Angels In Flight

Author's Note: The song for Part V is 'Goodbye My Lover' by James Blunt.

Thanks for the reviews. It's nice to know someone is enjoying what I've written.

Part V

Goodbye My Lover

Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?

Sephiroth felt the chains ease. For the first time in four long years he felt the malicious, malignant presence in his mind back off. Jenova's voice faded and Sephiroth felt control of his fingers return-- his arms too; his eyes, his head. Experimentally he drew a hand up to eye level, curling it into a fist and calling on the Hell Thundaga Materia embedded within his arm. Static crackled, bolts jumped between his fingers and he smiled. She had done nothing to stop him.

With a half relieved, half mournful sigh Sephiroth stepped away from the stone wall of the old slums' pool. He was positive this wasn't his actual body, but an imitation. When his eyes had opened-- watching through them while Jenova went to work-- he'd been in a tank of thick liquid; part formaldehyde, part mako. He'd felt... strange. Smaller, lighter. His hair had felt different... there was less muscle. Softer, more flexible. He'd felt the body change around him-- becoming his as it made it's way up through the Shinra Building. Strides had lengthened, the body had grown, become stronger and heavier. Silver bangs had framed his face once more and firm black leather had knit itself around his naked flesh like an extra layer of skin.

He got the impression that the body he was now inhabiting was Jenova's-- the headless corpse from Nibelheim. It was ironic, in a way. She was possessing him while he possessed her.

But regardless, he was temporarily free, and he had only one thing he wanted to do. Quickly glancing around, he slipped out of the shadowy corner he'd been lurking in and headed towards the central support column of Midgar. Underneath it, somewhere, he could sense a familiar presence. And it was in pain.

Sephiroth could feel his 'Mother's' presence still in his mind, but she was dormant; quiet. Obviously it took more out of her than it appeared to keep control over Sephiroth's will and she needed rest. Nevertheless, it sent a cold stab of fear through him when he considered how confident she was. She trusted that no matter what he did in his hours of freedom, she would have the upper hand when she needed it.

Damn you, and damn your kind, Sephiroth venomously spat at the presence, only to be ignored. I will have my vengeance.

Sephiroth was careful to avoid the Slum's inhabitants as he got closer to the central column. As far as Shinra information went there was nothing under the city save for empty Mako caverns. Who knew what lived in them, but it didn't matter. Nothing ever came up out of them.

As he walked, Sephiroth tried not to imagine what could be happening to the man whose presence he could feel so clearly. Sephiroth winced. The man whom he had betrayed; broken every promise they'd ever made. He'd promised to take care of him; he'd promised to love him for all eternity. Instead he'd doomed him to death and left him behind.

Would Genesis even want to speak to him?

Gods, he felt awful. He couldn't even claim that Jenova had forced him to, because she hadn't. His own anger had propelled him out of that reactor and down the mountain. His own bitterness had made him turn his back on the one he loved so dearly. What he wouldn't do to gain forgiveness...

'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.

Sephiroth had never realized quite how badly Genesis had wanted to be better than him. Everything had always been a competition, but Sephiroth had thought it was just friendly teasing and prodding. He'd never considered that Genesis had wanted that spotlight that Sephiroth so abhorred. Just one of the many wedges that had driven them-- however unwillingly-- apart.

From the very beginning Sephiroth had seen the deep desire to win that Genesis harboured, but he'd never foreseen the jealousy that bred within his lover when he never could.

So I took what's mine by eternal right,
Took your soul out into the night.

Perhaps, Sephiroth thought, he'd been a little too possessive-- a little too dominant. He'd always been in charge and that probably only strained things further. After all, he must have done something wrong. How else could such strong feelings be restrained-- two people who cared so deeply about each other be torn apart?

Not far from the central pillar, in an industrial sector of the slums, Sephiroth found what he had been seeking. An entrance to the dank, dark caverns beneath. They had once been Mako caves-- like those in Banora-- but the reactors had long ago drained them, and now they were all but empty. So little Mako remained that people could safely enter. Sephiroth wondered just how many actually did.

