He fell.

Rufus dipped his sword into the water of the lifestream. The lifestream water started to slowly turn black as night. Alex couldn't breathe as he tried to swim back to the top. He slowly began to lose energy as blood oozed from his chest. Suddenly things started to go dark as Alex lost his breathe. He kept falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.

He fell into the darkness.

"I know how you feel, Alex but just let it go. You can't live your life just focusing on all the negative aspects of it. If there is a problem, we'll take care of it, because we're family, it took me 23 years to finally learn the full extent of that." Stated Cloud endearingly to his son

He fell deeper.

"I'm sorry…" whispered Alex

"Don't give me I'm sorry Alex!" cried Lucy

"The last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you." Replied Alex solemnly

"How funny, the least you could do is tell me what's going on with you."

"I can't."

He couldn't stop falling.

Alex reached out into the vast nothingness around him. He couldn't see, could hear, couldn't talk, couldn't breathe. All he could do was feel. Feel the could emptiness around him. He could feel himself fall deep and deeper into nothing, surrounded by darkness. Alex's eyes started to flutter close as all strength left him. There he was Alex Zackary Strife, falling, falling down into the abyss. He closed his eyes……..there was nothing.

He was nothing……..

Chapter 14: On the Way to a Smile: In the Case of Alex

He fell. He fell for what seemed like hours, days, months, years. The fall into the dark abyss was timeless and eternal. There was no end to the darkness, he just continued to fall, deeper and deeper. Suddenly a light shone in the distance. Alex's eyes started to flicker to life. He could barely see anything but the light remained clear in the vast sea of darkness. The light seemed to reach out to him. Alex was still unable to move, he could only watch, breathless, as the light turned into the shape of a feminine hand. Alex closed his eyes as the light began to engulf him….he stopped falling.

When Alex opened his eyes again he was floating in mid air. He didn't know where he was or how long he had been unconscious. As he eyes started to adjust the area around him began to shape and form into that of a hospital waiting room. Alex remained floating in the air as if he were some sort of ghostly apparition.

Suddenly a man walked through the hospital door and was immediately recognized by Alex as his father…..Cloud Strife. Alex cried out to his father, but those shouts fell on def ears. He yelled and he yelled, but Cloud couldn't hear him as he paced the waiting room floor. Alex reached out to his father, but his hand passed through Cloud. Alex looked at his own hand and panicked. Had he died, was he ghost…all these thoughts ran through his head when suddenly the hospital doors opened to reveal a small browned haired boy, holding two soda cans. Alex instantly recognized him as a younger version of his brother Denzel. Alex realized he wasn't dead…..He was trapped…trapped within someone's memory…a memory of long ago.

"Hey dad I got you the soda you wanted….Dad….dad….you ok?" asked Denzel as Cloud stared absent mindedly toward the other set of hospital doors.

Over the doors that Cloud looked at the sign read Maternity Ward. Cloud finally snapped out of his trance and accepted the soda from his son, as he sighed deeply.

"Sorry Denzel, I'm just a bit worried about your mother."

"Well you shouldn't be…Tifa's a strong woman she'll be fine Cloud." Stated Yuffie as she walked through the doors to the waiting room and greeted the two Strife men.

Alex suddenly realized what memory he was in. He watching the day he was born, with his very own eyes.

"Mr. Strife your wife's about to give birth…do you want to come in now?" asked the doctor coming in from the Maternity Ward

Cloud looked around hesitantly and took a big gulp.

"Go on Cloud….I'll watch Denzel." Smiled Yuffie

Cloud nodded with appreciation as he followed the doctor into Tifa's hospital room. All around Alex the scenery shifted until he found himself now floating around his mother's hospital room seconds before his birth. Alex looked on as his father and mother clenched hands tightly. Tifa screamed loudly as she started to push. Cloud smiled at his lovingly as tears of join fell from his eyes. At the very second Alex was born Cloud embrace his wife lovingly as he gave her a tender kiss on the forehead.

Alex had seen enough. What force was making him see these nostalgic visions had begun to tire Alex.

"That's it I've seen enough who ever you are come out and face me. Enough mind if it's you I swear to god. STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" shouted Alex to the heavens.

Suddenly everything around Alex shattered as if it were glass and he began to fall once more into the dark abyss. Suddenly Alex stopped falling, it was as if he had it some sort of invisible floor. He scanned the area nothing but darkness. Just then a spot like shone on his, there he stood solitary in the spotlight surrounded by nothing but darkness.

