The beginning of the end

The Ancient machine revealed that Aerith' prayer had reached the Planet. But a dark force was keeping Holy back. A dark force that most of AVALANCHE was calling Sephiroth. Vincent hadn't say much since Lucrecia's death, Red had often found him sleeping in Cid's cabin, as if he wasn't able to sleep alone anymore. And what the red furred beast found strange what that Cid and Vincent seemed to smell exactly the same. Maybe there was something going on between those two…

Nanaki was pacing the deck of the Highwind since two nights, now. Pacing because he could not bring himself to go and find out, even if Cloud was scared out of his wits, plagued by nightmares every time he closed his eyes. The blond wanted to talk to Vincent. The beast sat down a moment, then began to pad quietly his way to the Captain's cabin.

Meanwhile, in the said cabin, Vincent was staring out at the stars, while Cid was spread on the bed, half asleep. When he heard the dark haired man sigh, he opened an eye.

- Somethin' botherin' ya?

- Cloud. He doesn't sleep enough.

- Hell yeah… He's on the edge with everybody. D'you know why?

- You know I'm sure Sephiroth raped him, well, I think they knew each other before the Nibelheim incident. I think they were close to each other, maybe good friends or maybe Cloud assisted him in a way… In any case, he must have remembered something that is disturbing him.

- Make sense but what could-

He couldn't continue because he heard a rattling sound on the door.

- Vincent? Are you in there?

********

Cloud was huddled in a corner, blood pooling around him. Vincent immediately prepared a cure spell and moved next to the blond, dismissing Nanaki quickly. He carefully rolled his body so he could look at his face… but he was astonished to realise that he was still conscious, and that the blood was coming out of his chest. He had first thought the blond had slashed his wrists in a desperate act… Using his claw, the ex-Turk ripped Cloud's shirt apart to reveal the bleeding scar just above his heart.

- Vincent?, Cloud called weakly

- Don't move. You're bleeding too much.

The cure spell didn't heal the wound, so the dark haired man had to search around for a first aid kit, which he found under the bed, and tightly bandaged Cloud's chest. He looked at him closely; there was an undying pain lying inside those blue eyes, his left arm was unarmed and displayed many pink scars. The said bangle was in the blond's lap. To Vincent's surprise, there were words engraved in the metal and when he read them… He put the item aside and began to talk.

- Cloud… what happened?

- Every time I sleep… I wake up, I bleed.

- But who did this to you?

Even though he knew the answer, Vincent didn't expect Cloud to answer, even less to tell the truth. It was Sephiroth who'd done this, the JENOVA part of him more than the human Sephiroth… The man was battling for control at that time, and had asked him to terminate his life before the inevitable could happen… But even though Cloud succeeded in killing him, the worst still happened. Vincent picked him up to lay him on his cot, somehow he had to make him talk, as little as it could be, the blond had to exorcise whatever he kept reliving in his dreams.

- What was Sephiroth to you? Did you knew him well?

- I adored him, I was looking up to him like he was a living God. He was my idol. I met him at first, during a mission, he took care of me on a boat ride to Junon. We were attacked while investigating something, Zack was knocked off and I was seriously injured. We bunked together since that time.

- But, pardon me if it seems harsh, softly said Vincent, were you together as a couple?

As answer, the blond's skin turned a shade or two paler and he became totally limp. The dark haired man knew that the lack of sleep was probably the main reason of his behaviour. Though it had been enough to make a small puddle on the floor, the blood loss wasn't a treat for his health. He didn't pushed any further his questions and stayed with the blond until he calmed himself. The ex-Turk picked up the discarded armoured bangle to fastened it around Cloud's scared arm and cast a light sleepel on him. Maybe it would help.

*********

From now on, the events seemed to shower on them like an heavy rain. First, the diamond weapon decided to attack Midgar. It was unstoppable, but Reeve needed time to evacuate the city, so he asked Cloud's help. AVALANCHE responded to the distress call, waiting for the immense weapon at shore. However, if it was a heavy menace, it was slow to come. But when it did… Cloud never thought a fight that exhausting could lead to such an disastrous conclusion. Back in Midgar, Rufus Shinra had ordered to shoot the Mako Canon, hoping to destroy Sephiroth's energy barrier. Unfortunately, if it reached it's goal, the beam shot through the Weapon, and it retaliated. The Shinra Tower's highest floors were hit, collapsing down. Later on, Reeve would tell them that more than half of the people still in the tower were dead or hurt, and that despite all his efforts to locate him under the rumbles of his office, he hadn't seen Rufus. He only saw Hojo barking orders to some lab assistants transporting someone down and out of the tower. The mad scientist had looked up at Reeve and smirked before leaving in a hurry. What lead them to another problem, much more important than the Weapon attack. That crazy head was manually controlling the Sister Ray in order to boost Sephiroth back in the Crater. But the now frail structure of the City couldn't stand another shot yet, and the Mako generator were risking a major break down if it fired now. Once again, the administrator had to ask for help, himself having a hard time dealing with both Heidegger and Scarlet for the lead of what was left of Shinra.

Avalanche was parachuted over Midgar, and Vincent wasn't told twice to hurry; hell before Barret could install his ultimate weapon, he was already fighting with the madman. Hojo's body had transformed due to the JENOVA cells he had injected himself with. But the ex-Turk was in a deadly rage; Chaos was quick to react and took control of Vincent's body. The two creatures slashed at each other until the demoniac form thrust forward his deadly claws, pushing off Hojo from the platform.

