A/N: Hi guys. Happy Easter and here's chapter 27. I have a brand new story up…located in the Final Fantasy Crossovers area. Read if you want, Chapter 2 of that will soon be up. Anyway we're nearly finished with this fic. It will be ending soon. Sorry…

Summary – The gang fight Cloud, but his increased strength and agility give him the advantage. When it's just Squall and Cloud, they appeared to be in a stalemate. But once caught off-guard, Squall is electrocuted. Cloud goes to finish him off but misses. Why? Because Cloud is fighting Sephiroth's control. Will he succeed?

Chapter 27 – Fighting Two Battles

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Squall watched in horror as Cloud began to walk backwards further away from him. His face was scrunched up because of the pain. He fought hard to keep Sephiroth out of his head.

"No! I won't let you control me anymore!" he said to himself. "I won't let you hurt my friends!"

Squall looked up at him desperately. He had to help somehow, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch as Cloud struggled and collapsed onto his knee. He felt someone kneel beside him. He turned round and saw Tifa holding an elixir. He thanked her and drained it. He instantly felt all of his energy return, and he stood up.

"Tifa, walk the others." he ordered.

"But what about Cloud!" she said frantically.

Squall looked at Cloud struggling. As Cloud opened his eyes, Squall saw the green flash through them. Sephiroth was starting to over-power him.

"We don't have to. Cloud can't keep this up. Quickly wake the others; we can beat him while he is distracted."

Tifa nodded and started to walk away but was stopped by a barrier. She tried to run through it, or push it away but she couldn't break through. Squall turned round and saw Cloud standing up with his hand out. Sephiroth had obviously taken him over again.

"You won't win that easily."

Squall raised his Gunblade and stood in front of Tifa protectively.

"I guess I'll have to finish you off first." Cloud said before lunging at him.

Squall blocked and pressed his attack forward, away from Tifa. He noticed that Cloud's movements were hesitant. He also noticed that every now and then, Cloud would get back in control, if only for a spilt second. Squall thought that, if he knocked Cloud unconscious, he'd have enough time to find Sephiroth and Ultimecia and free him. But even though Cloud was regaining himself, Squall still found himself quickly going on the defensive.

Squall's body was filled with anger and the adrenaline rush was an added bonus. He could unleash it stronger limit, but the result could be worse than he wanted. He had killed monsters twice the size of Cloud with the limit and he was scared in case he hurt Cloud too badly. But he didn't have a choice. He had to protect the others.

Squall's attacks became more and more lethal, aiming for Cloud's chest and stomach. Soon, he was attack so quickly; Cloud was barely able to dodge his Gunblade. Finally, one hit home. It struck Cloud on his arm and he staggered. This is what Squall needed. He rapidly slashed over and over, each time drawing blood. Cloud wasn't able to block any of them; Squall never gave him the chance. Every second, he felt his energy drop considerably. Squall slashed him one last time on his chest and he collapsed.

Squall breathed a sigh of relief when Cloud fell to the floor. He steadied himself, panting heavily. He had used up a lot of energy with his Lionheart limit. He felt sweat pouring down his face. He looked at Cloud, who just lay still. A small pool of blood formed beneath him and His Ultima Weapon lay next to him.

Squall was about to turn and tell Tifa it was safe when he noticed Cloud's hand move.

Slowly, he pushed himself off the floor slightly. Squall stepped back in horror. How could anyone survive that attack, let alone still be able to get up. Cloud's bangs fell in front of his eyes. All Squall could see of his face was his mouth. He heard him panting heavily and grunting as he stood up, picking his Ultima Weapon up too. Blood was running down his arms, with over a dozen cuts on each arm. His clothes were stained crimson and were shredded, parts almost totally ripped off.

Cloud looked at Squall, who once again stepped back. This time he felt like running. There were cuts all over Cloud's face, and blood mixed with his sweat. He looked totally livid.

Before Squall could react, Cloud ran forward and slashed him. It cut deep into his skin and Squall yelled out in pain. But more cuts followed, each one cutting deeper than the last. Some, blood stained the floor, Cloud's blade and Squall's clothes. Cloud attacked again and again, not stopping until Squall collapsed to the floor. The pain was excruciating, and Squall couldn't move. He started to feel light headed, and he started to find it difficult to breath.

A weak Cloud towered over Squall, looking down at his fragile figure.

"Time to finish you off! For good!" he growled, raising his hand. A huge ball of fire started to appear, but Squall didn't care. There was nothing he could do. He was finished, Sephiroth had won.

But Cloud was suddenly hit by a blast of green fog from behind Squall. He was knocked off his feet and landed at least ten feet from where he had been. He was stunned but he slowly got back up, now severely injured.