"What kind of game is this?" asked Alex

"It's no game Alex." Aerith stepped into the light and smiled at Alex

"Oh…It's you again. I don't have time to stroll down memory lane. Please return me back to the reactor." Stated Alex gruffly

"And what would you do? You can't beat Rufus as you currently are…you're not even armed." Stated Aerith sweetly

Alex checked himself quickly, then growled when he realized that his First Tsurugi was missing. He glared at Aerith and clenched his fists.

"I don't need it. If it comes to it I can beat Rufus with my fists no problem." Replied Alex

"Why are you Strife men so hard headed? Listen to me Alex…"

"WHY?!? Give me one good reason why I should. You've done nothing but haunt me and ridicule me ever since you crept into my dreams! Why should I listen?"

"Because you're knuckle head for starters. A you refuse to listen when people try to help." Said Zack as he stepped into the spot light as well

"You're here too, well then it's a party now ain't it? I don't know what you guys are doing or how I'm even here, but I want you guys to stop this right now and return me to the reactor….or else!" shouted Alex

"Or else what…..you'll fall into the lifestream again? Cuz that's where you are now. You fought Rufus…you lost to Rufus….and now you're here." Replied Zack bluntly

"Zack, be nicer to him." Asked Aerith kindly

"Yeah this has all been a blast….but I could really give a dam. Send me back right now!" commanded Alex

"What if we can't?" asked Zack defensively

"Well, if you can show me these old home movies then I think sending me back so I can save Lucy would be in the realm of possibilities…now wouldn't it." Said Alex his anger building

"Who says we did it in the first place?" replied Zack abrasively

"Alex the lifestream is a place of connectivity. It links people's souls the planet and to each other. You…have a special sensitivity to the lifestream….that's why you are here. The darkness in your heart is poisoning your head. Your confused we're here to help." Stated Aerith

"Great….just great…I have my own pair of guardian angel's. Listen I don't want your help, I don't need it just…….send me back." Stated Alex irritated

"So you can play hero, pretend you're your father. Tell me Alex what piece of philosophy or heroic saying that has ever come out of your mouth, hasn't already been told to you time and time again by Cloud. I knew Cloud, your no Cloud Alex….who are you?" asked Zack getting right into Alex's face

Alex growled in anger as he jumped straight at Zack trying to punch him. However Alex's fist passed straight through Zack not even scratching him. Zack then turned around and grabbed Alex by the wrist pulling him back so he could punch Alex square in the face. Alex fell to his knees and rubbed his jaw.

"How…." Stated Alex puzzled as suddenly the scenery sifted again as he found himself transported into yet another memory

Alex found himself this time all alone in front of the Seventh Heaven Bar. The front door burst open as an even younger Denzel than before came out accompanied by Tifa. Alex took a big gulp as he watched on.

"Now you have a good day at school and stay out of trouble ok." Smiled Tifa

"Sure thing Tifa!" shouted Denzel with a smile as he headed of toward school

Tifa stood there for a while as she happily watched Denzel head off for school. Tifa's smile then faded as she turned back toward the bar and flipped the sign to open before heading inside. It was at this point that Alex realized that Aerith was standing right next to him.

"How come I couldn't touch Zack, but he could hit me?" asked Alex much calmer than before

"You're so unsure of yourself, that in the lifestream you have no definite form. Zack has long since come to terms with his life." Replied Aerith

"So what's going what all these visions…..there not my memories. This probably happened before I was even born." Asked Alex

"Your right these aren't your memories…these memories belong to the planet…to the lifestream." Replied Aerith

"The planet has a weird taste in home video. What's the purpose of all this? What am I supposed to realize by seeing these memories?" asked Alex saddened

"That's up to you to decide. In front of you are the very people who have guided you along your path of life. You care about them, but do really understand them. Who they are, who you are."

"What's that supposed to mean? I've know these people all my life, there my family…and now your saying I don't know diddly squat about them or myself. That's pretty presumptuous of you now isn't it?"

"Just watch for now, experience what life is like for the people you love through their eyes….see what drives them."

Alex stared at Aerith skeptically before heading into the bar. Tifa was behind the counter wiping down the bar. She had a sad look on her face. In all the years Alex had known his mother he had never seen her this unhappy before. Just then the sound of footsteps rang out as Cloud descended the stairs into the bar. Alex stood in awe at what he saw next.