He didn't know what kind of monsters inhabited their cool, damp depths, but he-- or rather, Jenova-- knew one thing that did. Deepground. Sephiroth had never heard the name, but Jenova seemed to know a great deal about them. He idly wondered if she was capable of infiltrating computer networks, but that thought could wait.

Deepground was a secret project under the direction of Directors Heidegger and Scarlet, and President Shinra himself. They appeared to be some sort of offshoot of SOLDIER. Sephiroth winced at the descriptions of the various experiments and 'treatments' the recruits had undergone. It was all there in Jenova's memory, like computer files.

Each of the subjects had been twisted beyond repair. Shelke and Azul had been abducted and forced into the project, while Rosso, Nero and Weiss were born into the program. All of them were more than human and Sephiroth found Weiss, in particular, intriguing. He carried a good deal of Sephiroth's DNA, though not quite enough to be a clone. Sephiroth wondered if the boy had felt the call of Reunion.

This Deepground, and their elite Tsviet unit, had their HQ in a highly classified laboratory underneath Midgar. In fact, it was directly below the Shinra Building itself. A hidden elevator led down to the base from Hojo's lab, but Sephiroth had found another entrance in his mother's memory. It was in the caves.

Somewhere within the base was Genesis, and Sephiroth was determined to find him. He briefly considered the possibility that the redhead had joined them. But he knew Genesis would never work with Hojo. Never. And he was in pain, Sephiroth could sense it. He was not a guest. He was a prisoner.

It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.

Sephiroth silently vowed that with his hours of freedom he would find Genesis and set him free, even if his lover didn't want anything to do with him. He couldn't stand the thought of Genesis suffering, and he would gladly give anything-- everything-- to help.

Sephiroth jumped from the ledge, manipulating the air around him to slow his descent into the dark cavern. His feet hit the rocky floor with a barely audible plip; black feathers scattering around him. Slitted teal eyes adjusted quickly to the near pitch-blackness, showing a deep cave that extended as far as he could see in every direction. The ceiling dripped, leaving puddles on the algae-covered stone. The stink of wet soil and plant matter hit Sephiroth like a club to the face and he tried to suppress a gag.

So there was still some life beneath the City of Death.

Sephiroth headed toward the source of the presence, walking without concern into the darkness. The cavern was silent and still. Every movement of Sephiroth's long, black coat echoed off the moist walls, drowning out the constant plip-plip-plop of water. The clinking of his pauldrons became a crashing in the peaceful air. So much for stealth.

Soon enough the natural cave walls-- softened and eroded by Mako and water-- gave way to obviously human-made bulkheads. Soft, blue strip-lighting illuminated the crystalline rock. There must have been thousands of Mako Stones in the earth beneath Midgar-- enough to last forever. Apparently Shinra didn't know.

A little further down and the rocky walls were completely overtaken by metal and concrete. Pipes and wires dove in and out of the ceiling-- colour-coded and labeled. Various kinds of warning labels advised 'Caution-- corrosive substances', 'Toxic Off-Gassing', and 'Mako Poisoning'. Through a large concrete door, Sephiroth found himself standing in an immaculately clean hallway, lit in blue and even quieter than the cave outside.

This was Deepground. This was where the dark children-- Hojo's Tsviets-- were hidden from the world. Their purpose was a mystery. Even Jenova didn't know what Shinra planned to use them for. Perhaps a replacement for the SOLDIER program?

No matter. Somewhere beyond the upcoming door was Genesis, in need of assistance.

You touched my heart, you touched my soul,
You changed my life and all my goals.

Whether the man wanted to hear it or not, there was much Sephiroth planned to say. I love you, to start with. He would also need to explain that he'd never wanted to hurt Genesis; that he hadn't truly wanted him to 'rot'. He'd said things he regretted in the heat of his anger, and now he cursed himself for it.

