Sorry about the loooooooooong wait…it has been awhile huh? Lot's of problems. Keyboard broke…depression…work…you know the fun thing that life gives you.

Thanks for reviewing the last chapter everyone!

(Hopefully more than one story is gonna be updated before the end of the month…hell, the end of the week!!)

Oh yeah, I was surprised at the amount of comments I received for the "Kinky" line in the last chapter…to think I was gonna delete it after I reread the line…lol.

Enjoy

Balamb Forest.....

"So…," Cid offered slowly, "You're here to…?"

"Help," the new arrival offered with an amused smile.

"…Help?" the older blonde repeated, "with what?"

The new arrival pointed at the burning Garden in the distance, "I think that's kinda obvious."

"You don't help," Cid shook his head, "You do anything but help."

Zell kept his attention on the silver haired arrival, wondering who the hell he was and why the hell he was here. The man made no move to greet Cid or even acknowledge Zell's presence.

The man had a wounded look when Cid had made the comment about not helping. The lean, green eyed stranger shifted his weight, the sun catching off something hidden beneath the long black trench coat.

However, from the way Cid was looking at the man, there was no love lost between the pair.

"If I could go back, I would," the arrival whispered.

Cid seemed to soften at the words, his blue eyes looking away for a few seconds. Surprised at the sincerity in the man's words. Was this the real man behind the chemicals and Jenova? Was it really the man or was the former's war hero's body still being used?

"Look, if he's here to help, then let him!" Zell hissed, breaking both men out of a painful memory, "I gotta get back to the Garden and save my friends!"

"Unwise," the stranger countered, "I don't think there is anyone left alive, sides, Cloud might of left someone…"

A loud explosion interrupted him, making the three males turn sharply to where Balamb Garden stood. Zell fell to his knees, his chest heaving as he tried to hold back a sob.

The explosion had shook the island, another quieter thud could be heard as the three imagined the Garden slowly crashing into the ground.

"Sephiroth…you here to kill Cloud?" Cid kept his back to him, his blue eyes taking in the black pillar of smoke.

"As much fun as that would be," Sephiroth admitted, "No. I'm merely an observer…a messenger boy."

"For?" the former Shin-ra pilot shoved his hands in his pockets, looking at Zell sadly.

"The planet," Sephiroth walked up to him, "It doesn't understand why Cloud and co are doing this. No one does."

"I don't think he does any more," Cid muttered quietly.

"Which raises the question," Sephiroth gave him a one sided smile, "Why did he start in the first place?"

That made him think. Why had he gotten involved in the whole revenge thing? For Aeris? Did he really do it for the planet and to stop Jenova from ever coming into being or was it out of some misplaced loyalty for Cloud?

Because they had to?

"…I think it was for Aeris…so she wouldn't die," Cid ventured, "after that…I dunno."

It was hard trying to recall the exact event when Cloud had went from determined to a desperate man. Perhaps the hints had been given from the start and they had all been to blind to see the truth or perhaps they had been unwilling to face it.

He knew when he had became a monster, knew the exact day and time he had seen what he had became. The look on the teen's face had said it all to him.

The boy's huge blue eyes staring right into his soul, demanding answers that even now he couldn't give. No matter how many times he cried he was sorry or begged for forgiveness, he knew he would never receive it. All he could do now was to try and make up for it best he could.

"Human's are fragile things," Sephiroth stood closely to Cid, the words meant only for him.

"A simple word, smile or facial expression can bring back a thousand memories long forgotten," Sephiroth placed a gentle hand on Cid's broad shoulder, "However it brings the ones that haunt you as well."

…ones that haunt you, Cid felt his legs start to shake. He knew the horrors that still plagued him. He could name all the voices that screamed at him in the night.

"What do we do?" Cid ran a shaky hand through his hair, hoping Sephiroth would come up with a logical plan of action.

"You have to get off of Balamb," came Sephiroth's simple reply, as if the answer had really been that obvious all along.

Cid had to agree with the Sephiroth, getting out of Balamb was probably the only thing that was going to save the town. If Cloud knew he and the boy were still on the small island, he would kill every soul in an attempt to find them. He couldn't live with the death of Ma Dincht.

