Chapter 25-

Night

"Everyone here

Is wondering what it's like to be with someone else

And everyone here's to blame

And everyone here

Gets caught up in the pleasure of the pain

Everyone here hides shades of shame

Yeah, but looking inside we're the same

We're the same and

We're all grown now

Yeah but we don't know how
To get it back to good…"

~Back 2 Good, Matchbox 20

Far away, a small fishing boat drew up along a lonely coast. The fisherman got out of the boat and pulled it onto land, with the help of a younger, stockier man. Once it was aground, the other passengers in the boat got out.

The fisherman heaved a sigh, stretching his old muscles, then turned to the stocky man beside him. "You sure you're all right, sir? I mean no disrespect, but you were half-drowned when I found you and these other fellows. I'm surprised you even lasted long enough for me to pick you up-"

The other man shook his head. "A man can't die when he has a task to finish." He fingered a dagger at his belt as he spoke, a small smile twisting the corners of his mouth.

"Well said." The fisherman glanced at the sky. "I'd better be off, then. Where'd you say you were headed?"

"Gongaga."

The old man squinted at him, jaw agape. "My good man, you must be joking!" he gasped. "The virus came and went there. There's no one left!"

The stocky man stiffened. "No one…left?" he repeated in a strangled whisper.

The fisherman scratched his grey whiskers. "Maybe a few survivors still clinging to life, but not many. It's a ghost town."

The other didn't seem to hear. "No one left," he muttered, starting to pace. "No one left!"

"My advice? Take to the sea," the old man urged. "This whole plague has to blow over sometime. Buy a boat and hide out on the water, and- hey, where you fellows going?"

The stocky man was already walking away, his five followers close behind.

* * * * * * Cloud drew a shuddering breath and leaned closer to the fire. Even though its heat was making him sweat, he was still cold. The night seemed to strip the warmth from his very bones.

Most of the others seemed to feel the same way, though none were as close to the fire as he. They were missing a few people: Reno, who had gone to bed early, complaining of a headache. He said it was the mountain air. No one said differently, even though it was obvious Aeris was fretting herself to near tears. She had spent most of the day watching him, her feelings plainly etched on her face. But whenever she had gone near him, he had sent her away, claiming he was fine.

Cloud had seen none of that, since the first thing he did when the group met again at dusk was build a fire and stare into the flames. When Zack was discovered missing not long after their earlier meeting, Cloud, Rude and an insistent Reno had gone in search of him. But the mountains were immense, and the day had been wasted. Almost the entire time they searched, Reno had been vociferously blasting Zack's rash actions and his idiocy in general. It was obvious the redhead blamed himself for not stopping the ex-SOLDIER.

Cloud shook his head. Reno was not to blame; none of them were. Even though he felt himself to be the biggest fool- Zack had even declared his intentions to split up, in that meeting right before he left! Cloud had refuted that, saying they needed to stick together. Zack had left anyway. And now he could be hurt, or worse. What was that idiot thinking? He wouldn't get far, not on that lame leg of his. Cloud tried not to think about Zack's reasons for such reckless, impulsive action. He tried not to think about Zack at all.

The members absent from the fire, therefore, were Zack, Reno, Shera, who had also gone to sleep early, and Rude, who everyone knew was out drinking by himself. Cloud inwardly regretted ever having let him near that pub in Nibelheim. He only hoped that Rude would run out of alcohol and turn to a healthier way of dealing with things.

Looking around their lopsided circle, it suddenly struck him how pitiful they were, how lost and hopeless. How-

No. We will win, he thought angrily.

The voice laughed. –I am toying with you, my puppet. I can crush you all right now, if I choose. I could infect each of you, any time I desire.-

He tuned the voice out. He had to be the strong one. Jenova didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered except finding Tifa.

"It's none of your business," Elena snapped. Cloud half-turned to see who she was talking to.

