"We have completed the transformation of Mako Reactor #3." I looked up and smiled at Reeve. "That is wonderful!" I said. "That was the last one?" I asked. "No. There is still one more left in Nibelheim," he told me. "No one wants to go near it!" I frowned. "Why not?" I questioned. "Whats wrong?" "I sent a group of half a dozen men to check it out and all except one were wiped out. Seems that there is someone who doesn't want us there. He left one man to let us know," he thought for a moment. "Oh thats not good," I sat back in my chair. "What do you plan to do about it?" "Well. Thats why I came here. I would like you to take over on this project. You know more about this sort of thing than I do," he replied. "Will you do it?" "I will," I said. "I will get this thing taken care of." He nodded and left the room. I walked outside onto the balcony and stood on the stone ledge. I crouched down and looked out at Midgar. It was being cleaned up so it would be more livable for the people. We were going to turn Midgar into the great city it once was. Now what was I going to do with the Mt. Nibel reactor? "I guess that I'm going to have to go," I sighed. "Go where?" Sephiroth asked. "Mt. Nibel," I replied not turning around. He leaned over the railing and looked at me. "Whats wrong?" he asked. I sighed again and sat down facing the building. Then I told him what Reeve had told me. "I will take the Highwind there tomarrow. I will get rid of whoever is there. What could be so tough about that?" I smoothed my hair back. "There is no reason to be afraid...." I felt dizzy all of the sudden and swayed back and forth. Sephiroth grabbed me before I could stumble backwards. "Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded and he let go. The moment he did I fell back against him. "What is the matter?" he was worried. "I... I don't... know..." I muttered. "I feel so... weak..." He lifted me up and looked down at me. I looked up at him with heavy eyes then fell unconcious, my head dropping to the side. He watched my chest rise and fall steadily, I looked like I was asleep. He knew that I was okay but couldn't figure out why I had passed out. He carried me through the office I used for my research into the hallway. We had a huge set of rooms much like a small house would have. He laid me down and sat next to me for awhile. Eventually Aeris came. "Oh, is she asleep? I'll come back later," she replied. "Wait a second," Sephiroth replied. He explained briefly what had happened. "So will you stay with her until I get back? I'm going to go to Mt. Nibel. I don't want her to go in this state and you know she can be so stubborn." "I will stay with her," Aeris replied. "Go on!" Sephiroth took a long look at me then turned and left the room.

Sephiroth approached the reactor cautiously. He didn't like coming here. The memories were too painfull. He walked into the front door and was confused. "I guess he left," he muttered looking around. "What the....?!" Sephiroth slumped to the floor.

I opened my eyes to a dark room. I stood up and walked to the window. "Sephiroth...." I whispered. "Where are you?" Light flooded the room and I turned expecting Sephiroth. "Aeris?" I was surprised. "Oh, you're awake!" she too was surprised. "What happened? Where is Sephiroth?" I asked. "You fainted and then Sephiroth went to the Mt. Nibel reactor," she explained. "What?! Why did HE go?" I panicked. "So you wouldn't go," she answered. "Whats wrong?" I looked down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout. Its just that.... well.... I thought about sending him and when I did I got a really bad feeling," I told her. "Did he come back yet? He should have been here by now." She shook her head. "I haven't seen him," she said. "I'm going to Junon," I said leaving the room. I took the helicopter there and had them land on top of the building and ran down the stairs where Cloud was training a group of men to be SilverSOLDIERS. "Cloud has Sephiroth returned yet?" I asked. "No," he said. "Why? Whats wrong?" "Cloud!" Cid ran into the room. "Cid? What are you doing here?" Cloud was confused. "You're supposed to be at Nibelheim." "I was but when Sephiroth didn't come back I sent four men inside and only one came back!" Cid told him. "He said that there was a man in there who was really powerful in magic. He said that Sephiroth was sprawled out on the floor and the man dared Raven to come after him." He took a deep breath. "I'm going. Cid lets go," I replied. "I'll go with you," Cloud told me. "Sephiroth would slice me in half if I let you go alone." "He'd be angry if you let me go at all but lets not go there," I strode out of the room followed by Cid. Cloud sighed and followed too.

"Be carefull," Cloud whispered as we stood pressed against the wall. I scooted around the corner and slid into the ventilation system. No one had bothered to replace the grate Sephiroth had torn off the last time we were here. I crawled through and dropped down on the other side. "Sephiroth!" I gasped seeing him across the room. Someone had wrapped strong chains around him. They had a soft glow on them so I guessed that they were magic chains used to bind the most powerful. I leaped off the platform and ran towards him not caring about anything else. Then something wrapped around my waist, pressing my arms to my sides and then wrapped around my ankles. I fell forward and hit hard, crying out in pain when my jaw connected with the floor. "Sephiroth won't be saving you now!" said a female voice. "Did you have to be so rough with her?" I heard a man say. "Who cares about the little bitch?" she laughed. "I do. I didn't beat up Sephiroth did I?" he growled. "No. I apologize," she muttered. "Now finish the job," he said. "Alright, alrigh," she muttered. "Master dispell, Level down 95%!" I cried out when the spell hit me. I could feel myself weaken rapidly as my level dropped drastically. "Sephiroth!" I cried, blood trickled out of the corner of my mouth. "No! Stop!!" Sephiroth yelled when he regained conciousness. The magic binding that held me disappeared. I slowly got to my feet. I looked up. "Marron? No... It can't be...." I backed up. "Yes it can sweetheart," a woman with blond hair and ice blue eyes said. "I couldn't let him be defeated so easily. Not when we were both so close to having what we both wanted so much," she said putting her hands on her hips. "I sold my soul to revive Marron, and in exchange for his services I have promised him you. Even though I would rather you be dead." Marron approached me slowly. I tried to hit him but he caught my wrist easily. I tried to jerk away but to my surprise I couldn't. "Let me go!" I winced when he squeezed my wrist. "You're just a normal girl now," he explained. "Your level is the same as it was when you were ten years old." I pulled a dagger out with my free hand and made an attempt to kill him. He easily knocked it out of my hand. I tried running towards Sephiroth but he grabbed my waist and pulled me back. "Let her go!" Sephiroth struggled against the chains. I dropped to my knees and covered my face with my hands. I began to cry as frustration wrapped around me. He pulled me to my feet and leaned in close to me. "Sephiroth isn't going to stop me now," he laughed. I tried to push him away but he crushed me against his chest. "Get your hands off of her!" Sephiroth struggled violently. "Do something with him!" Marron barked. She glared at Marron then cast a transportation spell on Sephiroth. He disappeared before my eyes. "No!! Sephiroth!!!" I cried out twisting in Marron's arms. "Why are you doing this....?" I began to cry and fell limp. Marron bent, picked up my dagger and slipped it back in its holster. Then he lifted me up. "Alrigh Luana, you've got what you wanted," Marron muttered. She approached him from the side and ran her hand along the side of his face. "I will see you again cutie," she smiled wickedly. "No... you won't," he walked away. "Where in the hell do you think you're going?" Cloud stepped out with his sword in front of him. Marron looked down at me. My eyes were closed and my head hung limply to the side. He sat me down on the ground, propped up against the wall and pulled out his swords. As soon as he moved away I opened my eyes and got to my feet. I motioned to Cloud that he was way too strong and to run. He nodded and ran towards me. He grabbed my hand and took off towards the Highwind. "Damnit!" Marron growled once he realized he had been fooled. Cloud grabbed the ladder with one hand and put his other arm around my waist as the Highwind rose up and away from the ground. Marron didn't reach us in time. I grabbed the ladder and Cloud pushed me up with his free hand and Cid pulled me over the edge. I sat down and put my face in my hands. "Sephiroth is in trouble and I can't even help him," I moaned. "You're as strong as the rest of us and twice as good with magic!" Cid replied. I looked up at them, "Not any more!" "What do you mean?" Cloud asked worried. "There was a woman in there. She used a big binding spell on me then she silenced my magic and lowered my level," I bawled. "I have the strength of a child!" Cloud looked at me in disbelief. Cid helped me up and lead me into the Highwind's main cabin. He shut the door behind him. "Cloud this is serious," Cid replied. "Yes it is. Lets get her back to Midgar and we'll decide what to do there," Cloud said. Cid nodded.

