Thanks to everyone who faved, alerted or reviewed this story! You make me feel all warm and squishy, ^_^

And…back to Cloud and Sephiroth. I know many of my readers are wondering what happened to Reno, but his fate is sealed until later. For now, enjoy the pointless fluff that is chapter 25. I needed some cute moments to break up all the angst.

Special thanks for Saria19 for her frequent support of this story as well as 'Ghost of Wutai'! Your help has gotten me through a couple rough spots that were holding these stories back.

BOLD text will be dream sequences and BOLD w/ italics will be flashbacks, to prevent confusion…

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII in its entirety do not belong to me but to Square Equinox. To quote another writer: "These are not my toys; I'm just abusing them…"

Rating (chapter): T (language)

Word Count: 3,696

Summary: The first thing on Cloud Strife's mind when he woke was Not Again. Reliving the past once was hard enough, but doing everything again for a fourth time…Refusing to believe that he is trapped in a cycle of endless death and re-birth, Cloud decides to do whatever he can to stop the future he knows from happening. Along the way, he finds himself tangled up with the man he could not help but think was beautiful but learned to hate. Sephiroth was always part of the problem, but could Cloud turn the General into the solution? Time Travel fic/AU.

Fourth Time's the Charm
by Catsitta

"Trusting yourself is sometimes the hardest thing to do."—personal quote

Chapter Twenty-Five: Fragile

((Dream Sequence))

"Cloud? My pet…" The dark angel spread his ebony wing, catching the ocean breezes. His little blond angel—his precious lover—was gone again. He had searched the castle twice over and called out Cloud's name until his voice was hoarse and he could only whisper. A wrenching sadness over took him, soon replaced by a bitter, vengeful grief. His pet had dared to leave him. Dared to abandon his God, his master…his lover. Sick with dark emotion, Sephiroth let out a strangled cry.

Where was he? Where was his little angel?

Furious, he kicked the sand beneath his feet like an impatient child and glared out at the clear water lapping at the shore. Here was where Mother left his gift—stolen straight from Gaia's Lifestream and given to him as a prize. Had the Planet reclaimed Her once hero? Had that bitch of a goddess not realized that Cloud belonged to him, that she had no right to his soul any longer?

Sephiroth again cried out in outrage, before falling to his knees, clutching at the sand desperately. "Come back…" He found himself saying aloud,"Come back…do not leave me forever. I…I need you. I love you. My pet…My angel…My love…Cloud." The ocean had no reply to offer, nor did the wind or sand. Everything was peaceful. The natural quiet mocked him and his tumultuous spirit.

"Come back…" he whispered,"Tell me how I have wronged you…"

Again, there was no reply. He was alone. So utterly and completely alone.

Had he been a lesser man, he might have begun to cry, but tears did not suit a god. The silver-haired dark angel dipped his head and clamped mako-colored eyes shut. This dream, no matter how peaceful, had become a terrible nightmare. There was nothing happy about serenity if it meant eternity trapped in isolation. He was in hell. A hell of his own making. This Promise Land of white beaches and rolling waves, of clear skies and indulgences never ending—it only bred in him hollowness and pain.

Clutching his chest where his heart would be if angels of war and death could have them, Sephiroth tried to smother the emotions that consumed him.

Cloud had been his pet, his plaything, his willing servant. The angel had adored him, worshiped him, and submitted to his master's every whim and desire. Together they had made this world worthwhile to live in. Cloud had given him everything he needed, wanted and desired. Yet…

Wisps of green began to taint his vision. Sephiroth looked up in shock as his crystalline world became immersed in an emerald glow. Blue water, white sand, black stone…everything turned the color of Lifestream. He could feel warmth washing over him…trying to consume him, but for once, not attempting to destroy him. The goddess he warred with. The very essence whom he protected his little angel from…sang. Gaia's song enveloped him.

"Mother!" Sephiroth called, feeling panicked, but his mother's voice remained silent. He could not hear her, only Her. The Planet. Gaia. Tendrils of green wrapped around his wrists and ankles and became entangled with his wings. Slowly, he, himself, became shaded with the soft glow of life. His eyes grew heavy. Her song was a wordless, ancient lullaby. He could not resist. He could not stay awake.

