Remnants of the Past

    Reeve and Rufus had much to tell each other after last night. Rufus told the older man about his date, and Reeve, in turn, told the younger man about Vincent.

    Now they sat in the helicopter in silence, Rufus gazing dreamy eyed out the window, emitting tiny pleased sighs from time to time. Vincent was sitting across, crimson eyes closed and Reeve was besides him, just thinking. Thinking back. He looked at Rufus, and smiled a memory striking him. He laughed quietly.

    The young man looked over, blue eyes narrowing slightly. "What? What are you laughing at, Reeve?"

    Still chuckling he shook his head. "It's just something I remembered about you."

    "What about me?" Rufus pressed.

    "From my early days at Shinra. You were what...." he thought a moment, "you must have been about five..."

    "What is it?" Rufus pressed, whining a little.

    "I was sitting in our temporary office in Kalm, and it was late. Everyone else had gone home except me and your father. There's a knock at the door, and to my surprise, who comes in, but the mighty Sephiroth. And who's with him? A five year old Rufus Shinra."

    Vincent's eyes opened wide at Sephiroth's name and he turned his attention to Reeve.

    "Of course," Rufus whispered, racking his brain. "Sephiroth....yes. I vaguely remember him watching me...several times. " He paused before looking at Reeve. "Well, continue."

    "Your father ran out the door," Reeve went on, "so I offered to watch you. But you wanted Sephiroth to stay. I stayed too, and we talked a bit. Then..." he trailed off with a chuckle and cast his eyes down. "This is very hard to describe."

    "Try," Vincent encouraged.

    "Well....you were very fond of him, Rufus. You kept calling him Sephy and he didn't mind the least. So I commented to him, I said, 'he sure likes you', or something like that, so he goes to answer but you interrupted, throwing you arms around his neck and yelling 'I love my Sephy'!"

    "I did?!" Rufus exclaimed, his face turning red.

    "Here's the weird part," Reeve continued, leaning forward. "Sephiroth just starts laughing."

    "He....laughed?" Vincent was in shock.

    "Yes! I was shocked. I must have looked like a fool with my mouth hanging open, but he never struck me as the type of person to laugh so hard like that!"

    Rufus leaned forward too. "What happened when he stopped?"

    "He just tousled your hair and said 'yes, Rufus'. Then he started talking to me again." He chuckled. "That is my favorite memory of Sephiroth."

    Vincent smiled slightly, glancing at the blonde man. "You made him happy. You clearly meant a lot to him."

    Rufus blinked. "Yeah...he meant a lot to me too...."

    Reeve snapped his fingers, suddenly remembering something. Pointing at Rufus he said, "Rufus, you know, that same night you asked me if I knew who Vincent was, and Sephiroth shushed you."

    Vincent was intrigued. "Oh?"

    "Oh yeah!" exclaimed the former President, bouncing in his chair like a small child. "Sephiroth used to talk about Vincent all the time! Now that you remind me, I remember lots about Sephiroth."

    "What did he used to say?" Vincent asked gently.

    "He used to make comments like, 'I miss Vincent' or 'Why'd they take Vincent away from me'." He blushed, continuing, "Once I asked him if he loved Vincent, and he said, 'more than life itself'."

    A pained sigh escaped the former Turk's lips. "Oh gods, Sephiroth...."

    "Reeve...." Rufus began his question, turning to the older, man a quizzical look in his eyes, "was the last time Sephiroth looked after me?"

    Nodding sadly, Reeve replied. "Yes. He didn't want you getting too attached."

    "Fucking bastard," Rufus hissed eyes narrowing.

    "That was also the same night he told me about Jenova," he continued softly.

    Before Rufus could once again curse his father's name, the pilot interrupted. "We'll be landing now, gentlemen. Please be sure your safety restraints are fastened."

    "Oh yeah, Vincent," Rufus began as he tightened his belt, "you never told us. Where *are* we going?"

    "Oh," Vincent answered, "just a place where I can see Lucretia."

    "Sephiroth's mother?" Rufus confirmed.

    "Yes. There is something she has to know..."

    The three men were lightly misted with water after ducking behind the waterfall. The hidden cave was musty and cool inside, but it wasn't deserted.

    Vincent stepped forward. "Lucretia."

