Disclaimer: Advent Children is owned by Square-something. This is a non-profit work only for entertainment purposes.

A Revival and A Rebirth

"This is the galaxy's wish? Does it mean that to end all struggles everything must die? Is it my turn to swing the sickle of death? Because it's necessary does that make it right?" Sailor Moon Act 9: Star 9

Chapter One

No Happy Endings

For a special mother daughter pair, the world consisted of an endless field of bright, yellow flowers. Their yellow and green Eden extended fair beyond human sight until it faded away into a hazy of green, some believed to be the life-blood of Gaea. Past the green wall was the fabled Promise Land were the women would be able to final be able to obtain true peace. They could not cross the green expanse yet for the duty, the Planet had given them, was not yet for filled. Their ancient enemy still stalked Gaea.

They knew the Planet's wishes but until now it had been impossible for them to carry out their goal. He, however, continued to interfere in the process.

The daughter had thought that after death He would understand what she needed to do to truly cleanse Gaea. Naively, she had believed that He would have supported her in her arduous task. Time and again He would keep her from talking to the one man that could final bring and end to Jenova, Cloud.

Her heart ached when she thought of the blond, spiked haired hero. Cloud had created feelings inside of her that she could not understand even now as she resided in the Life Stream. With all her heart she wished he could be at peace. The type of peace that was impossible for him as long as Jenova lived.

Why could not He understand that, her thought towards him had become slightly tinted with anger. Did not He find peace when he was freed from Jenova's call, no matter how weak it's influence been against him. Could not he understand that he was depriving Cloud of a life of peace by his interferences.

After all this time He would not or could not understand. It did not matter, she thought sorrowfully, as she looked over the endless gold and green of her world. Each time he attempted to block her He would grow weaker.

Without the blessings of the Planet he could not continue reaching into the living world. Soon he would drift away and finaly be reunited with the Life Steam. There he would come to the understanding that she was doing was right.

He could never keep her from reaching one of the Planet's chosen. A simple, little girl that would allow her to for fill her propose, her people's propose.

"Its time," her mother said from behind girl just as the older woman finished braiding the girl's long chestnut hair. Her mother was right. She could feel the tide changing down on earth threatening to consume her friend.

Closing her eyes to her world as she reached for her connection to the living world outside of the Life Stream.

He would understand what she was doing at the end. From behind her, the girl's mother wrapped the girl in a warm, loving hug. Her mother's reassurance filled her as she leaned into the hug. "Aeris, my darling, do not fear. He will understand given time. He was once one of the beast and is unable to think outside from being her pawn."

Aeris nodded at her mother's words of comfort. Banishing her fears she reached out past the Life Stream into the world of the living. In the living world she could feel the taint of the beast consuming the air around her. They would have to hurry the beast was being to rise.

"Marlene," she whispered as she reached the girl's mind in the living world. The girl listened intently as she began telling the child the things that she would say to Cloud when they would meet.

A young mercenary stood beside his motorcycle staring out over barren land surrounding the city of Midgar wondering where he should go.

Two years ago, almost to the day, Aeris had died. A memorial would be held tomorrow by AVALANCHE.

Cloud Strife, former leader of AVALANCHE, did not even have a clue to the location. The first memorial had taken place at Rocket Town because Cid and Shera were pregnant at the time. Cid would not endanger Shera's health by having her move around.

A ghost of a smile pasted the young man's lips as he thought of the comic event. The smile faded almost as if it had never been as the present realities weighted heavy on his mind.

His last meeting with the group had been terrible. The things he said to all them, he shook his head sharply trying to chase the grief away. It rose in him gathering his insides into a thick cord of sickness. He wanted to pretend it had not been him saying those hateful things but he had stop living in illusions long before the disaster.

The worse thing was he could not even remember what set him off. Yuffie had been attempting to tease him and he snapped. Words just flew out of his mouth without stopping, even after he realized what he was saying. All the stress and fear he had been feeling for weeks had come to a head that night.