"Reeve! Where the @#$% are you?!" Cid bellowed. "Whats wrong?" Reeve asked, appearing. "Its Raven," Cid replied. Reeve's eyes widened and he hurridly followed Cid. "We can't figure out what she did or how she did it," Cloud was telling Aeris. I was silent, mournfull. "What happened?" Reeve asked. Cloud explained what had happened. Reeve listened intently then started giving out commands. "She has to have an armed escort where she goes and get a search party out looking for Sephiroth immediately!" he instructed. "Have Vincent's party out looking too. If anyone can find him a former Turk can!" He walked away from them and went over to me. "Wow," Aeris said gawking at Reeve. "He takes his job seriously!" "He has to," Cloud said. "Or he wouldn't be a good leader." "I wonder why he suddenly cares so much for her," Aeris wondered out loud. "Name one person who doesn't," Cloud replied. Aeris flashed him a big smile. "You're right," she giggled. "She does have that effect on people doesn't she?" "Yeah," he replied looking at me. "And now that she's so vulnerable the effect has doubled." We can't let Marron get to her," Aeris said her smile fading. "We have to find Sephiroth fast..." Cloud said quietly. "Or there will be no hope for her."

"I have some good news and some bad news," Vincent replied. Me, Cloud and Reeve sat listening to his report. "We found Sephiroth..... but...." he looked at me sadly not wanting to tell me. "Hes just like he was when Jenova was in control." Vincent winced when he seen the pain twist my features. I stood up and ran out of the room. Vincent turned and followed me. He found me outside on the balcony in my office. I was standing on the stone railing staring out at the stars. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Me and Sephiroth came out here every night together. Sometimes I would stand here alone deep in thought," I reflected. "It seems that every time I did he would show up... but now he... he didn't show up! And he's not going to!" "We'll get him back," Vincent promised. "No! I'm not able to fight anymore!" I cried. "Don't you see? It nearly killed me and everyone I loved the last time I fought for his mind. Its hopeless!" "No... its not! There has to be a way!" Vincent argued. "I'm not going to be able to handle never seeing Sephiroth again," I said quietly. "Being so.. helpless. Never again see him smile at me... and love me..."

I started to lean forward. Vincent lunged forward and wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me back. I pounded on his arms with my fists yelling at him to let me go but he held on tightly until I gave up and just cried. He lead me into the office and made me sit down on the couch. There was a knock at the door. Reeve entered and gasped when he seen me bawling my eyes out and Vincent on one knee in front of me trying to calm me down. "Whats wrong?" Reeve asked. "Just a sec," Vincent muttered. "Raven lay down and try to get some rest. You'll feel better when you wake up and your wits return." He helped me lie down and covered me up with the blanket that was folded up on the shelf beside it. Vincent stood and signaled Reeve to follow. He listened for a moment at the balcony door and listened to my sobs turn to sniffled then to heavy, but steady breathing. He turned to Reeve. "She just tried to kill herself," Vincent said quietly. "What?!" Reeve asked astonished. "Shhh!" Vincent quietened him. "Shes lost all hope of getting Sephiroth back. I think she will be better in the morning," Vincent replied. "You sit with her until then," Reeve instructed. "In the morning we're going to take her where no one will think to find her. Not even Sephiroth." Reeve turned and left. Vincent turned to me and took a deep breath, then he settled down in a chair for the night.

"Why did you bring me here?" I sighed staring into the fire. "Because no one will think I hid you here," Reeve replied. "And you have Nanaki here to protect you and Vincent volunteered to stay too." I nodded. "And Cloud will come once a week?" I asked. "Yes," Reeve replied. "To make sure everything is alright and to update you on any news." I sighed. Reeve left, knowing that I wanted to be alone. I laid down, curling up next to the fire in the same place that I had laid in with Sephiroth. I wanted so badly for his arm to be around me. How was I going to handle this? Why didn't Vincent just let me die? "Raven....." I looked up at Nanaki (Red XIII) who sat beside me. I sat up and looked at him. "Do not worry I have a feeling that everything will turn out for the best." "You think so?" I asked. He nodded. "I hope so," I looked into the fire. "Me and Sephiroth were so young the last time we were here." "Do not give up," Nanaki told me. "You will find a way. You always do." "I hope that you are right. Or everything is lost...."

Marron sliced through the gaurd and moved on to the next. "Where is Raven?" he growled. "I... I don't know! We weren't given that information!" the gaurd cried. Marron killed him anyways and walked up the steps to the next level. He busted into my office, where he learned from a gaurd. He searched the main room and moved on down the hallway to mine and Sephiroth's set of rooms. I wasn't there either so he continued his search throughout the building until he found a high ranking S.S. whom he tortured until he got the information that he wanted. Reeve was gone to hide her but no one but him and Cloud knew where. He smiled a devious smile and killed the S. SOLDIER.

I swung at Vincent and he blocked the blow and countered by grabbing my wrist and pushing it behind my back, restraining me. I dropped my head. "Its no use..." I muttered. "You have to try!" Vincent replied. "The stronger you get the better. At least until we figure out how to get your levels back to normal." "But what if we can't?!" I asked. "Even more reason to work on raising them," he answered. "Raven!" I heard someone yell. "Nanaki! What is it?" I asked. "Its that Marron guy. He was sighted a few miles away. A message was delivered that he has been rampaging all the cities looking for you!" he explained. "Well lets go! We have to get everyone to a safe place!" I cried. We rushed back to the villiage. Nanaki decided to put everyone in the cave of the G.I. I followed Vincent inside then ran back out to get my materia that I had left in Bugenhagen's house. Even though I couldn't use it I didn't want anyone, expecially Marron, to get their hands on it. When I got back to the cave the door was already sealed shut and I couldn't get in. Nor could anyone hear me because the door was so thick. "No!" I cried anyways. "Let me back in!" I couldn't wait. Marron would be here soon. I ran as fast as I could out of the villiage running northwest towards Nibelheim.

"Where is Raven?" Vincent asked fearfully. "She came in right behind you. I seen her," someone answered. "Maybe she went deeper into the cave," someone suggested. "Spread out and search for her," Nanaki instructed.

I walked over the rocks carefully. Then I jerked my head up. I heard a growl. I knew that a monster was nearby. I turned and seen its eyes glowing from the shadows. I felt the fear grip me with icy fingers. The monster leaped out of the shadows and I turned and ran. I ran as hard as I could not watching where I was going. Then my right foot went into a hole twisting my ankle and sending me crashing into the rock. I felt the knee of my pants tear and my bare flesh scrape against the rough surface. Rocks dug into my gut. I turned to my back in time to see the beast slowly stalking me. I screamed as it grew closer and I tried to drag myself away from it since I couldn't get up. My back touched solid mountain and I realized that I had nowhere to go. I saw a flash of black in the corner of my eye and knew who it was. He showed himself. "Help me!" I cried as the creature bore down on me. Marron leaped forward and sliced through the monster. I leaned back and winced at the firey pain that shot through my leg. Marron knelt in front of me and slit my boot down the side. "It isn't fractured but it is sprained really bad. You won't be able to walk for awhile," he replied. He wrapped a strap around my shin to hold the boot on and then lifted me up. I was sobbing quietly as he carried me away.

After getting a ride Marron walked into Nibelheim with me slung over his shoulder. He checked into a room where he put me into a bed to rest. I was asleep when we arrived, the pain had exahusted me. When I woke up I was alone. I noticed that there were new clothes sitting in a chair so I sat up and snatched them up. I put them on very slowly because of the multiple bruises and my throbbing ankle. I put my boots on, the right one was tight from the swelling. I tried not to think about the pain as I stood up and tried to put weight on my right leg. It hurt way too bad so I kinda hopped to the window and pushed it open. Lucky me it was on the second floor. I sighed noisily. "Going somewhere?" I spun around, forgetting about my ankle, and collapsed. Marron caught me. "I told you that you're not supposed to walk," he reminded me picking me up and putting me back on the bed. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. "My ankle won't be like this forever," I muttered. "Don't worry," he grinned. "You'll come to your senses soon." "No," I looked at him seriously. "I won't." "I will make you love me in time," he replied. "But for now you are honor bound to me. I saved your life..." I hung my head and laid down turning my back to him.

