I do not own FVVII nor make money with this writing. Characters belonged to Square Enix Inc.

End Part I

He sensed the light's intensity through the thin skin of his eyelids, wondering if it would worthwhile opening his eyes. Carefully, blinking several times, getting used to the light brightness, his first sight was wooden walls and an open window. He looked up to a ceiling with a chandelier. It was a room, not a casket, or a mako tank, and neither a lab. Thankfully, not a lab. Nothing attached him to the bed, only his heavy body, still dealing with a tingling numbness over his limbs. A white curtain barely contained the light out there. The golden light of the sky. Opposite of the limbo. Slowly, he veered his head and saw Cloud, deeply slumbering by his side, but in another bed. "Is this real?"

Sephiroth stood up, dizzy as if he was in a kind of trance, he looked down and placed both feet in the floor, moving his fingers, feeling the wooden's coldness under the tips. He smirked, there was so much light in the place. Accustomed with darkness for two long years, his eyes ached, the pupils contracting and dilating to adjust the focus. It seemed morning. Three moons. "We jumped through a portal…What in the hell is Cloud now? A God? Only Materia wouldn't do this."

Sephiroth scanned the place while touching his limbs and muscles, he was dressed in a sort of a long cotton nightshirt, soft, and comfortable. In a clean Norwegian style bedroom, tiles and walls of wooden, but what his eyes already searched for was his beloved sword. Two large beds, a table for two, a kitchen, a mirrored door in the left that should be the bathroom. A closet. A couch with a backpack, Cloud's ragged clothes in a bag. No sign of his Masamune and Sephiroth tensed his jaw. "I can't stay here, with Cloud, and unarmed," he sighed, briefly closing his eyes.

He had foggy memories of his body in pieces, a summoned Materia that blew up in the air, making a huge explosion of green light. Fire. Black magic stronger than Jenova itself. Lifestream trying to liquefy his body, painfully hurting his bones, and then, finally, untacking its roots over him. Cloud shouting, crying in despair, warming his body, his cyan eyes staring in wonder while his blood saved him. He felt all his muscles, veins, bones, and nerves regained tissues inch by inch while the excruciating pain was slowly replaced by a peaceful numbness. He went through all of this and so did Cloud. "Why?"

Sephiroth shuddered, thinking at the discomfort, touching his body again to feel assured of the reality. He opened the nightshirt collar, sighing in relief after verifying his body flawless at everywhere, slightly ashamed about who would have changed or dressed his clothes, and glanced at Cloud.

However he appreciated being alive, something was nagging him about Cloud's attitude. The extreme behavior, so out of his character worried Sephiroth, even frightened him. What about the hero's moral code that he used to brag and cherished, he simply forgot all to save him? And what about those people he cared so much? He was Sephiroth, before anything he was a Soldier First Class, and somehow to be only this instead of a mad messenger of an alien plague was better. He couldn't afford love and all the bullshit along with this, but Cloud was there. All the visions he had.

One certainty he had, he was alive, the landscape in front of his eyes was real, and the gentle breeze pulling some strings of his hair to fly was a fact. It had a sky above his head. He deeply breathed and savored the sensation of air invading his lungs. Real air. He was standing in front of an open window, on the top of a hill, and there was a valley down there, lots and lots of lands covered with trees, and far beyond, he could see a vast desertic area. Stunning view. Only one place matched the description, and he thought it was not real, but indeed, a folk tale from his early years as a cadet. A mercenary neutral zone. Another world. He looked down at the sun, and slowly raised his hands against it as if he could catch it, admiring the soft fuzz on his skin against the light. He was solid, alive. "This is real."

