Switched

The Questionable Awaken

After the briefing was finished, everyone stayed in the room, trying to suggest viable options. Everyone except Tifa. Vincent and Reeve were the only two to make a note of her leaving. They both assumed she was on her way to find and speak with Cloud. If anyone could calm him down, it would be her. The two of them had finally fallen into a comfortable rhythm with each other. No one was sure if their relationship was romantic, but they couldn't deny the two were close.

After she left, the conversation turned to who would fight and how, if it turned out the threat was of a more organic nature. Everyone agreed that they now had a handful of excellent fighters, able to stand up to superhuman tasks, but until they figured out exactly what they faced, it was a moot point trying to figure out the best approach.

Their looped conversation was interrupted by an out of breath guard rushing into the room. "Director Tuesti, we have... oh great! Everyone is still here! The man that has been in the infirmary woke up a short while ago. He started trashing the lab before one of the doctors was finally able to sedate him again. They told me they doubted he would be out long, so if you could head there right away, it would be great!"

Everyone froze for a moment at those words, but the silence was broken when they all started moving towards the exit at once. There wasn't really any shoving, but it seemed as if they were dancing around, trying to all leave together. Finally, Genesis had had enough. "Stop! Enough already! Reeve, I know you want to talk to him, but it would be best if I speak with him first. Sephiroth, if you would accompany me, please? I believe you are the only other person he might be willing to tolerate until we can get him calmed. I am sure you have the room under observation already and can watch from outside the room, correct?"

At his shout and subsequent request, everyone stopped moving towards the door. Reeve looked at him with a contemplative look before nodding. "Yes, there are cameras in the room already. We will observe while you talk to him. If it seems the two of you can't handle it, we will get involved."

Genesis waved off his concern. "Fine, fine. I understand. If you send anyone, Vincent should be the first one. There is a feeling around anyone that has previously been touched by Jenova, and he might be less likely to lose it any further with those of us that share that trait, not to mention he'll be likely to recognize him as the one that defeated him, even when he was merged with Omega. That should serve to calm him." He lowered his head before adding a caveat under his breath. "Or it will make him lose his calm, but it shouldn't come to that."

Only Sephiroth and Vincent had heard his last statement, and they were neither inclined to add anything. As for Reeve, the information about the connection between those that carried Jenova cells wasn't a thought that had previously occurred to him, but he nodded in understanding, realizing they didn't have time now to get into it. With the decision being made, Genesis and Sephiroth moved to follow the antsy guard while everyone else followed Reeve to the monitoring room.

Genesis was the first to enter the infirmary, with Sephiroth following slightly behind, senses alert for danger. When they entered they were both relieved to find Weiss still sleeping, but he was already stirring. Genesis hurried to his bedside and waved the rest of the infirmary staff to wait outside. He didn't want Weiss to wake and see them, not when he would identify them as attackers since they had to tranquilize him.

It was only a few tense moments later that Weiss finally opened his eyes. Genesis moved slightly to make sure he was the first thing the waking man would see. He relaxed a little when Weiss' gaze fell on him, and his eyes lit with recognition. The prone man lifted himself on one arm, then reached out to grasp Genesis by the arm. It looked as if he were trying to reassure himself that the redhead was really there and not a dream. Once he was reassured, he sat up and grasped Genesis' forearm in a clasping handshake. "Brother! I thought I had passed into the lifestream. Am I truly still alive?"