Disclaimer: same as always don't sue me I don't own any one but Koty.

Things are starting to pick up for cloud. For better or worse he has his mind set. Will he finally be able to pop the question or will the strange enigmatic Koty slay his dreams. The whispers on the ethereal winds are also starting to affect our spiky hero what could the grueling nightmares mean. Well read and the truth may present itself.

I'm gona pay tribute to everyone's favorite emo sword slinging biker with an entire chapter based on you guessed it cloud. Tell me how it goes. Please r&r enjoy.

In the worst way.:

He raced quickly down the byways and out into the field and then stopped. Miles outside of the town he called home he simply stopped. He didn't understand why it just seemed right. As if he were meant to stop at that exact location.

There was nothing particularly special about it. Just rocks and a spot of grass here and there. But then he heard a voice. It was a young woman.

"dilly dally." It taunted him giggling.

"aerith………" he spun to see the town he had left behind erupt into a gigantic mushroom cloud. The force of the wind off of said cloud knocked the unwitting swordsman from his mount and instilled a fear and nameless dread in him that he had only known twice in his entire life.

"oh you did it now." Another voice that of a young man resounded.

"Zack…..!" he looked up to find himself at the door to the church of the sector five slums.

'alright now I know I'm dreaming but…… what about Koty……. Where did he get off to…….' He thought to himself out loud casting off the sights and voices as mere hallucinations. 'probably just mako problems.' He attempted to reassure himself as he stands to open the door to the church with trepidation.

"show me what I've done. The things I've laid to waste. The towers I have marred stand testament to my insanity. Seek me out and I shall know you" Koty's voice echoed in his ears. Dark and suppressive.

"Koty…….. how do you know me…………… you said I was important to you………….. I wana know why…………" he shouts into the darkness to receive no answer.

It was quiet. Too quiet. The wind filled the forgotten chapel as if to usher him forth. Forward towards the center of the room. The flowers seemed to be the object of the winds interest.

"they were such beautiful people. No wonder you loved them so." The voice of a man cloud had yet to hear came to his ears. "don't be alarmed. Its me……."

"Koty…….. what's with the voice…….. why are you here…… what's going on." without warning cloud felt the nausea from his previous encounter with the man return. The sudden churning in his stomach making him lurch and fall to the ground.

"try to remain still for a moment it's the disorientation. Its what happens here." Koty's voice was different. No longer the spine chilling base it had been but now a soft tenor. Apologetic almost as he spoke to cloud with a gentle demeanor.

"where are we……. Am I even awake……..are we …… dead." The dawning realization that he may have actually died in the explosion from before haunted him. "what about tifa is she okay."

"do not fret…… you aren't dead……… and your love is fine…….. she is lonely but safe." His words brought the swordsman some comfort. "and yes you are awake but not conscious. Look."

Cloud looks to behold a figure propped against one of the pillars in the church. Its body covered in dust and the only defining feature being a head of golden spikes.

"what the hell." Cloud was filled with a sense of panic as he stared at himself now a corpse within the walls of a place he called sanctuary.

"calm down spikes…." The voice of Zack reverberates. "it'll be okay"

"Zack…… Zack……." He spins around finding only Koty and the darkness of the usually well lit scenery. "stop messing with my head" he demands at the strange man in front of him knowing Koty was indeed the cause of his current predicament.

"I have done nothing but bring you here. You are not injured but you are very weak. Please be patient as it may take your body several hours to recover." He said as he leans against the wall.

"hours…….. I've got things to do……….. how do I…….. um ……. Wake up…"

The man walks to the lifeless body and kicks it over. suddenly cloud blacks out and wakes up again on the floor beside the pillar where he had seen his body lay previously.

"an out of body experience…………. Not uncommon for first time drifting. But not exactly the most frequent reaction." Koty's voice took an analytical tone as he walked away from cloud.