Cid shrugged, blowing a cloud of smoke in the air. "You don't hafta be so touchy. I was just wonderin' when Rude would remember his friends, that's all."

Elena's lips were white. "You shut up," she said viciously. "You can't judge him. Rude handles things in his own way-"

"How? How does he 'handle things' by leaving you and Reno alone while he goes off and gets wasted? Right when you need him most?"

She slapped him across the face, sending the cigarette flying. Cid stared, then slowly touched the red mark on his face, wincing. Elena was breathing hard.

"Don't you dare talk that way about him!" she hissed. "Don't you dare!"

Cid stared a second more, then started up. "Dammit, girl-"

"Sit down, Cid," Cloud said quietly. "She's tense. We all are."

Cid's hands were clenched, and for a moment it seemed he would ignore Cloud and strike Elena anyway, but after a moment he slowly sank back down. Icy silence settled upon them all, until Elena made things worse.

"You're one to talk about relationships," she said in a low voice. "After the way you've always treated Shera, you only change your attitude when she starts sleeping with you-"

"Shut up, Elena!" Cloud got to his feet, in case he would need to get between them, but there was no need. Cid's eyes were cold.

"You Turks are so fucked up. You're more trouble than you're worth," he spat. "We've got a psychotic bitch with an attitude problem, an idiot drunk who hides out in self-pity, and an asshole slowing us up and toying with Aeris-"

"You want to talk about trouble?!" Elena yelled. "Who bailed you out on the airship? Would you even be here if it weren't for us? We're the ones keeping you out of trouble!"

"Only because you bring trouble with you!"

"That's it!" Elena jumped to her feet. "I don't have to put up with this!" She started to stalk away, but Cloud caught her arm.

"Elena, don't. Cid doesn't mean anything. He's upset, same as-"

She yanked her arm away. "Shut up!" she cried, voice shrill. "Yes, he does mean it. You all mean it! If you don't want us around, we'll go. I thought we were friends, but I guess some people can't leave the past alone."

"Wait!" He grabbed her again. "Don't go off alone, it's dangerous."

She shoved him back. "I'm going to find Rude. Turks stick together." There was a sob in her voice as she ran out into the darkness.

Cloud rubbed his temples. "Cid," he said wearily, "Why did you have to do that?"

Cid shook his head and looked away. "I was angry. But –shit! She got me so pissed off." He lit another cigarette, then said, "I'm…I'm gonna go cool off." He stamped away.

Cloud let out a breath. How could they all face Jenova like this? Squabbling amongst themselves would only add to the tension, making it worse for everyone. Right when they need each other the most. They had to stick together!

He glanced over to the others and saw Aeris sitting alone, looking about to cry. Recalling what Cid had said, he quickly sat by her and patted her hand.

"Forget it, Aeris," he said. "None of us think-"

She looked at the ground. "It's not like Cid. Of course, it's nothing. But, Reno's holding up well. He's anything but slowing us down…" She was steadfastly ignoring the other part of Cid's remarks.

"Aeris, if you're upset…"

She took her hand back. "I'm sorry, Cloud, could this wait? I really would like to see Reno. He might…he might need something…" She hurried off.

Cloud stared after her, then sighed. "Well? Anyone else want to leave?"

No one said anything. On the other side of the fire, Marlene, amazingly, was asleep in Barret's arms. It struck him as comforting, that a child could fall into the sweet bliss of sleep in such horrible days.

Cloud coughed uncomfortably, knowing the others had seen the whole drama. Yuffie, in fact, had eyes the size of saucers.

"Wow!" she breathed. "You sure are no mediator, Cloud."

He gave her a sour look. "And you could do better?"

She brushed that one off, scooting forward on the log she was sitting. "I didn't even know Cid could be pushed that far! I didn't expect Elena to live, did you?"

Nanaki stretched like an oversized cat, yawning, "I doubt anyone else finds this amusing, Yuffie. Couldn't you see the hurt in her eyes?"

