The last several days had been busy for the two, allowing them to ignore why they were in Junon in the first place for a time. No longer connected to the vampire hunter guild Tifa decided that she needed a more mundane job, though Cloud insisted she could live with him since the rent prices were high in Junon. She saw no harm in it, especially if they had their own rooms again. Tifa didn't mind sharing the bedroom in the hotel with him for a little while, but she would like some more privacy. When would she have a chance to mourn alone for her lost life and friends who feared her dead?

Cloud had been as much a distraction as Junon, however. The two caught up on everything they could, and she felt herself opening a little more to him, a wave of nostalgia coming over her every time they did something they used to do in the past. Tifa couldn't deny it, his quiet, friendly demeanor was something she had craved after seven long years. She really had missed him like no other, and she was afraid if she hugged him she wouldn't let go.

His looks appealed to her, his familiar, spiky golden locks and powerful lean muscles; combined with that illusion on his skin he looked as inviting as the day he left Nibelheim. He may be a vampire, she reasoned, but he still looked attractive. She blushed to herself. 'I need to stop doing this to myself...'

"Tifa?"

She looked over at Cloud. "Hm?"

He pointed at a building nestled in a dark corner of the city, near the cliff face. "This place looks promising."

Tifa squinted and cocked her head. It was too dark to make out the condition of the building. "I'll take your word for it, Cloud."

Cloud snorted. "Can't see it all too well, huh? I guess I'll check the inside alone..." he sighed.

She shook her head, fishing a materia out of one of the pockets of her shorts. "I'll be fine." she said with a grin. He smiled back before opening the abandoned building; occupied homes required permission to enter, but places that hadn't had residents for a while were fair game to vampires. Tifa really wasn't sure why, and Cloud was about as clueless as she was. Magic is magic, he said.

They entered the dusty building and she activated her light materia, both wincing as they adapted to the light that pierced the darkness. Unlike the last place they investigated, this one actually seemed livable after it was cleaned up a bit. 'A lot of clean up...'

She went to the second floor as Cloud checked for a possible basement, the building had at least three stories and was a bit wider than his old place. She wondered how long they would have to consider Junon home before they could go back to Midgar; she had a home still with her possessions and that box full of Cloud's things, and she thought it would be nice if she could get a hold of some of it or have someone clean out her fridge at the very least. Tifa grimaced at the thought of the mess that would eventually become.

The second and third floor were similar in their floor plans, both having a large bedroom and several vacant rooms, and roomy bathrooms. Most of the rooms had no windows because of the proximity to the cliff wall, the only windows on the front of the house and a single one in the kitchen that faced an eternally shady alley. The rooms were bare except for the remnants of temporary human habitation from the homeless.

The two met on the first floor, discussing the state of the building in front of the cobweb infested fireplace. Cloud had his fist near his lips as his other hand propped up his elbow. "It looks pretty stable. There's some connectors for a washer and dryer, and the water heater seems to be alright. Just need to connect to the gas and get the pilot going."

Tifa nodded. "There's two floors above us with about the same amount of rooms on each floor...I suppose you can have a floor to yourself and I can have one, too."

Cloud smirked. "I call top floor!" he said as he pointed his finger upwards.

She put her hands on her hips. "Well I guess you'd like quick access to the roof, bat boy."

He let out a dry chuckle. "That would be nice." Cloud looked around, rubbing the back of his neck. "This place is gonna take a while to clean up. My old home took weeks to clean after I negotiated with all the utility companies and the city in regards to the ownership of the property."

Tifa raised a brow. "Negotiated?"

"Negotiated." Cloud flashed a cryptic smile.

She really didn't care if he was taking advantage of utility companies with his suggestions, but it was interesting to see what he used them for. "I'll start cleaning up tomorrow afternoon. We'll have this place cleaned up pretty quick!" It would help keep her mind off her troubles for a time, too, she thought.