He had a new mission now, he had to try and stop the senseless blood spilling and deaths before it was too late. Had to stop AVALANCHE, the one time good guys.

"No matter where we go, we'll always be hunted by Cloud and co," Cid turned round partly to find Sephiroth looking at Zell, a fascinated glint in his eyes.

Zell span round sharply, "I'm not leaving until I know my friends are safe! I'm not running away! I'm not a chicken!"

"I'm aint gonna argue with you Zell," Cid rubbed his neck, "We not staying here. It's to damn dangerous."

The martial artist shook his head, his eyes set with determination and defiance. The teen clenched his fists, making his refusal to move a silent one.

"If you stay here," Sephiroth said quietly, "then all the people you love will be slaughtered as Cloud tries to find you."

That answer made Zell a little less resolute about his determination but not enough to make him move. Balamb had faced occupation before by a more powerful enemy and had came out okay.

Yeah but Squall was here to make sure we didn't blow it, a voice came out of nowhere, Squall was the guy who made sure it turned out okay.

"I'll check on any survivors at the Garden," Sephiroth placed a hand on Zell's shoulder, not surprised to feel the tension in it, "Now, both of you go!"

DELING CITY…..

Vincent moved silently in the shadows, checking every possible route he could take his two charges without being spied on by Cloud's goons. His options were severely limited.

What I wouldn't give for the Highwind, Vincent sighed mentally, …wait a sec…huh. That is a possibility…

It had given no pleasure seeing the look of horror in the two teens eyes as they had stepped past the dead fool in the doorway as they left the hotel room. Squall had looked away disgustedly while Quistis had just stared at the dead form.

They're lives are too short as it is, they do not need Cloud shortening it any further, Vincent had gently pulled Quistis away from the body, offering no words of sympathy.

He had a lot to tell the two children but time and destiny seemed to have other ideas. If they had time while travelling he would divulge some information, whether it was crucial to survival would be another thing.

The mood was sombre and too quiet. From his vague recollection of teens and of these ones in particular, they should be talking more.

Strike up a conversation with them, Chaos piped cheerfully, do something, they look…well, I wouldn't say scared but perhaps a friendly conversation would make them feel better.

Vincent paused and looked at the two teens. Squall absently rubbed his upper arms, the thin t-shirt he was wearing really not designed for the cold nights of Deling, it didn't help the fact that the boy was bare foot either. Quistis was more suitably dressed but, if Yuffie had informed Cloud of what they had been wearing, a change of outfit was required.

Once he had decided on the subject matter, it was just a case of striking it up and getting them to engage in it as well. A thought struck his mind, perhaps he should ease into it instead of jumping straight in?

You'd think after the countless years I have been alive for, I'd develop some conversational skills, the former Turk chided himself.

Quistis stared at the ground, thinking about how easily Vincent had shot that man. It scared the hell out of her, no warning or any kind of indication that he was going to do it.

It wasn't like she hadn't been around when gun shots had been fired but she was usually told when they would fire. She pushed her glasses a little further up her nose, wondering where her kidnapper would take them.

"Excuse me," Quistis politely inquired, "Where are we going?"

"Uh…" Vincent paused for a moment, "We need to get you both out of your clothes. Yuffie has probably informed Cloud what you're wearing so we need a disguise."

Squall raised an eyebrow, "Yuffie? Cloud?"

"Yuffie is Xu," Vincent clarified, "And Cloud…well, he's the one who would have your head."

"So…," Squall felt his face throb in pain as he opened his mouth for another question, "You work for him?"

The dark haired man shook his head, "No, not anymore. The fact that I'm talking to you nulls my contract…but I had left the group long before then."

Quistis looked horrified as she clicked on to who he had said the girl Yuffie was. It was her supposedly best friend Xu. That couldn't be true…Xu was Xu. She was loyal, trustworthy and wouldn't do anything to hurt her friends.

"You're lying. Xu is not this Yuffie person," Quistis argued.

"She is. No matter what you say," Vincent countered, "Yuffie is a ninja, originally from Wutai. She was closet to the SeeD age group so Cloud placed her in there."

That made some form of sense to Squall, a few things clicking in place. The reason why Xu was so desperate to kill him and why Diablos had not attacked her. As much as he hated admitting it, it seemed Vincent was right.

