Hi everybody! First of all, I'd like to apologize... 2 years is a very long time. My only excuse is that life stirs us in many directions all the time and I needed time to sort it all out. The most important thing is that I'm back and I still want to finish this story the way I've always wanted to write it. Whatever happens, this story will get finished!

I want to thank those sexy readers who posted nice reviws about last chapter. They gave me the fuel to come back! I hope this chapter will satisfy you until the next one !

How far is heaven from hell?

Chapter 4

It was another beautiful day on Destiny Islands. With the end of the summer holidays fast approaching, the youth were eager to enjoy the last days of total freedom until the start of the school year. The beach was of course a favorite destination for those who wanted to have fun. But most of them were at the Coliseum to have a drink and laze about.

The Coliseum was Phil's café. As far as he was concerned, a beautiful day like this was the promise of a lot of paying customers and rush hour all day long. The satyr had invested time, love, sweat and money on HIS place so he would be damned if it was not going to be the go-to place in town. Then again, with the two protégés he had working for him; he really didn't need to worry. It was Leon's turn to take the orders and serve the customers and he was nothing if not swift and efficient.

Though, he usually managed at least the shadow of a half-smile for the paying customers…

"PHIL!"

Of course Megara would be working at the bar today… Maybe that was the explanation for the sourer than usual attitude of Leon today…

"You good for nothing sad excuse for a goat, would you react when I call you?"

How a young woman could project such a beautiful and poised demeanor while cursing like a sailor and behave like a starved Minotaur on the fourth day of his salad diet was beyond Phil. How his champion could look upon this poisonous creature with the eyes of love was beyond Phil. How he could expect to escape his predicament now that the harpy was waiting for him, tapping her foot impatiently, arms crossed and eyes flashing promises of impending doom and misery was way beyond Phil.

"The customers come here to have a good time, Megara! Not to hear you scream like a banshee each time something annoys you!"

Which is often enough, thought Phil who was educated enough to have grasped the concept of having an inner voice contrary to others who were directly In his line of sight.

"The customers come here to drink and ogle the staff, Phil," retorted the young woman with an air of superiority and a light wave of her hair. "On this front, I dare say they are satisfied enough."

And of course, a group of hormonal teenage boys would come at the bar at the right moment to order their drinks with foolish adoring smiles just to prove Megara right.

The satyr could not deny that had been his goal and he could admit to it. Hercules and Leon were two hardworking and efficient young men, but it didn't hurt that they were easy on the eyes. It actually ensured that many young girls would come to his café just to see them in the hope of flirting with one of the two. As for Megara, loathe as he was to admit it, she was an excellent bartender and an exceptional cook. Because of her, the Coliseum became a restaurant every evening and she never shied on reminding him that she had been instrumental in putting his establishment on the map.

"Come on, a girl as beautiful as you shouldn't be behind a bar on a day like this!"

It would seem that one of the hormonal teenagers was on the bold side and has taken more than a shine to Megara… Phil thought he should probably subtly apprise the so obviously inexperienced young fool of the fact that the most beautiful roses still had thorns…

"You're completely right, handsome," replied Megara with the hint of a cruel smile. "Tell you what; I have to speak to my boss right now. Would you be a dear and mind the bar for me? At least until my boyfriend comes to take his shift? You shouldn't miss him, he's kind of buff! So helpful! You certainly are a gentleman!"

Megara didn't let Phil time to see the dumbstruck expression on the face of the foolish youth before she ushered him into the kitchen.

"Paying customers are not your slaves, Megara," said Phil with a tired sigh in half-hearted attempt to be reasonable with the young woman.

"Are you still on that subject? Learn to let go of small matters, Phil, you will live longer."

The satyr just let a long suffering sigh before making his way to the coffee machine he out in the kitchen for his employees when they were on a break. If he was to listen to Megara ranting about what he did wrong with his café and his employees, he would need coffee. The girl was the equivalent of a raging typhoon on her good days.

"Cream and two sugars for me, Phil, thank you," said Megara while gracefully sitting on a chair while the satyr prepared the brew. "I am sure you've noticed something is wrong with Leon…"

The young woman had to admit it was refreshing to see Phil interrupting himself with his task to look at her as if she was growing heads by the dozen. She could be serious now and then. And even if it didn't happen often, she was capable of being considerate when need be. She could admit that it was a contrast with her usually more abrasive personality…

"The boy is always a little broody, Megara," commented Phil while pouring the coffee in two cups. "It used to concern me before I understood that it was normal for him and that the customers found it more intriguing than off-putting."

