Cloud comes home?

The next couple weeks with Gir went on normally….somewhat. Leon and Gir were band from chocolate forever. And Leon woke up the day after his chocolate overload with a hangover. Gir couldn't remember anything. Once Leon and Yuffie had gone out training in the Bailey, were of course Gir insisted on following. While the couple fought, Gir made no move to attack the other Heartless or the few Dusks that had came. Instead the other Heartless trying to attack Gir, which caused him to take refuge on top of Leon's head.

It is now 2 days after that incident, and a week and a half since Yuffie and Leon 'adopted' Gir.

Yuffie sat in the small café waiting for Aerith to show up. Usually she was the one that would be late but, since being with Leon she has picked up a sense on responsibility. And since Gir joined their family she has learned to become much more responsible in order to take care of Leon and Gir when on sugar high.

"Yuffie!" Aerith waved walking over to her seat in the corner.

"Its about time." Yuffie mumbled.

"You know, you really shouldn't mumble, its starting to bum me out." Aerith smiled.

"Ok, well what's up? Why were you late?"

"Oh! Well Leon's birthday is in a few days, right?" Aerith asked. She had never really asked when Leon's birthday was, she just sort of found out after the fact, and they've known each other for 12 years now. The our of them, Cloud, Yuffie, Leon, and Aerith, had gone through their teenage years together. And not once had any of them celebrated Leon's birthday.

"Yea. August 23. Why do you ask?"

"Well, Cid got a connection with Cloud a little while ago and I was talking to him, and he said that he would be back by Leon's birthday. So its kind of like a birthday present to him." Aerith said, her eyes slightly grazing over in thought.

"Yea for you! Leon doesn't need or want a male stripper." Yuffie joked.

"That was one time! One!" Aerith said trying her hardest to defend Cloud's honor. Yuffie laughed.

"Anyway, why did you ask me to come here?" Yuffie said wanting to get on with it. She left Riku and Sora in charge, just incase Leon and Gir had found her other stashes of emergency chocolateAll she really wanted was to go home. Darn it, she was missing her shows!

"Well, since we missed….12 of Leon's birthdays….I was wondering if we could give him some sort of small party. I already talked to Donald and Goofy about this and they said that they would be happy to stay for a few more days." Aerith looked hopeful. "Do you think he'll kill us if we have a party for him? I mean well the rest of us celebrated our birthdays…why not his?"

Yuffie thought for a moment. "Yea, we should. And if he doesn't like it then I'll handle him…." Yuffie smirked evilly. "Well, I have to go. Make sure Leon and Gir didn't destroy the house." Yuffie waved and left.

"Yuffie!" Sora yelled. "Thank god your back!"

"Yea! Save us!" Riku screamed.

"You two are such wimps!" Leon yelled.

Yuffie sighed and walked into the living room. Leon and Gir were stretched out on the couch, and Riku and Sora were huddled together on the loveseat. "What's wrong?" She asked, seeing the horrified looks on Riku and Sora's faces.

"Its Leon. His watching TV!" Riku explained.

"What's new?" she asked, while ducking from an oncoming pillow sent by Leon. "Leon what are you watching"

"Inuyasha." He said simply.

"So what's so scary about it?"

"It's the 'uncut' version and they saw Kagome and Shippo naked." Leon grinned.

"I am so sorry, you guys." Yuffie sympathized. "You are relieved of your duties now." She said mock saluting them. Sora and Riku ran out the door.

"So, what did Aerith want?" he asked sitting up so Yuffie could sit down next to him.

"Nothing much. Your birthday's coming up isn't it."

Leon scowled. "Yes."

"Why, what's wrong?" Yuffie asked. (a/n- ahhhh alliteration 'runs and hides')

"Nothing." Yuffie could actually see, or at least she believed she saw, Leon's old shield coming up. The one that separated him from the rest of the world. He picked up his gunblade and left.

"Squuiii?" Gir asked.

"Just leave him, Gir. He'll get over it." Yuffie said, petting the small shadow.