Sephiroth deep breathed again, silently turned his back to the window, his eyes landing straight at the young man on the other side of the bedroom. He was feeling so weak, still on the healing process to have to deal with Cloud. The door that would lead to the corridor was on the other side of the room, yet, no signs of Masamune neither Bustersword nor any other weapon. Now, he was becoming a little bit paranoid. There was nothing impossible for Cloud Strife. He killed him twice and brought him back to what he would discover if it were life. He wondered for how long, Cloud had the memories about their connection. Sephiroth regained at least a great part of his memories still inside the crypt, but his mind burned with questions since the limbo. So many that he was almost choosing to run away instead of trying to have the answers from Cloud. One answer Sephiroth already had, Gaia was dead, Cloud summoned black Materia, and they became Weapons after this. Monsters, nothing different until now. Another reason to find his Masamune and get the hell out of there. That was his first accomplishment to do. "Masamune, clothes, door."

Sephiroth walked the distance between him and Cloud on another bed, dressed in the same way as he was, and paused. If Cloud, voluntarily chose to turn himself into a Weapon, he would be doomed for so long that it could be called eternity, by the universe's accounting. When Sephiroth accepted Jenova, he was aware the same would happen with him, in case they were successful. Although, he never regarded Cloud with such power or even strength of will, to carry a burden and a prize like this. He admired the young man for his courage to fight him twice, but now he was beginning to fear him.

Cloud was young, terribly young as to speak, batshit crazy, gloomy, gorgeous, too blond and hair too spiky. Instable and passionate, in ways Sephiroth could never imagine. Strong and powerful as he never had guessed. On the top list from the insanities that Sephiroth crossed through his life, having Cloud as his savior was certainly the winner. However, Jenova linked their paths together as if it should have to be like that. Seeing Cloud was confusing him to the point of not want to admit for himself his love. Like he was on the limbo, not controlling his memories, feelings, and choices. Adrift.

Cloud was onto his belly, one arm carelessly displayed on the pillow, and the other above his head, back arching up and down with breathing. He was taller than the last time he saw, strong legs spread around the mattress and toned muscles. A body of a warrior, many scars in the tanned skin, and Sephiroth's attention turned to a large one on his left forearm, recently bandaged. "A great amount of power, unknown even for me. He fed me with his blood, healed me, now he's running through my veins. I can feel it. I did it once at him with my fluids ... Would Cloud is trying to control me through this? Is this still Jenova's working, awakening feelings that I don't have? Or I do have? Would he sacrifice himself and the planet to kill me again? Did he do all of this only because he loves me?"

He did not know if he should wake up Cloud or run away out of there, unarmed and wearing that ridiculous nightshirt. He was weighing his two options while his hero opened his eyes, rubbing them like a boy, and promptly sitting, crossing his legs over the mattress. Silence. The awkward silence was making him heard the thuds of his pulsation on his throat, he needed to find his sword. Sephiroth could not read Cloud's expression that seemed to enjoy staring back at him, in silence, waiting for the man's reaction. He cleared his throat.

"How long no see, Cloud."

Cloud opened a glowing smile at him, the kind one that eyes smile too. It was so Sephiroth to say something like that, and he missed him a lot. It was clear his confused behavior, but so far so good, and they would have time to catch up.

"I know you must have a lot of questions."

Sephiroth tilted his head feeling stupid. He was speaking with Cloud for the first time after years and asked the question of their last battle. Sephiroth could not afford to be vulnerable. Skeptic and apart from Jenova's influence, he was still fighting with his old self to trust, the fact that Cloud has done all of that for love. "Love…it's just too simple to be true. I have to find what Cloud really wants with this. He killed a fucking planet and it won't surprise me if Jenova were sailing it. Plus, it was not his first intention when he found me."

"Where are we?"

"Safe. We can rest here until feeling your power is back."

Cloud answered raising his hand to Sephiroth take and sit on the bed. After some uncomfortable seconds in the air, as the man did not move, he downed his hand. Sephiroth glared at him, demanding expression, puzzled, and threatening face at the same time. Cloud sympathetically smiled, receiving back another frozen glare. Sephiroth's usual stern posture back.

"Eorzea. World Hydaelyn. It's a healing station from..."

"I know what it is. Where's my sword, and how did you make it all this?"