No one said anything to him almost like they where expecting him to snap like some weak fool. Isn't that want you are? Tifa had just stared at him with tears forming in her crimson eyes saying nothing. Why should she, he had been saying everything she thought.

Had not she been the one bothering him about his deteriorating mental health. She was the one who suggested taking him to a doctor in front of everyone so they would know how weak he was. He should have never told her about the nightmares or how he was starting to hearing/feeling things that were not there. If she had not said anything then no one would have ever known. They would have...

Cloud whipped his spiky head violently causing white lights to dash across his vision. A familiar terror gripped him as he realized it was happening again.

Anger was rising up in him with out cause or provocation. A sharp pain ran up his arm from his hands and he looked down. His gloved hands were gripping the Ferris's handle bar far to tightly. Gently, he removed his hands watching in detached wonder as they shook with his emotions.

What was happening to him, he asked himself silently as mako eyes widened with terror. Why was he blaming Tifa for what happening? The fault was entirely his. He was not strong enough to fight what ever was happening to his mind.

That was why he left that night. If he could not stop from merely snapping at his friends what would he do if he came up with a more violent method of release? He could let that happen.

The episodes had dramatically worsened since he left them, no Tifa. Back at the Seventh Heaven they had begun to increase but Tifa had always been there to tell him everything was all right. It had not been all right, but now all he wanted to hear was Tifa soft voice telling him not to worry.

She never complained about him waking her up in the middle of the night with his nightmares or even when he was listening to the voices instead of her. The one time she brought it up he told her it was nothing. At the time she had dropped the topic but now he knew she went out of her way to help him.

All she ever did was help him. He was so useless to her. He could never keep any of his promises to her. Leave was the only way for him to protect her. She could take care of herself and the children without any problems. With him gone she could focus on the children, they deserved her help more than he ever would. With him gone she was never endanger of him messing everything up. Failure. You messed up everything. Zack should have just left you to die.

"Correct you are nothing more than a failure. A pity." Cloud turned his to the left, to face the dreaded voice from the past. He could not face this now, not on the eve of Aeris death. Why was his mind haunting him like this?

"Why are you here?" A mere two yards away, leaning casual on dead tree was Cloud's silver haired personal nightmare. The general's response to Cloud's growl was rising his eyebrow slightly, an arrogant smirk on his handsome face.

"Stop haunting me!" Despite Cloud's best attempt his voice broke slightly from his fear. This was just a phantom from his mind. Sephiroth was just a figment of his fractured mind that he should just will away.

How to fight against your own mind was not something he had ever learned. Zack had not been able to teach Cloud that trick. The only person that could have helped was miles away safe from him in Midgar. Tifa I am so sorry I failed you again.

"Wake up." In less than a blink of an eye, Cloud was staring at the black leather of Sephiroth's trench coat. The young man stumbled back away from the overpowering figure of the General. Memories swirled through Cloud's mind from the nearness of the General. The hero worship, anger, and the fear that was so integrated into Cloud's soul.

Caught up in the storm of emotions Cloud did not even think of reaching for a sword for protection. The world around him seemed to freeze as he looked up into the glowing green abyss of Sephiroth's eyes. They pulled at Cloud's soul causing something to stir within.

The spell was broken as Sephiroth with inhuman speed caught Cloud by the throat and pulled him off his feet. Cloud's attempted at a protest was cut off as Sephiroth began to crush the younger man's throat.

"Your not a puppet. Why do you continue playing these games with yourself?" What? The edges of Cloud's vision began to shadow as the life was crushed out of him. "There is not any more time." Confusion gripped Cloud's mind as tightly as Sephiroth gripped his throat. Drawing on all his strength Cloud pulled at Sephiroth's hand in a vain attempt to be released from both adversaries.

The silver haired man drew the blond man up level to his face, to his eyes. Cloud looked away not wanting to be drawn in again. The stirring sensation had disturbed him more than the General.

