Head-spinning, couldn't find my way around, and

Didn't know that I was going down.

Yeah, yeah.

Where I've been, well it's all a blur... ~Crashed by Daughtry

"Marlene, go wait down stairs." Was the first thing Cloud said after hearing the name leave the young man's lips, but the little girl stared up at the blond swordsman confused then looked to the stranger with a sigh. She slid off the bed and left the room to fix herself a snack down stairs while the adults talked. She was a girl on a mission. She didn't think the kind stranger should use his father's name, because it wasn't his in the first place. So as she sat at the bar with a glass of milk and a cookie to begin thinking up names for the young fellow as he was interrogated by Cloud.

"Angeal Hewley is dead." Cloud said stiffly as the memory flashed through his mind. However, it wasn't his memory. Many of Zack's own encounters and memories had stayed with him, even after Cloud realized it wasn't his own. The delivery boy's eyes tightened as the scene flashed through his mind. Even though he wasn't the one to deal the final blows to Zack's mentor, it certainly felt like it was him instead of the dark haired SOLDIER First Class Zackary Fair.

The young man shifted in bed as he grimaced then slowly nodded his head in agreement. A stabbing pain rocketed through his chest as the truth began to eat at him again. He knew his father was dead for years now…but hearing it again was about as painful as the first time. He had simply tried not to think about that and would imagine that he off somewhere, not even aware that he had a son. But deep down that tiny voice would whisper that Angeal Hewley truly was dead and he'd never meet him. "I'm…aware of that."

"I never met him." He continued as a deep shuddering sigh escaped his lips. His body jerked away as Tifa sat beside him, lightly sweeping away his sweaty strands of hair to place the cool rag on his forehead once more. She gave him a pitying smile before moving to lightly squeeze his free hand.

"Its okay." She said gently as he nodded then took a breath to continue his story.

"I don't remember much about my childhood…I just remember I was living in a cold cell. There was a doctor…his name started with an 'H' I think…" He frowned at the vague shifty memory. He couldn't tell if his mind was simply blocking it out or if he really simply forgot. Either way, he couldn't remember. "After that I was released and left to my own bearings. I was about nine years or so when I first went outside then I just lived. All I know is my father and mother's name and that he was in SOLDIER. Don't ask me what rank, because I don't-"

"-He was a First Class, second Lieutenant General." Cloud answered for him as the Hewley's face came back to his memories once more. Zack had barely been a Cadet for a day when he witnessed the official ceremony when Angeal was elevated from Commander to Second Lieutenant General.

"You…You knew him?" The young man asked with the slight pitch in his voice that Cloud easily recognized as hope, but it was something that Cloud wasn't going to give with his answer.

"No. Just…a friend of mine told me about him." Cloud replied back stiffly at the thoughts of Zack and how he'd react to this new bit of information. It was then that Cloud Strife began to wonder if this young man was sent to him, just like little Denzel was. And if that was the case then quit sending them to me! Cloud silently glowered hoping his thoughts would reach to Zack and Aerith.

"We can talk about this later." Tifa said as she released her hold on the young man's hand. "You need to rest."

The weakened man watched as the young woman rose from her seat on the bed and strode over to the blond haired man. Her hand gently settling on his shoulder briefly as her eyes darted to the door, he sighed with a nod then followed after her as they left the stranger to rest in Cloud's room. The young man shuddered briefly as he closed his eyes to get some sleep. He had a feeling that Cloud didn't believe his story and in all honesty, it was hard for himself to believe it either. Then the door creaked open again after small footsteps darted back up the stairs and moved into the room. The young man turned his head to acknoledge the new visitor when he saw that it was Marlene. She shyly smiled at him then moved to his bedside, a bit nervous about disobeying Cloud's request of staying down stairs.

"Hi." She said then knelt beside the bed as she folded her arms on top of the mattress while the young man merely smiled and shifted a bit so he could fully face the eight year old.

"Hello to you too." He replied softly glad to see that someone wasn't so frightened of him or distrusting for that matter. She's just a child, that's why. She doesn't see the danger I could be to her. He reminded himself not wanting to get attached to the little girl, but it seemed to him that he was most comfortable with children.

"You've got really pretty eyes. Like the sky." She continued as her head moved to rest on her folded arms while peering up at the dark blue eyes that were looking down at her. He blinked a few times then stared a moment longer at the dark haired girl.

"You too." He chuckled as he moved to lightly ruffle the young girl's hair earning a big smile from her. "So what brings you back up here? Didn't your father tell you to stay down stairs?"