Cloud walked into the villiage and looked around very confused that he didn't see anyone around. Then everyone began to come down the steps just ahead of him. Vincent spotted him and rushed towards him. "What's going on?!" Cloud asked. "Someone spotted Marron coming this way and informed us that he was cutting through towns looking for Raven, "Vincent explained. "We had people take cover in the GI cave to avoid anyone getting hurt and now Raven had disappeared!" "Oh no!" Cloud's eyes widened. "We have to find he before Marron does." "What if we're already too late?" Vincent asked. "Then we'll have no choice but to battle Marron," Cloud answered. "What about Sephiroth?" Vincent asked. "He was seen heading back towards Nibelheim. We think that is where Luana is based, in the reactor," Cloud told him. "We can only hope that Raven hasn't gone to Nibelheim," Vincent said. "If her and Sephiroth were to meet face to face who's to tell what will happen."

I stood and put pressure on my foot. It was already feeling alot better. I could actually walk on it without too much pain. I seen the door knob turn and hurried to sit down. I didn't want Marron to know that I was able to walk yet. "Lets go," he said pulling me up. "We have to leave here." "What for?" I asked. "We just do," he replied. "Hang onto this." He handed me a command materia. "What is it?" I looked at it closely. "Only the most powerful deathblow materia in the world," he answered. "Where did you get this?!" I was shocked. "I stole it," he said smuggly. "And he doesn't know it was me. Chances are he is on his way to Nibelheim now." He started laughing as he helped me down the steps. He stopped and I jerked my head up when I heard people screaming. A flickering light was reflecting through the windows. The inn was vacant. "Not again..." I muttered. "What have you done Marron?!" His eyes narrowed and he threw me over his shoulder. He put me down at the door and looked at me. "We have to get out of here quick," he replied. "Forget about the pain in your foot long enough to get out of town." I nodded. He threw open the door and pulled me out. I winced at the intense heat of the flames. I gagged at the smoke as I followed Marron towards the edge of town. I spotted Sephiroth and Luana and stopped dead in my tracks. The deathblow materia slipped from my fingers. I dropped to my knees and picked it up. When I stood back up Sephiroth was only a few feet away with hate in his eyes.

Luana grinned evily. "Kill her!" she shouted happily. My eyes widened and I turned and ran. A dog ran out in front of me and I tripped over it. I felt the chain around my neck grow taunt as it slipped from under my shirt. I turned over and put my arm up as if to try and block the sword's blow. He held the sword over his head but the glint of green stopped him from singing it downward. When nothing happened I dropped my arm and looked up at him. He looked frozen except for the slight trembling in his upraised arms. His eyes were wide and fixed on the talisman resting on my chest. *** "...I wanted something for you....." ......... "You held onto that for ten years?!" "Eleven...." ......... "Every time I look at it I'll think of you........" *** A tear slipped from my eye. "Kill her Sephiroth!" Luana screamed. "What are you doing you witch?! We had a deal!" Marron raged. "The deal is off! I want that bitch dead!" Luana laughed. I scooted back and stood up. Sephiroth looked me in the eye. "Run....." he said quietly. "I'll be right behind you." I turned and ran. Sephiroth swung his sword in time to miss me. Then he raced after me. "You bitch!" Marron screamed at Luana. She just grinned and disappeared. I stopped to catch my breath. Sephiroth caught up with me and lifted me into his arms. "Raven please forgive me!" he squeezed me tight. "I forgive you!" I cried. "I just want to be with you." "Always," he breathed into my ear. I kissed the side of his face. "I love you," I whispered tearfully. "And I love you," he said. "I guess the talisman works," I said. He laughed and put me down. "Yes I guess you're right," he said. Then his smile faded. "There is something different about you. The way you held me was... I don't know what it is." I looked at my feet. "Luana dropped my level down extremely low," I told him. "I am... weaker. ALOT weaker." I began to cry. He pulled me closer and I laid my head against his chest. "Don't worry," he told me. "I'll protect you until we can figure out how to reverse it." "If we can reverse it...." I mumbled. "We will," he promised. "Until then, stay close to me." "You bitch!" a shrill voice rang through the wind. Luana appeared on the rocks above us. Sephiroth pushed me behind him and held his sword out in front of him. "I thought I told you to kill her Sephiroth," she growled. "You could never tear us apart," Sephiroth glared at her.

"Her love for me is more powerful than any magic." He looked at me, his eyes bright. "And my love for her is stronger than any sword." I couldn't help but to smile up at him. "Enough of this!" Luana bellowed. A bright light illuminated from her hands as she sent it to surround Sephiroth to make him forget. Before it could hit him I threw my arms around his waist and clasped my hands together at his abdomen. I wasn't about to let go. Neither was Luana. I shook as I held on desperately. Surprised that I could last this long. I could feel Sephiroth holding on by a hair to keep his mind. His entire body was tense, his fists balled up, his muscles were flexed. "Sephiroth...." I breathed. "Let me into your mind!" He gave his mind up to me. We both fell unconcious onto the ground, me still hanging on tight.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sephiroth hung in the trees watching the young girl picking flowers. Then he sensed something nearby and watched my face twist in horror as the monster leaped out at me. He had no weapon on him, his sword was hidden in a hollow tree. Then the idea struck him. He leaped down and kicked the monster then he ran to the tree where he retrieved his sword in lighting speed. He spun around and struck the beast down. *** "Raven... I have to leave here," he told me. "I don't want to leave you behind," he thought. "I won't go without you." "Please go with me," he pleaded. "But what about my brother?" I asked. "You told me that he intended to join SOLDIER soon," he answered. I thought for a moment. "I will think about it," I told him. "And let you know my decision tomarrow." I smiled then strode off back to the villiage. "Please say yes," he whispered as he watched me leave. *** He walked out of the battle arena towards the trade in. He had 200,000 BP to spend. He looked around but what was there that I would like. Frustrated that he couldn't decide he hit the wall. "Whats the matter?" an old man asked. "I want a gift for someone but I don't think she could use anything up there," Sephiroth replied pointing at the screen. The old man reached into his bag and pulled out a beautiful medallian. "How's this?" the old guy asked. "Thats perfect!" Sephiroth exclaimed. "This medallian was created to protect the one you love. The more your love grows the more powerful it will become. But I warn you, if you don't love her then all it will be is just a necklace," the old man explained. Sephiroth stared at it as it dangled on the silver chain. Then he handed the man the BP. "Are you sure?" the man asked. "I have never been so sure in my life," Sephiroth said taking it from him. *** Sephiroth lead me to my room at the Gold Saucer. We said our goodnight and I slipped into my room. Sephiroth looked at the door solemly. (I want so badly to be able to take care of her. I don't want her to have to sleep outside in the cold on a hard ground every night.... Maybe if I can get enough money then we could travel in style. I only want the best for her....) Instead of going across the hall to his room he headed down the hall to speak with Rufus. That was how he would get the money. Fighting is what he did best, right? But still.... (How am I going to tell Raven that I am joining Soldier?) *** Sephiroth paced the floor of the airship. Back and forth, back and forth. "You're going to wear a hole in the floor," the piolet replied. "I don't care," Sephiroth mumbled. "Well you can stop now because we're here," the man replied. Sephiroth left the airship in a hurry. He ran through the snow and threw open the door. "Raven? Raven where are you?!" he called out. He searched the entire house and there was no sign of me. He sighed, the first thought coming to his head was the usual worst. I was gone. I wasn't returning. So he lit a fire and sat in the corner of the room to think. He was near to doze off when he heard the door creep open. He stood up quietly and watched me walk inside and winced when he seen my tear streaked face. Then I jerked my head up and looked at the fire with eyes wide. For an instant he thought he seen fear flicker in my eyes but then I pushed it away and pulled out a dagger. I looked around the room. Finally, it seemed, my eyes rested on him. Sephiroth's eyes widened. (How could she know?) "I know you're there!" I growled. "Come out!" He walked forward watching my features change first into surprise then joy. "Sephiroth?" I gasped. I leaped into his arms and he squeezed me tight. "Its really you!" I cried. He never dreampt he could miss me so much. He wanted to hold onto me forever. He never wanted this moment to end. *** Sephiroth's eyes grew wide when Cloud lifted him up by his sword. "Noooo!" Sephiroth yelled. (Raven!!!!!) Then he was falling.... everything was darkness. In his mind was a battle. He would feel Raven and be warm and then he would feel Jenova and be cold. Raven.... *** Everything was the way it was before. Jenova was gone... Cloud lifted his heavy sword to strike the final blow. (I loved you.....) The huge blade began it's decent. (...Raven.....) "Please don't!" (Raven?!) "And why shouldn't I?!" (Raven!) He felt my arms slip around him as I pulled him close. He listened to me argue with Cloud and explain everything to them. Then he looked up at me. He closed his eyes when I pushed his hair back. (you came....) They argued more. (you came for me....) "Why did you do all this for him?" (Why?) "Because... I love him." (you... love me?) "My Sephiroth...." (...forever.. always....)

