Plot has officially changed. A lot of it will still mirror the original story, but the further it goes from here the more it will diverge. -DHT

Tifa sighed as she walked down the halls of the hospital. She had promised Cloud that she would check in on the children and make sure they were ok. Denzel hadn't taken it well, and was currently back at the bar listening to Barrett talk about his most recent expedition looking for new oil fields. Marlene however had no problem what so ever following her to the hospital.

She opened the door to the boy's room and smiled slightly. The kids were cute curled up next to each other. She moved out of the way to let Marlene in when the eldest stirred.

"Are you Cloud and Zack's friend?" He asked defensively trying to shield his brother with his body. Tifa's heart twisted at the sight. He bore all the signs of a child who had grown up too quickly in Meteor's wake.

"Yes, dear, I assume your Angeal?" Tifa said in a calming voice, hunching over a bit as to appear less threatening. The boy just nodded and Tifa introduced herself. "I'm Tifa, and this is Marlene." Tifa gestured towards the girl.

"Hi!" Marlene smiled and waved. With the added noise Jadak was starting to come around.

"Angeal." The little boy said sleepily looking up at his brother. Tifa looked over at the boy and noted the IV and monitors hooked up to the child as well as his mako eyes.

"These are the friends Zack talked about." Angeal said to his brother.

"You know Aeris!" Jadak's eyes went wide and he had a grin on his face.

"Yes sweetie." Tifa smiled and sat down.

"I'm kinda jealous, I haven't got to see her since she got back." Marlene teased the young boy.

"Is Aeris your mommy too?" Jadak asked the girl.

"No, Tifa is my mom." Marlene said without missing a beat. Tifa just looked at the girl. It warmed her heart to think Marlene could be so open with the term. "You could say though that Aerith is kinda like my aunt."

"Oh!" he smiled.

"Do you know where they went? Zack didn't tell us. " Angeal asked. "Though I guess people don't usually tell kids anything."

Marlene just grinned. "Don't get me started."

Tifa just shook her head. "They went to go save some of our other friends."

"Do they save lots of people?" Angeal asked.

"They try, to do their best." Tifa replied with a smile and a nod.

"They're heroes then? Like in the stories?" Angeal asked almost excitedly.

"Well, I suppose you could say that. I don't think they really think of themselves as heroes though. But they have saved the world." Tifa told the young boy.

"Good, heroes keep their promises, they have too." The child said with a determined look on his face.

Tifa just looked at Angeal and held her smile, at least he still had some of his youthful outlook on life. She just hoped it wouldn't all come crashing down around him like it had for so many others.

When Vincent stepped on the ship he immediately made for Tseng. "Where is he." Vincent demanded. Yuffie and Nanaki stood back quietly.

"Somewhere on the ship, he and Sephiroth disappeared together shortly after they boarded." Tseng replied showing he was not intimidated by the gunman.

"Vincent." Aerith said quietly, placing a hand on his arm.

Vincent's expression softened a bit when he turned to Aerith. "What happened."

"Don't blame Tseng it was rather personal." Aerith said. "But you should just leave him be right now. I'll tell you what happened."

Vincent nodded and turned fully to her, as Tseng walked away. Aerith was quiet, gathering her thoughts before she began.

She decided to start with the easier parts first."We broke up to look for Elena and Rude. Genesis, Reno and Tseng were attacked by some kind of stone golems and defeated them. Apparently Elena And Rude had been attacked by these same creatures and where thrown in an ancient prison. Zack and I found them and rescued them without much fuss really." Aerith sighed, and looked away. "Cloud and Sephiroth however found an old piece of Cetra technology. They managed to activate it, and it showed them memories of the past. Genesis, myself and Zack found them and we got to see most of it. We were treated as observers but Cloud and Sephiroth took part in the memory."

"What did they see?" Vincent pressed.

"Cloud played the part of a man named Sky, a past version of himself who had been in charge of defending the city from Jenova. The part we came into he was reporting to some kind of council and it sounded grim. In the middle of it all, Sky's wife a woman named Sephra, Sephiroth's past self." Aerith gave that a moment to sink in and continued. "She came in stating that Jenova had breached the city. When Sky questioned her, she stabbed him and took the form of Jenova we now know. Jenova taunted Sky, about how she had killed his wife, and Sky broke, he cast some sort of teleportation spell taking them to the Northern Caves and he-" Aerith stopped for a moment. "He sacrificed himself to cast a spell freezing her in ice. It's also apparently what froze the entire northern continent over time. When it was over Cloud was having trouble with Sky's consciousness."

