For Honor or Glory

Battle Aftermath

Chapter 91 

Angeal had started off facing the young female Tsviet, and Genesis was fighting the boy. However, that had changed quickly. The battle became instant chaos when the boy screamed at something behind them. Angeal forced himself not to look. He trusted Sephiroth with his life and knew that the man loved Alex. He would have to stay focused and ensure that whatever plan the man had come up with would end all right as long as they all did their part.

He was shocked at how fast the girl was. Her hits were not as strong as many he had received, but her speed more than made up for her lack of strength. While he kept her busy, he noticed the boy bolt down the pipe with the gunman right behind him. Genesis must have seen something because he let them go. Instead, he turned his eyes to the tank.

As soon as the being within the mako was exposed, both Genesis and Nanaki started to rain fire on it. When that began, the girl fought even more ferociously. At least for a short while. An explosion sounded from the tank that temporarily distracted both fighters, but the girl fell screaming right after.

Angeal watched with growing horror as the girl thrashed around on the ground for a moment before she fell limp. He then looked up to see the tank was still in blazes, but the body within was already mostly consumed. Once the girl was quiet, the silence seemed to spread until the only sound was the flickering of the flames as they started to die down.

The whole thing had only taken a matter of a few minutes. Angeal looked across to see Genesis and Nanaki had already left the fire to burn on its own. However, the somber moment was shattered as soon as Genesis turned around. Angeal had not seen the man move so fast outside of a battlefield as he jumped down and yelled, "What have you done!"

Angeal's head whipped around, and he nearly fell when he finally saw Sephiroth cradling Alex's body to him. Blood covered her back and pooled on the floor around them, but the general did not seem to notice anything. He hadn't answered Genesis either.

Angeal jumped down to join them and wasn't sure what he felt. He could tell at a glance that Alex was limp in Sephiroth's hold, and he could well guess why. The idea brought pain, unlike anything he had ever known. Part of him wanted to rip his twin from the man's grip and scream in anguish. The only thing that kept him from it, was that he did not want to mar Alex more than she already was.

His voice was low and cold when he called out as well. "Sephiroth, what happened?"

Whatever reaction he was expecting, it was not the expression Sephiroth showed them. He finally looked up from where he had buried his face in the crook of her neck, and even Genesis must have seen something. The fiery commander let Rapier disappear, and he took a few steps back to join Nanaki and Vincent.

Sephiroth's eye went to where Angeal was standing, but they were hollow. He was merely a shell of the man he usually was. The general's voice was broken and barely audible when he said, "She thanked me. Why would she thank me for this."

Angeal felt his breath leave him in a rush. The way his commanding officer looked at that moment was like a physical blow. Any anger that he held when he first saw his sister left him at that moment. What could he possibly do to punish the man when he was already dying on the inside.

Angeal was never one for tears—none of them were, but that did not keep them from pooling along his lashes as he crouched down in front of the couple and saw the tracks that trailed through the blood on the general's face. Angeal took a deep breath before he gently said, "Let me have her. We need to head back and figure out the rest."

Sephiroth didn't move at first. Angeal could tell that it wasn't because he didn't hear, but more like he couldn't comprehend. It wasn't until Vincent came over and put a hand on the general's shoulder as he said, "Let her go. This part is finished, but we have much to do."

Something in those words must have done the trick, as Sephiroth finally loosened his grip enough that Angeal could take Alex. However, before she was fully transferred, Sephiroth looked up with wide eyes. "I promised that I would never let her go."

Angeal was at a loss for words. He recognized that look, as he was sure the same one was on his own face. What was he supposed to say? Part of him could still not let go of his resentment, even if he understood. Yet another part realized that the man in front of him, the one he had called friend ever since they first met in training, that man was never going to be the same.

Thankfully, he did not need to find the words. Vincent once again stepped in and said, "You aren't letting her go. You are allowing her brother to carry her back. Help me with the other two, and then you can join her."

Sephiroth let out a wavering breath but finally allowed Angeal to take Alex before he stood. A shadow of who he had been managed to fill his eyes as he looked around at the rest of the destruction. Rage passed across his expression when he caught sight of the tank, but that passed quickly, and only the despair remained. Still, he nodded before he went and picked up the body that had been lying a few feet away.

He didn't even check to see if the boy was breathing before he turned to Angeal and said, "We can take one of the helicopters to return. We will likely need Bugenhagen's assistance with Alex."

Angeal's heart skipped a beat. There would only be one reason for the general to make such a suggestion. He looked down at the woman in his arms closely until his thoughts were verified. He nearly felt like falling on the spot, but Vincent called out to get their attention. "I will stay behind with the other helo and investigate what happened here. I'll return once I have more information."

Angeal barely paused long enough to agree with the suggestion before he was out and rushing to the helicopter. The long day was far from over.

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Alex drifted in darkness. It wasn't cold and frightening, but it wasn't exactly warm and welcoming either. She could occasionally hear the sound of voices, but they were muffled and sounded far away. The only thing that ever came through sporadically was her name. She thought the voice was familiar, but any time she tried to concentrate, it would slip away, and she started drifting again.

She had no idea of the passage of time, but her isolation ended when she finally felt something. Her hand was covered and warm. There was a tenderness to the touch that made her yearn for something, even if she didn't know what. Finally, she forced her mind to still so she could concentrate on that feeling. It took several tries, but she somehow managed to get her eyes to open.

It was still dark around her, but this was the darkness of night with the promise of moon and stars—not the darkness of the oblivion she had been in. Now that her brain was waking up, she turned her head both ways to see if she recognized where she was. It seemed to be familiar, but that recognition was irrelevant beside what else she saw.

A silver head was laid on the side of the bed near her hand. Two large, warm, and gloveless hands covered hers. She watched the steady rise and fall of the man's back as he breathed gently in his sleep and marveled at the feeling of his breath as it crossed her skin.

Alex almost didn't want to disturb him, but her memories of what had happened in the reactor were starting to come back, and she knew they all had questions that could not be put off for long.

She rolled onto her side without moving her hand. She then used the other to push Sephiroth's hair off his face. He flinched and sat up immediately, though his eyes widened when they landed on her. She managed a smile when she said, "You know, as much as I love to wake up and have your face be the first thing I see, I think it needs to stop happening like this."

Sephiroth looked startled by her first words, but not for long. He quickly had her in a crushing embrace and held her like that long enough that she was afraid she was going to pass out. She pushed against his shoulder until he finally sat back. There was worry in his eyes, but she had one question before anything else was said. "I hate to say this, but honestly, I didn't expect to wake up again."

Sephiroth's jaw clenched several times, but his palm was gentle against her cheek as he said, "How many times must I tell you. I never sacrifice my queen. There is always another way."