She flushed. "Cid'll come around," she protested. "And she'll forget about it. I don't seriously think the Turks'll leave."

"No," Nanaki agreed. "But discord can weaken us. We need all the strength we can get in this next battle."

Cloud started. Something had just occurred to him.

-I am toying with you…-

"You guys," he said suddenly, head snapping up. "You don't think it's just us, do you?"

Vincent, who sat as far from the fire as he could get without alienating himself completely, raised his eyes. "What are you saying?"

"Jenova's influencing us! She's messing with our heads, toying with us, making us fight amongst ourselves. She could have been trying –or succeeding –to control us from the start. We can't know for sure, but doesn't it strike you as odd how snappish we've all been?" He jumped up. "How we just let Sufur get away? How we've fallen into a trap we should have seen through?"

"No way," Yuffie argued. "We control ourselves-"

"Do we?" Cloud countered. "How do you know? Remember your father?" He didn't want to bring it up, but he had to. "How he just wasn't himself –a pitiful wretch, blaming himself for Wutai –until you snapped him out of it?"

Yuffie's face darkened. She set her jaw and said nothing. Barret glanced at her and said doubtfully, "That's pretty damn far-fetched, Cloud."

"But it makes sense! Maybe that's why we haven't been acting ourselves!"

For some reason, everyone fell silent at this. Cloud only had a few seconds to wonder before Vincent said softly, "You seem to know an awful lot about Jenova, Cloud. Of course, when it comes to acting strangely…" He trailed off.

Cloud flushed a dusky red. "All right," he said, his voice sounding strangled in his own ears. "All right, I know what you're all thinking." The words caught in his throat, but he pushed them past. "Think what you want. Maybe it's true. Maybe I know something you don't. Maybe it's true that I'm in league-"

"Nobody's saying that, Cloud," Yuffie said hastily, once she realized none of the others were about to speak. "It's just that…maybe you're right, we're all tired-"

"Yet Cloud was in an uncharacteristically optimistic mood today," Vincent remarked caustically.

Cloud finally snapped. He took a step closer to the raven-haired man, hands balled into fists. "Are you accusing-"

"I am accusing you of nothing," Vincent said smoothly. "Simply making an observation."

"Well, your 'observations' aren't helping matters any," Yuffie snapped. "I don't care, I'll follow Cloud anyway. At least he isn't totally impervious to people's feelings!"

Cloud blinked, wondering why she was defending him. For once, Vincent forgot himself and rose his voice.

"Your youth blinds you, Yuffie," he snarled. "Does it not strike you as perfectly plausible that Jenova's reawakening may affect more than Wutai? If you would rise up out of self-pity, you may be able to see what's right in front of you!"
"You're one to talk about self-pity." Yuffie's eyes were black slits. "Oh, do enlighten me, great one. What is right in front of me?"

Frustrated, Vincent waved his metal claw at Cloud. "You're forgetting what may be the most important factor of all. When was the last time Cloud acted the way he has recently?"

The truth struck Cloud then. His mouth went dry. "Vincent," he said hoarsely. "You're not talking about-"

"The last time Jenova was loose," Yuffie said softly. "And, Sephiroth. Whenever either was near you…"

"You forget," Vincent said, more calmly than before. "Cloud was in SOLDIER, or tried to be. He was Hojo's guinea pig. He was injected with Jenova cells."

Yuffie's dark eyes turned on him, along with Vincent's red stare. "Is it true?" the young ninja whispered. "Cloud…is there something you're not telling us?"

Cloud's mouth flapped; he couldn't seem to force the words out, this time. Everyone was staring at him expectantly. Yuffie with shock, Red with mute sympathy, Barret with a mixture of each, Vincent with no emotion whatsoever. Cloud tried to look away but couldn't.

Elena chose that moment to return, materializing out of the darkness like a wraith. At any other time, she would have immediately noticed the tension, but her face was red and blotchy, and she kept scrubbing at her eyes. She collapsed on the same log she'd been sitting on before, not looking at anyone else.

