Chapter 11: The Nightmares Will Come

Cef was in his bedroom as Cloud was helping him get ready.

"I'll look for some shoes that would work," Cloud said. When Cloud was digging around in Cef's closet, Cef began to put a gun in his jacket's pocket, but decided not to. All of a sudden, Cef was outside. It was night time, Cara was crouching behind Cef and a group of large men were in front of Cef. Cef reached into his pocket and found nothing. One of the men stabbed Cef, his shirt darkened as blood poured out of his chest and he fell to the ground. The last thing he saw was Cara's clothes being torn off her body.

And then he woke up. Drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, Cef laid in a daze for a few moments, but when he realized it was only a dream he rested his head back on his pillow. However, the side of his head was pressed against something hard, round, smooth, and slightly scratchy. He looked. It appeared to be an assortment of very thin bright yellow strings. Closer analysis revealed it to be hair. Long hair, that went nearly halfway down the bed, a lot of it resting on his torso. In his half-asleep phase, Cef couldn't figure as to why there was bright blonde hair on his bed, until he saw that it was attached to Cara's head, which was on his shoulder.

Cara deep red lips were in a small smile, her arms were wrapped around Cef's left one, and one of her legs was laying over Cef's. Cef struggled to remember why Cara was in his bed, and finally he remembered that after their date, Cef invited Cara to look at the photo album he found at his old house, and they must've fallen asleep. The photo album was still on the floor next to the bed.

Cef pulled free out of Cara's grip, pulled his shoes, pants, and jacket off, put on a pair of shorts he slept in, and put the photo album on the desk in his room. He then picked Cara up, careful not to wake her while doing so, and carried her to her room. When Cef laid Cara down on her bed, she didn't let go of his arm, and when pulling free didn't do any good Cef took the teddy bear on her bed and slipped it into her hands so she hugged that instead. Cef pulled the blankets up to her chin and gave her one last look before closing the door and going back to his room.

---

The next day, Cef sat at the table in the dining hall, staring at his plate of food.

"You okay Cef?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, I just didn't sleep well," Cef said.

"If you want I could give you sleeping pills," Cloud said.

"No, it's okay," Cef said. He stabbed some of the eggs on his plate with his fork, but decided he didn't have an appetite, put the fork on the plate, put the plate in front of Cara, who was sitting next to him, said "Here, I'm not hungry," stood up and left. As Cef was trudging back to his room, Cara ran out of the dining hall and called after him.

"Cef, wait!" she yelled.

"What?" Cef said.

"Are you alright? You seem upset," she said.

"I'm fine," Cef answered.

"Really? Because you're not acting fine."

"I'm just tired because I didn't sleep well," Cef said.

"Are you sure? Because I'll do anything for you that you think will help." Cara walked up and put her hands on Cef's shoulders before kissing him on the lips. "And I mean anything."

"I don't need anything, just let me rest for an hour and I'll be fine," Cef said as he broke free of her grasp and walked to his room.

An hour and a half later, Cara cautiously opened Cef's door. The lights were off and the window was closed, making it very dark. Cef was turned on his side, his back to the door, not making a sound. Cara sat down on the foot of Cef's bed and put her hand on his foot.

"What," Cef said.

"Did you get any sleep?" Cara asked.

"No," Cef said, "But I did get to stay awake for over an hour worrying."

"Worrying about what?" Cara asked.

"You," Cef said.

"I'm fine, you need rest," Cara said.

"I know you're fine, but-" Cef cut off.

"But what," Cara asked. After that, Cef turned around to face her, grabbed her hand and pulled her down, catching her and giving her a deep passionate kiss.

"I never want to lose you," Cef said, "I don't want anything to happen to you. I want to be with you forever."

"Why are you worried about that?" Cara asked.

"I'm not worried about that, its just-ahh,"

"What?" Cara asked.

"Last night I had a nightmare about what would've happened if I didn't take that gun on our date. I never want that nightmare to come true. And I'll do everything I can to make sure it doesn't." Cara kissed him on the cheek and laid down on the bed next to him.

"I promise you it never will."

"I know, but it," Cef paused for a moment, gathering his words, "It scares me. This world is a terrible place, and there are plenty more people like the ones we saw in Cosmo Canyon, and it frightens me to think what could happen."

"There are a lot of bad people," Cara said, "But there will always be good people like you to stop them." Outside Cef's room, Aeris and Tifa were standing on either side of the door, listening to the conversation. Cara walked out of the room and the two of them quickly tried to cover up the fact that they had been eaves dropping. Cara eyed them for a moment, closed the door and walked off. After Cara had gone into her room, Aeris and Tifa began talking.

"I don't like them being together like this," Aeris said.

