AUTHOR NOTE:

Ok, this story is based when Hojo and Shinra take Aeris and her mother captive for experimentation.  (Yes, this takes place BEFORE the game.) Anyhoo, Taken from facts off the game, there is a good possibility that Sephiroth was present in the lab at that time. Did Aeris and Sephiroth encounter each other back then? This is a fic that goes into that possible situation.

Please R/R! ^_^

WRONG WAY

AUTHOR: Katt006

LYRICS USED: 'Wrong way' by 'Creed'

Aeris huddled in the corner of her cell and cried. It had been many days since she and her mother were brought to this dreadful place to be experimented on. It was only two days ago that she had been separated completely from her mother. Worry consumed Aeris, what were they doing to her only remaining parent? Was she alright?

She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. They had thrown her back into this cell for the night. The walls and floor were pale metallic silver, giving off a sterile and unnatural feel to the place. In the corner of the room lay a simple bunk, a clean white sheet was draped over it. Several toys littered the floor-space before her. The people here seemed nice enough, however beyond all those smiles hid evil intentions. Aeris often found her acute ability of perception to be a curse, especially at her young age. Sometimes she wished she were more ignorant.

Leaning over, the young girl picked up a doll that lay within close proximity and squeezed it tightly to her chest.

What makes you touch?

"You cry too much."

The words of that strange boy suddenly bubbled to the surface of her mind. She had met him only four days ago, wandering the halls of the laboratory. He was only a few years older than her, with flowing silver hair that stopped just past his shoulders, always clad in black shirt and trousers. Then there were his eyes, they had given Aeris the creeps. Dark shadows incased them, probably from all the chemicals they bombarded his body with. And the eyes themselves: bright green, too bright to be natural, glowing with an eerie power. She feared him, but was intrigued at the same time.

She had also met a man named Victor on that same day. He was the kind old Janitor that cleaned the facility, and both Aeris and her mother had grown an immediate liking to his gentle and generous nature. She would have liked to follow Victor around during the day since she was free to roam the heavily guarded facility, however his duty lay in many of the restricted areas so she had opted to follow the strange boy around instead. He was usually cruel and snappy towards her but he never told her to go away, perhaps he was just as lonely as she was.

"You should stop letting your emotions show like that, it's weak."

His words crept into her contemplations again. Perhaps she was weak, but she didn't seem to care. Aeris wanted to cry, wanted to be weak. It was better than becoming like him. Like Sephiroth.

What makes you feel?

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open and focused on the reflective ceiling. The sound of her cell door swinging open had roused her from slumber. During the day she was allowed to roam freely about the confines of the facility, barring restricted areas.

Aeris got up and trudged down the halls, aimlessly walking wherever her legs took her. She hadn't been tested in the lab for quite some time and by the looks of things she wouldn't have to worry about it happening again today, the thought gave her at least some consolation.

She wasn't paying any attention as to where she was going and rammed into somebody, landing hard on her backside. "I'm so sorry." She apologized, looking up, only to make eye contact with a large garbage bag. Sephiroth poked his head around from behind it. "Move it! You're in my way and this thing's heavy." He growled, drilling his angry green eyes into hers'. She repressed a shiver and scrambled off to one side of the narrow hall. 

He edged pass her, carrying the heavy load of what appeared to be laboratory waste and discarded items. She quickly got up, regained her composure and tailed behind him.

"What are you doing with them?" She asked with childish curiosity.

At first he ignored her, but that wouldn't stop her from asking any more annoying questions. "It's just lab garbage, things that are no longer of any use and aren't needed anymore." He finally replied. "Hojo ordered me to take them to the disposal room."

Aeris spied a smudge of red from the corner of her eye. She turned to find a rose resting on top of the rubbish. Awed, she lent over and picked it out. "Garbage? How could anybody throw out something so pretty?"

"Because it's obviously no longer of any use."

"But it's not dead. It's just fully open." She commented, drawing in its sweet scent.

"Once the necessary cells are extracted, Hojo doesn't needs it anymore. So it's discarded."

"That's terrible. How could anybody not have a need for something with such beauty?" She questioned, with wisdom far advanced for her age.

Sephiroth gave her a sharp glance. "You ask too many questions."

What makes you stop to smell the roses in an open field?