He'd walked away from his soulmate; the one man he truly loved. His only. Without Genesis, Sephiroth felt incomplete, and he hated being alone. That was when she spoke to him.

Sephiroth tried the thick door before him, but a tiny keypad asked for a keycard. Considering, he reached into his coat and withdrew his old Shinra ID, which had somehow rematerialized with the garment. Would it work? He didn't know, but it was worth a try.

Surprisingly the lights flashed green when Sephiroth swiped the card and a melodious female voice sounded from the speaker. "Welcome to Deepground, SOLDIER First Class, Sephiroth."

The door clunked and hissed open-- sliding seamlessly into the wall. Another hallway gaped beyond, filled with doors. He was uncomfortably reminded of Hojo's lab. Stepping silently over the threshold, Sephiroth idly wondered if Deepground was now aware of his presence. Surely some sort of notification system would raise the alarm if an unusual guest arrived, especially through the cavern entrance.

His questions, however, would have to wait. As the door slid shut and locked behind him, Sephiroth became aware of a multitude of living beings. He could feel them as acutely as if he were standing beside them. He supposed this was some sort of new power he had gained by being in this imitation body. Genesis' presence was still the strongest-- a glowing, vibrant heat, dimmed by defeat and torture, yet still ablaze.

And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.

Heedless to the other lifeforms within the facility and no longer caring for stealth, Sephiroth made his way toward the consciousness he could feel so clearly. His lover. The endless maze of corridors began to look the same; filled with endless nothing. Occasionally, behind some unmarked steel door, Sephiroth heard a scream, or a roar of outrage. He didn't interfere. He was not here for them.

Halfway to his destination he encountered several Deepground guards, but they presented no challenge. They didn't even manage to raise an alarm before Sephiroth cut them down. It felt strange to kill them. It was the first time in four years that he had taken a human life of his own will. He almost felt guilty. After all, they were only doing their job.

But so was he. They were standing in the way of his goal. He had a responsibility to Genesis-- to save him from this torment. Nothing would-- could-- stop him. He would slaughter all of Deepground if he had to.

Half an hour of wandering brought Sephiroth to a door marked 'Project G'. Once again the door required a keycard, and massive padlocks spoke of the door's strength.

So this is what Genesis had become. He had started as an experiment and so he was again.

"I know why you're here," a small voice sounded behind Sephiroth. Slowly he turned, his teal eyes coming to rest on a young girl-- no older than ten, he reckoned-- with reddish-brown hair and blue eyes. Her ghostly form looked frail and breakable and she was so small, yet she wore the uniform of the Tsviets.

"Who are you?" Sephiroth asked, rummaging through Jenova's mind for images.

"My name is Shelke," the girl replied, her hands clasped behind her back. "Shelke the Transparent."

"Aren't you a little young to be in Deepground?"

"Aren't you a little dead to be breaking in?"

Sephiroth couldn't help himself. He laughed. It had been a very long time since he'd laughed, but he found himself unable to restrain the chuckle that escaped his throat with the young girl's retort.

"Clever," he replied. "So you think you know my purpose here?"

Shelke smiled, tilting her head toward the bulkhead where the gigantic crimson letters declared their occupant. "You came for him."

Sephiroth looked from the girl's face to the heavy door and its tiny keypad. He could feel Genesis and his heart beat a little faster knowing he was so close to the man he loved.

"I won't stop you," Shelke said softly, her face filled with empathy. "He needs you."

Sephiroth studied her disarmingly sweet expression for a moment, looking for a trick, a trap of some sort. But there was no dishonesty in her blue eyes. "Thank you," he replied after a long moment and stepped toward the door.

"Wait," Shelke called. "That door is monitored. The alarm will be raised if a deceased SOLDIER operative's card is used to open it." The petite girl stepped between Sephiroth and the keypad and swiped her own card. The lights turned green and the padlocks clunked and cracked, the door sliding slowly into the wall, humming mechanically.

Shelke pocketed her card and smiled at Sephiroth, her eyes lighting up like flares. "Go to him."

