Whew, it's been a while! I was working a job that was like 60 hours a week so I had... no personal life, or energy of any kind. Now I have a new job with normal hours, so I'm writing again! Yaay! I feel like this chapter is pretty short, but it's been a while, and a lot is starting to go off in this one, so I thought I'd leave it here. More to come soon!

"Alright, right foot forward. Good, keep your weight on your back leg. Not you, Aerith, your stance is gonna be a little different."

The girl, dressed in the same SOLDIER 1st class clothes that Cloud is, grins at her partner. "It's okay, I've got this." Wheeling the pole from behind her head, she steps forward with a cheer, jabbing at an invisible enemy. "First female SOLDIER! Suck it Shinra!"

In spite of himself, Cloud finds he's laughing. Which is funny, since he's been barely able to smile for days.

"There he is," The man turns his head to face Zack, who is currently guiding them while seated in a wheelchair. His smile is hopeful, but tense. "Now, come on, we should work on a few katas at least. That sword's gonna be a lot heavier than what you're used to."

"No kidding." Cloud chuckles, moving it in front of him – Zack's enormous Buster Blade. Cloud's always favored a larger sword, but none have been as heavy or well made as this. He's still not sure how he feels about being given the blade. "You sure -?"

Two hands reach out and adjust Cloud's hold on the handle. "I'm sure," Zack beams. "Let's get to it, before Xena Warrior Princess puts out somebody's eye."

The room is an enormous warehouse space in Cid Highwind's ship, where usually supplies and equipment are stacked to the brim. The space has been mostly cleared to allow for these training sessions, which for the last week have been about the only bright spot in Cloud's life.

The rest of his days are spent waiting. Waiting for word from Midgar, watching the news for signs of Hojo's plans. Waiting to hear from Nibelheim, about how repairs are going, and who the injured and deceased are. Waiting to hear of any sign or hint of his mother's whereabouts.

He's tired of waiting.

"Nice!" Zack cheers after Cloud's most recent move, which Aerith attempts to copy, but it isn't really as effective with a staff. The girl notices and pouts.

"This feels very sword oriented."

"I promise, we'll work on you next." Zack smiles. "But Cloud's sword is gonna be a huge adjustment. I really want to be sure he's ready."

"He is ready."

Cloud's stomach propels into his throat, color flushing his cheeks. But he tries to maintain a veneer of calm as he turns towards the door. Clearly he failed – Aerith is grinning at him, a hand over her mouth.

Sephiroth strides into the room, a small smile on his face. "You've quite improved. I have stated before, you have a great deal of talent, and with proper training, you may exceed myself."

Cloud blows that off. "Yeah, right," Still, the red in his cheeks is brighter. "Any news?"

"Nothing new, as of yet." The man seems as irritated as Cloud is by that information. "Mr. Highwind and his entourage have reached Midgar and already engaged with the press. There is to be a conference later this week where he will be able to face Dr. Hojo and perhaps challenge him." He clears his throat. "Other than that…"

Cloud understood. His sword falls to his side. "Right." Running a hand through his sweaty hair, Cloud suddenly feels a kind of tired that goes far deeper than sore muscles.

Midgar is exactly as he remembers it.

The smell hits him first. The condensed aroma of sweat, piss, oil, and soot all pouring out from the underbelly, so putrid he reels from it. Even high in the air overhead, in one of his smaller ships, he can smell it. And from there, he can see the dark towering buildings, lit by an eternal green fluorescent glow, ominous in their intensity.

The ship lands on a small helipad on the north side of the Shinra Building, next to a great entrance into the main laboratory. Cid steps out half expecting to be shot, but somehow his boots make it to the ground with no problem. There are armed men running out to meet them – Turks, for the most part, as well as some of the general guard – and Cid does not like the look on their faces.

He knows the first one vaguely, from years ago. His brow furrows as he struggles to remember the name, but luckily he doesn't have to. "Director Tseng," Shera murmurs in his ear as she steps down behind him.

"Captain," The man shakes his hand, firm. "It is truly good to see you. We should talk, but not here." That is all the greeting he gets before he feels himself being pulled inside by the tide of soldiers and workers, as they cut off the reporters already swarming the path. Shera's just behind him, but Cid's already lost track of Tseng, and as he turns to look for him, he notices someone.

In the distance, in the entrance to the building, he sees a silhouette, and the reflection of a pair of glasses. Somehow, instinctively, he knows who the man is. Their eyes meet, and the other smiles, before fading into the shadows.

A thought occurs to him suddenly.

"That fucker,"

"What?"

Turning, he leans in to Shera, not that anyone could hear them in the cacophony. "Hojo. Just saw him. That arrogant little fucker doesn't think anyone can touch him. Made me realize – Cloud's mother. If she's alive, and I think she is, then he's keeping her here. Right where he is, as leverage."