The dark angel closed his eyes and thought of Cloud. It was then that he wondered if his little angel was thinking of him right then, wishing to be reunited with his God.

000X000

When Cloud opened his eyes, he found himself in perhaps one of the most awkward situations in all his four lives. It had started out with him dreaming about the dark angel calling for him and his desperate longing to return to his master, and it turned into this...this very, very bad position and place. How exactly had he ended up straddling Sephiroth's lap without the man waking up and noticing?

The blond held his breath and watched as the silver-haired General's features contorted with the troubles of his dreams, before attempting to untangle himself from him. Which, being as his muscles still felt watery and weak, proved a neigh impossible task. It was difficult enough to slip out of the man's lap, but his hands were tangled in Sephiroth's incredibly long hair and the strands did not seem to want to let go…Pulling would likely be a bad idea at this point.

After a moment of debating how to escape, Cloud let out a ragged sigh and decided to screw getting away…he was stuck. Then again, there were worse places to be…he could not think of any, but there had to be somewhere worse than the lap of your worst enemy and object of obsession.

Suddenly, though not unexpectedly, mako-green eyes snapped open.

Cloud could not contain the flush that rose to his cheeks. Already light-headed and disoriented from whatever the hell was wrong with him in the first place, the flood of color only proved to make his world spin worse than before. Hit with a piercing, throbbing migraine rooted deep inside the inner working of his brain, the blond hissed and bit back tears. Great, now he was crying in front of his worst enemy and object if obsession…

Stupid pain. Stupid Planet. Stupid, fucking life.

"Migraine?" Sephiroth question was soft, like the gentlest of touches against his aching skull.

"Hn…" A groan and a forced nod was all Cloud could manage.

First, he crawled in the General's lap, then got himself stuck, then blushed like an idiot which induced a helluva headache, which led to him embarrassing himself even further. Cloud would be lucky if the silver-haired man put up with his miserable antics after the shit he pulled yesterday. It was not that he felt guilty, per se, but he doubted it would gain him any brownie points with Sephiroth. Though…the General did seem…interested in him in that unprofessional way that had Zack throwing fits.

Pain!

A sharp bolt sliced through his skull, bringing with it a fresh onslaught of agonizing torment. He felt so weak and pathetic. A little headache took him down…

000X000

Sephiroth noticed Cloud in his lap the moment the blond began to wriggle. Being as it was…pleasurable, he refrained from opening his eyes until the Cadet stilled. Curious to as the why Cloud ceased his struggles for escape; the silver-haired General opened his eyes and found himself staring into feverish-blue depths. That pretty blush that overtook the blond's features was just delightful. If only...

The sad truth was, no matter how much he wanted Cloud, having him for himself would never play out well for either of them. A stolen kiss here or there was but childish play, and eventually people grew tired of games…and since progressing past friendship was not an option, lest he incite Zack's wrath upon himself even further (the puppy was already furious with him). Sephiroth found himself stuck in a very uncomfortable situation.

And it was not simply because the creature he sought as a lover was perched on his lap.

Speaking which…why was Cloud on his lap? Ah, that's right!

After the blond Cadet passed out and went limp in the General's arms, the silver warrior, at loss for what else to do, laid the boy on the couch. Cloud, he noted, drooled in his sleep… Ignoring the slowly growing puddle on the leather couch, Sephiroth busied himself by cleaning up the mess their earlier squabble created. Soup mopped up and dishes washed, he found himself stand, staring awkwardly at the sleeping Cadet.

Recalling how physical Zack was when he was feeling unwell or unhappy, and how the raven-haired man often curled up close to whoever he could, Sephiroth decided to make an attempt to give the blond some comfort. Cloud, he knew, was never comfortable around him when awake. Even when he was boldly staring him in the eyes, there was always something else gleaming in the depths, a wariness that left him while he slept.

