A/N: Not sure how I feel about this chapter. It's a little short and cuts through events quickly with little to no explanation, but since you've probably either played the game or read different wording of the same events a bajillion times, I won't waste your time with the details. Just give you the differences.

Zack was SOLDIER. Well, Ex-SOLDIER. He knew how to manage situations to his favor. He knew how to keep a level head, and he certainly knew how to battle his way through things and come out on top if necessary.

An ignorant outsider might suggest that four years in Hojo's lab would degrade those skills, but they would be wrong. Those habits were the only reason he was still alive.

So when Sephiroth motioned to step forward into the bar, Zack blocked his path. He was weaponless and had no idea how or why Sephiroth was here, but behind Zack stood the most precious person in his life.

He would not let Aerith get hurt.

"Unless you intend to cause an incident, I suggest we keep this conversation indoors," Sephiroth lowered his voice so only he and Kunsel could pick it up.

Zack widened his stance. "Why are you here?"

"Zack," Kunsel tipped his head toward Sephiroth's unholy sword. Masamune was far too long to safely draw indoors. Perhaps it was best to get Sephiroth inside.

"Fine," Zack grumbled. He stepped back enough that Sephiroth could enter, but remained firmly entrenched between Sephiroth and the women a few paces behind him.

Sephiroth closed the door behind him, and Zack watched Reno grin and wink as the door closed him out.

They stood there a moment, Zack sizing up the situation and Sephiroth taking in the room's occupants. His eyes narrowed on Aerith.

Aerith let out a startled gasp.

His eyes.

They were those eyes from her dream…

Zack clenched his jaw at the sound and demanded, "Why are you here?"

Sephiroth didn't answer, but calmly noted the reactions from his attention on Aerith and glanced instead at Kunsel. His eyes lit in recognition, and Kunsel shifted uncomfortably.

Zack was getting angry waiting for a response.

Finally Sephiroth looked at Tifa, looking at her top to bottom and back again. Tifa's fists curled at her side, and she shifted on spiked purple heels.

"I do hope not all AVALANCHE operatives look like this," Sephiroth finally commented. He stepped forward, and Zack instinctively stepped back, readying to fight even if only with his fists. SOLDIERs were known to punch holes through walls on the worst of days. Even weaponless he had his strength, and for now it would have to do; but Sephiroth only walked to one of the tables and perched on its low height.

"To answer your question," Sephiroth addressed Zack, "I am here as a personal favor for Angeal."

Zack couldn't stop the small gasp at that.

Sephiroth went on. "It seems ShinRa has rediscovered your existence and wishes to reopen the case against you."

"You mean they want to make sure he's dead this time," Kunsel bit back.

"What?" Zack challenged, "And you're the guy they sent to do it? What does that have to do with Angeal?"

Sephiroth raised a placating hand. The movement did nothing to help his case, only sending Zack's hand flying up over his shoulder. Zack cursed at the automatic response. His sword wasn't on his back, and he lowered his hand, feeling humiliated and angry.

Sephiroth didn't comment on it, likely guessing what kind of reaction that would garner, and merely continued, "Angeal never got his answers, and quite honestly, I too would like to know what you are doing back in the heart of ShinRa after all these years. So as a favor to him, I'm on his errand, here to offer my services for whatever it is you are doing."

Behind Zack Tifa actually laughed. "You expect us to believe that? Who is this Angeal, anyway, and why would he want to help us?"

"He was Zack's mentor," Aerith answered, and Zack was surprised. Had he talked to Aerith about Angeal at some point? Everything before the lab was fuzzy. Maybe he had.

"Then why isn't he here?" Tifa wanted to know.

Sephiroth canted his head, "Simply put, he isn't assigned to the case. He doesn't know I'm here."

Tifa scoffed. "Is that the best you can come up with? ShinRa really is slipping."

Zack didn't believe it either. "How did you find us?"