Shera blinks. "But, why? Why would he need leverage against Cloud?"

Cid just grits his teeth. Not Cloud, he realizes. Me.

For the last three days, Sephiroth has been being followed.

He knows it, of course. He has not informed anyone, or tried to make a scene of it. Instead, he simply waits, acknowledging the attack that is surely to come. He knows who it is – and knows why they are doing it. He cannot fault them, so he won't interfere, so long as it does not impede his work.

The Highwind's ship has been hovering outside of Shinra space for days, awaiting news of the activities in Midgar. In the meantime, Sephiroth has been working tirelessly with his own network within Shinra to find and recover Jean Strife. Clues and leads haven't been plentiful. Hojo always covered his tracks well, and the people willing to turn on him in Shinra are few. Still, Sephiroth refuses to stop looking, especially since his skills are not currently needed elsewhere.

And so long as his follower does not interfere, he does not try to stop them.

It comes to a head after Cloud's practice. They'd chatted for a while, the four of them, before Sephiroth offered to give Cloud a few pointers one on one. For a while, it was … nice.

"Oh god, don't." Cloud, red to his ears, let his head hang. Sephiroth stops mid movement.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"The whole 'standing next to someone to position them', thing? It's a blatant flirt." Cloud, who is standing in a sword stance which Sephiroth was about to adjust by approaching his back, turns and shakes his head. "My heart can't take it."

Sephiroth rolls his eyes and approaches anyway. Cloud is stiff as a board, but malleable as Sephiroth adjusts his foot position, his shoulders, and his hands. "Feel better?"

"No, and yes," Cloud's face is steaming. "Do you ever listen to anyone?"

"When it matters." He can't help himself – he's smirking. And perhaps, he realizes, flirting. He's not sure. He's never tried to flirt with anyone before.

That is, of course, when his follower attacks.

Cloud never noticed her in the room. At her anguished shriek, he jumps, swirling to face her, but not soon enough. She descends from behind them both, aiming her enormous shuriken perfectly at the base of Sephiroth's neck. On anyone else it would be a killing blow. For him, it will simply be enormously painful. He's suffered worse.

The ninja descends, and he turns and regrets it immediately, as he can now perfectly see the tears in her eyes. He does not lift his arms, does not defend himself.

The strike never hits him.

The girl's momentum ceases almost as soon as it began, though not violently. A shadow appears between them which takes even Sephiroth off guard. He always knew when he was being followed, and when others were in the room. He has never been taken so by surprise.

The red cloaked figure grabs the girl's arm in one hand, and wraps the other arm around her shoulders, taking tight hold as he adjusts their flight pattern. They both land harmlessly to the left of the men, the girl shrieking and kicking in Vincent's grasp.

The man, unperturbed, stands, and turns with her in his grasp. His eyes are bright red when they met Sephiroth's, and the silverette feels something strange, something he's never felt in this context. He's not sure how to even describe it.

"You did not move."

Sephiroth blinks. "… no."

The red eyes flash. "That would have been a killing blow."

"I have survived near decapitation before." Sephiroth insists, watching as the color drains from Cloud's face in the corner of his gaze. His heart is pounding now. Why? Why is he nervous?

"What purpose could you possibly have," Vincent's voice, angry and tremulous, continues. "To allow yourself to engage this danger, and hope that you could survive it a second time?"

In the face of this scene, and the strange things churning in his gut, Sephiroth finds himself saying the truth. "I deserve it."

The girl in Vincent's arms slows to a halt. Her red rimmed eyes glare at him, but she's still. He forces himself to met her gaze – and then he bows, so low his hair brushes the floor.

"I am guilty of the destruction of her country, and the murder of her mother. I deserve – "

A fierce growl interrupts him, followed by an indignant squawk, and then suddenly Sephiroth finds himself dragged upward by his shoulders. "You are no more guilty for what happened then, than my gun is guilty for my actions." He pulls the enormous shotgun from its holster. "It is a weapon – I am the wielder. And you, from your first steps, were made into Shinra's tool. They pulled the trigger – and had you tried to disobey or fight them off, they would have found another weapon."

"Shut up!" Behind them, the girl is standing, having been tossed aside. "H – He killed my mom! He's a murderer!"

Vincent turns his head, but he does not step away, or release Sephiroth. "You have every right to be angry. But you do not know the whole story." His gaze turns to Cloud, who nods, and takes Yuffie by the shoulders, leading her from the room as her anger turns into shaking shoulders and sniffles.

She's hardly out the door before Vincent turns back to Sephiroth. "Live with your sins – do not martyr yourself for them. There's nothing to be gained from it."

