A/N: Heya huns...here's the first chapter of the rewrite of Return of SOLDIER, let's face it; the first one sucked so badly it wasn't funny! But; let me know what ye think on this rewrite.

This first chapter centers around just before Gongaga was attacked - a scene that I hadn't included in the original of this, but I felt the urge to include it in this re-do. Ye're opinions would be highly appreciated huns!

"Danni! Danni - c'mon hun; it's time to get up!"

Danni Fair groaned as she rolled over in her bed, forcing the top pillow of her three down over her head; all in an attempt to drown out her mother's shouts…how was it that mornings seemed to arrive so quickly? Still though - even she had to admit; if she had gone to bed at a reasonable hour, like most people, then she probably wouldn't be so tired, or more so; so unwilling to get up in the morning. But it was a bit late to think about that right then - she hadn't; and now she was paying for it!

"Danni - if I have to come up those stairs and drag you out of that bed; you'll be the sorry one!"

"Oh - I'm comin' already!"

Danni continued to mutter under her breath as she kicked off her duvet - putting a lot more venom than what was necessary into removing it from her frame… … …if she had to get up - then something was getting the blame! The nineteen-year-old shook out as her feet met the cold floor of her bedroom, and the frigid air of a Gongaga winter bit at her exposed skin…still cursing lowly as she searched around her room for some clean clothes…knowing that she'd seen a pair of jeans there a few days ago, and knowing she certainly hadn't put them away in the days that had elapsed since their sighting - she was honestly, and hopelessly, useless when it came to putting stuff away, the way she viewed it; if she left them around her room - then she'd know where they were when she wanted them… … …supposedly… … …

"Ah - I knew I saw them somewhere!"

A smile spread lightly across the youth's face as she triumphantly pulled a pair of faded and ripped blue jeans out from under a bundle of discarded battle-strategy books…faded and repeatedly read-through, some even missing half their covers from being over-read, while others were adorned with scribbles and pen stains on their exterior…memories of what her life had been like, but yet the young female had found it hard to simply forget about them - constantly going back to their pages whenever she got bored or upset… … …

"About time Danni…I was just going to send your father up to drag you out - what time did you actually go to sleep at…and don't say one - you're light was still on at half-two…what were you doin hun - reading again?"

Danni smirked as she nodded her head - her mother knew her only too well! And it always proved easier to admit to things than to lie to her mother - never once had Josey Fair let pass any of her childrens' actions - then again; with both Zack and Danni under one roof, one had had to have been on their toes…the amount of times the two siblings had taken to slagging matches and chasing each other in the heat of the moment was uncountable.

"About three Mom…I wanted to finish the chapter I was on…and the one after that… … …"

"And the one after that one, too?"

Josey smiled knowingly as her daughter hid a smirk, Danni may have been nine years his junior - but she was capable of being just as cheeky as her brother… … …wherever he was. Ten years had passed since the last time, either Josey or Nick, had seen their son…the last time anyone had set their eyes upon the SOLDIER had been on Danni's ninth birthday, that time having been the last time Zack had been home… … …though ten long years had passed since that date, she still remembered what the, then eighteen-year-old, had been talking about…an upcoming mission to a mountain village…a place called Nibelheim… … … Josey shook her head lightly as she pushed those thoughts to the back of her head, not willing to go pondering the unknown at that moment in time - for all she knew; Zack could have settled down in somewhere, found himself a nice wife; and maybe even have a family of his own by now… … …it seemed better to think of it that way than the alternative possibility.

"Stop it… you're only gonna end up upsetting yourself Mom."

Josey glanced up as she registered her daughter's words, slightly bewildered as to how the young woman had, so easily, been aware of what she had been thinking…but Danni was right, there was no point in reminiscing like she'd just been doing - all it ever did was leave even bigger questions that no one, ever, knew the answer to… … …

"Did you see the paper, love?"

Danni shook her head of ebony locks as she hit down the switch on the kettle - silently knowing; that if it had made the paper, then it was bad news. Probably another attack… … …three years had elapsed since the epidemic of Geostigma had almost brought the planet of Gaia to it's knees…three years since AVALANCHE and ShinRa had failed - no one blamed them, of course not; out of the millions of people on Gaia, they were the few who had, at least, attempted to stop Sephiroth's return, they had hindered the Remnants to the extent that most had been sure that victory would, once again, fall to them - but it hadn't. The main person who had stood against the Remnants, and Sephiroth - Cloud Strife…had almost been killed in his attempt to halt the repeat of history…he had fought, and unbelievingly well, but he'd gotten hurt; badly… … …he'd survived - but only due to the quick actions of his friends and the, supposed, healing water that was refuted to be present in a church in the ruins of Midgar…no one shamed him, no one blamed him - at least he had tried…unlike so many others who had simply just stood there and watched as their very existence and lives had been threatened. Three years later, with The World Regenesis Organization having been established by the ex-ShinRa employee - Reeve Tuesti, along with AVALANCHE and ShinRa, all working in coalition - Sephiroth and his three brothers still seemed to have the upper hand…but one thing still remained unclear to those who opposed The Nightmare - why had he waited three full years already - what was he trying to accomplish?

"Banora was attacked… … …very few survived; those who did have been brought to Costa del Sol…the attacks are getting more frequent…and elevated."