Without even looking at each other Cloud picked up his delivery papers and headed out the door. Tifa watched Cloud leave longingly, she lifted her head for just a second as if to say something to him, but instead decided against it.

"I'll be back tonight…don't wait up." Stated Cloud gruffly as he headed out the door

When Cloud had left Tifa stopped her wiping and covered her mouth as she held back a wave of tears. Alex had never once seen his father act so coldly to his mother….so indifferent.

"What's going on?" asked Alex confused

"This is how your parents were before?" replied Aerith

"Before what? Before I was born."

"Why dose everything have to revolve around you Alex…..No this was how your parents were before they started being honest with themselves…before they started being honest with each other."

"What weren't they honest about before?"

"Your father….used to be filled with a lot of sadness."

"About what?"

Suddenly Alex found himself transported to a burning Nibleheim. He fell to the ground in shock as suddenly the flames parted just slightly to reveal the sinister smile of Sephiroth. Alex sat there petrified with horror as he witnessed the destruction of his parent's childhood home. As he made his way to his feet he found himself transported to the Nibelheim reactor, where a bloody Tifa rolled down the steps and landed at his feet. He looked around and saw a bloody Zack hunched over by a wall, his father racing over to Sephiroth buster sword raised high.

Alex stumbled back in disgust, but as he tried to regain his composure he found himself within the temple of the ancients….watching Aerith be murdered by Sephiroth before his very eyes. Alex closed his eyes as he tried to recover from the shock, when his eyes opened he found himself once again standing in the spotlight surrounded by darkness. Zack stepped out of the shadows to pat Alex on the back as Alex regained his composure. Aerith stood in front of him looking worried.

"You ok buddy. Hard to watch ain't it?" asked Zack comfortingly

"WHAT WAS THAT?!?" Alex asked in anger

"Your father's pain…he carried it with him all of it….everyday….until…" sated Aerith solemnly

"Until what?" asked Alex

Suddenly Alex was surrounded by light and once again found himself in the Seventh Heaven Bar. Cloud was sitting quietly at a booth, while Tifa was washing dishes behind the counter. The two remained Silent never looking at each other.

"Watching your pa at work makes you realize just how amazing it that your father ever got laid, doesn't it?" stated Zack as he appeared by Alex

"Shut Up!" Alex shot back

Zack backed off a bit as Alex went back to watching his father. Cloud looked out the window and sighed a bit before heading over to the bar and sitting on one of the stools closest to Tifa. Tifa noticed this and stopped washing dishes to listen to him.

"Maybe when Denzel gets home from school, I can take him somewhere just the two of us." Stated Cloud quietly

Tifa slammed her hands down on the counter nearly denting the thing, catching Cloud and Alex off guard.

"You can't keep doing this Cloud." Cried Tifa

"What?" replied Cloud confused

"You just can't be popping in and out of our lives Cloud? Nothing's changed…you still seems so far away and distant to us. Then you only spend time with us once the guilt of it all has built up enough. We need you here with us….not just here physically….but we need you to be with us in your heart." Cried Tifa

Without a word Cloud merely got out of his seat and started heading for the door. Tifa raced toward him then grabbed him by the hand and pulled him back.

"Please stop Tifa….your right I'm no good for you or Denzel. You two deserve better." Whispered Cloud

"No Cloud…..we need you…I need you. Your our strength…when everything seems to go wrong around us….your always there. We just….need you to feel that in you heart." Cried Tifa desperately

Cloud turned to face Tifa as he looked into her eyes. For the first time he saw all the same sadness and pain he felt in her eyes. It was then that Cloud fully grasped how much he had really hurt Tifa. Cloud tenderly cupped Tifa's check in his hand.

"I'm sorry…I have no excuse, but I promise that from now on I'll be here for the both of you. Because I care about you guys." Said Cloud earnestly

"And from there you can kind of guess how things went." Stated Zack as the memory began to fade away

Alex once again found himself in the same spotlight.