They finally reached their destination. The walls were lined with disposal units that had various numerical coding, probably for different materials. Sephiroth placed the bag down before the closest unit and opened the hatch. The two of them threw the items down the disposal shaft in silence. The silver haired boy suddenly felt somebody watching him, he whipped his head around to glare accusingly at Aeris. "What's your problem?" He grumbled.

"It's your eyes." She stated, looking straight into them. "They aren't natural."

Sephiroth uncomfortably averted his gaze. "Curiosity in a place like this could get you killed." He warned, trying unsuccessfully to steer the conversation in another direction.

But Aeris was to the point, "You aren't normal are you? I can sense your lifeforce and... Something's not right."

"Lifeforce?" Sephiroth inquired with a hint of well-concealed curiosity.  

"It's a living thing's spirit energy, or so I was told. Being able to sense it is a strange power I was born with, that's probably why my mother and I are here." Her eyes studied his' further. "And those dark circles around your eyes, what do they do to you?"

Her innocent and inquisitive nature angered him for some reason, but the fact that anybody would be interested in him excluding research purposes, confused more than it irritated him. 

"They inject me with Mako." He said simply, not wanting to release too much information. "I'm restricted from telling you any more."

"Mako? The same stuff in the reactors where we get all our power from?" He gave a nod and she looked away with concern. 'How can they do such a thing to a human? And why? Don't they see the damage it's causing?' She suddenly felt very sorry for the boy standing before her.

What makes you unclean?

Sephiroth noted her look of sorrow and opened his mouth to say something when a loud voice cut him off.

"Aeris! Here you are." Victor entered the room, pulling a trolley of various garbage bags and cleaning items. "It's good to see that you're alive and healthy." He said to her. Then he turned to the boy and inclined his head. "It's good to see that you're alive."

Sephiroth crossed his arms and gave an icy glare in response.

"Look what I found!" Aeris claimed excitedly, showing Victor the rose.

"My, my, isn't that a pretty little thing?" He smiled and smelt it. Then placed it up behind her ear. "It suites you." And for the first time Sephiroth heard the girl giggle childishly.

What makes you laugh?

Sephiroth finished off disposing the last items, threw the bag in after them and headed for the door.

"Wait up!" Aeris yelled after him, but he didn't wait, not like she expected him to anyway. She made to follow when a hand clamped down on her shoulder.

"You be VERY careful when around that boy." Victor warned. "He's under the influence of heavy Mako experimentation. Who knows what's going on up there." He implied, tapping his head with his finger.

"I'm not afraid of him. I worry about him."

Victor nodded. "You're a very kind girl Aeris. Just don't let that kindness towards others get you in the way of harm."

She smiled sweetly and ran off to catch up with Sephiroth. When she had caught up to him she extracted the rose from behind her ear and continued to marvel at its beauty and how much it stood out within the drab surroundings.

"Are you still carrying that plant thing around?" Sephiroth asked, in a scolding tone.

"Yes. Don't you think it's pretty?"

"I hate it."

Aeris looked hurt and defensive. "Why? It didn't do anything to you!"

"…"

She sighed at his lack of response but continued, "It didn't choose to be used like this. I'm sure if it could have made a decision of it's own it wouldn't have chosen to become a toyed-with test subject." She looked up at him. "You know, I think this flower and you have a lot in common--"

In one blurred movement so fast that it seemed almost invisible, Sephiroth snatched the rose from her hand and crushed it within his own. Rose petals sifted out through his enclosed fingers and drifted to the floor at her feet. Tears began to well up in her eyes. It all made sense now.

What makes you cry?

"You shouldn't grow attached to things like that." He scolded, noting the tears that slid silently down her cheeks. "Stop showing so much emotion. This isn't the place to be doing so."

"It's just that I'm so afraid…" She sniffled. "So afraid that we'll end up like that rose. I don't want to die. We didn't do anything to deserve this." She looked up into his eyes, pity unmistakably evident. "YOU didn't do anything to deserve this! Look what they've done to you!"

What makes our youth run,

from the thought that we might die?

Aeris looked back down to where the deep crimson petals lay at her feet. "Why… why did you destroy something so fragile, so beautiful?"

Sephiroth looked her straight in the eyes this time and Aeris could have sworn that she saw a hint sadness and regret. "Because I don't know any better."

