Disclaimer: I don't own KH or any of its characters.

Warnings: Language (mostly from Cid)

Author's Note: Sorry for the crappy-ness of the last chapter. This chapter is a lot better and well written. For some reason, writing in present-tense is difficult for me, which is why I chose to write the story in present tense.

Summer Haze

Chapter 3: Return

Silence. It was unfamiliar in the house. There was usually someone, usually Yuffie, making a whole bunch of racket. Today is different. Though all members, save one, are home, the house is quiet.

"I wonder where Yuffie is..." Aerith whispers as she places dishes, glasses and eating utensils upon the table's surface.

Though Leon and Cid are sitting at the table, listening to Aerith speak, they remain silent. There are no words to be said.

"I dunno," Cid says after a long silence. "But I don't like it. The house is way too fucking quiet without the brat here. It's driving me nuts."

"Cid!" Aerith snaps. "Please don't cuss in the house!"

"Not like brat's here to hear it. So I can say whatever the hell I want."

Aerith sighs before walking into the kitchen to retrieve the lasagna from the oven. As she opens the oven, the scent drifts into the dining area and causes Leon's mouth to water.

There is a thick tension in the air. It seems to choke the life out of the residents of the household. The tension drives them insane, causing them to act in unpredictable ways. Frustration is born and is taken out upon each other.

As much as he tries not to, Leon finds himself worrying over the whereabouts of the young ninja. Yuffie has not been seen for over three days. Leon had went to the local police station and asked if Yuffie was arrested, but they told him that no one with that name had entered the station or been arrested. Leon had also checked their Gummi Ship storage area, but her ship was untouched. No ships were missing. It is almost as if she disappeared off the face of the world.

Leon is positive that she hasn't been kidnapped. She isn't that weak; she would fight until she was able to escape. Because of her small body, nearly everyone underestimates her power. Leon knows that she is strong, and that her strength is growing every day. He knows that Yuffie would not have run away from home. Even if she had, she would have been back within a day or two, tops.

The Heartless haven't killed her, either. No dead or injured bodies have been found lately, mostly because the Heartless seemed to be depleting in numbers, along with the Nobodies. Leon is baffled by her sudden disappearance. For every reason he can think of for her disappearance, he finds a reason as to why it couldn't be true.

Aerith, since Yuffie's disappearance, has been becoming quieter as the days go by. She is clearly worried about Yuffie. Yuffie's disappearance only adds to the weight that Cloud's departure from Radiant Garden caused her. Cid had become quieter, but also seemed to be more angry than normal.

Cid was like a father and uncle to every member of the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. Cid was always there when someone needed help and solace. He had even quit smoking cigarettes after Aerith and Yuffie had begged him to stop years ago. Cid, quite possibly, has the biggest heart that Leon has ever seen.

Cloud has not returned. Leon wondered if Cloud had died in the struggle against the darkness in his heart. But he knew Cloud wasn't that weak. Cloud was one of the strongest people he knew, and he knew that Cloud would never succumb to the darkness. Though his heart is filled with it, Leon knew that Cloud would soon find his light.

It is almost painfully obvious who Cloud's source of light would be. She was kind and gentle, always willing to help anyone in need. Aerith. She was one of his best friends. Cloud sometimes needed someone to listen, and Aerith always offered, giving advice when he asked for it. Leon knew her heart wasn't pure - only the Princesses of Heart had pure hearts - but he knew that the darkness lurking in its depths was a tiny amount. Aerith could share her light with Cloud; after all, the light practically radiated off of her body.

The sound of someone knocking upon the door echoes within the rooms of the tiny house. The house's silence causes the new sound to seem impossibly loud. Leon sets down his newspaper; Cid places another toothpick into his mouth. Aerith, frowning at the two men, gracefully walked to the door. Leon heard the door open, followed by a loud gasp, and then a shriek of joy.

"Cloud!" she shrieked, throwing herself into the man's arms. The blond haired man wrapped his muscular arms around her, pulling her close. He was clad in a navy blue tank-top with only one shoulder armor. There was a large ebony sleeve covering his one arm, although he had gloves on both hands. Black cargo pants hid part of ebony combat boots.

Cloud finally releases Aerith, stepping into the tiny house. She smiles at him with happy tears trailing down her face. Cloud smiles back; though it is tiny, it seems to be as large as the universe itself to those looking for it. Respectfully, Cloud bends over and removes his combat boots, placing them by the rest of the household's shoes. Leon realizes he can hardly hear Cloud's footsteps.

Stormy gray meets with crystal blue, and Leon finds himself smiling. He hears the toothpick fall from Cid's mouth and hit the table. It is a quiet sound, yet it seems much louder than it really is.

"It's nice to see you again," Cloud says quietly. It isn't directed towards anyone in particular, but rather everyone belonging to the household.

"Where's Yuffie?" Cloud asks, looking around.

"She's gone," Leon states coldly.

"That explains why the house is so quiet," Cloud replies, sitting next to Leon at the table. "I thought she would have been back by now."

"You saw her?" Aerith asks.

"Yeah," Cloud replies, in a casual tone.

"Where!?" Leon demanded. Despite his efforts, he feels his anger grow.

"At the coliseum," Cloud says.

"Colosseum?" Leon asks, surprised. "Why was she there?"

"I'm not sure," Cloud replies. "I tried talking to her, but she ignored me. Did something happen?"

"Cloud, Yuffie ran away," Aerith says quietly, closing her eyes as she breathes deeply, trying to calm her emotions. "We haven't seen her. We don't know where she went, or why."

"How could she get to the coliseum?" Leon asks. "Her ship is still here."

"That's odd," Cloud remarks. "She can't teleport, can she?"

"If she could, she never did before," Leon says, beginning to fall into thought.

"Well, she is a ninja. Or claimed to be one," Cloud replies.

"Can ninjas even teleport?" Leon asks.

"Beats me."

Leon slapped himself in the forehead. Despite Cloud's absence, he was still the same old person that he always was. In a way, he seemed happier than before.

Frustrated with himself, Leon walks away from the table and turns on the radio. Sweet music comes out of the speakers and fills the house, breaking the silence.

"What now?" Aerith asks gently, watching Leon sit back down at his spot at the table.

"Beats me," Leon replies. "I don't have the answers for everything."

"Maybe so," Aerith responds. Her voice is quiet. "But, you still have your heart."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cid asks.

"Even if we can't use logic to find out which way to go, we still have our hearts. Maybe our hearts can show us the way."

"Sounds like a load of bull."

"Maybe it is," Aerith admits. "But it hasn't failed us yet."

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Author's Note: Main reason why I hate school: no time to write fanfiction. I'm glad that I finally finished this chapter, though. Hopefully it makes up for the last one.