"And I think you're much too paranoid," Tifa answered. "There's nothing wrong with them kissing and Cef's to responsible and mature too let it go any farther."

"You'd be saying the same thing if you were in my shoes," Aeris said.

"So? That doesn't change the fact that you're paranoid. Cef and Cara's relationship is perfectly innocent, and I think it's kind of cute. You should lighten up."

"I just don't want to see him get hurt," Aeris said, "Cef keeps everything bottled up inside him, and something like this could be very unhealthy."

"That's true, Cef isn't very good at healthily expressing his emotions, but at least he has a loving sister who would comfort him at a time like that,"

"Why would I have to comfort him? I don't like him being with Cara," Aeris argued.

"Because I had to comfort him a few weeks ago. I'm not sure what about, but he cried on my shoulder a lot."

"You were comforting me," Cef said from behind them, "About the fact that I had a breakdown from talking about my deceased mother. I've told you two before you shouldn't meddle in other people's business, but you just don't seem to get it."

"Cef I just don't want to see you get hurt, you have to understand that," Aeris said.

"I've been hurt before, I can handle it. What I can't handle is you judging my relationship with Cara," Cef replied.

"But Cef I-"

"Save it," Cef said as he cut her off, "I'm going to go train on the deck." Cef pushed past her and went up the staircase to the deck, slamming the door to the airlock with a loud bang.

"Great," Aeris said sarcastically after Cef had slammed the door shut.

"I told you not to be so paranoid about them," Tifa said.

"I don't need that right now. I need to go apologize to Cef," Aeris said. But when she tried to walk away Tifa stopped her.

"I think you should let Cef cool off for a while. He seemed pretty angry," Tifa said.

"So how long should I wait to talk to him?" Aeris asked.

"Give him a few hours, hopefully he'll have calmed down by then."

"You think I should wait that long?" Aeris asked.

"Cef's emotional. The best thing would wait and see if he comes to you," Tifa answered.

---

Up on the deck, Cef's training was really more him angrily swinging his swords around and muttering to himself about how everything made him angry. He stopped when he heard the airlock door open.

"Cef?" Cara said.

"What is it?" Cef answered.

"I was just wondering if you were alright. Aeris is just worried about you, there was no reason to get mad at her like that," Cara said.

"Well she shouldn't try to meddle in my life," Cef responded.

"She's your sister, she loves you," Cara said. She turned away from Cef and said solemnly, "At least you have a sister."

"I know, but still, I would say the same thing to anyone," Cef said.

"Even to me?" Cara said.

"Maybe, if you were passing judgement on our relationship," Cef answered.

"But Aeris wasn't judging us, she was worrying about you. There's a big difference."

"Well, yeah but she-, she still shouldn't-, oh crap," Cef said, "I should go apologize, shouldn't I?"

"Yes, I'll wait here until you're done," Cara said.

"Love you, thanks, be right back," Cef said, then he kissed her on the cheek and ran down to the inner part of the ship.

Inside the ship Aeris was going to her room when Cef called to her.

"Aeris, wait!" Cef yelled.

"Yes Cef?" Aeris answered.

"I'm sorry about how I acted earlier, I know you were just worrying about me, and, well, I'm sorry," Cef said. Aeris got on her knees so she was at eye level with Cef, kissed him on his forehead and answered.

"I forgive you, and I'll try to stay out of your business."

"Thanks, I love you," Cef said. He hugged Aeris and ran back up the stairs to the deck. Aeris smiled after him and went back to her room.

---

Late that night, Cef was in his bed, turning over in his sleep. Another nightmare plagued his mind. In this one, he saw his father standing in a great vortex of green fire with the Masamune in his hand.

"Traitor!" Sephiroth shouted. Cef ran forward and clashed his swords with Sephiroth's. The two of them held this for a minute, but Sephiroth was strong enough to knock Cef flat on his back.

"You're weak. You were always weak. You couldn't save your mother, and you can't save your sister," Sephiroth said. He twirled his sword around so that he was holding it upside down and thrust to his left side, where Aeris was now standing.

"No!" Cef screamed. He charged forward, bringing his swords up to block. They clashed with the Masamune and Sephiroth knocked Cef away. Cef went spinning and one of his swords cut into Aeris's stomach.

"How could you?" Aeris said. She dropped to the ground and Cef ran over to her, kneeling down and checking her body. When Cef reached out his hand and touched her, Aeris changed into what looked like a mutated angel, with sickly green skin and twisted featherless wings. It flew up into the air and enveloped everything in darkness.

Cef woke up covered in sweat for the second night in a row. He turned to see if Cara would be there to comfort him again, but his bed was empty save for him. One of her beautiful golden hairs remained on his pillow, but that was all. Cef rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, hoping that he wouldn't waken to another nightmare.