Chapter One

Aria

"Look at that little witch." The thoughts of Yuffie's words before ate at me. The fire in my soul burned with anger at the woman's words. Sure, my daddy always got mad when I used the word hate, but I hated Yuffie. I often bottle up my emotions to keep the peace between AVALANCHE and my family. Kyra always tells me of the things that CID and Yuffie say to her. She also told me of what my adopted uncle, the General of ShinRa, Leonard Shepherd, would do to get them back for their mistake. Thoughts like those always helped me to sleep at night. I looked at the surrounding bar. As usual, my father sat with Vincent Valentine, in the building's corner. Talking about adult things, as Barrett would refer to it, as I was close to Vincent. He was like another dad to me, but we weren't related to the man. He was just really nice to me. My dad and I always meet him here every Thursday. Daddy would order me my favorite, hamburger, and fries, with macaroni and cheese on the side, and a small soda. Looking at the usual atmosphere of the Seventh Heaven bar, the tension was maddening. My father now standing beside me as I looked between him to the floor at the annoying ninja girl, who probably needed a time out and her crayons and coloring books taken and hidden… honestly, though, I doubt that would phase her attitude only make her worse. I sighed, looking to my daddy, his mako-cat eyes not looking away from Yuffie. I walked over to Vincent, setting down where my dad got up from, looked at the tabletop, fighting back the tears.

The loud thump of something being hit caused me to look up, Yuffie was standing in front of my daddy, though the height between them, was kind of comical, their stare down not only alerted me but the bar visitors were keeping up with the fight, some of them seemed to make silent bets on what the outcome was, while the older customers shook their heads in disapproval, a look I get a lot by daddy when I don't pick up after myself and gave him a hassle about taking a bath. "Wha' I don't get it? She looks like a witch, forget spawn of Sephiroth…" Yuffie yelled as the remaining patron's talk was silenced, some eyes looked in my direction, and as I covered my head sinking in my booth, shame, and embarrassment probably made my face blush.

"Enough Yuffie! I raised my head, watching the events unfold a little more. My daddy must be upset to raise his voice. My dad wasn't a man who resorted to yelling to get his point across. Well, not towards me… anyway. His taking my toys for a while always made me cry, but Yuffie didn't have toys, so I guess this was her discipline. Right now, I'm glad I'm me for once. My daddy pounded his fist to the table my best guess is he didn't want to hit her, with the jarring of the ketchup and mustard bottles landing them on the floor, I'm kinda glad it was the table and not her, "if you think I am going to sit by and allow you to call my daughter a witch, a spawn of Sephiroth, or whatever insult comes to that childish head of yours you are mistaken. Whatever my brother does to you, apparently you forget it too easily. I think I understand why my father is psycho people like you."

I looked at Yuffie, sinking lower into my booth, my feet now touching the floor. "She's not even your daughter, Nicolae! She belongs to someone who was smart and didn't want her around! We don't, and honestly, we aren't thrilled with you either. You two are perfect for each other. You're both unwanted!" Her words cut deeper than the witch's insult. I looked at Vincent, then at the table. I felt tears rolling down my face.

"The annoying brat speaks the truth. It's rough having one Sephiroth to deal with, now we have spawns walking everywhere! Not to mention a six-year-old who does not know who her parents are." CID glanced at me, "If I were you kid I would have just stayed where you came from!" I heard him say without looking in his direction. I could feel the older man's gaze at my form. This caused tears to come more.

"Don't be such a hypocrite CID, even though you and the brat in front of me claiming I'm not worthy of your time in these peaceful moments, but when ShinRa revives the evil of Sephiroth, I am the first one Tifa calls for help, have I ever once declined the help, rather I want to or not. Risking my life to take down a threat for people I barely know! No, CID I've not! But perhaps I should… what have any of you, any of these people ever done for me?" I looked at my daddy, despite my tears. Vincent must have been the only one to notice. As he placed his hand on mine in reassurance, I looked at him, then at the table. "These people, along with their warped mess of heroes, have done nothing for me! Not even a single thank you. Instead, they look upon my life like it's any of their businesses and are quick to run away, all because of you and Yuffie."

"If ya feel that way, why aid us, boy?" I watched in disbelief as CID took a puff of his cigarette glaring at my daddy, I felt so angry that I wanted to just cry, scream if any of that would help, but, daddy has taught me to be strong and that wishing Sephiroth could be alive long enough to kill them then disappear wasn't the answer, why didn't my daddy fight back? He just stood there, letting them talk to him this way. I opened my mouth to retort on my daddy's behalf, only for Vincent to squeeze my hand. I looked at him and he shook his head against it. "You scared we might give ya what?" I looked at CID, who was now standing with Yuffie. He puffed smoke in my daddy's face, who clenched his fists.

"Uh-oh, that was a no-no, you shouldn't have done that!" The thought no sooner left my mind, until my dad was already responding to the crazy move on CID's part. My daddy grabbed the blond man by the collar, throwing him to the floor, bending down to the dazed pilot. the moment happened so fast. That no one was prepared for what was to happen now.

"You listen to these words of mine, CID, and you take heed of them. I'm not afraid of you. Perhaps there will come a day that we shall meet on the opposite sides of the battlefield, but know this. I won't bring myself to regret the decision if rather I perish or you, it won't be without a cause." Daddy picked up CID's cigarette from the floor, shoving the whole thing into the man's mouth, kicking him in the side. "Come Aria."

I quickly stood from my booth, running to my daddy, who walked from the bar, holding the door open for me as we left the bar. I watched as my daddy pinched the bridge of his nose, clenching the fist of his free hand. I sighed, looking at the dirt road under our feet. I heard him sigh. "I don't understand those two. Your eyes are lovely. Insulting a six-year-old is out of line, on a new level of childish even for those two." Though my dad was angry, he still looked out for my feelings, that's why I love him so much, though CID was right, well about half of the part, I knew my momma, but my daddy not so much, I always pictured my daddy being strong and kind. I may be adopted but the Shepherd brothers have invited me into their lives since day one, first Uncle Leonard until Graceona had Jayden and Cayden. He had to find me another home. Then he found my daddy, I've been with him for three months… since my momma disappeared one morning from our camp, life was rough, though Uncle Leonard was welcoming towards me, he treated me like a member of his family, and now his brother has taken his place.

"Daddy, calm down. It's gonna be alright, please just calm down. I don't want to see grandpa in the dark again, and it scares me after he leaves. You always ignore me for a long time after. I don't want to see you like that again." He looked at me and for the first time since I knew my adopted dad, he had tears in his eyes, I stopped looking at him as he stopped looking at him, my heart raced from fear… fear of losing him, "Daddy, I'm worried. About what you said back there, about fighting in battle with AVALANCHE, please, please don't say that, please don't leave me, daddy, I don't want to lose you. I just got you."

I hugged his leg, tears once again falling from my eyes. For the first time in months, I was terrified of waking up and being alone. I dug my face into the jean fabrics of my daddy's pants, "Please, stay… don't go."

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Nicolae's POV

I kneeled beside Aria, stroking her head as she cried. My heart ached for the child weeping into my pants, for once I was confused, confused because normally I could give her the thing she asked me of, but between my will of giving her, her desires and my father threatening to seep through the destroyed barricade I had held up a majority of the time, the urge to summon him was more tempting than seeing the child that I have fought so hard to see happy and well, I would rather see her happy instead of going through what she always has to go through when we decide to see Vincent at the bar. I let the tear fall from my eye as I sighed wrapping my arms around her weeping form, I stroked her hair my own tears fell from my eyes at the decision that I had chosen, my mind made up, Aria's happiness is my top priority.