DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, places, names, or anything of Final Fantasy VII. This story is purely fan made and made for the enjoyment of writing.

Author's Note: The continuation of this story will be solely based on the feedback I receive. So I encourage readers to please review if it sparks an interest. This is, obviously, going to be dark story (like usual), so expect the characters to sort of fall in line with the theme. And a word to the wise: This story will contain some graphic violence and crude language. Thanks and happy reading!

Chapter I

"We therefore commit her body to the ground; Gaia to Gaia, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in the sure and certain hope of eternal life within the Lifestream."

Death had once again, taken another life from the world. A life so innocent and pure, that this whole funeral just seemed so wrong to her. This was the second time…the second time death had taken away such a beautiful life from her. From her family and from all of her friends.

Tifa's brown eyes stared impassively at the red wood casket before her as she held her umbrella over her head. She watched the raucous and heavy rain fall against the casket and destroy the colorful bouquet of flowers in the middle. All of the deceased woman's close family and friends surrounded her coffin with black umbrellas to shield themselves from the gloomy weather. All of their watery eyes were watching the handcrafted wooden box as the priest lowly recited the last set of prayers.

Aerith Gainsborough's body was in that casket. Lifeless and gone. Distorted and grotesque.

A feeling of gracelessness fell upon her as she found herself still tearless compared to everyone else. She had thought that by the time the funeral came her mind would accept the fact that her friend was dead and move on from the shock and denial stage. But this was normal. She remembered her mother's funeral, her first one, as a young girl. She didn't cry until days after her funeral, when all the emotions hit her at once.

There was just something different about Aerith's funeral compared to her mother's. Something that felt different. Indeed, she felt the contagious sorrow that infected everyone…but there was also a heavy dose of fear.

A sort of deep and hidden fear that continued to dangerously cultivate inside of her.

But she could also see fear in Yuffie's brown eyes as their gaze met across the casket. Her best friend stood next to her boyfriend as the tears fell down her cheeks. She was tightly wrapped in Vincent's warm embrace, struggling with the loss. She was dressed in a black, long-sleeved dress that came down just before her knees and along with some decent black heels. She swiped her dyed, electric blue bangs out of her eyes and combined back a small lock of her short, black hair before tearing her eyes away from her friend.

This was Yuffie's first funeral.

She quietly sighed and looked down at her black suede bootie shoes. Of all the people in the world, Aerith had to die. She was so young and full of so much life. She had helped save so many people at Midgar Hospital and was probably one of the best nurses there. And she had such a great life ahead of her. She had her dream job…she was going to marry the man she loved so much…

Aerith was definitely going to have a better life than she'd ever have. Compared to her, she was absolutely nothing. She was just some silly college graduate who couldn't find a job anywhere but at a sleazy bar in Midgar and had to either serve drinks to the overpaid, arrogant ShinRa employees or shaking her ass around in the dance cage. Hell, she was lucky she was able to find a conservative black sheath dress and some black tights to wear to the funeral. Someone like Aerith didn't deserve this death.

But she didn't just 'die' like mom…

She was murdered.

Tifa shuttered as the haunting image resurfaced from the depths of her mind. She remembered seeing the gruesome and brutal crime scene. She was the first to see the dead corpse and the first to report the murder to the authorities. She remembered seeing her dirty body lying in the mucky grass, half naked in her torn and blood drenched clothes. Her once stunning visage was so viciously cut up and distorted that her facial bones were visible and there was hardly any skin left. Her fragile jaw was broken out of place and her nose was completely smashed into pieces. At her chest were larger and deeper cuts, like someone had taken an axe and crushed it into her. And all the blood…dear gods, the oozing blood…

How could someone be so cruel…so grisly to such a kindhearted woman?

What was their purpose?

What kind of godforsaken world was this?

Stop.

She brushed away her dark brown bangs from her warm face. She exhaled loudly as she tried to calm herself down and remove the horrifying picture from her head. She could only imagine what Aerith's parents and family might be going through. What Zack might be growing through.

Zack…

She remembered meeting him at Kalm University, where they easily and quickly became friends. But their friendship was short lived when he left college to join SOLDIER, which in time, lead him to become head of the Public Safety Maintenance Department of the world famous ShinRa Power Company. Eventually they ran into each other again at her workplace, the 7th Heaven bar, and their friendship blossomed once again. It was the same day he introduced Aerith to her, who a year later, had an engagement ring around her finger.

But it was also the same day Zack introduced someone else to her. He was his best friend he had met and fought with in SOLDIER…who too did his climb up the ShinRa Power Company ladder and became head of the Urban Development Department. She remembered the awestruck look on his face when she shook his hand and smiled. Little did she know how much that day would change her life forever.