Sephiroth inclined his head in thanks and stepped through the thick concrete threshold. Beyond was a cold, clinical, and yet strangely antiquated, dusty, and dark laboratory.

"Hurry," was the last word Shelke said before the heavy door closed again and Sephiroth felt her presence retreat. Feline eyes swept the room and settled on the medical bed in its center. He would have known its occupant anywhere. Genesis Rhapsodos.

Emotions of such staggering intensity flooded Sephiroth as he stepped toward the unconscious man. The red trench that he'd always adored draped over the bed like a static, bloody waterfall, its scarlet leather undamaged-- despite his many ordeals. Auburn hair lay limply around his deathly pale face, longer than Sephiroth remembered. He was a spectre of death, beautiful still. Like Snow White; like Juliet in the tomb. But despite his pallor, Sephiroth felt hope surge through him. The degradation was gone. His lover was whole again. No sign or trace of his fatal sickness remained. Perhaps there was hope left for them. And yet, he still seemed on the verge of death.

Sephiroth crossed the room and reached out to the other half of his soul, brushing stray crimson strands from closed eyes. The other man didn't stir, but he was breathing, so Sephiroth didn't worry.

Leaning down to kiss one clammy cheek, Sephiroth plucked away the many IVs and wires attached to Genesis' milky skin. Instantly the monitors went blank and he wondered for a moment if some silent alarm had been triggered.

His eyes drifted to Genesis wrists and ankles, where crude metal manacles restrained the former General. Sephiroth could see where Genesis had tried to free himself and had succeeded only in tearing up his skin. The flesh was still red and raw. Why hadn't it healed?

Gulping, Sephiroth pried the manacles open, laying soft kisses on the tattered flesh.

I've kissed your lips and held your head
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.

Lifting Genesis' limp and boneless body into his arms, Sephiroth strode toward the door. The redhead was strangely light and Sephiroth wondered whether it was because his new body was stronger or if Genesis had simply lost an unhealthy amount of weight. He felt like a child.

Sephiroth was careful to avoid confrontation on his way out of the facility, sidestepping and finding new routes. The last thing he wanted was for Genesis to get caught in the crossfire. He didn't bother trying to pass the dozen guards near the entrance he'd used before, and instead headed the opposite direction. He could sense an exit; could feel the lingering energy of the Mako caverns and he headed toward it. There-- back in the outside, free of the facility-- he could risk pausing to try and wake his best friend.

He was twenty feet from the door when the lights went out and a blaring alarm pierced the silence. Damn, he thought, quickening his pace. He laughed inwardly at the dark. If the Tsviets had thought it would stop him, they were wrong.

The steel door was blasted clean off its hinges and Sephiroth stepped through, leaving no trace of his passage save for the smoking wreck. Vanishing from the claustrophobic facility he was once again assaulted by the heady scent of the caves. Damp, lichen, that effervescent, ozone-like smell of Mako. Much better than the sterile hospital smell of Deepground-- so very much like Hojo's lab. Who knew, Hojo was probably running the operation.

Sephiroth stayed alert for any pursuit but felt no one else in the caverns. For now he and Genesis were safe. Feeling fresh air drift past him, Sephiroth let his pace slow and he relaxed. He could see Genesis stirring in his arms, his pulse quickening as the sedatives he was undoubtedly being given began to wear off.

With a quick glance for security cameras, Sephiroth stepped into a large cavern, off to the left of the trail, where a sinkhole opened to the sky above.

I know you well, I know your smell,
I've been addicted to you.

Sephiroth set Genesis down on the large stone dais in the center of the dark, moist space. Stalactites and stalagmites loomed around them like a forest-- casting deep shadows in the eerie twilight that shone down through the sinkhole. The natural light illuminated that much more clearly how ill Genesis was. The degradation may have been gone, but he was still pale, his skin sparkling with a fine sheen of sweat, shaking now that the chemicals in his bloodstream were losing their effect.