"Sure, he's not going to win Smile of the Year anytime soon," snorted Megara while accepting the cup Phil had poured for her, "but today, it's more than just brooding. He looks like someone has killed his puppy."

"I'm sure that's a look you're used to receiving, so I'll defer to you on that front," scoffed Phil, allowing himself a little smirk.

"That was completely unnecessary", said Megara, clearly unimpressed. "Especially seeing as I have information on the matter that you are obviously completely lacking…"

"Something wrong with the boy?" asked Phil more seriously.

Megara let an indulgent smile grace her beautiful features. For all that he was gruff and rode them hard, Phil had a heart and it showed for all his employees without exception. Why, she'd seen it since the day the satyr had become sort of a father figure for Hercules. The two of them really had found each other and had this weird mentor-pupil relationship that she tolerated for the sake of her boyfriend.

Hercules was the happy-go-lucky kind and always had a smile on his face whatever happened in his life. He had this unshakable faith that everything would be alright and it was catching. Megara had to admit that those childish warm smiles were the kind that made their female customers swoon. As long as he kept the sexy and seductive kind for her, his fan base needn't fear anything from her.

Leon was a different story. He very rarely smiled. The female customers were more attracted to his brooding, calm and mature looks. He remained polite but never hesitated to firmly rebuke you if you got too comfortable with him. Most of the time, it was very difficult to tell what he was thinking.

Megara wasn't an unfeeling bitch, contrarily to what most thought. She knew that the boy's demeanor had partly to do with his history. He'd had to raise his two brothers by himself since the death of his parents… one of the two brothers was in prison. It was not a stretch to think that Leon blamed himself for that.

"His brother is coming back," said Megara, looking Phil straight in the eye.

"I didn't know the kid was gone", commented Phil, blankly.

"Not Sora. The other one. Vanitas. They released him this morning from Radiant Garden's prison and he's coming back."

"The brat?"

Leon's brothers had often been seen at the Coliseum. When Leon had come asking for a job six years ago, Phil hadn't employed him straight away, arguing that he was too young and wouldn't be as dedicated as he needed all his employees to be. Megara had been present at the interview and had asked the boy why he needed the job. Leon had told them that his parents had just died and that it was just him and his brothers now. Phil had relented. And Leon had proven to be an excellent worker. He'd learned the ropes almost as quickly as Hercules who was four year older than him and that was no small feat.

During the time Leon worked at the Coliseum, it was not rare to see his two younger brothers coming to the café to go back home with Leon. Megara adored Sora and Phil liked the kid well enough. He was a happy kid, always smiling and mostly polite and respectful. Vanitas or "the brat" as Phil had taken to call him, was another story…

Megara herself had been charmed many times by the young boy. He had the looks and the attitude of a lady-killer (and probably was) but knew when to be respectful. And the young woman had been attracted to bad-boy types before. Plus everybody in town knew that the Leonhart family had the fight in their veins.

But that usually meant that they were proficient at fighting. Vanitas was that, but he liked it probably a little too much too… Megara remembered a young boy who was angry a lot at everything, always trying to rile his brother up and always picking fights with other boys – but fortunately winning them too. It hadn't been a surprise but for a handful of people when he'd been sent to prison.

"Well that explains it, then," said Phil shaking his head. "I should've guessed it too; he always made that particular frown when the brat caused problems… But it's been two years. So I guess, I'm just not used to it anymore… And if he's coming back…"

"I think you should tell him to go home or to see his friends or something. Hercules and I can cover for him easily enough. He's not going to be any good to us in that state. He should probably take a few days. Everyone in town probably knows his brother is coming back by now…"

"How did you come by this information, by the way?" asked Phil curiously.

"The mayor's wife was talking about it at the market this morning," answered Megara, rolling her eyes. "The woman isn't too bad, she's just a blabbermouth. Her daughter is Vanitas' girl and a friend of Sora's, Naminé I think she's called… She went to Radiant Garden to bring him back here. At the rate this is going, everyone in town is going to have an opinion about it by the end of the day. Leon and his brother are in for an interesting couple of weeks."

"Oh, brother!" grumbled the satyr before getting up to talk to his protégé.

Leon was having a bad day. And apparently, it showed. Which meant his friends and colleagues would feel the need to go out of their way to be nice to him and to make sure he knew they were there for him and there were very few people he could accept that from without looking ill. It had already begun at work. Phil was telling him that he was not needed if he was not feeling up to it. The satyr did have his way to put it that made it look like it was more about productivity than real care for him but still…

"I still have to set up the tables for lunch service though."

