((A/N: Sorry I posted that last chapter and forgot to post the last two words ^^; Oh well...please keep reviewing!))

"So....what is it?" Reeve asked. Cloud leaned back against a wall in the observatroy in Cosmo Canyon, awaiting Nanaki's explanation. Tifa stood across the room from him, watching Cloud carefully. Something was different about him in the past few days, but she couldn't figure out what.

Ever since the group stoped at Costa Del Sol before they came to Cosmo Canyon. Cloud had dissappeared for a while when everyone was at the beach, and since then it seemed like he was hiding something.

"I haven't found anything that can be backed completely in the books...but I think I've uncovered what's happened..." Nanaki explained, walking around. Nobody seemed particulary pleased with this, but nobody protested.

"...Cloud? You said you were comatose after they injected the Jenova cells in you...correct?" Cloud nodded. Tifa looked aprehensive, though, picking up on what he was going for.

"We can't forget, though...Cloud was injured at the time..." Tifa said, looking over at Cloud. He confirmed her words with a nod.

"Yes...but all the same...has anyone else thought that perhaps Jenova's poison wasn't poison at all? That it was, perhaps, her own living cells?" Everyone remained silent, as they thought through his explanation. It all made sense. Jenova was going to use Aeris to fight them.

Tifa felt that Nanaki's explanation couldn't be wrong, and that feeling struck a cold fear in her heart. She knew that there was no way that Cloud would ever be able to hurt or kill Aeris, even if Jenova was controling her. Now, she couldn't help but wonder....

"If Jenova is back...does that mean she'll be able to controll Cloud, as well?" Everyone seemed slightly worried by Tifa's question. Cloud seemed more worried that anyone else. He knew that Tifa was probably right, in thinking that Jenova would take control of him. And now, if she could do that...he could end up hurting his friends, namely Tifa.

"I've also been thinking about this..." Nanaki began. "...And I've come up with a solution, none of us could quite like..."

"So yer sayin' Cloud's gonna lose control?" Cid asked, quietly. Tifa looked over, as Nanaki shook his firey head.

"It's more than that...." Everyone looked at him, as he sighed. He waited a moment before speaking. "....I don't think Jenova can control Cloud any more. After the battle with Sephiroth, I think the cells in his body were sent into dormancy..." Cid lifted an eyebrow.

"The why the hell is this bad news."

"Jenova's return may have been made possible by Cloud's very living...." Everyone looked at Nanaki, a thick silence covering the room. "...as long as he continues to exist, and the cells remain in his body, living even in their dormancy...Jenova can never entirely die. If you recall the Reunion Theory...." Nanaki's voice trailed off.

Tifa looked over at Cloud, who seemed shocked, yet deep in thought. Tifa felt her knees begin to tremble. Was Nanaki saying that Cloud needed to die in order for Jenova to? She couldn't handle that. She felt hot tears sting at her eyes, and ran out of the room to hide her tears.

Cloud ran off after her, not before shooting an angry glare at Nanaki. He was somewhat relieved to know Sephiroth wasn't the one to keep her alive, but he definately didn't want Tifa to know that. He needed to die in order to save the planet, and he knew Tifa would never willingly let that happen.

Nanaki stalked off, and layed down in the corner of the room. Everyone remained silent, going over the information in their heads. Each tried to convince theirselves that it wasn't true....only they couldn't seem to find any flaws in his plan. Vincent suddenly spoke.

"If the cells in Cloud's body are dormant...perhaps they're dead as well. There is still another with Jenova's cells within...." Nanaki looked up.

"Lucrecia...I'd forgotten..."


Tifa stopped, hearing heavy footsteps following her. She knew from the feeling of his presence, that it was Cloud. She let her tears flow, not caring if he saw how weak she was. He already knew.

"This isn't fair..." She whispered. Cloud wrapped his arms around her waist. He wished now, more than ever, that he could speak.

"Tif..." his voice was weak and cracked, but there, none-the-less. He rested his chin on her shoulder, and kissed her cheek. "....maybe........they're.....wrong...." he rasped quietly. Tifa shook her head slightly, tears still falling down her porcelin-like face. Cloud wiped each of the droplets away, and kissed her face each time a new one appeared.

"and if they're right?" Tifa asked sharply. Cloud didn't say anything, trying to figure out what he could possibly say without making her cry. He knew they were probably right, and if they were...the only way to destroy Jenova, was to destroy him. He knew he wasn't about to get out of this without hurting her. So he decided to give up trying not to.

"then.......never......forget...me" He rasped quietly. Tifa continued to sob, a sharp pain stabbed at her heart, as she heard his words. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt such a void numbness in her heart. She coughed a little, crying deeply.

Cloud pulled her into his arms, and kissed the top of Tifa's head. He rocked her back and forth, trying to soothe her, to stop her freely flowing tears.

"Don't cry, Tifa." He whispered. Tifa wrapped her arms around him, and cried into his chest, not caring that Nanaki and Vincent were now standing near them. Cloud looked up, giving them a glance saying not to bother with speaking now, because either way it would upset her.

They nodded, and walked inside, while Cloud tried his best to soothe the girl.