*** Sephiroth pulled the dagger from the punching bag and left the room soon after. He spotted me taking the stairs and stood there for a few minuites. (Should I follow her?) He went to the stairs. (Maybe she went to her room?) But I wasn't there. He thought for a moment. (She told me once that she liked to go all the way upstairs to look at Midgar's lights...) So he went all the way upstairs. (I hope that she doesn't get angry because I followed her.) "Sephiroth!" he jerked his head up when he heard my voice. He hurried across the room to the balcony. Kane stood there laughing madly as he watched me struggle. Sephiroth seen only one of my hands holding on... and Kane was about to change that. He was going to kill me. Sephiroth cried out angrily and shoved his sword through Kane's back. After he dropped off the balcony Sephiroth fell to his knees and started to pull me up. (Is that her dagger in her shoulder?!) He got me over the edge. I looked up at him, my eyes glistening with unshed tears, pleading with him to stop the pain. "...with my own dagger..." Sephiroth lifted me up. "Just be calm." (Just be calm Sephiroth.) He hurried downstairs to my room and laid me down. "Hold still," he told me. (Please don't die on me Raven...) My scream grabbed at his heart and he trembled as he pulled the blade all the way out. (I'm sorry! I'm trying so hard not to hurt you!) He stopped the blood. "Sephiroth... (Don't die Raven) ...stay with me... I'm so scared... don't leave me!" (I'm afraid too. I can't lose you.) "I won't ever leave you again." *** "I will redeem myself for you. (Raven...) I swear my soul to you!" ....... "Sephiroth... I know now... I know how to beat them!... the talisman... its the key... you swore... you swore yourself to ME!.... I love you... my Sephiroth... wake up love..." Sephiroth opened his eyes. They were back at Nibelheim reactor. Almost like everything that had happened was all a dream. I was still unconcious sprawled on the floor, my hair laying wild around me. He heard arguing in the next room and knew that it was Luana and Marron. He twisted his arms against the chain and soon realized that it was no use. He pushed himself towards me with his legs. They had put no binding on me at all. Why bother, I was weak, right? "Raven..." he whispered. "Raven wake up." "Sephiroth..." I mumbled in my sleep. "...the talisman... the talisman... protects me..." "Raven, its because I love you. I love you more than I ever dreamed that I could! I've loved you from the first moment that I laid eyes on you and every second there after..." The green stone began to glow softly. "My Raven...." he whispered pressing his lips to mine. The glow from the talisman spread, surrounding us both. The chain snapped link by link, Sephiroth put his arms around me, pulling me close. My eyes slowly drifted open and focused on his face. Then the corners of my mouth pulled up in a fabulous smile. "What?! How did you get free?!" Sephiroth glanced at Luana. She was furious. I pulled myself to my feet alongside Sephiroth. Luana, eyes narrowed, put up her hands and hit Sephiroth with her most powerful magic. He struggled desperately, the force knocked him to his hands and knees. "No!" I screamed. "If you want him so bad then fight me for him. He won't give up as long as I'm here." She stopped clawing at Sephiroth's mind with her magic and stared at me. "YOU want to fight ME?" she looked incredulous. "It would be like fighting a child!" She began to laugh. "Raven no!" Sephiroth called out weakly holding his hand out to me. I looked at him sadly. "I won't give up so easily," I told her. She smiled smugly. "If thats the way you want it," she put her hands on her hips. I nodded once, slowly. Then she lunged at me. I sidestepped her blow. She looked back at me, confused. She had expected to end it in one blow. Angry, she rushed at me again. And again, I sidestepped. She got angrier and leaped at me. This time I sidestepped and kicked her hard in the back. She climbed to her feet and glared at me. "You didn't expect a fair fight did you?" I said calmly crossing my arms across my chest. "Your spell is broken Luana." "But how?!" she cried. "Sephiroth," I answered. "His heart saved us both." She screeched and came at me. I blocked all of her blows and kicked her hard in the abdomen. She doubled over and got up a moment later. "Blind!" the spell caught me off gaurd. I couldn't see anything! She kicked me hard in the back knocking me forward. She fought dirty and attacked me while I was down. "Chaos Shadow!" I disappeared in a puff of smoke and healed myself while I was invisible. I retrieved my daggers and appeared before her. "Lets finish this," I glared at her. She retrieved a mean looking chain whip from her waist. She cracked it at my face and I used my daggers to change their direction away from me. She kept cracking it at me and I kept blocking. I flipped off the wall and landed directly behind her. In one quick slice her waist length hair was now sholder length. The blond locks floated lazily to the floor. "Oh no! My beautiful hair!" she cried. I stared to laugh when I seen her face. "You're gonna pay for this!" she screamed outraged. She attacked me full force and used the whip to trip me. My daggers skidded out of my hand, I turned over and started to crawl towards them. She leaped on my back and wrapped the whip around my neck choking me. I grabbed the chain hopelessly as it began to cut into my neck. In one last desperate attempt, it was do or die, I pushed myself up lifting her up with me. I made it to my knees and elbowed her in the stomach. She fell back clutching her stomach and I jerked the whip away sending it skidding across the floor. I looked at the daggers. Luana looked at them too. We both rushed at them in different directions, as they were several yards apart. I picked up one and her the other. At the same instant we flung the weapons at eachother. The one she threw grazed my left arm leaving a thin, bloody trail. Mine met its mark and buried deep within her chest. Shock, mixed with horror of loss, animated her features. I stood there, tired and aching, and just watched her fall limp as the life seeped from her body. I was too exausted to move anywhere. I felt bad but I had no choice but to deliver her death. "Sephiroth is mine...." I mumbled then sank to my knees. I hung my head down, my hair cascaded over my sholders and fell around my face like a curtain. "Raven..." Sephiroth rolled onto his back and rubbed his head, the spell had made it hurt. I felt myself being jerked to my feet. "Give me the shadow materia," Marron growled. "I seen you use it." "I... I can't," I stuttered. "Why not?" he asked fiercely. I put my hand to my chest, "Its in here." "In where?!" "Inside of me...." His eyes blazed and he pulled me roughly into the Jenova room. I struggled against his grip. "There is no way I'm going back in there!" I screamed. I kicked him in the shin and took off running. He pulled a sword free and I felt it slice across my lower back. I fell forward and struggled to catch my breath, the fall and the shock of the blade had knocked it away. "Don't put me in there..." I cried when he bent to pick me up. "I'm sorry but I have to have that materia," he replied matter-of-factly. He grabbed my arms and proceded to drag me towards the machine leaving a bloody trail across the floor from the wound on my back. Something flew past Marron's head and he looked up to see my dagger protruding from the control panel. Marron dropped his arms and rose to his full height. "You bastard!" he cursed Sephiroth. He knew that he could no longer use the machine so he grabbed me up and held me against him, holding his sword in front of me. "I'll just kill her," he glared hatefully at Sephiroth.

I lifted my right arm in a last attempt. The light shone off the red orb on my armlet and reflected in Marron's eyes. "Knights... of... the... round...!" I summoned. "NOOOO!" Marron dropped me and made a run for it. The spell lifted him up and the thirteen knights attacked full force. After the final knight was gone Sephiroth leaped up, his sword held over his head, and sliced down hard ending it. Marron screamed as he turned to dust and blew away. The lifestream finally claiming him mind, soul, and even body, forever. Sephiroth watched him go then turned around. I was standing directly behind him and he didn't even hear my approach. I smiled weakly and grabbed him around the waist, squeezing as hard as I could. I trembled slightly in pain. He put his arms over my shoulders and held me close. "I need a vacation," I whispered. Sephiroth couldn't help but to laugh.