Sephiroth brushed auburn hair from his moist forehead, pressing his palm to Genesis' cheek. "Wake up, my love," he quietly urged. "Come on, you're free."

With a soft groan, Genesis shifted, drawing a shaky breath as crystalline blue eyes fluttered open. Dry, chapped lips parted as his voice-- hoarse from disuse-- whispered: "Seph?" Sephiroth ran his thumb affectionately over Genesis' cheekbone and watched those sky-blue eyes fill with warmth. Genesis smiled weakly, leaning into Sephiroth's touch. "I knew you'd come for me." His beautiful face contorted in pain and he drew a sharp breath, hissing in agony.

"Gen?"

"It's okay... I..." The redhead trembled, curling in on himself for a moment. "The anesthesia is wearing off."

"What did they do to you?" Sephiroth asked, his voice colouring with outrage.

"Experiments... tests. They took cells, injected me with others. Upped my Mako dosage. Hojo was there..." he paused, frowning as another wave of pain hit. "Those were the procedures I could identify."

Sephiroth watched Genesis struggle for every word. Each breath took far too much effort and his voice began to sound strained and whispery. "I'm here now," Sephiroth said, his voice low. "I won't let them do any more."

Goodbye my lover,
Goodbye my friend.

Genesis smiled, his eyes starting to sparkle with tears. "You're too late, Seph." He swallowed, biting his lip as he watched utter devastation fill feline eyes. "I'm dying..."

"No." Sephiroth breathed. "No... You can't--"

"I held on so I could say goodbye." Genesis' voice wavered and his hand came up to stroke Sephiroth's head, fingers weaving into silken, ivory hair. He just barely noticed the tiny tremble in Sephiroth's full, pale bottom lip. The younger man's silver brows knit as if in pain and teal eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

Both men were silent for a long while, simply looking at one another. Sephiroth's breathing was shaky and fiercely controlled; that of someone trying desperately not to cry. Genesis eyes were half-lidded as if he no longer had the strength to keep them open. When Sephiroth finally spoke his voice was even lower then usual.

"I never meant it, you know," he swallowed, trying to ease the lump in his throat. "When I left you in the Nibelheim reactor. I... I was angry--"

"I know." Genesis delicately stroked a perfect cheekbone with his leather-clad fingertips, sending goosebumps up Sephiroth's spine. "You were under a lot of strain. She was taxing you beyond your capacity." His cerulean eyes darkened. "I said a lot I didn't mean that day, too. And before..." he paused. "You're not a monster. Not even now. She is the monster."

Sephiroth pulled Genesis into his arms, cradling his head in the crook of his arm, leaning down to kiss him. Brief, chaste, but full of emotion. Hands grasped at his jacket desperately and clutched to him like a lifeline. Sephiroth felt his composure slipping.

"I'm sorry," Genesis whispered, his voice thick with sorrow. "I ruined our lives... I threw you away like garbage--"

"I forgive you," Sephiroth cut him off.

Part of him had expected this; expected Genesis to be too far gone to survive, but he still wasn't prepared for the pain. Tears stung and welled up as he watched his lover fight for every breath while the redhead's own tears wet his cheeks. It hurt to see Genesis like this and know he couldn't help him.

You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.

"I love you," Sephiroth whispered, petting Genesis' head and feeling him relax into the caress. "And I'm sorry for not trying harder to make things better. I'm sorry for turning my back on you."

"I forgive you, too," Genesis rasped, reaching up to press his palm to Sephiroth's cheek. Sephiroth closed his eyes, holding the hand to his skin with his own and leaning into the touch. He could practically feel his hopes tumbling down around him. Every dream for the future he'd ever had crashed and burned. He already felt empty, broken, and lonely. He'd always thought of Genesis as the other half of himself, and now he was on the brink of death.

... "I do know one thing... I'll always love you." ...

"Seph? Will you stay with me... until I go?" Genesis asked, his voice shaky and quiet.

Sephiroth wove his fingers into fiery hair, gently combing out sweat-soaked mats. "I won't leave your side. I promise."

