Thank you for reading this fic! I know three weeks barely begins to scratch the surface when it comes to the amount of therapy Cloud needs, but I know he'd be stubborn enough to progress quickly and do his best to keep up. I hope that you enjoyed reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for all the support, too! I really enjoyed the comments.

It had been a long three weeks since he'd last been in Edge, but as Cloud roared into town on a Sunday evening, his gaze beneath his goggles catching the city's reconstruction, he felt a pang of familiarity and joy in his heart at the sight of the place that had become his home. He wound Fenrir through the streets, careful to avoid pedestrians and debris alike. Giving curt nods to those who recognized and waved, he set his sights on the bar in the distance that was his destination.

Sitting on the steps outside Seventh Heaven were both Denzel and Marlene, and they stood up in excitement as he slowed the bike to a stop. The loud yet comforting noises of the city instantly enveloped his hearing, welcoming him home in a sound-filled embrace that pushed away the memories of crashing waves and crying seagulls that he had gotten used to.

"Cloud!" Marlene shouted happily as she took off down the steps and launched herself at his legs. Cloud held his arms up in surprise and stared down at her for a few seconds, before he found himself kneeling to return the embrace. "I missed you," she said into the fabric of his shirt.

He patted her head lightly and pulled back. "I missed you too," he told her honestly with a small smile dancing across his lips. Behind Marlene, Denzel was fidgeting with a stray string on his hoodie as he watched the interaction uncertainly. The girl in front of him stepped back and beamed at Denzel.

"Go on!" she encouraged in an exaggerated whisper. Cloud looked at him, kept the small smile on his face, and held his arms out.

That was all it took for Denzel, who leapt off the stairs and catapulted himself into Cloud's arms. Cloud hugged him tightly, trying to silently convey to the boy that he wasn't going to leave him again, that Denzel wasn't the issue.

Denzel wiped his eyes quickly as they broke the embrace, while Marlene bounded back up the stairs and through the doors. Cloud stood and took his goggles off, opening the compartment where they sat and stuffing them in. With the bike off and ready to stow, he and Denzel walked Fenrir back to the garage, which was more of a lean-to, but it had a roof and a door and kept his bike safe and dry.

"Are you back now?" Denzel asked nervously as Cloud clicked the padlock on the garage shut and gave it an extra tug for good measure before adjusting the pack over his shoulder.

He looked down at the young boy, whose mousy brown hair was brushing the tips of his eyelashes and hopeful expression sent another wave of home through him. "I'm back," he reassured. "I won't be gone for a long time again."

Denzel looked away with a sigh of relief, and his hand found Cloud's as they walked back to the front doors of Seventh Heaven. The physical touch was slightly jarring but not unwelcome, and he gave the hand a squeeze as they approached the entrance. He admired the way the last rays of the sun fought their way through buildings to shine its lazy Sunday light on the gray exterior of the bar.

Tifa was waiting inside, elbows deep in soapy suds back in the kitchen as her face turned expectantly towards the door when they walked in. Her face lit up, a knowing smile making its way through her sun-kissed cheeks and making her crimson eyes sparkle.

"Tifa, look! Cloud's back!" Denzel announced.

She turned her face back to the sink. "I'll be right there," she promised as she shook the suds off her hands and dried them on a towel. Walking through the kitchen and into the main room, she put her hands on her hips. "Welcome back, Cloud," she said warmly.

"It's good to be back," he admitted to her with a sheepish smile. "Costa del Sol is nice but…it's not home."

Shining eyes found his as she chuckled and dipped behind the bar counter. "Let me get you a drink and let's talk a bit."

Obligingly, Cloud and Denzel both approached the worn bar stools, Cloud taking the farthest on the left and Denzel sitting right next to him. Marlene came barreling back down the stairs then, PHS gripped tightly in her hand as she skidded to a halt and hopped up on the stool on the other side of Denzel.

"I told Daddy that you made it back," she let Cloud know. He nodded his thanks. Barret had been worried about his trip, which was more than unnecessary considering how often he traveled for work, but at least his friend could relax now.

Tifa plopped down juice boxes in front of Denzel and Marlene before she picked up the shaker in front of her and poured the liquid inside into a glass for him. He accepted it gratefully and stared into the deep red of the signature drink he'd grown fond of, the Cosmo Canyon. He could see the reflection of the ceiling fan above him in it, and he could smell the sharpness of alcohol already ready to relax his sore muscles.

"How are you feeling?" she asked then, leaning into her arms as she studied his face.

He blushed slightly and looked away, taking a small sip of the drink. Flavor and alcohol exploded in a familiar warmth across his tongue before he swallowed. "I'm doing better," he admitted. "There's a…lot to work on, but Ayla said I'm on the right track."

"I'm so glad to hear it," she sighed in relief. Her gaze dipped to the kids before returning to his face. "Will you be seeing her for more sessions?"

Cloud recalled their last conversation before he'd departed Costa del Sol, and a small smile returned to his lips.

"Now just because you're not seeing me every day doesn't mean you get to go back to your brooding ways," Ayla scolded him with a knowing smile. "I expect you to keep up on your homework and to keep practicing those memory techniques, okay?"

"Okay," Cloud replied with a good-natured eye roll.

They were standing on the pier, Cloud's hands resting on either side of Fenrir's handlebars and his sword secured in the compartments inside. He felt lighter, like he'd been struggling to breathe before and could finally take a gulp of oxygen. Ayla was standing next to him, crossed arms and stern expression masking the amusement she tried and failed to hide underneath.

"Promise me," she ordered.

Cloud sighed. "I promise."

A smirk found its way onto her expression and her eyes softened. "If you need anything in the meantime, you know you're always welcome back in my office. And if you happen to be delivering in the area, stop by and we'll do an assessment of where you're at, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Cloud?"

He shook his head to bring himself back to the present and found the other three staring at him as they waited for a response. "We'll be doing weekly calls," he answered quickly, and Tifa nodded firmly in agreement. "And if I'm doing a delivery in the area she wants me to stop by."

"I think that's a great plan," Marlene said wisely with a knowing nod. Denzel just kept his hopeful expression on Cloud's face.

Looking down at the boy, he smiled. "I'm back," he repeated. "I'm not going anywhere, kiddo."

Denzel beamed.