Vagaries of Fate

Rematch

A/N: Just a note first. The last half of the chapter is not exactly graphic but does contain a scene that could be considered difficult. There are minor mentions of blood, so please keep that in mind when you proceed.

Chapter 39

Genesis had not slept since he had received the news about Clarissa. He had been so impatient to get back to Midgar that he even took a turn driving to make better time. Still, now that he had arrived and there were no new updates, he was restless. He could go for days without sleep if it were necessary, but it wasn't physical exhaustion that was bothering him. He felt lost, something he had only experienced once before. At that time, it wasn't long before he had a course to direct his energy into, even if he hadn't known the way things would turn out. It was better than giving up. Now, he had no idea what to do.

He couldn't argue with Sephiroth's logic. It would be pointless to leave on a wild goose chase only to find out later that she was on the other side of the world. Midgar was the best place to wait until they had any clues. Not that he was sure he could wait long. He was ready to let the world burn until he got what he wanted.

When he finally made it to the apartment, he glared at the boarded-up windows. It was a temporary solution until they could be fixed, but they were also a blatant reminder of the events that had gone on barely more than a day ago. He picked his way through the broken furniture and scattered books. The sight of them made his ire rise, but it was a candle next to the sustained rage at the idea of having his wife taken.

When he made it to the bedroom, he froze at the sight of the rumpled sheets. It took no effort for him to picture her curled up in them. He could even see the boys sleeping next to her. It brought a twisted smile to his lips.

He tried to banish those thoughts and find something else to focus on. It was a lost cause as he moved to sit on the side of the bed. He grabbed the pillow without thought. As he brought it closer, he could still smell her scent faintly. He pulled his hand back as though he were going to throw it across the room, but a moment later, instead of throwing it, he had his face buried in it. Her scent washed over him as he breathed it in. The one connection that he still had with her—the last reminder of what should have been waiting for him when he got home.

He lost track of time as he sat there like that. When he finally sat up, the fire he was known for was clear in his eyes. He wasn't sure what he could do, but he planned to do something. Anything. Despite his resolve, he still took the pillow with him into the living room. He refused to sleep in that bed without his wife, but he did need rest. That didn't keep him from curling around the pillow as he finally fell asleep against the arm of the couch.

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Clarissa had been semi-conscious several times since her conversation with Fuhito, but she was never allowed to wake. Each time she had the sense that she was alone in the room, so it confused her further. Not that her thoughts were very coherent anyway. The only time she even got close to waking, it felt like she was being moved. Despite her drugged state, when she was lucid enough to think, she knew she needed to take the first break she could get. Otherwise, there was no telling what would happen.

She was currently in that half-waking state, but it was different this time. Her mind was still fogged, but her senses were telling her something was off. She wasn't sure how long she stayed in that state, but a sharp pain served to yank her the rest of the way awake. Not that being lucid helped. If anything, it made her realize that she hurt—all over.

She couldn't hold back a groan of pain as she struggled to open her eyes. When the sound came out, she heard a soft giggle and a feminine voice. "Oh, so you're awake finally. As much as I was enjoying adding a little color here and there, it was getting boring with no reaction from you. That idiot really has you drugged up, doesn't he."