I do not own any of the characters from Final Fantasy 7 nor Kingdom Hearts I & II. Please read, enjoy, and review!
"I love you,"
"I love you too, and nothing will tear us apart,"
"Not even him?"
"Not even him,"
"No! Don't touch me! Leave me alone!"
"The last of your kind.."
"Artificial insemination?! Has he gone mad?!"
"I'm pregnant…with your baby,"
"How do you know?"
"The planet told me,"
"Ready? Okay…one…two…push!"
"Hang in there! I can see the head!"
"Congratulations! It's a beautiful baby boy!"
"The absolute last of you kind! Jenova…Cetra…"
"Stay away from my baby! Don't you give him needles!"
"The lab is in flames!"
"Take care of them for me…"
"Don't you leave us!!"
"NO!!"
Panting heavily and covered in a cold sweat, Aeris sprang from her bed. Her long brown hair stuck to her back like glue, her emerald eyes scanning her room. She quickly scrambled out of bed and quietly made her way down the small hallway to a door and opened it. Inside was the form of her sleeping son. A book was clutched in on hand while the other was thrown unceremoniously over his head to block the lap's light. Aeris gave a sigh of relief and walked into the room. She smiled as she took the book, marking its page and setting it on his desk. She then took his arm and slid it under the covers and turned out the lamp. Aeris gave her son a kiss on the forehead and headed for the door before…
"Mother?"
Aeris stopped and turned to see her son had sat up and was staring at her. He pulled hair out of his face and worry lines crossed his handsome features.
"Just making sure you're sleeping," she said gently. "I'm sorry if I woke you up,"
"No mother. It's okay…goodnight,"
"Goodnight sweetheart,"
All alone, a young man stared through the window of the town car. A pair of teenage girls giggled as they admired him, who was oblivious of the passing scenery of Midgar. Smooth olive skin, a nose as sharp as a blade, and handsomely chiseled cheekbones. Tones muscles could be seen from his sleeveless shirt and his silvery hair cascaded over his shoulders. The most beautiful thing about this lone man was his piercing green eyes. Rumor had it that mako colored eyes where a rarity, so rare, that it was believed that only SOLDIERS that've been tested on had mako eyes. It was also rumored that only one man had green eyes…but he's been long dead. Despite the handsome features of the young man, he was only the fresh age of 17. No more, no less.
The town car came to a slow stop and the young man gathered his belongings to leave. One of the teenage girls sighed as he walked by her, swooning to his beauty. Another girl discreetly shoved a piece of paper into his baggy jeans as he walked by. Most likely containing her phone number…
He stepped down the stairs of the town car and looked before him. '7th Heaven' the sign read. He allowed himself a small smile as he headed toward the bar.
"It's about time you got here!"
A young girl of the sweet age of 15 smiled brightly at the young man who just came in. She had beautiful lavender-blue eyes and auburn red hair. She got up from her chair and embraced him in a friendly hug.
"I've only been gone an hour Kairi," he said. The girl, Kairi, stepped back and took the parcel he was carrying.
"Tifa! Riku is back with the cake!" she called out as she took the dessert to the bar's table. The young man, Riku, as he was named, stretched his tired limbs from sitting down for so long. Hurried footsteps came down the stairs as a dark brunette woman came in.
"Hide that! Cloud is still here!" she said quickly. Kairi jumped and quickly took the cake to the back room where the fridge was. Riku had taken a seat at the bar.
"Riku! Did you just get here?" Tifa asked. Tifa was a beautiful woman of her late 30s, with dark eyes and equally dark hair. Today was her husband's 40th birthday, so that explains the hidden cake. Riku nodded with a slight smile.
"Where's Sora?" Riku asked, looking around for his best friend.
"He's upstairs with your mom getting things wrapped up," Tifa informed him. This surprised Riku, and his light eyebrows knitted together.
"Mother's here?"
She winced. Tifa wasn't supposed to tell Riku that his mother was here. Way to go. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
"Yes she is. She wanted to come by for Cloud's birthday, so don't be tough on her!" Tifa said. She huffed and added "I swear, you sound like your father,"
Riku ignored the last comment as Tifa busied herself with the decorations. Riku had no father. He died in an accident when he was very little and could only remember the faint sound of his voice. His mother never had any pictures of him since they where destroyed in that same accident, so Riku had no clue to what his father looks like.
