So I figured since I'm two days late in updating I'd give ya'll two chapters (Omg I'm talking like Barret. Wow.). I hope you enjoy! Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot at this point.

Eight: A Very Strong Idea

"Hey Mar—wake up—it's time for work again," Barret said, shaking her awake. Marlene realized groggily that she had to get up or else the same thing would happen that happened the day before: Tifa would start asking more questions.

"Okay, I'm up," she said quickly, rolling over, and getting to her feet.

"Well at least you're talking today," he grunted. Marlene blushed; completely having forgotten about last night's spell and was very glad it had worn off during the night.

"Sorry Daddy," she mumbled to him, grabbing at her knapsack as she fumbled for her shoes. "I was trying to see how long I could go without talking, but it got boring," she lied, complaining.

"Ah—well I think I'll let you walk over by yourself. Daddy's running late okay? You say hi to Cloud and Tifa for me okay?" He kissed her forehead and escorted her to the door.

"Okay, bye Daddy," she yawned, stepping out into the chilly air, letting her feet crunch under the thin layer of frost on the ground. The early morning sky was as gray and lifeless as Marlene felt, trudging next door to Seventh Heaven.

She let herself in and wiped her feet on the welcome mat inside.

"Tifa?" She asked, squinting at the bright lights. "Cloud are you here?"

"I'm in here, Mar, Tifa's outside; she'll be back in soon. Hey, uh, don't most people go to church on Sundays?" She heard Cloud from the kitchen. She followed his voice to the kitchen where she watched him (rather clumsily) try to fry an egg.

"Yeah . . ." Marlene said slowly, taking a seat at the table.

"Well then how 'bout you and me take a trip down to Aeris's church, together?" He asked, turning to her.

"Okay!" Marlene liked the church about as much as her forest place, actually. Maybe the church had magic too. "Does Tifa know we're going?"

"We'll tell her. C'mon—get your coat," Cloud urged, hurrying her out the door. "We'll pick up some breakfast on the way."

"Hey Marlene, Cloud, where are you guys going?" Tifa asked, approaching the doorway wearing green garden gloves.

"I thought I'd take Marlene out to the church . . . that okay?" Cloud asked, strapping on his goggles.

"Um, yeah, I guess so," Tifa said hesitantly before managing a weak smile, "have fun."

"You too Tifa!" Marlene called, waving at her as they left the house.

"Here, take this." Cloud ordered, handing Marlene a heavy metal helmet as they came to the wide gravel area where the cars and bikes were parked. "We're taking the bike." Cloud slung his leg over the clunky, yet efficient contraption and held out a gloved hand. Marlene hopped onto the same seat in front of him, trusting that Cloud would keep his arm around her throughout the trip.

Cloud jammed a key into the ignition, the bike starting up with a loud rumble. He revved it a few times, and off they sped toward the fifteen-minute ride to Aeris's church.

XxXxXx

The multi-colored, delicately-shaped flowers swayed in the breeze. No frost dared touch them within the hallowed sacred of Aeris's church. Instead, spare sunlight peeped in between wooden beams, stained-glass windows, and shaft—giving a golden tint and reflected off the hundreds of blossoms.

They stood quietly, in their remembrance of their friend.

"Cloud, Tifa said that even when someone you love dies, you should keep on living. But how? Why?" Marlene asked after a few minutes. Cloud was quiet.

"I have no answers for you Marlene. Sometimes I don't know why I let myself live. To me, the ones you love make life. Why should we go on if they're dead?" Cloud asked despondently.

Something in Marlene snapped when she heard him say that. What did he mean? If that was how Cloud thought, and those loved ones were dead, what would stop Cloud from doing something terrible?

She was agonizingly afraid of suicide—as she had learned not long ago how her own biological father had died. Her father had done that to himself because he lost his wife—her mother—and then Marlene herself, though she couldn't have known better.

If Cloud was really that sad, and he wasn't exactly kidding around when he had said that a minute ago, Avalanche family would crumble. Losing Aeris, they were barely coping as it was. Losing Cloud would lose them all. And Cloud wouldn't only be killing himself; he'd be killing Marlene as much as Tifa and Daddy.

