"Well, I used to be spoiled little rich girl," Jessie began. "Living the good life while Shinra's reactors were killing the planet and people here in the slums suffered. I didn't know back then..."
Sitting next to me at the table, she swallowed and told us how she'd grown up in her father's mansion on the plate and how hard things had been for her and her mom. Heidegger, her father, had mistreated them both, and I started to understand just how deep Jessie's issues with him really ran and why she hated him so bitterly. But she also admitted how much she wished things had been different, how he'd changed from the way he'd been when she was just a kid.
From there, Jessie shared how she'd begun working at Shinra when she was sixteen, in part to try and find a way to restore the connection she'd once had with her father by spending time in his world, where he was. But, although she'd excelled at her work in Systems Operation, she hadn't been able to make any headway with Heidegger. And then there was Scarlet, who'd given her a second job in the Weapons Development Division, one she'd eventually come to regret.
Jessie didn't go into detail, but she said that certain things had gone down in her time there that had made her start to question herself and Shinra. And then came the Reactor 3 massacre. Marissa blinked away a tear as Jessie talked about it, and I remembered then that she'd lost her husband in that incident. He'd led a large group of workers who'd been protesting about the terrible working conditions in the place. But then, several of the roboguards had supposedly gone berserk and killed him and everyone else before self-destructing.
In the aftermath, Jessie had begun her own investigation with help from Reeve and had found out that Heidegger had been behind it. He'd remotely activated the mechs and had used them to destroy the protest only moments after it had started. Shinra had covered the whole thing up by claiming it was an accident, but Jessie had found the truth. They had wanted to retain control at any cost and had been willing to kill to do it rather than help their own employees.
Marissa had left not very long after that, but not before promoting Jessie to Director of Systems Operation in spite of her young age—she'd only been nineteen at the time. But, as Marissa was quick to point out, Jessie'd been something of a prodigy, and with her skill, dedication, and natural talent, she'd been a good fit for the job.
But she wouldn't be there for long. Jessie went on, not quite able to hide the pain in her eyes and voice as she told us about her mom, how she'd slowly gathered evidence over the years of Heidegger's complicity in the Reactor 3 incident and other underhanded things that he'd been involved in at Shinra and had intended to use it as leverage to convince him to let her and Jessie go. But that hadn't worked out. The train she'd been taking to Sector 7 to get her information verified never got there. It had derailed, killing her and everyone aboard.
Jessie had almost died herself as well—the train hadn't been far out from the platform, and the blast had nearly consumed it. But thanks to Reeve, who'd gone there that day to see her mom off, she had survived. He'd saved her, although she'd been badly wounded. After two weeks in the hospital, Jessie had begun digging for the truth, suspecting it wasn't the accident that Shinra had made it out to be.
That was also when she had discovered Scarlet's betrayal, how she'd twisted and misused the weapons and mechs Jessie had designed. She'd turned them from tools of defense meant to protect people into killing machines responsible for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of injuries and deaths. As soon as Jessie had found out, she had confronted Scarlet and had quit her job, giving her a good slap on the face as well. But she hadn't gotten outta there unscathed.
After being shot in the arm by Scarlet, Jessie had run downstairs to Reeve's office, where he had treated her and helped her escape from the building. And that's how her time at Shinra had ended. In the midst of all that, she had also discovered that her father had been the one who'd caused the train wreck that had killed her mom. He'd ordered Tseng to have several soldiers rig the track with explosives and had set them off himself remotely. Jessie had been furious.
She explained that since she'd known her father was aware that she had discovered the truth about what he'd done, he'd come after her and try to finish what he'd started if he found her. So she'd gone into hiding. With help from Andrea, she'd completely changed how she looked and had started over as an actress in Sector 8.
Jessie talked fondly about her return to the stage, and I could see it still meant a lot to her. Being under the lights again, performing. It was easy enough to see how much she missed it. She told us of the audition for LOVELESS and how she'd gone out for it, giving it all she had. She'd won the part, of course, and her life had changed because of it, leading her to a fame she'd never expected or looked for.
It was then that she'd met Kunsel, her first love. She didn't go into a lot of detail about it even though it didn't bother me to hear it. I knew I was the guy who had her heart now, even if I was still a little surprised that I'd won it. I hadn't been looking to get involved with anyone when I'd first arrived in Midgar two months ago, but then again, things don't always happen quite the way you expect.
