HUZZAH~! Yes, I am ALIVE. So many people have sent messages saying 'Are you ever coming back'. The answer is YES. PROOF. I'm writing this, aren't I? Well, as of now, my current obsession is Advent Children/FFVII/etc. now. But, I may squeeze in Kingdom Hearts, or some Rameses action. Not sure what I'll be in the mood for. Anyway, enjoy the NEW, UPDATED VERSION of Cure Me, Kiss Me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children, or Advent Children COMPLETE, or any characters. I only own Datara, and others you don't recognize, but I'll point them out.

Cure Me, Kiss Me
Chapter One: Interlockin' Eyes

Three women sat at a corner seat in a late night bar called High Spirits. Each woman had a drink in hand, laughing and smiling at each other, enjoying the time they had together, free time, no work. A brunette sat between a blonde and a red head, blushing at the sudden mention of her new boyfriend, personal life after-work and, to her companions hope, sex life. Clutching her drink with both hands, she turned a deeper, cherry red, and shook her head furiously, trying to drown out what the two females were saying.

"No, no, no. I'm serious this time," The red head giggled, a little tipsy, but sober enough to not freak out and make a big scene, "Have you done it, yet?" She asked, rather loudly, causing two males to look in their direction, curiosity painted on their faces.

"Hush!" The brunette hissed, smacking the red head lightly on her arm, "No. We just started dating and all... Besides, we're both so busy all the time, we don't have time for... that."

Cissnei pouted, dissatisfied at the lack of juicy gossip. She sighed, still pouting, and rested her head in her hand. But, as quick as she relaxed, she jolted up again, "I can get you time off. We can, can't we, Elena?" She asked, hopefully to the blonde.

The said blonde, now being entered in the conversation, only smiled. She wouldn't admit it, but she was interested in gossip too. At Shinra, there weren't many females around. Cissnei and Datara were the only ones she could really talk with. "Of course we can. Adding to that, Angeal and Sephiroth should be able to handle missions perfectly fine on their own. And I hear Angeal's new apprentice is a skilled boy." She twirled the straw in her drink, making a small whirlpool as she spoke to the two.

"Not helping, Elena!" Datara complained. She definitely regretted the offer of drinks, now.

Cissnei and Elena both laughed at their friend's reaction. The 1st Class SOLDIER lowered her head, brown locks of hair falling into her face as she pressed her forehead into the wood of the table.

After having her good laugh, Cissnei sighed, almost dreamily in her tipsy state. "Oooh, I can't believe it! You, Datara Lourke, in a relationship with him, Genesis Rhapsodos. Little Ata is growing up!" She giggled one last time before taking a breath, and sipping down the rest of her drink.

"Datara Rhapsodos has a good ring to it," Elena muttered, though the brunette heard.

"Wha! Elena, Cissnei, stop! It's not funny." She pursed her lips and sighed as Cissnei spoke again.

"Oh, oooh! Does he have any cute nicknames for you?"

Datara closed her eyes and sighed, "No. Just Ata, like everyone else calls me."

The three women walked out of High Spirits, Cissnei was waving to a familiar Shinra worker as they departed. Elena ran a hand through her short pale-blonde locks. She breathed in the night air as she awaited her two companions. She was dressed in her regular Shinra Turk wear, the black suit, black shoes, white shirt and tie, just as Cissnei was, but Cissnei wore no jacket tonight. Both had a gun hidden in their belts, just in case.

Datara dressed differently from the two, since she was not a Turk, but SOLDIER. She didn't wear the formal wear of SOLDIER anymore, just as Genesis and Sephiroth didn't. Datara took on a different approach to her appearance. She didn't care about formality, but more about being comfortable. She hadn't changed from her normal SOLDIER wear, so she was still dressed in tattered jean shorts and knee-high sneakers over thigh high black socks, white tank top and black vest.

She walked out after Elena, and tugged Cissnei along. After pulling the red head out into the street, she adjusted the gloves on her hands. They were simple, and like Cissnei's, starting mid-forearm and ending half-way through the palm, before the knuckle. Actually, now that she thought of it, they were Cissnei's. She sighed, remembering the thought.

All three females looked to each other upon the sudden ringing of a phone. Datara blinked, remembering the ring as hers. She blushed at the person calling, and Cissnei giggled while Elena muffled a laugh. Picking it up, Datara cleared her throat. "Hello, Genesis."

"-ya! Datara!" An aggravated sigh, followed by a light shove. "Datara Nayeli Strife!"

The brunette shot up, hitting her head on something hard as she was abruptly awaken by a familiar voice. "Wha! Yeah! I'm awake!"