Vincent remind quiet after her words, but Yuffie who had been listening just shook her head. "What are we going to do with him." she tisked.

Aerith offered her a sad smile. "I don't really know."

Vincent and the others settled back into silence. He hadn't spoke since Aerith gave him the information he had demanded form Tseng, and Yuffie still winded from her outbursts earlier was also eerily subdued.

Tseng watched the Princess, he knew what had happened to her. Part of his job involved keeping track of such things, and he still had a soft spot for his old home, even if not for its current ruler. However he figured it was time to be honest with her, she would find out soon enough anyway.

"Yuffie." He said approaching the girl. She just looked up slightly surprised the man was talking to her. He continued once he had her attention."I believe you asked why I left Wutai earlier, if you would like I would be willing to share it with you now." He said politely.

"You don't have to if you don't want too. I know it isn't really my business." Yuffie said, looking up at the man.

"Actually, Princess I think it is." He said in a rare moment of honesty.

She just looked up at him curiously and nodded. He turned to take her to the area he had spoken to Elena earlier. What he had to say was Yuffie's business and no one else's.

Once they were alone he turned back to the girl and sighed. She just watched him, silently questioning.

"First off, I do want to say, that I don't regret leaving, anymore then you regret escaping when you can." He started and then looked her right in the eye. He had faced harden killers and super enhanced humans. He could handle the princess. "I do wish to say I am sorry though. You wouldn't be in the mess you are now if it hadn't been for me."

"I figured you'd know," She said with a huff. "But wait how is it your fault?" she looked back up at him.

"Because I've been running away a lot longer then you." he stated. "I hated Godo with a passion. It was different back then even. He was harder, stricter, and more focused on tradition then he is even now if you can believe it. I couldn't take it"

"You were a noble?" Yuffie asked questioningly.

"No, Yuffie, I was your older brother." Tseng said with a sigh.

Yuffie's eyes went wide and she pointed her figure at him. "You, but, but how!"

"Not long after you were born, Godo, wanted-" Tseng shut his eyes. "He wanted to disable you. He didn't need another child, he had an heir. His younger brother had tried to kill him, when he was a teenager. He didn't want the scandal to happen again in our generation."

"Mother disagreed and he made it so she couldn't get near you. It was killing her, I overheard her crying one night, and she told me what was wrong." Tseng's eyes hardened as he steeled himself against the memory.

"I thought that if I left, he couldn't hurt you, because he would need you. Then mother would be able to be with you and she'd be happy again." Tseng looked away a single tear dropping down the usually emotionless man. "I was a foolish child then. After I left I found out that he had her executed. He thought she had put me up to it. I thought I hated the man before but that day." Tseng shook his head. "That's when I joined Shinra, the war was still young and I wanted to fight against him, fight against my father. It's how I became a Turk. They used the information had. I never wanted to hurt Wutai, but I did want to see that man burn."

"He always said she got sick and died. I- I." She shook her head and felt sick, she knew her father had been a horrible man but this.

"You do look a lot like her you know." Tseng said with a sad smile.

Yuffie tried to calm herself and wiped her eyes. "Can I give you a hug?" She ask awkwardly.

Tseng just took a step closer and gathered the girl into his arms.

Shelke sat comfortably in a chair, reading a book to several of the smaller children she kept. Most of them were sprawled out across the floor watching her with rapt attention. In the backyard Weiss was currently attempting to teach some of the older boys, and a few of the girls how to play some kind of sport, Shelke wasn't sure what.

She smiled thinking of the man, in less the a day many of the children, especially the older boys had taken to him. This morning she had caught him smiling as one of them held a book tightly to their chest asking if he could teach them the game.

She had to admit Weiss was exactly what had been missing, what had been needed, not only for herself, but for the children too. She just hoped that he could stay here. She wasn't as sure as the others that he wouldn't be needed for the coming fight. She silently prayed that it was just her paranoia and read on.

Cloud sat in a meditative position, in the cargo hull of the Shera. He had stripped down to his pants and crossed his legs, arms at his sides, head bowed, eyes closed. It was a technique he had learned on one of his trips to Wutai and it had served him well when piecing his mind back together. Sephiroth sat across from him, in a similar position, he had removed everything but his pants and had his sword across his lap, silver hair framing the sight.