In any event, those two years she'd lived in Sector 8, especially once she'd started seeing Kunsel, had been some of the happiest in her life. I listened as she told us how he had always come to see her perform, and how they'd often taken walks together at night after her shows. And on her birthday, he'd proposed to her. She'd thought she was finally free of her father and the scars of her painful past.
But then, just two months later, he'd found her. She and Kunsel had been on one of their walks when Reno and Rude had ambushed them, trying to bring her in and take her to Heidegger without knowing what he had in store for her. She'd escaped with Kunsel's help, though, telling the Turks that turning her over would mean her death—her father had already tried to kill her once, and she knew he'd do anything to prevent her from exposing the truth of his crimes.
But they hadn't gotten far. Shinra soldiers had been waiting for her and Kunsel, chasing them halfway across Sector 8 until cornering them outside LOVELESS Theater, where Tseng and another squad had been waiting. But then, Aerith—who'd met and befriended Jessie during her time there as an actress—had intervened.
She'd stood in between the soldiers and Jessie, knowing that Tseng wouldn't allow her to be harmed. Jessie and Kunsel had escaped during the confrontation, heading toward the expressway. But Reno and Rude had gotten ahead of them, anticipating their escape route and planning on closing the net. Or so she'd thought.
They'd shown up at the end of the alley Jessie and Kunsel had been running down, blocking the way out. But instead of trying to bring her in again, Reno and Rude had stepped aside and let her go. They hadn't wanted to be a part of killing an innocent girl, as she'd pointed out back in the Sector 7 pillar, and she also revealed that Reno had lied to Tseng over the phone about her whereabouts as well.
With Reeve's help, Jessie had escaped from the plate, but she'd also lost Kunsel, which had broken her heart and torn her apart inside for a very long time. He had stayed behind to keep her father off her back as much as he could, knowing that he'd be watched and that he could use that to misdirect Heidegger so he wouldn't realize that Jessie was in the slums. Marissa had helped Kunsel pull it off, risking her life to keep up the illusion that Jessie was still on the plate.
Aerith had been there for Jessie back then, had caught up to her at the same old church that she and I had first met at and had invited her to stay with her and Elmyra for a little while until she'd gotten back on her feet. And slowly, Jessie had begun to build a new life for herself. As she told us about living here, helping with the flowers, and starting her business, she gave Aerith a knowing smile, no doubt glad to be talking of happier memories again. And it deepened when she wrapped up her story with her eventual arrival in Sector 7.
"And that's how I wound up in the slums," Jessie said.
Tifa nodded, standing up. "Thank you for telling us, Jessie. I know it wasn't easy for you to share all of that."
She sighed. "It wasn't. But it felt good to get it out, you know?"
"I do," Tifa agreed, gently taking her shoulder.
I felt the same way. It had been tough to talk about Nibelheim, but at the same time, doing that had taken a weight off my shoulders. Tifa's too, I could tell. Still, I was sure Jessie hadn't told us everything. While she'd hinted at other things her father had been involved in besides the Reactor 3 massacre and the train accident that had killed her mom, she hadn't said much about what they were. But her eyes had found Barret when she'd been talking, and they'd held a deep sadness that she hadn't quite been able to hide, at least from me.
"We're all here for you, Jessie," Aerith assured her.
"You bet!" Biggs winked.
Wedge popped a thumbs up. "What he said!"
"Thanks, guys..." Jessie smiled.
Barret grinned. "Anytime. So, now that we all caught up, what's the plan for tomorrow? Any ideas, people?"
"Sector 7," she said, her voice firm. "I need to see it."
I glanced at her. "You sure, Jessie? We can wait another day to give you a little more time to heal first."
She didn't budge. "Positive. I'll be fine."
"Just don't push yourself too hard," I reminded her.
"No promises," Jessie smirked. "But I'm sure you'll be there to look after me like a mother chocobo. Am I right?"
I nodded. "Of course."
"I'll come with you," Aerith said. "The people there need help, so I wanna do whatever I can before we leave."
"So do I," Wedge added.
Biggs looked him. "You said it, buddy! I'm in."
"Don't forget about the storehouse," Lena said. "We could look into that, too. I know right where it is."
