Disclaimer: Same as before

Chap. 20

Cloud."

Cloud had finally stopped walking and stood at the edge of the canyon. Aeris ran up behind him as he sat on the edge. Looking down, she then sat next to him. She was a little out of breath and panting a bit.

"Heh. Still have trouble running I see."

Aeris took another breath before smiling, "Hey, that's not fair."

"I remember when you were first like that. You said that maybe you could be in SOLDIER… SOLDIER. All this time and I already was one."

"Cloud."

"You know what's strange. I didn't fight Lucrecia back there. I could have exploded and said she was lying. Or maybe mistaken. But I did neither. I just accepted it as the truth. Because it was. Because it is."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since I heard the name Sephiroth, I always wanted to be like him. Then when he turned bad, I was relentless to stop him. Even before all of this, as a child, I always had a feeling that there was someone out there. Someone…like me."

Aeris put her hand on his shoulder, "It must be confusing. On the one side, you have the brother you never knew and on the other, you arch rival and enemy."

"If only…if only…"

"Things were different? It would have been a lot better. What will you do, Cloud?"

Cloud remained quiet. It was then that he noticed that her hand was still resting on his shoulder. He turned to meet her face and they stared at each others eyes. Softly, he took a hold of her hand…

Later...

The two of them came back to the campfire. Red XIII, Yuffie, Tifa, Zack and Cid were gone. Only Cait Sith, Lucrecia, Vincent, and Barret remained.

"Where is everyone?"

Cait Sith answered, "Well, Cid went back to the Highwind to check something. Tifa and Zack wandered off on their own. Red XIII went inside."

"What about Yuffie?"

"I don't know. After awhile, she just disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Yep. Right after Red did." He stood up and stretched, "So what's our next move?"

"We stop Sephiroth. That simple."

"Are you sure? After knowing what you know?"

"It....can't be helped."

"Wait." Lucrecia stood up and stood before him, "There must be another way."

"There isn't one."

"There has to be!" Lucrecia's voice went far higher than usual. Cloud saw this. He then remembered Aeris's words

Things were different? It would have been a lot better. What will you do, Cloud?

"I'm open to suggestions."

Lucrecia nodded slightly, "Our bond. Just as you have a bond with Sephiroth as brothers, I have one as his mother. Even though the Jenova cells had been removed from my body, I am still connected to him. Before you do anything, let me try and talk to him."

"But that's too risky." This time, it was Vincent who yelled. "What if he kills you?"

"I am willing to take that chance. I can't let Hojo or Jenova use him for their own deeds. I have to try."

Vincent was about to protest when Cloud spoke again, "Are you sure about this bond?"

"Yes. That's how I knew you would accept what I told you. The Jenova cells make a person unnaturally strong and put them under her control. But she only has that control over someone with a weakened mental state. And it also produced a side effect in which family members infused with the cells are empathically bonded with one another. All I ask is to try. Please, Cloud. Vincent."

Cloud looked at Vincent and back at her and back at Vincent. He saw his friend struggle with the logic of her plan and finally cave in.

"Alright. We'll do it your way. But you'll only have 5 minutes. After that, if he hasn't changed even remotely..."

"I understand."

Later on, everyone regrouped. Since they have some time before they could do anything, they decided to spend the day separate to decide if they will go to fight, just like the time before they faced Sephiroth the first time.

Kalm…

Elmyra heard a knock at the door and sat up to answer. Opening it, she saw Barret standing before her.

"Oh, you guys are back? That sure took a long…" She noticed the look on his face. "Something's wrong, isn't it?"

Barret scratched his head, "It's a long story." Barret then moved to the side and Elmyra looked past. Her eyes widened with shock.

"Aeris?!"

"Hi mom."

Elmyra suddenly ran out the door and hugged her tightly. Aeris smiled and hugged her back. Elmyra then moved away, tears fresh in her eyes.

"But how? I thought that you died?"

"As I said, it's a long story."

Aeris, Elmyra, and Barret sat down inside. Barret decided to tell the story while Elmyra partially listened. Mostly, she was staring at Aeris. But then Barret told her about Weapon and the possible destruction of the Planet, her attention returned.

"That's terrible."

"Yeah. We don't have much time. We have to go back there tomorrow and try to stop this."

"So you're leaving again."

"Afraid so. I just came back to see Marlene before I go."

Elmyra shook her head, "Honestly Barret, you shouldn't leave her so much. A daughter shouldn't be growing up without her father."

"I know, I know. Where is she?"

Elmyra pointed upstairs and Barret walked up, leaving her and Aeris alone.

"Mom."

"Wait. Aeris, I'm very happy to see you again. But I know you well enough to realize that something is wrong." She looked down, "You won't be here long, will you?"

Aeris dropped her head, "No."

"I thought so. Well, I'm glad to see you again. Even if it's the last time."

"Thank you, but that's not what bothering me. You remember Zack?"

"Yes. He was such a nice fellow. But then he had disappeared after some mission."

"Yes. He was still alive, but captured. Cloud and everyone found him, but now he's sick."

Elmyra sat back in her seat, "Oh. Is he here now?"

"Yeah. He's outside. He didn't want to scare anyone."

"Scare anyone? Is it that bad?"

"Yes. I…just wish I knew how to help him."

Elmyra stood up, "Go to him. One thing I've learned from you is that there's no better remedy than someone there beside you. Be with him."

