What Hojo Gave Me

Disclaimer: The only think I own in this story is Toi so don't sue…not that you'd get much anyways….

Well this is my own story where Cloud finds out he has a son, hidden from him by Hojo. How Hojo got the semen? You figure it out, I'll leave it to your imagination for now, mine certainly has been having fun w/ that thought.

I hope you like the little guy but this story can or cannot be a one-shot. It all depends on your reviews.

.o0()0o.

The sun had just started streaming through the windows. It warmed my bed but I still didn't want to wake up. Soft footsteps made their way to my bedside, the direction my face was lying. The presence stood there, quietly, not knowing that I was already awake. I let him think that for a moment longer, still not ready to face the morning sun. I heard him shifting, so he could lie on the bed and after feeling his head hit the pillows I opened my eyes too.

He was startled to say the least. The little boy that settled down beside me was mine. He had the same style hair only it was jet black, the same striking blue eyes, the slight figure, and even the same fair skin. "G'morning." The small boys lips turned up for a minute in reply. Even at three he had trouble speaking.

Hojo wanted another 'project', something else he could examine from birth. And there I was, lying on his examination table being pumped full of Leviathan knows what. He used my DNA and put it in one of his assistants. I'm still not sure whom and I hope beyond everything else he won't ask me who she was or why it took me so long to save him from Hojo. I wasn't even aware I had a child until after I killed Sephiroth the second time.

Avalanche needed to go back, to look at where they came from all those years ago. It lead me back to Nibheliem (sp?), back to Shinra Mansion and into a small room hidden behind a bookshelf. I found him just like I did Vincent. But he was so young, only three. In bits and pieces Vincent had told me what it was like to be stuck in a coffin with only his thoughts to keep him company.

I've been too afraid to ask him what he thought about while in that coffin. He knew nothing of the world except Hojo's cruelness and his lab; at least Vincent had a life to look back on. Toi had nothing.

That was his name, the first word he had ever spoken in his five years of life, two of them spent in suspended animation. It was a sick joke, not that I'd ever tell him, I love him too much for that. To Hojo all Toi would ever be was a toy, so he named him as such. I drew him closer to me and he accepted the gesture. Immediately he buried his nose in my chest as I turned to lie on my back. He hated being separated from me. We even slept in the same bed. He had probably only left because of a dire need to pee.

I stroked his hair and recalled the first time we met. It would have been funny under different circumstances.

I walked slowly around the lab of Shinra mansion, looking for any document retaining to my…torture. Vincent stood idly by his old tomb and stared at the polished surface as though it held all the answers he needed.

Why Lucietta died, why Hojo had tormented him, and whatever else his tortured soul was plagued with. I was about to end my search until a draft shifted past my legs. It came from behind a large bookshelf, I let my curiosity get the best of me and I tried moving it. It was lighter than I thought it would be and after I recovered from my stumble I was faced with a small room. It looked as much as a dungeon as everything else down here but I entered anyway.

A small black coffin was the only thing in the room. I felt rather than heard Vincent's presence behind me as I inched towards the coffin. The ex-Turk held his breath as my fingers gripped the cool ledge and tugged it open.

A small boy, looking no older than three, opened his eyes…and panicked. He drew his knees to his chin and scooted back as far as he could while still in the coffin, whimpering and shivering the whole time. It was Vincent who noticed the resemblance first and him who noticed the name etched in the lid of the casket.

It said 'Strife', nothing more, nothing less, just Strife. "Cloud…" My eyes turned from the small child and landed on the lid. It scared me, more than Sephiroth, more than losing Aerith completely or any of my other friends. It was about that time that the boy had snuck out of the casket and began edging towards the door, backwards. He was wary, and because he had lived with Hojo I didn't question why. He kept backing up until he bumped into Cid.