"Then I'm countin' on ya," Barret told her.
She pumped her fist. "You can rely on me! I'll get us there!"
"I'm going, too," Tifa said. "If that place is anything like the supply depot Jessie and I snuck into, there's bound to be terrible things inside. And a fight or two with Shinra's forces."
"Then I should accompany you as well," Red offered.
I looked at everyone. "Alright. Seems we've decided. The five of us will go to Sector 7 while you four check out the storehouse. Then we'll meet back here at the end of the day."
"Now that's a plan and a half!" Lena agreed.
"Just be sure to return safely," Elmyra reminded us. "Be careful out there, all of you. I'll look after Marlene."
Barret stood up. "Mighty grateful for that, Elmyra. An' now that ya mention it, I'm gonna go an' check up on her. The rest of ya oughta get a bite to eat an' some rest. We got us a busy day tomorrow. Best prepare for it so we can start out fresh an' early."
"Oh, yeah!" Wedge grinned. "Refueling time!"
He, Elmyra, and Aerith set about getting dinner ready—it was dark outside now, and it was hard to believe we'd been at this all day. But the stiffness in my legs from sitting so long told me we had. And the others all stretched when they got up, too. All but Jessie, of course. She stayed where she was, absently rubbing her wounded arm with her good hand as she watched the rest of us. I knew how restless she must've felt, hurt as she was, so I did what I could to help her.
— — — — — — —
After we ate—the food was as good as ever—I had Cloud bring me back to my room upstairs for the night. Although I had put up a tough front and hated being so helpless, I knew there wasn't much I could do about it right now. My body could only heal so fast, and it still ached in over a dozen places. The potions and aspirin helped a bit, but doing so much so soon had really worn me out.
Tifa had guided me through some more exercises while dinner was cooking and had worked with me until I was sweating and my muscles burned with exertion. It was hard, but I was determined to recover and get back to how I used to be, to regain the strength and mobility I'd lost when I'd been injured and really heal. It would take time, but I knew I'd make it. There was so much ahead of us, so much still to do. And I was gonna make damn sure I was a part of it.
Cloud gently set me on the bed. "Last stop today."
"And here's your fee," I teased, kissing him.
"Paid in full," he smirked.
I laughed as I sat on the bed, my hand in his. "You're lucky I'm still pretty banged up, merc. Otherwise I'd be all over you right now. Better watch out once I'm fully recovered."
"I don't doubt it," he agreed. "You gonna jump on me?"
"You'd better believe it!" I winked.
Cloud sighed, but I could tell he was just playing it cool again, like always. "Guess I've got no choice, then."
I touched my lips to his. "Not at all, SOLDIER boy."
We stayed there like that for a while, Cloud sitting down alongside me as we kissed. It made my heart race as my stomach did somersaults again and again, and I loved every second of it. As our mouths pressed against each other and our tongues danced, he held me close, his arms around me as he let his guard down a bit now that we were alone again. I held onto him with my good hand and didn't wanna ever let go. After all that had happened, I only wanted to be here.
A little later, there was a soft knock on the door, and I had to stifle a giggle when Cloud blushed and pulled away. Although he'd kissed me in front of the others once or twice, he still wasn't used to it. Having an audience never bothered me, of course, but I knew it was awkward for him. And he still liked to put on that tough merc act all the time. I was just happy he had let me see behind it.
"Uh, come on in," he said, looking at the door.
It was Marissa. "Hi, guys. Sorry to intrude. Just wanted to check on Jessie one more time before calling it a night. And... do you think you could give us a few minutes, Cloud? I was hoping to talk with her alone while I'm at it, if you wouldn't mind."
He nodded and stood up. "Sure. I'll be downstairs."
"See you soon!" I said, blowing him a kiss.
The corners of Cloud's mouth turned up ever so slightly, and then he left, closing the door lightly behind him. Once he was gone, Marissa got started, examining me and asking me what hurt. I answered as well as I could, although I insisted the pain wasn't so bad. Of course, it was, but at least with Cloud there, I'd been able to ignore it a little. Now that he was gone, though, I couldn't.
"I want you take another potion and then get some sleep," she said. "Doctor's orders. You need your rest more than any of us, Jessie. I'll get you some aspirin and water, too."