Genesis smiled weakly, huddling against Sephiroth's chest, his right hand hooking to Sephiroth's SOLDIER belt and holding on. He curled in on himself, cuddling Sephiroth like a terrified child.

I am a dreamer but when I wake,
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.

Sephiroth felt Genesis start to tremble, soft sounds of pain leaving him as his grip on Sephiroth's belt tightened. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to the redhead's clammy forehead, slowly caressing his hair.

"Gen? You remember that time we went to Costa del Sol?" Sephiroth felt himself choking on his words as grief started to seep in through his defenses, but Genesis needed something happy to think of, so no matter how badly he wanted to just fall silent, he made himself speak.

"How could I forget?" Genesis chuckled weakly. "I remember how grumpy you got when you got sunburned..."

"And how you laughed," Sephiroth added, smiling despite himself.

"You were such a big baby when you peeled, and don't deny it!"

"I won't."

Genesis shuddered and gasped in a breath. Trembling all over he forced himself to speak. "The angry sex was worth it." His eyes had fluttered shut as if it were too much effort to keep them open, but Sephiroth knew that behind those lids Genesis was envisioning that night so many years ago, just as he himself was.

And as you move on, remember me,
Remember us and all we used to be.

A thousand memories flooded Sephiroth's mind as he held Genesis. Memories of days spent flirting and reveling in each other's company. Of nights spent in each other's arms.

"Seph..." Genesis' voice was nothing but a whimper. "I'm afraid."

"Don't be," Sephiroth cradled Genesis closer to him, resisting his urge to cry. "Nothing terrible awaits you."

The two lovers were silent for a moment before Genesis shifted weakly and spoke again. "Please, talk to me, Seph. I've had enough of silence."

He was too close. Sephiroth could feel it in the way the redhead was breathing. "You remember when I said I would love you forever?"

"Yes."

"I meant it. I... I will love you even when my heart no longer beats in my chest. I will love you when I am nothing but another part of the Lifestream. I promised you eternity, and I will give you eternity.":

Genesis was growing heavier, his breathing very slow and shallow. His grip had loosened on Sephiroth's belt and his hand was barely touching the skin of Sephiroth's abdomen. "I meant it, too," he whispered. "Goodbye Seph."

Sephiroth swallowed the lump in his throat. "I love you, Gen."

Genesis barely managed a smile before he went still, his hand slipping from Sephiroth to rest on his stomach. His pulse, which Sephiroth could feel against the base of his palm, fluttered to a stop.

Tears welled up in his eyes, his throat constricting as the lump returned. His chest went tight, his head pounding as he fought to keep his composure. But try as he might it was all for naught. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he hugged Genesis' body to his own, cradling him and kissing his cheek.

"No, Gen. No..." he whispered brokenly between sobs. "Come back. Please, Gen."

I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.
I've watched you sleeping for a while.

Sephiroth had never cried. Hojo had always discouraged any emotional response and Sephiroth had always kept himself under rigid control lest he be punished. But there was no restraining his grief now. Sobs wrenched their way free of his throat to echo off the cavern walls. Every ounce of his pain and heartbreak tore at his control and shattered the reins he'd once held so tightly. He clutched Genesis, not wanting to accept that he was gone. The boy that had stolen his heart, given him love and companionship. The man who had stood by his side in the face of countless horrors; who had warmed his soul and his bed even in their darkest hours. Who, even in his madness, had always returned his love. Sephiroth didn't know what he would do without the redhead. Who would he turn to? Certainly not Jenova.

I'd be the father of your child.
I'd spend a lifetime with you.

For hours he sat there, holding Genesis' lifeless body, cradling him, kissing him; soothing him as if he were only asleep. It felt as if the jagged, broken pieces of his heart were clawing their way from his chest; cruel and persistent like tiny, parasitic lifeforms. He was alone now. The thought struck him as he slowly rocked Genesis' body, refusing to acknowledge that his lover was growing cold. All their plans for when the Wutai War was over would never come to fruition. They would never marry. They would never have a house-- much less in Banora. They would never again be heroes. It had all been destroyed in a burning town and a reactor full of monsters.

