The group sat up on the Fooji Mountains summit pondering their present situation. "Any ideas, Lloyd?" Cloud asked. "Me? Why me?" Lloyd asked. "You're the tactical leader…" Cloud responded with a slight chuckle, his mood changed as he said this, "I suggest we camp here for the night, it's getting dark fast and if we tried to climb down now someone might fall…"
"I just want to go home…" Presea sighed grimly. "We'll get you home, I don't know when or how, but we'll get you home. Young one…" Aeris promised. "Don't you worry, my sweet little Presea…" Zelos said, finding yet another way to shove his foot in his mouth. "Try anything and I can't guarantee you'll live to see tomorrow…" Cloud said to Zelos in a threatening voice. "Am I the only one who thinks that Cloud doesn't much like Zelos?" Genis asked comically. "I'm not too crazy about Kratos either…" Cloud admitted. "Who is?" Vyse asked. "Good point…" Cloud responded. "Zelos wants to stand watch tonight…" Lloyd told the group. "What me!?!" Zelos cried out. "Your turn, moron!" Cloud sighed, "Try anything and you'll wish you hadn't!"
Genis started the fire with his magic and the group sat down around it. "Dad?" Colette started. "Yes?" Cloud responded. "It-it's nothing, I'm just happy to have you with me…" she sighed. "I'm happy I can be here…" Cloud told her. "Colette, right?" she turned to the voice to see Fina, "I'm Fina, do you mind if I sit here?" "Sure…" Fina sat down next to Colette. "I'm really interested to hear your side of this whole tale…" Fina told her. Colette began to explain, Cloud leaned back against a boulder with his eyes closed and a broad smile on his face. Vyse took one look in that direction and quickly decided to try to catch his brother's attention. "Hey Lloyd, can I speak with you for just one second?" Vyse asked dragging Lloyd away from a conversation with Genis and Zelos.
"What's going on?" Lloyd asked as soon as they were a good distance away. "I'm worried about what Cloud's gonna' do now that Colette's gotten better…" Vyse sighed. "Cloud's not going to do anything…" Lloyd explained. "I've been betrayed before, I don't like the feeling…" Vyse shouted. "Don't raise your voice! I trust Cloud! I know how you feel though, I'm not sure whether or not to trust Zelos…" Lloyd responded. "Seriously? Zelos? I didn't think of him as anything more than an idiot…" Vyse retorted calmly. "He's much more than he makes himself out to be… I can assure you of that… Cloud doesn't trust him and I don't blame him…" Lloyd explained. "I said I don't trust Cloud…" Vyse responded. "Vyse, Cloud was here before you were. He's always given me the command position. I think, because he sees me as a leader. I'm not quite sure yet, but if Colette trusts him so will I…" Lloyd explained. "Sure, follow your little girlfriend into your grave…" Vyse muttered. This caused one of Lloyd's katanas to come to Vyse's neck. "Don't give me reason to threaten my own brother…" Lloyd replied with an angry look in his eyes.
The two then returned to camp seeing that their conversation was over. "What was with all the shouting?" Cloud asked. "It was nothing, just a little sibling dispute…" Lloyd said settling back into his conversation with Genis. Zelos was already asleep. "How can Zelos sleep in a position like that?" Presea asked. "My guess is that he can sleep in any position…" Aeris explained. Cloud let out a light chuckle and then placed a figure over his mouth. "Shhh, she's asleep…" Cloud mouthed motioning to Colette who was leaning against him. "She's got the right idea…" Sheena whispered to Raine. Soon enough the others were out cold except Lloyd and Cloud. "I'll take watch tonight…" Cloud sighed.
Lloyd said nothing but he began to approach, his face flushed in the moonlight. Cloud noticed the blushing. Lloyd stopped as he noticed Cloud's staring and waited for Cloud to suggest either "Back off!" or "You can come…". Cloud's smile widened, he nodded. Lloyd wasn't sure how to judge that, but he began to approach. Nervously he knelt down and placed a kiss on Colette's cheek. Before he stood up, Cloud caught hold of his arm. Lloyd felt his body tense up. "Relax, it's ok… There's no one I would rather be with Colette…" Cloud whispered into Lloyd's ear, "Better get some sleep soon…" Soon enough Lloyd Irving was asleep, but Cloud Strife watched the group and the steadily dying fire from his vintage point by the boulder.