"You are playing the fool. Why won't you see the true?" Cloud's hands slipped away from Sephiroth's hand as his strength completely left him. It seemed that the General's tone was not mocking but actually irritated, the type of irritation a teacher got when he could not get a student to apply an easy lesson. He had to be mistaken Sephiroth would not be trying to help him. It was just his dying mind acting against him.

"Look at me." The commanding tone of the General's voice and a very ancient instinct caused Cloud's head to turn against his will.

The green mako orbs pierced into Cloud's soul causing the storm of emotions to erupt anew in his mind. The storm did not pull him under this time it seemed to form an image against the green backdrop of Sephiroth's eye.

A woman clothed in black was lying in a small circler patch of yellow flowers, an angel fallen from heaven. Blank crimson eyes stared up at him devoid of life in any sense. Tifa. "Was the way I died a good way?"

Reality came crashing into Cloud as he collapsed onto his knees gasping for air. That dream could not have been true. Tifa was back at the Seventh Heaven, safe. There were not more enemies who would try and kill her.

When his breathing returned to normal, Cloud began to review the situation. The vision could not be true. Tifa could take care of herself without him being there. It was just a nightmare his mind created like all the others.

This time it was more difficult to push aside the nightmare. Sephiroth had awakened something in his mind and it was showing Cloud things.

The voices began to take a solid form in his mind. People, the voices in his head were other people. The new images were not coherent enough for him to tell who the people were but he could tell they were people. Past these people he could feel an underlining pull.

He had felt the pull before during this year alone but now he knew what it was. A slight smile crossed his lips as he realized that he had not been going insane. He was still a failure, he thought with a frown. This whole year, no longer than that, he'd been playing right into Her hands.

Cloud smashed his fist into the ground cursing with frustration. He'd been doing all the work for Her, just like he did with Sephiroth. All She had to do was mess with him a bit and watch as he drove himself mad.

What of the vision of Tifa? It was not like any of his other nightmare. Cloud could not think of what She would gain from showing him such a vision.

The other people where heading towards Midgar. Faster than a cat, the mercenary, leap to his feet. Towards Midgar, Tifa was in Midgar.

Wildly, He thrust his hand into his saddlebag trying to locate the small PHS. The PHS had sat there since he left completely forgotten.

He barely thought as he drew the tiny plastic item out of his bag. Looking at the humble PHS let loose the floodgates of guilt he had been trying to hold back. He forced the feelings back with anger. This time he was not going to fail Tifa. He would keep his promise.

The tiny kitchen of the Seventh Heaven had a very lonely air to it as the young owner of the bar walked inside. The children that normal ran screaming through the cramped room were all watching their favorite movie. Tifa smiled with bitterness as she thought about the movie that was being viewed by the children. An account of how AVALANCHE had saved the world.

The name of the movie had always escaped Tifa's memory but how she hated it. The movie was a heavily edited version of the actually events that happened during Meteor. It made Tifa so angry that all their trials had been shoved away like a bad nightmare.

Looking at the world two years latter, could anyone honestly say the world had been saved. Midgar and the rest of the cities of the world had begun to rise during the first few months after Meteor. It actually appeared that the world would become a better place to live, that people were becoming better than before.

A new disaster had struck destroying the peace she and her friends had worked so hard to create. Geostigma was the name and it was an unstoppable enemy. The unity of Midgar was proven to be fragile against this new threat.

In the length of a month people began throwing children out of the streets afraid that they would catch the disease. No one knew how it was transmitted but the victim's were more commonly children.

Overnight time seemed to turn back to the time of Shinra rule. Tifa had not even noticed the change at first for her life seemed to improve with the spread of the plague.

After Meteor Cloud, Barrett, and Marlene had all settled down with her to help repair Midgar. They had become the family Tifa had always dreamed about since her mother's dead. When Cloud began bringing additional children home it really seemed like heaven.

She smiled at all the fond memories she had at the time. Even though the world was falling all around them, her for the first time had been perfect. Then everything came crashing down around her.

At the beginning of the Geostigma out break Cloud had begun having nightmares. Living with Cloud she was accustomed to his nightmares but they became more and more frequent. Towards the end he was having several nightmares every night.

