The very sight rattles Harmony. This is the breaking point, Cloud's heart weighs with the bearings of regret from the past. The sharp tongue of his self-loathing whisper words of his failures and loss, all in his mind and branding upon his grieving heart.

You should have...

It's all your fault...

Why did you let them die?...You are no hero...

You are a failure...

Failure...

Each hiss from his guilt lash at his heart, his soul aches from the lack of hope and love...Such barriers of his anger towards himself keep Cloud away from the warmth and comfort of someone close, though many reached out to him.

Harmony was arguing with Cloud over abandoning the others. She followed him, determined to bring him back. The exchange did it, it is the delicate, deceitful feather that broke the camel's back. His restraints broke, hot tears betray Cloud and leave his brilliant blue eyes. He fell to his knees as the cyborg looks on. The sight kills her. This is the World's Hero, the man who fought with valor against Sephiroth and the challenges, the precursor of the showdown. He is now on his knees at the mercy of the pain within him. Harmony shakes her head and she goes to Cloud.

She gets on her knees at eye level with the blond. "Cloud...Cloud, look at me." The girl says softly, her hands gently cup his cheeks so he would look at her. A silver thumb gently wipes a tear away. Harmony and Cloud were friends through thick and thin, ever since they were in the Infantry together. Fate tore them apart, the world believing Harmony died for ShinRa, when they lied to use her. Even when the hero and brunette reunited after Harmony's escape and joining AVALANCHE, it would be a long time until Cloud could remember her. She closed her eyes and leans in to press her forehead against his.

"I know you have it tough. I'm not going to lie about that...You lived through a lot of hurt. But so have I, and everyone around us. We lost the same friends, we held the same tears, the same fears and nightmares. I know you feel alone in this world. The truth is you have a lot of people who cherish you...You just have to let them in. How can you love another when you can't love yourself?" The last words Harmony still has yet to achieve. She still struggles with that, allowing another into her own heart and to learn to trust them. Harmony is getting better at it, but slowly.

Withdrawal, a reaction that didn't surprise her. Cloud moved away, leaving Harmony to stand alone, hurt and afraid. He scrambles back to his feet and Harmony stands up shortly after.

"Everything that has happened, it was out of your control. It was out of my control as well. I hold the same regrets, Cloud. I just...Try to deal with them differently. I know running away from it won't help. It hurts more than saves. We want to help you, you just have to let us in...Let me in." Harmony moves closer still, and Cloud moved away. "

You deserve happiness, and the first step to that is letting go of your pain. I will do whatever it takes to help you heal. Just so I can see you smile, like you have long ago. Please…" Harmony holds back from advancing further, though she wants to offer more comfort to Cloud if he lets his defenses down. Though that does not seem likely. He turned away from Harmony and she feels the familiar warmth brimming in her human eye. "If only you would understand." She adds, then Cloud moves further away. She doesn't chase him down, and she doesn't yell. Perhaps the cyborg's words fell on deaf ears. That left a dull pain in her chest growing heavier by the minute.

Harmony looks on, tears finally leaving her eye. She lowers her head, hands clench into fists at her sides. It's wasn't fair. Cloud deserves to heal, but he seems too ashamed to do so. If he won't accept help, what else could she do?

If only you would understand. You're hurting yourself…And you are hurting others around you too.