Somehow, Sephiroth was feeling himself regaining a different kind of strength, without the maddening emotional crisis from before, but equally powerful. Cloud nodded his head at him. Naturally, Sephiroth was suspiciously, completely understanding given the nature of his recent experience. Especially their last connection when Cloud tortured him.

"How are you feeling?

"In a great need to know what happened, Cloud. Where's my...?"

Cloud pointed out at the door before he finished the sentence. Sephiroth quickly went to his Masamune, grabbing it with pleasure in feeling the handle, checking for possible damages at the blade, eyes landing back at Cloud from time to time. The sword was there all the time, leaned on the wall near the kitchen's sink, by the side of Cloud's one, joined as one only weapon. Weapons. Still, it had not quieted his fears, and he mentally lectured himself in not have located it first, thinking he was really out of shape, blurred with Cloud's magic. Cloud's magic? It seems absurd to him.

"Good."

Sephiroth did not saw his usual attire, and as if Cloud were guessing his next question, anticipated it, saying they would have new clothes soon.

Keeping his sword close, Sephiroth finally sat on the bed, at the other side where Cloud was, signaling with his head to the young explain himself. He was aware that he was being the less grateful person in the universe, but still, he could not help. Only at looking, he could say Cloud was not the same one who had fought him twice. His scent changed from ordinary to a demigod, as powerful as Sephiroth was in the past, and he no longer felt like that, at least, not until that moment. Sephiroth was vulnerable, and fragility was the last word for him on Gaia. He hated the sound, the feeling, objects with this adjective, everything that relayed to fragility, he despised, and now looking at himself, he was disgusted.

As much he wanted to show bravery, Sephiroth's coldness hurt him, and he wondered if he would say a thank you or not even that, and just leave away. Maybe, joining him only when they were supposed to achieve another mission for the universe. It even crossed Cloud's mind that the man wasn't aware of what they had become. It didn't matter that Jenova was dead, her legacy remained on their bodies along with the last stage of her enhancement, becoming Weapons for the Universe. What the green crystal showed him, their indestructible link, it did not seem so intimate for Sephiroth, and he had in front of his sight a disorientated former general capable of everything on that state, and his biggest fear was the man leaves him. He was scared, but Cloud was sure of his decision, and this granted him enough skills to deal with the man's mistrusts, other than his rejection.

"Are you aware that we achieved the final stage, don't you?"

Sephiroth leaned against the iron headboard of the bed, his hand still gripping Masamune, and snorted at Cloud.

"Blowing up Gaia and becoming a Weapon? I was aware since the beginning, I'm the villain here, and I have no moral doubts, but the question is, are you aware? You don't seem to have read the Weapon's guide. "

He rather knew what happened to Gaia. He knew about the dreams and had the memories. What was lacking was the true meaning behind Cloud's actions.

"I accepted it, Sephiroth, and yes, I know what comes along with the prize."

With slow movements, Cloud changed his position in the bed, sitting closer to Sephiroth. Masamune's blade shone under the clear light from the window, and the man's green eyes attentively watched him, simultaneously looking at his sword. He had pictured many scenes after Sephiroth's awakening. In all of them, including at least, respect for his actions, and not mockery. Sephiroth knew Cloud would not offer any harm at him, and his stubborn side still acted as if they were enemies. Everything he wished was to hug him, kiss, but he knew very well that it would not fit Sephiroth's type.

"We are here because we were predestined. Please, stop acting like if you were up to chop my head or the contrary. You already know why we are here, you just need time to remember. Look at me Sephiroth, I'm unarmed in a cotton nightshirt. Relax."

"You are a Weapon, you don't need anything to kill me, just your will."

Cloud moved forwards and tried to touch his hand when he noticed Sephiroth clenching his fist, moving away from his hand with care. Cloud sighed in a bored tone, narrowing his eyes.

"You brought me back to life, summoned a portal to bring us here, and killed a planet. I bet if the situation were the opposite, you would not even be in the same room with me, Cloud, unless your sword was crossing my chest."