"Thanks, Tifa. I'll join you when I wake up." They left the abandoned house and walked down the road. Cloud glanced over at his friend. "Hungry?"

She nodded. "Where to?"

He took her hand. "How about somewhere by the beach?"

"Hey Aerith, are you alright?" Zack squeezed her hand as they walked down the road to her house after dinner. He had been noticing her demeanor over the week had grown more and more distant.

She looked up and to her side, her date holding an inquisitive pout on his face. "I...I'm fine."

He shook his head. "You've been a little withdrawn these last few nights..." His eyes widened. "You aren't...gonna break up with me, are you?"

Aerith waved her hand and shook her head. "No! No, I don't want to break up at all, Zack." She looked ahead and took a deep breath. "A friend of mine is missing. I've sent text messages and I've tried calling her too, and a mutual friend has been visiting her house...but she's gone." she whispered.

Zack frowned at the news, he didn't want to see Aerith upset but he also had a lot on his plate as it was. Still, if he could look out for her friend during the night that wouldn't be a problem. "How long has she been missing?"

"Over a week and a half."

He nodded. "What's her name?" 'I can check the database and see if the guild may have done her in.' he thought sadly.

"Tifa Lockhart." Aerith glanced at her date as she said it, stopping her walk. His eyes went wide and he looked away before a hand gripped his cheeks and pulled his face to look at her. "You know her, don't you?" Her voice dripped suspicion.

"Uh..." Zack moved his eyes this way and that as his cheeks squished forward from Aerith's delicate fingers. "M-maybe. Just recently." 'Shut up Zack, she's gonna think you have her in some creepy dungeon!'

Aerith took her hand away, a concerned look on her face. "Recently...?"

"She's Cloud's childhood friend! They just took...a vacation...together." Zack cringed at how awkward it must have sounded.

"A vacation? Without telling anyone?" She looked down, thinking. She hadn't known the two longer than a month, Zack having mysteriously fallen through the roof in the back of her shop before closing time, Cloud charging in seconds later in a quiet panic.

Zack had looked so strangely pale as he groaned on the floor, bits of wooden tile covering him; she wondered if he was possibly ill. His eyes had lit up as he looked into her emerald orbs and he smiled at her as he tried to get up by himself. To this day she had no idea how he wasn't at the very least injured. He and Cloud had both apologized about the damage to her roof, promising to pay to have it repaired. They left shortly after dividing what the three estimated the costs would be, Zack punching Cloud on the arm and mumbling about how "that was a cheap-shot."

She still didn't know where he had fallen from, the larger buildings far from her little shop. The two would come in and buy flowers and talk, always in the evening. Cloud was more reserved and quiet, but friendly, while Zack was excitable and talkative. He wooed her into a date, that night the last time she had seen Tifa.

Was it connected?

Zack shifted his weight on his feet. He really didn't know what to say to her, and he didn't want to lie either. Everything was in a precarious situation right now, and if she knew too much Aerith could get dragged into it as well. He sighed and took one of Aerith's hands in both his. "I...want to tell you everything." he said quietly before looking back into her eyes. "But right now, that...could be dangerous. Cloud is keeping Tifa safe right now. I've known him long enough where I can tell, he cares about her like I care about you. So please, believe me when I say she's safe. I promise she's alive and well."

Aerith looked down at his hands then back into his blue eyes and tense face. She sighed. "I...believe you, Zack. But it'd be nice if I could hear back from her, or if I could write a letter to her...I want to know she's alright, Zack."

He nodded, and resumed walking with her hand in his. "You totally should! I can have it delivered to her by tomorrow night."

"I'll write one out before you leave..." she said. "It's relieving that you know she's alive, Zack."

He smiled and nodded. While he had been too busy with the guild and searching for what was indeed a mole in the guild to send anything out to Cloud, not trusting phones for such delicate matters, this would give him the perfect opportunity to write a letter of his own on anything they had found out so far. "As soon as I get anything back I'll give it to you, Aerith."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"How many trash bags did you use?" Cloud asked from the living room. Tifa had obviously been very busy while he slept, stuffed trash bags neatly standing together. She came down the staircase with another one, wearing gloves and a face mask.

