Disclaimer: This will be the only time that I will say this. I do not own Final Fantasy VII. The only thing I own are my own characters.

And special thanks to my beta reader: Alexis4.

Chapter 1: The Red Lifestream

Denzel and Marlene ran down the hills together, smiling happily. The breeze blew and the green leaves on the trees fluttered by it. They stopped running and turned around. Cloud and Tifa were taking their time walking. Cloud was carrying two picnic baskets and so did Tifa. Denzel and Marlene ran off again.

"Did you tell everyone where we're meeting today?" Cloud wanted to double check, turning to her and meeting her eyes.

Tifa nodded with a smile. "But… why Rufus?" she asked. Why did Cloud invite him again? Even though Rufus politely declined the invitation why did Cloud mention him? Rufus owned the Shinra Company after all but he wasn't a bad guy or anything.

"Just thought we should," he replied. He felt like he owed Rufus some thanks, despite what the man had created years ago. Other than that, Rufus should come out more often anyway just to get away from his work. Who would not want a break?

The sun was bright with only a few small clouds, and a nice cool breeze. The shades of the trees were great as well. They had to come all the way out here just so they could eat with everyone else. They were miles away from home, but they needed a better environment for the kids. Everyone had agreed to meet up here so there were not any problems.

Cloud had driven Tifa, Marlene, and Denzel there in the truck. As for Cid, he was probably picking up their friends right now. It would take a while for them to get there.

"Cloud!" Marlene cried happily, waving her arm. "Let's take this spot!" Cloud nodded as she ran to him while Denzel stood where he was so the 'spot' would not disappear. Marlene helped Tifa carry one of the baskets and ran back to Denzel. Giggling, Tifa turned and looked at Cloud. He smiled.

The wind picked up and a faint helicopter was heard. They looked up at the sky and saw that it was not a helicopter but Cid's airship, Shera, and it grew louder as it lowered to the ground. One of the airship's doors opened and Barret jumped out.

"Hey!" he waved his hand high with a happy laugh. He could not wait until the airship landed because he wanted to see the four of them first and greet them. "How's it goin', Cloud?"

Cloud smiled at him and Marlene quickly ran up to Barret. He bent down and they embraced each other. "And how are you doin', Marlene?" Barret smiled and put her on his shoulder.

The airship landed yards away and Vincent walked down the ramp. Cait was behind him, riding on Red XIII, and then Cid came out as well. Tifa stared at the airship and waited to see if Yuffie also came.

"Has anyone contacted Yuffie?" Vincent inquired when he walked up to the group.

Tifa looked over to him. Her expression changed from hopeful to worried. "No…" she said, concerned.

Tifa and Cloud had not been able to contact Yuffie. She was hoping that Cid and the others would have by now. Even they could not find Yuffie.

Vincent's eyes were on the ground but he looked at his friends to show his unmoved face. "I see…" he turned his back on them. Though Vincent tried not to be as worried as everyone else his voice betrayed the concern he felt. He was worried about Yuffie. Everyone was.

Yuffie went missing right before Vincent returned. She hadn't gotten to see him when he was found after stopping Omega from leaving the planet.

The picnic idea was Marlene's. She wanted to eat with all of Cloud's friends, but Yuffie was still gone. Tifa thought they should wait until they found Yuffie and then eat together. Then Denzel and Marlene thought maybe the two of them would go out and eat together with Cloud and Tifa first, at the very least. Then it somehow it got to invite everyone to come again. Tife imagined Yuffie's furious look but decided to do as the kids wished.

Cloud told Tifa to prepare for their picnic. She pulled out a large cloth and spread it on the green grass with Denzel and Marlene's help.

Vincent felt a sharp pain in his chest and touched it with his right hand. What's this feeling…? He asked himself. He was just thinking about what kind of food Cloud and Tifa had packed but this ache just came suddenly. He was puzzled and looked up at the sky. It was most likely nothing. He shrugged it off.

Avalanche settled around the cloth though Yuffie's absence hung over all of them. Barrett reached for a drumstick.

"Normally I'd say that the brat can take care of herself but I'm startin' to get worried," Barrett said.

"Me too," Cloud admitted. He started to say more when the earth began to shake causing the plastic cups to tumble, spilling their contents onto the checkered cloth.

"What the?!" Barret grabbed Marlene's hand so she would not fall. Tifa held Denzel's. "Since when were there ever earthquakes 'round here?" Barret exclaimed.

"This is the first," Tifa said, looking around. Why is there an unexpected earthquake occurring?

