I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(

Chapter Ten

Still My Hero

"Are you sure that this is going to work?"

"Have a little faith, Zeke."

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry if I don't trust a bunch of brats who told us that some dead woman told them to wait here in the church for Cloud's body to return."

Jeanne closed her eyes as Zeke and Claire argued about it some more. A bunch of them were standing around the pool of water that had formed in Aerith's Church. When Loz and the others shot off their Materia Jeanne had pulled an ice shield between them but Cloud, God only knows why, ran right past it and straight into the line of fire. At first, she didn't know what to think and she and the other two didn't have the strength to do just that. Vincent led the group jumping off of Cid's airship to check on them, Zeke and Barret right behind him, and had brought them back to Kalm where the children left with the Geostigma had told them that a lady in red told them to go to the Church and Cloud would return. Claire had yet to react, keeping calm, but they all knew that if Cloud didn't show back up…

She wouldn't be the only one, either. To lose Zack AND Cloud…if you thought Jeanne was horrible in the beginning of Midgar with Avalanche just wait and watch if fate had decided to take Cloud away from her as well.

"Do you think that it's over?" Jeanne glanced over at her sister. Jena was standing beside her, waiting to see the results of the event. Rufus was standing beside her, Reno and Myra not too far as were Rude and Liana and Tseng and Elena. Jeanne had already greeted Tseng and Elena but she wasn't really in a talking move.

Closing her eyes and grasping the golden Amulet that had been left for her (the matching one she had given to Genesis all those years ago) she sighed. "It might be, for a little while, but it's never always over. Somehow, some way, it will all come back."

"That may happen," Rufus nodded as he closed his eyes. "But if it ever is it's safe to know that you are the others are going to be here to keep it from going too far."

"I'm sure that I will be able to count on you and the others as well," Jeanne looked at her sister and the President. "We're not enemies anymore, after all."

Rufus smiled as Jena nodded. "I don't believe that we were ever TRUE enemies," Rufus told the woman. "Just rivals for a little bit; friends on opposite sides."

Jeanne let her own smile spread across her lips. She knew there was only one reason for Rufus saying that and from the light blush she saw on her sister's cheeks she knew it too.

"I don't believe it." Zeke's voice brought everyone's attention to the water again as Claire cried out her brother's name.

Cloud felt like he was floating in water. When he opened his eyes he found out that he was. He was back in Aerith's church in that pond of water from before, a group of children gathered around him. They backed off when he stood up. A lot of people were gathered around the edges of the water, just watching with smiles. His eyes quickly searched through for the two faces he wanted to see the most. He sighed in relief when he found his sister standing beside Vincent and Jeanne standing there beside her with Jena and Rufus. All three women still looked a bit wounded but fine.

"It's like she said," A girl in pigtails began, bringing his attention back to the children. "Wait here and Cloud will come back."

"Welcome back." Marlene smiled after a moment. He glanced back at the team.

"Not too bad, little man." Zeke grinned, his arm around Tifa's waist. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

"Wow, you normally don't here praises from you," Renee smiled.

"Well when the praises are deserved I give them out, no matter who it is." Zeke answered her, scratching the side of his nose as they all chuckled at him.

"Jeanne, are you all right?"

The woman smiled at the blond man in the water. "Yeah."

"You freaked us out there for a little while, Cloud." Claire sighed in relief as she leaned down to level her face with her brother's. "Don't do it again."

He gave a small smile. "I'll try not to."

"There are still children with the Stigma." Red Xlll decided to say.

"Yeah." Cloud nodded and moved forward, reaching out for Denzel.

"Let's get you fixed up," Tifa grinned at the kid.

"Come on," Cloud told him. "I'm here."

"Go on, Denz," Claire gave the boy a little push. "He doesn't bite."

Denzel gave a small laugh before reaching forward and letting Cloud place him in the water and dump it on his head. Denzel getting cured resulted in the rest of the children jumping in the water and playing around.

"Last one in is a rotten egg!" Cid grinned at the kids before turning to Renee and placing a hand on her stomach. "The moment he's old enough I'll be throwing him in by his feet."

"No you won't," Renee smiled. "Because I'll already have thrown HER in."

"It worked!" Yuffie cried as she and Claire gave eachother a hug. Everyone (but Vincent) gave cheers of the Geostigma being erased as more and more children jumped into the water.

Jeanne gave Cloud a smile before turning to leave. She about made it halfway to the door before she froze. Moments later tears swelled up in her eyes as she tried to keep them from falling. Cloud had noticed them too and both of them just stood there, staring at the other two in the doorway.

Aerith Gainsborough had been kneeling on the ground, doing something with a pair of boys before standing up and walking towards the doorway of the church where…where Zack Fair stood, leaning against the doorway.

Aerith nor Zack had changed at all. Aerith was still 22 with that shin-length pink dress with a red bolero jacket accompanied by brown boots and metal bracers on her wrists and jacket sleeves. Her brown hair was drawn back in a thick tail with a large pink ribbon tied around it. Her bangs framed her face and her emerald green eyes.

