Reunion
By Keedra2173
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A/N: Here's a little something early. Once again you guys can thank Raine Lemura for the awesome chapter. She sent me this sketch and I decided that it was a perfect fit. A special thanks to SepihrothOWaxCloudStrife for my 75th review. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted and added my story to their favorites.
Chapter 14:
Cloud entered is room and laid the plans and parts out on his bed. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths to calm his racing heart. After talking to Sephiroth and getting a gift from the silverette, he was excited and sad. There were so many memories going through his head that he was unsure of what to do next. He had told Sephiroth to court him; he just hadn't expected the green-eyed man to know him so well.
"I see he gave you his gift." A deep voice asked from the doorway, causing Cloud to start a bit. His eyes met with bright crimson and he relaxed.
"Vincent, you don't have to slink about the shadows like that."
"Sorry, old habits die hard." The older Valentine apologized as he walked into the room. Cloud noticed that the cowl was away from his face and time once again, Cloud noticed the resemblance between the gunman and the ex-General. It was an almost dead on match!
"Yea, he gave me some parts and plans for Fenrir and another bike." The gunman's lips quirked in a small smile, "Seems he knows what you like. Reminds me of when I decided that I wanted to be with Cid. I brought him some of his favorite tea from Wutai"
Cloud let out a small, bitter laugh. "Well looks like you and your son are good at gifts."
"You're worried that Sephiroth will disappear again and not be there when you need him." Vincent said. "Part of you expects it and the other part is praying that he will stick around this time."
"Honestly, I don't know what to think." Cloud said, "I loved him, love him still. But I can't, I won't fall into the trap. I can't…. "
Vincent heard the blonde sob, smelled the salt of his tears. He knew that the other man loved his son and the thought of him leaving again; even if it's not of his own will. Vincent comforted the other man, allowing him a shoulder to cry on, crying himself to sleep. Once he was sure that the blond was asleep, Vincent tucked him into bed and sought out the silverette. He didn't have to look far, for the ex-General loved high places, just like Vincent.
"Cloud's been crying hasn't he?" Sephiroth asked, not even looking at his father. "I can smell the tears on you."
"And with reason," The gunman said. "He's just upset about his memories. He's afraid that you'll either go insane or leave him again."
"That's understandable," The silverette said. "Father, I know it's not going to be easy for any of us. Cloud has endured so much, most of it being my fault, for not being there when he needed me."
"He's never stopped loving you." Vincent said. "He is just terrified that you might disappear like before or despite what you say about Jenova not being able to control you, that you might go insane." The silverette didn't say anything; he just bowed his head in shame. He knew that he was more than capable of holding Jenova's manipulations at bay, but when his ability was needed on Cloud's darkest hour, he wasn't around to assist and protect him. The fact that he couldn't protect the one he loved above all else, was the ex-General's deepest shame and darkest regret.
I failed you once Cloud. Sephiroth thought sadly, his head still bowed, I swear by Gaia that I will not fail you again. He felt his father's gloved hand on his shoulder and he welcomed the comfort that the older man offered. Even though they have lost years and times as family, both Valentines shared a bond that proved unbreakable.
"Come," Vincent said, gently pulling his son to follow him, "We have to prepare for the 'homecoming'." Sephiroth looked ahead and saw that his father was right, for he saw the ruins of Midgar. He knew that they were nearing Edge and nearing it fast. With a deep breath, Sephiroth turned away from the approaching view and prepared for the rude awakening to come.
Cloud awoke with his eyes a bit swollen and his body stiff. How did I get into bed? His mind thought. After a moment, he remembered and his heart ached. He remembered breaking down in front of Vincent, crying on his shoulder. He didn't want to lose the man he fell deeply in love with. However, he didn't want to lose the friends who stood by his side both in and out of battle. He was about to fall into a bout of depression and self-loathing until he heard a knock on his door and someone entered his room. He was about to attack until he noticed who came in: Marcus.
"I know I'm the last person you'd want to see right now," Marcus said as he held up his hands to show that he meant Cloud no harm. "But I figured you may need someone to talk to." Cloud didn't say anything to drive the other man away but he was uneasy around him. For years, his mother led him to believe that his father had left them both, many times, Cloud stayed up alone at night, crying and begging Gaia to bring his father back to him. Now, his father was here with them and he was unsure on how to act, say or handle the fact that his father had also been deceived. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he failed to notice that Marcus had dared to sit next to his bed. For the first time, Cloud took a good look at his father. Marcus looked pained and anguished; he saw the loneliness in his eyes, as well as pride. He was proud to know that his little Cloud grew up to be such a strong vibrant warrior; hell, his little chocobo was the Hero of the World. Any father in their right mind would have the gleam of pride like Marcus had.
"It's just so hard, and so much to take in."
"I'm not going to sugar coat it for you, it's not my way, and it's going to be hell." Marcus said, daring to put a hand onto Cloud's shoulder and hid a smile when it wasn't shrugged off. "But we will face this challenge together. And, give Seph a chance, this whole ordeal is not easy for him either." With that, he left Cloud alone with his thoughts and a chance to prepare for what lay ahead.
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Tifa and Yuffie stood together in Cloud's office. The two women said nothing just watched each other. Both felt that Sephiroth being alive was a bad thing and that they needed to take of him. They just weren't sure how.
"I think we should attack once he's close enough. No one would be able to stop us then," said Yuffie, "If we time it right we should be able to take him down."
The brunette barmaid nodded, "What about Cloud? He'll interfere."