"oh fu…." The contents of his stomach emptied to the floor. "uhhnnnn"

"relax slowly now….. it will be some time before the effects fully wear off." Koty sat down and allowed the swordsman to recuperate before speaking. "now why do you follow me."

"I didn't follow you here I just woke up here." He groaned and sat up.

"tifa suffered from the same sickness last night." Koty states "when you attacked me…."

"I'm sorry." He lowered his gaze with a sense of guilt. "I just……. I don't……"

"its understandable…….. you were worried for the woman you love……. Who am I to judge?"

Cloud suddenly hears aeriths voice again laughing childishly on the wind. She found this funny no doubt.

"oh shit…." He remembered the explosion. "if I really am here then edge……"

"you saw it too…….. a great calamity is to befall there if not acted upon soon. But now the question is how you saw it."

"what do you mean." Cloud grows anxious.

"what did you perceive the calamity as……… what happened …." He takes a blunt approach.

" I saw edge just………. Explode…………"

"intriguing……….. did you see the dark one." His voice gives a question that makes clouds skin crawl.

"sephiroth……….?" The name itself was cursed and threatened to destroy his voice for even the mentioning.

"not quite……. He's a dark man but he is a piece of your history…… he is close to you……"

"spiky" Zacks voice called out of the shadows again.

"cloud tell me your desire…… you long for something…….. I long for it as well……"

"stop just stop okay…….. enough of the creepy games………. I don't know who you are but things were going peachy until you showed up." He ranted. "sure I'm a head-trip and a half because of my fucked up life but at least I was attempting to make up for lost time……… I almost had a girlfriend for a week and for two days I didn't even have to work. And now I'm sitting here hearing specters and talking to some god forsaken lunatic who can see ghosts. I black out and wake up every few hours…… just who the hell are you……. And why are you fucking with my life……."

"I am a drifter…….. I drift between worlds and realities. I'm sorry I have brought my troubles on you….. please allow me to explain." He attempts to calm cloud

"like you've needed to for the last week………." He rolls his eyes and stands.

"if I recall correctly it was you who said stow it with the formalities" he force fed cloud his own words. "or better yet let me show you."

Cloud turned to see Koty place a hand on his own shoulder. Suddenly scenes began to pass before him and voices played in sectioned conversation in his head.

A man in a white coat and Koty standing in a small room where Koty is apparently bound was first "you will be a god. A commander of titans and a lord of war." The scene then shifts

"high I'm Kara." A young cheerful red haired woman embraces him and disappears

"this is your purpose" a large man with a military like appearance speaks as he walks in front of cloud and disappears.

"man you're a head trip." Cloud was stunned that the man now in front of him was an exact twin of himself. "boy I never knew what the DPRD was doing until now……. Don't worry I got your back."

Scenes now of battle flooded his vision. Men with guns and armor of inconceivable numbers fighting one man. "don't you see that you are the god of war." The military man returned and shook his head in disdain "you have so much to learn."

"you are a liability I'm sorry Koty I have to do this" the man in the white coat appears again and shots are fired.

"thought we'd lost you" cloud was shocked at the reflection he saw in front of him again. "lets get those patched up buddy"

"Koty run…….. you have to escape." The red haired girl appeared again reaching out to Koty "do it" she reaches up and plants a soft kiss on his lips then places his left hand on her chest. "take me…… take me with you…….. we'll be together ……….. don't forget….." Koty's hand runs deep into the woman's sternum and blood erupts from her torso.

"noooo…….. Kara……." The Koty in front of him roars in agony and fire consumes the scene.

"don't tell me you forgot." Clouds twin returns and the scene plays out in front of him. A gun fight and a rally of many men "come and get some….." the fire fight persists until the scene flashes to a peaceful but morbid scenario "how do I look…… be honest" the man was injured and apparently dying "you have to go." The scene played like a scrambled video and stuck on a fast forward mode of strange proportions. "they'll hunt you down." Again a fast forward moment " you gota live…… free…. Baby free…… now get goin." The shove "but before you go……. Send ….. me …….. out… with honor."

