus. “You trust us?”
“You have given me no reason not to,” Rufus said. He smirked. “Although, I must confess, I do have ulterior motives.”
“Of course you do,” Sephiroth retorted, but not unkindly. He had an inkling of where this was going. “Do tell.”
“I have an entire military division--or what’s left of it, anyway--in need of strong leadership,” Rufus said.
“SOLDIER,” Sephiroth said.
“Even so.” Rufus smiled wryly. “You’re the only living person I can think of suited for the job. SOLDIER needs a general, General.”
Sephiroth smirked slightly. He sheathed the blade, and after a moment nodded. “If you had not offered, I was going to ask,” he admitted. “I can’t think of anywhere else I could go.”
“What about me?” Kadaj worried his bottom lip between his teeth in a nervous gesture.
“I think there’s a place in the Turks for you,” Rufus said. “I think you would do well under Tseng’s command.”
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” Vincent asked. His dark brow was arched upward with amusement.
“How so?” Yuffie asked with a frown.
Sephiroth swallowed a smile. Rufus hadn’t been in the room long enough for the chemistry between himself and Kadaj to really become evident yet, so it wasn’t surprising that Yuffie had no clue. Sephiroth glanced at Kadaj, and the younger man was blushing.
“Because I love Kadaj,” Rufus said, and quite seriously at that.
Sephiroth wondered if Rufus had said it before, because Kadaj went very, very still for a moment. And then Kadaj smiled a brilliant, happy smile that practically lit up the room.
“Really?” Yuffie huffed with laughter. She elbowed Vincent in the ribs. “Leave it, old man. Shinra Corp. has never done anything by the books. Why should it start now?”
“Indeed,” Rufus drawled. “At any rate, I can’t imagine you as a kept man, Kadaj. I think you’d wilt and die. You have real talent, and I think you’d make an excellent addition to the Turks. You could make a real difference there.”
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Vincent said.
“Me, too,” Sephiroth said. “You should go for it, Kadaj.”
“I’d like that,” Kadaj said. The smile had faded a bit, but it was still there. “I’d like that a lot.”
*****
It was near dinner time before Maggie found herself alone with Sephiroth. At present, he was resting in the bed, the back inclined upwards so he could sit upright. There were dark smudges beneath his eyes, the almost bruise-like shadows a sharp contrast against his pale skin.
“You look tired,” Maggie said softly. She still sat on the edge of the bed.
Sephiroth smiled slightly and nodded. “I am, but it was a good day,” he said. He glanced towards where his sword rested, across the foot of his bed. His expression changed slightly, almost as if he were troubled by something.
Maggie reached out and touched his hand. “Sephiroth?”
His eyes stayed on the sword, but his hand turned over and clasped hers firmly. “I hope giving that back to me was not a mistake,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “There is so much blood on that blade, Maggie, and most of it I sorely regret.”
Maggie squeezed his hand, and he finally looked at her. There was sorrow in his green eyes.
“We all make mistakes,” Maggie said.
“Yes,” Sephiroth said. He gave her a sad smile. “By all rights, I should go to prison, you know.”
“Even though it really wasn‘t your fault?”
“Will no one hold me accountable?” Sephiroth said, and he sounded frustrated and desperate at the same time.
“I think Rufus is, in a way,” Maggie said after a little thought. “Why do you think he asked you to join SOLDIER again?”
Sephiroth’s sudden bark of laughter was bitter. “To keep an eye on me, of course.”
“Yes, I think so, but in a way, it’s also how you are going to spend your ‘time’,” she said. “Instead of a prison sentence, Rufus has decided that you can best make amends by public service. He’s giving you a chance to do something good with your talents, Sephiroth. And personally, I think it’s just what you need.”
Maggie reached out with her free hand to catch the single tear that fell from Sephiroth’s right eye. He caught her hand as she pulled away and turned it over. He slowly pressed a kiss in the palm of her hand before releasing it. Maggie’s flesh tingled where his lips had touched and she curled her fingers closed, as if to hold the sensation there.
“I know this may seem forward, and perhaps fast, but . . .” Sephiroth stopped and met her gaze.
Maggie swallowed at the intensity she saw there. She knew what he was going to say, and it scared and thrilled her at the same time. Sephiroth seemed to gather his courage, and then he spoke again.
“I love you.” His heart was in his eyes, and there was also fear.
Sephiroth was afraid of her reaction, and Maggie could well understand why. He was a known murderer, even if the circumstances had been out of the norm, and the man’s entire life had been spent in the military. He was larger than life and perhaps not so good at social niceties. All of that might have scared a lesser woman, but Maggie was no ordinary woman. Her father had been a member of SOLDIER, and she had spent most of her life living in Shinra quarters. Her father had died in a Shinra hospital, during the Shinra/Utai war. She had only been thirteen at the time, and the kindness of the nurses assigned to her father had made an impression. When it came time for her to go to college, she went for nursing, and hoped that she would be at least half as compassionate as the women she remembered from her childhood.
It only seemed natural for her to work for Shinra when she graduated. Her father had given his life to the corporation, and it was all Maggie knew, really. Her mother had made a mild protest, but in the end, told Maggie it was her choice to make. She’d been working for the hospital for nearly three years now. Rufus Shinra had been her first big challenge, followed closely by Cloud Strife. Neither had been easy patients--Rufus far too vocal in his frustration and Cloud not vocal enough--but Maggie had let compassion and her heart guide her, and not only had she gotten both to open up to her, they were now her friends.
Sephiroth shifted slightly, and Maggie realized she’d been quiet for too long, lost in her thoughts. Maggie shifted closer on the bed and gently removed her hand from Sephiroth’s grasp. She lifted both hands to frame that angelic face. He went very still under her touch, and seemed to be holding his breath. He really was beautiful, almost unearthly in his appearance. His silver hair felt like silk where it fell over her fingers, and his green eyes were vibrant with a soft Mako glow. Even without the glow, those eyes would have been breathtaking.
“I love you, too,” she whispered. Maggie felt a twinge of anxiety as she spoke the words. Too fast! a little voice warned in the back of her head, but she ignored it, because the feelings in her heart made it easy to do. She did love him, ill-advised as it might be, and that was really all that mattered to her.
“Maggie . . .” Sephiroth leaned forward, and Maggie met him halfway.
Maggie closed her eyes as their lips touched, and when his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer, she went willingly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him take control of the kiss. It was heavenly, the warmth of his lips against her own and the sweet gentleness of it. She sighed softly when he finally broke away, and then smiled up at him.
“Was it worth the wait?”
“Yeah,” Sephiroth whispered. He brushed another kiss across her lips. “Maggie, are you sure you want to be involved with me? I’m . . . I’m a mess, really.”
“I know,” she said with a shrug. “But everyone has issues, don’t they?”
“Perhaps not as complicated as my own, but yes,” Sephiroth allowed.
“We’ll work through them all,” Maggie said. “Together.” She curled up in his lap, tucked her head beneath his chin, and rested her cheek against his chest. She felt him rest his chin on the crown of her head, and his arms wrapped around her shoulders and held her close. It felt so right to be there. Nothing had ever felt as right in her life, not even Daniel. She closed her eyes and melted into him.
“Yes,” Sephiroth murmured. “Together.”
*****
TBC
- 15
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- 17
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The Path to Redemption