The man's hands area still on his shoulders. He feels – small. Chastised. Which he doesn't understand – he never cared much before when Hojo corrected him, or anyone told him how to behave. He knew what he understood to be the correct method, or the proper action to take, and few really would stand against him. Even Hojo, once he reached a certain age, rarely told him how to act other than to critique his choice of 'friends'.

"You have been following me." The pieces fit together quickly. "I did not sense you – I presumed the girl was the only one." Vincent gives a slow nod. Sephiroth files away the information as pertinent, but he just does not understand this, in addition to everything else.

Vincent's hands finally fall away and it takes all Sephiroth has not to reach for him. If one gloved hand twitches, he won't say. The man slips away as mysteriously as he came, leaving Sephiroth with a thousand questions and no one to ask.

The next day is chaos. Everyone in Shinra has to talk to him – reinstatement takes hours, signing all the forms and obtaining identification, key cards, even a new white lab coat which goes right in the garbage. By the time they're done for the day, it's 2 am, and he's beat. Still, Cid knows he can't sleep.

There's too much at stake for rest right now.

Cid's never been much of a sneaky guy. He's up front, in your face, and he lets you know exactly what he thinks. That's how he is. And right now, he's feeling like that is exactly what he needs to do. He wants to know what Hojo's stance is, and there's only one way to find out.

He heads out, nods at the guards outside his door, and heads for the elevator. Luckily, in spite of all the years, most things haven't changed. Hojo's lab is in the same place it always was, and when Cid arrives, he doesn't even have to knock on the door.

It opens, and reveals Hojo inside, bent awkwardly over a computer and a lab station muttering to himself. For a minute, Cid's sure the man doesn't even know he's not alone.

"… but who could have started the reset… it would seem to be someone from Nibelheim but those candidates did not pass examination… perhaps… someone in the company… hardly matters… I will set the timeline to rights…"

"Yo, Professor."

Cid knocks on the wall, announcing his presence. The man's back straightens.

"Ah, yes. Captain," His glasses flare as he turns. It churns Cid's gut. There's something about the man's gaze that is just predatory. Inhuman. "What have I done to deserve this pleasure?"

"Just wanted to set things straight." Cid steps forward, hands in his pockets. The key to keeping your cool was to make sure it looked as if you weren't afraid. Cid strives to look unafraid. On some level, he knows he should be frightened, because this is a dangerous man that has Jean hostage – but Cid can't quite manage it. He's just such a greasy, terrible little man, like a human cockroach.

"Is that so?" The man smiles. "And what, exactly, are we setting straight?"

"The presidency." Cid starts. "I can't imagine you'd want all that extra work and responsibilities. It'd just get in the way of yer research, wouldn't it."

"Perhaps," Hojo crosses his arms. "In recent days, I have considered the possibility it may advance my research exponentially."

Cid hides his disappointed reaction. He was afraid this might all be tied into some big game of the man's. "That so. Anything I can do to make you feel otherwise?"

"No," He says firmly. Then, a hand goes to his computer. "But perhaps I can make you feel otherwise."

Bingo. There it is. The screen flashes, and he sees a bedroom, a woman sitting at a table, looking furious, and frustrated as hell. He almost laughs. That's Jean as angry as he's ever seen her. At the same time, relief floods him – she's alive. And she looks well, for all the fury in her face. The screen vanishes.

"Do we understand one another?"

Cid smirks. "Crystal, doctor." He bows, turns on his heel, and storms from the room.

Cloud stares at the ceiling of his room and tries very hard not to cry.

He's not even particularly sad, right now. Or not especially sad compared to most days. He's tired, sore, overwhelmed, and apparently whenever he's alone his eyes just well up uncontrollably. It's gross. His throat is constantly sore and his eyes burn and he's tired of looking like a screwed up teenager whenever he looks in the mirror.

He's just tired.

It's been a while since he had a decent night's sleep, and since the events in the lab, they've always been full of nightmares. At this point he'd rather never sleep, but he's pretty sure some people on the ship wouldn't take kindly to that, so he just lays in his room at night until exhaustion drags him under.

Tonight though, he's restless. After everything that happened that day, training with Sephiroth, the confrontation between him and Vincent – seeing Yuffie coming and knowing he wasn't fast enough and thinking he was about to watch the man die – he can't sit still. So he jumps out of bed, slips on the baggy Shinra issued pants and boots, and a white tank, and walks into the hall.

It's bright, like it always is on airships, and loud. You'd never know it was nighttime unless you walked outside. That's where Cloud heads, hands in his pockets, trying to avoid people's eyes.

He manages to get halfway to the deck when he hears voices.

"It's too risky."

Hearing Cid's voice halts his feet. Is there new info from Midgar? He glances around the corner towards the open door of a nearby room. It's not one of the command centers, it's just a bedroom, and sitting at the desk in front of a terminal is Vincent.