Zack looked just like he had the last time Jeanne had seen him. He was still in that SOLDIER 1st Class uniform of black with that X-shaped scar on his left cheek. His spiky black hair was flowing down to his shoulders as that sexy lock was still hanging in his face. And his eyes…those Mako infused eyes that looked like the sky, were staring right at her with that small smirk that she had missed so much. Jeanne couldn't help it. The tears spilled over her cheeks.

Before she could even think about it, Jeanne had stumbled forward a few steps. She wanted to run forward and grab Zack but she didn't know if she would be able to. She paused Aerith stood up from in front of the children and looked at her. They just stood there for a moment, staring at the other until Aerith pulled out a soft smile.

"I'm sorry," Jeanne told her. "For all that-"

Aerith shook her head. "I'm sorry too. For both of them."

Both smiled to eachother before Aerith's gaze returned to the blond man. Jeanne turned to see that Cloud was still standing in the water, watching them in silence. No one else had seemed to notice Jeanne's words or actions. Cloud pushed himself up out of the water and walked towards them a bit, being ignored by the others as the celebration continued on. The woman began to walk towards Zack and the light at the door again before pausing for a moment and gazing back at the two of them again. "You see. Everything's all right." Aerith continued on and disappeared into the light as Zack stood up. Jeanne refused to move as he stepped towards her. She gave a small, sad laugh as she had to tilt her head back to look up at him.

"I told you that you were strong enough." Zack smiled down at her.

"No I'm not," Jeanne shook her head as her tears streamed faster. "Not on my own. If the others hadn't of been here…"

"I know," He hushed her. "But they were. And they always will be." This was just like that event on the cliff outside of Midgar. The hand gripped at Jeanne's heart again as she felt lightheaded. Zack lifted his head and looked at Cloud. "You weren't the Legacy I wanted in the beginning," He told him. "But I have to say that I'm proud of you now." Cloud gave a silent nod, understanding, and Zack looked back down at Jeanne. "I'm sorry." His final words from before came from his mouth again. "There's still so many things that I want to say to you, to do, but," He reached forward and ran a hand down the white feather that hung from her hair. "He told me to tell you hello."

Jeanne reached her hand up and touched the feather herself. "Angeal…he'd better be taking care of you as well." She took a deep breath. "I don't know if it could happen but is…is Sienna…Sienna and Sephiroth…" Zack's smile was all that Jeanne needed to see before she nodded. The man finally turned from her again and headed back to the door. "Wait, Zack!" She took a step forward. Zack turned at her voice. "You're still my hero, Zack!" She cried. "And that'll never change!"

Zack glanced past her and to Cloud. "I know you'll take care of her." He smiled. "Just don't forget. There's gonna be a fight between you and me when you guys finally join us." He gave Jeanne another one of his cheeky grins before passing off a wave and disappearing into the light as well.

Jeanne stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do. A light had appeared and was just ripped away from her again. She lifted her left hand and looked at the ring on her finger before fisting her hand again. She jumped as the arms wrapped around her from behind. The blond hair tickled her cheek.

"If it's a fight that he wants," Cloud began. "Then it's a fight that he's going to get."

Jeanne sighed and turned to face him; his arms refused to remove themselves though as he held her close to him. Squeezing her eyes shut her own arms curled up to his shoulders as she placed her face on his chest. "So, are you done with your 'pity me' stance?" She asked him.

Cloud pulled a small smile. "Yeah," He kissed the top of her head. "Never again. I'm not going to leave you like that ever again."

"Good," Claire's voice made both of them jump and pull away from the other to see that their entire group was watching them with grins. "Because if you did I would have to beat you to death."

"Good thing you finally grabbed her, Cloud," Cid winked at the other blond. "She wasn't going to be free forever."

Jena laughed as Rufus chuckled. "She deserves the best, Cloud. You'd better give it to her."

"And if you don't the rest of us will make sure to change your mind, got it." Tifa grinned at him.

"Hey, hey, hey," Zeke placed his hands on his hips with a frown at the others. "This was supposed to be mine and Tifa's day, remember?"

"Well, with all that's happened," Renee began. "Don't you think you want to wait a day or two to rest up and get everything situated again?"

"That's right," Jeanne wiped her eyes clean and smiling brightly. "We still have a wedding to set up, don't we?"

She pushed Cloud towards Zeke. "You, boys, take Zeke and get out of here." Zeke began to struggle as Barret grabbed him and led the way out of the church to somewhere. Cloud and the other men followed him; Vincent was still for a moment before exchanging a look with Claire before leaving himself. "Rufus," Jeanne looked at the man beside her sister. "Do you, and forgive me for asking, do you think that you could pull some strings and get everything repaired?"

"Not a problem," The President grinned. "Just this once." Jena laughed and gave the man a light slap as he and the other Turks walked out, leaving Jena behind.

"Now ladies," Jeanne smiled at them all; Yuffie, Renee, Myra, Claire, Jena, and Tifa. "Let's go have our last night with Tifa before she becomes Mrs. Zeke Fair."

Lord, Zack made me cry again! Just one chapter left, my friends. Just one :(

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