So much like an angel, he found himself thinking as he observed the prone Cadet. So much like his angel…shaking away the dreams, Sephiroth sat down by Cloud's head and clumsily pulled the blond over his lap. Much like a happy kitten, a small smile curled on the Cadet's lips as he snuggled against his leather-clad legs. At some point, he must have dozed off…because he found himself dreaming, only to wake up to afore mentioned Cadet sprawled over him like a human blanket.

Cloud's his of pain brought his thoughts back into the presence. His pretty features were contorted and his eyes screwed shut. Immediately he knew what was wrong. The Cadet, more than likely, was experiencing a migraine. It was another factor that came into play in their 'relationship'. Cloud's sensitivity to refined mako was reduced compared to when he first joined the military, but it was obvious that until he received real treatments that he would experience migraines when around SOLDIERs like Sephiroth. Hell, there were days where the silver General almost believed it when Hojo claimed he was more mako than man…

"Migraine…?" Sephiroth inquired softly and Cloud grunted in response. Why did this one boy's vulnerability and pain affect him so? He was just another recruit. Nothing special, right? He was a little strange but…but what? Perhaps that is why he could not stop obsessing over the boy. There were too many questions left hanging in the air and Sephiroth hated leaving a puzzle unsolved.

Carefully, he lifted Cloud up and cradled him in his arms. The Silver Elite fan club would have a fit if they saw him doing something as gentle and mundane as tending an ill Cadet. For all the public portrayed him as an otherworldly hero, he still possessed a sense of duty towards his SOLDIERs…and towards his friends.

"Rest," Sephiroth murmured as he walked into the back bedroom and situated the blond in his bed. After finding the sheet he had so crudely stolen away earlier, he laid the cloth over him and allowed the fabric to settle about his curled frame. The smallest of whimpers escaped Cloud's lips, and in return, the smallest of aches pierced Sephiroth's heart. It was an unfamiliar, foolish sensation, but he could no more ignore it than he could the dreams.

At some point or another, he had fallen in love with the angel in his imaginings and said angel was Cloud. For the longest time, he denied there being anything other than physical attraction, but there was something more at play than that. Why is it that the one thing he wanted, he could not have?

'You could have him, my son. He will not refuse you…He is but a puppet for you to use and command, your pleasure is his own.' Damn it, he was hearing voices again…Was Hojo slipping something in his mako booster? Shaking his head to clear it, Sephiroth left the room in search of something that might ease Cloud's pain for a moment.

The 'guest' bathroom was across the hall and possessed no medicine cabinet. Personal hygiene products littered the counter: toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, hairbrush, soap…and empty Potion bottle rested by the sink, apparently being used as a toothbrush holder. Finding nothing of interest, Sephiroth knelt on the ground and opened the cabinet beneath the sink.

He blinked.

Tucked behind an Ether, a spare roll of toilet paper and an economy-sized bottle of generic shampoo, was the biggest box of condoms he had ever seen. Sephiroth tilted his head, and for some reason, felt compelled to pick up the box. That was when he noticed the jumbo bottle of lubricant. Of which, he noted, had been opened and partially used. Suspicious, he looked at the box in his hands and noticed that the package, too, was open.

Something similar to jealousy blossomed in his chest.

Was Cloud sexually active with his peers? He thought of Reno and how Cloud and he seemed awful chummy…then again, did the redhead not insist in having no interest in other males? Then who…Zack! The realization was a bitter one. No wonder Zack kept chasing him away from his student.

"Hypocrite," Sephiroth muttered.

But, before he went jumping to conclusions, he decided to put away what he found and gather more evidence. There could be a perfectly logical reason why Cloud had supplies beneath his sink that were obviously put to use. It was very much possible that these things were what remained from Zack's latest romantic escapade.

As he closed the cabinet and stood, Sephiroth looked into the mirror. Was he…blushing? True, the situation was uncomfortable but scarcely embarrassing. Right? He was a grown man. Those items were hardly unfamiliar…

He kept telling himself such as he backed out of the bathroom and headed for Zack's bedroom. More than likely the First would have something lying around, even if it were something as minute as Aspirin, anything would help some. Knowing Zack, the pup probably still had Hojo's migraine medication hidden away somewhere in case of emergency. For all he hated the good doctor, the raven-haired First was a bit paranoid when it came to the health of his student, and forced himself to trust the nutcase for some odd reason.

