I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ENJOY CHAPTER 6 ND THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS I HOPE YOU ALL CONITNUE TO REVIEW!

Cloud was running full speed up the steps as the sounds of battle reached his ears. As he raced up through the reactor he thought back to moments ago when Tifa sent him. Cloud had no idea why he took off. Before he could even think his feet were leading him into the Mako Reactor.

Cloud suddenly understood what made him enter the reactor. It was a spur of the moment epiphany that struck him and nearly caused him to stumble. He was here to save his child despite what he was or what he did… Tifa wanted him to save his… no, their son. He could have become just as evil as Sephiroth, but Cloud could feel a connection to the young man when he saw the look on his face as he left the body of the young woman. Cloud stopped abruptly as he remembered Tifa's words.

"She said it was just like what happened to her when she came upon the reactor… Sephiroth…" Cloud frowned as he thought back to a moment in his life that he constantly blamed himself for. Cloud then understood why he had felt so connected to the young man at that moment. "That's how I felt when she was murdered…" Cloud's determination rushed back into him as he scaled the building to stop Seriphron and the young man's fight.

█

Zack and Seriphron were exchanging attacks all across the large laboratory, neither willing to succumb to the minor injuries they received. Zack jumped from the wall and flew towards Seriphron with his right Buster Sword behind him as he charged forward with the left straight at his target.

"Such pathetic attacks." Seriphron grinned as he swatted the first blade to come at him as Zack swung the second down vertically upon his enemy. Seriphron instantly vanished in a twinkle of light and shedding of features as Zack steadied himself and looked around.

"You will not survive Seriphron!" Zack shouted into the air as Seriphron's voice echoed back to him.

"You are the one who won't survive… I have finished one of you now it's time for you to join her." Seriphron appeared above Zack with his blade raised high as he descended with lightening quick speed upon the warrior.

"Amateur." Zack sighed as he swung his left Buster Sword up to meet the attack and block it while he swung the second to throw Seriphron and his masamune back into the air.

Seriphron slammed through the ceiling and landed in another room. He quickly stood up and surveyed the area before his eyes fell onto a clear glass container with purple, green and blue gas inside of it.

"The Essence!" Seriphron grinned as he stepped forward only to be thrown backwards as Zack flew through the ceiling using the force of the exploding wood and concrete to attack Seriphron.

"You killed her!" Zack yelled in fury as he leapt forward and brought both blades down upon Seriphron slamming him back into the laboratory they began in. Zack landed on his feet and continued swinging each blade at Seriphron as he spun around to add to his attacks.

Seriphron, on the other hand was being backed into a wall as he shielded himself from the blades with his own. Seriphron jumped backwards before Zack could unleash another attack and pushed himself off of the wall gaining momentum as he readied his masamune to skewer Zack through the chest. Zack dodged barely as the blade cut into his left arm causing him to drop one of his weapons.

"So, this is the one who defeated the great Cloud?" Seriphron questioned as Zack shook the pain away and grasped his Buster Blade again and stood up. He growled loudly and sprang forward with both blades out to his side and jumped. He spun around in the air as he neared Seriphron and during his spin he brought his right hand blade in front of him to use as a sort of drill while he kept the other out to his side.

Seriphron gasped at the confusing attack and brought his double bladed masamune up to deflect the attack. As Seriphron did this Zack spun faster and when he came within range. Seriphron deflected the Buster Blade, but in the direction of Zack's spin, giving the black haired warrior as chance to swing the other Buster Blade around to slam into Seriphron's left shoulder. The blow was so powerful it threw him through the wall to his left before his momentum stopped.

Zack tried to catch his breathe and winced in pain as the slash on his left arm increased as his blood flowed from it. Zack fell to his knees breathing hard as he had a hard time recovering from the dizziness, pain and lack of oxygen. Zack shook his head furiously as he focused on Lexa's memory and then stood to his feet. As he rose Seriphron shot out from the other room and slammed in double bladed Masamune through Zack's right shoulder to the hilt.

"You should have followed up." Seriphron grinned as he glared into Zack's pain ridden eyes.

As the event was happening Cloud ran through the sliced metallic wall and into the lab to witness Seriphron's attack. Cloud's eyes widened as the scene somehow transformed itself into the scene before 'her' death. He shook his head and his vision corrected itself.