"what did you do to her." Suddenly he was aware being assaulted by himself. "answer me……" again with the fast forward "Zack….. I don't know what to do"

Suddenly he fell to his knees unable to stand any longer. The thoughts and scenes playing like a movie over and over in his head until they for some reason made perfect sense.

"oh my god…………. I know…………. I know you" cloud sank inside himself. Feeling like he had met a long forgotten friend yet also feeling like he had hurt them. "I'm so sorry………… I didn't know……….." his voice cracked and he looked up to see the man in front of him who for some reason seemed to be very depressed.

"you see that's why you're so important." He tried to laugh but failed as cloud let a strained sense of sympathy spark a small fire within his soul.

"I'm so sorry……….. if there…….."

Koty looked away and left cloud to collect himself. However cloud was completely torn. He had never met the man yet he felt compassion for him. He almost felt as though he had known him all of his life.

"cloud." Aeriths voice accompanied by a hearty laugh from Zack's invaded his mind. "stop wasting time. Go on……"

"aerith I can't……. I don't know where to go" he admitted

"follow your dreams……. And protect" Zack was cut short as the voices subsided

"Zack……… Zack……"

"they are what you desire." Koty's voice echoed from the entrance "your friends…….. they are"

"dead…….. all except tifa and the members of AVALANCHE. Why" cloud interrupted to correct any misguidance the other man may have had.

"though the morrow is barren of promises nothing shall forestall my return to become the dew that quenches the land. To spare the sands the sea the skies I offer thee this silent sacrifice" Koty spoke with a hushed tone as so cloud could only just make out what he said "loveless act five."

"poetic……… but they aren't coming back………. I know that now." Cloud looks down and studies the flowers.

The conversation came to a close and cloud found himself drained of all will and strength. It was still early evening and he knew the ride home would take a few minutes so he decided to rest for a moment. Sleep with all its power soon took over him and he succumb the tantalizing visions and voices of dreams.

"cloud……… come back…………….." Tifa's voice sounded painful as she reached out for him "I can't do this alone………." Enemies were surrounding her and she was overwhelmed. Guard hounds biting and tearing at her deepground soldiers thrusting bayonets into her, and even sephiroth and his dirty cursed hands tormented her in ways that boiled clouds blood.

Sephiroths eyes glowed vibrantly and he taunted cloud with his sinister laugh. "is this what you want….. hahaha….. well then come and claim her…….. or cant you do it…….." he ripped at her cloths tearing them from her body and revealing the wounds and tattered flesh that was tifa. "such a waste to die by my hand……… you do it………." Cloud suddenly found himself over the weeping woman.

"No no please not this" cloud pleaded with the sadistic man

"Go on……. It is what she wants……… it's what you do best……………." Sephiroth encouraged as he guided clouds hand over the hilt of the masamune.

"Go on cloud………. It's so beautiful here and I know she would love it….." aeriths voice accosted him as he observed her holding a basket and standing just out of reach of the monsters and enemies that now haulted for him. "It's so pretty and she deserves it….. Don't you think so?"

"No way man don't do this……… get out of there" Zack's voice pulled at him from the distant corners of his mind. "Strife……. Stop…….stop….."

"Strife awaken." Koty's voice now diluted his thoughts. "cloud.!!!!"

The dream persisted even with his want to end it. Even Koty couldn't save him this time.

"Come now there's no sense in being cruel meh hahahahah." Sephiroth laughed evilly as he guided the blade of the masamune to the navel of the dream tifa who now crawled upon her back in an attempt to back away from cloud.

"No don't ……….. Stop I won't do this." He tried to resist.

"You have no choice." Sephiroth thrust clouds arm in a downward motion running the blade of the oversized katana up into the woman's ribcage. "It's what you do. So do it well." A small twist and a scream of pain and cloud was watching tifa struggle to breathe again.