Danni sighed as her mother spoke in a, rather, nostalgic and unemotional tone - she knew that herself…but the towns that had been attacked so far, seemed to have been picked at random in her opinion - none where near, or anyway linked to another, some even nearer the Northern Crater, and now Banora - there were no similarities or sequences to the attacks…and that was probably what made the hits so unnerving; no one could fathom a guess as to which would be the next to fall under the eyes of the Remnants - or even; Sephiroth… … …

"None of the locations make sense…none of the movements make sense…it's like they're looking for something, something that they seriously don't know the whereabouts of…maybe they are, maybe they need some-"

"Don't go thinking so hard Danni - you'll hurt yourself!"

Danni smirked as she shook her head - instantly knowing who had uttered the smart comment, and the sad part was; he actually thought he was being funny… … …well; one could hardly blame a man for trying at least!

"You know you're not funny - don't you?"

Nick Fair smiled as his daughter stuck her tongue out at him…her violet eyes shimmering eerily as she did so… … … six full years she'd been back - and he was grateful for every second of it…for too long had him and Josey been forced to play part-time parents to their own daughter, to be forced to watch on as she grew up without them even knowing - trying to keep it all a secret…and why? Because of that offer…but they couldn't have very well turned it down…they had been desperate for the Gil, and it had been their only life-line… … …but she was home now; and that's all that mattered.

"I have to try Danni - Minerva knows the barrel of laughs you are…"

"Ha-ha - guess who I inherited it from…and it's not Mom!"

"Okay - round one goes to Danni, enough now you two!"

Both Danni and Nick glanced at each other as Josey was forced to call a halt between the two of them…each still grinning as they met the other's gaze…it was the usual thing for a morning at their house - though things had been a lot more hectic when Zack had been there - it had been; him against the two siblings…let's just say; he had lost slagging matches back then also…a lot!

"Who want tea?"

Both Nick and Josey nodded as their only remaining child stood to make three cups of tea, the kettle having just boiled as father and daughter had been grinning at one another…truth be told; the nineteen-year-old did more than her fair share of work when it came to the house and other things…one needn't even have to ask for a hand around the house; Danni would simply know what needed doing, and do it; no arguing or mouthing, just got on with it.

Danni smiled lightly to herself as she reached to the top shelf of the cupboard, standing on the tips of her toes in order to obtain the correct height necessary to reach the cups there…but just as her hand closed around one of them; an unmerciful pain shot through her head…causing stars to dance around the edge of her vision and sending her balance awry… … …

"Danni!"

Josey allowed the, half scream, to leave her lips as she heard a cup shatter, evidently having met the ground at a force; but as the mother had turned around; her sights had set upon their daughter slightly doubled over and swaying slightly as she clutched at the side of the sink for support…

"I'm alright Mom…it'll pass in a minute or so…"

In that instant - it clicked within Josey's head as to what had caused her daughter to suddenly become so disorientated…and it had nothing to do with lack of sleep for that matter…something similar had happened only a month or so ago; but - it had only been a one of thing, correct?

"Danni…sit down for a minute hun…is this the same thing as last time?"

The youth nodded lightly as she sat down, with the help of her mother seems her sense of balance was still a bit wavy - for most females; all they had to worry about at that time of the month, was stomach cramps…yeah; she got them…amongst other things! Why it had only started to happen recently was beyond any of their guesses; but when it came to her monthly visit; she was likely to drop like stone at any given moment… … …the doctor in Gongaga was just as clueless to the reasons behind the young female's trouble as she was…but, she supposed; things could've been worse…how; she wasn't sure - but it sort of lessened the severity of the whole thing when you viewed it like that…

"Danni - please stay sitting…"

Danni shook her head as she gently pushed her mother's hand aside, not wanting to offend or anything in the doing of so, - she was fine now, it had passed…hopefully for another couple of weeks anyhow…but she wasn't about to be treated as an invalid for the rest of the day, she wasn't ill; so she certainly didn't want to be treated as such…she hated being sick - or being in a hospital; nine times out of ten; you were either ill or hurt to be in a hospital in the first place!

"I'm fine Mom - I told you it'd pass in a minute or so…don't look at me like that; I'm fine…honestly Mom!"

Nick smirked, despite himself, as Danni defiantly stood up; smiling in response to her mother's worried glare - sure; he was worried about her too, but, with Danni; she didn't want pity, or sympathy, or comfort…she was her and that was that, no getting around her once her mind had been made.

Danni took a breath to mouth a cheeky comment that had formulated within her head as her mother refused to stop giving her the worried look…but whatever she had prepared to say; literally died in the back of her throat as a blood-curdling in-humane screech shattered the silent air of Gongaga…one that was closely met by a chorus of the same screeches…in the space of mere seconds; the sleepy and peaceful town was chaotic…running feet were heard, amongst cries and screams of people… … …

Danni stood stock still as she looked from her mother to her father…mentally knowing what had just happened outside the sanctity of their small house…the latest target of the random attacks had been chosen… … … and it was Gongaga.

A/N; Most of the next chapter will center on the massacre of Gongaga huns, and the introduction of AVALANCHE, ShinRa and the WRO - but for now; thanks for reading!

XXXXX

Renovlr:-P