She now regretted the day she met Zack's friend. She regretted having long talks with him after work late in the night. She regretted being with him and letting herself go with all of those damn feelings…

Those same, forbidden feelings she still had and couldn't let go of.

This was what fed the hungry trepidation entangled in her chest.

She was in love.

Why? Why did it have to be her to fall under his spell?

Why did all of this have to happen to me?

Tifa lifted her gaze from her shoes as she returned to the real world. She found that the funeral was already over and the crowd was slowly dissipating. She realized that it was just her, Aerith's parents, and Zack left at the casket. Aerith's grieving parents were discoursing with the priest, who was trying his best to comfort the couple in their time of loss. Her mother briefly glanced at her, but Tifa quickly looked away. There was nothing she could say them.

She started to walk away until she finally saw Zack emerge from the crowd to approach the coffin. He stood in front of the casket with his left hand resting on top. His top designer, solid black suit was drenched in water as he stood in the pouring rain. His short, spikey black hair was completely flat and stands of hair seemed to stick around the frame of his face as he stared at the occupied casket. His visage looked absolutely horrible, like he hadn't slept or eaten in days. His eyes were sunken in and dark circles had formed underneath his glowing eyes. He looked sort of pale and had a rough, 5 o'clock shadow going on.

She shook her head. It pained her to see her friend like this. Zack was always so classic, neat, and clean cut…

But what scared her most were his eyes. His bloodshot, mako eyes. Their usual look of warm blissfulness was long gone. And instead, they were contaminated with something foreign and wild. His eyes had yet to shed a single tear…and he didn't even look a tiny bit depressed or grieve stricken. There was nothing but a look of sternness as his mind fought back his emotions. She watched him swallow hard, and his other hand form into a tight fist. A darkness was eating his insides out.

Finding it unbearable to see her friend in such a state, Tifa willingly went over to Zack and placed a hand on his shoulder and covered him with her umbrella. She could smell an overpowering scent of alcohol on his clothes and in his breath.

"Zack…" Tifa half whispered through the gray rain. "I–"

He looked at her with a harsh look and suddenly she went speechless. This new, darker side displayed seemed to have fully consumed him. The man that was once her close friend was now…someone inhuman. Someone she didn't know. And again, she could feel the fear inside of her mutate.

"What?" His rough tone was like a knife, easily able to slice through her.

Her mouth continued to hang open, wordless and in disbelief. She knew it was natural for someone to be disturbed by the sudden death of their loved one, but she felt that Zack was taking it to a more extreme level.

Gods, Tifa!

Say something!

"I'm…I was just–I'm so sorry…"

For a split second, she swore she saw the smallest light of her true, caring friend as she held their gaze. But the moment was lost when he shook off her hand. Tifa tucked her hand back down at her side and awkwardly lowered her head to stare at wet green grass.

Why the hell do I even try to help?

She silently cursed to herself.

He just needs time to heal…

He needs to be alone and accept what's happened.

"I'm sorry, Tifa, but I can't…" Zack stopped and swallowed hard. Her dark eyes returned to look at him again. "You need to leave."

She brushed back her rich, long hair behind her ears and nodded. She was about to turn away until he began to speak unexpectedly.

"Stay away from him."

She froze.

She could feel her heart pump faster and the blood rushing through her veins.

"Stay away from him, Tifa. I don't ever want to see you with him." He growled as his voice started to rise. "I don't want to see you get hurt….I don't want any of this to ever happen again."

She remained silent. His words were making her chest ache even more.

"I want to hear him confess in court. To me, to everyone, to you." He looked back down at the casket.

"And then I want him to suffer. Suffer like–" His neck recoiled, and he twisted his head away from Tifa.

Her name hit a heartstring. He couldn't say it. It was just too agonizing.

Eventually silence fell over the two and only the sound of rainfall could be heard. But it was broken when he finally began to silently weep.

"I won't…" Tifa muttered in sympathy as she saw the hot tears form in his tired eyes. "I won't."

Her word was the least she could do for him. But in all honesty…she didn't know if she could keep it.

"But Zack…if you need anything or need someone to talk to, Yuffie and I are here for you…" She said as she fought back her own tears. "We'll help you get through this all the way."

"Yeah…" He whispered as he turned to face Tifa.

He played an ugly, crooked smile on his face as a fierce look of determination colored his eyes.

"I'll make him pay."

She shook her head. "I'm very sorry Zack," She lowly repeated. "But I…I really need to go."

Before he could speak again, Tifa turned and walked away and headed for the gates of the cemetery. She could feel his eccentric eyes trailing her as she walked away, burning on her back.

She couldn't speak to him anymore. She couldn't take this anymore.

Zack wanted nothing but sweet revenge on his lethal friend…

The man she had come to know and love.

Cloud Strife.