A/N: Hello darlings! I hope you enjoy this chapter. I quite like it, personally. Mwahahaha. I'll shut up and let you read now. Sorry for this completely pointless author note...


Every muscle ached inside him, burning from each step as he propelled himself forward as quickly as he could. He would occasionally grab sturdy-looking tree branches and throw himself further, although the landing jarred his knees immensely. He was ignoring all of it so that he could continue. No matter how much his body shook from the effort he would not give in.

As he moved, he focused his thoughts onto what was keeping him going. All the things worth fighting for.

Tifa. She needed him more than anything now that she'd opened a bar and was looking after Marlene and Denzel. She made good money, yes, but the money Cloud made from his delivery service was also needed to keep the place running and all the mouths fed.

Marlene. With Barret still searching for atonement Cloud was as good as a father to her. Would she ever be able to trust him again after this, though? He had let so many bad things happen to his family... would they ever look at him in the same way again? Would Marlene constantly beg for him to take her with him on deliveries anymore?

Denzel. The boy had grown up so much since they first found him but he still needed a father figure in his life. Cloud had to return so that he could give Denzel what he needed and make sure the boy grew up to be a mature young man who made wise decisions and didn't let the horrors of his past-

A cry escaped Cloud as he crumpled to the ground, all his limbs screaming in pain that was inflicted upon him from his clone. He tried to shield himself and shoot pain back but found himself unable to. Tears leaked from his eyes at the intensity of it and from the small stings in his hands he guessed he was clutching at the ground tightly.

Boo.

"What is it you want?" Cloud roared, shouting the question aloud even though his clone could read his mind.

I want a normal life. Is that really to much to ask for?

The pain vanished and Cloud breathed heavily into the dirt, his body still trembling in the after-effects. He was covered in sweat.

"Then go find... somewhere else... to live." Cloud gasped out, relaxing his hands. "You can't have my life."

You really don't understand, do you?

Cloud clenched his teeth in frustration, not responding verbally but knowing that his clone was aware of what he was thinking anyway.

Let me make it perfectly clear for you. I am you. I am in love with Tifa. I love Denzel and Marlene just as much as you do. I have all your memories. Do you see now? I am going to fight for this family just as hard as you are.

Weakly, Cloud pushed himself to his feet.

"In that case, we'll both be fighting until we're dead," he said softly.

There is, however, one difference between us.

"What, you're evil?" Cloud scoffed. It came to his attention for a brief moment that this was the longest conversation they had had with each other. It was a strange feeling.

An eerie silence came over the forest as Cloud's clone didn't respond. Cloud's eyes darted around fearfully despite the fact that he knew the clone was still at Seventh Heaven and nowhere near him at all. He took a step backwards and crushed some leaves beneath his boot.

He could still feel the presence of another mind, so he knew his clone had not fallen asleep, but the lack of an answer unnerved him and set him on edge. It gave him the feeling that someone was happening and he should know what... but his mind was blank.

A sudden throb of sadness pulsed through him and he gasped, clutching at his chest. At first he couldn't believe his clone was capable of feeling such an emotion but he quickly scolded himself. If his clone was the same as him then of course he could feel sadness.

But why had he sent the feeling to him?

The answer came in a short, sad sentence.

You could have saved Zack.