"Oh, probably a good twenty. I'm almost done with the third floor, then I'm gonna vacuum." She rubbed the sweat off her forehead with her exposed arm.

He grabbed several bags. "Geeze, Tifa. When you said you were gonna get an early start, I wasn't expecting you to do all the dirty work..." he mumbled. This was his project as much as it was hers.

"It's alright. You get to throw them in the dumpster for me." He could see the smile on her eyes as the light materia shone from her bracer.

He nodded and went outside, looking around for a dumpster. Cloud turned his head and found it at the end of the street, and he opened it and tossed his first round in. He went back in to collect more, taking several more trips as Tifa finished the last of the bags from his floor. Tossing them and shutting the dumpster he swiped his hands together as he walked towards his soon to be new home.

A muffled caw sounded from above and Cloud looked up towards the sky; a large crow was flying towards him. It landed on the ground in front of him, cawing out again after dropping something. "Clara." He walked up to Zack's servant and crouched down to take whatever messages his friend had sent; Clara flapped up to his shoulder to rest, indicating a need for a response back. Or so Zack had told him the first time they were introduced.

Cloud headed back into the house as he looked over the letters, a white envelope addressed to him and a green one to Tifa. His brows came together; Aerith had written to Tifa? Just what did Zack say to her? He sighed as Tifa walked towards him after coming down the stairs.

She glanced at the crow, the letters and then at Cloud. "Vampire mail?"

Cloud snorted and looked back at her. "Something like that." He pointed at the bird. "This is Clara, one of Zack's servants." It cawed at her, and Tifa nodded a greeting. The vampire handed over the letter addressed to her. "Aerith wrote to you."

"Wait, you know Aerith?" The flowers in the vase in his home flashed in her mind.

Cloud nodded. "She's dating Zack."

"What? Why?"

He shrugged. "Because he likes her. Being a vampire doesn't stop him from looking for love..." Cloud seemed to have a faraway look in his eyes before focusing again and flapping the envelope at Tifa.

Tifa took the green letter from her friend and opened it up, Aerith's flowing cursive greeting her eyes.

Dear Tifa,

Zack told me you were with Cloud, but I don't know where you two could be. You disappeared so suddenly, I was very worried...I still am. I really don't understand why you're in danger or how Cloud and Zack found out and spirited you away so quickly. But if you're alright, that's good enough for me.

Rox has been beside herself when she visits, thinking the worst. I'll show her your response to reassure her that you aren't dead or worse...She keeps saying "or worse". Maybe her imagination is running away with her? Anyway, I hope you're safe and sound with Cloud. If you two get serious, make sure I'm the first to know, okay? I wanna tease Zack with it.

Hear from you soon!
Aerith

'When we get serious?' She glanced at Cloud as he read over his letter. She blushed. 'It wouldn't work...' Tifa blew air out of her lips, lifting some of her bangs before folding the letter up. "She wants me to write back."

Cloud grunted. "Yeah, Zack asked me to as well." He looked up at Tifa, lazily waving his letter. "They haven't found out much yet, just that it's a mole in the guild...and when they're found, well..." He shrugged. "...someone is gonna be in big trouble."

Tifa nodded, then looked back down at her letter. Rox would be hurt if she didn't write back, but her former guild might come looking for her, too. It might be too late if Aerith had already spoken to Rox, however. Tifa had told Rox why she was a vampire hunter one evening, asking her not to speak to the others about her personal reason. 'Maybe it's a good thing none of them know where we went.'

The two took a break from cleaning the house to acquire stationary supplies, and they wrote letters back that either detailed what they were up to or how they were doing as they sat next to each other in the new home. "I hope Aerith doesn't mention you to Rox."

