First of all, I want to dedicate this chapter to eitaro00, my only steady reviewer, who has been nothing but supportive of this story. Please keep your reviews coming.

Okay secondly, I believe this is the second LONGEST chapter so far, but it's worth reading. Lots of confrontation, pain, and happiness. This is also one of my favorite chapters, I'm very proud of myself for writting something so brillient, that's eitaro00 gets the dedication, this chapter's awesome. (At least I think it's awesome, but maybe it's not) Please enjoy and as always please review.

Disclaimer: I really wish I could say I owned anything to do with this story, especially this chapter............

CHAPTER 21: ARRIVAL

The next morning Cloud woke with Tifa wrapped in his arms. He glanced over at the clock and sighed. It was only 5am; he and Tifa had only been sleeping an hour. He looked down at Tifa; her body was warm against his, their heart beating as one. He kissed her forehead and drifted back to sleep. He awoke hours later, but this time Tifa was gone. He got out of bed, put on some pants and went down stairs into the living room; he turned on the television and sat down on the couch. He was flipping through channels until something caught his eyes; Denzel was on T.V!

He, Rufus, Rude and Reno were standing on a podium in the town square of Edge, speaking to the people.

Cloud: Tifa!

She came into the room.

Tifa: What's up?

Cloud: Take a look at this.

She sat down on the arm of his chair.

Tifa: It's Denzel!

Cloud: Sh.

Rufus: Hello citizens of Edge, thank-you all for coming. As most of you already know my name is Rufus Shinra.

At the mention of his name there was booing, and some scattered applause.

Rufus: I understand I made mistake ten years ago, using the life stream as an energy source. And to show you exactly how sorry I am for that mistake, I have decided to spend my money, and my valuable resources to rebuild your city, and your lives.

Scattered cheers and applause could be heard through the crowd. When they quieted down Rufus resumed speaking.

Rufus: My company has discovered a new form of energy. It is still harvested from the Life Stream but we are able to use much less of it, while producing twice the power. With this new form of mako, which we're calling red mako, with it we'll power the city, and with the manpower it will take to manufacture the new mako, we're creating new jobs. So I ask you, the people of Edge, will you help me rebuild your city?!

The entire crowd cheered this time; Cloud shut of the T.V.

Cloud: New energy source…that has been around for years…oh no…

Tifa: What's wrong?

Cloud: The red mako was being refined to make stronger SOLDIERS. But the mako was too strong for the test subjects to handle, they went insane. They lost all their human identity, their bodies underwent extreme changes, and they became…monsters in a human form. Once they start a mission they won't stop until it's finished, no matter the consequences.

Tifa: You don't think he'll use it on Denzel do you?

Cloud: I hope not, blue mako alone is enough to kill anyone. But in all the red mako tests, the subjects eventually died. I just hope if he is injected with the mako, he makes out alive.

Another month past and life at the mansion was perfect. The twins had started at the new school and were well liked. Marlene was huge by this time and the baby was due any day. The nursery was set up in Marlene's room and ready to use at any given moment. This morning was like any other. Cloud, Tifa and Marlene had just sent the twins off to school and were sitting at the kitchen table when there was a knock on the door. Cloud got up and answered it; he was surprised when he saw who it was.

Cloud: Vincent, what's wrong?

Vincent: Why do my visits always have to mean impending doom?

Cloud laughed at his own words.

Vincent: I'm here to take you up on your offer, if it still stands.

Cloud: Of course it does, come in.

He led Vincent into the kitchen.

Tifa: Vincent?

Vincent: Hello Tifa.

Tifa: What're you doing here?

Cloud: He's going to stay with us Tifa.

Tifa: Welcome home Vincent.

Vincent: Thank-you Tifa.

Cloud: Do you want anything to eat, drink?

Vincent: No, being immortal doesn't leave me those luxuries.

Cloud: Well then why don't you sit down?