Cloud dragged himself away from him, sulky, leaning back at the other side of the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Sephiroth, did you hear my voice inside the crypt?"

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at Cloud, nodding his head. Staying lost in that darkness world pinched his heart, but have to feel compelled to be thankful at Cloud, and that infuriated him, wondering if being alive would cost way more than he allowed himself to pay. Although Cloud shouted his 'eternal love' and agreed with some powerful godlike force to kill Gaia away, Sephiroth knew he went there to murder him, and then, it suddenly turned into a rescue.

"It's a vessel, Sephiroth, like you said it would be."

Sephiroth was thoughtful, imagining the scenes of the cataclysm. Unleashed by Cloud. The same person who spent years fighting against him. The turnaround of events was so incredible that Sephiroth giggled, shaking his head, and then returning his glare at Cloud.

"Why did you make do all of this? Not even think to come with love rubbish."

Cloud straight answered back, not coyly or hesitating, his voice was soft and his manners calm, but he was boiling from inside, they had the power to rage themselves against each other. It was almost a talent for both men, they were just used in threatening each other for so long that they did not know other option than attack.

"It is love and I won't excuse myself for this. We are Weapons or called it a name you wish, Sephiroth. We are the planet's vendetta, the chosen ones to call its end by Gaia itself. An honor and a curse, as our existence as well that I could not see at the time, overshadowed by the mediocrity that I insisted living on. In the end, you were right. I found you through those dreams on Northern Crater because Lifestream couldn't absorb you, and we are bonded, like it or not. Everyone understood wrongly the ancient's prophecies. It never was about salvation, it was a calendar, leading their people to have faith, and move out Gaia. The end of Gaia began in the day Shinra found out Jenova's corpse. Oh, and she was not an alien, she was indeed a goddess, created and implanted inside the crater by the universe itself. She had been there for ages. You and I were supposed to end the planet in a way or another. In simple words, Sephiroth, the Calamity from The Skies was in a mission. When she could not accomplish her task, she created us, we took Aerith's place after you had shooed her, murdering the last cetran who had the duty to awake the goddess. It would happen anyway, and that was just delayed. Everything alive one day dies. Including planets. When Shinra triggered Jenova, it was Gaia's ending call. So, do you still believe that everything we lived in our lives, apart or together was a mere coincidence? Nothing was aleatory in the process, it should be like this, including with us falling in love. Here and now. We born for this and we will die as gods."

Cloud said 'falling in love' with such confidence that Sephiroth averted his eyes, casting them down. He rememorized Aerith's vision. She tried to explain for him, talking about higher purpose, aligned goals…and Cloud's love. They were all connected and Sephiroth never had pulled the strings alone. The crazy thing was that he knew this fact since the beginning, as so Aerith. One day, both would destroy the planet. Cloud was the missing ship, on denying his purpose and breaking the link, imagining the final destruction would not happen with his heroic actions. Kadaj was right. Kadaj...Sephiroth wondered if as a Weapon he could summon his clones back. He would enjoy their company, his separates personalities would help him in this present situation.

A long silence followed between them. Sephiroth lifted his eyes at Cloud. The cyan eyes shined a mixed shade of blue and green, smashing on Sephiroth's face the divinity he had achieved. Cloud seemed thrilled, talking about his discovery, their history, articulate, and godly touched as if he had been raptured.

"So, there was a plan, Gaia had to die, and the Universe contracted you for the murdering, and in the middle of the way you did a fantastic rescue?"

Cloud chuckled, relaxing his back against the pillow, bending one of his legs above the mattress, his nightshirt revealing a full view of his thigh and a glimpse of his buttocks. Sephiroth caught himself looking more time than he intended at his body until Cloud's voice called back his attention to his face.

"Almost that, Jenova's cells and our bond inside at her cave, gave me the strength to manipulate Black Materia without dying. I had to rescue you, otherwise, the planet would fight against a black Materia, but not against your awakened gifted cells, powered by the force of the universe itself. You achieved your purpose."

"Did you make it all alone?"

