(Author's Note: Okay…raise you hands if you know the answer to my question…no Rueh put your hand down! I know you know…but I wonder if anyone else knows…he's not mentioned in this chapter…NOW!...should I continue and go on with this story and this idea about…him…that is floating through my mind? Please tell me! Thanks! If no one does…this might just be the last chapter…one more at the most left though…)

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 or Squaresoft! I own Cassandra and Dete but Rueh owns Rueh…(hopefully…)…

Chapter 26

-Next morning-

Sephiroth brushed at whatever was poking his shoulder.

It went away.

-5 minutes later-

He was poked in the shoulder again.

He got an annoyed look on his face as he brushed the thing away again.

-3 minutes later-

Sephiroth was REALLY annoyed now.

He swung at the thing poking him in the shoulder but missed yet again.

Sighing he settled back down into Cassandra's arms.

-1 minutes later-

He could hear giggling as he was poked yet AGAIN!

This time he just ignored it.

-30 seconds later-

*poke*

*grumble…*

-15 seconds later-

*poke…poke…poke…POKE!*

He smirked as his slap found its mark this time.

-Not even a hundredth of a second later -

"YOU HIT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sephiroth sat up with a start.

Cassandra's eyes snapped open and glared at being jerked awake by him.

Sephiroth's eyes widened when he saw 2 little kids in the room.

One was standing a safe distance away while the other was sitting on the floor next to the bed with a hand over the bright red slap mark.

"You hit Rueh!" Cassandra said upon seeing her.

"She was poking me first!" he said.

"Sure. This is Rueh and that's Dete," Cassandra said pointing to them each in turn.

"…Rueh and Dete…"

-5 seconds later-

"Oh Rueh! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sephiroth said getting up and kneeling next to her.

"*sniff*…you hit me!" *WHAM!*

"Oh look you hit him," Dete said walking forward and climbing up to sit on the edge of the bed next to Cassandra.

"…ouch…"

"Took you long enough to remember what I told you yesterday," Cassandra said as Sephiroth sat up rubbing the side of his face.

"But that was yesterday," he said.

She just shook her head slowly.

"Anyways…how did you 2 get here?" she asked turning her attention to Rueh and Dete.

Rueh shrugged and looked at Dete.

"What was that thing called again?"

"A chocobo," Dete said dully.

"Oh yeah…"

"Anyway we felt you wake up so we came to Midel by chocobo," Dete said.

"Felt us wake up? What do you mean?" Sephiroth asked.

"We went back to the Forgotten City," she said.

"How did you feel us?" Cassandra asked with a confused look.

"I don't know…we just felt it. I can't explain it," Dete said.

Sephiroth got up and sat beside Cassandra.

"What happened to your friends?" he asked.

"I don't know," Rueh said with a shrug.

"I think they went to Cosmo Canyon," Dete said shaking her head slowly.

"Good. But before we go there we have something else to do," Sephiroth said.

"And what's that?" Dete asked tilting her head to the side a bit.

Cassandra gave a small smile and poked Sephiroth on the forehead.

"Getting your thoughts in order that's what," she said.

"I don't hear Jenova's voice anymore. And all the thought's in my head are my own," he said.

"That's a start but you're still confused about your parents…"

"From your tone I think I would rather not know," he said warily.

"You should know…in case Jenova were to come back. You'd be harder to confuse," Dete said.

"She's right," Cassandra said.

He sighed.

"I know…let's get this over with…"

                                    ****

-1 week later-

"Two weeks…"

"Tifa they'll be fine. Rueh and Dete can take care of themselves easily," Cloud said looking up at her.

"I guess you're right but…we don't know anything about them and I have questions for them," she said with a sigh and sat down next to him.

"What do you want to ask?"

Both Tifa and Cloud jumped.

They turned to see the entrance to Cosmo Canyon.

"…Sephiroth…?" Cloud said slowly getting to his feet.

Sephiroth turned his back to Cloud as the rest of Avalanche walked up to them.

"So I see Rueh and Dete found you 2," Red said.

"Yes they did," Cassandra said looking down at them.

"Well? You wanted to ask us questions?" Rueh asked.

She had been the one to make Tifa and Cloud jump.

"Yeah…I was wondering were your parents were or if you knew them," Tifa said.

Rueh and Dete looked at each other.

"…why?" Dete asked turning back to Tifa.

"Because you 2 are still little…"

"We can take care of ourselves," Rueh said.

"You don't need to worry about them Tifa," Cassandra said with a smile while turning and grabbing Sephiroth's hand as he stepped away.

"What…? Oh," Yuffie said.

Sephiroth stopped and looked at Cassandra.

A silent conversation passed between them and he nodded bowing his head.

"Hey Red…could we stay here for awhile? Just until we find a place of our own and figure out a few things?" Cassandra asked.

Red looked thoughtful.

"I do not mind. You may stay for as long as it takes for you 4 to find a place to live," he said.

 "Thank you," she said.

"You have a few things to figure out?" he asked almost like an after thought.

"Yeah…this is a place of learning right?"

"Yes."

"Could we read a few books?"

"Oh yes. If you need help just ask but for now you may call this place your home," Red said.

"Again thank you," Cassandra said.

                                    ****