Cloud left the confines of his abode and traveled the chilly night, his hair still slightly damp from his shower and skin illusioned to a healthy glow. His usual garb sans his armor sufficed for the trip he would take, his next mark several nights out as it was; if any vampire hunter saw him they couldn't tell what he was without magical assistance or if they had a photo of him. He touched his spikes, his natural hair a rare sight anywhere; during his missions he would wear a cowl to hide them out of sight.

He had checked on Tifa one last time before heading out, the woman sleeping soundly on her belly and holding her pillow tightly. Cloud was sure she would be up by the time he came home; he knew vampire hunters kept a similar schedule to their prey. Squeak had said she slept the majority of the day away, then angrily squeaked about the flashlight she tossed. Cloud agreed she shouldn't have done that, and he hoped she wouldn't attack the rat in the future. Still, he asked the rat to try and play nice with his guest.

His mind wandered to his mother, the poor woman dying in a fire and erasing any history of their family living in his hometown. That was a horrible emotional blow to him. He walked towards the grocery store nearest to his home in search of food for his guest, and purchased items he assumed his friend would eat and a few other sundries to keep the kitchen stocked. With Tifa in the house, he would need to make sure there was food for her to eat.

Carrying the bags down the street his mind continued to wander. What should he do with Tifa, knowing she wouldn't go to Nibelheim? Cloud was certain she would be wanted by the guild by now, and he wouldn't risk Tifa being seen during the day or night; it would end up in either her or both their deaths, and that was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

He came across a food stand he frequented, and purchased cheeseburgers from the establishment. Cloud figured they could talk some more over the comfort food if she felt like opening up at all, he had been worried she would rather wither away than take any help of his. What could she possibly be thinking of him that she would look at him like that? Tifa looked at him like he was a total stranger, and it hurt. Even if she was a vampire hunter, he had to wonder what she had seen to be so hostile towards him.

As he wandered back towards his home he tensed as he felt something come close behind him on the dark street, and he snapped his head back the way he came. Cloud blinked, then relaxed as a black wolf with excitable blue eyes bounded over like a child fed too much sugar. A moment later and Zack stood in front of him in his usual attire of a black turtleneck sweater and blue jeans as dark wisps dissipated around him; he greeted his friend with a grin.

"Spike, I was lookin' all over for you last night! Where've ya been?"

Cloud gave a small smile back and shook his head. "I've just been busy, Zack. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah! Well I mean, a vampire hunter's been identified, so the guild's keepin' a look out for them. Apparently last night one of our associates' ghouls were destroyed, but he only got a glimpse of the woman through the second one she took down. When he got back, she was gone." He shrugged. "He woulda caught her, but she ran off before he could get to her."

Cloud's smile faded at the news. He was expecting it, but it was still jarring. "I see."

"Anyway, we gotta look out for a woman about this tall..." Zack raised his hand to Tifa's height. "...and she's got reddish eyes and dark hair. Apparently she's got a chest on her, too!" He said offhandedly. "We should totally go looking for her, Cloud."

The blonde vampire shook his head. "Not interested."

Zack's face dropped. "Why not?"

Cloud looked away. "Just have other things I gotta do..." he mumbled.

"Other things...?" Cloud's friend cocked his head with a hand to his chin, then glanced at Cloud's arms. They were carrying grocery bags, and two paper bags from a burger place. His deep blue eyes widened. "Spike, are you hiding something from me?"

Cloud's eyes almost bugged out of his head as he looked back and forth at his burdened, gloved hands. "I...Zack...I-"

"Do you have a girlfriend!?" The other vampire sounded giddy, a mad grin on his face. "Oh my sweet little chocobo, is she at your place? You move fast!"

Cloud's jaw moved, but no words came out. Zack laughed and grabbed some bags out of Cloud's hand and wrapped his other arm around his friend's shoulders, guiding Cloud to his home. "I need to meet her, man! How long have you been going out, and you didn't even tell me!"

"Zack-"

"I mean, I just took Aerith out for a date last night and I told you-it went really well, by the way-"

"It's not-" They were almost at his lair.

"But here you are hosting a girl at your place! You need to pace yourself, unless this isn't sudden-"

"Zack!" the spiky haired vampire admonished his friend in front of the door to his home.

"What?"

Cloud sighed. "I'll be out to talk later, alright? I've got a lot of things on my mind right now." He looked down, everything still so raw.

"Okay, okay. Let me help you with your groceries at least, okay?" Zack asked in a quiet voice. Cloud thought a few moments; Tifa should still be upstairs asleep. It hadn't been more than two hours since he left, and it would look suspicious if he didn't let Zack in. He gave a small nod and the door opened for them both.

"Cloud's gotta girlfriend, finally!" Zack followed his friend into the kitchen, cheering loudly. Cloud cringed as they walked in and started putting things away; the last thing he needed was Tifa to overhear the assumptions of an excitable vampire. "We should totally do a double date, if it's serious. You play for keeps, right?"

