A/N-Edited Enjoy.

Chapter 27 Chocolate Covered Cherries

"Is Cloud right? We did just…and we do it all the time to. He might not love me. Cloud could be right. Why am I so worried? It was just some random thing he said, why does it bother me this much?" Alathia thought as she woke up alone that morning.

All night, that's all she thought about; what Cloud said during the fight.

"They don't love you."

Were they really only toys? What would happen when they grew tired of them? And worse, what would happen after the final battle with Jenova and her army of Sephiroth replicas? Feeling like a lost child just as she felt before, Alathia slunk into the bathroom for a hot shower and some 'I gotta rethink everything' time.

Alathia let the water sting her skin until it became comfortable and relaxing. As the water pounded into her back the memories rushed back.

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Mark: "Do you love me?"

Alathia: "What?"

Mark: "Do you love me?"

Alathia: "Yeah, I think so. Why? How can I tell?"

Mark: "Well for one, we can hold a full conversation without ravishing each other, so…that's gotta say something! Do you get a funny feeling when you see me come your way?"

Alathia: "Ahha, true. And yeah, even after we've dated for years now I still feel giddy when I see you."

Mark: "Me too…maybe that's how we cant ell we're in love. Do you regret anything we've done?"

Alathia: ":contemplates: No, I guess not."

Mark: "If you were to move away, or if I were to, would you wait for me? Or would you move no?"

Alathia: "I'd wait forever if I had to. No one can have me but you. Now, ravish me like there's no tomorrow. Enough of this silly seriousness."

Mark: "Ooook!"

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"What have I done? This has to stop." She thought as she turned to let the hot water hit her face.

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"I feel really dirt…we do this all the time; fool around, fall asleep together, and when I wake up he's gone. Never have I woke up with him there, not even the first time. Then when I want to talk about it, he pretends nothing happened! Why can't I talk to him? Why can't he talk to me? Ever…:sighs: Cloud was right, as much as I hate to admit it. Something's definitely wrong." Alexia mumbled to herself as she readied for the day.

Jason and she had been able to talk about anything and everything. Yazoo would only talk to her about formal matters, such as training. Most of HIS training consisted of them fooling around…it was wrong…very wrong.

Perhaps a test was in store…test if Cloud was right; if they didn't love them.

Alexia tied her dripping hair back into a bun and crawled into the combat outfit. Irritated about how much she'd been thinking, the girl stomped downstairs for breakfast.

"Hey Alathia," she smiled evilly and stopped her in front of the kitchen door.

"Do you think Cloud could be right?" she asked, playing with the collar on her jacket.

"Maybe…I was actually planning on trying to talk to him about it. But I really don't know how to talk to him." Alathia whispered so no one but the two could hear.

The men were nibbling away at some random pieces of fruit and staring at each other when the girls entered.

"Morning, what are you doing Yazoo?" Alexia asked when she noticed Yazoo wasn't going to break his gaze.

"Staring contest. Whoever wins gets this bag of chocolate covered Gaia berries." He answered, smirking at his younger brother.

…

…

"Why are you so odd?" Alathia sighed as they gave up and left with some fruit.

They stormed out of the house and down the trail towards the domes.

"We'll chit-chat with them during training." Alathia lulled as she munched on her apple.

"So, when was the last time you really talked with him about touchy feely stuff?" she asked Alexia as they kicked up the dirt trail next to the dome.

"Um…never…we just do our thing a bit, argue, battle, mock each other, threaten…yada yada…never heard 'I love you' during a threat or in combat. What about you?" Alexia asked, not expecting an answer back.

Alathia half grimaced half smiled as she and Alexia shrunk into the dome.

"Morning." Loz beamed. "I've been waiting for everyone to get here! Boy am I glad to see you two. Finally, someone to talk to!"

He was ignored.

The girls sat themselves in a cornier until Sephiroth strode in with the other two.

"Are you two done being ignorant?" he grumbled, shoving the two through the door.

"No I'm not done! I want that bag of candy!" Kadaj snapped kicking Yazoo in the back of the leg.

"Of course you do! That's why I want it so badly. Big brothers take things from smaller brothers." Yazoo hissed back, wielding Velvet Nightmare at Kadaj.

Souba met it with a clash and spark.