Tifa tried her hardest to help her old friend. Whenever she heard any unrest from his room, she would always go inside and sit at the foot of his bed. When the nightmare worsened, they always did, she would hold his quaking shoulders and tell him everything was all right. If he went back to bed she would sat in his room incase it happened again.

Cloud would never talk about the nightmares to her or Barrett. He would smile at her the way he always did and shrug it off. Barrett told her not to worry, that it was normal for Cloud to act this way, so Tifa did nothing.

The strange behavior soon began to affect his normal life. Cloud had never been that outgoing but he soon became sullen and silent. No matter what she did he would just stare off into space with an empty look in his bright mako eyes.

Her only support, Barrett, had left by this time looking for a new source of power. Midgar had begun experiencing a major power crisis. Reeves and the remaining Shinra did not have the resource to work on that problem.

Worrying for Marlene's safely Barrett set out for Coral to see if he could convince the people to return to mining. From his calls and letters it seemed that work was progressing well but slowly.

With Barrett gone life around the Seventh Heaven became very lonely. Despite her efforts Cloud continued drifting away from her. At times he attempted to be himself but it was always a hollow attempt. His smile no longer reached his eyes.

Frightened for Cloud's health Tifa had begun calling the other members of AVALANCHE to see if they had any advise. The response was the same as Barrett's. Cloud was just going through something and he would get better when things settled down.

Deep in her heart Tifa knew there advice was wrong. Cloud had never acted like this before not even when they were fighting Sephiroth, not even when Aeris died. The worse conclusion had arrived come to her mind as she continued watching him deteriorate. Her dearest, oldest friend was sick.

For the longest time she believed it to be Geostigma. That was the only logical answer. Cloud's problem began with Geostigma could not that be the source as well. The logic was flawed from the beginning. Caring for Denzel had giving Tifa an understanding of the symptoms of the disease. Cloud's behavior was strange but he never experienced pain or unconsciousness Geostigma's.

The only other logical answer Tifa dreaded with all her being. He could have developed a mental illness. In the end it made the most sense. Cloud had gone through so much suffering that it had to leave a mark on him. Not once did he ever speak to her about what happened at Hojo's lab. Nor would he talk about Zack and Tifa could tell he wanted to

When she accepted this conclusion she did not go to Cloud. He had remained strong through out his hardships and he could still fight against this one. For her to tell him her fears would cause more problems. Cloud's greatest fear was being a failure. A perceived mental illness would be a failure in his eyes, no matter what she said.

Cloud changed her mind when he snapped at one of the children for no reason whatsoever. The girl, Amy, had been coloring quietly at the kitchen table when Cloud had begun to yell at her.

Tifa could remember everything so vividly even now. Amy had run behind Tifa's legs as Tifa had walked into the room to see what was the matter. Trembling hands had gripped Tifa's skirt as Cloud walked towards them.

Never in her life had Tifa been afraid of her old friend until that moment. Cloud's eyes were blazing with anger and insanity. The anger had twisted his face horrible. Tifa placed a comforting hand on the girl as she continued staring at Cloud. At the time she wished someone had been there to comfort her. Seeing Cloud like this tore her heart in two.

"Cloud," she said his name in a soft voice, the one she reserved for the children when they were frightened. The anger drained from Cloud's face instant, leaving him pale and shaking in terror. Cloud looked at them both for a long time. Tifa stood completely still so she would not frighten him. The glowing blue eyes were filled with more raw terror than Tifa had ever seen in a person.

Cloud turned and ran back to his room. To her horror Tifa breathed a sigh of relief at his departed. She hated her response but it was all she could do. If Cloud had tried to do anything she would have been powerless against him.

That was when she realized she could not hide from her responsibilities any longer. Cloud need help, she could not give him.

The next day she sat down to talk about seeing a doctor. He brushed aside her pleas for him to seek help as nothing like before. Tifa knew she could not for him to go so she came up with another plan.

