AUTHORS NOTES: Wow! I got such a quick response to this story that I wrote a really long chapter for you all! Yay to me who is such a creative and good girl! Although not much Yazoo in this chapter (but more NUDITY yay!) but there will be in the next – cross my heart and hope to die (I swear, that is)! Now, for some PERSONAL correspondence:

Vampire Toy wanted some MarleneXYazoo (because vampire toy is a little perv?  But no biggie because SO AM I so it just might happen! All fluffy and pink and nice! Nothing R-rated mind you…).

DrAgOnus gave the first encouraging review almost instantly after I posted the story and it made me SOOO happy (although I didn't understand all that about fandomness and what-not, but no worry!)

SweetSnowCherryBlossomDarkness (who's username ROCKS btw…) gave a really outstanding review which really touched me. It did. Sniffle

Sheridan; Taro also made me very, very happy and emotionally unstable! 

And for Mitsoku Soma (sorry if I miss-spelled that) here is your update! Yay! Rejoice! (alright alright I know I'm not THAT good got a little full of myself there)

AND NOW the moment you've all skipped ahead to; the actual second chapter!

She'd never felt so broken and confused in her entire life. Somehow, everything seemed unfocused and time moved too fast one minute only to slow down abnormally the next. Seventh heaven was lost. Only the façade of the house remained. And Sarah. Tifa couldn't bear the thought of the little girls pain and anguish as the flames closed in on her and glass rained over her already so broken body.

Cloud didn't answer his phone. Did she scream? "Leave a message after the beep and…" For him? Another message like the three before For me? She needed to find a warmer sweater for Denzel. How long did she live after…? Was anyone hungry?Her sheets – so much blood. What? Yes, she'd seen Benjis rabbit somewhere. Her eyes … staring. No, no it'll be fine she'd handle it would you look for a sweater for Denzel? How can I not have heard her!

Tifa clutched the woollen sweater in her hands, burying her face in it's blue warm texture. She wanted to cry, she should cry. But she couldn't. The tears wouldn't come. She was used to death. She had lost, killed and watched people wither away in geostima for years but this, this was so brutal. So unfair. Unjust. And she couldn't cry.

"I'm awful" she whispered to the blue threads.

"Tifa?"

Tifa snapped her head up and looked down at Marlene, who watched her with innocent concern.

"Tifa, are you alright?" Marlene asked, placing one small hand on Tifas forearm "Do you want me to get you something?"

Tifa smiled. Sweet, sweet little Marlene. Always looking out for everyone. She was so much like Barrett you could never tell she wasn't his daughter… well, except for the colour of her skin of cause.

"I can take that sweater to Denzel if you like" Marlene continued "You could use some rest"

"Thanks sweetie, but I'll be fine" Tifa answered, stroking the girls soft hair "Did you want anything?"

"Oh yeah!" Marlene snapped her fingers as if she just remembered "Snow is moving around. I think he's waking up!"

"Snow?"

A brief moment of confusion. Then she understood. She dropped the sweater and ran.

She hadn't even tied him down. Not that she thought it would help if he was anything like… anything like him. With all the confusion and stress of getting the children together and moving to temporary house (Aeris old home … Cloud would not approve but Tifa didn't give a shit at the moment) and Sarahs death, she had made the strange man second priority. Some of the men who had helped out at the fire had carried him to Aeris house, assuming Tifa would like to help the saviour of her children herself. And there wasn't anyone else who could help him, really.

Of cause, they couldn't know. Yes, the young man looked strange. Albino and feline eyes, but on the other hand, stranger things had emerged in Midgar due to Mako-reaction. And the people had forgotten Sephiroth. They did know about the meteor and the Weapons but not who was behind it all. In fact, very few people knew about Sephiroths return, and most of those people were either dead or Turks. The last official record of the supreme general was his assumed death in Nibelheim almost eight years ago. One article and a colour-photo of Sephiroth in his uniform. And with resent events, it's no wonder people had forgotten the face of their old childhood hero.