Aeris smiled and hugged her, "Thanks mom." With that, Aeris went back outside.

Cavern of the Gi, Cosmo Canyon

Red XIII stood behind the stone statue that was his father. Normally, Red XIII comes here to think and be by himself.

Father. How can I stop myself from feeling this way? It just isn't right. She is human after all. Or at least partly now. Why did this have to happen? I'm so confused.

"Feel like talking, Red?"

Red turmed his head, "Yuffie. I guess you are upset with me for what happened to..."

"I never knew you felt that way about me."

"Excuse me?"

She sat down beside him, "When you were healing me, I was able to sense your thoughts. Your feelings…" She looked at him, "You really feel that way about me?"

Red XIII looked down at the ground. Yuffie expected him to deny it. No, he won't deny it. I know that much.

Red XIII turned his head away, "I am such a fool."

"Why do you say that?"

"I felt this way for a long time. I don't know when it started, but suddenly it was there. I tried to ignore it, but the feelings were so strong." He began to move away, "I never thought a person like me would....I knew from the second I had these feelings, such a thing would be impossible." He stopped briefly and looked at her, "But the feelings remained."

Yuffie blinked as Red XIII moved away. As he walked...

"Nanaki."

She was using his true name. He turned and looked at her, only now she wasn't a young human woman, but a wolfish creature like him, colored in red, a darker red than him. Yuffie moved to him and softly rubbed her cheek against his before resting it under his chin. He was surprised by this, but he didn't stop her.

"I feel the same way."

Neither of them to notice the statue of Seto seeming to smile...

Shin-Ra (Vincent's) mansion, Nibelhium…

Lucrecia sat in the center room in front of a coffee table. Vincent came in later on with two cups of tea and sat on the opposite side of her. For a long moment, neither of them said a word.

"Do you enjoy quiet?"

"Hm? A little."

Lucrecia gazed at him and saw that he was a little nervous.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For what Hojo did to you. I never thought he would do anything like that." She looked at the cup, "But then again, I never knew any of the things he had done."

"Don't be sorry. You had nothing to do with it."

"But still. I aided him in many of his projects. Many others may have been hurt and I helped in it."

Vincent reached across the table and held her hand, "You mustn't blame yourself. None of this was your doing. I'm sure you wanted to use the knowledge you gained to help others."

Lucrecia didn't say a word as she stared at Vincent's hand that was holding hers. Vincent noticed it and backed his hands away.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

Lucrecia arose and walked around the table before sitting next to him. She held his hands and lent her head on his chest. Vincent stared wide-eyed.

"I'm...not sure...this is appropriate."

"Shhhh. Just this moment, please."

Vincent blinked and then relaxed. For hours they sat there not saying a word, their hands intertwined and in the comfort of each other.

____

Outside Kalm…

"Zack."

She found Zack sitting on a boulder just outside of Kalm. His hood was still shadowing his face as he turned to her.

"Aeris."

"It's funny. You and Cloud pick the exact place to sit down and mope."

Zack grinned, although it couldn't be seen, "I am not moping. I was just…thinking to myself."

 "Sure." Aeris sat down beside him, "Why don't you just come inside with us? No sense in staying here by yourself."

"I don't want to scare anyone." His voice softened, "Especially you."

Aeris stood up and moved before him. Zack went to reach for his hood, but she grabbed his hands before he did.

"Zack. You don't have to hide from me. I'll care about you no matter how you look."

"Aeris."

Slowly, Aeris knelt down on the grass, still holding his hands. When she was comfortable enough, she reached up and slowly removed his hood. Zack's eyes were closed as she did so and when it was fully removed, he opened them. He looked down at Aeris's smiling face as she caressed his cheek.

"I will always love you."

Highwind...

Cid was busy working on the Highwind along with the other workers. Cait Sith later reactivated on the bridge.

"So you're back. How are things at Midgar?"

Cait Sith bowed his head, "Calm for the most part. But I think people are a little nervous. There have been sightings of a glowing light in the Northern Crater. Most likely Weapon."

"Well, it could be worse."

"We're about to go back to the heart of the Planet to fight a mad scientist, a alien entity, and a super soldier all bent on turning this world into nothing. And to top it off, he just happens to be related to our leader. I don't see how it could be worse."

"Well, uhh. He could be your brother. Haha."

"Very funny. Speaking of which, where is Cloud and the others?"

"Well, let's see. Vincent and Lucrecia are at Nibelhium. Aeris, Barret, and Zack all went to Kalm to see Elmyra. Red XIII and Yuffie are at Cosmo Canyon. I don't know where Cloud is, but Tifa is below deck working."

"She is? I thought she'd be with Cloud."

"So did I. I guess those two just don't get it yet."

"It's strange. They both feel the same way. They are so desperately in love it's obvious, yet they're so afraid of hurting each other."

"Actually, I think love is normally like that. Although those two are beginning to drive me crazy."

"Give them time. That's all we can do. Provided we survive all of this."

Elsewhere...

Cloud was alone by himself. He was sitting on a beach looking at the fading sun. Many things had happened to him all too fast. He just wanted some time to think about it. Tomorrow, they would fight again. Fight against Jenova, Hojo and...Sephiroth. My brother, Sephiroth. It still too strange to believe, but it's true. But would I be able to fight him now? I'm not sure. I feel...so helpless. So weak. But I have to go on. He stood up, I have no choice.

I must confront Sephiroth again. And this time, it's the last time...

But can I?