At the memorial service for Aeris she brought up the subject. For the older members of the group it had not come as a surprise. The month before she had called Cid, Vincent, Reeve, and Barrett and told them of Cloud's episode.

They all offered help this time instead of advice. Cid had told to bring herself and the children to Rocket Town. He was quite sure Shera would not have mind having them over. Reeve offered to have Cloud forced into a hospital, for her and the children's protection.

Tifa still smiled at Barrett's response. He told her that he was going to come right back there and beat that spiky jerk into submission.

All the offers were declined. She was so happy that there were that many people willing to care for her and the children but she could not leave Cloud alone. Instead she asked them for help in convincing Cloud to seek help.

Foolishly, she had not told the young ninja about Cloud's episodes. Being herself, Yuffie began teasing Cloud about the issue not realizing how serious it was.

Cloud just snapped. The old pain rose in Tifa again as she thought back to the day. She was not sure how long he stood there yelling at the stunned group. None of the AVALANCHE members had ever seen Cloud like that before and had no idea how to respond.

For Tifa it seemed like hour and all of it had been directed at her. Then as suddenly as he began he left. The room was very silent as everyone sat there staring at where Cloud had been sitting. Tears stung her eyes but she kept from crying. Unsurprisingly Yuffie broke the silence. "My bad."

No one wanted Tifa to return to the Seventh Heaven until they were sure where Cloud had gone. They were afraid of him. Tifa could not blame them for she had been terrified herself for months. She had to return though to check on the children and try and explain what had happened to them.

The Seventh Heaven was quiet when she returned. The children were all asleep and Cloud was not there to wait up for her. She did a quick check on the children then went to her own room. Hanging in the upper corner of her vanity was a folded sheet of paper.

The paper had been wedged between the glass and the frame. Tifa carefully took the note down. She turned it over in her hand for the longest time not wanting to see what was written. There was no doubt in her mind Cloud written the note.

"I am not coming home. Sorry Teef." That was so much like Cloud leaving nothing but a note. She pulled the note to her heart taking a deep breath. Cloud was going to find himself, alone this time. All she could do was wait for him to return.

That had been a year ago, Cloud had not returned nor had he written anything. He was always on her mind but the children and Seventh Heaven had become a priority for her. At times though she felt very lonely.

The members of AVALANCHE lived very far away, the people in the slums were friendly but it was not the same. She wanted Cloud to come back to stay with her forever. It was a childish dream, one she had on particularly lonely days. Life did go on without Cloud.

The phone began ringing in the distance shrilly cutting through Tifa's thoughts. The dark haired woman continued into the kitchen ignoring the phone. Her mood was far to melancholy to deal with anyone at the moment. One of the children would take a message for her.

She sat down on the window seat staring into the in empty kitchen. For her the kitchen was never truly empty all sorts of wonderful memories filled the room. This was the place where she, Cloud, Barrett, and Marlene were at their happiest.

When she came into this room she could feel her mood rise out of any depression that might have developed during the long day. She could clearly remember the time Cloud and the children had tried making her breakfast in bed. They had spilled flour everywhere. When they came into her room she almost had a heart attack because they looked like ghost with all that flour on them.

A smile came to her face and widened as she lost herself in memories of happy times. "Aunt Tifa," Marlene's cheerful voice interrupted her reminiscing. The young girl ran into the kitchen with a slight pant holding the phone triumphantly over her head.

"What is it?" Tifa asked as she walked over to the small girl with confusion. Normal Marlene was to shy to speak to strangers. "It's Uncle Cloud he called just like I said he would." The girl squealed as Tifa took the phone from her in shock.

For an entire year he had not attempted at communication? Had he decided to come back? She tried to control the joy rising in her. This could be nothing, her common sense told her as she tried to fight her emotions back. He might be calling to say anything. The rest of her was just to excited to think of anything but Cloud.

With Marlene's silent cheer Tifa answered the phone. "Hello Cloud, how are you doing?" Her voice did not betray any of her emotions as she waited for his reply. "Teef, I've missed you."