"Seriphron release him!" Cloud shouted with anger as Seriphron swung his blade powerfully throwing Zack from it and through the entire reactor.

"Of Course, your majesty." Seriphron bowed respectfully as Cloud's eyes narrowed.

'This can't be the kind of peace I want…' Cloud thought as he looked at the hole where his son, identical to him physically, had been thrown. Seriphron stood up and began.

"Great and powerful Cloud, I have found it… Jenova's Essence… now the utopia can begin!" Seriphron smiled happily as he jumped into the hole in the ceiling to the secret room before Cloud could stop him.

█

Tifa and Yuffie had followed Archia and Neo back to Lexa's resting place and watched the two shed several tears that were quite hard to notice. They had pulled their hoods up and a light drizzle had began since the young woman died.

Tifa stepped away from Yuffie and made her way towards the two who were too concerned with loss to notice her.

"Hey…" Tifa began as Neo turned to face her. She gulped and then looked down to the woman who bleed freely on the ground. Tifa ignored his death glare and knelt beside the girl, "She was important to him, wasn't she?" Tifa asked as Neo stepped back as he watched Tifa stroke the young woman's hair softly.

"Yeah… she was his only friend before I met them… she used to protect him." Archia sobbed as Tifa turned to her as she saw the unforgettable pain in her face.

"Protect him from what?" Tifa asked lightly as Archia sniffled and replied.

"Lexa told me he would be beaten up because he looked like the tyrant… everyone had hated him before she came." Archia whispered as her voice began to crack again.

'Just like me and Cloud…' Tifa thought sadly as her own tears began to fall. She stood up quickly and clenched her fists.

"Seriphron will pay for this… I swear it." Tifa declared with a voice of finality as she kept her back to the two hooded warriors. Neo gasped as Archia only stared at the dark haired woman in front of her.

"We're your enemy… you should be celebrating her death not wanting revenge… we're here to kill you!" Archia shouted as Tifa spun around and came within arms reach of her.

"He may want me dead but he is still my son! Seriphron took her away from him just as Sephiroth took Aeris from Cloud… he was never right after that… he kept blaming himself and shutting people out and he still does… Seriphron has ruined my child's life and I don't care if he wants to kill me… I won't die until Seriphron has paid for what he's done!" Tifa shouted as her own tears poured over her face.

At that moment Yuffie screamed as she pointed to the sky. Tifa looked up and saw a black haired young man thrown from the reactor and her heart froze.

"Tifa…" Yuffie started as Tifa rushed pass her back to the entrance to the reactor. Neo and Archia followed quickly as they left Lexa's body behind them.

Once they arrived on the scene Avius was holding the young man to him as he grinded his teeth in an effort not to show his pain. Archia gasped as she ran to his side to check on their leader but Avius pushed her away.

"GET AWAY!" He screamed in fear, pain and panic. Tifa's heart went to him as she ignored his screams and knelt next to him. Avius shot her a look of pure hatred and Tifa looked down to her second son and reached to touch him but Avius jerked his brother away.

"You liar! He went in to help Seriphron!" Avius growled as he laid his brother down carefully and got to his feet to face Tifa, "I will finish you for him… it's what he would have wanted." Avius growled as his fighting gear appeared on him.

Archia and Neo did not hesitate when they appeared in front of Avius stopping him from attacking.

"Avius… we're not mindless murders." Archia stated as Avius looked at her and fell to his knees next to his brother.

"Zack… I should have been there…" Avius whispered as his own tears no longer could be held back, "I was never there for you… but you were always there for me…" Avius grabbed his head and yelled out into the sky.

The other members of Avalanche all were quiet and in shock themselves. Vincent and Red XIII looked on in remorse for the young warriors as Barret Cid and Yuffie tried to look anywhere but the body of Zack. Rufus began to approach Tifa but she stood to her feet and walked past Neo and Archia and knelt beside Avius.

"I know that it can never take back what has happened… but I'm sorry." Tifa said honestly as she threw her arms around him and embraced him tightly. Avius froze for a moment as Tifa, his mother hugged him…

"Why are you doing this" he asked quietly as Tifa leaned back a little, "we are the rebels you and him wanted to be rid of… why are you caring?"

"Avius… you and…" Tifa stopped as she realized she didn't know her own son's name, Avius sighed before whispering.