Tifa took the stairs in three steps, reaching the door to the small bed-room which must have belonged to Aeris. She stopped in the doorway, panting, eyeing the body which was neatly tucked in (Marlene?) beneath blue covers. Silver hair spilled over the pillow and hung over the edge of the bed. One arm was stretched out, clutching a tissue witch was stained red. The feminine face was turned to one side, facing Tifa, and in the soft backlight from the window the white skin almost seemed to… glow. She moved closer to the bed observing that someone had removed the mans leather-jacket, probably to make him more comfortable. Hovering over the bed, she thought he looked really fragile, with his long lashes and slim body. He was much more delicate then Sephiroth had been. And much younger, she realized. And with those coughing-spasms … he didn't look so dangerous.

She shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking that way! Best thing would be for her to kill him now, when he was weak, defenceless… Who knew what he could be like when he recovered? And that face, that hair, those eyes… she hadn't forgotten the death of her father, and her friends. Not to mention Zack and Aeris! No, she didn't want anyone to suffer like that again it would just be best if she…

"He seems to be breathing much better now"

Marlenes voice startled her and she quickly turned around to watch the girl advance towards the bed. She stopped next to Tifa, watching the mans face as she spoke.

"He coughed an awful lot before, blood and everything. I was really scared awhile and I know I should have gone to get you but you were so busy and I didn't want to leave him in case… you know" Marlene quickly looked up at Tifa before turning back to the bed "But it got better and I gave him some water but he couldn't drink much of it and then he fell asleep like this but last time I was in he moved around so I thought he was waking up so I got you"

"That's good Marlene" Tifa said mechanically "You did really good"

Marlene smiled and adjusted the mans pillow which caused him to move slightly.

"I call him Snow" Marlene continued happily "I know it's kind of silly, but it suits him, don't you think? With his white hair and all. I wonder how it got so white. Anyways, I like to call him something you know. Saying "that guy" or something like that is so impolite but since I don't know his name…"

"Snow is fine Marlene" Tifa said to humour the child "At least until we get to know his name"

Marlene just nodded. She fell silent as she watched the sleeping, young version of the face Tifa hated so much. Then she turned to the brunette, here eyes old and serious… sad.

"You know, they would all have died if it wasn't for him" Marlene said quietly, looking Tifa straight in the eye "Now … Sarah… But it could have been Benji and Denzel too. But it's not. And that's something to be happy about, isn't it? You should have seen him running into the house Tifa! You should have seen him!"

Denzel called for her downstairs. Marlene answered "Coming!" and rushed out the door. Tifa stood staring at the pale face.

They would all have died if it wasn't for him

Loz walked around irritably kicking up dirt as his huge body paced from one side of the small shore to the other.

"It's not like him to be late" he suddenly exclaimed "Where the hell is he?"

"Don't swear Loz, its bad manner and a sing of weak vocabulary" Kadaj scolded solemnly, his back resting against one of the huge glowing tree-trunks by the small water stream. One of his hands was un-gloved and it stroked the grass slowly, white fingers against green. His eyes were closed and he almost smiled.

"I like it here" he said "It feels nice and warm. Don't you like coming here?"

"Well, yeah, but I'm still worried"

Loz didn't notice his brother's spaced-out tone and sudden change of subject – he was used to it by now.

"Worried? Why?" Kadajs head moved slightly to the side, his eyes opening to look up at his older brother.

"Because Yazz isn't here yet" Loz explained "I have a bad feeling"

"You know, brother, so do I" Kadaj placed one hand over his chest, staring out into the sky as if he knew something … a secret. Loz looked at him and felt a sudden chill down his spine.

Kadaj got to his feet, brushing dirt of his clothes. He turned to Loz, something of his old self in those eyes.

"Alright, let us go find our lost brother" he said "I have a feeling he's…"

He then shook his head and headed for the bikes. Loz followed, more worried now then ever.

AUTHOR AGAIN

Eh… perhaps I made this chapter a little TOO long… since nothing really happens… But… yeah… anyhow, much more exciting events in the next chapter (I've already started on it!) but please, review and tell me what you think about this one.

I know it was a lot of Tifa but it'll matter later on…

Thank you for reading!

Music for this chapter:

Yoko Kannon - Stragers

Cory Taylor - Bother