He had to strongly resist the desire to return to the Tsviets' headquarters and slaughter them all. They had taken Genesis' life and they should pay with theirs. Hojo too. But then he remembered Shelke-- her kindness. They obviously weren't all bad. And with Hojo involved, Sephiroth questioned just how much of it had been the Tsviets' actual doing.

Sephiroth reluctantly eased his grip on Genesis-- holding him in his lap again so he could gaze on that face. So still and losing colour, but peaceful; at rest. He supposed that after all they'd been through Genesis deserved to rest. If only that rest could bring rebirth...

Sephiroth froze. He'd come back, hadn't he? Jenova had come back. Resurrection was something her kind were clearly accustomed to. Without much in the way of resistance, Jenova's mind opened for Sephiroth. He rifled through her memories like files while she howled a protest.

Now you know how it feels! he growled as he searched. The Calamity's memories were a tangled web of information-- the black of space, a new planet, the Cetra. Sephiroth plowed through them and finally found what he sought. Resurrection.

There was, however, a problem. Genesis was not a pureblood of Jenova's race. He was human through and through save for the Jenova cells that lay dormant in his system. He didn't have her innate abilities. She would have started regenerating automatically.

"Damn it! No! There has to be a way!" Sephiroth grit his teeth and dug deeper, prodding Jenova's mind with the dilemma, hoping her subconscious would offer up the answer even as she sought to conceal it. But the harder Sephiroth pressed and forced his way into her mind, the more barriers he met. She may have been weary and in need of rest but Jenova was still more than a match for Sephiroth's half human mind. Mental walls snapped up around him and he began to feel trapped again, like she was regaining control, but before that icy consciousness could completely envelop him something cool and crisp; water-like and comforting seeped through the cracks in his defenses with unhindered ease.

You hold the answer, a resonating female voice declared, echoing through the expanse of Sephiroth's consciousness. Stop relying on her for guidance. Make your own path. There was a brief flash of green in his mind's eye and he saw a woman, encased in armour and white linens, a shield and trident in hand, her blonde hair flowing down to her stomach.

"How can I? I don't have the knowledge--"

Sephiroth's protest was cut off as images and sensations flashed through his mind. Materia... a rippling sphere of energy... peace and silence. I trust you know what you must do.

Sephiroth considered. He'd read about a kind of magic once where through the fusion of certain mastered Materia one could create a perfect healing spell. One that would heal even the most gravely wounded and return to life those who had passed. The 'Ultimate Healing Magic'. A sister Materia to Meteor and Holy. But the Cetra had never completed their theory. The third Ultimate Materia was never created.

Sephiroth reached into his coat, withdrawing the pack full of Materia that Jenova had stolen before exiting the Shinra Building. He would be the one, he vowed. The one to succeed in creating the final Materia. He would not fail Genesis again.

Tossing aside the glassy orbs he didn't require, Sephiroth lined up a few likely candidates. Esuna. That would rid Genesis of any toxins Hojo had injected him with. Regen. Full Cure. Those would ensure that any physical injuries were healed. Wall. That would build a barrier impenetrable to sword, bullet, and magic alike.

With all the strength his new body possessed, Sephiroth forced the Materia start fusing. Never had more than two Materia been fused at once. Most had deemed it to risky to try, and those that had made attempts had simply lacked the strength and force of will. Sephiroth could feel the resistance, as if the Materia were magnets who were being forced to meet positive to positive. It wasn't easy. But Sephiroth refused to relent and eventually a white glow poured from the orbs and they began to meld. A moment later Sephiroth was left holding a single silvery-blue, crystalline ball.