Cloud and Barret arrived just in time to see him fall down and witness Vincent's shifting. The dark haired man had been submerged by a blinding rage and had given every last drop of hatred to Chaos to ensure the defeat of the scientist. No energy was left in him to allow Vincent to move. The black man took out a potion while Cloud was pondering on the events to come; the final confrontation was coming, he was feeling it. The more he thought about it, the more his heart was bleeding. The fact that Vincent and Cid were now together, although he was the only one to really know (hell he ha seen them in the chocobo's stables not later than yesterday) wasn't helping him. In his dreams he was constantly reliving the most precious moments he and Sephiroth had shared, making his awakenings a living hell; remembering him his promise.

- Hey! Are ya listenin' ? We have t'go, and quick!

- No… No, not yet, Cloud answered shakily, We are not enough equipped. Let's go and see our chocobos, if we can get a gold one, maybe we'll be able to go on those islands we spotted.

- Cloud! Are you okay? Tifa called from the stairs, You look like you've seen a ghost…

- Vincent!!!

Cid ran up to the fallen ex-Turk and Cloud followed Tifa to a more convenient place to rest. The brunette fighter sensed a great distress in him. Biting her lower lip, she sat down next to him.

- Cloud… What's going on? Something is happening to you, don't try to hide it from me. You're not going well, tell me what's wrong…

But the blond shook his head. He couldn't, at least not now.

*********

He could hear someone humming lightly. He was laid on a very soft and warm surface, wrapped in a feather blanket. His body was slowly going up and down, at the rhythm of his lover's breathing. But Cloud was crying. Crying because he hadn't kept his promise. But Sephiroth tightened his grip on him, nuzzling his blond spikes tenderly. Even if his own heart was dying to see that.

- Calm down, my love, both you and I know it's no use crying over spilled milk…, he said softly, barely hiding his sadness

- Curse you and your damn logic!!! bawled Cloud, I don't want to kill you!

- I know.

- Don't do that…, he pleaded, heartbroken.

- Don't say that, the silver haired man retorted, we have to. It's the last moment we will have together before… God, no… NO!!!!

Cloud watched with horror his lover's face contort in pain, unable to soothe him. This time, it was his arms that wrapped around Sephiroth's waist, trying to pin him down.

- What's happening!?!, he shrieked

- JENOVA… trying to lock me…

The blond felt his eyes stinging again, but he lifted himself feebly to kiss his love on the lips, delivering all the passion he could gather. Sephiroth relaxed a little. Cloud could not bring himself to do anything more. He lay down on his lover's body and continued to cry.

********

- What's wrong with him anyway? Cid asked

Vincent was rocking a very incoherent, frightened if not traumatized Cloud. He was shaking like a leaf and looked like a little lost child, his eyes unfocused and his breath ragged. He had woken up an hour ago, screaming as Red tried to calm him down, but the blond had scampered off for the Captain's cabin, frantically searching for Vincent. Again like a child searching for his father. He was now so far away in his delirium that the dark haired man feared for the worst.

- Please, leave us alone for a moment, maybe I can bring him back from wherever he is.

Both Cid and Nanaki nodded and left the cabin.

- Cloud… Cloud, tell me what's hurting you, he said softly, We are alone.

- I… I-I love him… I love him more than the world itself. I won't be able, I can't do this, I can't!!! Go ahead and put an end to my misery, I've betrayed you all once again because I love our enemy and won't be able to defeat him!!!, he finally cried

Vincent got out his peacemaker and put it in Cloud's lap.

- So that's why you sent us searching for those materia and those mystical weapons…, the vampire thought, If death is what you wish for, you can have it easily.

Cloud looked at the small gun and reached for it, slowly lifting it to his temple.

- However, Vincent continued, if you think that death will take you to him, you're wrong. Because, once you'll pull that trigger, no one will be there to defeat him and JENOVA, thus dooming this Planet to die. And if it happens, your spirit too will be destroyed, as well as his.

The gun went suddenly flying across the room as Cloud clutched his head.

- Curse you and your damn logic!!!, he screamed again, I can't kill him! I /can't/!!!! I'm no match for him, and at the sight of his face, I'll simply die there because I did not kept the promise I made him! I failed him!!!

- Calm down, Cloud. You didn't failed him, JENOVA had her grip too strong on him already. There is no way of helping him but to terminate his life if you want to set him free. Think about it this way, instead. He is suffering, that's what you are feeling in your dreams, you are going to free him from his pain.

- We… we have no time to lose, then, the blond answered softly. But it hurts, Vincent, I feel like I won't be coming back form there if I enter the crater.

Both fell silent after that, and when Cid peeked in to see what was going on, Cloud was fast asleep against the wall. The trio left the room an instant to let Vincent relate the events. They were worried, but they all knew there wouldn't be another end to this story. In the morning, Cloud called them for a reunion. It was time.

End

Author's notes

Hey!!! The last chapter of Lover's war is coming! And already 4 chapters of 'Memories of Gold' are complete! Let's put all this in order: 1- Calm before the storm, 2- Lover's war, 3-Peace upon us… Please, 4- Memories of gold. Each are something near 15 chapters long O_o Did I tell you that I bought Kingdom's Heart? And that I found Sephy? God, he is unbeatable…

Sephiroth: Yeah, I know… Grovel, now Htress

Htress: Hey, I am still the author of the fic, Seph

Sephiroth; _ Then, can I have more of strawberries and cream?

Htress: Sure… Cloud? Could you bring us more of your dessert?

Cloud: Just gimme five minutes, I'm washing the dishes… -_-

Oh god it's so fun to have a little maid in the house!!!! For that I owe one to Sephy! Too damn cute, too, in that little outfit! Anyway! See ya all in: Setting free.