Okay, so actually this story hasnt been updated. It doesnt need to be, its finished! BUT, there is a sequel and the first four chapters have been posted! Its called of Embers and Smoke, it takes place after DoC and it does have spoilers so watch out! Anyway, there you be. My apologies for taking so long to post it here.


Yazoo stared across the red and purple landscape with its towering rock formations and whistling wind. To anyone else the place might seem desolate but to him it was beautiful. They had left Midgar soon after Reeve had come and taken over much of the workings of the company. It had been a step toward something like healing, at least for Yazoo.

Somehow, leaving the broken city behind had given him a sense of distance that left him feeling lighter. Reno remained by his side, steadfast through everything despite his own problems with the Turks leaving each others sides for the first time in years. There had been times when Yazoo had wondered whether Reno would ever really be able to understand him on so many of the deeper levels, there was a lot of pain in the clones past and the happy go lucky Turk seemed so far from that most of the time.

Yazoo had gotten his answer when the anniversary of the fall of the sector seven plate had come. He hadn't known that Reno had been raised in sector seven. There were things that went with that that Yazoo couldn't even imagine. Yes, the distance and their 'vacation' were a very good thing.

Cosmo Canyon had not been the place that Reno thought he would settle down. But the calm and contemplative atmosphere seemed to do Yazoo good. The clone had recovered eventually, there had been nightmares and other things to deal with, but eventually they had gotten through. Loz and Elena had come with them and built their house above theirs in the canyon.

Rude lived between Midgar, Kalm and Cosmo. He had decided to stay with Shinra and was now overseeing the companies ongoing conversion to non mako energy sources. Tifa still ran Seventh Heaven but had also been hired on to Shinra to help with their public relations, the fact that she ended up traveling with Rude most of the time may have had something to do with it.

Tseng had become a mystery, he kept in touch through vague phone calls and letters postmarked from all over the Planet and would stop by occasionally but no one knew for sure just what he did. Another visitor they had that had been unexpectedly had been Cloud. The blonde had stopped by a few weeks after they had moved in, Yazoo had taken it in stride but sometimes it still wierded Reno out.

The ultimate surprise had been when Yazoo and Reno had awoken at the break of dawn to the sounds of hammers falling on wood. Yazoo rolled over and buried his face in his pillow, beside him Reno grunted and pulled the sheet over his head. The pounding continued and Yazoo had a sneaking suspicion.

Loz?

Good morning!

Loz, why are you hammering something so early?

Have to get started on the new room!

Why do you need a new room?

For the baby! Its got to have a place to stay!

Oh. Okay………Loz did you just say baby?

Yes.

Words failed as something akin to OMGWTF? Shot through Yazoo's mind as he sat upright in bed. Losing his connection with his brother out of shock Yazoo sat frozen for a few minutes before violently attempting to shake Reno awake.

"Reno! Loz! He's having a baby!"

The redhead threw an arm across Yazoo's lap and hugged him as if to console.

"Its okay Yazoo it was just a nightmare, come back to sleep."

With an exasperated sigh Yazoo moved out from under Reno's grasp and got out of bed. Taking a firm grip on the bottom sheet he promptly pulled it off the bed, bringing Reno with it and crashing to the floor in a tangle of bed linen and limbs.

"What the hell was that for!" Reno yelled, glaring at the clone as the sheet fluttered down around him.

Yazoo watched him with a small smirk on his face. "I told you. Loz is having a baby."

Reno gave Yazoo a very annoyed look. "Yazoo, Loz is a guy, he cant have a …. wait…you mean Loz and Elena are having a baby?"

Realization dawned over Reno's face and he turned to the bedside table and fumbled for his cell phone as he tried to run out of the room all at the same time. After tripping over the sheets and Yazoo handing him his phone Reno ran out of the house in his boxers and up the stairs to Loz and Elena's above them.

Yazoo followed after hastily pulling on a shirt and pants. He found Reno practically twirling Elena and Loz chasing after them saying something about not hurting the baby.