Sephiroth smirked, "I think you know the answer." In his expression, Zack saw open mocking – not deliberate, just that expression Sephiroth wore by default when he knew he'd already won.

Zack felt sick.

Somehow Reno had discovered AVALANCHE's HQ and led Sephiroth to their doorstep. Once Zack would have used Reno for the same type of intel hunting. Now the tables were turned, and those days were not coming back. ShinRa was his enemy – ShinRa and everyone affiliated. Zack might know the truth of their machinations, their experiments, and their lies, but they had the upper hand.

They had Cloud.

And Sephiroth had Zack cornered.

Zack's mind fumbled with panic, but on the surface he didn't blink. He pinned Sephiroth in place, searching Sephiroth for the truth. Why? What purpose would serve ShinRa in having Sephiroth coming here to sit in their hideout and talk?

Unless he was telling the truth.

Kunsel's phone trilled out, bursting the tension for a moment. Fumbling, he pulled it from his pocket and looked at the number. Zack didn't look his way, preferring to keep his eyes on Sephiroth, yet Kunsel knew Zack expected to be informed.

"Zack, it's Jessie," Kunsel provided.

Zack's expression didn't change. "Answer it."

Kunsel flipped his phone open and started, "Hey Jessie, what's up?"

"Kunsel? Is everyone there or did Tifa leave for Sector Six yet?" Her voice was tight with barely controlled panic.

"Um," Kunsel was careful not to glance at Tifa. "Still here."

"Okay, I need you to put me on speaker. I just heard back from one of my underground informants. This is huge."

Kunsel glanced to where Zack was still pinning Sephiroth with a calculating stare. Neither were speaking; each seemed to be straining to pick up the phone conversation. Neither appeared to be succeeding.

Depending on Jessie's news, that could be either good or bad.

"Tell me first."

"ShinRa intends to destroy all of Sector 7. They're trying to crush us – to crush AVALANCHE. And they plan on blaming us for it."

Kunsel was careful to keep his reaction internal. Zack was edgy with Sephiroth in the room, and certainly Kunsel wasn't secure in the knowledge that ShinRa knew where they were, but a reaction was worth a million white lies.

"Jessie, I'm putting you on speaker now. I need you to repeat what you just told me."

"Kunsel, this isn't–" her voice pitched out a moment while the speaker adjusted so everyone could hear. "–a joke! The Turks are at the pillar now. They're going to bomb it. Sector 7 is going to be destroyed."

Kunsel and Zack were both silent while Tifa cried out in shock and anger. Both Ex-SOLDIERs watched Sephiroth as his expression grew dark.

"I see," he slowly revealed. "Far be it from me to presume Reno as a charitable type, I actually believe he had no higher motive than to see me to my goal and watch the results from afar."

"What are you saying?" Zack cornered.

Sephiroth was unruffled. "I was a distraction. And now it's too late to stop the destruction."

Tifa interrupted the exchange, grabbing the bag that held her normal clothes and slinging it over her shoulder. With the other hand she shoved Zack aside and grabbed Sephiroth by a chest strap. Without an ounce of apparent effort, she hauled him off the table. Her nostrils flared, and each word was hot with flame as she pulled him so close their noses touched. "You say you're here to help us. Personally I don't believe any of it, especially with Zack's word against you. But if you have ANY human decency left in you you'll help us get everyone out of the sector."

Kunsel and Zack watched in awe as Tifa physically dragged a stunned Sephiroth out the door. Outside they heard her shout, "NOW!"

Aerith approached Zack, and, tapping him lightly on the shoulder, suggested, "Zack, you need to go with them."

Zack was still reeling over the suggestion that Angeal might actually be on his side, and somehow Sephiroth with him. It took him a moment to register Aerith's words, but as they sank in, he spun around, "What do you mean? You make it sound like you aren't coming too."

"I'm not." Aerith raised her hand to reveal she was holding onto Marlene's hand. The child gazed up at him – entranced with his glowing irises. "I'm taking Marlene to my mother's house where she'll be safe."

