Across the Divide and Through Valhalla

Try Not To Get Lost

She could barely conceal her frown as she stepped back again. "I appreciate your concern, but I actually know them. I guess they know someone close-by as well. It was unexpected that I ran into them out here, but I'll be fine. I only stopped to let you know that we're leaving. Thank you for letting me stay."

He still wore a concerned look, but he didn't keep arguing. He pulled her in for a tight hug and whispered. "If you say so, but you know I'll always be here for you if you need me."

She didn't let him keep a hold on her. She pushed away from him and barely caught her frown before she thanked him again and walked off. She didn't want to give him another chance to touch her.

When she turned, she was surprised to see several of the men standing outside of the vehicle and wearing scowls. She didn't have to ask why, as Zack spoke up as soon as she was close. "I was about to come help. Who is that guy?"

She gave him a smile. He didn't know her, or what part she had to play in his transposition, and he was still willing to help in what he thought was a bad situation. "He is someone I've known since I was a girl. He and my mother used to be good friends. I don't see him often anymore, but he is like that every time. I don't let it bother me."

She was shocked when Genesis spoke up. "He did not touch you as if he were a friend of your parents. He touched you as if he wanted more. I doubt your mother would approve if that were the case."

Before Sherry could answer back, Kaylan raised her voice from the back seat. "Finally! I'm glad that someone else sees that he's a creeper. Maybe she'll listen to you."

Sherry shook her head at Kaylan's outburst, but she tried to get her face into a blank mask before she responded. "I appreciate your concern, but I've dealt with him long enough to know that he won't push me. As for my mother, she has been gone for a long time, so it isn't like she has a say in it."

She didn't give them any more time to keep asking questions. She moved to the passenger side and gave them all a level look. "If we plan on getting back by dark, we need to get going."

No one else bothered arguing after that, and they all got back in. While she was waiting for them to get settled, she pulled up the navigation panel in her dash and input the address for her house. "This is an electronic map that will give you guided directions to my house. Obviously, I will be helping too, but this way, you can tell where we are going at a glance."

He gave her a nod before he looked over his shoulder to verify everyone was in. Once all the doors were closed, he followed Sherry's instructions to the exit of the property they were on and down the road toward her home. It had been silent for the first little bit, but Genesis finally broke it with a soft voice. "You said your mother has been gone for some time. How did she pass?"

Sherry sighed and leaned forward onto the dash before she twisted slightly so she could look at him better. "She died when I was nineteen. It was suicide. It's been long enough that I don't think about it all the time anymore, but I'd rather not talk about it if you don't mind."

She wanted to sigh again at the look she got from him, but she turned back around with a frown when she saw Zack fidget and frown through the middle of the seats. She couldn't see the others very well, but she knew they all had to have heard. She could already tell dealing with these men was going to be interesting. She used that idea to push back the thoughts of her mother.

Even though she had told them they could ask questions on the drive, it was silent for some time. Sherry almost found herself dozing a couple of times but jerked awake as her body started to shift. The last thing she needed was to fall asleep in her current position. To keep herself occupied, she hooked her iPod up and started scrolling through her music. She caught Genesis looking at it in interest, so she tried to explain. "It's called an iPod. I know a lot of people keep various stuff on them, like books and movies, but all I have is music."

He was looking over her shoulder curiously as she typed in her passcode. He raised a brow when she didn't bother trying to hide it from him. "If all it carries is music, then why have it protected?"

She glanced over her shoulder with a grin. "You're thinking about it too hard. The only reason it has a password is to deter theft. It is so small that it would be easy for someone to take. If it is protected, then most thefts of opportunity wouldn't want it. That isn't to say that someone that knows how to hack it wouldn't take it, but for the most part, it helps."

He shook his head at her explanation, but he didn't inquire further. It wasn't long until she had Cloud pull over at a gas station. They could have probably made it back without stopping, but she knew the guys could use a stretch as well. She doubted they would complain, but she saw no need to be cruel. Besides, she really needed the restroom.

She allowed Kaylan to go first while she pumped the gas. When her friend was back, she went ahead quickly. She didn't want to leave them alone for long. When she returned, she was surprised to see Zack already in the back with Noel. He didn't have much room for his legs, but he looked more comfortable than he had been squashed in between Caius and Sephiroth. Kaylan was already sitting in the middle and gave her a smile when she reached the car. "I thought it might be a little more comfortable for everyone if I sat up here. These guys are so huge, I'm sure it was a pain."

Sherry gave Kaylan a smile. "If you're okay with it, that's fine." She turned to the rest of them as well. "Are we ready to get back on the road? We should only need another two hours or so."

Several of them murmured their agreement, but nothing else was said as they loaded back up again. Once they were all back in, Sherry looked back once more and had to bite back a smile. If the situation hadn't been so dire, it would have been comical. These six men were some of the largest, and in some cases, most dour people she had ever met. Seeing them crammed in together like that was something to behold.

They hadn't been back on the road for long before Zack and Noel struck up a conversation. Sherry couldn't really hear what they were saying, but the soft buzz had her head drooping again. She jerked her head up a couple of times, but after the third time her head started to sink, Genesis gently pulled her back against his chest. She was so far gone that she didn't notice as he wrapped an arm around her to keep her still.

Genesis turned his head slightly when Sephiroth called out to him. He smirked at the sight of the other girl leaning against the purple-haired man. He caught Sephiroth's eye and shook his head before he whispered. "If you aren't quiet, you could wake them."

Sephiroth looked over at the girl beside him before he spoke quietly. "We need to discover what has happened."

Caius interrupted him before he could continue. "Be that as it may, it is obvious these two are not warriors. They cannot be used to the pressure that has been thrust upon them, especially the one that was marked. The life of a l'cie is destined to be harsh. Let them rest while they can."

Cloud had donned a frown at Sephiroth's imperious tone, but he didn't add anything to what Caius had said. He was slightly worried about not being able to read the map correctly, but so far, it hadn't been an issue. Plus, he agreed with the purple-haired man. The two girls had been hospitable, even though it was easy to see they were stressed. If they could rest for now, then it would make it easier for them to deal with things once they got to their destination. Or at least he hoped some rest would be able to help. He looked over once more before he focused on the road and tried to push his own worry down.