Stepping past Genesis, Sephiroth moved to the center of the stone dais-- in the midst of the stalactites-- and held the Materia aloft. He doubted he had much time before Jenova took control again, so he didn't hesitate in activating it. He felt it start to hover and promptly released it, stepping away as a watery barrier began to expand around it. The Materia throbbed like a heart, each beat pouring more magical energy into the growing orb. A low hum reverberated in the cavern, making ripples in the pools on the rocky floor.

It was beautiful. A massive ball of magic-- rippling and shifting like viscous liquid and glowing with internal light. Sephiroth brushed his fingertips against the watery surface and watched perfect, circular ripples dance out from where his flesh made contact. Turning from the sight, he walked to where Genesis lay still and scooped the limp, boneless man into his arms.

I know your fears and you know mine.
We've had our doubts but now we're fine.

As he approached the suspended bubble, Sephiroth felt through his pockets for the Phoenix Down that he knew Jenova had stashed there. The small feather felt warm in his hands as he pulled it free; golden and sparkling. The light it gave off was dazzling.

Sephiroth placed the Down on Genesis' tongue, shutting the redhead's mouth on it. Hopefully the feather's death-defying properties would help him.

Tears still leaking from his eyes, Sephiroth stepped up to within inches of the swirling liquid surface. He could feel the static hum of the magical energy that was contained inside. He could smell the ozone.

And I love you, I swear that's true.
I cannot live without you.

Sephiroth looked down at Genesis' greying face and had to choke back a fresh wave of grief. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to the redhead's cold lips. He buried his face in the nape of Genesis' neck and sighed. "I'll come back for you," he whispered, gripping Genesis' limp hand in his. "I promise." Then, reluctantly, Sephiroth lifted Genesis' body and slid him through the surface of the bubble.

Almost immediately he felt the fluid begin to pull Genesis in and he relinquished hold on him, despite how badly he wanted to cradle him forever. The moment the former SOLDIER was inside, the surface hardened, turning crystalline. Within it Sephiroth could see Genesis, suspended like a puppet with no puppeteer-- his arms outstretched, his head drooped against his chest.

"Please let this work," Sephiroth hoarsely begged. Somewhere in the back of his mind, in the cold place that he'd come to associate with the creature who called itself 'Mother', Sephiroth heard a high, cruel laugh. With a snarl he forced her back and ignored her.

"I love you, Genesis."

And I still hold your hand in mine,
In mine when I'm asleep.

With a final glance at his dead lover, Sephiroth turned and made his way toward where sickly twilight illuminated the slick, moist cave floor. He could feel tears streaking his cheeks again, dripping from his jaw to land on the black leather of his coat and amidst the Mako-tainted waters. His chest felt as if it were ripping itself in half. Pain was all he could feel. Pain and a growing hollowness where he'd once felt warmth. He wanted nothing more than to follow his beloved into the Lifestream and never come back. To curl up on the cave floor beneath that sphere and remain there until Genesis' woke. But he knew he couldn't. The further he was from his lover when Jenova regained control, the safer Genesis would be. For no amount of grief or pain or sadness would break the chains that tethered him to that alien bitch. And the Goddess seemed powerless to help him.

And I will bear my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.

Sephiroth knew that one day he would have to face the Goddess and feel her wrath for the many sins he'd committed-- willingly or not. He hoped that her fiery knight would be there when that day came. He would kneel at Genesis' feet and he would beg for forgiveness. And no matter the outcome, he would abide by Genesis' judgment. He would atone for his sins and he would gain his freedom. He would renew every vow he'd ever made to his lover and if Genesis' willed it, he would even die to gain his redemption. If that was what it took to break the iron tether of Jenova's will, then so be it.

I'm so hollow, baby, I'm so hollow.
I'm so, I'm so, I'm so hollow.

Sephiroth looked back at his sleeping soulmate, gulped back his pain, and willed his wing into being. The wing so very much like Genesis'. Black feathers scattered on the air as the powerful limb beat once, propelling Sephiroth into the air and up through the sinkhole.

He was sure it was his imagination but as he took flight-- the wind rushing through his ears-- he swore he heard Genesis' voice.

"I'll wait for you."