He would at least make sure he didn't leave his work half done. Plus, it would delay the time where he would actually have to think…

"Hercules and Megara are more than able to take care of that", countered Phil with his arms crossed. "I'm sorry kid, but right now, you have other things to think about."

"I would rather work…"

"Yeah? Well I would rather be a movie star, but here I am! Now get changed and get out! Take a few days while you're at it! You're due some."

"Anything else, boss?" muttered Leon.

"I'm not punishing you, kid," said Phil with a good natured smirk while accompanying Leon to the locker room to make sure he would actually go there. "Two words: family is family! And right now, you should be getting ready to be at the train station, to welcome your brother back."

"Oh Leoooon!" they heard Megara sing from outside. "That creepy friend of yours is outside waiting for yooouuuu! He won't budge before you come oooouuut! And he's scaring the customeeeers!"

"WHAT!" the satyr cried out in panic.

"She's just trying to push your buttons, Phil," reassured Leon, rolling his eyes. "Cloud's my best mate and he wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Sure!" snorted Phil. "He smiles just a little less than you and you're already such a little sunshine!"

Leon spared a shadow of a smile to his boss. Phil watched him close the door of the locker room before he heard Megara's melodious voice again.

"Two words Phiiiiiil! BIG SWORD!"

And then, he really panicked.

Cloud was completely immune to Leon's brooding. When the tall brunet had something on his mind, he never shared right away. He could let it all simmer inside until it would explode and take everyone in sight down with it. In that aspect, Leon was very different from his younger brothers. Some would say it's par for the course when you're the eldest that you would keep to yourself to be less annoying than your younger siblings but Cloud was the eldest and he never felt that way.

So it probably was all Leon…

"Did you really have to bring your sword? It was overkill if you ask me."

Leave to Leon to start the conversation with a reproach. Cloud just gave him a blank look.

"Are we really going to talk about my big sword or about what's really bothering you?"

"You want to talk about Van?" asked Leon, raising one eyebrow.

"If that's what's bothering you, yeah I guess."

Did Leon WANT to talk about it? Not so much. He didn't do the touchy-feely stuff. He was not wired that way. Did he NEED to talk about it? That was another story.

"So what, you thought I was gonna pour my heart out to your sorry ass?" snorted Leon with a cocky smile while bumping shoulders with the stoic blonde.

"Well, I figured I'd throw the idea out there before you blow up all over the place and not while you're at it with Aerith… that would be messy," answered Cloud, unperturbed.

Leon poked Cloud on the back of his head to hide his embarrassment. They continued to walk in the direction of Leon's house in silence for a moment before Leon spoke again.

"I'll figure it out, Cloud. When Vanitas get here, we're going to talk. It's going to be hell but I hope we'll get through it. I don't know what to tell you right now because I don't know much yet. Van has a lot to make up for and he has a lot to explain. Beyond that, one problem at a time."

"Alright," said Cloud easily enough. "I'm not going to pester you. You know I'm there, right? If at any time you've had enough, you come by. I cleared it with Tifa."

"I know I can count on you, blondie. Now enough of that! It's usually Aerith who forces me to talk about stuff. You wouldn't want to make her jealous…"

"What is there to be jealous of? Do you have feeling about me, Leon?"

Leon figured another poke was well deserved for the weird looks bystanders were giving them…

"You and your brother really deserve each other!"

"Now where does THAT bullshit comes from, Naminé?" asked Vanitas, annoyed at her smug all-knowing little laugh.

"Now, Vabitas Leonhart, the bad boy routine is getting old!" chastised Naminé with a fond smile. "You'll act like the gentleman I know you can be if you expect an answer for your silly quuestions!"

The young man just threw his hands up in answer with his usual cheeky grin. If the lady wants to keep a secret, you'll never get her to talk. He was surprisingly easily getting reacquainted with the ol' "letting Naminé get her way" routine, and they still had 2 hours to kill! Vanitas would be as charming as she'd want him to be, if only to avoid thinking about what and who was waiting for him at his destination.

I finally came around to introduce Leon and Cloud! It's not been easy trying to figure them out! I hope you won't find them too out of character as the story goes on. Sora will appear very soon!

If you find it in yourself to tell me what you thought of it, I would really love it!

Be seeing y'all soon!