Chapter 3:

"Well here we are." Cloud said to Aerith outside her house.

"Thanks for walking me home Cloud. You should stay for the night, it'll be dark soon and it can get dangerous around here at night." Aerith said pulling him inside.

"I really should get back, I have a job to do."

"Oh c'mon. One night won't hurt you any. Besides you can meet my mom."

"Fine but in the morning I'm leaving."

"Yay!" Aerith said running into her kitchen. "Cloud this is my mom."

"Hello ma'am." Cloud said walking in behind Aerith.

"Hello nice to meet you." Aerith's mom said.

"Cloud's gonna rest here for the night." Aerith said.

"Okay sweetheart. How about you go get cleaned up." Aerith's mom said.

"Okay." Aerith said smiling as she ran upstairs.

When she got to her room she was surprised to find Noreku there waiting for her.

"It's been a long time Aerith." Noreku said to her.

"Ya, the last time we saw each other was before Zack left for Nibelhiem." Aerith replied.

"Do you know who that boy is?"

"Not entirely. The planet's told me a lot though. Is he really?"

"Zack's living legacy? Yes he is. I was left with the duty of protecting him but it seems he doesn't even know who he is."

"I could tell. He's so much like Zack it's almost unbearable." Aerith said starting to tear up.

"Don't cry." Noreku said as he gave her a hug to comfort her. "Zack died protecting his honor and he passed his dreams onto Cloud. Sadly it seems like Cloud has taken on Zack's persona altogether."

"Ya, so what should we do?"

"I was asked to keep this information from Cloud and let him figure it out on his own."

"Okay, if you think that's best then I won't tell him. But I should start heading back downstairs before somebody wonders where I am."

"Alright, I'll go tell the others where Cloud is and that he's okay."

'Okay, bye Noreku." Aerith said heading out her door.

"Bye Aerith." Noreku said jumping out her window.

So Noreku headed back to Tifa's bar to tell them the news about Cloud and where he was.

"So he's okay?" Tifa asked.

"Yes he's fine. He's in the Sector 5 slums. He will be resting at an old friend of mine's house. We can go meet up with them tomorrow by the gate into Sector 5." Noreku replied.

"Great! So while you two do that me and a gang of my buddies will be takin' control of the support tower so we's will have full control over Sector 7!" Barret shouted.

"Okay but be careful. We can't lose anyone in this fight." Noreku said.

"Don't you worry bout me. I ain't gonna fail!"

"Alright then let's rest up for the night." Noreku said as everyone headed to their rooms rest.

That night Tifa slept in Noreku's room. She had asked if it was okay and he didn't mind. He liked her and was hoping she'd show up at his door in her short, tight and skimpy clothes wanting to spend the night with him. They hadn't done much, just cuddled and made out for a while, then she fell asleep laying right against him. This was the first time he slept through the night without having nightmares. All he could seem to do was dream about Tifa, and how happy she made him.

When they woke up that morning Tifa was waking up Noreku who seemed to wanna just stay in bed.

"Wake up Noreku we gotta go get Cloud today." Tifa told him as she shook him back and forth.

"Nerughoof!" Noreku mumbled as she continued to shake him.

"What?"

"Five more minutes."

"No, now WAKE UP!" Tifa yelled as Noreku shot up wide eyed.

"Okay I'm up!"

"Good." Tifa said kissing him. "Now get dressed."

"Yes mom." Noreku said sarcastically, and then he started to laugh.

After they were dressed they headed outside and started walking towards Sector 5.

"I had a great time with you last night." Tifa said blushing.

"Me too but I had no idea you were a biter." Noreku said laughing.

"Oh hush. You know you enjoyed it, and I wasn't the one who had their hands on my boobs the whole time." Tifa said as they both started to laugh.

After a few minutes of this they finally arrived at Sector 5 where they found Cloud with Aerith.

"There you are!" Tifa yelled at Cloud. "You had me worried sick mister!"

"Sorry Tifa but look Aerith here took care of me and I'm in one piece so what's the big deal?" Cloud said.

"The big deal is you didn't come home! You promised to always protect me but I can see you were just too busy having sleep-overs to care!" Tifa yelled looking way meaner that what she actually was.