"If I were Zackary Fair…where would I keep my painkillers?"

Sephiroth began his quest warily, and such caution was certainly due. Upon opening the master bedroom of the apartment, he saw the disaster area that was Zack's bedroom. After all those years living with Angeal, whom was a neat freak by nature, had the pup learned nothing? The silver General wrinkled his nose with distaste. Something about the room smell distinctly like teenage male. Whether it was the unwashed civilian clothing laying strewn about the floor, or the food items like had long since expired, or perhaps even the chemical scent that was an attempt at clearing the odor from the area—Sephiroth was not sure. But despite his high rank, Zack, in the end, was still very young.

And apparently, without the routine barracks check that Cadets and Thirds endured, Zack allowed his living quarters to become an unsightly disaster area.

At least Cloud was clean. Gaia help him had the pair both been disorganized. The chaos that would rain down upon this place was too painful to imagine.

Sephiroth, he had no qualms in admitting, was even more obsessively neat than Angeal ever was. And while he never preened like Genesis, his person was always clean and orderly whenever possible. Being dirty or living in unclean quarters sent shivers crawling up his spine. After being raised in a sterile environment up until his joining the military, cleanliness was second nature. In fact, if he could avoid it, he would never go back to those days in the Wutai War where he and his men were always filthy—covered in sweat, grime, mud and blood.

"Hn. Angeal would have had a fit…" He murmured softly and with a note of sadness. The dark-haired Commander was one of his closest friends. It was dark day when the man went AWOL, joining Genesis on his quest. Reported sightings of the pair came up on occasion, but every time a team went searching, they were never there. Sephiroth shook his head. Now was not the time to reminisce. He was looking for medication…

So he made a beeline for the dresser in the room's furthest corner. Both Angeal and Zack kept medical supplies in the top shelf so it would stand to reason that something of use might be found there…Digging through said drawer revealed Potions, Hypers, Ethers, a Cure materia, a Revive and even (oddly enough) a Life, as well as two Phoenix Downs and a First Aid Kit. Sephiroth rummaged through the various vials of ointment and such in the kit and eventually found a little clear bottle filled with round pills. The glossy tablets had an 'X' stamped through the center and a groove carved around the edges. It was not Aspirin, but Sephiroth would recognize Hojo's specialty brand anywhere.

Unlike Cloud's, and his own, medication, which were mako-infused, gel capsules—this was "theoretically" safe to use on normal people.

"Aspirin." Sephiroth said aloud despite knowing better. This stuff was ten times more potent than the commercial brand sold around the world for public consumption. "Hopefully this will help." Then, he turned and left the room. He had a sick Cadet to take care of…and for some reason, he did not really mind. Having someone reliant on him was actually…nice. Even if Cloud was a little difficult at times. It made things interesting.

000X000

Cloud was not exactly sure when he ended up in bed or how. All he knew was that one moment, he was in Sephiroth's lap and the next, he was curled around his own pillow as if his life depended upon it. He groaned as a wave of pain washed over him. The worst of the headache was over, but the dull throb lingered and made it hard to concentrate on anything aside from his breathing and the beating of his heart. Who knew that the constant pulse of blood could be so loud?

What he would not do for a good old fashioned Nibel remedy…His mother made the most appalling hangover cocktail (one Tifa adopted and often used to 'cure' her friends on their mission to defeat Sephiroth) that chased away almost any ailment. Headaches, stomachaches, fever, flu…you name it, and it could cure it. Of course, it tasted like chocobo piss (not that he ever sampled such) and the aftertaste lingered for hours!

"Hn…mom." Cloud murmured, his eyelids fluttering. The room was dark but for some reason it felt excessively bright. "Miss you mom. I'll come home one day…promise."