Vincent: Actually, I was hoping to get a room, I need some rest, to clear my head.

Suddenly there was a loud splashing sound, followed by a gasp of pain from Marlene.

Marlene: My water broke!

Tifa: Come on we have to get you to the hospital.

Marlene: AH! It hurts!

Tifa: It's a contraction, don't worry you're fine, but we should leave now.

Marlene: Wait, shouldn't we try and reach Denzel?

Cloud: Do you know where he is Vincent?

Vincent: They're up at the reactor, Denzel's preparing for the process.

Cloud uttered a curse.

Cloud: Maybe we can stop him in time. Tifa get Marlene to the hospital, I'll be there as soon as possible. Vincent, are you coming with me?

Vincent: Like I said before, I never miss a confrontation.

They ran outside to the garage, jumped on the Fenrir and drove up the mountain. When they reached the top they got off and Cloud retrieved his sword from the side compartment. They walked to the main door, it was heavily chained and bolted, and Cloud cut easily through the lock and went inside. Soon they were in the basement laboratories; Cloud could here voices coming from the one in the far back, one of them was Denzel's.

Cloud: Vincent, stay out of sight, if something goes wrong I'll need a way out.

Vincent: Be careful.

As Cloud walked into the last set of labs his jaw dropped in horror at what he saw. Denzel was inside a confinement chamber lying on a table.

There were tubes and wires inserted into him all over his body, each of then leading to a different small cylinder of raw mako. One of them was placed directly over his heart. Rufus was sitting behind a large computer monitor, Rude and Reno stood motionless behind him.

Rufus: Denzel we're ready.

Denzel: Great.

Rufus' finger hovered over a small red button on the console.

Cloud: WAIT!

Rufus turned in his chair and faced Cloud.

Rufus: Ah, Mr. Strife, so nice of you to join us.

Cloud: What are you doing to my son Shinra?!

Rufus: I'm making him a SOLDIER just as I promised. Although he'll be more powerful than any SOLDIER that came before him, more powerful than you. This new process involves discovered form of mako, which will be injected all over his body, except for the red, that is being injected directly into his heart.

Cloud ran up to the chamber.

Cloud: Denzel you can't do this.

Denzel rolled his eyes and turned his head to look at Cloud.

Denzel: Why not Cloud?

Cloud: Marlene's having the baby Denzel. Please go to her, you haven't been there for her through the pregnancy, please be with her now.

Denzel: I told you five months ago Cloud, I'm needed here more than anywhere else.

Cloud: What about Marlene, what about your child? Aren't they important? They need you more than Shinra does!

Denzel: I don't care about them Cloud, this is more important than anything.

Cloud: You bastard!

Cloud punched the glass of the chamber so hard he split all of the knuckles on his right hand, blood started dripping down his fingers.

Cloud: How can you not care?!

He hit the glass again, this time cracking it.

Cloud: It's your kid; it's a part of you, a part of Marlene! How can they not be important!

Cloud punched the glass once more, breaking his hand and cracking the glass even further.

Denzel: Restrain him!

Rude and Reno ran forward, grabbed Cloud arms and pulled him away from the chamber; he made no attempt to fight back.

Denzel: Place him in front of the chamber, I want him to watch.

They dragged Cloud back to the side of the chamber and forced him to his knees; one of them grabbed his hair and pulled his head up so he was looking at Denzel.

Denzel: Hit the button.

Rufus: Starting process…now.

He pushed the button.

Cloud: NO!

Denzel's hands balled into fists as the mako entered his body. His eyes rolled back in his head, he started to shake violently and foam began to drip from his mouth. His hair changed from wavy brown to smooth platinum. His back arched and he let out a scream, then it was over. Denzel collapsed back onto the table and lay motionless.

A small screen on the console was monitoring Denzel's heart rate, it was strong and vital.

Rufus: Amazing…he's still alive. You can release Mr. Strife now.