Cloud rubbed his face. "Zack..." he moaned.

The black haired vampire snorted back a laugh as he put away a box into a cabinet. "You sure are bashful, Spike."

He didn't get a response back as Cloud finished putting things away and tossing the grocery bags, the burger bags sitting on the kitchen counter. "Thanks for the help."

"Where is she?"

"Huh?"

Zack pointed at the paper bags. "Your girlfriend?" He looked about the kitchen, then moved into the living room, his friend following him in a silent panic. "Oh, you're hiding her from me!" He pointed at an empty glass on the table.

Cloud bit his lip as his eyes darted about. "She's asleep right now, Zack."

Zack looked at him and pouted. "That's too bad. I wanted to see who finally ripped you out of your shell, Spiky." He let loose a sigh and sagged his shoulders. "Well, bring her out with us sometime, Maybe she'll make friends with Aerith." he said quietly.

"Maybe." Cloud said reluctantly. "Anyway, I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

Zack gave his friend a thumbs up as he grinned. "Don't let me keep you waiting, buddy! And if you change your mind about that vampire hunter, we can pair up and find her!" The black haired vampire bounded out of Cloud's home as the blonde groaned, a hand to his face. As soon as Zack shut the door he went to the kitchen to fetch the burger bags and walked upstairs to Tifa's room. The door was locked.

"Tifa? He's gone." He hoped she hadn't overheard too much.

There was no response, but he could hear her on the other side of the door, her breathing quick. His frown deepened and he knocked on the door again. "It's okay, I swear. Please, open the door." After several moments the door unlocked and opened, and he was greeted to two large ruby eyes staring at him with a tortured stare in the dim light. "You're safe."

"For now." she said, a hand to her mouth. "They're looking for me, just like you said." It seemed Tifa was finally realizing the situation she was in.

Cloud nodded, his face sympathetic, then entered the room. Tifa sat on the edge of the bed, still watching him; he noticed her eyes weren't quite as hard as they were earlier in the night, but he didn't feel any better looking at that sullen gaze. Cloud handed her a bag and she took it after a moment's pause, her brows together. "It's just a cheeseburger. I thought you might like something like this."

Tifa dug into the bag, taking out the wrapped food item. She examined it before opening the wrapper, and she let out a small, amused snort. "Just like..."

"Nibelheim." Cloud completed the sentence as he unwrapped his burger, sitting on the ground next to her. "You used to buy them for us, then we'd eat lunch on that clearing on the hill overlooking the town." he said with a wistful smile. "I figured it was about time I bought you one, instead."

He heard her sigh before biting into her food, and he glanced up to see her stare at the cheeseburger with a pained expression as she chewed. Cloud wondered if he was dredging up something she didn't want to think about. He looked back down to bite into his cheeseburger as she began to speak. "I remember Cloud and I doing that."

He frowned at her wording. 'Cloud and I...?' Cloud swallowed his bite. "Yeah, us." He was still trying to understand why she said that. "Goober." he mumbled in a soft tone before he continued his meal, moving his foot side to side in a casual manner. Cloud felt Tifa's eyes on him again, and he looked up.

Tifa took in a deep breath after swallowing a mouthful of her lunch. "Cloud is...dead."

"I'm dead and still kicking." he corrected wryly. 'What is she getting at?'

"Don't you understand? I know you aren't...you can't be Cloud." Tifa said, the woman squeezing the burger wrapper in her balled hands. She shook her head.

Cloud rubbed the back of his head, looking at her with a confused stare and head cocked to the side a little. His actions seemed to cause a conflict that shone in her eyes. "Who else am I supposed to be?" Tifa looked away, not responding; he put his wrapper down and stood up, gently shaking her shoulder to get her to look at him again. "Tifa? What are you talking about?"

She turned to face him, her eyes studying him for several moments before explaining. Tifa bit her lip and drew in another deep breath, Cloud noticing that she seemed hesitant to explain, as if he might do something to her afterwards. "Vampires...you have two souls. The trapped soul of the victim of undeath, and a corrupt, blood thirsty soul that takes over the body and mind at death. Sort of like a demon possession." Her eyes looked into his, full of agonizing uncertainty as her brows came together..

Cloud stared at her, his mouth agape at her ludicrous claim. Now he knew why she treated him the way she did, for all she knew he was a stranger parading about in his body; she was trying to free him from that. He shook his head. "Tifa...when I died, nothing took over me. I'm Cloud of Nibelheim, and no one else. Do you think a demon would keep you alive in its lair like this? It hasn't exactly been fun hosting you, as much as I'd like to say otherwise."