Squall raised his head to look behind him. He saw Tifa with her hands out stretched and a furious look on her face. He noticed a green materia, equipped in her armour.

"I've had enough of this Sephiroth. Leave Cloud and Squall alone." she yelled. Cloud stood up, also furious.

"So that's why he left his 'Ultima' materia with you. So you could use it against me." he said. He quickly focused on his materia as she ran forward to Squall and cast Cure3 on him. It didn't heal him totally, only enough for him to get back on his feet. He got up only to be knocked off his feet by a lightning spell. The second spell struck Tifa. Cloud had tried to stop it, but he only managed to weaken it. Tifa fell to the floor and looked up in fear as she saw Cloud step in front of her.

He raised his hand and aimed at Tifa. Another fireball appeared at his palm. He charged it and was about to fire until…

Squall knew of only one way to stop him.

"Cloud, don't! She's PREGNANT!" he shouted.

Shock filled Cloud's body and in that spilt second, he regained control. Tifa watched as his eyes returned to normal. Just as the spell was about to fire, he swung round and shot it towards one of the beams at the roof. The beam cracked, and it was about to snap in half. Cloud threw his sword away and grabbed his head. He wanted to stay in control long enough. Dust fell from the roof as it was seconds away from falling.

"Squall!" Cloud yelled, his double voice now gone. "Get Tifa away from here!"

Squall nodded and ran up to Tifa. He helped her up and pulled her away from Cloud. That was when the roof fell. It caused the ground to shake as it hit the floor, right where Cloud was.

Squall dashed to his friends and covered his mouth as the smoke cleared. Both he and Tifa looked at the wreck in shock. Cloud was in there.

"Cloud!" Tifa yelled and began to rush forward, but Squall stopped her.

"No, we need to wake the others first. If we get Cloud out of there and Sephiroth still has control, we'll be history."

"Okay." she replied shakily and pulled out 4 Phoenix Downs. They group awoke and gasped at the sight.

"Oh my goodness!" Rinoa whispered as she hugged Squall.

"Wha' the hell happened?" Cid asked. "An' where's Spike?"

"He's under the debris. C'mon we gotta help him!" Squall told them and they rushed to it.

They pulled away bricks, wood, slabs but still couldn't find Cloud. While Cid was rummaging through the dirt, he felt something cut his hand.

"Ow ya bugger!" he shouted.

"What is it?" Zell asked.

Cid saw the blade of Cloud's sword sticking out of the dirt.

"Ah've got Spike's sword here. Tha' bugger sure is sharp!"

"He's got to be nearby, keep looking." Squall told them.

Tifa lifted up a piece of wood and saw a Cloud's hand on the floor. She gasped and squeezed his hand. She gasped again when she felt him squeeze her hand back.

"Squall, I've found him!" she shouted excitedly. She lifted up a slab and threw it to the side. She saw Cloud lying on the floor, breathing heavily. She stroked his head and whispered.

"Cloud? Are you okay?"

"Tifa?" he moaned back. That was all she needed. She almost cried because she was so happy to see him again.

"Cloud you're alright!" Squall said running up to him.

"Squall…" he swallowed hard as he tried to speak, "I'm so sorry. I tried to stop him but…"

"Listen, forget it." Squall interrupted, "We need to get you out of here. Tifa cure him."

"No! Don't!" Cloud warned.

"Why? We need to get you out of here, Cloud." Tifa told him. Cloud shook his head as best he could.

"No, there's a pole…it's went straight through my leg…if you heal me…I won't be able to get it out."

"He's got a point." Zell said.

"Squall…go find Sephiroth and Ultimecia. They're in this building. Stop them…before they take over me again."

"Alright, Cloud! Tifa could you stay here with Cloud." she nodded, "Everyone else come with me."

Everyone nodded and ran off with him leaving Cloud and Tifa alone.

"I'm so happy to see you, Cloud." Tifa told him, squeezing his hand.

"I'm happy to see you too. Tifa, I…I'm so sorry if I hurt you."

"No! It wasn't you…it was Sephiroth. You would never hurt me."

"Thanks, Teef." he whispered. Soon after, he let the darkness take him, falling unconscious.

"Cloud?" she asked, trying to wake him. She felt for his pulse, it was there. She decided to let him rest. It had been a long day.

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A/N: Whew…that took ages to write. Even if it is quite small. Hope you enjoyed it because I'm not too sure. Anyway…shout-out time.

Shout-outs –

serindarkwolf19 – I'm happy you like this but it's nearly finished. I hope you'll read the sequel though.

Ric Leonhart – Thanks for the idea. It might just do that with Bahamut ZERO. Thanks again.

Fr33k S+Yl3 23 – Ta for the praise Roxie, but I ain't that good. :D

Mako-Magic – I'm not usually good at writing fight scenes…this one was particularly difficult.