A/N: Here we go with an update. Considerable amount of dialouge in this chapter, hope I do the character's justice. Many thanks to Kazzlar, Alma Heart and Paladingrats for their awesome reviews. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

Chapter Two

The remaining ride to Edge was awkward at best. Cloud hadn't exactly had much of a growth spurt over the past six years, and Angeal certainly hadn't lost bulk or height in the Lifestream, leaving Cloud hunched over Fenrir with Angeal looming behind him. After introducing himself, Cloud remembered the former First, that he had been Zack's mentor, the one who had given Zack the Buster sword which now was rusting on a cliff. His conscience gave a twinge and he sighed to himself as another thought assaulted his mind. What was Tifa going to say when he came home dragging an ex-SOLDIER in? Make him welcome obviously, smile that warm smile, feed him, give him a place to sleep and then chew Cloud out later, saying that he couldn't just bring home people like lost puppies. People ate food which cost gil. Gil that they didn't have to waste.

There was always the possibility that she wouldn't say anything to Cloud at all, besides asking how, where and why. He hoped this was the case. Getting chewed out by Tifa made him want to move away and become a hermit or something. Worst of it was, she was always right.

"Midgar's changed."

Angeal's voice next to his head jerked Cloud from his fitful ponderings and nearly made him swerve off the road.

"At least I think it has. I don't seem to remember what it looked like before."

Talking to the person behind you, was never an easy task, as the wind carried your words away and you had to turn your head slightly, so Cloud replied with a head bob, slowing down as he came into the new city of Edge on the outskirts.

While Cloud had been pondering Tifa's possible reactions, Angeal had been lost in his own thoughts, mainly why he had been kicked out of the Lifestream. Cloud, had informed him that Zack had been his friend and Angeal's student, which cleared up that issue for the time being, although he didn't recall much about his former, now dead student. Either way, he had been sad to hear he had died, gunned down by his own company. Angeal might not have remembered much, but his sense of honor was still strong, and being gunned down by your own company, the very people you dedicated yourself to was just so dis-honorable, it was downright vile. He drew his brows together and gave a firm nod of his head at these thoughts, then turned his focus to the looming city ahead of them. Midgar. Cloud had informed him that Midgar was where he had worked, as SOLDIER for Shin-RA Power Company. Why a power company needed a military, he wasn't quite sure but it would no doubt come back to him, in time.

Cloud guided Fenrir down the bustling streets to the re-built 7th Heaven and let the bike idle for a moment before getting off. Angeal was busy looking around, the ruins of Midgar visible in the distance.

"What happened?" he questioned, bringing his gaze down to Cloud.

"Meteor. Sephiroth summoned it…"

Angeal gave a half nod, still frowning a little, then turned his attention to the building they were parked at. '7th Heaven' the sign said.

"You live at a bar?"

Cloud gave a simple bob of his head, "It's not my bar…I just live here and run my delivery service from here." he explained, walking up the steps and putting his hand on the doorknob, motioning for Angeal to follow.

Angeal did so, dismounting Fenrir stiffly, holding a groan in the back of his throat as he followed Cloud to the door, taking in his surroundings with interest. The cityscape was certainly…different. New construction made from parts of the old city, what was gone helping bring life back. Angeal brought his eyes back to Cloud who was opening the door and going in….he seemed a bit tense.

At the sound of the door unlocking and opening, Tifa looked up from washing and putting away glasses, a warm smile on her face for Cloud. She hung the towel up and came around the bar to meet him.

"Cloud, you're back early. I didn't expect you until tomorr-" she faltered as Angeal loomed in the doorway behind Cloud.

Cloud gave Tifa a sheepish and stepped aside "This is Angeal…I…picked him up in the desert."

Angeal found himself being propelled inside by a warm hand on his arm, the busty young woman pulling him in without question or hesitation.

"Would you like something to drink, Angeal? You must be thirsty after that ride. I'm Tifa by the way." Tifa said, sitting Angeal on a barstool and going behind the counter to get him a bottle of water, shooting Cloud a 'We will talk later' look.

Cloud looked at his boots and slunk upstairs to put his delivery receipts away in his office, figuring maybe it was best if he stayed out of Tifa's reach for the time being. He was already feeling guilty about bringing Angeal home with him, maybe he should have just left him with someone else. But he really had no idea who, no one lived near by that he could leave him with.

"This is a very nice bar you have, Tifa." Angeal complimented, getting comfortable on the barstool and taking a long drink of the cold water Tifa had provided him with.

"Thanks. It's much nicer than the original one was." she said with a nod and smile, putting the dried glasses away.

Angeal looked around with a nod "The original?"

"It was in Sector Seven." Tifa said, assuming he knew.