Sky had been a passionate person, and Cloud had tasted all his fears, all his desires, he had a feeling most of the man had been downloaded into his head, only needing the right prompts to come out. He carefully built up a wall around his past self in his head, much like he had Zack. He hoped Sephiroth was as successful. Sephiroth knew the basics of meditation but this technique was tricky at best.

They sat like that for a few hours. When he finally lifted his head, he could still feel Sky's presence at the back of his mind, but it was sealed and only accessible if he wanted it to be. He looked at Sephiroth who was still in a trance. He then frowned a bit, Sky's love for Sephra had been successfully locked away in his mind he thought. But if that was the case why did the urge to lean over and hold this man? To kiss, him still persist?

He stood, stretched, but remain quiet as possible. He didn't want to disturb Sephiroth if he was still trying seal Sephra away. His own emotions were enough to deal with, without the chance he would mess Sephiroth's technique up.

Sephiroth was struggling, though his face seemed relax, and it wasn't with Sephra. He had been Sephra for less than half of the memory and sealing her away inside himself had been easier than he expected. He thought it may have been because she was a woman, and free with her emotions so separating her from him was not difficult He didn't have long to ponder it before the second consciousness in the memory assaulted him. Jenova was in his mind again.

It wasn't the same as the parasitic influence he had struggled with for 10 years, the Cetra memory device hadn't been able to record much more than her image, and hatred for the Cetra, but when it combined with what Sephiroth already knew of her, it had grown. She had nothing to latch onto now, her cells were gone from his system, but she still clamored for his mind. As he finally fought her into the back of his head and locked her up, he caught a glimpse of what she wanted, and how she would achieve it.

As the imaginary door shut on her his eyes flew open and he let out a string of heavy breaths. Cloud came to his side and he looked up at the man. "I think.." he paused for a moment. "I think I know what that bitch is doing."

"Are you alright?" Cloud asked , unable to control the tenderness in his voice.

"Yes." Sephiroth said finally collecting himself.

"What do you see?" Cloud asked moving around and sitting in front of Sephiroth again.

"Jenova, she needs a host now, the time spent frozen destroyed her original body. That's what she wanted me for to begin with." Sephiroth started. "A significant amount of her cells must be present in someone in order for her to possess them though." So far Cloud noted none of this was new. "She had been focusing on humans as her vessel. "

"Had?" Cloud asked.

"As she's been destroyed, and those with her cells have died, her presence in the Lifestream has skyrocketed. I'm afraid I may have been the tipping point." Sephiroth looked away. "More of her cells exist in the Lifestream now then in the material world."

"She wants to possess the Lifestream?" Cloud asked starting to put the pieces together.

"Yes, I don't think she has enough influence yet. But that's her plan. It's also part of why the planet had been rejecting those with high levels of her cells. It was trying to prevent just this outcome." Sephiroth explained.

"How did you figure this out?" Cloud asked, it was an important question.

"When, I received part of Sephra's memories I also received some of Jenova's since I was her for more of the memory. It opened up something, a channel of some kind. She tried to bury herself in my mind again. She didn't have a foothold though because I no longer contain her cells, but in her attempts, she opened her thoughts up to me and I saw her plan." Sephiroth said, looking at Cloud.

Cloud stood "We should tell the others." but he sounded a bit reluctant.

"Cloud that wasn't everything." Sephiroth said softly but he stood and looked at Cloud. The blond just looked returned his gaze.

"She intends to use you to finish tipping the scales. I don't know what she plans to do, but your currently the highest concentration of her cells left on the planet." Sephiroth said softly , shifting subconsciously so that he was closer to the blonde.

"I don't know what she could do, even if she could kill me, the planet would just reject me. And thanks to Minerva she can't control me." Cloud replied, but had to admit it was hard to focus on the conversation with Sephiroth so close.

"I don't know, but don't underestimate her." Sephiroth said no longer able to fight the urge to reach out and touch Cloud. Tentatively he raised his hand, cupping the man's face.

Cloud instinctively leaned into the touch before he even realized what he was doing. "I don't intend too." He said in a whisper.

"Cloud?" Sephiroth said softly. He was a little unsure. For a moment he thought that Sephra's feeling's were leaking out, but a quick check proved that wasn't the case. Was it so farfetched though? If he had loved this man before...