"ENOUGH! I will destroy both you fools AND your precious candy! In fact, " Sephiroth roared, snatching the bag from Yazoo's hip.

He then proceeded to stuff ALL the candies into his mouth, Yazoo and Kadaj grabbing at the bag helplessly.

The two girls watched in shame as Loz rolled on the floor laughing, Yazoo and Kadaj tried their best to get at least one piece, while Sephiroth stuffed every bit into his over filled mouth.

"Aw! Look at those chipmunk cheeks! HAHA!" Alexia laughed and clapped at the show.

"We're surrounded by ninnies." Alathia sighed, standing and brushing herself off.

They agreed that training would only start if they attacked the men, and ended their fight with each other. Therefore they withdrew their unbound weapons and attacked.

Loz rolled out of the way just in time as Alathia brought a blade down with tremendous force. He gained his posture just behind her and began charging the Dual Hound.

Just as he was about to strike Alathia in the back, she spun around and landed a rough kick to his cheek. A small grunt sounded his surprise, and he merely shook his head to clear it.

Alathia smiled playfully and darted off in Alexia's direction (which was now farther down the hall as she'd chosen to follow the candy fight)

Loz grinned with excitement. He loved a good chase.

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Tifa fiddled with a piece of her long hair as she contemplated telling the rest about Cloud's condition.

"Cloud called today…he, erm…says hello."

"What?" all of Avalanche, except for Vincent, snapped in disbelief.

"Yeah, he said he thinks the two…well you know, what Alexia and Alathia are, have made it to Gaia…so, he knows they're here." Tifa said as calmly as possible.

"How did he find out?" Vincent growled, folding his arms over his chest.

"I…I think Jenova's told him. I think she talks to him." She whispered, not wanting to go on.

Cloud sounded so deranged on the phone. He was talking to himself mostly, but didn't fail to mention a few key events. Out of him speaking with voices in his head, and trying his best to converse with Tifa, she got a few things down.

He'd fought two women, and described Alathia and Alexia perfectly. Cloud had visited the northern crater. Black waters covered it, and Sephiroths were peeking out from behind every rock. There was an army of them.

Tifa couldn't bring herself to tell them how insane he'd become. Cloud was their hero; their strong leader. Why had it become so easy for Jenova to take over? Did she feed off of his hatred and pain? He was sick and tying… and alone.

And worse: How were they going to defeat a whole army of the strongest subhuman ever? There were only a handful of them and thousands of him.

Tifa sighed and changed the subject as best as possible.

"So, how about we offer to help train the women today, just for a little bit?" she smiled weakly.

The rest agreed and the whole lot of them were on their way to the Petrified Forest.

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'Cloud, they're coming. Your friends are in peril…hehe. Those women and my sons are going to destroy every single one…right down to that precious child you care about so much…Marlene is it…haha, Yazoo's looking for her right now…its only a matter of time.'

"No! No, I won't let them! Hold on guys, I'm coming." Cloud shouted, grabbing his head desperately trying to stop the voice.

'Don't try to fight me boy. You're too weak. Give up now and go in peace…or I will make you live on and watch as I take everything you hold dear to you…and crush it in front of your eyes.'

"Stop! S-stop it! I won't let you win! I won't lose!" Cloud screamed, snatching up his sword and rushing out of the church.

He didn't even notice that he'd marched right through Aeris's flower patch, crushing a path of them. The church was silent and just as forgotten as before as Cloud sped off on his motorbike. A sigh could be heard from a familiar voice as no one saw the crushed flowers spring back into life.

"Cloud needs help. I can only pray that SOMETHING goes right." Aeris's annoyed voice echoed through the empty isles.

"Don't worry. Everything'll fix itself up; just you wait. Now, quit foolin' with those ridiculous flowers and help me dig a pit." Zack's equally as annoyed, but playful voice sounded through the air.

"Ug! Now why would I rather dig a pit than tend to the flowers that I loved while I was alive?"

"One: you're dead…give up on those flowers or I'll mash them myself (Aeris gasped). Two: the pit's for the healing water when they kill Jenova and set Planet free. Three: you love me! You always wanna help me out when I'm in need." Zack reasoned joyfully.

"Sometimes I wish I didn't know you." Aeris grumbled.

"That's harsh Aeris…harsh."