The dark haired woman beside her sighed, hands on her hips. "Finally. I've been trying to get you awake for ten minutes. You're a damn heavy sleeper."

Datara smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head, sitting up at the bar seat she sat in. "What's up, Tifa?" She readjusted her position in the seat, and flipped a strand of brown hair behind her back. Her hair was long now, halfway down her back, and she hated it. Ata had been meaning to cut it, but never got a chance to. With trying to help Denzel with his Geostigma, and helping Tifa around the bar, and in search of Cloud, she had no time to do anything, really.

"Two things," Tifa held up one finger, "first; how are you doing? You've been sleeping an awful lot. Disease bothering you?"

Datara shook her head, she was just tired, is all, "Nah, the disease hasn't been bothering me, lately. I've just been tired. Maybe from all the deliveries." She laughed, since Cloud had been out a lot, Datara had been handling all the Edge deliveries. They were minor, shopping for elderly, helping around shops, etc., but once they were coming in, they didn't stop, and it got exhausting.

"Hm, okay," Not entirely convinced, Tifa held up a second finger "second; will you go find Cloud? He's supposed to come here, but I haven't heard from him. You know him; he won't answer his damn phone."

Datara laughed, Tifa was right. Cloud never answered his phone. He probably had a zillion messages. Almost laughing aloud at the thought, Datara stood up and stretched her arms over her head, her shirt pulling up slightly. Tifa rolled her eyes. Yuffie's style of dress had drastically made an impact on the sweet, caring Datara's style of dress. Ata, before meeting Yuffie, dressed in dressed and slip on shoes, much like Aerith, and she always had a sweet and innocent look to her. (Although, Tifa didn't blame her, with no memory, how could she remember a personality?)

But, now, since Yuffie and Datara were "biffles" as Yuffie put it, Datara dressed almost exactly like the ninja. Black short-shorts, a black and white flowered sleeveless midriff shirt, silver knee-high sneakers, and mid-forearm to knuckle gloves. Tifa sighed; it was like Yuffie, but inversed colors and a little more "Datara flare".

Though, Tifa was one to talk when even her own shirt showed a bit of her stomach. Oh, well.

Datara smiled and gave a peace sign before bolting upstairs to her room. She shared it with Marlene, and it had a connected bathroom, but since Denzel's Geostigma had gotten worse, Marlene had been in Denzel's room more than anywhere. Passing by said boys room, Ata stopped in her tracks and went back to see the two kids. Marlene smiled weakly at Datara and looked back to Denzel, who was sleeping. Patting the small girls' back, Datara left the room again.

She had to grab her weapons before leaving. Almost tripping over a red figure, Datara looked at what was on the ground. "Dilae!" She scolded "What did I say about lying in the middle of the room? I could go out the window and die if I don't see you," She was only kidding, but she scolded the red lion-like animal affectionately. Dilae had been a gift. Red XIII had brought him, saying he needed someone to look after the cub for a while, but Dilae had taken a liking to Datara, and she to him, and they've been stuck together. She smiled and stroked the cat's head, before grabbing her needed items.

She didn't think she'd need anything healing wise – and she had healing powers anyway – so she just stuck with grabbing her sword. It was large, standing about seven inches smaller than Cloud's Buster Sword. Some wouldn't think a female her size would be able to handle it, but she was actually quiet skilled. She didn't know why, either. Although, she couldn't remember things past two years ago, when she was brought to Seventh Heaven. Cloud had found her in Midgar, lost, confused, and scared. She had wandered into Aerith's Church, and he took care of her, and then took her to Tifa. Cloud said that she only remembered her name, Datara, and that was it. Cloud and Tifa took her in, and Cloud considered the brunette to be a sister, small and in need of help. He was skeptical, but she called him 'brother' first, and he accepted the nickname. Sliding the sword into the holster on her back, she rested her elbow on the hilt. She didn't know why some people had the sword extend from behind their head. What if they messed up, they'd lose their head!

Stupid Zack...

Stopping in her tracks, she blinked. Zack? Who the hell was Zack? She shook her head, as well at the name. She bolted back down the hall and down the stairs, keys in hand. Passing by Tifa, she waved, but a breaking news announcement caught her attention, and Tifa's. Tifa set down the glass she was washing, and they both turned to the small television on the bar counter. The television was old and the picture was blurry, but it did its job and delivered the news well.

"Police have new reports of three men attacking city after city in the Nibel area. The trio has moved from the Nibel area, and has been recently sighted in the Gongaga area. So far, we're not sure as to what their after, but police are working on getting them into custody. We have a clip now from an anonymous sender. Let's take a look."

