Hello everyone! I'm back! This past year was just crazy! I'm very sorry that I wasn't able write for any of my stories; especially this one. I have had the most amazing luck with my reviewers and viewers! So here we go!

Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Denzel's

The pain is everywhere. Dark and foreboding, it slowly creeps up to where I float. I try and beat it back, but I'm too weak. I know that's all that I ever will be; too weak. As soon as I resign myself to that fact, the darkness surges up around me. I struggle to raise my head above the darkness but it sticks to me like water and pulls me under. The pain soon becomes too much along with the ever present darkness and I slowly start to fade. I feel myself drift downward as my limbs become to heavy... Suddenly, I hear soft piano music fill my ears. Soft, sweet, magical; all reminding me of her. Aerith. The girl that everyone talks about. Wait a minute, if I give up…what happens to Cloud, Tifa, Marlene? They would feel betrayed and Cloud would more then likely go back into depression knowing he couldn't protect his family. I can't do that to them. The music swells and becomes louder and I see a white light fighting against the darkness. I realize that I don't want to go to the darkness; I would hurt the many people that I loved. I noticed the darkness fade away into nothing and I felt the pain and exhaustion finally take their toll on me. I allowed myself to fade into oblivion as the music faded out…

Cloud's

Cloud hated hospitals. The harsh lights and the antiseptic smell combined with the thought of death did wonders for the emotions. Now it was even worse because Denzel was a patient. All of AVALANCHE and the WRO and the close Shinra personnel were sitting in a private waiting room that Rufus had set up. There was dead silence; everyone lost in their own thoughts as they thought of the very special little boy who had touched all of their hearts. The male members of the groups would periodically take off from the waiting room to see if they could track down the reasons why Denzel was so brutally hurt. So far, they had come up with nothing.

Cloud swore after the final battle with Sephiroth that he would never let anyone harm his family again. Mentally he kicked himself again and again; showing no mercy. How could he let something like that happen? Anger, fear, and a cold detachment settled on him as he remembered what had taken place in that alley.

Cloud let loose the scream as he took in the sight before him. A gang of oversized and drunk males were gathered around the boy he proudly called his son. What enraged him even more was the blood pooling out of Denzel's body and the fact that the apparent ringleader held what appeared to be a child's arm and half of a leg. Cloud could faintly hear other growls of anger behind him as he and his friends started towards the group with murder intent on their minds. Cloud jumped at the male holding the limbs and let fly with his fists and one of the side attachments of the Tsurugi. He let go to his hatred. How could they even think of hurting a child?

Cloud finally stopped when he realized that the man before him was beaten within an inch of his life. Cloud slowly came back into the present and looked around him. He saw the beaten bodies of the gang and his friends all around him. Then his gaze fell upon Denzel. Rufus and Nanaki were sitting with him; Rufus pressing his jacket along with Vincent's came to the holes where Denzel's arm and leg used to be. Rufus also held his phone between his shoulder and ear; Cloud's mako enhanced hearing picking up that he was ordering the fastest Shinra medical chopper to the scene. Cloud took one look at the glazed and half opened eyes of Denzel and that was all it took.

Cloud turned around once more as the anger started to fill his body once more. He bent down and grabbed the man before him and shoved him up against the wall. Cloud waited until the man could focus before he uttered his final threat.

"If you so much as think about coming near my SON again…You will find out exactly what I learned from fighting Sephiroth and know that he is not the only nightmare!" Cloud smirked as the man registered Sephiroth and nightmare. Good! Let the man stew in his fear. Cloud dropped the man and ran over to Denzel.

Denzel's eyes were closed and his breathing shallow. Rufus had tried to stop the bleeding, but it proved too much. Cloud sat there numbed as he grabbed onto Denzel's small, cold hand. The kid had been through too much for his young years. The old Shinra, the collapse of Sector Seven, the death of his birth parents, Geostigma, DGS, and now this. Cloud started as voices cut through his thoughts.

"Cloud. The chopper is here." Vincent's voice sounded close to him. He looked up and saw the gunman standing next to him; Cerberus out and he could see blood on the gun's edge. It took Vincent, Cloud, and Rufus to help load Denzel into the chopper that had landed in the street right outside of the alley. Cloud jumped into the chopper along with Reno-he was the best pilot they had- and Rufus while the others made arrangements with the WRO troops that Reeve had called for the gang, and of course who would call those still at 7th Heaven and let them know what had transpired. Cloud shook his head and turned to the one thing that deserved his attention- Denzel.

"Family of Denzel Lee?" Cloud looked up at the sound of the deep voice. In all the time that Denzel had been living with him and Tifa, he had not once heard his last name. Cloud took a quick look around the room; nearly everybody had tear tracks on their cheeks- some more fresh then others. But, what was also evident in their eyes was the extreme hatred towards whoever had done this to Denzel.

Tifa and Cloud looked at one another and stood and walked towards the Dr. with Rufus slightly behind them to help with any legal issues. Denzel may have been living with Cloud and Tifa, but there was always the chance that the Dr's. wouldn't say anything because they weren't his legal parents.

"We are his family," Tifa answered and she gestured to the entire room. The look on the Dr.'s face make Cloud smirk slightly as the Dr. looked around at all the people in the waiting room. Yep, they were one big, misfit family, but no one would ever wish for it to be different. "Anything you say, you can say to all of us," Cloud told the Dr.

"Very well. I'm afraid I have some bad news." The Dr.'s grave tone sent icy cold fear through everyone.

So! How's that for a chapter? It took me forever to try and remember who all I had brought in and how everyone should be connected! I hope I don't confuse anyone! Your reviews and comments are greatly appreciated! Until next time! Fantasyqueen10!