"Zack." Tifa looked at him quickly and closed her eyes.

"You two are my sons… I don't know what causes us to become enemies in the future but I don't want it to happen." Tifa said sincerely as Avius frowned.

"Then stop looking for Jenova's Essence." He growled and instantly Tifa's eyes flew open.

"We were never looking for it… we only found out about it because we thought you were trying to use it." Tifa stated as Avius shook his head.

"The essence will give you all a enormous increase in power… we wanted to destroy it before you got to it." Avius explained as Tifa's eyes widened even further.

"So you mean in your time… we all have Jenova in us?" Tifa asked slowly as Avius nodded sadly, still affected by his brother's death. "Avius… Jenova is pure evil… none of us would want anything to do with her or her essence… Jenova has caused so much pain." Tifa explained as Avius looked at her confused. Barret butted in at that moment to agree.

"Jenova destroyed this planet and is the reason Cloud is so messed up… Jenova influenced Sephiroth, the madman who Cloud killed. If we all are injected with Jenova's Essence or whatever, then it ain't us that are in control in ya time," Barret paused before looking back to the reactor, "it's that damned Jenova!" Barret growled as he and the rest realized Cloud was in the reactor alone with a super-powered Sephiroth Jr.

█

Seriphron had retrieved the vile and presented it to Cloud on a bent knee.

"Here is the essence of Jenova! Now the world shall become perfect!" Cloud jumped back and pulled out his weapon and disassembled it into two blades.

"I don't want anything to do with Jenova… I'm starting to realize what you are and the future utopia really is… it's a doomed place ran by Jenova after she took over my mind… the Exiled are just like Avalanche in this time… and that would make you…" Cloud stopped as his eyes narrowed, "HIM!" Cloud jumped forward to attack but Seriphron moved to the side confused.

"My lord what is it? Have I done anything to displease you?" Seriphron questioned in earnest as Cloud pointed his blades at him.

"You exist!" Cloud yelled as he swung again only to be repelled by Seriphron's masamune.

"You aren't thinking straight…" Seriphron looked to Cloud as he stood up and then to the container under his arm, "I will give you the essence so that maybe you will be happier!" Seriphron concluded as he tried to open to container but Cloud used a Blade Beam attack slamming Seriphron into the wall.

"I don't want any part of Jenova… I'll stop you and destroy that container before it can do any harm." Cloud asserted as he readied himself.

Seriphron stood to his feet perplexed for a moment before frowning.

"You would throw away the utopia of my world for nothing?" He asked confused as Cloud nodded, "All of the peace we have, you care nothing for it?" again Cloud nodded. Seriphron roared loudly as he sent Cloud a murderous glare.

"Seriphron you will die here." Cloud gripped his blades and dashed forward.

█

As the rain hit his lifeless body, Zack's mind found a bright and calm place with light everywhere.

"I guess, this is where I'll see her again." He said aloud as he turned to his right and then to his left, "Lexa," he called but no answer came.

'Giving in already?' It was the same voice as before when he was younger. Zack turned around about himself and looked for the owner of the voice.

"I'm not giving in… I lost… Lexa's dead and so… there's nothing left to fight for." Zack whispered as the voice laughed lightly and was joined by a male's voice.

'Just like his dad. Both of them must have some kind of disease. Must be hereditary, I know, I'll call it 'Give up on everything and Die' syndrome or G.U.E.D, gued." The male voice laughed as the female voice spoke again.

'That wasn't very nice,' she reprimanded.

"What do you want?" Zack asked as the two voices laughed lightly.

'He has his mother's eyes and hair and Cloud's looks… I must say he is the perfect representation of the two.' The male voice said as Zack stepped back and looked around him slowly.

"Just leave me alone… let me die in peace, let me go to find her…" Zack trailed off.

'So you are just going to give up on life that easily? I thought you cared for your friends and your brother?' The female voice spoke.

"I'm not fit to help anyone, not my friends or my brother." Zack said quietly ashamed that he let Lexa die.

'Exactly what Cloud said a few years ago,' the male voice said as he continued, 'listen kid, if you give up then everything would have been for nothing.'

"It's too late! The reason I wanted to stop all of this was for her!" Zack shouted into the air as the female voice came back.

