For the last couple of years, things with Cloud and his father didn't work out. Every day they were fighting, and Zack was the one who had to break it up. One day the fight got so bad, Cloud walked out.

"You know what, if you don't want me apart of his family, then I won't!" Cloud yelled slamming the door on his way out.

"Cloud!" Zack tried to go after his little brother.

"Stop, Zack!" John demanded. Zack didn't listen. He went to the door and reached for the doorknob. "Zack I said stop! If Cloud wants to live on his own, let him! He doesn't do anything to help this family anyway..."

As Zack touched the doorknob, he listened to his father and let his arm drop to his side. He stared at the door, hoping his brother would return and everything would be alright.

Zack looked at his father angrily. "Dad, he is your son, and you aren't going to go after him?!"

"Zack, don't start with me!" Zack flinched at the stern voice of his father. John sighed, "Go in your room and get ready for the hunt tonight."

…

Cloud waited for the train to arrive in the substation for about an hour, and he was growing anxious. He honestly didn't know where he will be going, he didn't think it through.

"Hey Cloud!" A familiar voice called.

"Tifa…" Cloud said, relieved someone who he was comfortable with was with him.

Tifa put her hands on her hips. "Did you get into another fight with your father?" Tifa asked sternly.

"Yeah, but I'm not going back." Cloud said bluntly.

Tifa had a sad expression on her face, knowing Cloud wasn't joking around. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

"No." Cloud said looking at the ground.

"I am opening a bar with a couple friends up state and, if you want, you can come with me and help out." Tifa said shyly.

Cloud smiled. "I would love that."

"Great!" Tifa's face lit up to a bright smile.

As the train came, they both boarded together. For three hours they finally got to their location.

"It feels great to get out of Lawrence…" Cloud said while stretching.

Tifa laughed, "Let's go!" They both wonder out of the station and entered into a large city. Tifa grabbed Cloud's arm and dragged him through the crowd. Tifa stopped at a two story building. "Welcome to the Seventh Heaven!"

…

"Yo, Spiky!"

Cloud turned off his new remolded motorcycle and looked up at his big muscular friend. He was dark skinned and has a metal prosthetic right arm. Cloud never asked what happened, he knew it was none of his business. A little girl with shoulder length brown hair peeks over the tall mans shoulder.

"Cloud!" She jumps off the man's shoulder and Cloud catches her.

"Hey Marlene!" Cloud smiled.

"We missed you!" Marlene said with teary eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I would be gone that long…" Cloud was making a delivery to the next town over until he was attacked by a vengeful spirit, he had no choice but to hunt it down so no one else got hurt.

The big man, Barret, snorted. "Come on, Spiky, we have more work for you." Marlene claimed up and sat down on Cloud's shoulder. He smiled and walked in his home.

When he walked in, he saw Tifa working behind the bar helping the costumers.

"Cloud your back!" A little boy with brown hair ran towards Cloud and embraced him. The boy was very fond of Cloud, he saved his life after all, he was like a father to him.

"Hey Denzel." Cloud smiled and rubbed the boy's hair.

Tifa turned around to face Cloud. "Cloud, it's good to see you are back safe and sound. Here have a beer!"

Cloud smiled and took the beer. Barret drowned himself with it while Cloud politely took small sips. They all talked about their week. Even though Cloud has been living with them for a couple years it felt like he finally had a real family. No more hunting. When the kids asked if monsters where real, he would always say no, and they believed him. This is what Cloud always wanted.

…

Denzel and Marlene where sleeping in there room until they heard something walking around the bar loudly. Marlene was very frightened, knowing the bar was closed and knew Cloud and Tifa where fast asleep.

"Y-you don't think it's a monster do you?" Marlene asked Denzel.

"No, they aren't real, remember what Cloud said?" Denzel said.

Marlene's eyes widened. "Someone broke in!"

"Shh! Stay here I am going to get Cloud." Denzel said in a brotherly tone.

Denzel quietly got out of bed and slowly made his way to Cloud's room. He opened his bedroom door to find the blonde sleeping peacefully; it felt wrong to wake him up.

"Cloud, wake up!" Denzel whispered and shook him softly.

Cloud slowly opened his eyes. "Denzel? What's wrong?" He asked seeing the fear in the boy's eyes.

"Someone broke in the bar!" With that said, they both heard a crashing sound coming from downstairs, then somebody cursing loudly.

Cloud got up fast. "Get Marlene and go to Tifa's room!" Cloud ordered. Without a word, Denzel did what he was told. Cloud quietly walked down the stairs hoping that it wasn't a ghost, demon, or anything that he has hunted. As he got downstairs, he saw a black figure leaning down on the ground. Without hesitation, Cloud pulled that figure in a head lock and pulled him up straight. The man was startled and elbowed Cloud in the stomach. He stumbled over and punched the man in the face. The man grunted and did the same but Cloud easily blocked it. The man grabbed Cloud's arm and pulled it back, making him fall to the ground.

