Thanks guys for all the encouraging reviews. It really helps. I'm even going into the chaps I already wrote and making them more descriptive and trying to make the story longer and better. I just finished reading a story from one of my fave authors Leafygirl called Loophole. It made me wanna go into my story and fix it knowing I can do better cause her writing is amazing. If you're a Naruto fan, I refer her work to you. Even if you're not a fan of the pairings, I guarantee you will be when you're done with her stories. Anyway so yeah, now I wanna try and make my already planned out plot a little more complex and make the story last longer. Yay more fun for us all.

------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5

The air was dry and the sun blazed merciless upon the cracked sand on the ground. Weeds reached for the sun from the cracks and in this desert like area, clashing steel was heard in the distance. Blades cut through the wind and two men moved swiftly across the skies and sharp cliffs. Murderous intent called from the slashing blades that threatened each other and thirst for blood.

Their eyes burned into one another's as their swords clashed against each other. Sparks were sent flickering past their masculine faces and neither squinted. The black winged man with flowing silver hair seemed to be enjoying the aggressive encounter. Meanwhile the other man in black uniform and blond hair seemed to grow angrier by the minute.

"I told you, I cannot be destroyed" Sephiroth reminded his opponent in a cool tone of voice. He knew it would only make his opponent angrier and he found pleasure in doing so. He lived to pluck this man's sanity and to haunt him constantly.

Cloud snarled angrily and threw down his heavy buster sword with full force. Sephiroth easily dodged with lightning fast reflexes and swung his long sword back in response. Cloud blocked. Once again their swords met and it was going nowhere.

"I swear I will destroy you with everything I have"

"You're naïve Cloud. The only way to destroy me is to destroy yourself. I am you and you are me"

"Shut up!" Cloud swung again but his blade was still unable to touch Sephiroth's body even the slightest bit.

They continued to swing at each other fiercely, jumping off walls and walking up cliffs. Their swords met again in another stare down. Cloud breathed heavily as he stared onto the calm face of the man who possessed him. Sephiroth shook his head.

"That's it Cloud. Let your rage devour you. Give into the darkness and continue to feed me. Continue to give me life" Sephiroth laughed sadistically to mock Cloud.

Cloud felt helpless. He had nothing but hate for this man. If not hating him would make him disappear, that was an impossible task. This man played with his mind, tried to destroy his planet and now he continues to mock him. He mocks him in his thoughts, in his memories, in his life and in his nightmares.

"Dwell Cloud. Dwell in your past and drown in the sorrows of your hopeless future"

Cloud shook his head. This time Tifa wasn't here to shed her light on him like she had done earlier. There was no Aerith to offer him the same. The darkness within him was growing heavier inside, suffocating his heart. His chest heaved heavily as he tried to resist it. He couldn't help it. He was so angry, so full of hate, so full of regret. As much as Tifa and Aerith tried to remove his darkness, it was too dark to purge completely.

"You're such an idiot," remarked an unfamiliar voice, "I don't know what she sees in you"

Sephiroth smiled, "We shall meet again" and vanished before Cloud's eyes. Cloud's eyes widened. After he had followed him back to his own world, now he was gone again. Nothing was settled between them. He was beginning to think that no matter how much he tried to fight it, nothing would ever become resolved. Maybe Sephiroth was eternal.

Cloud growled, growing angrier by the interruption and spun around to face the unfamiliar voice. The winds were growing strong and grains of sand blew past his squinting eyes. He clenched his buster sword at his new threat.

Long red spikes strung up from the man's head. Black tattoos trailed beneath the man's bright green eyes. He was cloaked in black and his sly smile stretched on his joker-like face seemed to be laughing at him. It didn't take long for Cloud to decide he didn't like the look of this man.

"Who are you? What is your business with me?" Cloud demanded, still standing in offensive position, ready to strike if necessary.

Axel shrugged and laughed, "Oh nobody really, just traveling through the worlds looking for something interesting and then I found you. It amused me to watch you slowly let darkness possess you. I could hardly wait for the day it takes over you completely"

"You're one of the men from the Organization aren't you? The group that Sora is hunting down to destroy"

Axel shrugged again, "Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?"

Cloud was getting irritated with everyone mocking him and playing mind games. He had finally reached his limit and lashed toward the red headed man. To Cloud's surprise, his attack was blocked with two strange weapons in the man's hands. A circle of fire now swarmed around them. Cloud looked at his opponent for an explanation and he just smirked again.