"Thanks," I said, wincing as Marissa pressed lightly against the side of my chest to check my bruised ribs. "I could definitely use them. But anyway, what's on your mind? You okay?"
She let go and gently took my pulse. "Yeah. I was just thinking that since you're on the mend, I should probably head back up to the plate. Elmyra can take it from here, I think."
I sighed. "You sure?"
"I'll leave tomorrow morning," Marissa decided. "But don't worry, I plan on coming back in a few days to visit once I've taken care of a few things at home. It probably won't be until after Cloud and the rest leave on their journey, though. But I'll be here."
"You'd better!" I smirked. "It's been great seeing you again, Marissa. And say hi to Kunsel for me, would you?"
She nodded, blushing a little. "I will. He says he's feeling better, but you know how he is. Almost as bad as you. So I'm going to have a look at him myself just to be sure. He's also putting a few things together for you, too. To help you out once you're back on your feet. We'll be sure to bring them with us when we come back."
"He's coming here, too!?" I gasped in delight.
A thrill of excitement swept through me at what Marissa had said. I hadn't seen Kunsel in two years, and although I loved Cloud to death, I still missed him. Kunsel had been my whole world when I'd still been living on the plate, and even though I knew I could only be a friend to him now, it still made me so deliriously happy to hear that I'd finally be able to see him again after all this time.
Marissa smiled. "Yeah. He's as excited as you are. We were making plans about it over the phone last night."
I would've liked to have talked to Kunsel myself, but aside from the call I'd had with Reeve, I'd been too hurt and tired to do too much until today. And even that had been short, just enough to let him know that I was alright and that I appreciated all he'd done to save me. I hoped I'd get to see him and Cait Sith again as well. They were as much family to me as Aerith, Tifa, Barret, and the others.
"Now I see why you wanted to talk to me alone," I giggled. "Cloud's not the jealous type, though. But you're probably right to wait to bring Kunsel down here until after he's left."
Marissa checked my bandages—I still had a few on in places—and then sat down next to me. "That's part of it, yeah. I thought it would be better that way. Less awkward, you know. But... there's something else I wanted to ask you about as well, Jessie."
I looked at her. "Go ahead. Something bothering ya?"
"Well... you know Kunsel and I have spent the last two years doing what we could to fool your father into believing you were still up there on the plate," she said, swallowing heavily. "I pretended to be you, as if you'd kept trying to start over again in different places across Midgar. It was dangerous, but as long as it kept you safe, I didn't mind. Part of the act was also... spending time with Kunsel."
I thought I knew where this was going. "Cute, isn't he?"
Marissa ran a hand through her hair. "Always thought he was. But I never expected... anyway, we'd meet and have dinner together at times, take walks, anything in public that would let your father's men see me. We pretended to be a couple to make it convincing, although I've never done more than give him a hug. And... somewhere along the line, I... I found myself wanting it to be real between us. I fell for him, Jessie. He doesn't know, though. I've never told him."
"Because of me," I said, understanding. "That right?"
"I felt so guilty, Jessie, because I knew how much he meant to you. And I didn't want to be in the way if you were still interested in him by the time you saw him again. Of course, you're with Cloud now, but... I still didn't want to tell Kunsel how I feel without talking to you about it first. Do you mind that... I'm in love with him?"
I smiled. "Nope. Why would I?"
"Really!?" Marissa was the one squealing this time.
"Of course!" I said. "You're my good friend, and I know you'll take great care of him. He can be a handful sometimes, but I think you're up to it. And you deserve to be loved again."
She hugged me. "Thank you, Jessie. I haven't felt this way in a long time, not since my husband died. But... what if Kunsel doesn't feel the same way? I'm almost afraid to find out."
"You let me worry about that," I told her. "I'll have a little chat with him when he gets here and see where he stands. But in the meantime, I was wondering if you could tell me something. Kunsel still digs up info on Shinra's secrets and black ops, right?"
Marissa nodded. "He does, yeah. And he passes as much of it along to Reeve as he can. I don't need to remind you how your father and the other directors have always kept him out of the loop on certain things. Why do you ask? Is there something you need?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. There's a certain project that Scarlet and I began working on about a year before I left. It was still on the drawing board back then, but she may have a developed a working prototype by now. And if she has, I could definitely use it. I thought of it when I was telling you guys about working for her."