It had taken us a little longer than normal to reach Nibelheim, not to mention that he had to carry me half way. He had stolen Marron's cloak that had been discarded on the floor of the reactor and worn it so no one would recognize him. I wore my own cloak that had been removed as I slept. "I need a room for the night," he told the innkeeper as he held me cradled in his arms. The innkeeper nodded and led him to the room and opened the door for him. Sephiroth laid me on the bed and handed the man the correct amount of Gil. "If you see President Reeve or General Strife in town will you tell them that Raven is here?" he asked the man. "Yessir," he answered. Sephiroth closed the door and approached the bed. He pulled off the cloak and looked me over. Dried up blood surrounded the gashes on my neck and down the length of my left arm. He retrieved a basin of water and a cloth and began cleaning it off. "My... back," I groaned not opening my eyes. He turned me onto my stomach gently and his eyes widened. "Why didn't you say anything?!" he cried. He tore my shirt enough to keep it off the wound and started to clean it. There was alot of dried up blood and even some fresh blood still oozed out. Sephiroth tossed on his cloak and went downstairs. "Do you have any bandages?" Sephiroth asked. "No sir we used them all a few days ago when Nibelheim was attacked. "Damnit," Sephiroth muttered. "Was anyone killed?" he asked. "No sir we got everyone out okay. Not much of the city was too badly damaged just charred really. We've got most of it cleaned up but the mansion didn't make it. It caught fire and burnt so quickly it was unnatural!" he went on. "I didn't even notice anything when I came into town," Sephiroth said. "I was too preoccupied I guess." "Well you tell V.P. Raven that we don't hold anything against the commander. We heard that he was under some sort of spell and besides, it was that woman who started the fires," he replied. "Well try next door they may have some extra bandages." Sephiroth finally got what he needed. He put a long strip of clean linen on my back and then used another strip of cloth, three feet in length, and wrapped it tightly around my waist to hold the bandage on. He took off my dagger holsters and my boots. He looked at my ankle which was still slightly bruised. He covered me up and laid down to rest. He was alseep quickly.

Cloud knocked on the door. When he got no answer he quietly pushed it open. Sephiroth was asleep on his back next to me. I was resting on my stomach sound asleep. Cloud approached me. "Raven...?" he whispered quietly. He reached down to touch my shoulder and nearly jumped out of his skin when Sephiroth grabbed his wrist. "Don't," Sephiroth didn't look happy. He let Cloud's wrist go after Cloud nodded. Sephiroth sighed. "She needs to rest. She was hurt pretty badly and lost alot of blood. She could hardly even speak or keep her eyes open when we got here." "Maybe I should have Cid go get Aeris," Cloud suggested. "She will be alright," Sephiroth replied. "Shes alot stronger than she looks." "You've got that right!" Cloud agreed. "We'll be down the hall if you need anything," Cloud turned and left, closing the door behind him. "Sephiroth," I whispered. "What is it?" he asked, turning to his side. "I uh... I tried to tell myself that I killed Luana because I had no other choice," I told him. "I meant to kill her... I didn't have to." "I know," he said quietly. "You did? How?!" I was surprised. He smiled. "Raven, you've been using those daggers for fifteen years! You knew where it would hit her when you threw it," he stated. I sighed. "You're right. It doesn't bother you?" I glanced up at him expectantly. "Of course it doesn't," he told me. "My past isn't exactly perfect either. Besides, I have felt jealousy more times that I care to admit." "You have?" I asked. He looked down at me. "You've never noticed?" he looked surprised. "Well sometimes," I said. "I don't know... sometimes its really hard to figure out what you're feeling." "Its not like that with you," he laughed. "I can always tell what you are thinking!" I gave him an angry pout and turned my head in the other direction. "The great Sephiroth thinks he's hilarious!" I couldn't help but giggle and turn back to him. I winced. "Whats wrong?" he asked worried. "I feel like I'm on fire," I groaned. He put his hand on my face. "You're ice cold," he said, his eyes widening. "Poison!" I cried. "It must have been on Marron's sword....." "Don't try to get up. I'll be right back!" he cried. He raced out the door and down the steps. He slammed open the door to the medicine shop. "I need your strongest remedy!" Sephiroth yelled. "S...S...Sephiroth! I... I have nnnomore left!" he sputtered. "But she'll DIE!" he roared. Sephiroth ran back outside where Cid was standing in front of the materia shop talking to some towns people. Sephiroth picked him up three feet of the ground. "You'd better tell me that there are remedies on that damn airship!" Sephiroth raged. "No! We don't! Put me the @^#* down!" Cid yelled. Sephiroth dropped him. "Take the ship to the closest town and get the strongest that you can find!" Sephiroth instructed him. "But....." "Do it! Raven needs them!" Sephiroth wouldn't let him finish. Cid's eyes widened. He should have realized that was why he was so insistent. Cid knodded and ran towards the Highwind. Sephiroth ran back to our room where I lay unconcious. "Raven, wake up," Sephiroth turned me over. "Sephiroth..." I whispered looking at him through my eyelashes. "I... I love you. I want you to know that..." "Raven you're going to be okay. Don't talk like you're not!" Sephiroth cried. "Please Sephiroth. Don't do this..." I said. Tears rose to my eyes and slipped down my cheeks. "Raven don't leave me," Sephiroth whispered. "I don't want to..." I breathed. I closed my eyes. "Raven?" he said, his eyes growing wide. "No... don't give up! Raven don't do this!!" He pulled me into his arms, I hung limply with my head dropped back and my arms dangeling. "Damnit Raven!" Sephiroth yelled. He put his hand on the back of my head and held me against his chest. Someone pounded on the door and Cloud and Reeve barged in. "Whats going on?!" Reeve asked. "I got it!" Cid pushed past Cloud and Reeve. "I got the best kind possible!" Sephiroth laid me back and used the strong remedy on me. "It... it didn't work," he muttered after awhile. He closed his eyes. "Leave me...." Cid looked at me with sad eyes. "She was a sweet kid..." he left the room. "I'm going to miss her..." Reeve followed Cid. Cloud stepped towards the bed and looked down at me. "My best friend," he looked truely upset. Then he thought of his love, my sister. "Aeris... I'm sorry..." He turned and walked away. "My love..." Sephiroth put his hand against my face. "Why Raven? Why?!" he cried out knealing down until his forehead touched mine. He closed his eyes that sparkled with grief. A single tear slipped down his face and caught the sunlight, from the window, as it dropped and glistened like a chrystal. It landed on my cheek and trailed down like it was my own. Sephiroth touched his lips to mine. I drew a deep breath and opened my eyes wide. "Sephiroth....?!" I cried out. His eyes grew round and then he smiled. He pulled me up into his arms and laughed he was so happy and relieved. I could feel the tension in his body as he held me. I held him back, just as tightly. "I thought that I had lost you forever," he said quietly. "The old man was right," I replied. "What?" he asked, looking at me confused. "The more that you love me the more powerful it becomes," I replied. "You brought me back to life..." He smiled, almost grinning, as he understood my words. "Can we go to the Gold Saucer?" I asked sweetly, giving him the same eyes I did when I was thirteen. He laughed loudly. "You can have whatever you want!" he swore.
Reeve and Cloud stood in the hallway, trying to decide if they should go into the room to check on Sephiroth, when they heard him burst out laughing. The two looked at each other with the same worried thought in thier heads that he had lost his marbles once again and pushed open the door. "Oh my god!" Reeve blurted out. I couldn't help but to laugh at their faces. Eventually they laughed too when I got up and embraced them both at the same time. "We're going to the Gold Saucer!" I giggled. "Lets go." I grabbed Sephiroth's hand and pulled him to his feet. He scooped me up and carried me down the stairs and then put me down at the bottom. Cloud opened the front door and gasped. There were a group of people gathered in the town square. He and Reeve walked out first and I stayed behind Sephiroth, holding onto his hand with both of mine. "Whats going on?" Reeve asked, afraid that they were angry at Sephiroth. "We heard about Vice President Raven," one guy spoke up. "We heard that she might die and we were worried about her. We all like her." Sephiroth smiled and stepped aside to let them see me. They cheered for their happiness and I smiled tearfully. I had no idea that people liked me so much...