"Touchy today aren't we? That's too bad. After all the time it took for me to find you, this is how you greet me"

"I'm gonna ask you one last time. What business do you have with me?" Cloud spat through his gritted teeth.

Axel's face grew serious and his brows furrowed. "I want you…to burn!" Axel spat back.

Axel began violently slashing his chakram at Cloud. Cloud blocked this stranger's obvious intention to destroy him. Finally after seeing his attacks were not getting anywhere, Axel's body floated into the air above Cloud. He held his arms out and his weapons spun, rings of orange flames flickered at their edges.

Cloud rolled onto the floor once he realized the flames attacking him. He was surrounded in a circle of it. He was already exhausted from his encounter with Sephiroth and now this. The heat from the flames was adding to the trickling sweat along his body as if his previous fight and the temperature wasn't enough. Cloud supported his weight with his sword in the ground and on one knee. He looked up at the stranger relentlessly attacking him for no apparent reason.

"I don't understand-" before Cloud could utter another word of question, Axel responded.

"What did you do to her?"

"Her? Who-"

"You know who I'm talking about! What did you do to her? She spent all this time looking for you and then you must've done something to her!" Axel's cloak waved in the wind as he glared angrily at the man below him.

Cloud stood up in his defense, "I haven't done anything to anyone!"

"It's just like he said. You're naïve Cloud. You're so lost in your darkness you can't even realize what you're doing to yourself and what you're doing to others. The darkness is going to devour you soon"

Cloud was lost for words. There was so much on his mind he couldn't think straight anymore. Suddenly his Mako filled eyes widened and he realized it.

Tifa! No, it couldn't be-

"I guess because of your own darkness, there's no need for me to kill you. You'll just destroy yourself in time"

Those were his last words before he escaped through the realm of darkness. Cloud tried to run to it before it closed but the flames blocked him. Cloud shielded his eyes from it's fierce heat. By the time he looked up, the stranger was gone along with the flames. The realm of darkness had closed again.

He had no idea that Tifa had followed him through the realm that first time and didn't know she was looking for him until yesterday. He left to continue his battle with Sephiroth in their own world to prevent her from harm. Now that he thought about it, it had been quiet some time before she found him so what was occupying her before then? Was she who the nobody was talking about?

Once again his mind was full of useless thoughts. He shook them out of his head before deciding to venture out to find Sephiroth once again. He hadn't gone far. He could feel it. Sephiroth was the only way he would be able to come back to Radiant Garden. He told Aerith he'd come back and Tifa was left behind. He'd have to go find her and clear some things up.

It took some time before Axel could find the route back to Radiant Garden. It was enough trying to find his way in the first place. Going back would be easier though now that he knew how to travel to Tifa's world. He wanted to kill Cloud but he only left because he knew it was about the time he'd meet Tifa at the Bailey. As he wandered through the realm, he hoped that she'd be there.

Axel stepped out of the darkness onto the Bailey. He was surprised to see Tifa there, already waiting. Her back was turned to him as she huddled her knees. She gazed up at the sky. Her darkness didn't feel heavy anymore so it seemed she had calmed down.

He sat beside her without a word. He leaned one elbow on his knee and rested his other palm on the ground behind him. She did not turn to face him and she suddenly leaned in to rest her head on his shoulder. His body felt a bit awkward at first but complied. She sighed and closed her eyes. They stood in their silence for about an hour.

She finally looked up from his shoulder to meet his gaze, "Sorry about last night" she whispered in a voice barely audible. It was almost as if she was thinking out loud.

Axel nodded, "No problem, for a bombshell like you, anytime" He winked at her and she smiled back at him. She nuzzled her cheek on his shoulder more comfortably.

Axel looked down at her face for any signs of emotion or discomfort. There was none. "Wanna talk about it?" Axel couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

Tifa nodded slowly, "I found him yesterday but I found him fighting with his long time arch enemy. I offered my light to him and faster than I could even say anything else he was gone again. I told Sora I'd find him because it was easy to find light but…"

"Couldn't find him again" Axel finished.

Tifa shrugged, "Well…it's not just that I mean, I couldn't find him but at the same time…I was tired. After all the chasing I had done and all the searching, after he had gone I just asked myself why? Why am I chasing him? I was beginning to wonder if I should even bother. It was so confusing and I guess after that…I fell apart"

Axel paused, unsure of whether or not to release the words urging at him at the tip of his tongue. His curiosity was sending swarms of thoughts and questions through his mind and he knew he could not contain himself any longer without some answers. "Sooo, you're not gonna look for him anymore?" he asked almost carefully, hoping he wasn't touching on a subject too soon to question.