Rude and Reno shoved Cloud to the floor. He caught himself with his hands, he stood and walked and stood next to the chamber.

Denzel's muscles were jumping under his now pale skin and his hands were still clenched into fists. His eyes suddenly opened, he sat bolt upright, swung his legs off the table and stood up. He started ripping the wires out of his body; blood trickled down from the small holes. When he was finished he walked over to the door and stepped out. He looked down at his body and smiled, the process had made him stronger and more defined than he had been before. He reached to the back of his head and pulled the tie out of his hair, letting it fall down on his back.

Cloud: Denzel?

Cloud walked over to Denzel and placed his hand on Denzel's shoulder. He flung his arm out and grabbed Cloud's neck and lifted him off the floor; he slowly lifted his face to look at Cloud. The look on his face was of pure hatred, but that wasn't the only thing wrong, Denzel's had turned an acid green and pupils were slightly slit. It was getting harder for Cloud to breath.

Cloud: Denzel, you have to let me go. Please son…

Denzel: I'M NOT YOUR SON!

Denzel threw Cloud through the glass wall of the confinement chamber; he landed on the table inside. The table rolled and flipped, sending through the opposite wall. Cloud staggered to his feet and looked down the front of his T-shirt. There were multiple spots of blood staining it from where glass had pierced his skin through the shirt. His forearms had cut and scrapes all over, glass was embedded in most of them.

Denzel: You can leave now.

Cloud walked out the door, holding his broken hand tightly to his chest. He didn't stop until he was outside and sitting on Fenrir. He heard running, he looked up just in time to see Vincent vault off the roof; he landed softly in front of Cloud.

Vincent: Are you okay? I saw everything.

Cloud: I'm fine, are you coming with me to the hospital?

Vincent: No, I'll go back to the house.

Cloud leaned forward to grip the handlebars but gasped in pain. He sat back up and felt his side. He ripped his shirt; there lodged in his right side was a six inch piece of glass. He pulled in out slowly, his face expressionless. He kicked the Fenrir into life and took off down the mountain. It took him twenty minutes to reach the hospital; he rushed in the front entrance to the main desk.

Cloud: I need to see a patient.

Nurse: Name?

She glanced briefly at Cloud but looked away quickly. She did a double take.

Nurse: Sir, are you alright?

Cloud: I'd be a whole lot better if you would help me find the person I'm looking for.

Nurse: Who are you looking for?

Cloud: Marlene Wallace, she's having a baby.

Nurse: Birthing room 2.

Cloud took off running down the hall, he found the room quickly and burst in. Marlene was sitting on the bed, her legs covered by a blanket; there was no baby in sight. The running had made his side scream in pain, he crossed his left arms across his chest to hold his left hand over it, he winced in pain.

Tifa and Marlene: Cloud!

Cloud: Did you have the baby yet?

Tifa: What happened to you?!

Cloud: I was thrown through two panes of glass, I'm fine.

Tifa: You are not fine! Cloud look at you!

She walked over to him and put his left arm around her shoulders and helped him to a chair. When Cloud sat down a wave of fatigue washed over him, he leaned his head back on the chair while Tifa looked him over. She took his right hand in hers; he clenched his teeth together to keep from crying out when she moved his fingers.

Cloud: Easy Tifa, it's broken.

Tifa: Sorry love. You have to move your hand other so I can look at your side.

He lifted his hand and she ripped his shirt down the middle. Blood was flowing freely from cut.

Tifa: This one needs stitches Cloud.

Cloud: Tifa, its fine.

Tifa: No you're getting checked out, you'll bleed to death.

She walked over to Marlene's bed and pushed a button on the wall. A nurse arrived a few seconds later.

Nurse: Is there a problem?

Tifa: Yes my husband needs attention. I want him taken care off right away.

Cloud: Tifa, I don't want to leave. I don't want to miss anything.