Cloud sat back down. He didn't remember standing up. Making an effort to sound normal, he said, "What did Rude have to say, Elena?"

Her glare was like a dagger to his throat. "Shut up." She turned back to the dying fire and said nothing else.

Cloud looked back at the flames himself, searching among the embers for an answer.

It was only after everyone else had left and the flames had died to ashes that he realized there wasn't one.

* * * * * *

Rude returned to the tent he shared with Reno cautiously, glancing about for Elena. He half-hoped he would see her, half-hoped he wouldn't. It was rare that he would lose his temper with the female Turk, but tonight he'd been the worse for tension, worry and alcohol. He already regretted his harsh words to her, but he was in no shape to apologize tonight. He wasn't outright drunk –Rude was hardly ever drunk –but he was finding it increasingly difficult to see straight.

So it was he tripped over his partner's legs in the dark. "Sorry," he grunted. Receiving silence, rather than the caustic curse he expected, Rude frowned and peered down at the still form. "Reno?"

A dim lantern illuminated Reno's ghastly white face, his lips drawn back in a snarl, or a grimace of fear. His eyes were closed, his breathing deep, if not regular. He was asleep, yet murmuring things too low for Rude to understand.

Troubled, Rude shook Reno's shoulder. All the time he'd known him, Rude had never known his friend to talk in his sleep. "Reno! Wake up!"

"-blood," Reno muttered, stirring restlessly. "Blood everywhere. Blood on the floor, the curtains…the walls, the tables and chairs-"

"C'mon, Reno." Rude raised his voice. "You're dreaming!"

"…Not a dream." Reno didn't seem to be waking, despite Rude's efforts. He let out a rasping laugh. "Hell, I'd love it if it was a dream! But dreams aren't real. In dreams, the blood isn't all over your fingers, crusting under your nails-"

Desperate, Rude slapped his friend across the face as hard as he could. The blow had no effect on Reno, though, and certainly didn't wake him.

"And she's dead," Reno whispered. "I didn't mean to kill her. I didn't want to kill her. There was too much blood, I couldn't see…" His fingers wrapped around Rude's wrist. "I didn't mean to!"

Rude pulled away, as close to frightened as he'd ever been. "Shit," he said aloud. It was starting. The Sresla was already poisoning Reno's mind. "Shit!" He threw open the tent flap and ran right into Aeris.

So disturbed was Rude he forgot to apologize, though he did help her up. "Aeris," he said shakily. "It's Reno. He's-"

She didn't wait to hear more, but pushed past him to kneel beside the Turk. "Reno!"

"-inside my head, I can't get her voice out of my head!"

Aeris took his face between her hands, resisting his thrashing attempts to pull away. "Reno," she said, in a voice as calm and serene as a pool of water, "wake up. Fight it, and come back."

Slowly Reno's eyes opened. He was trembling, Rude saw. But his shaking eased as his eyes fixed on her green ones, and he reached up a tremulous hand to grasp hers. "Aeris." His voice cracked. "I saw…I saw…"

She smoothed back his red hair the way a mother would, though Rude could see pain and anguish on her face. "Sh," she said softly. "It's all right, Reno. We'll get through this. We must." She choked a little on her last words, but held back the tears she might have shed.

Knowing Reno wouldn't thank him for seeing him like this, Rude left quietly. It was not like him to intrude on an obviously private moment, and anyway, a walk would clear his head. He started down the mountain path, walking more unsteadily than before, although he now felt perfectly sober. As always, he walked alone.

Hah! I bet you thought it'd be another century before I got another chapter up! Yup, I showed you guys. Since we're at a kinda tense um, section, the chapters will be coming quicker now. *glances above self* Ack, gonna have to write a romantic scene soon. That's gonna be so incredibly HARD. *pause* 'Course, reviews help me think……

~Lila