    She didn't turn around. "It seems I can't escape you, Vincent."

    He said, "I knew you'd come back here. There's something I need to tell you."

    "You did care for him, yes? You took care of my son? My Sephiroth?"

    "Yes, Lucretia. As long as I could."

    "Was he beautiful? I never even saw him..." he could hear the tears in her voice.

    "The most beautiful man I have ever seen," he whispered, taking a step forward. "Like an angel, Lucretia."

    "I made him suffer..." she whispered. "He would have been better off never being born."

    "Maybe," Vincent agreed, coming up behind her. Putting his hands gently on her shoulders he said, "you didn't know Lucretia. None of us did. Not until it was too late."

    She turned, eyes spilling tears. "You shouldn't have punished yourself, Vincent. I created him. I created the monster."

    He got down besides her. "You had a baby, Lucretia. Hojo made him the monster. But only by hiding the truth. By lying to him and ignoring him." Running fingers through her tangled hair he whispered, "you loved him, Lucretia. It's not your fault! It never was."

    "Vincent....tell me...you got the gun I left you? The Death Penalty?"

    "Yes...." he paused. "Why?"

    Her voice was barely audible. "I need you to use it."

    "What?" he hissed, drawing away. "No, Lucretia."

    "Please," she begged, clinging to his jacket like she was drowning. And she was drowning. Drowning in self pity. "I've tried so long, Vincent. I left you that gun so you could come back and kill me."

    He said sternly. "Lucretia, I did not come here today to put an end to your suffering. We've all suffered. And we'll continue to. Just...we have to let go."

    "I never even held him my arms, Vincent. I never had a chance to soothe him, to ease his pain." Closing her eyes she she whispered, "I don't even deserve to be called his mother."

    "Stop it, Lucretia," he commanded, "voice raising to uncharacteristic levels. "Stop this."

    "I'll do my best." Her hands slipped under his jacket and before he could react the gun was in her hands and pointed at her head. "Thank you, Vincent."

    "Lucretia!" he cried, moving to pry the weapon from her hand. "No!"

    But it was too late. Four shots had been fired into her head and she fell back into Vincent's arms, bleeding everywhere. The Jenova inside her would not let her have a quick, painless death.

    "It didn't have to come to this!" he cried, tears escaping from his well worn crimson eyes. "You and I, Lucretia, we were the last. We could have made it."

    She trembled, face pale with her impending death. "No, Vincent. We can never escape it. That's why...that's why..." she broke off, moaning and gripping his hand for support. "I...always did love you, Vincent."

    "I should have stopped you."

    "It' all right....I'm happy now....it's all....all....right," she sighed.

    "No, no it's not!" he exclaimed.

    She whispered, "good-bye, Vincent."

    He shook her. "Lucretia! No! There's something I have to tell you--something about Sephiroth--"

    "Sephiroth..." she interrupted, whispering the name with a smiled and a nostalgic glow in her glossy green eyes. "I can see him now..."

    She fell limp in his arms.

    Lucretia, finally, was dead.

    Just like she had wanted.

    "Lucretia!!" he yelled, hoping those eyes would open once more. His last link...no... "Lucretia, no!" he pleaded. "You can't! You can't just leave me here! I--I..." he lost it at that point, cradling Lucretia's body to his own as he sobbed into her. "Oh my angel...." he moaned sorrowfully. "I hope you enjoy your mother's company."

    Rufus and Reeve looked at each other, and Reeve noticed the younger man had tears in his eyes. He took him into his arms, soothing him like a father would his child. "Shush...it's all right, Rufus," he whispered, stroking his hair. He's so young, he thought. I forget sometimes how innocent even he can still be.

    Finally Vincent stood, lowering the deceased woman's body to the ground, covered in her blood. "Good night, sweet Lucretia," he whispered. "Tell you son I love him." Wiping the tears from his face he looked up at the two others. At Rufus crying quietly into the other man's shoulder. The pain inside him was overwhelming. How could I have brought them? "I'm sorry," he told them.

    They rode back to Kalm in silence, alone with their thoughts. There was plenty to think over. Was she right? Were they all trapped? Was death the only option?

    Two convinced themselves that it wasn't.

    The other wasn't so sure.