He didn't get a chance to think futher as Cloud leaned in and genteelly kissed him. Sephiroth's chest tightened as he returned the kiss. Back before the Nibelheim incident the closest to anyone he had ever gotten was his friendship with Angeal and Genesis. He didn't have anything to gauge this situation on except for Sephra's memories.

Panic, about over took him, before he realize he was scared of screwing this up, not of doing it in the first place.

Slowly, with a desire to have Cloud closer, he snaked his arm around the man's waist and pulled him closer. Skin met skin and the kiss deepened.

These weren't Sky and Sephra's emotions, they belonged purely to Cloud and Sephiroth. So little had been Sephiroth's over the years that he cherished this moment before Cloud finally pulled away.

"Sephiroth I-" Cloud said a bit flushed.

"Don't you dare tell me that was a mistake." Sephiroth about growled. He was afraid, not so long ago Cloud was classified as his mortal enemy.

"No," Cloud said softly. " I-" He faltered again, he couldn't find the words. "These emotions, I know their mine. Sky own emotions seem to have accelerated their development. But their mine. They have to be." The feeling were focused on the man in front of him after all , not the woman in his memory.

Sephiroth's chest tightened again. Cloud had been feeling the same as he had. "They are, I've never felt much in my life. But these, this, is ours. " Sephiroth said placing another soft kiss on Cloud's lips. "No one can take it way."

Rufus had gone back to his desk to eat his lunch, a simple sandwich and a bottle of water. He stared again at the data disc that had been placed on his desk earlier. He knew he shouldn't have requested the information, he knew that it was wrong to do this without asking, but with everything else he just couldn't help himself. He only had half an hour before everyone was back anyway.

Now that he had the disc he was debating just destroying the thing and forgetting about the silly nonsense once and for all. It didn't matter, it really didn't. But if it didn't matter why did he care? He didn't care damnit!

Rufus sighed and placed the data disc in his computer. He knew if he trashed it he would just ask for the files again. And he couldn't bring himself to have them destroyed. He took a breath and held it as he opened the file, then exhaled as the words popped up on his screen.

He's eyes were fixed on the screen as he read the information displayed on the white background. At first a look of shock crossed his face, then disgust and finally anger as he slammed his computer off and ripped out the data disc. He wished Sephiroth hadn't killed his father, so that he could have done it himself. The next thought that crossed his mind was if Tseng knew, but he doubted it. Tseng wouldn't have keep this a secret from him. Veld probably knew though. He would have to have a talk with the man retired or not.

Cloud finally emerged with Sephiroth trailing behind about 20 minutes before they were to arrive back in Edge. It was obvious that the two could barely stand to be more than a foot apart. No one said anything however as the pair walked over to where Genesis currently stood and looked out the window.

"So are you two an item now?" Genesis quipped, smirk on his face.

Cloud just looked to Genesis startled.

"Genesis, I don't see how the status of Cloud's relationship with me is any of your business." Sephiroth stated bluntly.

"You seriously are?" Genesis ask, a bit surprised. He had only meant to tease, but Sephiroth's response...

"I'm not sure what we are." Sephiroth finally said before glancing at Cloud. The blonde just slipped his hand into Sephiroth's. He didn't want to deny what he felt for Sephiroth, but he didn't want to make a public announcement about it either. Genesis was treading on thin ice and Cloud sent the man a glare.

Genesis just laughed a bit. "You too need to really lighten up."

"Afraid that isn't going to happen any time soon." Cloud just stated and turned his eyes back to the landscape, hand still intertwined with Sephiroth's

Those on the bridge all had questions they wanted to ask, but didn't dare speak up. An awkward silence descended on them before Sephiroth finally spoke. "There were a few revelations we picked up during the memory. We agreed though to wait until everyone was gathered again. It doesn't need to be explained more than once." Sephiroth said still looking at Genesis.

"Just a few?" Genesis said, pushing his luck a bit.

"Genesis," Sephiroth warned, and the man in question just laughed a bit and turned his attention back to the skies.

When they landed, Rufus and Tifa were there to greet them. Barrett had offered to stay with the kids. Rufus was calm and composed as always, but Tifa was anxious. As the door lowered, she saw Reno helping Rude step off the ship. He was awake now, just still exhausted.

"Hey gorgeous." He managed, before she pulled him into a hug, Reno let him go, and moved away so the others could get off as well.

"Yo, Boss." He waved and gave Rufus a smile.

"You did well, but your still in trouble." Was all Rufus said.

