After a few days traveling Cloud reached north Corel. The monsters seemed easier to kill to him. It was like he had this new power and his strength had doubled maybe even tripled. The blonde banged on the door with force accidentally leaving imprints of his fist.

"Oh hey Spikes. What are you doing here at this time in the morning?" he asked confused. He wondered what he was doing there altogether.

"Mind if I come in?" he asked in an evil sort of voice.

"Um no..." Barret said nervously leading him inside. "Well this is it" he motioned around his house.

It was kinda dull looking and cramped with junk but atleast it was a home. They were a family here. Denzel and Marlene were perched at the top the steps gazing through the railings at the events unfolding in front of them.

"So what brings so here?" he asked curiously never taking his hand off his old friend.

"Aint I allowed to come visit my friends" Cloud said the last word with hate.

"..." he hesatated. "Umm...sit down"

He took a seat on the dirty brown couch as Barret cleared some junk off it before he sat opposite him. Barrets eagle eyes never left him for one second.

"So I had a dream the other night" the blonde started.

"Really?" he said unenthusiastically.

"The black materia was in it" His eyes widened at the mention of the materia. "Sephiroth was back and he got a hold of it"

"Good thing it was just a dream" he said nervously.

"I was just wondering if it was safe" Cloud quirried.

"Cloud you know I can't tell you where it is. What if he tried to control you again?" Barret gulped. Cloud sure wasn't acting like himself.

"I'm hurt Barret" the warrior said with fake hurt "I thought you knew I was stronger then that"

"I know how strong you are Spikes but you haven't been yourself lately"

"Oh really?" he smirked. "I just need to know it's safe"

"Of course it's safe. Got it right here with me"

"So it's here is it?"

"Uhh...I didn't say that"

Cloud stood up and with his sharp vision scanned the room.

"Cloud what are you doing?" Barret asked as he stood up as well and approached him.

He placed my right hand to my forehead as he began to laugh evilly.

"Cloud are you okay?" Barret asked stopping.

The large man took a few more steps towards him and reached out to his arm. With quick reflexes he slammed his fist into his stomach. Baret breathed heavily as he stumbled back and gasped for breath. Cloud went to punch him again but Barret grabbed his fist holding it in his tightly.

"Cloud snap out of it!" he ordered.

The blonde threw his other fist only to be stopped again by the black mans other hand. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his face solemn. Cloud smirked and laughed slightly. His big brown eyes opened wider as he smacked him in the stomach with his knee. He fell to the ground and Cloud kicked him in the face. He stumbled getting up. He rushed at him knocking him with his shoulder. He held up his hand as it began to golw an unhealthy blue. Cloud pulled it back before throwing it forward.The flaming ball hit Barret square in the chest and he flew back. His back connected with the wall breaking the wood. He fell onto the table smashing it in two. He groaned in pain as he passed out. A triumphant smile crossed Cloud's face.

"Up the stairs"

He jerked my head to the top of the stairs as two scared shadows began to back away.

The blue eyed boy walked up the stairs slowly, taking his time. He reached the top and stood in a hallway with five rooms.

"Which one?" he asked his darker self as the kids disappeared behind door number two on the right side.

"Last one"

Cloud nodded and went to the door. He shoved it open and looked inside. There was just a bed in one corner and a desk in the other. He went straight over to the desk and began pulling out the draws. This was too easy.

"Hahaha" the icy cold voice laughed in his head "You think too simply Cloud. Look under the floor boards"

The blonde warrior looked to the floor and surely there was a floor board that was a different colour to the others. Cloud bent down and lifted it up. Lying in the centre was a glowing black orb. He reached out and picked it up in his hands. His hand froze from the coldness of the orb that was the size of a small fist. His smirk widened as he placed it in his front pocket. Cloud straightened up prepared to walk out. He stopped as there was a young boy blocking the doorway.

"Get out the way boy" he growled.

"No Cloud" he shook his head "I can't let you do this. I can't let you throw away your life!"

"And you're gonna stop me?" Cloud asked mockingly with an arched eyebrow "I don't think so" He approached him and knocked him out the way with his muscly arm. Denzel collided with the wall before falling to the ground. He clutched at his ribs in pain and Cloud almost went over to see if he was okay but that was before the blinding pain shot through his body.

"Cloud!" he yelled as the blonde went down the steps.

Cloud reached the all too familiar town of Nibelheim. Once his hometown now just a distant memory. He didn't have anything here anymore and he wouldn't mind disposing of it. He treked the long track up to the Mt Nibel reactor. He wasn't too sure why he was asked to come here instead of say Shinra head quarters or the north crater. All he knew was thathisy pain would be over soon. Cloud was starting to lose control of his body as well. He wanted to do these things. It's what he decided but if he wanted to stop he couldn't.

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"Yuffie...?" Tifa asked looking up to her beaming face.

"You really should watch where you're going" she mused as she helped her up up. "Tifa!" she threw her arms around her.

"Yuffie...I need to breath" she heaved.

"Sorry" she said letting the young women go before looking her up and down. "Where have you been!?" she half yelled.

"Keep it down" Tifa placed a finger to her lips.

"Well?" Yuffie pouted as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Around" Tifa answered looking at the ground.

Griever barked as he ran up and growled at Yuffie.

"Whoa" she said jumping back.

The ruby eyed women knelt down and called the dog. He ran up to her still keeping an eye on Yuffie.

She looked at her with an arched eyebrow. "Friend of yours?"