"I might be sounding like a broken record by now but what's the point to all this?" asked Alex

"We'll that was your father's story Alex….what's yours?" asked Zack

"What's that supposed to mean." Asked Alex

"Well Alex, what's your story. I mean you're a delivery person like your father and every chance you get to prove that you can be a hero like your father you jump at it. I'm not saying that your not doing good work, it's just Alex you have so much potential and it's all going to waste because your trying to be something your're not." Stated Aerith

"You have two paths ahead of you Alex one leads to certain destruction, it's the same path you've been on up until now. The other path…is a choice, I can't tell you where it goes or if it's even a good idea, but the thing is it's your choice to make. Of your own free will." Stated Zack

"So….what is it that I'm pretending to be?" asked Alex

"Well think of the people who you claim to fight for. You keep yourself blocked off from them. They try to help you…we try to help you. You push everyone away…why Alex." Asked Aerith

Alex closed his eyes in contemplation, when he opened his eyes again he found himself standing in the Seventh Heaven bar again. This time he saw his mother smiling as she played with a young baby version of himself. Suddenly Yuffie came through the door carrying her own two babies. Yuffie place the young Lucy and John in the play pen with young Alex, as they went to the other corner to talk.

Alex stood there silently watching the baby versions of himself and his closest friends playing happily without a care in the world. He smiled slightly as he remembered this simpler time fondly.

"I remembered back then things were much easier. There weren't a lot of complications…..defiantly a lot less angst. What happened to me…..why have things gotten so…..complicated." said Alex as he reminisced

"Who's the dame?" asked Zack coyly

The memory shifted as Alex watched slightly older versions of him and his friend's child selves.

"Her name's Lucy?" replied Alex

"So...you have a thing for the Valentine girl, don't you?" asked Aerith

"No….she's my best friend. If there was ever anyone I could ever be myself in front of it's her." Replied Alex

"So she's important to you, is she who you fight for?" asked Aerith

"Yeah…I guess." Replied Alex solemnly

"Who's that over there making out with the girl?" asked Zack pointing at a young teenage couple

Alex smiled as he realized that Zack was talking about a young Denzel and Marlene.

"That's my older brother Denzel. Growing up I always thought he was the coolest. If I ever had a question about girls or anything I couldn't ask the parents, he was always there dispensing advice to me. I could come to him for anything……now a days I really only talk to him when I want something. And Marlene…she was always like an older sister to me." Reminisced Alex

"What about that other kid your running around with?" asked Zack

"John? He's my been my best bud as well. He always seemed wiser than me….always speaking with a wisdom beyond his age. Probably since his family was so screwed up. Some how John always had a way of putting my problems in perspective. I always respected him, he always had my back. Though he gave me hell every time I was around Lucy." Stated Alex

"Again Lucy comes up, are you sure your just friends?" asked Aerith

"Yeah….I'm sure…kinda." Replied Alex hesitantly

"That's not the point right now anyway look at these people Alex, why do you want to protect them so much?" asked Aerith

"Because I care about them." Replied Alex

"You care about people who you shut out of your life daily, refuse to talk to and avoid for weeks." Replied Zack sternly

'We ask again Alex what path do you want to take, the road isn't easy. Lying to yourself and everyone else doesn't make it easier." Stated Aerith

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! I DON'T WANNA PLAY THESE GAMES ANY MORE! OK the truth comes out I'm a poser, a loser. No matter how good I am or what I do I'm always living in the shadow of my god dam father. THERE IS NO ALEX STRIFE, JUST CLOUD JR. YA GOT THAT!" shouted Alex angrily

The scene shifted to that of a young Alex with his brother and father in a field practicing sword fighting. Denzel seemed to be doing alright, but young Alex had a much more difficult time.

"Your doing fine Denzel keep at it…..Alex do you need any help?" asked Cloud concerned as he watched over his sons

"No I can do this!" shouted young Alex angrily as he failed at yet another attempt to use a sword correctly

"Come on Alex you've been at it for hours let us help you or else you'll never learn." Said Denzel

"No I told you I can do this! I can do this! I don't need your help!" shouted out young Alex

"What's wrong Alex, why are you acting like this today?" asked Cloud as he kneeled down to look his son in the face

The young Alex didn't say anything he merely started to tear up and ran off back toward the city of Edge. The older Alex looked on at the scene expressionless. The scene shifted to that of a memory of earlier that day. The young Alex was corned by three other boys who were all pushing around the younger Alex bullying him.

"hehehe look at this stupid weakling, he's about to cry and we barely hit him." Snickered one of the boys

As they laughed at him, Alex sat on the ground on the verge of tears.