"Ah come on Boss. " Reno said sulking a bit.

"You can punish him later, we need to talk now." Cloud said walking off the airship.

Rufus nodded and spoke "The conference room is still open." , as Sephiroth, Genesis and Tseng departed.

Cloud just started heading that direction as the others followed. The group was quite a sight walking through the complex together.

Aerith fell instep beside Tifa as she helped Rude. "How are the children?" She asked sweetly.

"They really are cute. The doctor said Jadak is responding well to the treatment. They are going to be giving him a blood transfusion soon though to help dilute the mako in his system." Tifa told her.

"I'll have to see if I can be there for that. With everything going on though I don't know." Aerith sighed.

"It's alright, though you know, if you have a moment you should see Marlene. She was complaining that she hadn't go to see you yet. And I imagine Denzel would like to meet you as well." Tifa shifted her weight a bit as she spoke.

"I'll go by and check on Jadak and Angeal, then I'll stop by Seventh Heaven and see her. I should have time enough for that." Aerith reasoned. "Though you should rest, in your condition you shouldn't be stressing too much."

"My condition?" Tifa said looking up at Aerith in surprised.

"You don't know?" Aerith said, now uncertain if she should say anything else.

"Know what?" She said,

Rude was watching the Cetra curiously too. "Tifa is fine as far as I know."

Aerith just bit her lip, as they stopped walking, the rest of the group had moved on. Aerith looked down the hall and sighed. "I didn't" She started. "I thought you would know."

"Know what?" Tifa finally demanded. She didn't want to be short with the woman, but Aerith was frightening her.

Aerith knew she wasn't getting out of spilling the news. "Tifa your pregnant. I wasn't sure when I first saw you, but there are definitely two life forces coming from you."

"I'm what." Tifa said blinking and Rude's mouth just dropped open.

"Congratulations?" Aerith asked sheepishly.

Tifa just put a hand on her stomach. "I'm pregnant." She said stunned taking it in. It made so much sense though. Why she couldn't control her emotions, why she had been getting sick in the morning. How tired she was. She never dreamed she could be pregnant, her had Rude had only recently started that part of their relationship. "Do you know how far along I am?" she finally asked.

"No I don't" Aerith said shaking her head. "I can just sense the life in you."

"You need to go to the doctor." Rude said, suddenly reluctant to let her help carry his weight.

"I'll go as soon as the meeting is over." Tifa acknowledged.

"We should go though." Rude said trying to take a step on his own.

"What are you doing." Tifa demanded of him.

"I can handle it." Rude said and tried to keep going. Aerith just moved to his other side.

"I'll help too, that way it will lessen the load for both of you." She said with a smile.

They all sat very much like they had before, though Tseng took the empty seat next to Rufus, and Elena took Barrett's seat. Reno stood behind Rufus and off to the side. Yuffie had taken Zack's seat and Nanaki stood near Cloud. Zack stood by the door waiting for Aerith. Finally they entered and Aerith helped Tifa and Rude to their seat, Rude sitting where Weiss had. Zack looked at Aerith curiously and got the 'I'll tell you later look.' As he stood behind her.

"Do you want to tell them, or do you want me too." Cloud looked to Sephiroth.

"You, they are more likely to let you finish." Sephiroth said after a moment contemplating the question.

Cloud just nodded and turned to the table. "I assume Rufus that Tseng has informed you of what happened in the city?" Cloud asked.

"I've had a brief outline, he hasn't had time to completely fill me in yet however." Rufus admitted.

Cloud nodded and continued. "I'll let him handle the rest of the report then. As for Sephiroth and myself, we stumbled upon a old Cetra relic. We couldn't read its runes, but it activated at our touch. When we investigated it pulled us into it." Cloud revealed.

"We were confused at first until the relic started to replay a memory. I won't go into too much detail at the moment, but what we were shown was Jenova's siege on the Ancient's City and how they defeated her. " Cloud was still looking at Rufus, the others knew this part.

"I myself was stuck in the role of the City's defender. Sephiroth, he was stuck in the role of a woman, and eventually Jenova herself. We were unable to do anything put play our parts." Cloud stated.

"Yo, don't leave out the best part man, Sephiroth was your wife." Reno quipped.

Tseng was the first to respond, reprimanding his boyfriend, "Reno, I believe your already looking at disciplinary action. Shut your mouth unless you want it worse." He wouldn't tolerate Reno making fun of someone else's relationship.

