Disclaimer: The Cure is an original story based on the movie Advent Children and an unsanctioned fanfiction story called Rebirth. All characters presented in The Cure are the property of Square-Enix, except for Kako and some others that may be created in later chapters. Kako and other non-game or movie related characters are the property of GreenEies and cannot be used without my permission. The Cure cannot be used for commercial purposes for any reasons.

Author's Note: The Cure takes place about sixteen years after the end of Rebirth. Cloud and Tifa's daughter has grown into a strong-willed young woman who constantly challenges her parents, as all sixteen year olds do. Obviously the title of this story should give the reader an idea of what the main plot will be; a cure for Geostigma. Again, with this story, I am really just along for the ride, acting as a scribe for Cloud and Tifa and their daughter, Kako. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think.

Chapter 1 - Lessons

She wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand and blew a stray strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. She shifted the sword in her right hand to get a firmer grip on it and moved into a defensive stance. Her opponent stood before her. He hadn't even broken a sweat. That really pissed her off. She growled and launched herself at him again, swinging her sword expertly at his head. He rolled under her strike and cuffed the back of her head with the butt of his sword. She cursed to herself; she should have seen that coming. She ignored the pain in her head and launched herself straight up in the air spinning around to face him, swinging her sword again as she landed in front of him. His sword met hers in a clash that sent sparks flying around them. He swept her feet with his leg and she jumped over it. But it was a distraction. As she landed she saw at the last second the blur of his sword aimed for her throat. She was not fast enough to dodge his strike and felt his blade knick her skin as he brought it to stop just before biting into her flesh.

"Shit," she swore loudly. She threw her sword across the room. It vibrated loudly where it landed, stuck into the wall opposite them.

Cloud watched his daughter spar. He seldom watched any more. She had become an expert swordswoman and the intensity of her sparring sessions made his heart stop and this time was no different. He held his breath as he watched her miss the distracting move and closed his eyes just as the sword sliced at her neck. He opened his eyes again when he heard her curse. "Ok breathe," he thought to himself as he struggled to regain his composure.

"God, I hate this," he mumbled under his breath. He turned to Tifa and saw her bemused expression. "This is all your fault," he said to her and he turned to walk out of the building. Tifa chuckled and ran after him. She jumped on his back and hugged his neck as he wrapped his arms around her legs, giving her a piggyback ride.

"You know, if you hadn't started to pull your punches, she would've let you continue teaching her," she whispered in his ear. She kissed his neck and jumped down off his back. She slipped her arm around his waist walked with him back to the home they shared.

Cloud looked down at his wife and smiled. He brushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead gently. She was still a beauty, he thought to himself. Even after sixteen years of being together. She seemed to get more beautiful with each passing year.

"I can't teach her anything. No one can teach her anything. She knows it all," said Cloud. Of course, he knew that she still had a lot to learn, but she didn't seem to know that. "Ahhh, the hubris of the young," he thought to himself.

"Yes, the hubris," replied Tifa, reading his mind again. No matter how often she did that, it always made his heart skip a beat.

"Cut that out," he said sharply. Tifa looked up at him, hurt by his tone. He sighed and pulled her to him in an embrace. "I'm sorry, baby. I just . . .," his voice trailed off.

"I know, I'm sorry," she said sadly.

"It's not your fault, its mine," Cloud said softly. Tifa pulled away from his embrace and took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

"I would not change anything about the last sixteen years. Nothing," she said sternly. Her face softened and she continued, "And don't you dare regret it either. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have Kako, and I wouldn't have the hottest husband this side of Midgar." She smiled at him.

"And I wouldn't have the foxiest wife on this side of the planet," he answered playfully. She kissed him quickly and ran up the steps into the 7th Heaven Bar with Cloud chasing after her.