R E T U R N I N G H O M E

Cloud Strife

i'll see you in my dreams

&

Yuffie Kisaragi

i'll see you in my thoughts

"Wow…" The gummi pilot also known as Cid Highwind had a shocked expression on his face. That was before he let out a mouth full of swears at the blonde questioning where he'd been for so long. For a while Cid was the only one who had opened his mouth and began to speak for the others were all to shocked to say anything. They were shocked for a number of reasons. One, the great Cloud Strife had returned, and two, he was holding an unconscious and bleeding Yuffie Kisaragi in his arms. It didn't take long for Aeris to rush forward to her younger female friend asking what happened. Her green eyes looked over Yuffie's cut and bruised body with worry before turning back to Cloud.

"Where…what happened?" she asked stroking one of the girl's arms. Even though the flower girl knew she was unconscious she couldn't help her maternal instinct to watch over the girl. She looked up at the warrior's mako eyes that were just as cold and hard as she remembered them to be. It caused her to look away, and almost thankfully Leon entered the picture.

"So what happened again?" Leon asked in his usual husky voice although there seemed to be some hostility hidden behind it. He walked up besides Aeris and observed the SOILDER. He looked the same more or less although there was something different about him. It wasn't exactly a physical change but it was a change that you could see. It looked like he had been through hell and back again. Looking at him you could tell that he had been through a lot of ups and downs since the last time they had seen each other. He wasn't the young boy that they remembered from his childhood….and neither was he.

"I found her," was Cloud's simple answer. He knew that Leon would probably want more information but Cloud was never one to talk very much. He was also never one to go out of his way or habit to please anyone else…even when he was pint size.

After quirking an eyebrow Leon nodded knowing better than to scrutinize the man. Looking down at the sleeping Yuffie ruffled his hair on the nape of his neck.

"Um…Thanks. Do you want me to carry her from here?" he asked holding out an arm ready for Cloud to transfer the girl into his arms. He certainly didn't expect for the blonde to shake his head and to continue cradling Yuffie. Cloud looked at Leon blankly with his blood red cloak covering half of his face. It was hard to read what his emotions were even without half of his face covered…but it seemed…could it be that he actually cared for young girl?

"Um…okay well you can just settle her down in her room…" Aeris quickly said before anything else could be spoken. "Follow me Cloud."

The blonde walked passed the brunette not making eye contact with him. Although it wasn't because he was scared it was because he was apathetic. That was Cloud. Always cold and never caring towards anyone.

Aeris turned on her heels leading the way to Yuffie's door. There was a large sign written with black paint reading 'Yuffie's room DO NOT ENTER' taped on the wood. Opening the door the pink clad girl stepped inside motioning towards the bed.

"Just set her down here and I'll take care of the rest…"

Cloud didn't give her as much as a nod when he stepped passed her and gently laid Yuffie on to her bed. After she was secured he didn't even bat an eyelash when he turned around to make for the door leaving a very confused Aeris. Was he going to leave again?

"Cloud...where are you going? Are you going to leave again?" she asked with an almost desperation in her voice. It had been a long time since she had seen him and there were so many things she wanted to tell him.

Looking over his shoulder he looked at the green eyed girl. He could easily tell that there was emotional distress in her eyes. He decided to give her some sort of hope or closure. "No…not right now anyway." With that he went on his way as his cape followed behind him with each step.

Heartless.

They were everywhere.

They were tearing into the houses being drawn to the people inside. They were attracted to the living the ones who still kept their hearts. That's that they were after. They were heartless and they wanted hearts. They never expected it to happen to them, they never expected that something like this could happen. They were so unprepared and it wasn't long until Radiant Garden would fall.

A young girl about the age of five was running as fast as her little legs could carry her. Everyone around her either didn't see her or choose to ignore her for everyone was running past her. She just couldn't keep up. Was she going to be left behind? There were tears streaming down her cheeks as she fought so hard to run faster but not matter how much she tried she seemed to be falling behind.

She wished so much to be where her friends were now. He parents had died long ago before she could even remember. Her friends were the only things she remembered. They were more than her friends they were her family. But they were nowhere to be found at the current moment. Squall. Aeris. Cid…and…

Suddenly the young raven haired girl found herself tripping and colliding with the ground hard. A loud snapping sound was heard followed by a blood wrenching scream. Tears began to fall harder and hotter form her eyes as she assumed the fetal position trying to clutch her leg. She could hear the screams in the distance and the footsteps of the people who passed her leaving her to die. There she was. At five years old Yuffie Kisaragi believed that she would die. She heard the heartless coming. They screeched a inhumane noise that would forever haunt her in her dreams.

Her brown almond eyes opened staring death in the face. Fear gripped her as she saw the single shadow heartless coming for her as the houses began to burn around her. It was only one…but she was defenseless and still afraid. Her vision was blurry with her tears or maybe it was just that she was loosing consciousness. Either way she didn't care. Her leg was numb. She could no longer feel it and her voice was too hoarse to cry out anymore.

There it was …coming closer when through her blurred vision she saw a metal blade fall down on the heartless in front of her. And then there was a boy…who seemed to small to carry such a heavy sword but somehow he seemed to manage it just fine. She didn't see his face only his knees when he bent down and scooped her up in his arms. Her eyes instantly closed hoping to cease the dizziness.

"Yuffie!? Are you okay?" the boy asked with clear distress in his voice. His question was quickly followed by a loud crash almost causing him to drop the girl. He kept his hold on her as he looked over her shoulder at more heartless coming their way. Letting out a furious growl he turned back around.

In his arms she could feel that whoever was holding her broke out into a run. The sounds around her began to jumble into one record. Everything was starting to blend together. The past with the future. Her dreams and her reality….

"Don't worry"

'What?'

"I'll keep you safe"

'Who are you?'

"….I'll protect you…."

'I'm dreaming?'

"I promise…"

"Aren't I?"

Yuffie eyes rapidly opened as she shot herself up letting out a troubled gasp. She was drenched in a cold sweat and her breathing was hurried. Where was she? What had happened? Looking around in a panicked motion it took her a few moments to realize where she was – her room. Her breathing began to steady itself as she buried her face in the palm of her hands.

Looking out the window she saw the starry night enter her room through moon beams. It was obvious that it was night time. She must've slept through the whole day.

That still didn't answer her second question. What had happened?

As if she had just been bitten her eyes widened as she reached for her side. Healed. Although she was still bruised she wasn't bleeding anymore. Aeris must have healed her while she was asleep.

The last she remembered was being attacked by heartless. Or…was that the dream? No that really happened. There was a boy…no a man who had assisted her. What else did she remember?

Those Mako eyes.

"GAWD…." Yuffie fell back sinking into her bed with a slight smile on her face. She remembered now. She remembered how his golden bangs feel in front of his eyes when he looked at her. The way his cape slightly covered his emotionless face. Even though he seemed introverted there was something about him that was so intriguing. He was like some force pulling her in. Who was he? What was his name? She had never seen him before in Hallow Bastion. He didn't even tell her his name…

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

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