After Sephiroth had won over 300,000 BP he went to see if the old man would show up. He didn't really think that he would since he was so old the last time he'd seen him. But he had nothing to lose by trying. He looked at the trade-in seeing nothing that he liked or nothing that I would like. The old man was nowhere to be found. He bowed his head and sighed. "Whats the matter?" Sephiroth's head jerked up when he heard the old man's voice. His eyes were round, surprised that the man looked exactly the same! "Here... I want to give you this," Sephiroth held out the BP. "I cannot take without giving something in return. He handed Sephiroth a talisman but this time the stone was a deep violet color. "But she already has a talisman," Sephiroth told him. "Who says its for her? This one is for YOU," the old man said. Sephiroth took it and handed him the BP. "You saved her life," Sephiroth said quietly. "No, YOU saved her life," the old man replied. Then he handed Sephiroth a mahogany case. "Give THIS to her." Then he walked away to shop with his BP. Sephiroth looked at the box for a moment. When he looked back up the old man was gone. Like he disappeared.

"Here," Sephiroth handed the box to me. "Whats this?" I asked. "I got it with my battle points. Open it," he said. I pulled open the lid after flipping the clasp. "Oh!" I blurted out. "Its so beautiful!" Inside was a beautiful silver armlet. Encrested in the side was a wonderfully detailed Raven. "Oh wow..." My eyes were large. He sat next to me and lifted it off the violet satin, then he lifted my left arm and slid it on. It fit directly over the scar that my dagger had left when Luana threw it at me. I put my arms around him and kissed him.

"Bad news," Cloud told Reeve. "The tram is out of order again. We'll have to stay here in Gold Saucer one more night." "Alright," Reeve sighed. "Go tell Raven and the others then." Cloud nodded and left. He walked down the hall and knocked on the door. He heard a faint "Enter!" and pushed open the door. "Where's Raven?" Cloud asked. "She went to talk to Joe in the Chocobo Square. She wants him to see Orion," he replied chuckling. "Orion?" Cloud looked confused. Sephiroth stopped sharpening his sword and looked up at him. "Orion is a gold chocobo. He was produced by Raven's chocobos that were bred months ago. It just hatched a few nights ago. Cid brought him to her this morning," he said with a smile. "A gold chocobo? Wow, it must have taken her a long time to do that," he said. "It did. She's very proud of it and you should go see it. She tried to find you earlier but you weren't around," Sephiroth said going back to sharpening the masamune. "I was talking with Dio. It seems that the tram is out of order again so we're all staying another night," Cloud explained. "If you hunt her down, please let Raven know," he requested. "Sure," Cloud said opening the door. He stopped and turned to look back at Sephiroth. "Don't you think that thing is sharp enough already?" Sephiroth glanced up at him. Cloud chuckled and left the room to go find me.

I was in the station deciding where I wanted to go next. I started to walk towards the wonder shoot when someone leaped out of it. "Oh! You scared me!" I blurted out. He walked towards me. "I meant to," he said. I walked towards the battle shoot and someone leaped out of it. Then the hotel shoot and the round, the chocobo and the race shoot until half a dozen guys stood before me. All bearing some sort of weapon. I looked around at each of them both wary and surprised. "What is this all about?" I asked. "We are a rebel organization," he replied. "Much like AVALANCHE once was. We want you out of office!" "Why? What have I done?" I asked. "You carry around that human time bomb of yours. If we get rid of you then we get rid of him too," he explained. "Timebomb? You mean Sephiroth? He isn't a time bomb! All of the trouble he'd caused was actually a woman named Luana who used strong magic on him," I explained. "You killed Luana didn't you?" he asked. "Yes..." I mumbled. "I did." "She was our leader. She promised to get Sephiroth out of there, and she did. She would have kept him out if it weren't for you. She would have kept him out and we could have taken over!" he announced. "I see. You're just in it for the power," I growled. He sneered at me, "Kill her!" I knew I didn't stand a whole lot of a chance against five strong men so I ran out the door to the tram. It wasn't running! There was nowhere to go. I jumped at the tram car and climbed on top of it. I got on the cable and started to balance across it before anyone could catch me. "What are you waiting for?! Go after her!" the leader yelled. The men actually did as they were told. Four of them stopped after they realized they couldn't balance well but the fifth one kept on following me. I quickened my pace, walking as fast as i could, hundreds of feet above the ground.

"Where's Raven?" Cloud asked Joe who was still awing over the gold chocobo. "She left a few minuites ago. If you hurry she might still be at the station," Joe answered. Cloud nodded and left. He hurried to the station. Hearing voices outside he went to investigate. He seen five men outside, four of them were on top of the tram apparently watching something and the fifth one was barking out orders to them. "Did he catch up with her yet?" he asked angrily. "No, she's moving pretty quick!" one said. "Damnit! Jase see if you can get a good shot with your cross bow!" he ordered. "Do we have to kill her Sai? Why can't we just hold her hostage?" Jase asked. "Because then Sephiroth would be after us!" Sai yelled. "He always seems to know where she is!" Jase aimed the bow. "Stop!" Cloud yelled. They all turned to look at him. "You mess with Raven, you'll mess with me!" "Kill him," Sai instructed. The four men jumped off the tram and surrounded Cloud who drew his Ultima weapon.

He was catching up with me. I tried to walk faster and stumbled a tiny bit. Just enough to fall. I held onto the cable as tight as I could. The man laughed with triumph. He stood over top of me. I looked up at him with fear in my eyes, not saying a word. For an instant I thought I seen doubt on his face. "Please...." I pleaded with him. "I have to," he said. Then I was falling. I had one last shot. "Shadow Bahamut!" I screamed. Then, slowly, I transformed. Large wings caught the wind. From inside the beast I willed it to fly upwards. My arms crossed over my chest and my eyes closed I controlled the black dragon. It landed directly behind Cloud who was fighting off the four guys. They all looked up and ran away. Their friend walked into view on the cable. He jumped off the tram and bolted after them. Bahamut faded and I was left laying facedown, my energy drained. "Oh no..." Cloud lifted me up and carried me into the station. "Hand her over," Sai said. He stood there with his arms crossed. "Forget it," Cloud growled. "Then fight us!" Jase exclaimed. Cloud laid me down and pulled out his sword. The six men surrounded him and all but Jase attacked. Jase grabbed me up. "Jase! What in the hell are you doing?!" Sai screamed at him. Jase jumped into the hotel shoot. Sai roared with rage and leaped into the shoot after Jase. With me over his sholder Jase raced up the steps with Sai not far behind. "Jase! Damnit stop! What are you doing?!" Sai screamed after him. "What room? What room?!" Jase wondered outloud as he ran down the hallway. "Ninety-eight..." I muttered. Ninety-eight was on the end. He threw open the door and slammed it shut behind him. When he turned around he was facing down the point of a sword. And at the other end was the white-haired man he'd heard so much about.