Marlene: You won't. They slowed my contractions, they're worried the baby is coming to fast; it'll be hours before anything happens.

Nurse: I can take you into the room next door, that way if something does happen, all you have to do is walk across the hall.

Cloud: Fine.

It took four hours to remove all the glass from Cloud's body and to stitch up his side. Soon he was back in Marlene's room wearing some scrubs the nurse had given him. He sitting in a chair; Tifa snuggled in next to him.

Tifa: How are you feeling love?

Cloud: I'm still a little light-headed from blood loss, but I'm great.

A doctor walked in the room.

Doctor: I'm going to let the contractions start again Miss Wallace, everything checks out. There should be no complications.

Cloud: Is there a chance something could go wrong?

Doctor: Yes there's always a small risk, but since Marlene is in such good health, there should be no problem.

Marlene: When will the contractions…ah…I guess now.

Doctor: Call me when they're three minutes apart.

He turned and left the room.

Marlene: I'm scared.

Tifa: You have every reason to be, but don't worry, everything will be fine.

Marlene: How bad does it hurt?

Tifa: I'm not going to lie to you Marlene, it hurts. The pain is all I really remember, I can only imagine what its like to look into your child's eyes for the first time.

Marlene gasped in pain; Tifa ran to her side and took her hand.

Tifa: Breath Marlene, just breath.

Marlene: That was the worst one yet.

Tifa: It won't be long now.

She was smiling.

Marlene: Is Denzel going to come?

Cloud: No Marlene, I'm afraid not.

Tifa: Did they make him a…

Cloud: Yes, he's changed. They made me watch, Rude and Reno held me in front of the chamber he was in.

Marlene: Is he okay?

Cloud: He came out of it alright, but he's no longer Denzel.

Tifa: What do you mean?

Cloud: They had him plugged into every different kind of mako there is. When they injected it into him, his whole body underwent a transformation. He's visably stronger, his hair turned silver, and his eyes are green, he looks exactly like Sephiroth.

Marlene: So that's it…AH!

She squeezed Tifa hand, her face screwed up in pain.

Marlene: How…much…more…of this?

Tifa: They have to be three minutes apart; right now they're about four. Did you call Barret?

Marlene: I tried but he's not answering, I would hate for him to miss this.

Tifa: He'll be here.

Cloud: Where're the twins Tifa?

Tifa: Yuffie and Leon are picking them up from school on their way here.

Cloud: Alright.

Tifa: Who threw you through the glass?

Cloud: Denzel, just after he was changed.

Tifa: What does he have against you all of a sudden?

Cloud: I don't know.

Marlene cried out in pain.

Marlene: I have to push!

Tifa: Don't push what ever you do.

When the contraction ended Marlene collapsed on the bed.

Tifa: That one was about three and a half, you're almost there.

Cloud: Have you thought of any names yet?

Marlene: One, if it's a boy.

Cloud: What is it?

Marlene: You'll find out soon enough.

Cloud: Come on, tell me.

Marlene: No.

Cloud: Well what if it's a girl, do you have a name for her?

Marlene: Yeah, but you're not learning that one either.

Marlene cried out in pain once again.

Tifa: That one was three, it's time.

She pushed the button. The doctor was there in seconds.

Doctor: Wow that was fast. I need you to put your feet up on the braces Miss Wallace.

Marlene lifted her legs and set her feet in the braces.

Doctor: I need to take a quick look.

He lifted the blanket covering Marlene's legs.

Doctor: I can see the head.

Marlene let out another gasp of pain.

Doctor: Don't push yet, wait for the next one. Will both of you be staying for the birth?

Cloud: We would like to, if that's alright?

Doctor: That's fine. Where's the father?

Marlene: There is no father. I think another contraction's coming.

Doctor: Could you two go and hold her hands? Now be ready to push Miss Wallace.

The contraction started.

Doctor: Push!

Marlene's face screwed up in pain as she pushed.