"Leaving her with him is not an option."

"Runnin' headlong into a trap isn't one either!"

Her. Cloud's heart stops in his chest. He barely manages to keep from stumbling against the wall.

"We both know what that man is capable of. Allowing him to hold her hostage in the beliefs that complying will lead to her safety is foolish. Even if it did, allowing him anything he wants is a dangerous mistake."

"Yeah, yeah, I know that!" Sighing, Cid runs a hand through unkempt hair. He looks like he hasn't slept in days. "But this doesn't feel right. He's plannin' something, and I don't want us walking right into it like a bunch of idiots!"

The arguing continues a while, until they finally say their terse goodnights, and the light fades. Cloud stands in stark silence.

"You're going after her."

He steps into the doorframe, fists clenched at his sides. "You are, aren't you? I'm going, too."

Vincent, already sighing, turns to him. "It is a risky venture." But he doesn't disagree. "You've seen what the man can do. I would not fault you for hesitating to return to his lab."

The thought does send horrifying feelings through him, shivers he can't suppress. But the stronger emotion that surges through him is anger – the thought that his mother is there, with that man, infuriates him.

Vincent sees it plain on his face. He nods. "We leave now. Grab your things."

It's late, and Sephiroth finds himself restless.

He can't stop repeating the events of the afternoon in his head. Simultaneously, with a mind made keen by years of study and with thought he usually puts into military decisions, he examines all the behaviors and actions of Vincent Valentine. He picks apart the inconsistences, the oddities. Because this is a man who, from Sephiroth's experience, appears to have some familial behaviors and feelings yet does not want to accept Sephiroth as his son?

He doesn't understand.

Standing on the deck, arms crossed, his hair flaring in the wind, Sephiroth contemplates. He just cannot make it make sense in his head. Vincent protects him. Defends him. Watches out for him. Says and does things no one else ever has. The man bought him a gift, when he wasn't even born yet.

You cannot be.

Why can't they be related, when it seems even Vincent behaves as if it were so?

Behind all these thoughts there's a terrible, pounding headache. It's been getting worse, the closer they got to Midgar, though not quite as bad as when they were in Nibelheim, when he fought Cloud. He only has vague memories of that day, of agony, and a loud voice… then silence.

Sometimes, he still hears it. And it terrifies him.

"Sephiroth?"

He turns; Aerith stands in the doorway, hesitating. "Can I join you?"

"Of course."

She smiles brightly, and he is confused yet again. He cannot understand why the girl seems to enjoy and even seek out his company. Yes, he is the commander – and friend? – of her lover, but surely her relationship with Zack does not mean that she has to be kind to him? Or perhaps there is a social formality that requires lovers to befriend their lover's friends?

There's no possible way it is because the girl likes him.

"That's a really serious face."

Sephiroth cocks an eyebrow. She giggles at him, and gestures at her own brow. "You're all grumpy looking. Your forehead is one big wrinkle." Confused, he must apparently frown more, which causes her to laugh more.

"Are you not tired?"

She shakes her head. "No," Something vulnerable shows for a moment. He remembers, suddenly, that this woman has seen the inside of Hojo's lab as well. "Just can't turn off my mind."

He knows the feeling.

They stand together quietly for a moment, the wind the only sound. "I think…" The girl says suddenly. "I think Cloud is leaving."

Stunned, Sephiroth turns. The girl looks serious. "He's been really upset lately. About his mom. I think… I think he's gonna go after her." Then, she turns to him, eyes heavy. "And I don't think he should go alone."

For a moment the implication is lost on him. "You… believe I should go as well?"

"Not just you." She crosses her arms. "I can handle myself too, you know." The indignant look on her face almost makes him laugh. She must see the quirk in his lips, because she pouts at him playfully. "We're his friends. We have to help him. Since Zack can't go, I have to go. I don't want to let anyone else get hurt."

"And what about you?" Sephiroth sighs. "You are a civilian, mostly untrained, and this man knows who you are and wants you desperately. What if you are the one who is hurt?"

For a moment she looks terrified. But she smiles. That bright beam turns on him and he feels his chest tighten. "I'll be okay. I'll have my bodyguard!" She elbows him, and it occurs to Sephiroth that she means him.

That she trusts him with her life.

"I…" She's smiling. And he finds himself remembering this afternoon, remembering Yuffie… remembering Wutai. "I am not a good person. … So many have died, because of me…"

"Hey." She leans into his line of sight again. "Dilly dally, shilly shally!" She say it like it means something, but Sephiroth has no idea what. "You're one of the good guys now! And Cloud needs us. So, let's go after him. Don't worry about me! You're the world's best swordsman, right?" Aerith smiles, and he feels warm, and better than he has in a while.

"I'll be safe, as long as you're around."