"Yuffie this is Griever" she replied patting his head "Don't worry boy, she's my friend"

He lowered his head and Yuffie knelt beside her, reaching out a shaking hand towards the large animal. He barked happily as Yuffie patted his back.

"So what are you doing here?" Tifa asked as they both stood up. Griever took a spot beside her and leaning up against her leg.

"Actually I was just about to go see Barret" Yuffie stated.

Tifa looked to the ground "How is he?"

"He's fine. A little grouchy though but what's changed" she laughed to herself Denzel and Marlene are with him you know"

I looked back into her eyes a serious ezpression on my face. Maybe I was worried. "Cloud...?"

"He's alright" she laughed "Atleast I think he is. Haven't seen him in years. We all lost contact with him after you left"

"Why's Denzel and Marlene living with Barret?" she questioned her eyes narrowing.

"He didn't think Cloud was capable of looking after two kids"

"How are they?" she sighed. Was Cloud really that bad?

"They were devestated when you left but other then that there fine too"

"I'm sorry" she let a tear slip from her eye. It was the first time she had cried in years if you didn't count the times she had woke up crying and screaming.

"Hey it's okay" Yuffie pulled her in for another tight hug "Do you want to come see them with me?"

"I don't know Yuffie" she said looking nervously around.

"Come on! We've all been worried sick about you. They'd all love to see you" she said trying her hardest to persuade the older women.

"...Okay but I can't stay long" she reasoned. She would love to see everyone just once more.

Yuffie nodded and they both started in the direction of Barrets house.

They reached the slightly ajar door of Barrets house and Yuffie gasped noticing the imprints in the door. Panicing Tifa shoved open the door and stepped inside. She took a step back in shock at the scene in front of her. The whole place was a mess.

"Barret" she cried out seeing his figure amongst the wood of a broken table. She rushed to his side and placed a hand on his muscular arm.

"Tifa?" he asked sitting up and placing a hand to his forehead "What happened...?" he trailed off cratching the back of his head.

"You're hurt Barret. Who did this?" her voice shaky and for some reason she already knew the answer.

"The kids?" he suddenly stood up but quickly fell back down again.

Tifa looked to Yuffie before to the top of the stairs. "Wait here" The raven haired women cautiously stepped up the stairs unsure of what to expect.

"Denzel...?" she whispered as she ran to his lifeless figure perched against the wall. She knelt to his level her hands shaking as she wiped his hair from his face.

"Tifa?" he asked half opening his eyes weakly.

"Yeah" she let out a small laugh at the fact that he was alright. "Are you okay?"

"I...I don't know. It's hurts everywhere" he laughed. Tifa was really back. The person he once called mum was really back.

"Tifa!" she looked over her shoulder as a young girl jumped into her arms.

She wrapped her arms around her tightly. "Lets go downstairs"

Marlene smiled and nodded before she ran downstairs.

"Come on Denzel" Tifa helped him up gently supporting his body on hers and took him downstairs to the others. He wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders.

"I missed you Tifa"

For the first time in years she had a genuine smile on her face.

"You alright Daddy?" Marlene asked the large black man.

"Yeah I'm fine Marlene...Is he alright Tifa?" Barret asked as she stepped into the room supporting a bruised Denzel.

"He should be fine" she placed him on the couch before taking a seat beside him. Denzel was like a son to her and she let this happen to him. "Barret who did this?"

He looked to the floor. Tifa turned to Denzel who shifted his attention from her. She looked back to Barret.

"Barret?"

"...Cloud"

For some reason she wasn't shocked. She just had this feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't want to believe that Cloud could be capable of this. She didn't want to think of him this way. If only she had been there for him.

"He took the black materia didn't he?" she looked to the ground sadened.

"Yeah Tifa" he nodded.

She nodded a determined look on her face and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Yuffie called.

"Tifa!?"

She stopped and closed her eyes as Denzel called her name.

"Don't go. Don't leave me again"

Tifa turned around and smiled at the boy as another tear slipped out. How could Cloud do this? To the boy who considered him his father? To the family who took him in when he had no place else else to go? He got up and limped towards her grabbing her hand.

"Teef?"

She clenched her eyes shut in pain. Cloud used to call her that. She pulled him into a hug. "It's alright Denzel. I'll be alright. I just gotta make things right. I just have to find Cloud"

"You'll come back won't you?" he asked but maybe he already knew the answer.

Tifa closed her eyes again in pain. It was the one thing that she couldn't promise him. She didn't want to let him down again.

"Promise me" he insisted. He wasn't going to let her go unless she promised.

"...Promise" Tifa said reluctantly.

She seperated and looked into his watery eyes. Then she removed a necklace from around her neck and handed it to the boy. He held it in his hand lightly and confused.

"It was my mothers...It always brought me luck and now I want you to have it" she gave a wary smile. If she couldn't keep the promise then he had to have something to remember her by. She didn't want him hating her for the rest of his life. She thought of it as something to remember her by when she was gone.

"But Teef..."

"Seeya Denzel" she walked out the door before she got emotional despite protests from the others.

Tifa ran out the town and let the tears fall freely. She never thought Cloud would stoop this low and she had to find him. She had to find out why he did it. Anger took hold of her body and over took any other emotion.

"Come on boy" she growled as she started my trek for Nibelheim. She had no idea why she was going there but for some reason she had a feeling she would find Cloud there. She just wished she was wrong.