Cloud groaned. "I knew I should have killed her that night." Tifa flicked his nose with her pen. "Ow!"

"I'm very happy you didn't."

"She's gonna cause trouble..." he grumbled as he wrote.

Tifa snorted. "You're good at saving trouble makers." He didn't reply, but she noticed a faint smile on his lips when she looked over. She returned to her two letters, finishing them after a few minutes of contemplation. "I'm sorry if I've been too much trouble." Tifa avoided eye contact as she stuffed the letters into their respective envelopes. She realized she had caused him some emotional hurt when he was trying to help her, even if she had good reason to think the way she did.

His gloved hand reached out for her chin, bringing her ruby eyes to gaze upon his brilliant blue orbs. "I...understand how hard it is to get over the things you've seen. You couldn't help but associate it with me." He looked down for a moment as he bit the inside of his cheek, then looking at her again. "I told you before, you're important to me. And no matter what...I'll be there for you, Tifa."

Tifa swallowed hard before nodding and looking away, her face burning. "We have each other's backs," she mumbled.

"Like we always have."

They sent Clara on her way with the three letters after she had reappeared from the shadows outside the house, the crow disappearing into the night. The two returned to their cleaning after a quick lunch, Tifa vacuuming the carpet as Cloud sweeped the tile floors on the bottom floor. It was times like these he appreciated the fact he didn't have to breathe, the air choked with dust as he thoroughly swept and dusted the kitchen and living area.

A mole in the guild had nearly cost he and Tifa their lives. His sweeps became sharper as he thought the letter over. His guild was still looking for Tifa, though that was on the back burner for now. His transfer went through at the very least, and he should have his first mark in about a week; he bit his lip, he was going to get a little antsy in several days without a little blood to keep him going. 'That was a bad time.'

Cloud tried to get a mark once a week. Any longer without blood and he slowly became more feral and needy, the worst case occurring when he was still a fresh faced vampire with a moral dilemma. Two weeks without blood, and he could hear every heartbeat and the slosh of blood pumping through nearby veins, calling to him to have a taste.

He didn't want to kill to live, and he barricaded himself in his coffin after having a mental breakdown in front of Zack after he explained that he was now a vampire, that folkloric being Zangan would tell stories about. Blood sucking, shadow weaving demons of the night, and now he was one of them. He didn't have to breathe, he couldn't feel a heartbeat. His skin was pale and his nails kept growing and shortening as his emotions went haywire.

He was distraught, scared, sad and angry, and he would lay in his coffin and try to forget about the world of the living, hoping the Planet would finally take him if he laid still enough. Cloud would scratch the wood of his prison with sharp talons as he tried to ignore the call of life sustaining blood that was so close by, taunting him and making him grind his teeth.

Cloud finally left his tomb on the night of the beginning of the second week, still in the cadet uniform they buried him in. He couldn't take it anymore, his eyes darting back and forth and his fangs itchy for a neck to bury into. He stalked the cemetery and nearly tore a woman to shreds before Zack tackled him to the ground, the former cadet turning into a crying mass in his friend's arms. Zack comforted him and took him to the outskirts of the sector, a bound man hidden in a crag waiting for them. It was okay, Zack said. He caught this man doing bad things to other people.

He had finally had enough. Cloud stumbled towards his victim mindlessly and put a hand over the man's head and clamped his jaw over his neck as his victim tried to scream into his gag. The new vampire felt much better after that, the sweet, thick blood soothing his body and clearing his mind as it trickled down his throat.

"Cloud?"

He shook his head, snapping out of the old memory. He looked at Tifa. "Hm?"

"It's getting close to five, I think we lost track of time..." She looked tired.

He cursed under his breath. "We should go...We made a big enough dent here for the night as it is." They left quickly towards the hotel, the sky showing the faintest of red tinges to the east. They held each other's hands as they pushed forward, Cloud hoping to be within the safe confines of their room before the first rays of sunlight would spill out onto the city by the sea.

Thanks again to Emerial!