A/N: Alright, just saying, I was originally going to drag out the first 'part' of this story for as long as I could, but I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm going to start speeding things up after this chapter, okay? And this is a quick-y chapter, just basically aftermath of the last one. Just a note… Oh, and thanks again to the reviewers!

Innocent Secrets

Cloud sighed at his friend's obvious dismay. His feelings weren't much different, really. Of course, he wasn't the one that had just nearly escaped being killed by Jenova and some other guy…

Cloud had recognized Jenova's voice the second he had heard it. But… that meant she was alive, then. If nothing else, she had found a body to exist in. And that wasn't good. That did, however, explain why her voice had been more prominent lately.

Shelke shook her head. "You're joking, right? This… this cannot be true… I thought she was dead?"

Cloud nodded. "So did we. But I guess not. If nothing else, she's powerful enough to completely control someone. But… I'm pretty sure that she wasn't controlling some random person. So the only other option would be that she's back… But I still don't get it. How can her appearance be so human? Or, at least, the outline of her appearance?"

Tifa sighed. "I don't know. What I think is even more important is that we still have no idea who the other person was."

Shelke thought for a moment. "I'd say G, but… even an enhanced SOLDIER 1st Class wouldn't have power like that – excluding Sephiroth, of course. The only other person I can think of is Jenova's leader, whoever that is. Right?"

Cloud nodded. "Right. That must be it. But why is this person watching us himself? Shouldn't he be sending someone else out?"

Tifa shrugged. "Maybe he's bored? I don't know, but there's obviously something going on that we don't understand. And we need to figure out what it is. Fast."

Cloud nodded again. "Definitely. But I-"

Heeeeey! Miss me?

Cloud couldn't hide his surprise. "Oh, look who's back. No, we didn't miss you. Why would we, when you nearly killed Shelke?"

Well, that's not my fault, now, is it? She needs to step up her game if she expects to survive all of this.

Shelke narrowed her eyes. "She's back? This is the one and only time I wish I could hear her. I would love to say a few choice words to her."

Cloud shook his head. "Tell me something while my urge to kill you is at bay, would you? When the hell did you get a body?"

Yesterday.

"Yesterday? That explains why you could control me…"

Uh-huh. Oh, by the way, you might be interested to know that the Lifestream is messed up lately…

Cloud shook his head. Tifa and Shelke were silent, waiting for him to tell them what was happening. "What do you mean that the Lifestream is 'messed up'? How? And why are you saying this so suddenly?"

Tifa and Shelke froze. They obviously were worried about what this could mean.

Ah, it's just a bit of information for nearly killing you all. Because of everything that has happened within the last… ten years? Yeah, about. Anyways, because of everything that's happened, the barriers between the Lifestream and the Planet diminish to nearly nothing every now and then. Do you get why I'm telling you this?

Cloud nodded. "The Cetra. So it would be possible for one to have come back, then."

Yes. Entirely. As to how she was helping give you pathetic losers a better chance… Well, I have no idea. The only thing that could even slightly raise your chances of winning would be the White Materia, and, well, I know exactly where it is right now. And nobody has stolen it so far, so it's not that. Perhaps she was telling you guys that you're not alone; I don't really know, and I honestly couldn't care less.

Cloud thought for a moment. "Hmm… I wonder… Could Aerith possibly come back?"

I'm not going to say. That girl is a… special case. As is that friend of hers… Zack, I believe. Whether they can come back or not is not something I can tell you, because I myself do not know.

Tifa shook her head. "Aerith may be able to come back?"

Cloud nodded. "Zack's still there, too. But they're 'special' in some way, so they may not be able to come back. However, if we have other Cetra on our side…"

Shelke shook her head. "If they cannot come back by themselves, then we'll help. Perhaps that's what the Cetra told Marlene, then; that we may be able to bring them back."

As if on cue, Marlene ran downstairs right then. "Cloud! Shelke! Tifa! Are you all alright?"

Marlene was still completely dressed; she hadn't even taken her satchel off yet. In other words, she hadn't gone to bed. She had probably seen everything that had just happened.