Marlene: AH!

Sweat and tears started streaming down her face.

Doctor: Good job Miss Wallace, the heads out, push again; really hard this time.

Marlene cried out as she pushed, the power with which she squeezed Cloud's hand was immense, he flinched at the pain.

Marlene: It hurts!

Tifa: I know Marlene.

Tifa brushed the hair off Marlene's face.

Doctor: One more! PUSH!

Marlene screamed as she pushed with all her might. The baby started to cry, Marlene slumped back on the pillows, her chest heaving as she fought for air. The doctor emerged from under the blanket with the baby.

Doctor: It's a boy, congratulations!

He wrapped the baby in a blue blanket and handed him to Marlene.

Doctor: A nurse will be in shortly.

He smiled at her and then turned around and left.

Cloud: He's beautiful Marlene.

Marlene: He looks like his dad.

She started crying again.

Tifa: This is supposed to be a happy moment, let's not ruin it with crying.

Marlene: I'm just so happy, he's so perfect.

Cloud: What are you going to name him?

Marlene: Cloud…Cloud Denzel Strife.

Cloud: Marlene, you don't have…

Marlene: No I want to. I want him to have you name.

Cloud: But why? Cloud is a hard name to live with.

Marlene: I give it to him in hopes that he grows to be at least half as strong, loving and brave as you are.

Cloud: Then Cloud it is.

There was a commotion out in the hallway.

Nurse: Sir you can't go back there…

The door to Marlene's room slammed open so hard it broke off the hinges. Denzel walked slowly into the room. Cloud and Tifa moved as one between him and Marlene. They sank into identical stances ready to attack.

Cloud: You have no business being here.

Denzel: I want to see my kid. Get out of my way.

The tone of his voice was mocking and uncaring, as if the whole situation was a joke.

Tifa: Leave now Denzel.

Denzel: Get out of my way.

Cloud: You're not getting anywhere near them.

Denzel: Then you leave me no choice.

He rushed forward with inhuman speed and threw them into the back wall. They fell to the floor; Tifa was lying motionless next to him. Cloud staggered to his feet and lunged at Denzel, but Denzel grabbed Cloud shirt and slammed him facedown into the floor, he walked closer to Marlene. As he got closer Marlene pulled the baby tighter to her chest. Cloud struggled to his feet once again and leaned against the wall.

Marlene: Get out of here Denzel; I don't want to see you.

Denzel: You didn't seem to feel that way a few hours ago when you sent Cloud to get me.

Marlene: That was before you became a monster.

Denzel: I'm still the same Denzel, just…enhanced a bit.

Marlene: I don't see the man I fell in love with anywhere in you.

Denzel: He's right in front of you; you just can't see him yet.

Marlene: I don't want to see the old you or the new you, get…out…now.

Denzel: What happened to you, I thought you loved me.

Marlene: I do. But I can't stand to look at you.

Denzel: What did I do?

Marlene: WHAT DID YOU DO?! YOU ABANDONED ME AND MY SON!

Denzel: I have a…son?

Marlene: No Denzel, I have a son. As far as I'm concerned you are not his father. Now I'm going to tell you one more time, get out. I don't need you anymore.

Denzel: Fine.

He turned and walked towards the door, but paused before leaving.

Denzel: Can I at least know his name?

Marlene: Cloud Strife.

Denzel turned his head to look at Cloud; his face was contorted into a snarl. He punched Cloud in the face with his left hand, and then in his right side with his right hand. Cloud fell to his knees and Denzel left the room. Cloud was clutching his side as he stood and walked to a chair; he collapsed into it and lifted his shirt. The stitches were broken and the cut had been reopened by Denzel and was bleeding again. He felt his face; his nose was bleeding and there was a cut above his right eyebrow.

Cloud: Marlene, get someone in here.

HOW FREAKING COOL WAS THAT!!!!! GO MARLENE!!!! Please tell me what you think.