"Not if we strike first. He won't have time and Barrett and Reno will hold him back if he does," came the quiet reply from the ninja.
Tifa ran over the plan in her mind and didn't see anything wrong with it, "We'll have to be fast. We don't know what he's using to control Cloud. Vincent and Cid may step in too. However we can hold them off."
Nodding her head in agreement, Yuffie left the office. Tifa walked over and looked out the window. She could see Cid's airship approaching and she was ready for what may come.
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Tifa stood with her friends and family next to the Highwind and watched as the Sierra landed. Once the engines were shut down a side hatch opened and Vincent, Cloud, Sephiroth, Cid, and some man she didn't know stepped out. The last person looked like Cloud only without the crazy hair.
As the party from the ship approach, Tifa ready herself. She knew that she and Yuffie would only get one chance at this and that they didn't want to blow it.
When everyone was close enough to talk, the brunette fighter launched a fist at the Sephiroth's face. The man dodged and then had to deflect a giant shiruken coming from the opposite side.
Everyone stood stunned at the attack launched by the two women. Cloud was unsure if he should interfere but he knew that Sephiroth could handle himself. This was obviously something planned by his two friends and if he jumped in something disastrous could happen.
Vincent watched the fight with rage and pain moving through him. He had hoped that his friends would give his son a chance and not attack without provocation. Maybe he had hoped for too much. If his son was unwelcome among those he considered family then he would leave. A hand on his shoulder caused him to turn and look at his husband of 4 years. The nod from that grey-blond head, reassured the gunman that whatever happened Cid would always be by his side.
Sephiroth was unsurprised by the attack. He had seen the battle readiness of the two women and knew that they were going to go after him. He had purposely moved from the group so that no one could interfere. From Cloud's and his father's descriptions these two could only be Tifa Lockheart and Yuffie Kusiragi.
The two women were excellent fighters and the silverette knew that he would soon need to draw Masamune in order to end this fight. Both women were in good shape but by trying to keep up with his speed they were wearing them down.
Seeing an opening in the ninja's defense, Sephiroth grabbed the arm that just swung at him and propelled Yuffie over his shoulder and directly into Tifa. The bone- jarring impact was felt by the spectators as the two women fell to the ground.
Neither woman moved for a critical few minutes. Both brunettes had the breath knocked out of them and couldn't move for a moment.
Yuffie was the first to get up. She pulled her aching body to a sitting position and felt Reno's arms wrap around her. The hold wasn't just meant to be comforting but to keep her from doing anything else stupid.
Tifa was about to sit up once the ninja was off her chest. Just as she got her arms under her, a flash of silver went by her head. Turning to the side she saw a blade embedded in the ground next to her. Using only her eyes she followed the length of blade to the man holding it.
Sephiroth stood over the brunette looking like a silver statue. He said nothing merely looked at Tifa. The brunette stared into those cat-slit green eyes and knew that this man would kill her as soon as look at her. But he did not, he just watched her. Unable to hold his gaze any longer Tifa examined the sword next to her. The bartender's eyes widened in shock; this was not the sword she remembered from Nibelhiem. The blade that cut her and murdered her father had no designs of fire and wings on the blade. It had been just plain steel. This sword was engraved with the many representations of fire and phoenix wings. 'Could I have been wrong and this man may not be like the clones,' this thought was interrupted by shouting from her assembled friends.
Deciding to ignore the blade and the man, Tifa hopped up and ran to her family. Her kids hugged her and Rude wrapped his arms around her. She had badly frightened them and they wanted to hold her.
"Well that was unexpected," came a bland tenor, "I was hoping that this would be settled in a different manner." Those words came from a white suited Rufus who had watched the event from his car. He really should have realized that Tifa and Yuffie would act so rashly. After all the things the clones had put them through and what had happened to Wutai.
Sephiroth was unsurprised to see Shinra's son here. The company really needed to learn to let things go.
Cloud was angry and hurt. He thought his friends trusted him and believed he was capable of rational decisions. The actions of the two women made him doubt the wisdom of coming to Edge. He should have just disappeared and dealt with Sephiroth on his own.
"Tifa, Yuffie, why? Why would you do this? If you didn't trust me you could have waited and at least listened to my reasoning," Cloud spoke loud enough to be heard over the exclamations of the others.
Cloud's words silenced the group. Many looked away guiltily and hung their heads in shame. They knew he had a point; after all he had led them against the clones and saved the world twice, why shouldn't they trust them.
No reply came from the two responsible. Tifa felt that she had nothing to say to him. He had brought this murderer here and then had the nerve to be mad when she reacted like a reasonable person.
Yuffie couldn't talk; Reno had clamped his hand to her mouth and wasn't planning on moving it until she calmed down a little.
With no reply forthcoming Cloud turned to his companions from the Sierra, "I'm going back on board; you can stay if you like. I don't want to talk to them right now."
Sephiroth nodded and followed the blond back to the ship. He didn't know any of these people beyond Rufus, Reeve, and the Turks. There was no point in his staying here.
"I'll stay here and try to explain. Can I get the files so I can show them," asked Vincent. Cloud walked back to the ravenette and handed him the bag containing the hard drives and storage media with the Science Departments notes. Once the bag changed hands, the blond turned back to the ship and went inside.
Vincent watched as his son joined the blond on the ship. He did nothing to stop them. Their friends would be easier to talk to without Sephiroth's presence.
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A/N: I hope you guys like it. It was a tough write but with help and inspiration from Raine Lemura I got it done. Thanks again.
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