"Hey isn't his dad the guy who goes around on the motorcycle with that big sword?" asked one of the boys

"Yeah, looks like the apple fell pretty far away from the tree this time." Laughed the third boy

Alex growled in anger as he balled his fist and charged at the boys. They merely laughed at him as one of the boys kicked young Alex in the gut then punched him in the side of the head. The boys continued to laugh as they kept beating up Alex. After having enough of beating up young Alex, they left him writhing on the ground in pain as they walked away laughing. Suddenly a young Lucy found the injured Alex and ran to check up on him. She asked him if he was ok, Alex merely started to tear up as he pushed her away and ran down the street away from her.

"Harsh." Commented Zack

"I was weak back then. Kids picked on me, because compared to my father I was nothing but a bratty dork. Even Lucy had to come to my rescue back then, she cared so much about a nobody. I spent most of my life training and conditioning myself to be more like my father…..to be stronger. I guess not much has changed here I am reliving old memories, while my friends are out there possibly dying and I'm to weak to snap out of my own self absorbed angst feast to do shit about it." Stated Alex as the memory faded away and he found himself once again in the spotlight surrounded by darkness

"So you see yourself as weak?" asked Aerith

"You tell me. You two have been here trying to talk to me nicely and all I've been doing is whining like a baby. I don't know about you but to me that sounds like being weak." Replied Alex

"What are you going to do about it?" asked Zack

"I……..don't know. I just don't know. All my life…..all I ever wanted was to be like my dad….because I just seemed so……stupid." Answered Alex

"I guess then the bigger question is: who is Alex Strife?" sated Aerith

"Nobody…..he's no one. At times I don't even think he exists. Just Cloud Jr. always trying to look strong in everyone's eyes. Trying to pretend he is this stoic warrior with tremendous amounts of bravery. When he's really nothing but a small crying boy trying to look tough." Replied Alex as he lowered his head

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. It's not going to do anything. The only thing that will help is facing your fear and heading down that unknown path." Replied Zack

"And what am I afraid of?" asked Alex

"Yourself……you're afraid that your not strong enough to protect the people you care about. So you try to be someone your not……someone who you do think is strong enough. Your stronger than you think…you just need to realize who you are." Replied Aerith

"SO WHAT! I AM WEAK….I AM STUPID…I'M GOING NO WHERE…I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THE F#K I AM…..I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FK I'M DOING…….tell me…tell me what to do. I don't know anymore. Everything I've done before was just……wrong…..so tell me….tell me what's the right thing to do." Cried Alex

"We can't tell you that. Only you can decide where you go from here. I know it's frustrating….but really the choice is yours…and only yours." Stated Zack

"Alex what you need to do is face the image of yourself that you've worked so hard to create in the eyes of others. You need to look that image in the eyes and look past the smoke and mirrors to see the real truths about yourself. To find out who you really are." Replied Aerith

"How can I do that?" asked Alex

Suddenly a mirror appeared in front of Alex. He took a good look at himself in the mirror, what he saw he didn't like. He was sad looking really…Alex seemed to carry a great depression in his heart which showed on his face. In the days he had spent avoiding the people he cared about he had let his appearance go. He looked pathetic and above all else he knew it. Suddenly the mirror's image shifted as he his reflection turned into that of his father's and stepped out of the mirror. Cloud drew his sword and pointed Alex. Alex backed away a bit fearful of what was going on.

"What's happening….what's going on!" he shouted as he barely dodged a slash from Cloud's sword

"You need to face this side of you soul Alex, confront your fear." Stated Zack

"This isn't fair I don't even have a weapon….and my fear's pretty handy with a sword….also why does it look like my father." Asked Alex as he desperately tried to avoid Cloud's relentless attack

"Nobody said facing your fear would be easy." Stated Aerith

Alex back flipped away from Cloud, then came at him with a spinning back kick, which Cloud easily blocked. Cloud thrust his sword straight at Alex who barely managed to side step it; Cloud countered this by kicking Alex in the gut knocking him down to the floor.

"Your pathetic, it's down right shameful that I had a son as weak as you." Stated Cloud

"Who are you to talk, your not my father!" retorted Alex

"No I'm not. I'm you that's what makes you even more pathetic. Your nothing but a weak little cry baby…..look at your little girlfriend over there she's on the brink of dying and your powerless to do anything, cuz you can't even get past a few identity issues…..you're just sad." Replied Cloud as he pointed toward a portal nearby that showed an unconscious Lucy lying on the ground after her brief fight with Rufus

"Lucy!" shouted Alex as he looked on in horror

Alex reached out to the portal, but was stopped by Cloud who kicked him in the face nearly breaking his nose. Alex looked longingly at the portal as it closed before his eyes. Alex's nosed started to bleed as he suddenly noticed that his wounds from his fight with Rufus reappeared leaving him in a great amount of pain. Aerith and Zack looked on fearful, Aerith kept hoping to herself that Alex would rise to the challenge and be ok, Zack stood firm as he prayed for Alex's safety.