"I am certain your mother will appreciate the gesture," came a bland reply.

"Sephiroth?" The blond gave his pillow a comforting squeeze. He felt so stupid, so childish and weak. But his mind was not working right, it seemed, and it did not help that he felt absolutely horrible. Wasn't mako supposed to accelerate his healing factor? Or did Gaia not feel like curing the damage she herself wrought. 'That's right; I know you did it to me…' It had taken him a while to figure out what caused his sudden and dramatic fever, and when he could not pin the blame entirely on stress and dehydration, Cloud put a few pieces together. His brain hurt when he thought too much, but it did not take too much effort to connect point A to point B.

Now, why Gaia did as she had, was anyone's guess. It had felt as if someone had decided to boil the mako in his blood and muck about with his conscious mind. He could barely remember any of the past few days, even though he had apparently been interacting (though poorly) with others. Having all his memories again was nice, sort of, but had frying his brain been necessary? Hopeful Gaia did not do any permanent damage to his muscles…

Suddenly, Sephiroth's outstretched hand came into view.

Cloud blinked. A pill rested at the center of the silver General's palm.

"For your migraine…Strife."

"Why—?" he began, but Sephiroth was already thrusting a glass of water his way as well.

"While Zackary is away, I stand in place of your mentor. It is my duty to maintain your physical health until his return. When you have recovered, you will resume the classes that your mentor's presence would otherwise replace, until Zackary comes back." Sephiroth told him in an even, disinterest voice,"However, until you have recovered enough to resume class, I will do my best to care for your needs."

"Why? Why are you helping me?" Cloud found himself asking as he accepted to medication and water, his thoughts troubled with emotion and lingering pain.

Sephiroth fell silent for a long time before saying softly,"It is my way of…apologizing. If not for my actions, you would not be ill at this point in time."

Cloud found himself scowling,"What happened to me is not your fault."

"I fail to see how my actions can be deemed irrelevant."

"Pfft. The Turks were looking to kidnap me anyway," he told the General, thankful for the quick relief the pill provided. Whatever that stuff was, it made him feel good…and a little tingly. "They just wanted an excuse. If I blamed you for what happened, I would not have wanted that kiss earlier." Wait…did he just say that? Damn it! Was this another one of Hojo's mixtures at work? They all seemed to give him loose lips and it was driving him batty.

The silver General, whom had been standing beside Cloud's bed, empty glass in hand, at last lowered himself down to sit beside the Cadet. There was confusion written on his normally stoic features. "You seem rather…calm, Strife, despite the latest events."

"Cloud…Call me Cloud," Sephiroth nodded absently at the blond's request,"but yeah…I guess I don't see a reason to be upset anymore. I mean the Turks are crazy and did try to kill me, but I am alive. Something to be thankful for…I guess."

"Life is precious,"the silver General murmured,"…and as fragile as cherry blossom."

"Hn?" Cloud arched at brow at the poetic phrase.

Sephiroth sighed,"Merely visiting old memories."

"I can relate…"

"How so?"

Cloud shrugged, "Whenever I feel stressed or upset, I lose myself in my memories…happy times and sad ones alike."

Again, silence fell between them, broken by Sephiroth countless minutes later,"I will return shortly. Sleep. You need to rest."

The silver-haired man stood and swept out of the room with grace bestowed upon no one else in the Planet's long history.

Why was it that, when Sephiroth was long gone, Cloud found himself feeling numb and hollow?

"I love you," he murmured to no one, for he was utterly alone,"I always have and always will... my beloved dark angel. If only…" Cloud found himself unable to finish the thought or the sentence because, by then, he had fallen into a shallow, restless slumber.

A/N: ( Ah, slowly adding layers to Cloud and Sephiroth's relationship. It's so fun as well as frustrating writing this pair of clueless idiots. They keep testing the waters and getting burned…-giggle- For some reason writing this chapter made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Review please? I very much adored all the feedback from last chapter. Reading all of them made me smile, even if most of you were freaking out about Reno… Then again, he is rather loveable in a crude…obnoxious sort of way. )