Disclaimer - I don't own Final Fantasy VII or its characters. Enjoy the new chapter!


I Understand and I'm Sorry

He was breathing painfully. His body was completely broken from the fight with Nii-san. He is dying, but why is he feeling so comfortable in the arms of the traitor, of Mother's enemy?

Maybe... I never really hate him... All along, it was Him who had hated Nii-san...

He looked up at the face hovering above him, the person looked sad...

Why isn't he mad at me...? Why is he sad...?

The blue sapphire eyes held deep sadness in them. He really wanted to reach up and smoothed away the sadness of Nii-san. He wanted to see him smile...

***

His dream had come true! Nii-san was now with him and smiling, he looked a little sad, but he will definitely make him happy, happier than he is right now!

Hey Nii-san it's that Midgar there! He shouted pointing at the constructing modern town. The blond hair boy looked at surprisingly.

'Nii-san?' The blond repeated.

From now on you can be my Nii-san, ok? He told the shocked blond, holding his hand tightly. He will definitely protect that smile of his. No one will touch or harm him anymore.

***

It was a small kiss, but it felt wonderful. Nii-san is so warm. He wanted to keep this warmth.

Nii-san is the only person who looked at him for who he is. He loved him and only him. Now he understands why Nii-san was sad when he faded away. He loved him.

When he is gone, he was sad because he left him, but he won't go away anymore, he will stay beside him forever and the smile will stay bright for both of them.

***

Kadaj... Cloud knew he was crying even though his eyes stayed closed, but he couldn't feel the dampness on his cheek, because he could only feel the guilt of pushing Kadaj away and slapped him. Suddenly he felt a hand wiped off his tears, slow and gentle.

'It's alright. We'll get him back, I promise Cloud.' He heard Moon said to him gently. Blue watery sapphire eyes opened themselves and stared into the midnight blue eyes.

'It's all my fault, everything is my fault. I lost him because I didn't care what he truly felt.' Cloud croaked as he turned his head away to avert the worry gaze of his friend.

'No you didn't, if you did lose him, you wouldn't be able to see his thoughts and memories.' The blond looked back at the man confusingly. Moon took a deep breath before he continued. 'After the two of you were separated, you were always thinking about him, right? Your Inner-Lifrestream started to search for him and found his soul. JENOVA could have shielded him from you, but she couldn't, because Kadaj's spirit is also looking for you. There is a chance for you to save him.'

'But... I... I can't...' Cloud stammered as he looked at the black rash-like scars on his left arm, his hand gripped the dark crimson coat. 'I just... Can't... Save...'

'But you did. You save Kadaj, you have kept him from falling deep into JENOVA's spell, and even now, he was still clung onto the hope of seeing you. And you freed me from the ice prison.' The blond was about to retort, but he was silence by a gloved finger his lips. 'I don't want you to ever think you can't safe anyone. You had saved more people than you think you had failed to. Not like me...'

'Moon?' The blond said hesitantly after the finger was removed from his lips as he felt the grip of the arm around his waist tighten and his friend hided his face behind the curtain of copper hair. Cloud shifted on his position and hugged the man just like the last time he was at the Shinra ward. 'Everything's going to be alright, right?'

He hoped that his words would stop the man's sadness, a sadness he never knew how it had begun and he never wanted to know either. He just knew that it pained him to see Moon being sad because of him. He just wanted to see everyone happy again and he wanted everything back to normal again.

When a gloved hand was placed over the black scars on his left arm, Cloud whimpered softly at the sudden pressure in his head, it felt like something was trying to break his mind. The soft sound made the auburn hair man pulled back his hands, as if he were afraid to touch him, and apologized.

'Stop apologizing!' Cloud growled, feeling very angry right now, not at Moon, but at himself. 'Why do you keep apologizing when everything's my fault to begin with? I was the one who caused all this! I was the one who made Kadaj decided to go to JENOVA! I was the one who turned him into that- that evil twin of Sephiroth!'

The young blond blinked back his tears and bit on his lips to not cry out. He just hated himself, for every single mistake he made! If he isn't ignorant and plain stupid, he might have been a little more careful and attentive to those who are close to him! This might not even happen! None of this might have happen! Then he couldn't hold his tears back anymore and let them pour out like the rains of an inevitable storm.

