Author Note: Written as a one shot, but as part of a loosely connected series about Leon. Most of those loosely connected stories will be Leon/Cloud. That means yaoi, kiddos. This particular piece lacks the yaoi, entirely, and suggests Leon/Rinoa. Comments are love, please leave them. Thanks.-ashe

It took what it always took to get him to follow them off world. They asked for his help. They awakened in him a need to serve and protect, which worked. Even with Rinoa gone, swallowed whole by the darkness. Irvine missing. Quistis dead. Tifa missing. Even with all the losses, Cloud, Aerith, and Yuffie managed to push him to follow them.

Aerith's scheme worked. Somehow they left Radiant Garden behind. When they landed, it was on a world foreign to their own. Squall was struck by just how strange it smelled. Aerith looked wobbly on her feet as she stood. Yuffie supported her.

Cloud... Cloud wasn't there. Squall pushed to standing, looked around desperately.

"CLOUD!"

Aerith whipped around, and pressed a hand to her mouth. Squall barely saw her as he tried to run. He stumbled, fell on exhausted legs. His muscles wouldn't cooperate anymore now that he wasn't fighting for his life.

"Squall, no!" Yuffie helped Aerith over, who sank to her knees beside him. Aerith's hands were shaking as she brushed back his dark brown hair.

"He's alright, I know it." But her words were empty assurances. She didn't know it. Cloud... his best friend... gone. Too many were gone. Were they all that was left of a dead civilization? A dead world?

Squall felt shattered, all rough edges and sharp points. He looked at Aerith, finally, and her face was streaked with tears. Yuffie was snuffling, too, standing a little back from the two.

"Hey!"

Yuffie spun. Squall, in his prone position, was incapable. Aerith slowly turned her head.

"Cid!" Yuffie darted straight for him and nearly tackled him. "Is Cloud with you?"

"No, thought he was with you."

Squall closed his eyes and blocked out the rest of the conversation. When he rose from the ground, he would have to do it as a leader. He wanted... no, needed, these few moments to collect all the pieces of himself he could reach.

"Squall-"

"Leon." he said.

"What?"

"Call me Leon. Squall is dead." He pushed himself up, ignoring stiffness and soreness and shakey muscles. He straightened, as proud as he could covered in sweat and blood.

"Squall-"

"Squall has to die." He insisted, looking at Aerith. He spoke quietly, only for her. She'd always been a good friend. Hopefully she would understand. "Squall has hundreds, thousands to mourn. Leon has to find us a place to stay."

Aerith rose and touched the side of his face. "You can't cancel out the hurt."

"I can try."