"I'll have him check it out," she said. "What is it?"
It didn't take long to tell her about the project, what it was for, and what was in it. Everything I'd need, though I'd likely have to get it fitted properly once I had it. Andrea would help me with that, assuming that Scarlet did have a prototype ready. I was sure that she did, though. She didn't like to leave things unfinished.
And then there was the rest of the gear that went with it. I'd lost my gun when I'd fallen from the plate, but what Scarlet and I had designed as part of this project would more than make up for it. After I'd learned how to use them, that is. But I wasn't worried about that. Kunsel could teach me easily enough—although SOLDIERs often used swords, they were actually trained to wield a variety of weapons so they could adapt to different situations. Kunsel loved his blade as much as he'd loved me, but he could fight in other ways as well.
I grinned when I was finished. "So, what do you think?"
"You're going to look fantastic, Jessie!" Marissa smirked. "And kick ass at the same time. I think it's a great idea. You know it won't be easy to get it, though. It's probably locked up somewhere deep in the Shinra Building. Are you sure about this?"
"Positive. I need it, Marissa," I told her.
She nodded. "You're planning on catching up to Cloud and the rest once you've recovered, aren't you?"
It wasn't a question. "I've got to. It's just something I feel inside me. Instinct, maybe. I don't know. But I've gotta do this, Marissa. I need to be there for him same as he's done for me."
"I understand," she said. "Just don't go alone."
I smiled. "I won't, I promise. Biggs would throw a fit if I tried. So I guess it'll be me, him, Wedge, and Lena. But let's keep the plans for my new gear just between us for now. If Cloud knew, he'd definitely stay to help, but he and the others need to go on ahead after Sephiroth. I think it's dangerous for them to wait too long."
Marissa stood up. "Of course. In the meantime, I'll get your meds. And once you take them, be sure to get some sleep. It's been a long day, and we've got another one tomorrow."
"Won't get any argument from me," I agreed.
"And... thanks again, Jessie," she added. "About Kunsel."
I giggled. "Sure! I'm happy for ya."
"I've always had a thing for younger guys," Marissa laughed. "I was a little older than my husband, too. By two years. Of course, Kunsel's a bit more than that, but it doesn't matter."
"Never does when you love someone," I agreed.
She was thirty-three, ten years older than I was, and Kunsel would be twenty-eight by now. Five years her junior, but as she'd said, it didn't matter. They were friends and had been through a lot together over the past two years, putting themselves in danger time and time again, and I knew he'd be as good to her as he'd been to me.
After helping me lay down, Marissa left, so I just enjoyed the quiet for a little while. She came back for a minute with the potion, pills, and a glass of water, and once I'd taken them, she wished me goodnight and went downstairs. When the door opened again a short time later, I felt my stomach flutter as Cloud walked in. He went right over to his usual spot in the chair by my bed, and I smiled.
"There's my SOLDIER boy," I teased. "Been waiting for ya."
He got himself settled in for the night. "Get everything settled with Marissa? She said she's heading out tomorrow."
I nodded. "Yeah. It's all good."
"Okay," he said. "And about Sector 7..."
"Not pretty, is it?" I sighed.
Cloud shook his head. "No. Just thought I'd warn you."
"Thanks," I said. "I know it's not gonna be easy, but I'll be alright as long as you're there with me, Cloud."
"I will be," he promised.
My heart racing at his words, I gazed fondly at him even as I barely stifled a yawn. "Well, in that case, I guess we'd better get some shut-eye. But before we do that, get over here..."
He leaned closer, knowing what I meant, and I reached up with my good hand, gently pulled him to me, and kissed him. Warmth coursed through me at the feel of his lips on mine. I knew he'd be leaving in the next few days, so I wanted to savor the time we had together, especially since I didn't know when I'd see him again.
Eventually, Cloud and I had to come up for air, and when we did, I gave him a tender peck on the cheek before he finally settled back into his chair. We talked for a little longer, and then I found myself drifting off to sleep, the pain in my body just a dull ache that I could ignore for the time being. Tomorrow, I'd be returning to Sector 7 to see for myself what my father had done to it. I'd lost another home, and thousands of people had died. But it wouldn't go unanswered.
I'd see to that.