Rufus looked slightly curious, but remained silent.

Cloud glared at Reno before continuing. "I was speaking to the other Cetra when Sephiroth entered declaring Jenova had breached the city. When I questioned Sephiroth attacked and was revealed to be Jenova. Jenova taunted me, about how she had killed the real Sephiroth. It was apparently the last straw for myself, and I snapped, transporting Jenova to the northern caves and encasing her in ice." Cloud finished the tale. Aerith and the other noticed the first person way he had spoke of Sky's actions, and that he left out just how impressive Sky's spell had been.

"That's part everyone else knows." Cloud paused for a moment. "The rest, we found when blocking the personalities of our counter selves off. The memory created a path Jenova used to try and assault Sephiroth's mind. She was unsuccessful because of the absences of her cells in his system, but he did manage to gleam some information from Jenvoa's mind." The others glanced cautiously at Sephiroth, but he still appeared sane. It was hard to relax though at the knowledge Jenova had tried to contact him again. However if Cloud was confident enough in Sephiroth sanity to be as close as he was to the man now, he couldn't be much of a threat.

"Jenova apparently has given up on human vessel's to complete her goal. She's looking to possess the Lifestream itself and destroy this Planet from the inside out. And she intends to use me to do it. Though how we don't know." Cloud revealed.

Aerith looked scared, and Zack took her hand and asked. "Can she do that?"

Aerith wrapped her arms around herself. "Yes, the Planet was fearing this outcome. Its why those with high levels of Jenova cells have been rejected. If she's made it her goal this can't be good."

"So what do we do?" Zack asked the others in the room.

"As I told Sephiroth, there isn't much she can do. Minerva blocked her from my mind, and if she could manage to kill me, the Lifestream would reject me." Cloud stated. "The only ones who still hold a high enough level to taint the Lifestream are myself, Zack and one other."

"Lucrecia." Vincent said quietly.

"My mother?" Sephiroth asked looking at the man. Vincent just nodded.

"It's true, the residual amount in the rest of the surviving SOLDIERS together doesn't even equal a 10th of what Zack even has. Even if she could send them all to the Lifestream it wouldn't have an impact." Aerith acknowledged.

"Vincent, Sephiroth, go to Lucrecia's cave. Even if you can't wake her, you can make sure she's not a risk. Jenova may be planning to use me, but may not realize I'm out of reach. We shouldn't take the chance." Cloud said looking between the two.

"You should come with us, you were the one that was able to wake Zack, Aerith and myself." Sephiroth countered, he didn't quite want to admit he want Cloud there for other reasons..

"I have no connection to her at all." Cloud simply stated.

"Like you said, we shouldn't take chances." Sephiroth replied. The silent, 'I want you there when I meet her.' didn't go unnoticed by Cloud.

"Alright." Cloud acknowledged, a foreign warmth spread through him at the thought that Sephiroth actually wanted him there when he met his mother. "It shouldn't take long especially if we can talk Cid into helping us out more. In the meantime Zack you and Aerith should stay here. I imagine your both targets as well, and Edge is currently the safest place for you."

"Tseng, if you can make contact with our team in Fort Condor and find out if they've discovered anything I'd appreciate it, if not I believe they can be recalled. And trying to dig up information on Yazoo and Loz, though I assume you're already doing that." Cloud said looking at the man.

"I already planned to do most of that." Tseng acknowledged. "I did receive word from Reeve on the flight back that they were coming up empty handed. Yazoo never seemed to do anything other than try and attack people."

Cloud just nodded and turned to Genesis "Genesis, I also have a job for you Yuffie and Nanaki." he instructed , then looked to the others.

"Of course!" Yuffie said with a grin.

"What is it Cloud?" Nanaki asked

Genesis just looked a bit put off, he was frustrated that Sephiroth hadn't wanted his company as well. Their friendship was never going to mend if Sephiroth didn't give it the chance. Did Sephiroth really have no use for him now that he had found Cloud?

"I want you to travel to the ruins inModeoheim, call it a hunch, but I think that's where the remnants have been hiding out. " Cloud stated. Zack flinched at the town's name. He had gained Cloud there and lost Angeal.

"What gives you that impression?" Genesis asked.

"Like I said call it a hunch, but Modeoheim is old even older then the town, abandoned, and rich in mako. It's the perfect hide out for them. It's at least worth looking into, and if I'm right, you three should be able to handle them. Especially without Kadaj." Cloud explained.