"You said that you had left a long time before now, when?" Squall took a step closer to Vincent, catching the taller man a little off guard.

"Seventeen years ago," Vincent said almost instantly, "After Cloud had turned on one of us."

"Who?" Squall pressed for the information.

"Cid Highwind," Vincent looked directly at Quistis, "Your father."

"Why?" the young SeeD leader not interested in asking long questions.

Vincent took a few moments to form an answer. Should he tell the truth and say that Cid had had enough of the killing of innocents or edit the truth some what?

"He…he and Cloud had a disagreement," Vincent ventured, "Cid refused to follow any more of Cloud's orders."

Quistis looked at Squall and then at Vincent, knowing that Squall probably wouldn't accept the answer that had been given. She watched the corners of Squall's grey eyes narrow for a split second.

"Tell you what, when we met Cid," Vincent offered with a slight smile, "You can ask him."

Quistis blinked in surprise, "You think he's still alive?"

Vincent said nothing as he turned away, the smile still there but a faint fondness in his eyes appeared. He wasn't one hundred percent sure if he was but, surviving the near destruction of the planet, being pretty much immortal and having survived the beating Barret and Cloud had given him, Cid probably wouldn't take death lying down.

"If I know Cid," Vincent smiled broadly, the action feeling odd on his face, "He is not the kind to take death quietly. He would kick, spit and curse his way to the Promised Land if he wasn't ready to go."

ON THE WAY TO ESTHAR……

"What to you mean that you couldn't find any of them?!" Cloud screamed at the soldier in front of him, furious to hear the words.

"We under estimated the loyalty they have. Not one of them betrayed the location of either Headmaster Kramer or the young SeeD's," the grunt offered, avoiding eye contact with the powerful yet small blonde.

Cloud forced himself calm, taking a deep breath. Had he really under estimated how powerful loyalty had been in the Garden or did they really not know where the leaders where?

"Okay," Cloud stated calmly, "Okay…we can deal with that."

Tifa gazed at Cloud with interest, he was certainly taking the news better than expected. The soldier in front of him still had his head on his shoulders and was still breathing.

"Cloud?" Tifa's voice brought Cloud's attention to her. She hated how easily the anger had been transported from the soldier to her now.

"What?" Cloud averted his gaze for a few seconds, trying to calm down so he could talk more civilly to his age old friend and lover.

Tifa waited a few beats, allowing Cloud the time he needed to calm down before asking him a question that had bothered her since they had left the smoking ruins of Balamb Garden.

"Where's Reeve?" she enquired, "I haven't seen him since the attack on the Garden and I'm kinda worried."

The anger that had faded from Cloud's eyes had returned and he stalked up to the young woman menacingly. A dangerous glow in his once friendly eyes, his whole body tensed.

"Reeve," he spat, "is dead."

Tifa gasped in surprise, "But…why? He hasn't done anything!"

"He lied to me," Cloud shrugged, as if that was enough of a reason.

Tifa placed a delicate yet cold hand to her face, unsure of how to react to this news. Reeve had never done anything but follow Cloud's orders. Never once questioned his ruling or missions.

"And you felt it absolutely necessary to kill him?" Tifa could feel the rising sickness in her stomach.

"Yeah," Cloud nodded, "He was weak, Tifa. He just couldn't handle the job anymore. I had to get rid of him before he turned soft."

Had to kill him before he challenged you like Cid did, Tifa closed her eyes, a tear forming for her old friend.

"Maybe…he's right," Tifa stuttered, "I mean, killing kids Cloud…I just don't feel like this is…"

She was cut off by a back handed slap to her face, Cloud seethed in anger. The pain flashed in her cheek like fire, surprise was replaced by shock as her body registered the blow.

Cloud stepped back in surprise as well, his eyes wide, his mouth worked to form an apology but none came out. He gave up the attempt and turned away. He squeezed his eyes shut, wishing those moments away.

The blow had came out of nowhere and so did the sudden temper change to his friend. He dragged a hand down his face, suddenly feeling tired and old.

See…that was why Reeve had Cid had to go, Cloud cried out mentally, they were trying to turn you against me.