'I just want to be forgiven...' Moon whispered sadly. Cloud pulled away from him to wipe away his tears, but the auburn hair man reached his face first and caressed the wet cheek, the blond stared at him surprisingly through teary blue hues, then he leaned forward to kiss away the tears. The blond closed his eyes and melted under the soft touches and the feather-light kisses of the man. It was after making sure there is no longer a trace left of the crystal tears that the man pulled back and the boy reopened his eyes.

A moment of silent awkwardness had passed between them, they simply stared at each other, Cloud's trying to find a hint of emotion in the glowing gaze of his friend while Moon was simply observing his delicate features, then he said: 'I think we should go now. Kadaj is waiting.'

At the sound of the familiar name, Cloud immediately perked up and stared into the glowing blue eyes as he repeated the words. Moon nodded his head as he got up and held his hand out for the young SOLDIER, which Cloud took with a small smile. Both of them headed to the opened door and Moon added: 'Before we leave, I need to wake someone else up.'

'Huh? Who?' Cloud asked as he followed his friend, because he couldn't think of anyone who had the courage to live, let alone sleep, in this creepy mansion and its basement, unless it was another scientist who is as freaky as Hojo is. The crimson coated man didn't answer as he folded his black wing on his shoulder and walked towards a large door barricaded with chains and a lock. Placing his index finger on the lock, it immediately grew hot red before it melted.

Even though Cloud knew that Moon had perfect control over the fire power and had performed it dozen of times in front of him, in his phoenix form, but the blond still found himself admiring the man's powerful skill.

Moon pulled opened the old worn-out door, a disgusting smell filled the air and Cloud had to put his hand over his mouth and nose to prevent himself from gagging on. The smell is unbearable. It is mixed with old rotten flesh and wood, plus the humidity of the cavern-like room, it's even worse, but there is something else in there, something that even the SOLDIER's enhanced scent couldn't identify. The auburn hair man stepped into the room without the slightest sign of discomfort about the smell.

Cloud only got a good look at the room when he got inside too and it explained the reason about the smell, because it isn't a room, it's a crypt. Wood coffins lay here and there in different angles with skeletons, except one who was placed right in the middle of the crypt, straight and untouched with a large cross over the lid. The crimson coated man knelt next to it and slowly slid the lid off the coffin.

'Moon, I don't think that's a-' The lid of the large wooden box fell to the floor with a loud bang with dirt and dust uprising. The blond coughed a few time in his hand, while he waved his free hand in the air to dissipate the thick dust. When the dust settled down, Cloud's eyes widen in surprise at what lay inside the coffin as he finished his sentence: 'Good idea...'

Inside the casket was an ebony hair man, whose thick silk-like hair was held back by a red headband that most of his bangs out of his pale moonlit face. The man looked slim and tall, he was dressed in complete black leather with a bucked up red cloak hidden the lower half of his face, his shoes had golden plating that spiked up at the tip, his left arm had gauntlet seemed to be made with the same material as the armor on his shoes, the fingertips looked like claws with the golden equipment. A three barrel gun was strapped at his right side.

Cloud swallowed nervously, the man was so beautiful with that ivory skin of his that he looked like a fallen angel in sleep instead of someone who is resting in peace and he could make out a small faint heartbeat with his enhanced hearing. He wondered if the man was in some sort of coma.

The auburn hair man leaned over the ear of the probably not-dead man and whispered a soft command: 'Awaken from your deep slumber, Chaos.'

Ruby red eyes flashed opened, which caused Cloud to jump back in surprise while Moon simply leaned back with a small smile on his face as the awaked man sat up in his coffin.

'Who are you? Why do you call Chaos?' The ebony hair man demanded coldly.

'My name is of no importance, but you may call Moon and this Cloud Strife.' Moon presented them with a small elegant gesture. 'I'm here to ask for your aid and to help you to forgive your sins.'

'What do you know about nightmares? Nothing.' The strange man said as he returned to his previous position in the coffin and was about to close the lid, but the crimson coated swordsman stopped him with one hand.

'I am here to give you a chance of redemption. A chance to see the one, who you thought you had failed to protect, and her child. You could also complete that the little unfinished business you have with your nightmare.' Moon offered to him, staring dead into the crimson hues.