Reno wanted to cut in that he wanted a piece of them too, but knew he was already in hot water. Maybe he could talk Tseng into it before they left.

"Alright, should be easy enough." Genesis said. Modeoheim wouldn't be easy for him, his biggest regrets lay in the town, but Cloud did make excellent points. Genesis wanted to curse him for it.

"Is there anything else?" Cloud asked looking around the room.

Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads.

"I don't believe so Cloud, you've been rather thorough as always." Rufus stated. "The rest I can easily gather from Tseng."

"Alright then, everyone get some rest, we'll start out again the morning. " Cloud said standing.

"Oh and speaking of rest, I've come up with your accommodations." Rufus said pulling out some keycards. "Reno, show them to their rooms, then speak with Tseng." Rufus instructed the redhead.

"Yes Boss." Reno said sounding like he would rather jump out the building, but he knew he'd pushed it too far. Sometimes he wished he could just shut up.

"Come on," Reno said motioning to the others. Zack just stood helping Aerith up. "Alright man, rest and a shower sounds good."

"You make a good Bellboy." Genesis smirked at the Turk.

"Genesis lay off, just because you're not an official member of Shinra anymore, doesn't mean I won't knock you down a few pegs" Cloud said to the man.

"You have absolutely no sense of humor, no wonder you and Sephiroth get along so well." Genesis said shaking his head.

"I have a sense of humor, I also have common sense I think that's a bit more important." Sephiroth said standing and looking at Genesis.

"Yah, yah, yah lets go." Genesis said walking out the room.

"We should go." Rude said to Tifa.

"Yes, go rest, I want you to take tomorrow off to finish recovering." Rufus said, though he was just glad that the man was well. "Same for you Elena."

"Yes sir." Rude replied, normally he would argue, but it would give him time to help Tifa. They both left and Elena turned to Rufus.

"Sir, I'm fine, really," Elena insisted.

"Elena in a day, I thought I had lost you, Rude and Reno. Just." He said closing his eyes. "Just take the day while you have it."

She just looked at her boss, and lost the will to fight him. "Alright Sir." She acknowledged and got up and left the room.

Yuffie had turned away from the personal moment between Rufus and Elena, but sensed a presence behind her. She turned to face them and looked up to the face of Tseng. He's my brother, that's so going to take some getting use too. She thought.

"I wanted to say that I'll probably be busy for the next few hours, but I would like to talk to you more this evening. I thought of an idea on the way back to help you out with your current situation." Tseng told the girl.

Nanaki just looked at him curiously. The fact that he knew wasn't that surprising. The fact that he cared was, but he was from Wutai, and therefore the best suited to help the ninja. None of the others had heard the exchange.

"Alright, I'll probably be staying with Tifa, so just call me when you get free." Yuffie replied, she had sounded a bit subdued at the mention of her current problem.

Nanaki was even more curious now, but he figured if the girl wanted to tell him she would.

"Actually I think Rufus has a room for you and your friend." Tseng said.

"Oh" Yuffie said accepting the keycard Tseng handed her.

"It's one floor below mine, 28. Should be the third one on the right if I'm not mistaken." Tseng explained.

"Come on Nanaki!" Yuffie said, turning towards him. "A bed and shower is calling my name." the girl was once again her upbeat self, and Nanaki just followed her out the door.

Cloud turned to leave himself, Sephiroth close behind, when Rufus stopped him. "Cloud wait a minute, I'd like to speak with you in my office for a moment." Rufus sounded kind of nervous, which to Cloud was weirder then Sephiroth being nervous.

Tseng just looked at his employer with a curious expression.

"I'd like to tell you it won't take long, but I can't. But I'm afraid it shouldn't wait." Rufus said with a sigh.

"Would you like me to come as well sir?" Tseng asked, Rufus's attitude caught him a bit off guard as well.

"No Tseng, I'll let you know when we are done." Rufus said standing. Tseng was now actually worried and it looked like Cloud wanted to ask more too.

"Alright sir, I'll be in my quarters." He said and exited the room.

"If Rufus doesn't want Tseng there, you should head back to my apartment." Cloud said quietly, glad that Sephiroth had taken the imitative and stayed when Reno had lead the other's to their rooms.

"Alright." Sephiroth said before leaning in on instinct and giving Cloud a soft but quick kiss.