It was him she thought with excited. Just hearing his voice brought tears of joy to her eyes. His voice sound like it had before his episodes began. Had he gotten better this year away?

"I've missed you to Cloud." Now her emotions began to clutter up her voice but she did not care. This was Cloud, he need to know how happy she was to hear from him.

"Are you going to the memorial?" The question was asked in a very hesitant manner, like he did not expect her to answer him. Cloud is back to normal.

"Yes. Are you going?" There was a slight nervous pause in the conversation. "Teef, could we maybe go together with Marlene?" "Of course," she most sound like an over eager schoolgirl. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him about what had happened to him.

"Do you want to meet here? We'll be ready whenever you're ready." There was another pause. "No. It would be better for me if we meet at the Church."

Tifa was not quite sure why he could not meet them at the Seventh Heaven but she was sure he would explain when they got there. "Sure, what time do you want to meet?"

"When ever you get there I'll be waiting. Bye." "Bye," Tifa turned off the phone, and smiled at it. It struck her as strange that Cloud did not say much. He must want to tell her what happened in person.

"Well," Marlene looked up at Tifa with excitement. Tifa favored the girl with a huge sunny smile. "We're going to see Cloud."

The little girl jumped with excitement. "Yes." Tifa screamed along with her glad that the long waiting was over.

The movie about how Aunt Tifa saved that world was extremely boring. Mr. Barrett telling the story was far cooler, Denzel thought with boredom.

There was no way Sephiroth was so weak looking. He was Mr. Cloud's enemy he had to be way stronger. Denzel bet he was at least nine feet tall, bigger that Mr. Barrett, and could breathe fire. All cool bad guys could breath fire.

He would have to ask Aunt Tifa about Sephiroth when she got back. Aunt Tifa had been there too even though she never talked about it with the kids.

The woman they picked to play Aunt Tifa was really ugly looking. No wonder, Aunt Tifa didn't want to watch the movie with the rest of them.

The phone began ringing interrupting the children as they tried to watch the movie. No one wanted to answer the phone and miss seeing Mr. Cloud, ugly Aunt Tifa, and there dog friend take out that annoying fat man. Against the children's wishes the phone continued ring.

"Answer that."

"No way, I want to see them take out that dork."

"Come one Rick you're always watching this."

The argument began to annoy Denzel more than the movie so he went to answer it. He hoped that it was Mr. Cid because he was so cool. Yeah, it had to be Mr. Cid, Denzel decided with excitement. The crazy blond man could be calling to let Denzel ride in the airship again. That had been the coolest thing ever.

Denzel picked up the phone and jumped as it shouted at him. "Tifa is that you." The boy blinked with surprise. Why would Mr. Cloud be calling for Aunt Tifa if she just left to see him? "No, it's me Denzel. Aunt Tifa went to see you?"

"What?" Denzel moved the phone away from his ear as Mr. Cloud yelled again. Aunt Tifa said Mr. Cloud was sick so maybe he could not hear very well. To bad, Denzel had wanted Mr. Cloud to be sick like him so they could hang out more. Mr. Cloud was just to cool.

"Aunt Tifa went to see you awhile ago." Mr. Cloud let out a stream of curses that was far cooler than anything Mr. Barrett ever said.

"Denzel can you please tell me were she went." Wow, Mr. Cloud was far angrier than Mr. Barrett ever got, so cool. Mr. Cloud was being silly by not remembering where Aunt Tifa was going to meet him. Denzel bet she was going to beat Mr. Cloud up for forgetting about her.

"I don't remember." There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. Denzel was very nervous he did not want his idol to be angry with him.

"Denzel," the man on the other side of the line spoke very calmly. That was strange. Denzel could have sworn he was very angry a moment ago. "What was the last thing you remember her saying?"

Now that Denzel realized his hero was not angry with him, he tried to remember better. "Oh yeah, She and Marlene were heading to the flower place."

The line went completely dead. Denzel stared at the phone for a moment. Mr. Cloud is so awesome.