Tifa put her hands to her face and shook her head. "I've seen so much in the last five years, so many horrible things vampires do...and you want me to believe that you...you're Cloud." She shuddered a breath as Cloud took his hand off her shoulder, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I do want you to believe it's me. Whatever you were taught is a load of crap." he said harshly. "You haven't figured that out yet?"

Tifa looked at him, her face revealing her upset. "I've seen enough that I can believe Zangan over you."

He narrowed his eyes at the low blow. "If he's so right, then," he hissed, "why aren't you dead yet? Why aren't you a ghoul or a servant? The only thing I've done is hold you against your will, for the sake of your safety." Cloud felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest at this point.

"I don't know. I don't know what you're up to." she admitted, shaking her head.

Cloud rolled his eyes, irritated. "Do you think I'm gettin' some sort of sick pleasure or thrill out of this? If I wasn't Cloud, why would I keep you, a risk to my existence, in my home?" She responded with a weak, uncertain shrug, her eyes still showing conflict over what she was hearing versus what she had seen and been taught. "You're a serious liability to me, and you know it, too. There's no upside for me keeping you here like this, free to roam the house and possibly end me as I lay on my bed. I'm doing this because I care about you. You're my friend, Tifa." he pleaded. "I could do anything I wanted to do to you right now. What do you think is stopping me?"

She raised her voice, upset. "The last five years can't be wrong...they just can't be! Every horrible thing I've seen vampires do...a mine filled with mutilated corpses, wild animals and humans forced into servitude and do horrible things against their will, I've seen slaughtered families reanimated as ghouls, children held for some hideous blood ritual...

They both knew what he was capable of. Cloud was capable of many, many things that could bring about a lifetime of nightmares to any witnesses. He had the knowledge and the growing power to do them, but it wasn't something that attracted him all that much. He liked some of it, the illusions and suggestions and transformations and levitation, but a lot of it was unsavory to him still. But he understood the reputation and fear, maybe even better than Tifa.

He shook his head angrily. "Sorry to ruin your expectations like that!" Cloud gave her a hard stare. "I guess you'd rather be dead than near me, at least your stupid master would be right then!" he said, his voice full of hurt. Tifa gave an upset frown, and he returned it. "You know what, the Tifa I knew wasn't this daft. She was an understanding, kind and strong person who thought for herself. Tifa used to talk to me...she used to look forward to seeing me." He turned away, sighing. "Tifa used to stick up for me, when no one else did." He paused, trying to control his emotions at this point as he bit the inside of his lip. He was upset and disappointed in his friend, but still very much concerned for her; this wasn't quite her fault, but it was still chipping away at his heart. Cloud looked back with a crestfallen expression on his face. Tifa stared at him, her jaw tense and her red eyes studying him quietly.

She looked down and held her ring, her voice was broken and meek. "And Cloud wouldn't be shouting at me."

Cloud huffed indignantly, and he paced a few times before a tense silence came over the room. He didn't look at her as he picked up the wrapper trash and walked towards the door. "Look, I bought some food if you wanna cook anything, and there's some clothing in the dresser. I'm gonna go out for the time being. Please, don't try to kill me in my sleep when daylight breaks...if our past meant anything to you at all like it does to me." As he left and closed the door, he heard Tifa whisper a "Thank you." Cloud glanced back at the door, then went downstairs.

'Our usual hangout, far away from prying ears...' Cloud dangled his feet off the tall building's ledge as Zack joined him, humming some happy tune and kicking his feet in the air. Cloud thought back to the first time they met on this old building, his friend giving him a somber talk about what exactly happened to him after his battle with those creatures five years ago. It was a dilapidated, abandoned building in Sector Six that stood fifteen stories high, an old construction that had yet to be demolished.

"So, Cloud...about your girlfriend..."

Cloud rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She's not my girlfriend."

Zack looked back at his friend, his face conveying his confusion. "Then who is she?"

"You promise not to tell anyone?"

The black haired vampire grinned and nodded back. "Your secret is safe with me! So, who is she? Long lost sister? Dear old friend you haven't seen in ages?"

Cloud snorted as he looked at his friend. "She's that, and...she's the vampire hunter the guild is looking for." he said in a low voice. "We've known each other since we were kids. I made a promise to keep her safe before I came to Midgar, and I intend to keep it."

"You're friends with a vampire hunter? Someone that, you know, kills vampires." Zack said in a surprised voice.

Cloud sighed. "She wasn't when I left for Midgar, and I still consider her my friend." 'Even if she might not.'

Zack rubbed his chin, then his eyes lit up. "Is this the same friend you talked about before the whole vampire thing happened to you?" he whispered. Cloud nodded, avoiding eye contact. Zack had been there the night he picked out a ring to send back to Tifa.

"Damn."

