A/N: Another chapter! Yeah! Hope you guys like it, tried to add a little humor in here :D I've got one question though...since the Genesis clones are clones of well, Genesis...wouldn't they love LOVELESS too? I'm thinking of re-writing this story, keeping the main storyline, plot etc. just adding more detail, fixing grammar, spelling and all in all just improving the story. So if you guys know of anything I can improve, or anything I could put in the story to make it better, please tell me! :) I'd really appreciate any help. Thanks! Oh! And thanks to all of you reading and for those of you that reviewed. Reviews are VERY helpful! And sorry I didn't update faster...but the next chapter is here! :D

Cloud winced and raised an arm to shield his eyes from the blinding light the cave entrance put out.

From the way the sun was shining in, it looked to be about noon.

Surely it couldn't have been that long since I first entered?

Sure he had looked around a bit after Genesis left, searching for any signs of the Clones or how they were made - seeing as there was no scientist still alive that knew how to clone, or at least…that he knew of. It didn't make sense otherwise, unless, like their master, they hadn't died from degradation. He had found a couple Clones while searching around and dispatched of them quickly, but the whole process had felt like it had taken about an hour at the most. So why was it already noon?

He hadn't found much, snooping around. A couple swords, some files, numerous copies of LOVELESS in one of the rooms, empty test tubes – which aroused his suspicion of there being a scientist around – a couple of uniforms, high-level materia that Cloud had snagged, and more than a few potions.

He had read the files, but there had been nothing interesting in them, he knew everything in there except. Mainly the files were on ShinRa, Rufus and the Turks, plus anyone else associated with ShinRa or SOLDIER who were still alive. He and Zack were included.

His hit list, Cloud had assumed. He had mentally stored all the names in his head, he had to warn everyone.

Now Cloud stepped out of the cave and followed the path he and Ryan had took to get here. It wasn't hard staying on the trail, it was well worn and used frequently by the Genesis Clones.

He paused once he reached the small, shabby, newly painted but falling apart house he and Zack were staying in.

Fenrir was parked out front and, much to Cloud's astonishment and surprise, Zack, Ryan and Eric were sitting on the porch. Zack was curled up on the porch swing, his eyes staring ahead blankly, that unmistakable, brighter than normal, Mako glow in his eyes.

When suffering from Mako Poisoning, the eyes were brighter than a regular SOLDIER's were. That's the way Zack's were now, but they were slightly duller than before, meaning he was on the slow road to recovery after about three days out of the lab.

Ryan was sitting cross-legged on the porch, listening attentively to his father as he told an, apparently, exciting story.

Cloud's smile turned into a grin when he saw this, Ryan looked like an eager dog, staring at its master's food.

Eric caught sight of him first and waved, a cheery smile on his face.

Ryan whipped around to stare at whomever his father was waving at. He smiled wildly when he saw Cloud.

"Cloud!" The boy cried, his face alight with joy.

He hopped up faster than Cloud could react, scrambled down the stairs, and tackled him in a hug.

Cloud, surprised and slightly confused, patted him awkwardly on the head.

"You're alive!" Ryan's voice was muffled in Cloud's shirt but the excitement in his voice was unmistakable.

"Yeah..." He said slowly, still shocked that he had received a hug from a boy he hardly even knew.

Ryan looked up at him with wide, bright, happy eyes, his small chin digging into Cloud's stomach and his little arms around Cloud's waist.

"You were in there for a long time! I thought something happened to you!"

"I wasn't in there for that long." Cloud murmered. "Though it was longer than I hoped. I said I'd be back by dinner."

Eric came down the steps more slowly, more cautiously, and walked up to Cloud, the joy on his face that Cloud was still alive almost as vibrant as his son's.

"I'm glad you're okay. When the earthquake happened earlier, we weren't sure if you would make it. That cave isn't the sturdiest place in the world…"

"So I noticed." Cloud said, slipping out of Ryan's grasp. He glanced at him and was pleased to notice the kid wasn't offended and was grinning at him happily.

"Were you hurt?" Eric asked, his eyes narrowed in concern.

Cloud shook his head and lifted up First Tsurugi.

"The sword took most of the damage."

Ryan's eyes were filled with wonder and awe as he gazed at the sword, which was unharmed, no dents were in it where the rocks had hit.

"How's Zack?" Cloud quickly said, switching the subject and looking over at his friend. Before anyone could answer, Cloud was already walking over to Zack.

"He's certainly better than he was before. More responsive but still not able to move on his own, I brought him out here for some fresh air…" Eric said, following Cloud up the stairs and onto the porch.

Cloud nodded.

He knelt down beside Zack, so they were eye-level.

"Zack." He murmered.

Zack's eyes didn't focus on him, he seemed lost in a daydream.

"Zack!" Cloud called, waving his hand in front of Zack's face. "Zack?"

"Zack!" Cloud yelled, snapping his fingers.

That got his attention.

Zack's glowing eyes focused on him, and for a second didn't seem to recall who he was.

"Cloud, " Zack stated.

"Zack are you all right?" Cloud asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

"…"

Cloud, the concern clearly in his eyes, turned around to look at Eric, who had his arm around Ryan, who was looking sad. Eric smiled sadly.

"That's about how he was when he woke up, a little after you left."

"But I thought you said he was doing better, a little more responsive!" Cloud yelled then, immediately quieted, seeing the fear on Ryan's face and the shocked expression on Eric's.

"S-Sorry…" He mumbled, looking away.

"…It's fine…I know you're just worried…he was doing better this morning. He said something about Sephiroth, then mentioned someone named Jenova. Do you know her?"

Cloud flinched a little and nodded.

"A little too well." He muttered dryly.