Everyone kept their balance as the quake continued. Cid was worried about his airship and hurried to it, Cait held onto Red XIII tightly, and both Cloud and Vincent tried to stand still. Finally, the shaking subsided.

"Thank god the Shera's alright!" Cid said, relieved.

Up in the sky, they noticed a large green glow. It was the Lifestream. It was coming from different places around them, far away but from their view it seemed as if it was coming from three distinct directions. It was as if it was leaking out of earth and extending towards the sky.

"H-hey, what's happening?" Cait pointed to the glowing object in the sky. "Why is the Lifestream…?" It was strange to see it out in the open. The Lifestream had come out before, but only if the world is in danger.

Cloud stared at the Lifestream, silently. Did something happen? He wondered and wonders if Zack and Aerith were watching from above.

The more the Lifestream expanded the redder it gotten. It colored the sky bright red-orange.

Denzel squeezed Tifa's hand. "Is that normal…?" he questioned. The red glowing stream started to look eerie and it scared him.

"It's alright," Tifa said, smiling to reassure him. She didn't know what was happening but it couldn't be normal. She had never seen anything like it and never heard of anything like it. She stared up at it as it began to bend down back towards earth. It looked as if it was alive and flowed faster towards the group.

Cid gave everyone a nervous look. "H-Hey, shouldn't we…?" he looked back at them and then at the red Lifestream. "Run? That doesn't look safe."

No one had any reaction. They all had no idea what was going on. Cloud looked at Tifa. "Take Denzel and Marlene in Cid's airship," he said, wanting to be on the safe side. "Cid, take them out of here."

Cid and Tifa nodded. Marlene let go of Barret's hand and went to Tifa. She held the two kids' hands and the three of them rushed with Cid. Cait patted on Red XIII and told him to go with Tifa and the others and so the two went off as well.

Vincent stood beside Cloud. "You're getting a bad feeling about this as well?" he questioned.

"Who wouldn't?" Barret sighed heavily, answering for Cloud. "I mean, look at that! It's like that thing knows what it's doin'!"

The red Lifestream then hastened and gathered in the sky only to head straight for everyone in the meadow. Cloud watched as the truck, which he had driven, was swallowed up by the red Lifestream. His motorcycle and weapons were in there. But this is not the time to be worrying about those. The red Lifestream flowed in the direction of the airship.

"Tifa! Marlene! Denzel! Guys!" Cloud shouted. He wanted to dash to them, but then the ground shook again beneath them and more of the red Lifestream appeared. He almost lost his balance but Vincent grabbed his arm to steady him.

Denzel and Marlene had gotten inside and Cid ran quickly to pilot the airship. Cait and Red XIII had already gotten inside as well. Tifa turned back and looked to the three men who had stayed behind. She wanted them aboard the Shera. "Guys, get on!" she called, worried what might happen if they remained on the ground too long.

Vincent looked at the red Lifestream as it slowly withdrew, turning to green but then red again and going back and forth to swallow up the group. It was as if it was struggling between the two forces, between the choices of swallowing them or leaving them be. What was going on?

The airship finally started up and began to take off. The door to it was still open and Tifa stood there, waiting for the three guys to jump on, but the earthquake was not really helping, the heaving ground causing them to stumble.

Inside, Cid did not want to abandon them and floated in midair, waiting as well. "Hey, get on already!" his voice came through the loud microphone.

"Just leave!" Cloud told him.

Tifa turned and looked at the red Lifestream. It was no longer turning back to green and it headed straight towards the three on the ground and as it did, the ground crumbled. Cid had no choice but to pull into the sky, even as the red Lifestream blocked the way. He would find a way through it. Tifa's eyes started to get watery and she struggle in thought. She wanted Denzel and Marlene to be safe and everyone else in the airship to be safe. They need to get out of here.

"Hey, Barret," Cloud looked at him. "I need you to take care of the kids for me."

Barret looked back at him with a confused look. The quake made him lose his balance. "Ow…!" he tried to get back up. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Cloud grabbed him and Vincent lent a hand as well. The two of them threw Barret as far as possible to the open door of the airship. He skidded inside to land beside Tifa. He moaned in pain and glared at them. "Is that a way to treat your friend?" he exclaimed. He did not want to leave the two behind like this. It only made him feel bad. "Well, you two hurry over here!"

It was already too late. Just when the red Lifestream engulfed Cloud and Vincent, Tifa jumped out of the airship and ran across crumbling ground towards them. "Cloud! Vincent!" she called, agonized.

"Tifa!" Barret shouted out as the airship lifted into the sky.

Like the waves of the ocean, it pushed her off balance and her body floated.