Rufus just looked away, slightly shocked. That was defiantly a new development they had left out. He then remembered that Reno had said Cloud had been married to Sephiroth in the vision. Was this residual from that?

When Sephiroth left, Rufus just turned to Cloud with a curious glance.

"Don't ask for an explanation, because I can't give you one." Cloud said honestly.

"Alright I won't, just follow me alright?" His voice was a bit heavy. What he needed to tell Cloud just got a lot more complicated.

Cloud followed Rufus in silence and when they made it to the office, and Cloud stood in front of Rufus's desk, while the man took a seat and sighed.

"I need to start off with, I'm sorry. If I had know what I'd find I'd never had went looking." Rufus said. "I have a horrible curiosity."

"Rufus, what's going on." Cloud said crossing his arms.

"What do you know about your father, Cloud?" Rufus asked.

The question caught Cloud off guard but he answered anyway. " My mother told me he died in the war before they could get married, why?" Cloud's eyes narrowed a bit. "Did you find something on him, and if so why did my father pique your interest?"

Rufus knew with that look it was true. His own father had given him that look more than once.

Rufus just pulled out the data disc and handed it to Cloud, before standing. "Read it, it will tell you everything. I don't think I can bring myself to say it."

Cloud just gave Rufus and appraising gaze, before taking his spot at the desk and putting in the disc.

The words came up, "Its a file on you from even before you left Nibelheim." Rufus said, explaining to Cloud the words on the screen.

Subject: Cloud Strife - Nibelheim - Born August 19, Identification Positive.

It was a Turk file on him, almost from the day he was born. Why would the Turks have cared about a small town country boy?

Cloud read on and there were periodic updates on his childhood, the incident with Tifa was even mentioned. There wasn't much out of the ordinary in the report until he came to Shinra.

Cloud Strife -level-Potential Threat

What why was he a potential threat for just enlisting in the SOLDIER?

He read on and his temper flared, they had fixed his exam? Why? Before the incident in Nibelheim he hadn't been anyone special. Why would they care? Then he saw the one sentence that explained it all.

Strife to be assigned to mission to Nibelheim, sent as guide as cover. Should be eliminated with the rest of the party and town. President Shinra fears another of his illegitimate children would threaten his power. Lazard already defected.

"What the hell is this!" Cloud demanded. There was more but he couldn't read it right now.

"I always knew that my father was despicable man. It shouldn't surprise me, but finding out that Nibelheim was planned , Sephiroth's insanity planned by him and Hojo. Rufus stressed. They thought if he had interaction with Jenova, his cells would harmonize with her and he would lead them to the promised land. When things didn't go quite as planned, and you survived, he authorized Hojo to use you to try and clone Sephiroth, to get you out of the way and find a guide to the Promised Land. I never even imagined he had this in him. Erasing your memory was apparently an added bonus, Hell you didn't even know he was your father." Rufus looked like he was about to break something. And Cloud just looked away.

"It doesn't change anything, he's dead and so is Hojo." Cloud said, though his anger at the situation was creeping into his voice.

"It's more of the truth, and I know that's important to you. I suspected for a while that you were his son, but I never imagined I'd find this when I went looking." Rufus grimaced.

"He can't take anything else from me anyway." Cloud said.

"No but you have gained a brother." Rufus stated, trying to put a positive spin on things.

"You've never thought of any of the other illegitimate children he had as your siblings Why am I any different? I'm still your employee." Cloud stated.

"I was also never close enough to them to consider them a brother. Its why I couldn't leave the idea alone. I thought we had gotten closer, and I had to know. Horrible curiosity and all." Rufus said.

Cloud snorted. "Don't expect much, I'm not great on the family front or haven't you heard?"

"Neither am I." Rufus admitted. "It seems our family is all just a little bit screwed up."

"That's an understatement. " Cloud said standing from Rufus's seat.

"Are you sure your ok?" Rufus said looking at the man he now knew to be his brother.

"After everything else I've found out, it's not all that surprising. At least know I know why my mother was against me joining." Cloud said. "I've dealt with worse, and like I said, he can't do anything he hasn't already done. I don't even have memories of my father to soil."

"Alright, go and take your own advice and rest, I should meet with Tseng soon anyway." Rufus said he could sense Cloud didn't want to talk anymore about it, at least right now.

Cloud just gave a short nod in acknowledgement before he left. Rufus then wondered if anything in his life would ever be normal.