The screen cut to a clip, a blurry clip, of someone taking a video of the trio. From what she could see, Datara noticed they had silver hair, and were dressed in black – just black. She couldn't see their faces, but then the clip cut again, this time to one of them talking into the camera. She shivered visibly at the face. She wasn't afraid, no. She was... attracted? Weird. Some sketch on the TV and she was attracted to him. Blinking as the clip was over, she turned to Tifa. "Weird. Anyway, I'll be off. Hopefully I'll have Cloud when I come back," She made her way to the door, and waved a gloved hand at Tifa "I've got my cell in case."

Tifa smiled and waved as her young friend left.

Settling herself on the sleek black bike, the same as Cloud's, Datara revved the engine. She sighed as she heard it. A few weeks ago, the bike suffered from a bad fall, and Datara didn't think it'd run again. Thankfully, after she worked on it, her precious bike was up and running again. She didn't think she had what it took to be a mechanic, but whatever she did worked.

She pulled out from the alleyway and went the back way to destroyed Midgar. Since the highway was demolished, everyone going to Midgar had to go through the wastelands. She didn't mind, nothing was normally out there, so it didn't bother her. It was just boring.

She kept her eyes open and alert for Cloud, in hopes to find the blonde. She was actually excited to see him; she hadn't in a few weeks. She missed her brother.

Snapping from her thoughts, Datara turned at the sound of an engine. Or rather, three engines. Datara blinked and squinted to get a better look. Three bikes were coming her way, a large mass of dirt behind them from the drive. They looked oddly familiar, too. Once they were in better view, Datara gasped. It was that terrorizing trio! She wanted to slow her pace and turn around, but figured they'd only follow. But, she was heading straight for them, would they shoot her? Kill her? Take her hostage and use her as bait? Oh, no. She panicked. They were coming in closer. And closer, and closer. She had no choice now, just pass them.

She locked eyes with the middle one, the one who spoke on the television. Her breathing slowed, her heart skipped two beats. He started back. Time seemed to be slowing; they were passing each other at an alarmingly slow pace. She wanted to blink, look away, something, but (figures), she couldn't. God, he had such intense eyes. They were so full of emotion. Finally, he turned away from her and she tore her eyes away. But, she looked back. To her surprise, they weren't following, and he was looking back too. The one on his left seemed to be speaking to him, but the middle one paid no attention.

Her bike swerved, she hit a rock. Turning back, she yelled, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Before grabbing the handlebars for dear life and adjusting the bike again. Skidding to a stop Datara blinked and sighed, glad she didn't crash. She looked behind her again, in hopes of seeing that middle boy.

All she saw was the dust cloud they left behind.

Kadaj shut the cell phone with an angry grunt. Stupid Turk, hanging up on him. Well, he'd just have to pay a visit to the president on his own, wouldn't he? Won't that be fun? Raising his right hand, the leather clad teen called back his Shadow Beasts, freeing 'Big Brother' from a horrid death. He wouldn't kill him that easily, no way. Smirking down at the blonde, Kadaj mounted his bike and rode off to meet his brothers.

The trio met up a few minutes later. Kadaj's bike had stalled, and he got a call from Shinra himself, the president telling him to come to Healin for a small talk. Kadaj only smirked. As the three were divvying up roles on who would do what, Kadaj noticed another bike coming their way. He growled. If that was Cloud, he'd flip a shit. But, he saw it was a more slender figure on the bike, and long brown hair. He blinked, a female, out here? Odd. The bikes were coming closer and closer. Yazoo turned to Kadaj, but the teen brushed him off. His eyes were on the female coming closer to them.

Their eyes locked, Kadaj and the female. He wouldn't deny, she was awfully pretty. And she had the brightest blue eyes he'd ever seen. They held so much confusion, he almost felt sorry for her. He turned back to the front as Loz called to him. Though, Kadaj turned back, she was looking back too. What was with her! She swerved, and turned back to what was in front of her.

"Kadaj, do we go after her?" Yazoo asked

Kadaj contemplated. She was heading towards Midgar, maybe to Big Brother? He could use her as bait. No. He had a meeting with Shinra soon; it'd take too long to grab her. "No." And with that, he sped up and created a large cloud of dust as the trio headed back to their base.

SOOOOOOO, whaddoya think? Good, bad, ugly?
I bet you weren't expecting that little Cissnei, Datara, Elena bit there, eh? Wellll, all will be explained soon. Or, I could just abandon this story now, and leave you pondering, never to know the end EVER. But, I'm not that bitchy. I'll be updating soon. I've already started on the next TWO chapters, too!

:3

Constructive criticism is LOVED. Review, please.