Abruptly, he turned his back to her. "I've got to report to the main lab in a few minutes." Having said that, he stalked down the hall without a word of goodbye, as usual.

This time she didn't follow.

* * *

Sephiroth stood facing a large three-headed beast, just another worthless test subject like himself. They were in a large glass dome, several scientists sat at computer terminals located on the outside of the large see-through chamber, monitoring what was going on within. Hojo watched Sephiroth with sadistic pride. He had just administrated Sephiroth with more Mako than usual, determined to see if it would give off more successful results. The young warrior was issued with a large sword to defeat the monster with. The legendary power of the Cerberus, this would put his young subject to the test.

Sephiroth could feel the Mako energy coursing through his veins. The power he felt within was incredible and he felt as though he could take on the world. He couldn't deny it, he loved to battle. He loved to feel the enemy's blood spray over him, the feel of victory.

A voice echoed through the chamber from an intercom. "Commence battle!"

* * *

It was a difficult battle indeed. Sephiroth winced from the enormous gash in his upper arm, the glistening of white bone showing. It had hampered his fighting considerably, but he eventually got the beast down at his feet. The whole chamber was splattered with blood from both fighters. Sephiroth limped from fatigue and injury, but managed to heft the heavy sword above his head, ready to bring the creature it's final blow.

'It didn't have a choice.' Aeris' words surfaced in his mind. ' I'm sure if it could have made a decision of it's own it wouldn't have chosen to become a toyed-with test subject.'

His sword wavered as he struggled between his instinct and his voice of reason.

"What are you waiting for!?" Yelled a furious Hojo over the intercom. "Kill it!"

Sephiroth lowered his sword gently and knelt down to pat the heavily wounded Cerberus on one of its heads. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

"Well!?"

Sephiroth stood back up and faced Hojo, who was standing close to the glass on the outside. "I won't."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WON'T!?"

"I mean I won't do it!"

What makes you bleed?

"You're going to pay for that boy!" He yelled venomously. "You don't have the right to defy me!"

Hatred flashed in Sephiroth's young eyes, murderous hatred. He lifted his sword up and with all his strength, hurled it at the protective glass. The sword speared through up to its hilt. The blade narrowly missed Hojo's head by mere millimeters. The boy gave everyone present an icy glare before trudging out the door. The whole lab room was engulfed with silence, and dread. He was getting out of their control.

* * *

The entire thing had been a disaster and the only compassion that he had ever shown, made his life even more miserable. Aeris is wrong, there's no place for kindness in this cruel world.

The hall began to blur before his eyes and he clutched his head. It felt like someone was trying to hammer through his skull. What WERE they doing to him? His shoulder wound still pulsed heavily with blood that ran down his limp arm and onto the floor. Finally he doubled over, sliding down the wall and onto the hard metal floor. Life wasn't worth living for this. He didn't think much of his situation until he met 'her'. Then he began to realize that he was on the short end of the stick. He had never realized just how much he hated the people around him, his life, Hojo, and himself.

Somebody told me the wrong way.

* * *

The next thing he knew, he had woken up in the medical bay. A searing pain speared through his skull and he groaned, clutching his throbbing head in both hands.

"How are you feeling?" Came Aeris' concerned inquiry. She sat on a chair beside his bed and peered at him with worry-evident eyes.

"What does it look like!" He snapped back.

She was immune to his moodiness now so she ignored his remark. "What happened? Victor and I found you lying unconscious in the hall. You looked in very bad shape and blood was everywhere… I was really worried."

"Worried, about what?"

"About you, silly." She giggled at his innocent vagueness.

"Why?"

"Because I care about you."

Sephiroth had forgotten about his headache completely. Nobody cared for him, and he was this one girl sitting before him, taking an interest besides that of research. But why? He treated her like dirt most of the time. "I think I'd be better off dead." He mumbled.

Aeris was taken aback. "How can you say that? It sounds like you've given up already. You don't have to live the rest of your life like this!"

"I don't have a choice."

"That's not true. Everyone has a choice"

I hope it was an answer so you might live.

* * *

"I've had it with that boy!" Hojo hissed, "He's loosing it."

"Well it's not like he's a killing machine, he can't be." Stated his assistant. "He was composed of human cells too."