"Relax Loz. The baby is fine, its going to be awhile before we really have to worry." Elena said as Reno finally put her down and began blabbering into his phone. From the way the conversation was going it sounded like he was talking to Rude.

Loz waved her words off and brought a chair from the table and bid her sit down. When she did he fidgeted nervously, asking if she needed a glass of water? Was she hungry? Because she was eating for two now and she might be and… Yazoo came and laid a hand on Loz's shoulder.

"Calm down, brother, I am sure Elena knows much more about this than we do." Yazoo would have laughed at his brother antics but the truth was that he was happy. It was like they were really a family now. Wasn't that what they had always been looking for?

"And we have to start teaching the kid the art of the bomb way early man. I mean, you never know when you might have to blow something up right?" Reno went on with an almost dreamy look on his face. Yazoo just shook his head.

This would definitely be interesting.


"Come on now, breath, there you go, in and out." Yazoo said calmly. Loz had been bordering on hyperventilating ever since Elena had gone into labor, which had been three hours ago. Reno and Rude had found a bottle of Tifa's finest in Rude's severely neglected apartment and brought it along to celebrate. When Elena's screams and threats on Loz's life had begun they had decided to celebrate a little early.

Even Tseng had shown up for the occasion, although he pointedly stayed outside, away from any of Elena's cries and the voices of the two midwives. Yazoo returned his attention to his brother who was even paler than usual. Loz had been waiting on Elena hand and foot since she had told him she was pregnant and now that the big day had actually arrived he was a nervous wreck.

"What if she's hurt? Or something wrong? Yazoo what if something goes wrong?" Loz was gripping Yazoo's arm so hard he wondered if circulation would ever be restored or whether the veins were permanently crushed.

"Its alright Loz. Really, women have babies all the time and everything is fine." Yazoo wasn't sure whether that was reassuring or not but there wasn't anything else he could say. Loz stood and began pacing. Yazoo let him, maybe it would help work off some of the nervous energy.

Reno tapped him on the shoulder and offered him a drink. Yazoo thought about refusing, but another glance at Loz and he took it.

"You're bro's really hard up man. Elena will be fine, she's been through way tougher shit than this." Reno said loudly. Rude snorted. Before Reno could offer a retort a loud wail pierced the air. For a moment Yazoo felt as if the breath had been knocked out of him. The Turks had risen to their feet and were cheering. Loz was frozen just as Yazoo was. That sound had been so familiar. Yazoo had been young, but not too young to not remember.

One of the midwives opened the door and motioned for Loz. The eldest brother gripped Yazoo's hand and dragged him inside as well. The woman was explaining that Elena was going to be fine and so was the baby. Yazoo's gaze had focused on the small bundle the other woman held wrapped in a white blanket.

Loz had gone to Elena's side and the midwife handed him the child. Yazoo couldn't read the look on his face as anything other than shock. Elena was resting on the bed, eyes closed and a peaceful expression. Loz looked up at Yazoo who was reluctant to fully enter the room, he felt like he was intruding.

His brother turned towards him, wordlessly and tilted the baby so he could see. Wispy silver hair capped the tiny head but it was the eyes that made his breath freeze in his throat.

Kadaj…..


AN- Ha Ha! Bet ya didn't see that one coming! Sorry but I reeeaaally wanted to write Kadaj and now I have! Mwahaha! Check out Embers and Smoke. Its the sequel and its finally posted.

Anyways, thank you to everyone who hung on for this fic and posted comments/reviews and so forth, it is all much appreciated. Sorry to see this one end but hey, there's always more where that came from.

Okay, for those of you who never logged in so that I could reply...

delavega- TY for the reviews, they always made me laugh. Especially the lovely description of what you would do to Rufus after chapter 14. Loved it and I would have granted you express permission but Tseng beat you to it.

Yaoi4life- Thanks for all the support, its much appreciated.