"Hey! Riku's here!"
Riku looked up to see the goofy smirk of his best friend Sora. Sora was Tifa and Cloud's only child. He was indeed a mixture of his parents. He had inherited Cloud's mako blue eyes and Tifa's brunette hair, though styled exactly like his father's. Sora had just turned 16 a week ago. The two boys slapped hands in greeting.
"He's been here," Kairi said as she came from the back room, carrying plastic plates and utensils. She handed them to Tifa, so began to set the largest table in the room. Kairi settled herself on the stool next to Riku.
"Is your dad's present all ready?"
"Yeah! Riku's mom helped me wrap it," Sora said excitedly "He's going to love it!"
"I'm sure he will,"
The three teens looked up to see Riku's mother come down the stairs. Dressed in a pink sleeveless turtleneck and a pair of jeans, Aeris Gainsborough welcomed her son with a gentle smile. Riku frowned in response.
"Now don't be mad. The doctor said I'm allowed to walk outside now," she said as her son continued to glare. This seemed to relax Riku, but only slightly. Aeris brushed a strand of her golden brown hair from her face. Aeris was by far what you would call a 'natural beauty'. Even in her late 30s, laugh lines had slightly appeared from age, but her emerald green eyes still shone brightly. Though, deep inside those sparkling jewels, there was a deep sadness…
"I swear! If looks could kill," Tifa joked. Riku rolled his eyes and sighed.
"I suppose it's alright this one time,"
"Say, who's raising who here?" Sora joked. Riku shot his friend an annoyed look and Kairi smiled.
"What's all the commotion down here?"
Cloud Strife came walking down the stairs with a confused look. He had spiked blond hair similar to his son's and mako blue eyes. He gave Aeris a kind smile and ruffled his son's hair.
"DAD!"
"Oh hey Riku!" Cloud said, ignoring his son's wining on messing his hair. Riku smiled politely at Cloud in greeting. Just then, the lights went out. There was a light glow coming from the back room.
"Happy birthday to you…," Tifa began to sing. Cloud smiled sheepishly as everyone began to join in. His wife set the cake down in front of him and placed a kiss on his cheek. They all cheer as Cloud blew out the candles at the end of the song.
"It's your favorite, chocolate and vanilla marble cake," Tifa said with a big smile. She had taken out a knife and began cutting the cake in equal pieces. Aeris stood beside her son, idly remembering her late husband's last birthday.
"It's your favorite, vanilla pound cake,"
Riku looked up as Aeris put her hand on his shoulder, giving her a puzzled look as she smiled at him. "Did you know you and your father share the same birthday?"
Riku shook his head, unimpressed.
"The biggest piece for you," Tifa said as she handed Cloud a massive piece of cake. Cloud reached out to get the cake...but suddenly felt searing heat through his body and his wife suddenly being thrown toward him, knocking him back. Riku grabbed his mother as they too where thrown back into the wall along with Sora and Kairi.
Riku felt pain shoot up his back and opened his pale eyes. They widened as the whole bar was in flames. He hurriedly looked around; Cloud and Tifa where knocked out cold, both had landed over the bar. Sora was rubbing his head and quickly helping Kairi up. In his arms, his mother stirred with a soft moan. She had landed safely on his chest, but was also knocked slightly.
"Sora! Get your parents! Kairi, come with me!" Riku yelled. He hosted his mother into his arms and looked for a way out. The bar door had been busted clear and smoke was escaping through the hole. Sora had woken his father, who had Tifa in his own arms.
"This way!" Cloud yelled. The group began to run for the exit, Riku in lead. He could almost feel the cool breeze of fresh air when a foreign object make contact with his neck. He quickly stopped, earning a slight cut to his neck from the sword.
"No way!" Sora gasped as they all looked at the intruder. Cloud's eyes widened. Riku glared at the enemy, only to have a gasp escape from his mouth. He was looking at himself.
The clone Riku smirked and spoke with a voice very unlike Riku's…
"Brother…our Mother has finally returned…."