"And that's WHY he's loosing it. The Mako obviously isn't enough to keep him in line, his human cells are taking dominance over his Jenova cells." He walked up to a large metal air-locked door and placed his hand fondly on it's reflective surface. "I want to use more of this on him." He stated, pointing to what lay within.

The assistant blanched. "But that's…"

"Jenova." Hojo finished off, smiling.

"But you mustn't!" the other man yelled. "Any more of that would damage him mentally! He'd be a whole new person. With no memory, you're going to have to train him again, teach him everything again!"

"Exactly!" Hojo proclaimed maniacally. "This Sephiroth was obviously a failure. There is no room for compassion and kindness in a killing machine. This is the only solution I can think of."

* * *

"I'm going to help you and your mother escape." Victor whispered into Aeris' ear. The young girl barley contained her excitement. Aeris and Sephiroth had gathered in the disposal room, summoned by Victor. "My mother!? She's alive! You know where she is?"

Victor nodded. "I'm the janitor. I know where everything is."

She gave the man a brief hug of thanks. "So how do we do this?"

"Well, I've already told your mother so she should know, but I'll explain to you as well, just in case." He began. "You see my trolley here? You and your mother will get into a garbage bag. I cart you to this disposal room and throw you both down the shafts. You should end up in a furnace room, this is where all the rubbish is combusted. You'll have around ten minutes till the next cycle to find a metal grate, pull it out and climb through the ducts till you get outside. You're on your own from there I'm sorry."

"I can't thank you enough!" She cried. "And what about Sephiroth?"

"I'm staying here."

I hope I helped you live.

Aeris looked upset. "But why?"

"He will be one of the key elements for your escape." Victor informed. "Scheduled in two hours is a highly dangerous procedure taking place down at the main lab, most of the guards and lab personnel will be concentrated around that area, leaving minimal security for your escape."

Aeris sent a shocked look at Sephiroth.

Victor began to wheel his trolley out. "I'm going to get your mother first, make sure you stay put and I'll be back to get you in around half an hour." He looked down the hallway to see if anybody was about then scooted away.

Aeris turned to Sephiroth, upset. "Procedure? What are they going to do to you now!"

"Hojo told me that I wasn't living up to his expectations and he plans to change that. I don't know what they'll do to me." He retracted his fist and pounded it into one of the Disposal hatches, placing a massive dint in it. "Damn them." 

"But aren't you afraid? Don't you get scared?"

"No. I'm used to it."

"But I want you to come with us!"

"Even if I did manage to escape with you, living away from the lab will only lead to my death. I'll die from Mako poisoning without the necessary chemicals."

He suddenly tensed, feeling arms encircle him. "What are you doing?" He asked, looking down at Aeris.

"It's a hug." She smiled up at him. "You need one."

I hope I helped you live.

"I'm sorry, but I won't remember you if we ever meet again." He finally said.

"What do you mea--" She was cut off as he roughly pushed her away and stepped out into the hall.

"I have to go now." He said, his expression unreadable. "You wait in here for Victor. Goodbye… Aeris."

"Wait!" She ran to the door but he quickly pushed the button on the outside panel, causing the thick metal door to hiss shut, locking her in. "No…" She didn't want it to happen like this. It just wasn't fair, why did he have to suffer? Humans can be so cruel.

* * *

Sephiroth reached the doors of the main lab room and entered without hesitation. Hojo looked up as he arrived. "I told you that you would pay for display of incompetence."

Two assistants restrained the boy, even though he made no attempts to resist. There was nothing left for him in this life anyway. Aeris would be gone soon, back to living a life of her own. Oh how he envied her.

"Are you ready?" Hojo loomed over him as he was placed upon the operating bench. "Or perhaps I shouldn't be asking that. You don't have a choice anyway."

"Everyone has a choice." He said, repeating Aeris' words.

Hojo laughed harshly. "Everybody except you." He sneered, injecting liquid into a vein on his neck. The world spun about him then went dark, and his mind went numb of all thoughts.

This is where it ended.

This is where it began.

Somebody told me the wrong way.

~END~

This was my first Aeris x Sephiroth fic. Hope you enjoyed it ^.^ Be nice and sign me a review, hopefully I'll be writing more AxS! I enjoyed doing this one so I think that will be a good possibility.

My new Aeris x Sephiroth site ^.~ can be found at www.angelfire.com/ego/shugotenshi/index.html please feel free to submit any A x S work of your own.