"Easy there Spiky!" The man said.

Cloud's furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Zack? What are you doing here? You scared the living crap out of me!"

"Well, you are just out of practice." With that said, Cloud flipped his brother over. "Uh, never mind. Get off me!" Cloud smirked and helped his brother up.

"Cloud, is everything okay!" Tifa ran down the stairs and turned on the lights.

"Yeah everything is fine." Cloud answered. Tifa looked at Zack and smiled.

"Zack!" It's good to see you!" She gave Zack a hug, which he returned, giving Cloud a smirk. Cloud glared darkly at his brother giving him "don't you dare" look, which made Zack laugh.

"Cloud are you hurt!?" Marlene ran down the stairs to get to Cloud.

"Marlene wait! It might be dangerous!" Denzel said, chasing after her.

Cloud smiled at the children. "It's alright kids."

They smiled and hugged Cloud. Zack looked confused and looked at the kids, then back to Cloud and Tifa. "Are they-yours?" Zack asked.

Tifa's face reddens in a deep blush and was stuttering on her words for an answer. Cloud smiled at this and blushed slightly. "No, Marlene is staying with us because her father is always on a job." Marlene looked up at Zack shyly, and then hid behind Cloud's leg. "I found Denzel, passed out near a church, sick as a dog, so I took him in." Cloud finished, rubbing the boys hair. Denzel laughed and grabbed Cloud's hand playfully.

Zack knew Cloud was very happy here, and he hated to ruin his happiness, but he needed help big time. "Cloud I need your help."

Cloud turned away from Denzel still smiling. "What is it Zack?"

Zack sighed. "Dad has been gone for a couple days and he hasn't been picking up his calls."

Cloud's smile dropped, slightly worried for his father. "Zack, he is always out for days, he will be fine."

Zack shook his head. "No Cloud, something is wrong, I can feel it."

"Okay…"Cloud said silently. "Tifa, I would like to talk to my brother alone."

Tifa nodded, a little hurt by his words but hurried the kids up stairs.

"Cloud!" Denzel called.

"Denzel, Cloud has something he has to take care of, go to your room and try to go to sleep okay?" Tifa said in a motherly tone, looking back at Cloud before going to her own room.

"Alright, what was he hunting?" Cloud asked.

Zack just stared at him. "Follow me."

…

The boys where outside looking through the back of the Impala. "Here listen to this." Zack took out a recorder but the message was hard to understand.

"Zack, I th- I got a –ead on w-at killed yo- moth- but I been –ving some trou-. I mig- need he-."

"There is EVP on that." Cloud stated.

"Good job! It's like riding a bicycle right?" Zack smiled as Cloud rolled his eyes. "I went back and slowed it down, this is what I got."

He white noise from the recorder sounded like a women's voice called out. "I can never go home…"

"What does that mean?" Cloud asked in confusion.

Zack closed the trunk. "I don't know that's why we are going to go find out.

"We? Zack I'm not going."Cloud stopped to look at Zack. "I have to help Tifa out in the bar and look after the kids. Besides you can take this on your own."

Zack looked down at the ground. "Yeah, but I don't want to do it alone…"

Cloud sighed. "Alright, three days and that's it."

Zack looked up with a smile. "Alright, let's hit the road!" Zack started going to the driver's seat until Cloud spoke up.

"I want to say goodbye first." Cloud said, standing in the same spot.

"Oh, right." Zack closed the door and walked in 7th Heaven with Cloud.

As they walked in, Tifa was at the bar looking worried. "Cloud is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything is fine, I just have to go out for a couple days to find my father." Cloud said with a small smile.

"Oh okay, please be careful Cloud." Tifa said sadly.

They all heard tiny footsteps coming from the stairs. "Cloud!"

Cloud was a little surprised. "Denzel, you should be in bed." Marlene came from the stairs as well and Cloud sighed in defeat.

"You aren't leaving are you Cloud?" Marlene asked rubbing her eyes.

"I'm afraid I have to, I have family issues I have to straighten out." Cloud said softly at the child.

Denzel looked offended. "But, we are your family!"

Cloud chucked and rubbed the boy's hair. "Yes, but this is really important. Help Tifa around the bar okay?" Denzel nodded.

"You will be back right?"

"Of course!" Cloud smiled.

The kids hugged Cloud. Zack watched as Cloud hugged them back. This would be a nice life for him… Zack thought to himself.

"Be careful okay." Tifa told Cloud.

"I will." Cloud nodded.

The boys turned around and walked out of 7th Heaven. They got in the car and when Zack turn on the car, the band "Kansas" started playing on the radio.

Zack laughed and turned the music up louder as they got on the highway.

"Carry on my wayward son, there'll be peace when you are done, lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more"

"Come on Cloud, sing it with me!" Cloud rolled his eyes laughing, tapping his foot to the guitar solo.

This is my second chapter, how did you like it? Review!