The look in Cloud's eye's made him look like a scared kid. "I said I was sorry Tifa. It was late and Aerith insisted that I stay."

"Whatever! Besides I got Noreku now so screw you!" After Tifa finished yelling she stormed off.

"Just give her some time she's been worried about you." Noreku said to Cloud.

"She sure is steamed." Cloud replied.

"She didn't know if you were alive or dead until yesterday when I told her where you were."

"Wait you came looking after me? When?"

"Right after you fell. I jumped down the hole after you."

"Well thanks. So, she's only acting like this because she was worried about me?"

"Ya but we should get going. Barret and some of his buddies are trying to take over the Sector 7 support tower."

"They're what! Going after reactors by sneaking in is one thing but this is suicide!" Exclaimed Cloud.

"Exactly, that's why we gotta go now. I'll go grab Tifa and try to calm her down. Is Aerith coming?" Noreku asked.

"You bet I am!" Aerith exclaimed. "Let's go!"

So Noreku got Tifa and then they all headed to the support tower.

When they got to the tower it looked like Barret's team was losing this fight.

"Things are getting dangerous here. Aerith a there's a little girl at a bar I own a couple blocks away. Could you go there and get her to some place safe?" Tifa said to Aerith.

"Sure I can do that. Good luck!" Aerith said as she ran towards the bar.

"Okay time to take this tower from the Shinra." Cloud said as they stormed to the top of the tower. When they got to the top they were stopped by Reno of the Turks.

"Oh, hey jailbait, it's you!" Reno said as he drew his electrifying shaft and got ready to fight.

"My name's Cloud! Now get out of our way!" Cloud yelled drawing his sword.

"See I can't do that. I've been ordered to stop you. Ugh why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?" Reno said with a sigh.

"Then bring it on!"

So Reno fought against Cloud and his friends until Reno decided to give up and leave, he didn't wanna risk his pretty face getting harmed in a fight.

"You coward come back!" Cloud yelled.

"There's no point. Turns out it'll be easier to blow you up with the bomb planted here, keeps my face safe too." Reno said with a chuckle.

"BOMB!" Cloud, Tifa and Noreku said at once.

"We're going to blow this tower up, then we'll blame it on you AVALANCH losers and when nobody can find your bodies they'll believe you really were the threat we say you are." Said another Turk with long black hair.

"Tseng?" Noreku said looking confused. "Why are you doing this? You were my friend!"

"I have my orders and so I'm following them." Tseng said blankly.

"You asshole! You're a disgrace to Zack's memory!" Noreku screamed.

"Wait you know him?" Cloud asked.

"Ya, he used to be friends with me and Zack. But I guess that means nothing to him now." Noreku said with a scowl.

"Friends are meaningless to me; they only get in the way." Tseng said.

"Ouch that's kinda harsh." Said Reno. "I though we were friends."

"Will you shut up? Between your whining and all those damn messages you keep leaving on my answering machine I might have to carry out Rufus' order to kill you." Tseng said looking rather pissed as he leveled his gun at Reno's head.

"Whoa there boss no need to do anything hasty. I'll be good I promise." Reno said flailing his arms around.

"Good. Oh and Noreku thanks for the girl." Tseng said as he stepped aside revealing Aerith.

"Aerith!" Cloud yelled. "You bastard give her back!"

"In your dreams. This girl is going to lead us to paradise!" Tseng shouted as he laughed and flew away in his helicopter.

"We gotta get out of here! The bomb's about to blow!" Noreku yelled as they grabbed Barret who was knocked out against the rail of the top of the tower and started to run.

When they got to the bottom of the tower it blew up collapsing the entire portion of the plate above them and crushing Sector 7.

"Marlene!" Barret yelled in anger.

"Barret calm down, Aerith took her someplace safe. We gotta go after Tseng and Aerith back." Noreku said.

"Where's Marlene?" Barret said leveling his gun arm at Noreku.

"We don't actually know." Tifa said trying to lower Barret's arm while trying not to freak out. "So if you want to find Marlene we need to get back Aerith that so that she can tell us."

"Fine but only cuz I wanna find my little girl." Barret said lowering his gun arm but looking very pissy.

So the gang headed out on a mission to get back Aerith.