"Put me down," I mumbled. All of the sudden blood was rushing to my head. Not making any sudden moves Jase sat me on my feet. He tried to steady me but I brushed him away. As soon as he let go I stumbled backwards into Sephiroth. He put his left arms around me to hold me up and kept his sword pointed at Jase. "Sephiroth put the sword down..." I breathed. He looked down at me then at Jase and lowered the masamune. He walked me to the bed where I fell back and passed out again. Sephiroth sat down next to me and lifted one of my hands. My palms were scraped and bruised from holding on to the cable. "What happened?" Sephiroth asked Jase. Jase explained all that had happend. "I had no idea that Sai intended on killing her until we got here. I don't think I could have shot her even if Cloud didn't come along. Now she doesn't seem like such a bad person," he told Sephiroth. "There is not one bad bone in her body," Sephiroth replied. "You forced her to summon Shadow Bahamut and now all of her energy is sapped... and she just got it back." "I'm sorry," Jase said. Sephiroth stood up. "I should kill you for this," he said. "But you brought her back so I won't." "I'm sorry," Jase said again. He pulled back his hood revealing his face. "You look so much like someone I know," Sephiroth looked surprised. Jase lowered his head. "I'm uh..." he stuttered. "I'm Raven's cousin." "You're what?!" Sephiroth bellowed. "I'm ashamed of what I have done. I guess I'm more like my father than I thought," he sighed. "You're the son of her father's brother?" Sephiroth asked. Jase nodded, "My father wasn't a very nice man. He did alot of horrible things to us as kids. He died in the reactor explosion," he said. "Now my only family is Raven. And she will hate me now." "She won't hate you," Sephiroth assured him. "She is very forgiving. More than she should be really." Sephiroth looked at Jase for a moment. "You look just like Zack." Jase nodded. "I used to look up to Zack. Him and Raven were alot older than me. I hardly even remembered her. I was only six years old when she left Gongaga. We hardly ever seen eachother even then. She spent all of her time in the forest," he explained. "I know," Sephiroth sighed. "Why would you want to hurt Raven? Why would anyone want to hurt her?" "I didn't want her to come to any harm but they think she's dangerous. They know what she's capable of doing," he explained. "When she uses that special materia she's more powerful than even you!" "She knows when to use the materia," Sephiroth told him. "She only uses it when she has to. Like tonight..." "I know that now," Jase replied. "Lay down and get some rest," Sephiroth instructed. "Alright," Jase agreed. He laid down in a corner and fell asleep soon after. Sephiroth didn't sleep that night.
In the morning Cloud came into the room. He seen Jase asleep on the floor and Sephiroth putting my stuff in my black travel bag. "I'm glad Raven's safe. Did he tell you anything?" Cloud asked Sephiroth. Sephiroth told him what he knew. "Raven wake up," Sephiroth said quietly as he woke me up. I opened my eyes slowly and looked up at him. "She's still weak," Sephiroth replied. He tossed the bag to Cloud and pulled me into a sitting position. "Can you manage to stand up for a minuite?" he asked. I nodded and with his help I stood on the bed. He turned around and let me climb onto his back. "Wait for me!" Jase exclaimed following us out the door. They walked downstairs as Cloud told Sephiroth how he made a narrow escape the night before. "Hand her over!" Sai exclaimed when they entered the hotel lobby. "You guys are crazy!" Jase exclaimed. "That's Sephiroth!" "We don't care," Sai exclaimed. "We want the girl and we will do anything to acheive our goal." Another group of men came out unexpectantly and restrained Cloud and Jase. "I called for reinforcements!" Jase laughed. "Now what are you going to do, Sephiroth? The second you put her down we take her!" He began to laugh. "Raven, are you strong enough to hold onto me?" Sephiroth asked quietly. I pulled his long sword, that I had carried, off my back and handed it to him. I locked my legs around his waist and held onto his neck a little tighter. "Just make it quick," I mumbled. He nodded and leg go of my knees to hold the sword out in front of him. "Well?! Get him!" Sai yelled. "He can't fight with her on his back!" The men attacked us but Sephiroth dodged their blows, blocked every attack and picked them off one by one with me clinging to his back the entire time. The men holding Cloud and Jase let them both go and ran. "You haven't heard the last of me!" Sai yelled and ran off. "That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen!" Jase exclaimed. Cloud laughed, Sephiroth smiled and I gave Jase an incredulous look. "You thought THAT was amazing?!" I giggled. Sephiroth burst out laughing and walked away. Cloud followed, chuckling. "What?" Jase exclaimed. "Well it was!" He hurried after them.

I sat on the ledge of my balcony looking out at Midgar. I was slowly regaining my normal strength so I was still somewhat weak. I pushed back the shame I felt at that horrible memory. "Last time I was here I tried to end my life," I admitted. Sephiroth jerked his head towards me, his eyes wide. "What?!" he exclaimed. "I think that it was part of the weakness," I explained. "I sat here looking out and thinking about you. When you didn't come I guess I kind of lost it." I hung my head. He put his arm around my waist and I turned to face him. "I couldn't handle it. A life without you...." "Raven." I looked up at him. Since the ledge, I was sitting on, was high our eyes were level. "Just thinking about you doing that... well... it scares me. I'm always so afraid that I will lose you in one way or another," he admitted. I pulled him close and he rested his head on my sholder. "Time and time again fate tries to seperate us," I said quietly. I started to get singed with anger but I pushed it away. "Rufus, Jenova, the Turks, Marron, Luana... and now this," I sighed. He lifted his head up to look at me. "Raven, these things that have happened recently have made me think. I have come so close to losing you so many times and I always manage to pull you away from death. But one day, if I am not careful... I may not get there in time. I could really lose you. I can't let that happen!" he announced. He wiped the tears off my cheeks and then kissed me.

"We finish this now," Sephiroth told Reeve. "We go after them or they will keep hunting Raven until she is dead." "You are right," Reeve replied. "Take whatever you need and go." Sephiroth left the room to go make preperations. Meanwhile I entered the weapons room in the basement and glanced around. I spotted a medium sized, black crossbow and a large quiver next to it. I picked the quiver up and stocked it then I lifted the quiver over my head and one arm so it rested diagnolly across my back. "What do you think you're doing?" I spun around angrily. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" I shouted. "Do you actually think you are going?" Jase asked me. "Of course I'm going," I spat. "What do you care?" "You can't go. It's too dangerous," he argued. "Listen," I stepped towards him, fire in my eyes. "I am not one of those weakling women who sit at home waiting for the men to return. So why don't you just leave me alone?" I grabbed the bow and stalked out of the room. I entered the elevator and Jase followed me. I turned to look out the window and tried to ignore him. "I knew that you would hate me," he said. "I don't hate you," I replied. "I just don't want you in my business." "You are my cousin," he reminded me. I remained silent. "I could have easily killed you but I didn't." I was still silent. "I could have let them kill you and Cloud both but I gave up everything and put my life in danger to spare your life." I finally turned to look at him. "You look so much like Zack," I whispered tearfully. He looked surprised when I began to cry. The elevator door opened and I bolted out before he could say anything.

Sephiroth stood on the broken balcony, on the burnt out shell that was once the top floor. It was here that Raven had her first real brush with death. He looked out over the city when he noticed the cold metal against his chest. He remembered the talisman that the old man had given him and lifted it up to look at the deep purple stone. His eyes widened as it let off a quiet glow. Then, inside the stone, he thought that he seen a raven flying. "Raven..." he whispered and then it was gone. "Sephiroth?" I stood in the doorway. "Come here," he said turning around. I shook my head, my eyes wide with fear. "Come here," he said again. I looked at him a moment and then stepped forward. With each step more of the bad memories haunted me. I stopped halfway and closed my eyes. "Don't you trust me to keep you safe?" he asked me. I kept my eyes closed and kept going. I soon felt his hands and I threw my arms around his waist. He held me as I breathed a sigh of relief. "I trust you Sephiroth," I whispered. "I trust you with my life."

We climbed from the Highwind and entered the rebel hideout through an ungaurded entrance. I stopped to look down a hallway. I thought that I spotted someone in the shadows and walked towards it. I yelped when the floor fell out from under me. "Did you hear something?" Cloud whispered to Sephiroth. "I did," Jase replied. "Raven?" Sephiroth glanced around. He retraced his steps searching for me. "Where did she go?" he felt panicked. I slid down a long tunnel and landed hard on a cement floor. "What have we here?" Sai laughed looking at me. Two men picked me up and restrained me by tieing my hands tightly behind my back. "What are you doing here and where is Sephiroth?" he asked me. "I came here to find out more about you. Sephiroth doesn't know that I'm here," I glared at him. "Do you actually think that he would let me come here knowing that you are trying to kill me?" I asked. "Take her away and give her twenty lashes. She will talk before you can finish," he replied with a wave of his hand. They jerked me away, dragging me into the next room. Jase rounded the corner and looked down the long hallway of the dungeon. He had a feeling this is where I was and came directly here when the team split up. He peeked into a room and cried out with surprise. "Those bastards!" I was on my knees with my arms up where they had tied my hands to chains that hung down from the ceiling. My head hung down and I was obviously unconcious. Bloody lash marks crisscrossed down my back; my shirt was torn down the back. Jase hurridly cut me down and lifted me over his sholder. He carried me into the medic room where he laid me facedown on a cot. He cut the ropes from my blood covered wrists then washed it all off from my back and arms. It didn't take him long to clean the wounds and find me a dark blue shirt to wear. By that time I was beginning to regain conciousness. "Where am I?" I blinked several times to focus and then looked up. "Jase?" "Yeah its me," he replied. "Come on and get up." He helped me to my feet and held my arms until I gained my own balance. "They just left me here to die didn't they?" I muttered sadly. "Yes. I had no idea that Sai was so cruel," he told me. "He always seemed like a fair guy. Raven, I am sorry." "It's alright Jase," I replied. "Lets just get the hell out of here." We left the room after casting a cure3 on myself to regrain my strength. We hurried through the winding corridors searching for Sephiroth. We soon heard the sounds of battle and Jase directed me into a large room where the SilverSOLDIERs were locked into battle with the rebellion group. "Raven!" I heard Vincent's voice. He appeared and handed me my bow. "Here you dropped this," he replied. I took them and threw the quiver over my sholder. I loaded it and shot someone in the leg. I kept going, using almost all of the arrows up, including an ice arrow. I seen Jase out of ammunition so I slid my arrows to him. He smiled at me when he scooped them up. I tossed the bow aside and jumped down from my perch and weaved my way through the fighting. I seen Sai leave the room and followed him. "Where do you think that you are going?" I spat. He spun around quickly and I spotted the blowgun too late. I stood as if stunned and then I pulled out the small dart. I swayed and dropped to the floor. I forced open my eyes and started to drag myself away. He was slowly walking towards me, as if stalking me. Sephiroth threw open the door and stood right in front of me with his sword held out. Sai just smiled. He pushed up against the wall and the floor fell out from under Sephiroth. He caught himself with his free hand and Sai stepped forward, drawing his sword, to finish Sephiroth off. "Raven!" I heard Jase yell. I felt the loaded crossbow hit my hand. Sai lifted his sword and then it fell from his hand. He fell back against the wall and slid down, leaving a bloody trail down the stone. Sephiroth turned his head to look at me after pulling himself up. I was sitting on the floor with the crossbow still held out in front of me. I dropped it and pulled myself to my feet. Sephiroth approached me. "This time... I saved YOUR life," I smiled softly. He pulled me into his arms and I cried out when he squeezed me. "Whats wrong?" he asked, startled. He was surprised to see my eyes watering, he pulled the back of my shirt up to look at my back. There he seen the wounds from the whip. He turned and in a silent rage he grabbed Jase by the back of the shirt and pulled him into the room where they were still fighting.