'So your brother means nothing to you… you won't protect him? What about Archia, Neo, Cain, Axel… aren't they important to you?' Zack thought on her words as his head slumped down.

"I just don't want to see anyone else die…" Zack whispered as the female voice responded.

'Life has unexpected twists and surprises… you can't get to witness them if you die and give in. Life is to be lived… if not for yourself then for those who love you and those who loved you.' Zack opened his mouth to speak as his tears fought to release themselves. He closed his eyes and instantly a bright wave of light consumed his mind.

'She's right, I have to keep living… for Lexa.' He thought as the light surged through him.

'Let's go… Zack' The voice whispered into his mind as his world went from white to black.

█

Tifa and the others watched as Cloud fell from the reactor as well and hit the ground hard. His weapons fell just feet from his body as he struggled to stand. The Exiled and Avalanche came to his side and began to help him stand.

Seriphron peered down on them from the top of the reactor as he held the container in one hand and his masamune in the other.

"So Cloud, you would let the world fall into chaos?" Seriphron screamed madly as he jumped from the reactor to a large plateau opposite of the reactor.

"You all shall die… and I shall sacrifice myself unto Jenova and plead her to create an utopia out of this pathetic existence!" Seriphron yelled as he lifted his masamune as several meteor fragments appeared out of thin air.

"Time to die!" He yelled as he prepared to throw his hand down. Before he could unleash his attack, a large pulse of energy rammed into him causing him to nearly drop the container.

"Seriphron!" A voice yelled as Seriphron stopped and looked from Cloud and the others to see Zack flying at him full speed. Zack impaled Seriphron with his huge Buster Sword to the hilt and got close to his shocked face to repeat his own words.

"You should have followed up!" Zack growled as he threw Seriphron from his blade. The Sephiroth look-a-like somehow landed on his feet and clutched the container to himself. Cloud grabbed his weapons as he went to attack Seriphron who simply vanished.

"This is far from over!" He declared as his voice faded with the wind.

Zack looked down at his team and Avalanche before recalling the female voice's words.

'Life is to be lived… if not for yourself then for those who love you and those who loved you..' Zack nodded to the group and spoke.

"Meet back in Midgard… I'll bring Lexa's body for a proper burial" He ordered and vanished to Lexa's body. He knelt beside her and carried her in his arms bridal style. He looked down into her pale face and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her lips.

"Lexa, that was for all that you've done for me… for being there… forgive me for not being there for you." He whispered sadly as he encased the two of them in a dark dome and reappeared outside of the Seventh Heaven where the others awaited.

When Zack arrived he received remorseful looks from everyone as he held Lexa close to him.

"Zack," Tifa stood up and approached him. Cloud was shocked for a moment before realizing that he would have named one of his children after his best friend. Cloud watched as Tifa walked closer to the young man who held the woman close to his chest in denial, "you're hurting… I know… Seriphron, he'll pay for what he did to her I promise. That monster will not get away with this." Tifa touched his shoulder and Zack looked at her for a moment and then back to Lexa's face.

"She was everything to me… I… I…" Zack thought on the words and sighed, "I never told her how important she was to me… how much I cared…" He trailed off as he fought his pain back.

"She knew." Tifa said as she looked down to the young woman and then back to Zack, "she knew you cared for her and that's why she stayed by your side." Tifa smiled softly as Zack's own eyes began to shed tears. He looked down to Lexa's body as he cradled her closer to his chest, his tears falling onto her as he hugged the cold body close to him. Tifa stepped back to give her son a chance to mourn over the loss.

A single droplet of water fell from Tifa's ceiling and onto her shoe. Tifa looked up and saw the small droplet form again.

'Sorry Zack, but you have no more reasons to give up anymore.' The voice echoed softly in his mind causing him to look up at the droplet Tifa was staring at with hope. He was puzzled at her words and shook his head and looked back down to Lexa whose eyes were locked with his.

"Zack?" She whispered lightly as his heart pounded. Cloud and the others looked on in amazement at the miracle before they turned back to the small water droplet collecting on Tifa's ceiling.

"Thank you… Aeris." Tifa smiled as Zack finally learned the name of the mysterious voice that guided him throughout his life. He smiled slightly and hugged Lexa close to him and wished he didn't have to let go, but he knew that the battle had only just begun.

The story is far from over so kepp those reviews coming! READ AND REVIEW!