Yuffie looked at the clock. 11:56. Leon still wasn't home. Gir was curled up against her leg fast asleep. Riku and Sora had come back well over two hours ago and they went straight to bed. Both had said that they didn't see Leon. She had called both Aerith and Cid but neither one had seen him either. The clock chimed signaling it was midnight. "Gir, Gir wake up. Come on" She whispered poking him in the side. Gir rolled over onto his/her/its back and stared at Yuffie.

"Seeeep" Gir mumbled.

"I know your tired but we have to go find Leon." Yuffie said. She picked Gir up and placed him in her shoulder, and left.

The night air was cool, and the moon shown bright. She figured that if Aerith, Sora, Riku, and Cid hadn't seen him. He wouldn't be in the Market, the Borough or the Bailey.

As Yuffie approached the Villain's Vile, she could hear he familiar sounds of a metal hitting the ground. He had to be here, since she had checked all of Ansem's study, and the Posteren.

Turning the corner, Yuffie saw Leon sitting bye the edge of the cliff, facing the other castle. It was obvious that he was watching the moon, he had no interest in the castle, since he was the one who had to go through it with Cloud and make sure everything of value was out. His gunblade was stuck in the ground a good distance away from him.

"Skkkttt!" Gir squeaked, jumped off her shoulder and ran up to Leon.

Leon looked down. Gir came running up to him, or at least it seemed like running. Leon sighed. He was sort of glad that it was only Gir, he actually didn't feel like fighting. But he wasn't happy at the same time because he knew that Yuffie was here too. "Yuffie…"

"Leon, what's wrong?" Yuffie asked sitting down next to him. Gir curled up in his lap and began to rub her face in his jacket.

"Nothing." He said. He slowly stroked the leather-like skin on the small Heartless in his lap.

"Yes there is. Why don't you want us to celebrate your birthday?" Yuffie asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Because. My world was destroyed on my birthday. That is why my world can never exist again. No one was ready for the attack. I was only because I don't go anywhere without my gunblade. But, its my fault. I don't like being reminded of that," Yuffie smiled sadly and hugged him around his waist. "But if you really want to, I wont ruin it if you throw me a party."

"Really!" Yuffie smiled "Cause I was thinking we could, have tons on balloons! I love balloons. And cake! It would have to be low on sugar…and not a lot of chocolate. Cloud is coming too! He'll be back by then.--" a gloved finger placed on her lips silenced her.

"Cloud is coming back tonight?" he asked.

Yuffie shook her head. "No, on your birthday."

Leon sighed. "Yuffie, what time is it?"

She mumbled something and looked at her watch. "12:30. Why?"

"Yuffie. it's the 23. You and Aerith are a little behind. Look." Leon pointed towards the sky.

Far up, off to the right side of the moon, there was a blue streak slowly coming towards the Market of the city.

"That is Cloud." Leon said.

"Maybe, we shouldn't tell. You know how Cloud is. He wont show himself till tonight, and he wont do or say anything unless someone talks to him." Yuffie said

"We agree not to tell. Aerith can find him herself." Leon stood up and stretched. Gir was asleep, but hung to the hem of his shirt. "Come on, I'm tired." Yuffie giggled and nodded. Aerith was sure to be happy, Cloud was back again. But this wouldn't make everyone happy.

A/N-- HEY! Ok this Chapter was more of a small background story for Squall/Leon….I like Squall better. That name is hott. Squall's birthday IS the 23 of August…..I'm going to celebrate because I'm cool like that. My friends think I'm obsessive. But ya know what FOOEY ON THEM!

Why is there no Saïx and Squall goodness? COME ON PEOPLE! Their a good pair! PLEASE! My friend made a fic with that pair for me….I don't know if she'll post it or not…but she's a sex-aholic EVERY FIC SHE HAS MADE HAS SEX IN IT! Makes me soo mad… I like Saïx and Squall as a pairing and the idea of Saïx being Squall's nobody…

This fic is coming to an end. I don't know how many more Chapters I'm going to write. I might stretch it out so I can have 10 but I don't know…..Review!….and thanks to all of you who have read this story and have stayed with it…through my good chapters and the bad…THANK YOU!