When the sun hit my skin, bathing me in its warmth, I couldn't help but feel joy. I would run to the beach, my favorite place, and let everything just melt away.

The truck hissed as it arrived to its destination, waking up the ex-mercenary up from his sleep as the vehicle rocked from the sudden stop. He rubbed his Mako-blue eyes, not wanting to be there, wanting to be home with Tifa and Denzel, spending the day taking the younger boy to the park. He hadn't been getting much sleep and the previous night was no exception. Cloud had spent all night studying the files of the mysterious girl, looking for answers although there wasn't much on her other than she was definitely infused with JENOVA cells in an attempt to create another Sephiroth.

"When we go in, " Reeve began as he unbuckled his seatbelt to exit the truck, opening the doors to the back of the large vehicle. "Be on alert. We don't know what lies ahead. There could be creatures lingering. The WRO soldiers cleared most of them but we just can never be too careful." He finished as he walked out.

Cloud's attention was drawn up as he heard Vincent getting his weapon ready, loading his gun with as many bullets as it could fit. Out of all his friends, other than Tifa, Vincent understood him the most. "Do you think this is really such a good idea. Should we prepare for the worst?" The blonde asked the gunman.

"I don't know what to expect." Vincent replied looking up at Cloud. "You seem troubled Cloud."

Cloud swallowed hard as he thought about what he was doing with his life. "I'm worried." He confessed.

Vincent stopped what he was doing, wanting to be there for his friend. "What about?" The ebony haired man asked.

"Tifa hasn't been looking so good. She usually tells me everything but lately, she's been hesitant and last night she told me there was something important she needed to discuss. I'm afraid that she's sick, really sick. I'm always working so I can provide for her and Denzel." Cloud was now tugging at his fingertips, biting his bottom lip. "I can't lose Tifa like I lost her."

"That's rather concerning." Vincent frowned now becoming concerned for Cloud's childhood friend. "Keep me updated on her?"

"Of course." Cloud sighed. "Don't mention this to anyone?"

Vincent simply nodded in agreement, standing up himself to exit the back of the truck, Cloud following not far behind.

Junon had changed slightly since Cloud had last been there. It was definitely a town trying to rebuild itself since the Meteor incident and Deepground's attack on its citizens. The streets were cleaner than they used to be, the pollution being cleared out slowly. There were WRO soldiers everywhere, however, unlike the past where citizens looked petrified to see ShinRa SOLDIERS, they looked pleased with the WRO infantry as they helped their townsfolk rebuild their city.

The group made their way through, making their way to the former offices of Shinra, now abandoned like some ghost town. They entered with caution, assaulted by the smell of what could've been mildew or any other filth grown by unkempt moisture. The building was dark, making Yuffie turn on her bright flashlight, illuminating the room. A receptionist desk was the first thing they all laid eyes on. An old guest book sitting on the countertop. The ninja shrugged it off and looked around with her light, finding a staircase leading up to the next floor.

"Where did the file said the lab was?" Yuffie queried as she kept flashing the light around the whole lobby, looking for a door.

"There's a door upstairs," Reeve began as he looked up the staircase, "That leads to a basement, which leads to the lab."

Yuffie shined the light up the stairs as she began climbing the steps, the others following suit. It wasn't long before they arrived their destination. A hidden door, almost unnoticeable by what would've been some snack machines and a fake plant now covered in cobwebs. Reeve entered a code on the snack machine, leaving Yuffie a little confused, however that feeling disappeared when she heard the creaking of the hidden metal door as it opened, the rust causing it to whine and groan. Once it opened, the smell of dampness grew stronger, however the stench was mixed with something familiar. Once the odorassaultedCloud's nose he knew what thesmell was.

"Mako." Theblondeex-mercenaryscowled, not happy to be dealing with the substance once more. His hand took a hold of the hilt of his sword while Vincent cocked his gun as they prepared to walk down the stairs.

Yuffie shined the light once more, leading the way, the stench getting stronger as they got deeper into the laboratory. As they arrived to the floor, Cloud's hand tightened around the hilt of the Fusion Sword ready for anything, however it was quiet save the low hums that were keeping some of the machinery going.

The center of the room was dimly lit by the large tube which was connected to several Mako generators, causing said glow in the room. There she was, floating in the large fluid filled container, her silver hair flowing around her. Her face looked so familiar to Cloud it was almost painful. He stood in front of the glass tube touching it as he examined her closely. Who did she look like? Obviously There was Sephiroth's influence, he thought, but there was someone else she reminded him of.

The loud hiss disrupted his thoughts as Reeve began working the computers to drain the tube of its Mako mixture. The liquid drainage caused the girl to lean against the glass. Cloud, his hands still on the glass, could hear her breathing through the facemask she had on. The door to the tube began to open and the young female began to slip out, causing Cloud to react and catch her scrawny body.

Cloud's hand removed the mask off of the girl's face, hearing her breathing, He brushed away the plastered hair from her delicate face, watching her closely. All the fear and hatred he had preconceived for the girl was melting away and being replaced by sympathy. She had begun to shiver, through Cloud didn't understand since it had seemed so hot in that building with the lack of air conditioning.

"Cloud," a male's voice said interrupting all his thoughts, "Here." Vincent was behind him, offering up his red cloak which the blonde took and wrapped around the girl, keeping her warm. Cloud could feel Vincent's strong hand on his shoulder, a form of support from an understanding friend to another. Cloud sighed, cradling the girl as he stood up, carrying her, her head leaning against his chest.

"Where are we taking her?" Cloud asked, putting away all his thoughts, holding her closer, feeling her body starting to warm up, her shivering decreasing.

"Back to Edge," Reeve said as he watched Cloud look over the girl with caring eyes. "They have the best hospital there. She looks emaciated."

Cloud looked down at the girl once more, she definitely looked malnourished and underweight, he felt pity for her. She didn't ask for any of this. "Sounds like a plan." He sighed as he began making his way back to the surface of the building. "Yuffie," He called out, "Light the way."

"He's always had a soft spot for kids hasn't he?" Yuffie smiled, looking up at Vincent, who looked down at the small ninja and nodded in agreement.