"Oh hey there lil' guy. Where'd you two find this one?" He reached around to the stock-still toddlers face, to pat it. As soon as his fingers made contact with the skin the boy opened his mouth and sunk vampire-like teeth into the pilots' hand and drew blood. A string of curses issued forth and he ran yet again. Only this time the boy ran to me.

From there I remember asking him his name and getting the shaky response. It was hard to explain why I had come back with a small child clinging desperately to my body but I got it done. Vincent went back later to find paperwork on what happened. It wasn't pretty, and still, after months of knowing about his past, I can't bring myself to read those files. Instead I rely on what the others tell me. Toi is my son and even though I knew nothing of him for the majority of his short life I still felt an undeniable bond. It would crush me beyond anything I have ever felt before to actually read first hand what had happened to my baby boy.

It had only been a few minutes since Toi had joined me in bed again when I felt nature call as well. I sat up slowly, tugging him along. It was a daily routine we had worked out. I would take him with me everywhere in the house, hardly ever losing contact with his fair skin. He sat outside the bathroom door as I occupied it then swiftly took my hand as I exited. He was very shy and still new to everything.

His first glimpse of my motorcycle had him cowering behind me, clutching my thigh painfully. That too would've been funny if his nails hadn't left small marks. I made him breakfast in our small little kitchen. I had moved away from Tifa shortly after I got Toi. Marlene went back with Barret and that left Denzel with Tifa in the Seventh Heaven bar. I would have felt bad for leaving if Rude hadn't taken up the opportunity to move right in.

After a very hardy night of drinking, Turks and Avalanche alike, they admitted feelings for each other and have been inseparable ever since. I laughed at the thought and gained an odd look from my son. My son, something I thought I'd never say. He was still shy, all too happy to just sit in my presence and the occasional presence of Vincent as well. He still bit people too. His first encounter with Marlene went similar to his meeting with Cid. She ran up to him saying something like 'so cute' before wrapping her arms around him. He swiftly bit her upper arm until he felt blood and let her to cry as he shot away from her to in between my legs.

We ate in silence, something neither of us were uncomfortable with. Afterwards I cleaned up with Toi's arms wrapped firmly around my waist. He looked happy. Just the thought that I could make him happy melted some ice from my heart. It made me want to open up more, just for him, to show an example that not the entire world is bad. But before I could show him that it was okay to open up to the world and the risk of being hurt was worth the reward, I would have to learn that myself.

Hardly anyone liked me growing up and those that did were hurt or torn from me in the form of death. Now as the savior of the world twice over I had to learn to be more sociable.

With dishes done we moved on to another activity. I turned on a small Wutainese radio, Yuffie's parting gift, and let the music flow around the room. I was unfamiliar with the language but the sound was soothing, and it was nice to just enjoy something without having to think about it. Toi pulled a board game out from under the couch and began setting up. He loved this game. It was just some knock-off board game from my hometown that was hardly played anywhere else. I often played it with Tifa, and Vincent too when he felt like being around someone doing something quiet.

The object of the game was simple; just get your man from the top of Mt. Nibel to the opposite edge of the town before the other players. Along the way you encountered townspeople that held you back or helped you and monsters. On occasion you would pull a card like 'forgot canteen on mountain top, go back and retrieve it.'

Neither Toi nor myself were sore losers so it wasn't a major disappointment to either of us if we got sent back to start. For the most part out life was quiet but I far from minded. In time he would speak like a normal child, but until then I would revel in the small, stuttering words of my son when he could manage them, and the deep silences inbetween.

He was my son.

He was my new reason for life.

He is what Hojo gave me.

The only thing Hojo gave me that I would die to keep.

.o0()0o.

Well I can be a one-shot or it can be more. If you want more it'll lead into a Cloud/Vincent thing w/ Toi as the basis of their relationship. He just seemed so cute in my head when I thought him up and I could help but put him into words.

I really shouldn't start another story but I couldn't help it. I'm itching to write more but I can leave it as is if it seems okay at this spot.