Love of My Life

Chapter 8

        "Where's daddy?" she asked as the vehicle rocked, "Where are we going?"

Thomas steadied her as they went over a bump, "He's still in Kalm, fighting the bad guys that are hurting everyone."

"I don't want him fighting..." She looked down and wrung her hands in her lap.

"From what the commissioner says," he smirked, "Your dad is perhaps the strongest person on this planet. He even fought Jenova and Sephiroth! If anyone can survive this fight it's him."

"I still don't want him fighting," she paused, "Who's Sephiroth?"

He blinked, "You don't know who Sephiroth is?" he let out a breath, "Well, I suppose you're not old enough... You're lucky."

"Wh--what did he do? Is--is he like those soldiers?"

Thomas looked down at a scar on his hand, tracing it with his finger, "Worse... Much worse..."

"What happened...?"

She touched his hand. "My dad he..." He breathed in heavily, "Eight years ago my dad and I went to Nibelheim to visit some family. Aunt Carol and her kids, our cousins... They--- he started a fire and..." his voice cracked and he covered his face with his mouth. "I'm sorry..."

"He killed them?" She recoiled her face stricken with shock and dismay.

He nodded, "I'm sorry... Vincent should have told you."

Tears fell down her face, "Do you think I could be like him?"

His brows knit with concern, "No. I mean we've only just met but, why would you be?"

She wrapped herself tigther, "Uncle Cid said I was 'another Sephiroth'..."

Cait Sith shot up into her lap, "Cid said that?" she nodded, "That nasty git!" he muttered a few insults before turning to her, "Don't you worry Eliora. You're nothing like him."

"How do you know! He's my brother!"

The room fell in silence as the two WRO soldiers present stared at her in shock, "You're..." Thomas stood up.

"Now hold on!" He steadied his arms glaring at the two soldiers in question, "Put it down!" The one in the corner raised his gun, "What kind of a man are you!? You'd raise your weapon to a wee baby!?"

"He tried to destroy the world! He summoned meteor to kill us!"

Reeve's voice came through, "Thomas, she's only his half-sister. She has Vincent to raise her. Not Hojo. He experimented on Sephiroth in-utero injecting Jenova into him. He created the monster, not their mother. You know what Jenova is, you know what it does. She's not infected by it."

Eliora was wailing in fear the whole time, "Daddy!!! Daddy!!!" she coughed, "Daddy!!!"

"How do you know!?" He cocked his hand gun.

"Wait stop!!" Thomas grabbed her and held her close.

"Get out of the way!"

"No!"

"Get out of the way or I'll shoot you too!" his hand shook as he looked at the child like she was the devil himself.

"Keifer stop! Shit!" He muttered. "If you're so concerned we'll have her tested. Put down the gun."

"Please Keifer. She's just a child!" Reeve said.

"She's a monster! Just like her brother!"

"You don't know that!" Thomas said.

"We're almost at the base! Please!" Cait's voice was back.

"They'll agree with me!" The shadowfox ground to a stop sending everyone flying into the wall, accidently setting off the gun. There was a cry of agony and terror as the doors were thrown open to reveal Reeve standing amongst his soldiers. They kicked the gun away from him before dragging him out and throwing him onto the ground.

"Everything's gonna be okay now honey," A woman tended to Eliora, "Oh my god... There's so much blood!" She told the other officer.

"I--I think its just mine..." Thomas groaned.

"Shit, that's deep! Where's the medical team?" he said.

"They're here!" Reeve called over to him as they rushed through the doors and collected Thomas.

"Are you hurt honey?" Ellie was rocking in shock unable to speak. "I need some help over here!"

Reeve jumped into the truck before kneeling in front of her. "Hey. Hey, look at me sweetheart." He couldn't catch her eyes. The medical officer moved him over a bit as she shined a light in the girls eyes.

"She's in shock, we need to get her to the medbay quickly." The group put an oxygen mask on her as Reeve followed them. "Where're her parents?"

"Her father is fighting in Kalm, he asked that Thomas and I watch over her."

"Contact him."

Reeve nodded as he pulled the phone from his pocket and started dialing Vincent's number. He winced as Vincent picked up on the first ring, "How is she? Is she alright?" Reeve could hear gunshots in the background and the sound of voices, "Reeve? Tell me."

"Kiefer was a bad choice..." Vincent growled in reply. "Eliora told Thomas that she was afraid she would turn into Sephiroth because of what Cid said," he growled out. "Kiefer thinking he'd be a hero decided to try to shoot her but Thomas protected her." There was silence. "Vincent?"

"Don't let me see him."

"What?"

"If I see him I will kill him, understand? If you want to keep him alive, keep him far away from me."

"Understood."

"Who told her about Sephiroth?"

"... Thomas... She asked him to tell her."

"Why didn't you stop this?"

"... Rena needed me..."

"I'll be there soon." With that he hung up.

Reeve sighed and covered his face with his hand, "Dad?" He looked down to see a fuzz of strawberry blonde clinging to him, "What happened?"

"Eliora, Vincent's daughter and Lt. Thomas Aarons are in the medbay right now."

"Vincent has a daughter? How old is she?"

He ruffled her hair, "A bit younger than you. Probably four or five."

"Are they gonna be okay?"

He nodded, "Yes... I'm sure of it..." He paused for the longest time, "Are you still doing your homework?"

She sighed, "Yeah... Can you please tell me when I can meet her?"

"I will," he scooped her up into a hug and kissed her cheek.

She giggled, "Dad!"

"I know, already nine years old. You're supposed to be a big girl now." He ruffled her hair and kissed her cheek. "Stay outta trouble okay?"

"Okay." She scampered off as he waited for an update on Thomas and Ellie.

�nonic2