"Vincent Valentine and…also Lucrecia Crescent helped me. They provided me everything that we needed as if they were completely prepared for what was coming. I thought that you actually would have this answer. They have got even this place to our rest."

Sephiroth tilted his head, truly desiring to relax, and believe in that almost romantic fairy tale if not by the end of an entire planet.

"I don't know neither. How?"

"Inside the rented ship to rescue you, I found a package, instructions that led us here, the enchantment to open portals, an ancient book about magic, and I have something that was for you only."

Cloud paused, stood up from the bed, and went to his backpack, returning with a small black box. Sephiroth almost yelped when he saw the little case like a jewelry box.

"What's this now, Cloud?"

"Vincent's protomateria. I guess, he unlocked it to end Gaia. He said you would know how to manipulate. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth."

Cloud handed him the box and he took it. Protomateria, a nuclear bomb, full of rechargeable energy, which Sephiroth could absorb in an endless reload inside his body. Good, now he could confront Cloud if necessary, and probably, wouldn't die for this. After all, his former puppet was a Weapon and Sephiroth still did not know what he was in this new role-playing. He leaned his sword at the headboard and opened the small black box. It was beautiful and it was a gift from…It was still hard to believe, even harder to think, and almost unspeakable. Sephiroth closed the box, keeping it close to his hand, as not even a pocket that damn clothe had. He turned his head to Cloud, stretching his neck, and snorting at him.

"I know a truth, your first impulse wasn't to rescue me, Cloud. What changed?"

Cloud gulped and nodded his head. He was right, it was not until the green crystal hit him. He paced towards Sephiroth, attentively watching to his movements. He sat by the man's side, staring at his cold eyes. It would come up sooner or later, Sephiroth would never let slip a subject like this. Better, the man had to know how desperate he was at that time.

"Don't hate me for this, don't fight me, please. I was losing my sanity Sephiroth and after the vision that let me bruised, I thought about give up. When Vincent told me about green lights in Northern Crater, I went there, mostly to find answers about the visions, knowing that I would freeze if I find you. I touched the crystal thinking it would open the damn crypt to kill you for the third time, and I would free the planet of your attempts to destroy it."

Cloud smirked, visibly moved, his huge blues eyes already moistened at remembering the sorrow of those days. Thankfully, they were distant now.

"After this, I would kill myself, it wouldn't be a sacrifice because being alive was a punishment. Your punishment at me. Still, I wouldn't have you anyway. Then, after the huge blow of light, everything changed, my fears about dare to kill you changed to have the courage to kill for you. I understood why our paths crossed together. I made peace with myself and this time, I would accept what you always had said to me. I chose you. I chose my life. I chose to be a Weapon. If you want to share by my side this unspeakable power, be the gods of the war of this new purpose, I will be the happier Weapon of the universe. The good news, there are other worlds to be put to sleep and the work did not end. I love you as I love my purpose and as I know, we are destined to be together forever in one way or another. But, it's up to you, Sephiroth. The door is not locked and you are not trapped. You sensed the deepest of my soul, and know that I'm being truthful."

Sephiroth was not a man to show feelings and he would never be, but from inside he was apprehensive, scared, so many questions, and though, a kind of peace was enlacing his heart, thrilling him. After all, he had parents who rather gave him a second rebirth, and Cloud confirmed what he was afraid to not be true. However, it only made him felt more scared of the future.

"At each word that comes out from your mouth, the more absurd it seems to me. I'm still me Cloud, but I'm aware that I'm a person, not what I used to think I was. I cannot be anything else. I guess that eventually, whatever peaceful life offered to me, I would be the villain that I always have been. I-I treasured what you have done so far, but I know the bloodthirsty I feel and it seems that so do you. I have no idea how this would work out. As far as I know, Weapons does not get along so well. Nothing different between you and me in all those years, right?"

"But it won't be like this with us, you can be exactly who you are, and this is perfect for me."

"I wouldn't count on it."