The gunman gave the auburn hair man a calculated look before he closed his eyes and asked: 'Do you know where Lucrecia is?'

'I promise I will bring you to her if you help us.' Moon answered as he removed his hand from the lid and held it to the man who took it without hesitation.

'What's your name?' The young blond asked as the two men got up.

'Vincent. Vincent Valentine.' The black hair man answered after studying him for a moment. 'You're a SOLDIER.'

It was a statement, not a question. Cloud wondered why he didn't flinched under the cold gaze of this Vincent Valentine, he had a gaze that could rival the one of Sephiroth and yet he didn't seemed to be intimidate by that, he felt like he was used to it. Maybe I should thank Sephiroth for training me to not be intimidated by people's gazes.

'Ex-SOLDIER, to be exact.' The words came out of his mouth without the blond knew why he said that, but still it felt right what he just said it. Then he turned his attention to his one winged friend. 'So where do we go from here?'

'Nibelheim Reactor. JENOVA and Kadaj are waiting for us there.' Moon answered. Cloud looked at the floor sadly at the mention of the silver hair teen's name. The winged man slowly approached the young blond and put his hand on his right arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. 'Don't lose faith, Cloud.'

The simple words had brought some morale back to young Ex-SOLDIER as he nodded his head and followed his friend with their new ally behind them to the spiral stairs.

***

After Cloud had collected his sword, the trio left the abandoned mansion and made their way to Mt. Nibel and through it easily, with only two or three monsters to take care of on the road, a broken bridge and a Mountain Dragon blocking their way. As the lights from the old Mako Reactor grew brighter, Cloud's heart felt heavier, an uneasy feeling went passed him with each step he took. Something's wrong. It's just like last time...

He stopped on his track to try to calm his hurricane of thoughts about what might happen to Moon, telling himself that what happen at the Science Department won't happen again. What if I fail to protect him again?

'Cloud.'

Cloud snapped back to reality to see Moon standing beside him and Vincent a few feet away from them scouting the area. Nothing is going to happen to me... No matter what's waiting for us... I promise...

A red gloved hand reached out to brush back some yellow spiked hair from the cerulean eyes. The young blond studied the expression and the eyes of his friend carefully, because he knew Moon was constantly in pain in his heart, he doesn't showed the deepest part of his heart often to him, and wanted to find a way to heal him. He didn't want him to pull himself away from him whenever they had touched a certain subject that leads him to remember his past. He wanted to hold him close and smoothed away all his scars like he did for him.

He was about to speak up, but Moon yanked him by the arm and released a fireball with his other hand, hitting a shadow beast behind him. Three shots rang though the air, as they turned their head to see Vincent killing three black monsters at the same time.

'GO!' The auburn hair shouted as he released his grip over the arm of the blond and pushed him away.

Cloud stumbled a few steps before he regained his balance and immediately broke into a run towards the Reactor without looking back at his companions, because he knew that those shadow creatures won't stop them. All I wish for is your forgiveness... The gentle voice that rang in his mind made him look over his shoulder to look at Moon, but he only saw his back facing him. Biting his lower lips, he continued to run and pushed back the questions that are burning in his mind, knowing that if he communicate telepathically with his friend, he will not only distract himself from his objective, but put Moon in danger too.

Why? Why do you seek my forgiveness? The blond couldn't help, but think about this question. You are one of the two people who had given me everything I had ever dream of...

When the metallic door of the Reactor was in his sight, Cloud pulled out his sword which was glowing and swung it, a powerful energy arc was threw to the entrance, causing it to explode into millions of bits.

Without wasting his time waiting for the dusts to settle down, the Ex-SOLDIER dashed into the Reactor, jumping down the ladder and running passed the test pods to the opened entrance marked JENOVA. He was slightly panting as he stepped into the room, Sephiroth, or rather Kadaj, stood on the platform where there is an empty mako tank and a broken twisted mechanic body beside it. Between them was a large red tube that is connected to the platform to the floor where Cloud stood, besides that, there nothing but a complete empty space and underneath them was a large mako spring.

'So you finally came.' The long silver hair swordsman said as he pointed the tip of his sword towards him. 'But it is too late. Mother had already begun her journey through the Lifestream to the world's end. Soon everything on this planet shall die and be reborn, including you...'