The protests and spiking worry that had suddenly peaked in Zack's chest rapidly deflated with relief. Sector 5. That was far away from Sector 7. Far away from him, but less risk to be smushed. "Okay," he assented, breathing deeply. "Okay," he repeated, trying to accept it.

Aerith kissed him lightly. "Meet you there."

"I won't keep you waiting," Zack promised.

On the other side of the room, Kunsel put his phone to his ear, having switched Jessie back to regular speakers after the revelatory moment. "Jessie. Where are you?"

"On the pillar. Biggs is with me. Wedge and Barret are on their way."

"We're going to try evacuating people. Is there any way to stop it?"

There were gunshots on the other end of the line, and Kunsel thought he could hear the echo from outside. "…Even if we make it to the top…" She was panting, and it was getting harder to discern her words over the grunts of battle. "There won't be time. …Maybe this is our atonement."

Atonement?

Kunsel clutched the phone hard and watched Zack say goodbye to Aerith as she took Marlene by the hand and hurried out the door.

"Jessie," Kunsel spoke slowly, well aware that this was their final goodbye. "You're a good person fighting for what you believe in. That's all. Don't forget that. I promise we won't."

Her end was silent for a moment before it crackled with a static laugh. "Thank you. For everything."

The line went dead.

Zack was watching him with no small ounce of impatience. "We've got to get everyone out of the sector," he urged.

Kunsel slipped his phone into his pocket and nodded. "Better keep an eye on the General too."

"Yeah." He paused at the door, and when he looked up, his eyes were full of longing. "Do you think…? Do you think he was telling the truth? That Angeal really wants to help us?"

Kunsel hated to ruin the hope blooming in his friend's eyes. "Sephiroth only said that Angeal wanted answers and that he is only helping us to see why you're in Midgar. I wouldn't count on it."

Zack bit his lip and looked out the door toward the pillar.

Nothing warranted a lifetime in Zack's shoes.

"Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he realized you had something going for you when you deserted. Or maybe, if he knew the truth. You know, about what happened to you after you left...or why you left to begin with?"

Zack closed his eyes. "Maybe…"

… … … …

It was over.

Sector 7 was gone.

Zack stared out the window of Elmyra's cottage. Scores of ShinRa infantry swarmed the area to control the flood of refugees and panicked citizens. They were far removed, secluded in this pocket of heaven. A rush of ever flowing water spilled into the pools that surrounded the house. Its soothing lullaby drowned out the shouts of riots deeper into the sector.

"A million dead!" screamed one reporter.

"AVALANCHE creates avalanche!" cried another.

"Mommy," whimpered a little girl.

It was worse than Zack thought it would be. A sickness spread through him, and he wanted to purge it from his system. The emotion crushed him with nauseating force, and then left him with a hollowness only guilt could fill.

He felt helpless. Useless.

He wanted to die.

"Zack," Aerith touched his arm.

Zack drew in a shuddering breath, and Aerith slid her hands around his waist. She held him from behind, swaying them gently, comfortingly. Her forehead pressed between his shoulders, and he thought he felt a stain of wetness grow there.

He took her hands and turned until they faced one another. Over Aerith's head he could see Kunsel and Barret making arrangements for Marlene with Elmyra. Sephiroth stood, arms folded in one corner. His expression was focused as he stared at his boots. He hadn't said a word since the Plate fell, but had shadowed them all the way here.

At the table, Tifa had her head in her hands. They were wet with tears and blood, but her eyes were long since dry – burning with anger and grief.

He knew how she felt.

Zack looked at Aerith.

She watched him study her face before he pulled her into his chest and hugged her tightly. She mumbled in his embrace.

"What do we do now?"

Leaning down, he let his lips caress her ear as he whispered,

"Watch the world burn."

Next chapter, more Cloud and Yuffie! (They've been a lot of fun to write.)

And yes, Aerith was not kidnapped here like in the original. Whoooo~ things are different. Hehehe.

-Dante