"Who does the lashing?" Sephiroth demanded. Jase looked around the room and finally he pointed a guy out. Sephiroth was surprised at his appearance. He was young with dark hair. You could see the sadistic look in his eyes. Most of them he had seen were older and unkept. This man was unusually neat and his clothes clean. He stood there, off to the side, watching the battle with a strange smile on his face. "Go and take care of Raven," Sephiroth told Jase. He started towards him, not taking his eyes off of him, killing any who attempted to attack him. Most stepped aside to let him through, terrified of him. Jase watched him then ran back to me. "Are you okay?" he ran through the door. He stopped when he spotted me laying on the ground. Afraid that I was dead he dropped to his knees. He smiled when he found that I was in a deep sleep brought on by the dart. He loaded the crossbow and lifted me over his sholder. Then he stood up with the bow in his right hand and ran down the hallway. Meanwhile... Sephiroth approached the lasher. He focused his ice blue eyes on Sephiroth, the smile never leaving his face. "She cried," he said in a laughing voice. "Twenty lashes and she still wouldn't talk. My kind of woman!" The guy removed a deadly looking set of kamas from his belt. "I loved to hear her cry out but it is a shame that she didn't scream." Sephiroth attacked him, in his anger he didn't realize that he was being manipulated. "I would love to break her," he grinned as he blocked the sword blows. "I want to see her spirit falter and hear her scream. With that kind of stamina who knows how long it would take!" Sephiroth's anger grew and so did his carelessness. "Cloud!" Vincent yelled. "We have to help Sephiroth!" Vincent could see what the lasher was doing. "Don't worry! She won't die right away. The things that I will do to her will hurt her but not kill her. I will torture her slowly and let her wounds heal then I will do it all over again!" he laughed at Sephiroth. "She will lose her sanity very soon." Sephiroth swung down hard and faster, his anger building higher, blinding him. "Sephiroth! Raven is safe! No one will hurt her!" Jase screamed. Sephiroth stopped at Jase's words and looked at the lasher with fire in his eyes. There was fear on his face now. Sephiroth grinned as he stepped forward.

I could feel the movement. It was familiar. I was on the Highwind. My head hurt. My back hurt. But I was warm. I could feel the heat from his body and moved closer. I could feel his arm slide around my sholders as he pulled me close. I laid with my face against his chest and sighed with relief. I felt it when his hair fell against my cheek. "Sephiroth," I whispered before falling asleep again.

"Are you saying that Sephiroth didn't kill the lasher?" Aeris asked Vincent and Cloud. "No he didn't," Cloud replied. "Really." "But he did leave him something to remember him by," Vincent replied. "What?" Aeris asked impatiently. "When he wakes up he will be in horrible pain. Sephiroth cut up his face and his hair and clothes shredded and...." Vincent didn't want to tell her the rest. "Tell me," Aeris insisted. "Sephiroth shattered every bone in his hands," Vincent finished.

I sat up and looked at Sephiroth. He had taken off his cloak but had not taken the time to pull of his boots. I picked up his discarded clothes and started to put it away when I noticed the blood. I looked at the cloak and seen the long tear. I dropped it and ran to Sephiroth. There was a good sized cut on his back that was surrounded with dried up blood and still seeped some fresh. "You are going to catch your death if you don't stop being so careless!" I growled at him. He opened his eyes and sat up. "Its just a scratch," he replied. "It is not," I said pulling him to his feet. He sat on a stool and pulled his hair over his left sholder. I used a wet rag to clean it up and then I stitched it closed. "You of all people should know not to leave a wound exposed," I sighed. "And you, of all people, should know that I don't trust anyone to come that close to me," he replied standing up. "Then why do you trust me?" I asked, smiling at him. "I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with knowing you most of my life," he laughed, pulling me into his arms. "I think that we should go out on our own again," I told him. "I think you are right," he replied. "I'll go tell the others," I announced, pulling away from him. I left the room and made my way to the command room. "Cloud!" I called to him. He and Aeris approached me. She hugged me. "I have something to tell you," I replied. "Me and Sephiroth need to take some time off." "Thats alright. How long are you taking?" he asked. "I'm not sure," I told him. "I would like for you to take us where the temple of the ancients once stood." I looked at my feet and walked away.

I walked to the edge of the large crater that was filled with the lifestream. I dropped to my knees and bowed my head and held the black materia over top of the lifestream. Sephiroth looked down at his purple pendant that had begun to glow. Mine also illuminated and that was the moment that I let the black materia slip through my fingers. It made a splash and the ground began to rumble violently. Sephiroth pulled me back and we both fell with the shaking earth. "What is happening?!" Cloud yelled from across the bridge. He tried to step on it but it crumbled and fell. Debris began to fall, Sephiroth covered my body with his to keep any of it from hitting me. Finally, after a few minuites, it stopped. Sephiroth sat up and turned around. I looked up at him in time to see his eyes widen.

I followed his gaze and smiled. The temple of the ancients stood proud once more. I stood and ran inside. Sephiroth got up and followed me. He was shocked to see that everything was as it was before. "Everything that I ever wanted to know about myself is in this temple," I said in childish excitement. I turned around and flashed Sephiroth a dazzeling smile. "It actually worked!" Tears formed in my eyes. I turned back around and lifted the keystone off the alter. "Sephiroth," I said, looking puzzled. One side of it was green. When you flipped it over the opposite side of it was purple. Made of the same stuff as mine and Sephiroth's talismans. I turned to look at him. "Is this thw same keystone that was used before?" I asked. "It is," he told me. "Look at it closer," I said, holding it out. He took it then he looked at the talisman that hung around his neck. "They are the same," he observed surprised. He accidentally bumped his talisman against the green side of the stone and the temple door opened. He pulled it away and the door closed. I strode towards him and touched my talisman to his. The door opened. "Does the keystone still work?" I asked. He put it back in my hands. I placed it back on the alter and it disentegrated. "Oh no!" I cried out. I grabbed up the two handfulls of the keystone that was now sand and watched as it slipped through my fingers. Sephiroth put his hands on my sholders. "We go in together," he whispered. "Or not at all." Cloud entered the temple and we turned to face him. He walked to me and put something in my hand. I looked down at the PHS. "Keep in touch with us," he smiled. I nodded and gave him a hug. "You are the only person we will open the door for," I informed him. "If you need anything at all..." "I will," he said. He walked out, disappearing into the bright sunlight. I smiled. "I love you Sephiroth," I said. He lifted me up in his arms and our talismans touched. I kissed him happily when the door opened. He carried me inside and the door closed behind us. "I'm glad you made it!" I heard someone reply. We both turned at the same time. "Its you!" Sephiroth exclaimed. The old man who had provided the talismans smiled, "I was put here to be your guardian. You two are very special and I would like to teach you everything that you need to know!" I smiled softly, knowingly.

~TO BE CONTINUED...~

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