Eric looked confused but didn't comment.

"Then he asked where you were. I told him…and he nodded slightly but that was all I got from him. He had that glow in his eyes…I think he might need to see a doctor. " Eric said the last part softly, unsure how Cloud would act. "I don't know what he has but I know it's not normal and it's bad."

Cloud looked grim and stood up, making his way down the stairs and over to Fenrir where he retrieved his phone that was dangling from the handlebars.

"Well…it won't matter anyway. I'm going back to Edge."

Ryan, who had not been paying much attention to the conversation, snapped his head up and stared at Cloud with wide eyes.

"No! You can't leave!"

"Ryan. He doesn't live here…he wants to go home."

"Even if I could stay here, I wouldn't be able to. I need to attend to some…unfinished business back home."

I'm going to have to find Genesis before he does something drastic.

Ryan started to protest but his father cut him off quickly.

"We understand."

Ryan pouted and tears sprung to his little eyes.

Cloud paled.

Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry!

"Ryan, none of that." Eric warned, glancing at Cloud.

"But – Dad! He can't leave! Do you know what it's like to meet your hero and have him stay at your house?" Ryan demanded. "I wanted to show him to all my friends and all the bullies so they leave me alone!"

Cloud's eyes widened.

Great…

"Cloud isn't a toy for you to just show off, Ryan -"

"Yeah, not a toy." Cloud nodded.

"He's a living, breathing person –"

"Living, breathing," Cloud pointed out.

Eric shot him a look that he ignored.

"- that won't appreciate that very much." Eric finished slowly, looking at Cloud.

Cloud shook his head.

"Won't appreciate that at all." He said.

Eric looked at him strange, almost as if Cloud had grown a second head or something. Cloud merely shrugged, he couldn't explain it either.

He had no idea why he just said all that.

He allowed himself a small, amused smile and quickly hid it behind his hand, pretending he had to cough.

A small snort was heard from him, a hurriedly hid laugh, and his eyes were alight with amusement.

I'm acting like Zack…he thought dryly, calming down enough to face Eric and his son now with a straight face.

Ryan looked up at Cloud with sad eyes.

"Will you beat up the bullies for me Cloud?"

"Ryan! What did I –" He glanced at Cloud. "We just say!"

"That I couldn't show him off…you didn't say I couldn't ask." Ryan's eyes sparkled with mischief and Cloud looked at him approvingly.

Quick thinking...

"Oh," Came a slurred, drawn out and slightly raspy, but full of humor, voice from behind. "You just got burned."

Cloud whipped around to see Zack sitting up, looking drugged up and a little drunk but sitting, the all to familiar grin on his face.

Cloud's eyes brightened immensely.

"Zack!" He cried, the happiness all to evident in his voice. He ran to Zack and engulfed Zack in the biggest hug he'd ever given anyone in his life.

Zack felt horrible.

He couldn't think clearly.

His vision was tainted green, it wasn't as bad as before, but it made him dizzy and hurt his head.

Even his hearing was out of whack.

Everything he heard was jumbled up and it took him a long time to decipher what had been said.

That and he constantly heard Jenova. She was calling him, trying to get him into her trap. She was trying to take advantage of him in the state he was in but Zack was strong enough by now to keep himself from falling into her grasp.

Laying on the porch swing, laying on his side, his head resting on his forearms, he was lulled to sleep by the warm sun on his skin and the birds singing, only to wake again when he heard Ryan cry out Cloud's name.

He felt even worse now.

His heartbeat pounded in his head, not improving his massive headache, his muscles ached from the position he fell asleep in, and he found he couldn't move.

He saw Cloud walk out of the woods, his sword – what was its name again? – in his hand.

Then it got even worse and all Zack could find himself focusing on was Jenova. He didn't even see Cloud as he came over and knelt next to him.

A loud calling of his name, full of concern and fear, and a loud snap made Zack focus on his friend.

It took him a second to get the word out but he managed to say Cloud's name and the relief on his face made Zack smile on the inside.

Then Cloud turned around and Zack fell out of focus again, concentrating only on keeping Jenova away.

What do you want with me? He asked her.

Kill….ShinRa…and anyone involved…my sons…

Zack frowned.

Why did she always have to talk in riddles – oh!

It took a minute for his brain to figure out what she was saying.

She wanted to kill Rufus and anyone associated with ShinRa.

Does that mean-? Shit.

He had to warn Cloud.

He tried, multiple times, but, as it had so many times already, he was incapable of making such a sound.

Then he fell into another half sleep and only woke when he heard Ryan say that Cloud couldn't leave.

He had already forgotten what he had wanted to warn Cloud about.

He focused on the conversation between his friend, the young boy and his father.

" Cloud isn't a toy for you to just show off, Ryan - " He heard Eric say.

" Yeah, not a toy. " Zack saw his friend nod.

" He's a living, breathing person – "

" Living, breathing, " Cloud pointed out.

Zack gasped. Cloud? The shy little boy that followed him around everywhere was acting like this?

" - that won't appreciate that very much. " Eric finished.

Cloud shook his head.

" Won't appreciate that at all. "

Zack smiled.

That sounds like something I would say.

Still grinning about the conversation he just overheard, he didn't hear the rest until the argument between Eric and Ryan.

" Ryan! What did I-…we just say! " Eric cried.

" That I couldn't show him off…you didn't say I couldn't ask. "

Zack couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

Smart kid.

He was shocked when he managed to say: " Oooh, you just got burned. "

And even more surprised when Cloud, grinning and smiling from ear to ear whipped around and engulfed him in a hug before he could even react.

" Cloud. " He smiled and wrapped his arms around Cloud's shoulders weakly.