Marlene blinked then began to outright giggle which stumped the young man as to why. He went over what he said and simply couldn't pinpoint what he had said that was so funny. A moment later Marlene calmed down then furiously shook her head at the new resident. "Cloud's not my daddy. My dad is out surveying for oil right now. I just live with Tifa and Cloud until he comes back to see me."

"I see. Sorry." He said as his cheeks lightly colored at the mistake then glanced around the room briefly before Marlene called his attentions again.

"I was wondering…" She paused looking away from the azure eyed man a bit embarrassed about what she was going to ask. "…did you ever come up with a name?"

"No. I haven't." He replied back amused and happy to see that someone cared about him. It had been so long since he had that, if he ever did have it.

"Well…can I help you think of a name?" She asked again as he paused a moment then slowly nodded before moving to sit up. Her hazel orbs widened at the action as he shifted so his back rested against the wall then silently motioned for her to sit beside him.

"Do you have any in mind?" He asked as she beamed up at the stranger before hurrying to climb up and sit next to him as her mind raced with ideas for names. They sat in silence for a few minutes as both of them thought of interesting names, but they couldn't quite decide on one. Then like a bolt of lightening Marlene straightened up with a snap of her fingers and turned to the rather quiet man with a twinkle in her eye.

"What about Keenan?"

The young man blinked at her sudden exuberance then paused reflecting on the name as a slow smile crossed his features. He looked at the young girl then glanced around the room a moment as he thought over the name. Keenan. Ancient one. His mouth twisted into a frown then looked away. Where did that come from? He wondered then shrugged it off. It's nothing.

"I like it. Keenan. Hmm." He let the name settle in the air before giving the girl a firm nod in agreement. "All right then from now on my name is Keenan."

"Nice to meet you, Keenan!" Marlene giggled as she stuck out her hand to him. His lip twitched at the simple and sweet act then gently took her hand in his as they shook.

"The pleasure's all mine, Marlene."

Tifa began to fear for the flooring of the 7th Heaven bar. The blond chocobo haired man was pacing up and down the center of said bar as his heavy duty boots began to make tracks. She winced at the harsh sound of the twist of his heel against the hardwood floors knowing by that simple sound it would leave behind a dark mark.

"Cloud, I don't think he'll be a threat. Do you?" She questioned knowing that her childhood friend wouldn't rest until he had gotten all his darken thoughts out of his mind and into the air. He paused staring blankly at the floorboard in front of him as his Mako blue eyes wandered over every grain of the wood. Completely unorganized, but seamlessly flowed together. Just like his life.

"Nah. I just…" He trailed off wondering if he was getting upset over nothing. It wasn't like the man upstairs was SOLDIER, given that he was the son of one and grew up in the labs. However, if he was a threat then he certainly wasn't acting like one. He protected the kids. Cloud reminded himself as a small nagging feeling tugged at his core. "…did you see his eyes?"

"Yeah, I saw." Tifa admitted as her hand moved to clasp her elbow then her hazel eyes darted from the swordsman and back to the beaten floors. She clearly remembered the glowing orbs looking up at her nervously when she had reached out to him. Color of the sky. Trade mark SOLDIER. Just like Cloud's…

"Then there's a chance he could come back-"

"But," Tifa began to argue hating to throw this back in his face, but felt it was needed. "-it's the same with you. I don't think-"

"Don't you think I know that?" Cloud bit out with a wince then shook his head before slowly lowering himself down onto one of the booth seats. The clink of the metal straps and buckles were the only sound in the bar with the exception of the air conditioning and their soft breaths. Tifa looked away as her arms crossed her chest then silently strode over to the delivery boy with the world on his shoulders. The creak of the vinyl snapped Cloud's eyes up as the ebony haired woman sat across from him. Her hand gently took his hand in hers and simply smiled at him.

"Cloud. Please don't be this way." She pleaded as he shook his head then glanced out the window. The last thing he wanted was another Sephiroth fiasco on his hands and living in under his roof. He barely made it out of the last one and he didn't know if he'd survive another attack from his former hero. But the young man upstairs resting wasn't the silver haired SOLDIER. He wasn't the Demon of Wutai. He wasn't General of the Shinra Army. He wasn't even remotely related to the man, but just the fact that he shared the same SOLDIER traits as Sephiroth and himself was unnerving in its own right. However, he knew better than to judge. He hated the fact that people were still fearful of him because of his eyes or dress even after he had saved the planet numerous amounts of times. And so…

"I'll leave him alone. Besides how much trouble could he be?"

Thanks for the reviews! They are highly welcome and I hope to get more of them! I'm so glad to hear that this seems cannon! My one purpose in life is to write fanfictions that are cannon...well not really but you get the idea.

Please review and ~God Bless!~