"Tifa." Cloud said from the bottom of the stairs. He didn't want to have this conversation now, but Tifa needed to know about Angeal.

Tifa looked over at Cloud for a moment, then hung her towel back up and bowed her head to Angeal,

"Excuse me for a moment." Angeal nodded his head and returned to his ice water.

Cloud shook his head at Tifa's questioning look and turned, going back up to his office, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Tifa was following. She paused at the bottom of the stairs for a moment before trailing after him, a puzzled look on her face.

"What's this about Cloud?" she asked once they were in his office with the door shut. Tifa let her arms hang at her sides, so as not to come off as defensive or angry.

With a soft sigh Cloud sat on the edge of the desk, keeping his gaze on the ground while he organized his thoughts before speaking. It was never a wise idea to go into verbal battle with Tifa if your thoughts were unorganized.

"Angeal…was a First Class SOLDIER. He was Zack's mentor…"

Tifa gave a little frown and went to Cloud's side, sitting beside him. She got the feeling that Cloud was very guilty about bringing this man home with him and in truth, she had been prepared to tell him her feelings on the subject. But if Angeal had been the mentor and friend of Zack's, she would let him stay without a word. It was the least she could do in a round about thank you to Zack, for saving Cloud's life.

"I see. Cloud…I thought the Firsts were all dead."

Cloud slowly looked at her. She wasn't mad at him? No lecture about bringing home stray men that they couldn't afford to feed and house? Odd…

"He was sent back to the Planet…I think…he's being given a second chance…maybe to live a normal life."

"Well, I suppose he can sleep on the couch, or I can make up a bed in here for him on the cot."

Tifa stood with a nod and put her finger on her chin while she thought of blankets, sheets and pillows for their new guest. Cloud blinked at her and stood as well,

"You're not…"

"Upset?" she finished for him, "No…No not anymore. I was, but…Angeal is welcome here as much as your friend Zack would have been. Now go downstairs and show him around. He'll probably want a shower. I don't have any clean clothes that would fit him, but I can wash the ones he has on while he's in the shower." Tifa gave a firm head nod and left the room to gather bedding and prepare a place for Angeal to sleep.

Cloud stared at the place she had been standing, then slowly headed back downstairs to show Angeal around. In their absence, Angeal had walked around the bar, looking at the all the pictures on the wall. He had always loved nature and the outdoors so the pictures were of particular interest to him. It was certainly a different bar, not that he had been to many bars before, Angeal wasn't much of a drinker, a beer now and then was the most he ever had. It was very homey and comfortable, certainly fitting of the name, 7th Heaven. He imagined business must have been pretty good for the pretty young woman, Tifa.

Tifa had said that the original bar had been in Sector Seven and Angeal figured that it must have been destroyed by Meteor. Sephiroth…He frowned and folded his arms, thinking hard. The name had importance to him but why? Maybe he had known this horrible man who had tried to destroy the Planet. Did his presumed association with Sephiroth make him a monster as well?

"Angeal, Tifa asked me to show you around…while she's preparing you a place to sleep."

Cloud's voice pulled Angeal from his mental wanderings and back to the present. He looked down at Cloud and nodded, unfolding his arms.

"I don't want to be an inconvenience to you or Tifa…"

"You're not…you're welcome here. Tifa…thrives on helping people." Cloud said, shuffling his feet a little. "Um well…this is the bar."

Angeal gave a chuckle, "It's a very nice bar. What happened to the original? Was it destroyed by Meteor as well?"

"No…when Shin-Ra dropped the plate."

"Shin-Ra…the company I worked for?"

Cloud nodded and turned to the stairs, "Come on, we can talk more later…Tifa said you can shower…she'll wash your clothes while you're getting clean."

Angeal followed him up the stairs, taking in more photographs on the wall, "Thank you. I'm sure I don't smell all that great."

"No problem. This is my office…over there is the two bedrooms, um…the bathroom is there…living room. I'm not sure where Tifa will put you…" Cloud explained, pointing out the rooms from the hall, "Oh…hold on." the phone started ringing and he moved into his office to answer it.

"Alright." Angeal replied, standing in the hall and looking around. It was simple, but cozy and suited his tastes just right. Angeal had never like excess or unnecessary 'comforts'. Simple was always best, but like he said, he was a cheap man. How he ever came to be friends with the richest man in Banora's son, was beyond him. He smiled a little. Apparently he didn't loose any memories of his childhood…he wondered what had become of Genesis.

Was he still in Banora or had he came to Midgar with Angeal? And what of his mother, Gillian? He couldn't remember how long it had been since he had seen her. How long had he been dead anyways? What year was it? His mind spun with questions that he hoped he could find the answers to and he looked forward to learning more from Cloud later on.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.