The blond hair swordsman remained silent. His yellow bangs shield his eyes from the green cat-like gaze. Then what the Ex-SOLDIER did next surprised the silver hair man greatly, he let go of his sword, which clattered on the floor loudly.

'I give up.'

A smile graced the lips of Sephiroth as he said: 'So you finally accept your fate willingly, puppet?'

'I understand why you did this and... I'm sorry...' Cloud whispered as he looked up at the swordsman with teary eyes. 'I'm sorry Kadaj...'

'Didn't I told you before, Kadaj no longer exist.'

The blond ignored his words and slowly walked towards the man, looking straight into his deeps of his eyes and searching for the young innocent silver hair child he knew who is sleeping deep inside as he continued: 'I know you are listening Kadaj! I know you are always there! And I want you to know -'

Before he could finish his sentence, he was struck by a strong lightning spell and fell to his knees.

'Silence, puppet. I don't want to hear another pathetic word from you.' The Sephiroth look-alike said with his hand still glowing in a bright green light.

Cloud pushed himself up painfully and said in between short pants as he took another few steps: 'You... Are one of the... Two people who had ever given me everything that I had ever wished for... Moon is the first person...'

Another electrical discharge was released from the palm of the silver hair man. Intense pain shot though the Ex-SOLDIER's body, instantly knocking him down on his feet again and gasping for breath.

'I said SILENCE!'

Cloud, still gasping for air, managed to cough out his words: 'The other person is you...'

The blond looked up at the man standing on the platform, who is looking at him as if he is seeing a ghost. He smiled as he stood up and said: 'Moon had given me my dreams, confidence and strength, but you... You gave something greater than that... You have given me trust...'

'SHUT UP! SHUT UP!' Sephiroth bellowed as he cast another thunder spell, but somehow, this time it was less strong the previous ones.

It still hurt him, but Cloud found it easier this time to ignore the pain as he walked towards the now seemingly-panicking man. He walked slowly and kept his balance over the tube under his feet.

'Friendship...' Another step, only eight more steps before he reached him.

'STAY AWAY! STAY AWAY!'

'And love...' Four more steps, he is close now.

'I SAID STAY AWAY!' The silver hair swordsman shouted angrily as he lifted his katana to strike the blond. Cloud closed his eyes and braced himself for the sharp pain that's about to come, but it didn't.

'Nii-san...' A young soft voice spoke out.

The blond hair boy cracked his eyes open to see the silver hair man holding a hand over his face, looking like he was in immense pain. The left green eye had gentle and kind look in it, while the other was filled with rage and madness.

'You have no right to control this body. You have given up on it.' A rough voice said through gritted teeth and then a halo and ghostly version of the long silver hair man appeared next him. 'Mother won't be please about this Kadaj. So stay back!'

'You're the one who should stay back!' The soft voice spoke again.

'What do you think you are doing?! STOP!' The rough voice shouted. The silver hair swordsman's body started to shake violently.

'I don't care about Mother's wish anymore! And beside I don't need her or you anymore! SO GET LOST!' The softer voice yelled out and soon a high-pitch scream joined it. A mass of back feather and a dark mist swirled around the tall man as the halo form beside him started to crack before it shattered like a broken glass. The ephemeral black mist slowly dispersed, a large smile took its place over Cloud's face as he spotted a familiar shadow silhouette.

A short silver hair teen in complete black leather attire with a sheathed katana attached on his belt stood at the spot where the once tall swordsman had stood and grinned brightly as he said: 'I'm home, Nii-san.'

The blond chuckled as he replied: 'Yeah, welcome back, Kadaj.'

Suddenly a loud shot rang through the air and everything seemed to slow down instantly for the blond. He didn't know what's going around him, all he knew was that intense pain in his heart and this time it was like physically, not the one that he felt a small ache from the inside. Things became too hazy for him and his body seemed heavier than usual.

Before he knew what hit him, he was already falling off the red tube he was standing on. Kadaj stretched his arm out to catch him, but he couldn't make his arm reached out and grabbed the smaller hand. His only thought was. Moon...

'NII-SAN!!!' That is the last thing he heard before bright green light enveloped him, followed by a cold and pitch black darkness.


I wasn't sure I did a good job on his chapter, so please review and tell me what you think. I'll try to do better next time!