The really frightening thing was that Marlene could picture all of it. Cloud's emotional irrationality taking over. Killing himself, or leaving—never to come back. Avalanche slowly disintegrating, starting with Tifa and ending with Cid or Vincent.

Marlene felt a sweat break on her forehead—her face grew hot and she flushed—forcing herself to will back tears. She swallowed, and swallowed again, shaking.

"Cloud?" She asked hoarsely, her voice a low shaking whisper, "What would you give for her to come back? If anything could be done—would you do it?" She asked. Cloud's once-smart, blue eyes were now dull and blank. She didn't see Cloud. She saw a remnant.

"I'd give anything and everything. In a heartbeat." He answered finally.

Anything and everything. His sword, his soul. Marlene. Tifa. Barret. Anything and everything.

Her mind scrambled for the vague idea she had buried in the depths of her thought life. There were no more doubts if Cloud had lost hope. It was time for her to turn that vague idea into the beginnings of a plan.

A plan to resurrect Aeris.

XxXxXx

Marlene was frantic the whole rest of the day to get out of the house. Barret got home around four; they had dinner at five and before it was even completely dark out, Marlene bolted for the door with her knapsack at five-thirty.

"Marlene I want you inside tonight. I don't want you to be sick or tired for your first day back at school tomorrow. Okay?" Her Daddy's slightly distracted voice echoed from where he sat, reading the newspaper.

She stopped dead in her tracks, wanting to cry and scream and protest that she was really saving them all. She stood very still, facing the door, and Tifa watched concerned. Marlene's fingers twitched and clenched as she shut her eyes, trying to think of a way out. But she knew from experience that Daddy's word was law. There was no way around it.

Tears stung her eyes, though no one could see them. She had placed her security in her lucid moon and quiet clearing. Why would they take that away? Especially the day that she needed that security the most. She took a couple of deep, long breaths, remembering where she was, forced the tears from her eyes, and turned to Barret—his nose still in the paper. Cloud was finishing dinner and Tifa was intently concentrating on Marlene's reaction.

"Okay," she said softly, quietly. Tifa glanced at Cloud, but he hadn't noticed it. Marlene shivered violently, though it wasn't cold—inside at least.

"Whaddaya say you and I head home Marlene?" Daddy asked, setting aside the newspaper and stretching, slowly rising to his feet.

She couldn't answer—only nod as he stepped to the door next to her She opened it, and headed for home without looking back to say goodbye to Cloud and Tifa.

XxXxXx

She lay in her bed later that night, contemplating. She was no longer afraid of the late night—it really was her only time of day anymore—but feared the consequences of what might happen should she get caught sneaking out. No doubt she'd be promptly forbidden to go out at all, and besides she couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her family that way.

She mentally reran through her plan. Tomorrow evening she'd slip out, and run through all the necromancy spells she had. Study them. Figure out exactly what each spell would do, and find the one she needed. Then she's cast the spell, bringing Aeris back, if only for a little while, and fix everyone's problems.

A dreamy sleep fell upon her as her last thoughts were of now nice it would be to have Aeris with them again.

XxXxXx

"So what did Marlene and you talk about today?" Tifa asked Cloud that night—right before heading off for bed.

"A bunch of stuff," Cloud shrugged carefully, not wanting to arouse suspicion with Tifa, "why?" Tifa turned away.

"Well—I don't know. She's just been talking a lot about Aeris." She said guiltily. Cloud visibly stiffened.

"Is there anything wrong with that?" He asked defensively. Tifa turned back.

"She . . . she's just starting to sound like you. That's all," she said softly.

"Is there anything wrong with that?" Cloud asked again. Now Tifa looked him straight in the eye as she answered.

"There shouldn't be," she responded calmly, "is there?"

XxXxXx

So I'll update again next Monday. Kadaj makes appearance in chapter 11. Hope everybody can wait that long! In the meantime we'll do some catch-up with Denzel. Sound good?