"Yeah..." Cloud put a hand through his spikes. "She...told me something tonight. That idiot guild of hers thinks we're possessed." He told his friend what Tifa had said

"Wait, what?" Zack looked at Cloud with a perplexed expression on his face. "Possessed? Like in that one movie with the demon takin' control of that woman?"

Cloud snorted. "Something like that, I guess. Tifa's seen a lot of bad things, too. I guess to her, I'm a possible exception to that rule..." He knew it; some vampires were just as bad as some living humans. They were just worse to deal with because of all the power at their disposal. "A lot of vampires don't make us look good." He shrugged. "I mean, as blood drinking monsters go, I'd like to think I'm a little better than some of them." Certainly he made a ghoul out of a particularly noisome mark, but he didn't have a habit of terrorizing people. Neither did his friend, to his relief.

Zack fiddled with his thumbs after conceding the point with a nod. His friend watched him patiently as he prayed to whatever gods existed that he wouldn't do something that got her killed. "So, what are you gonna do with her?"

"I dunno yet. Until then she stays with me where no one can hurt her." he said quietly.

"She could kill you in your sleep, ya know." His friend warned.

"I know that..." he chewed on the inside of his cheek a little. "I have to trust her too."

Zack hummed, bouncing a knee. "I'm not totally convinced she's trustworthy, Spike."

"She can barely get around as it is right now. The first night she tried to escape, so...I had to..." Cloud rubbed his neck. He hated that cry that left her lips before she passed out, the look of terror in her eyes as he held her to the wall. He hoped it never came to that again, even if her blood was particularly sweet.

"And what about the next day, or the day after that?" his friend pressed, his voice full of concern. "I don't care that she used to be close to you, she's bound to kill you now that her head is pumped full of bad memories and information." Zack rubbed his hands. "She could be settin' up a trap right now!"

Cloud shook his head. "She's in her bedroom again, Squeak already checked." He looked up at the black sky. "I have to get it through to her that I'm me...even if it takes some time. This isn't her fault."

"Still, I don't trust her, Cloud. I can't, not without talking to her first."

"Maybe in a couple of nights. She barely trusts me as it is, Zack." It hurt to say that.

"So? I don't trust her around you." Zack crossed his arms.

Cloud sighed. "In a couple of nights, please. I don't want to rush this. We're both on edge, and on top of what she said earlier she told me what happened to my mother..." His mind continually strayed to that during the night, and he had been too busy to properly grieve. He told Zack the news, his friend patting his back.

"I guess it's been a hell of a night for you already." The black haired vampire nodded to himself and gave a final pat to his friend. "Okay, I'll wait. But I'm checkin' up every night, so you better answer your door!"

Cloud gave a tired smile. "Thanks, Zack."

"Yeah, yeah. You better get home before she gets any ideas, Spike." Zack shoved his friend off the tall building, Cloud grabbing his leg and jerking Zack off the ledge before they both tumbled into the darkness. They parted after Zack ruined his friend's hair with his quick noogie, the two taking off towards their separate homes as bats.

Cloud returned to his home after his short flight, walking in as his door opened. He tried straightening his spikes but gave up, instead returning to the second floor of his home after greeting Squeak. He decided not to bother Tifa, the woman probably still in deep thought, and went to his own room to mull things over.

He unceremoniously fell onto his bed and kicked off his boots in the dark room, his large bed in a corner and a desk covered in trinkets and writing supplies. His nightstand housed a small lamp and his phone, and he checked it after not having bothered with it the night before. Several messages from Zack and his newest mark for the week greeted him. He replaced it and stared at the ceiling, his mind going through everything.

His mother, his dear mother, dead in a fire. He had nothing to remember her by except his memories. She was a vibrant woman who almost always wore an orange dress and earthy brown boots, who always made sure he had enough to eat, the one that read him stories about heroes that planted that seed in his heart, to be like them. His mother and Tifa were the two most important women in his life.

He took off his gloves and put his fingers around his bracelet as his hands rested on his abdomen. He wouldn't let Tifa die, he wouldn't allow it; he had lost enough already. 'I have a chance to gain her trust, if I can just get through to her. I just have to take baby steps.' He continued to stare at the ceiling, rubbing the smooth glass beads that rested on his wrist before closing his eyes. Tomorrow night he hoped his old friend would open just a little bit more, and that she would be prepared to talk to Zack when they finally met. If he got this far with her, there was certainly hope for the next night. 'I'm not giving up on Tifa.'

Cloud continued to think and silently grieve as the final hours of the night came to an end, the vampire resting on his side and still rubbing those comforting beads that his dearest friend gave him all those years ago. Would she finally realize it's him and not a thing animating him? He frowned before his consciousness faded as the dawn came, wondering why on Gaia Tifa would go through all this trouble to attempt to free him from such a fate despite knowing it could have gotten her killed or worse.

Thanks again to Emerial for beta reading and giving me directions I might not have thought of. And thank you to reviews for your continued support!