It had been a few years since Cloud had seen the man that changed his life forever. The same male that told him that his existence wasn't suppose to be. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him. Though he believed he had no right to know. The blue-eyed blond smiled when his child ran up to him and tugged on his sleeve. "Poppa!" The little girl said, smiling brightly up at him. She was a fraternal twin to a blue-eyed, blond, little boy. This girl was the spitting image of her father. Raven black hair, and the most unnatural amethyst eyes. This little girl in front of him was five-years-old, and he was only eighteen.

"What is it, Las?" Las was her nick-name for her full name; Lavender Amethyst Strife.

The reasoning? Her eyes.

"Look what I found!" The little girl chirped, holding up a pin that was all too familiar. One for a first class SOLDIER. A wing-shaped broach. "Can I keep it?"

"No." Cloud was quick to reply, taking it from her, startling her. "I mean...It might be Aunt Lightning's." He added, offering a weak smile. The little girl nodded weakly, then perked up and twirled around, her mid-back-length hair swaying with the wind as she turned and ran off to go play with her brother.

Cloud let a heavy sigh pass his lips, and his heart nearly stopped when he lifted his head, watching as a familiar looking man drove past on a motorcycle, with a man with all too familiar red hair clinging to his back, seeming to be cussing at him over the wind, and engine.

A few hours passed, and Cloud found himself sitting on the front porch, watching his children play in the fenced in yard when the same motorcycle pulled into the dirt drive. The kids, on instinct, stopped what they were doing and inched towards the house. Cloud stood, eyes narrowing. "Go inside." He instructed, and they listened, running inside as Zack stood from the bike and locked eyes with Cloud. The blond walked from the porch, and to the gate, pausing a few feet away.

He took in the scar on Zack's face, and he could see the pain in Zack's eyes. He looked haunted by something, but Cloud wasn't wanting to hear his sob story.

"It's been a while."

"Five years." Cloud cut in. Zack nodded.

"They're gorgeous." He hesitated. "How are you?"

"Pretty good. Considering."

"That's good to hear." Zack smiled, tilting his head a bit. Cloud could see the fear with every move Zack made.

"You can leave."

"Wait!" Zack reached over the gate to catch Cloud's arm, and when the blond turned around, he saw the tears fall from Zack's eyes.

"Pathetic. You're suppose to be a First Class SOLDIER."

"I've tried to move forward, to forget, just like you asked, but it's been five years. Sitting back and watching you is painful."

"What...?"

"I've been back for a year now. I tried to stay away, but I can't do it anymore."

"I don't want someone who can kill without a second thought." He felt Zack tense up, as if Cloud had found out a dark secret. "I know how your Mom died."

"My dad forced my finger to pull the trigger!" Zack was fast to defend. He watched as the older male faltered, and looked as if he were about to collapse.

"Go away, Zack."

[[ This was a kind of an experiment story. Review and let us know if you want us to continue it! Encouragement/Feedback is always nice! And totally appreciated! :D ]]