Tifa shrugged again, "I don't know. I guess…I want someone to look for me. I'm tired of worrying, tired of chasing him, tired of staying home when he tells me to. I'm tired of always waiting until he's ready…" There was a long pause and Axel continued to observe her face for emotion. She sighed again, "I just- don't know anymore"

Suddenly without warning, Axel brought his hand to lift her chin up to him. He kept his intense gaze on her before closing his eyes, as if he was trying to lure her into his attention with some mysterious power. He whispered onto her face, "Tifa…I've always looked after you"

Before she could respond he pressed his lips on hers. Axel didn't have a clue what he was doing and what kind of trouble he might be leading himself into. All he knew was that he couldn't lose someone else. He refused to. He couldn't offer her his heart but if she accepted, he'd give her all that his empty shell would allow.

At first her body stiffened from surprise but eventually relaxed as she took in his warmth. She raised her hand to the back of his neck. Axel turned his head slightly as she began to lead them. They brushed their lips upon one another's, slowly, carefully, and sweetly. She felt all of her worries being lifted from her along with all her pain. It seemed she had the same effect on him.

Axel suddenly got up and led her by the arm. He lifted her up and pulled her to him, sliding her arm around his waist. He brought his face to hers again to kiss her, this time he was leading. His hands held her back and lightly brushed the ends of her long brown hair. She draped her arms around his waist as their bodies combined heat and they got lost in their kisses.

She had never been kissed this way before. Then again she hadn't really been kissed often since Cloud was the only man she was ever with but somehow she knew this was different. Although Axel was void of a heart, it was as if he was pouring whatever he did have into kissing her, into holding her, into pleasing her.

Axel brought his hand to caress her cheek, leaving her with a gentle but firm lingering kiss before he backed away. He searched her eyes for a reaction to what was happening. She looked up into his eyes, into the pools of green in his pupils, lined with a golden hue. His face hung above hers, letting his warm breath tickle her still damp lips. She brought her hand to cup over his, still on her cheek. She closed her eyes, sighing at his touch on her face. Axel watched her, realizing that she was accepting him, wanting to be in his arms as much as he wanted to be in hers.

He leaned in again; pausing briefly to let the his lips lightly wisp over hers and tempting her. Her head turned as she tried to bring her lips to his and he held her back, still tempting her with the light strokes of his lips. He couldn't resist it. He wanted to know if he was the true object of her desire, if she wasn't just going along with it. Tifa released her hand from his and traced it to behind his neck once again. Her fingertips trailed softly along the edges of his hairline and it sent a shiver up his spine. Out of reaction, Axel clutched Tifa tighter against him and gave her what she was now inviting, his lips on hers.

She opened her mouth to invite him in. He wasn't sure how to react until he felt her tongue tempting his to follow. Before he knew it his tongue was in her mouth exploring its ridges.

His hand found hers on the back of his neck and he locked his fingers with hers. They brought their clasping hands to their side as his other arm held her lower back and her free arm rested on his chest.

He had never felt this way. His body never reacted this way. He had never been so drawn to anyone as she had done to him. He had never felt so needed or had such a need for someone else. As he kissed her he felt like he was truly living, truly existing.

She had never been kissed so lovingly in such a long time. Memories of such a thing were long gone, buried in her past. Cloud was never the type to show much emotion to her and here was a being without a heart showing her more than Cloud ever had. It almost brought tears to her eyes to be in this kind of warmth.

Axel pulled away with their lips still barely inches apart. "Man Tifa, I knew you were hot but…" he whispered between them playfully.

"Oh I know. Think you can handle me?" she played along and nudged his chin lightly with her knuckles.

Axel's sly smirk grew wider. "Burn me baby" and he leaned in to continue where they left off.

Tifa allowed herself to be enveloped in Axel's caresses and kisses. It didn't matter if he was a nobody and that she had such a painful past. All that mattered was what they had in common and what brought them together. What mattered was that the empty void in the both of them was disappearing because of one another. That was all that mattered.

Entranced within their moment they failed to realize another presence looking up at them in the Bailey. His blond head shook with disapproval as he turned to leave.

So that's what she had been doing before she found me. She's allowed herself to be swallowed in a nobody's deceit. This…is something I refuse to accept.

His figure disappeared towards the town. He'd find her room and he'd wait for her. It seemed they had a lot to catch up on.

-----------------------------------------------------

Just when things are going good Cloud wants to stick his nose in! Selfish guy! Anyway stay tuned…lotsa drama in store.