"What are you going to do away?" stated Cloud menacingly as he pointed his sword at Alex

Alex's head was spinning, this was it in the end he was still just to weak to stand up to his own personal demons. Suddenly Alex started to here some voices in his head, faintly at first but more and more their intensity started to increase. Suddenly Alex recognized the voices it was his friends and family.

"Get up Alex!" shouted John

"I believe in you. You can do it!" shouted Lucy

"Your heart is strong!" shouted his father

"Never give up!" cried his mother

"I know ya can do this, so stop playing around!" shouted Jr.

"Come on Alex get up, we're all behind you!" came Denzel's voice

"GET UP!" came the collective voices of all his friends and family at once

Just as the fake Cloud was about to bring down his sword a bright light started to envelope Alex, stopping the fake to stop in his tracks.

"To my parents….I understand you only wanted what was best for me….you've been through so much and I understand that all you ever wanted was for me not to go through the same pain as you did…you wanted me to be strong for my own sake. Denzel I love you….your my brother, and I wish I had been more of a brother to you. Jr,, John you guys have put up with a lot of my bullsh$t and still you guys always had my back no matter what. And Lucy…..Lucy….you've always been there for me….and I've done nothing but treat you like dirt. I'm so very sorry and I promise that if I make it back….I'll make it up to you…because I care about you……….To everyone I'm so very, very sorry. I'm not going to be weak any more….I'm doing being weak, I'm done lying to myself and to everyone….I'm coming back. And come hell or high water I…WON'T…GIVE UP!MY NAME IS ALEX ZACKARY STRIFE AND THIS……IS MY STORY!" stated Alex as the light enveloped his body healing him of all his wounds.

Alex appeared refreshed and looking better than ever. The cloud fake was taken aback at these turn of events, but soon gritted his teeth and clenched his sword tight. Aerith smiled bright as she witnessed the change in Alex, Zack too carried a slight smirk on his face. Alex seemed to carry himself with great confidence, his eyes glared at the fake as his eyes carried a determination never before seen in Alex.

"So you think a little light show is going to make a difference." Growled the fake as he rushed toward Alex.

Alex smirked at the fake as he held out his hand, suddenly it was covered in light as his Tsurugi appeared in his hand. Alex smiled as he clashed swords with the fake.

"Now It's time to see what Alex Strife's got up his sleeves." Stated Alex as he started to glow

Alex backed away a bit from the fake and threw his sword at him. The fake barely had time to block the sword as it threw him off balance and landed in the ground next to him. Alex rushed toward him for the first part of his all new limit break. Alex hit the fake with a series of bone crushing melee moves remincient of the final heaven limit break, Alex followed up by delivering a skull crushing back kick to the fake's jaw launching him into the air. Alex grabbed his sword and flung it into the air toward the fake where it broke into all 6 of it's components. Alex jumped into the air and hit the fake with a Omni-slash version 5 like maneuver collecting the swords and reforming his Tsurugi along the way. Alex ended his assault by energizing the blade and slamming it into the fake, driving him down toward the ground.

"END OF OBLIVION!" cried Alex as he drove the fake through the ground

Everything around Alex shattered like glass, including the fake. Alex started flying through the darkness as a great bright light stood in front of him. Alex smiled as he approached the light Aerith and Zack waved goodbye as they looked on happily.

"Good Luck!" shouted Aerith trying to hold back her tears of joy

"Give'em hell kid!" shouted Zack as he looked on proudly

"Thank you guys, I appreciate it….and sorry for the way I acted!" replied Alex

Alex looked on toward light hopefully. As he soared closer to the light feeling it's radiance.

"Lucy I'm coming for you…..and Rufus you better watch out because I'm going to take you down. I'm may not know what's ahead of me, but at least the road ahead is one that I have chosen for myself. This is my story and I'm writing it from now on!" Whispered Alex as he passed through the threshold of light into the unknown

To be continued………………….