Sephiroth abruptly stood up from the bed, Masamune on hands. Cloud looked at him, shook his head as if he were up to say something, but the words did not come out from his throat. Sephiroth looked around as if searching for something and then stared at him.

"What are you doing?"

Sephiroth walked forwards the door, veering back his head at Cloud when he touched the doorknob.

"Where did you say the clothes are?"

"I didn't, the reception..."

Cloud flinched on his spot with the noise. Sephiroth not even listened to him finish the sentence, and slammed the door, running away. As Cloud feared, Sephiroth thanked him and left.

"No, it's not happening in this way, he's just tense and will come back. Maybe he just needs time to process everything. It's not supposed to end like this, it's destined. No!"

The young man gulped, paralyzed to go after him. His mind ran rational and logics strategies to bring him back to his senses, it was imperative his acceptance of their new goals, but his heart already terribly ached, feeling himself alone on his purpose and life.

Sephiroth ran the stairs down to find a huge lobby and the foyer with a receptionist at the end of a corridor. "This is not for me. It can't be."

He fast crossed the lobby, indeed it was a crowded healing station in a neutral zone, converging many worlds and guests in a huge need of recovering, the most part after had done a great amount of villainy. In a mercenary place like that, he could find a ship and get out. "Get out to where? How I would afford my exit?"

"Mr. S. How can I help you?"

Sephiroth just stared at the little man or creature with hare ears, without knowing anymore what he was doing there. Where would he go, and why alone if he had what he wished for since the beginning of his nightmare, back in Shinra's mansion. Family, purpose, power, and love. So why was he having a hard time accepting it? Did the years break him so much to the point of blind him?

"Clothes. Please."

"Oh I'm sorry, I was waiting for the other Mr. S. call us as I have orders to no disturb you sirs."

Sephiroth frowned at the little man. "Other Mr. S.? What Cloud is thinking, that we are a couple on a honeymoon?" Immediately after he recorded, indeed Cloud's last name begins with the same letter, which means he was the one romanticizing the moment, for the second time. He also had thought the small black box could be a jewel or something like that.

"I need them now."

It nagged him to the point of clench his fist, punching the wooden counter. The receptionist shuddered with Sephiroth's harshly command and stammered to answer him, causing the man to roll his eyes even more irritated than before. The clerk just nodded at him, retrieved two packages from behind the counter, wrapped in black paper and laced with a gilded satin rope. It also had a sealed letter with his name and Sephiroth anxiously opened it.

"New clothes for a new life, designed exclusively for you, and I hope you like it. If I could, I'd have given you this package personally and Lucrecia would cuddle you on her arms. Have a happy new life, Sephiroth, in the way you choose better. Lucrecia, Cloud, and I already made our choice and by now, Gaia is dead, you and Cloud are Weapons. You probably already know how it happened by this amazing warrior, brave enough to never deny his love for you. You have lucky my son, more than you probably believe you do. At the device inside the envelope, you will find everything you need to know about Lucrecia and me, as well as some provisions for starts. Remember, in the future, you can write your life again as you wish. Be truthful with yourself. Finally, your mother and I accomplished our mission, a chance of giving life to you for the second time. It's a blessing, as you were for us, and we'll rest in peace now. We always loved you, and you never had left our hearts and minds, even though our tragic paths never could have crossed.

Vincent and Lucrecia"

Sephiroth closed his eyes, frowning to not cry, taken aback by the short raw letter. "Lucrecia was saying the truth about them, about Hojo, about everything. That despicable piece of shit never was my father. Good." The visions he had inside the limbo about his childhood, true, about Aerith, true, about Cloud, true again. He had lived a life of lies and betrayals, and now truth flooded almost drowning him. He thanked the clerk, grabbed his packages, and turned his back to the reception, feeling himself lost as ever.

Sephiroth looked down at the letter on his hand, his parents, even dead, even they had never been together neither once in life, had soothed all his needs, emotional and financial. He smiled, it was a really good feeling. In front of him, he had the lobby's exit, and at the opposite side on his backward, the stairs to come back to his room.