Disclaimer: I do not own CCFF7, Sephiroth, Genesis, Angeal, Zack, Hollander, Hojo, Loveless, etc. Square Enix does. I own the writing. There are quotes from Loveless in here, and the beginning is part of a specific scene from Crisis Core. However, the thoughts and such of Genesis are all of my conniving mind, and this links up directly with the epilogue of "The Memory of Falling".

Warning: Spoilers, dark themes, yaoi, established SephirothxGenesis, etc. This is bound to be darker than "The Memory of Falling". Just a warning.

Author's Note: This is a sequel to "The Memory of Falling", which was my first fanfic ever. One of my readers mentioned wanting to make a sequel, and I couldn't get the idea out of my head, so here you go. Blame Chaos. Seriously.

Music: yep, I still write to music. "A Changing Situation" –CCFF7

FALLEN

Prologue: Bitter

It might have looked like he was talking to the air. It might have looked like his face was upturned to the golden sky, basking in the radiance of a gorgeous Junon sunset. It might have looked like his eyes were hopefully on the horizon. Those pale blue optics were latched elsewhere, further down, latched on the docks where Hollander had just made a dangerous escape. The doctor had always not made it through.

Angeal would have been proud of his puppy.

Genesis let out a long sigh, its trembling as it passed his lips. It was like Angeal, to sacrifice himself like that. He should have seen it coming. All of the signs were there, and Genesis had been too absorbed in his own personal battle to see it, to feel it. Angeal had been off in his own little world for a while, not that Genesis was any better. Angeal was dead now. That was the difference. Angeal was the lucky one.

The Puppy backed away, pointing at something before walking off. That was when Sephiroth turned a wistful eye in his direction, like he knew Genesis was up there, atop the Junon canon. He could have just been reminiscing about that battle in the training room. Genesis rolled his shoulder. The wound had still not healed, despite all that time. He had a wing to consider now.

One wing. How worthless.

Hollander really was a failure.

Sephiroth turned his direction, Genesis wondering if those mako enhanced eyes could see him up there. A smile lightly touched his pale lips. For a second he ignored the pain of degradation, speaking to ears that might not be able to hear him. "My friend, your desire/ Is the bringer of life, gift of the goddess." Genesis lifted the Banora White apple out, as though offering it to Sephiroth. His eyes trained on the apple. He could not look at the General. "Legend shall speak/ Of sacrifice at worlds end."

When the General turned, as if to go, Genesis pulled the apple in, close to his heart. Sephiroth was leaving. "The wind sails over the water's surface/ Quietly but surely." He watched his dearest friend load onto a helicopter, the sleek black thing taking off. Genesis wanted to throw the dumbapple at him.

Sometimes, even the brilliant Sephiroth could be an idiot.

Sighing, Genesis looked down at his feet, and then closed his eyes. Would things have been different had he not jumped, not fallen? Genesis could still remember the feeling of it. The way his stomach felt pitted, the way air rushed past him, the way everything above him faded into nothingness. And the way the lifestream cushioned his landing. It had been like soft arms wrapping around him, lowering him the rest of the way.

From there, he had regained some strength, though not nearly enough. He woke up beneath Banora, in the caverns. There were a few options for him. Would Sephiroth help him, after everything? Genesis turned, striding quickly for the end of the canon. They were heading for Modeoheim, he could feel it. Would he meet them there?

It was a consideration.

Crouching, Genesis lunged into the air, one wing taking him frightfully high before he powered northward.

It was time to either mend bridges, or finish burning them down.