Marlene ran over to Cloud, hugging him. She quickly pulled away, looking up at him with tears in her brown eyes. "I - I saw everything… I went up to the roof for a minute, and right then, I saw Shelke run outside and start fighting with those two people… I was so scared…"

Cloud shook his head. "It's alright, Marlene. We're all fine. Are you alright? What were you doing up on the roof?"

Marlene shook her head. "I… Well, um, I kind of was trying to make sure that you guys weren't, uh, being spied on? I had heard someone up there yesterday… I even went up to check, but found nobody. So I went up there again, and then I saw what was happening."

Shelke paused. "Did you see where they went? After they left?"

"No, I'm sorry… I ran down here to see if you guys were okay…"

Tifa nodded. "Thank you for being worried about us, Marlene. But there's nothing you need to fear. Those were just… Well, we don't know for sure, but there's no reason to worry. Okay? Any people that could possibly be real threats to us are gone for good. You know that, right?"

Marlene paused, but then nodded. "Right."

Tifa smiled. "Then there's nothing you need to worry about, okay? You should just get some sleep… You shouldn't be up this late."

Marlene sighed, but nodded. "Alright. Just… be careful, alright?"

Cloud nodded. "We will be."

Marlene sighed and started to walk away.

Forgetting to ask something?

Cloud jumped. "Oh, Marlene, I forgot to ask. And this is important, okay?"

Marlene paused, not turning around. "Yeah?"

Shelke looked questioningly at Cloud, as if telling him to be careful with what he said. But Cloud knew that they wouldn't get any farther without Marlene's help. "The Cetra. May I ask what she said?"

"Cetra…?" Marlene moved her hand to touch just below her chest for some reason, as though seeking reassurance from something. She shook her head. "I don't know what… Oh, wait. Are you talking about the woman I had been talking to?"

"Yes."

"You think… you think that that could have been a Cetra? Like what Aerith was?"

"Yes, we do. Can you tell us what she told you?"

Marlene sighed. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on, Cloud, and she… she didn't tell me very much. Not enough to really know anything that you're not telling me. But I do know that you guys don't need to worry; she's doing her best to help you guys. I don't know what that means, but it doesn't matter right now. None of you seem to think that I can help you in any way, so I won't get involved in whatever. Okay?"

Cloud shook his head. "I… It's just because there isn't anything that you need to be worried about. But can't you at least paraphrase? Er… tell us what she said in your own words?"

"No. I really want to, but I can't. I'm sorry, Cloud." Marlene paused for a moment. "I should go… I get the feeling that you guys need to talk about something. I'm sorry for interrupting."

Tifa shook her head. "No, you didn't interrupt anything. In fact, we're… we're done here for now. I'll go upstairs with you, and Cloud and Shelke will catch up."

Cloud nodded. "Oh, right. Yeah, we'll meet you guys up there."

Tifa stood up and walked Marlene upstairs. Cloud sighed, turning back towards Shelke, who had an odd look on her face.

"Shelke…?"

"When did Marlene become so mature…? I know it shouldn't surprise me, but… I just find it a bit strange, don't you?"

Cloud nodded. "Actually, you're right. She's started acting strangely lately… But she was fairly 'normal' this morning. I wonder if the Cetra rubbed off on her."

"Maybe…"

Cloud sighed. "We'd better get upstairs before Tifa kills us…"

Shelke smirked. "Right. After you…"

Cloud stood up and walked upstairs, but he didn't get very far, as right then he got a text from someone. Another delivery job, obviously…

Cloud looked down at his phone, but froze when he saw what it said. He sighed. "Oh, just perfect. I can't leave Sephiroth alone, but I can't take him there…"

Shelke shook her head. "Do realize that I have no idea what you're talking about, okay? Where?"

"Well… I have a few days, but… I just got a job to take something to Nibelheim."

Shelke sighed. "Perfect… Well, you'll figure it out, right?"

Cloud nodded. "I guess I have no choice."

Cloud continued upstairs, wondering what would happen now. Only the future would tell…