:UNLIKELY MIRACLE:

:PICTURES:

"TIFA!!" Yuffie squealed and launched herself at her long-time friend, "GUESS WHAT! Guess what!!"

"What? What?" laughed Tifa giving her overly hyper friend a hug.

"See them?" Yuffie pointed to Zack and Leon who had followed her, "They're looking for Cloud. Is he here?"

"No. He took the day off today," she replied, "Hi guys, I'm Tifa!"

"Hello. I'm Zack and this is Leon," Zack introduced.

"Nah uh. He's Squall. Right Squally?" Yuffie grinned.

"It's Leon," Leon growled.

"So why are you looking for Cloud?" asked Tifa.

"Well...we're-" Zack began, only to be cut off.

"They're Spiky's boyfriends! Both of them! Can you believe the lucky bastard?" cried Yuffie her eyes dancing wickedly, "Oo Tifa I'll tell you all the juicy details!"

"Yuffie I'm gonna kill you one day," threatened Leon trying to fight of the mad blush on his face.

"Well if you want to, Cloud should be going past Cid's garage soon. It's down the street towards the church in the middle of town. You could go look for him but he's probably not very happy today. If you run in to Cid he'll point you towards the meadow. That's probably where you'll find him."

Zack and Leon looked at each other and grinned, "Thanks."

"I need those parts that I ordered. They come in yet?" called Cid.

"Not yet. But I'll get them to you as soon as I get them," replied Cloud.

"Humph," Cid muttered.

Cloud was about to leave Cid's garage when he heard voices calling out to him. He turned his head and saw two small figures coming towards him.

"Denzel? Marlene?" he waited for them to catch up.

"Cloud! Cloud! You'll never guess what happened!" cried Marlene.

"What is it? Is Tifa alright?" Cloud asked worried.

"She's fine. But Yuffie came to visit and she brought two guys with her. They said they were-" Denzel tried to explain only to be cut off by Cloud.

"Did you eavesdrop again? How many times do I have to tell you? Eavesdropping is rude. If I have to-"

"They were looking for you!" cried Marlene, ignoring the older blonde.

"One of them is Leon and the other is...uhh," Denzel tried to remember.

"Nah uh. It's Zack. And Yuffie says Leon's real name is Squall," said Marlene.

"Z-Zack? Sq-Squall?" Cloud froze.

"Look! There they are!" Cloud turned slowly. Denzel was pointing at two guys searching frantically for something or in this case someone.

Cloud's eyes widened and his body froze. One of them had dark black hair and pale skin while the other had longish brown hair with a scar along his face and a piercing gaze. Both looked exactly like his childhood friends only much taller. Their faces had lost their chubbiness and had been replaced with sharper angles. The cinnamon haired brunette had a scar across his face and Cloud vaugely remembered that on that fateful day his Squall had streams of blood across his face. He also remembered trying to save Zack's lifeless body before it had blown up. He remembered being ripped apart from Squall moments later only to see a bomb headed his way. He remembered losing his kind hearted mother. He thought he'd lost them forever. But no matter how much these two looked like his childhood friends how could they be? Cloud's heart ached.

"There he is!" cried Leon. He and Zack looked at Cloud and all three froze in their spots too shocked to believe that the others were in front of him.

Finally Zack cracked a grin and flashed his teeth. He started moving forward slowly, "Let's get him!" he laughed. And just like that it was as if they had gone back in time ten years.

As if it were a reflex, Cloud turned and ran while Zack and Leon gave chase. He didn't know why he was running. Maybe he felt that if this was one of life's cruel jokes he would be broken inside. Or maybe it was instinct from his childhood taking over his body. What ever the reason, within seconds Cloud had been tackled to the ground with Leon and Zack hovering above him, breathing heavily.

For what seemed like eternity they didn't move from their positions, lost in thought, in memories. They regained thier breaths.

Finally Cloud swallowed. "Y-you're alive?" he asked his voice wavering and hsi eyes shining too brightly.

"Just as alive as you are," replied Leon softly,

"Miss us?" asked Zack poking Cloud's side.

"More than anything," said Cloud laughing and swatting Zack's hand away. Without any hesitation Leon and Zack kissed Cloud who was only too happy to respond.


Meanwhile...

"Denzel. You stand here. And Marlene? You come over here. Alright now kids take pictures like your lives depend on it. For every good picture you take I'll give you five munny. Got it?" explained Yuffie while positioning the kids at perfect angles for taking pictures.

"Yes ma'am!" "Got it!" the kids grinned.

"Ooo this is gonna be so much fun. I can't wait to Squallie's face!!" Yuffie grinned, "Ok! Start taking pictures!!"

Click! Click! Click!...


Fin


A/N: That's the end. Did you like it? :) Please review!! It'd be greatly appreciated.

Dedication: Tobi-Uchiha-- Thanks so much for all your support. If it weren't for you I wouldn't have gotten past the first chapter. THANK YOU!!