"Cloud I love you…….. Please come back"

He broke, his mind was stretched too far. He had killed tifa. Her body lay in a heap of tattered flesh and broken bones and he himself had delivered her into the hands of death .

"Tifa………" blackness surrounded him as he wept and he cried to the corpse of his love in a silent attempt to bring her back.

"You took too long……." Her words exited her mouth to clouds horror "I waited for you……. And you just kept running away…………. When are you going to grow up…………….. You already killed aerith and Zack. You just couldn't be happy till you killed me to huh."

"Tifa…… no I ………… I didn't….."

"Excuses excuses………. Man up and face your fears cloud………… or you'll never be able to save yourself let alone me………."

He looked down at the body. It was cold and lifeless. And the blackness around him threatened to destroy him.

"Tifa!!!!!!!" he snapped to reality and immediately noted something holding him down. "Let go…… no tifa."

"Cloud calm down." Koty's voice eased him "its fine it was just a bad dream.. A nightmare that's all."

He was in the comfort of his own room. And was sitting in the chair that he was oh so familiar with. He thought for a moment that he was still dreaming until a pillow hit him in the face.

"Quiet I'm tryin to sleep……. Go jerk it somewhere else spikes….." yuffie groaned muffled by pillows and bed linens. "Honestly you need to fuck that girl. Would do you a world of good." She rolled over and continued to sleep.

"Koty?" the swordsman looked up to find that the man was gone.

He was wrapped in a blanket probably by Tifa's hand. She always worried for his hide too much for his personal comfort. He took into consideration that he didn't remember even hearing fenrir. A worry for his prized bike drove him to leave the comfort of the chair.

Nothing seemed too out of place except the look of disgust plastered on Vincent's face as the group now including barret watched the news. Without second thoughts he walked outside and sure enough fenrir sat at the ready.

"Are you leaving again" an exasperated and saddened tifa called to him from mere feet away.

"Tifa….." the nightmares pulled again at the sight of her face.

"Cloud are you alright you look a little pale……?"

Suddenly a rush of adrenaline was unleashed into him and he threw his hand in a swift but gentle motion to cup her face. And within the blink of an eye they were bound by the lips once more.

"Oh my gosh cloud." Her face showed an animated blush as she pushed him away with a giggle. "What's with the sudden frisky attitude."

And there it was. The smile. He knew it all too well. The cheeky loving smile that the hostess was so well known for. It always reminded him of how good life could be. Even when it seemed so dark there was a light there. He watched the smile eagerly drinking the scene with thirsty eyes.

"Three days does this to you. Wow next time you're out ill have to take better care of you." She giggled again as she poked him playfully

"Three days." He wasn't comprehending this.

"Yeah you've been out cold for three days." She gave him a duh tone and eyed him cautiously "are you sure you're okay."

"Ah damit…….. Tifa I need to call cid." He said realizing his true goals once more.

"Cid wait…… what are you up to….." she drew a warning glare and watched him closely

"It's a surprise." He rushed back inside and up the stairs to her room where surprisingly the box he had so swiftly hidden under the bed days prior remained.

He had hoped she would have over looked it. Noting that the box seemed undisturbed he opened it to see the beautiful diamond encrusted band placed elegantly into the silk lined box. This was his goal. This was his purpose in life wrapped into a neat package.

"Cloud what are you doing in Tifa's room." Denzel had happened upon cloud.

"ummmm……" he stammered 'tell him the truth' Denzel we need to talk."

"Okay." The young boy seemed enthusiastic. "Whatcha wana talk about."

"What do you think about us actually being a family……." He tried to refrain from sounding too urgent.

"That would be really nice……. Ummm." Denzel struggled to fight the urge to jump up and down he forced himself to stay cool and prove he wasn't a kid.

"I'm……… thinking ……. Denzel………… I could find a job in the city………………. And tifa and I………."

"Are you going to stay now………." The boys tone shifted to a serious refrain.

"……………yeah………. I'm gona stay."

The boy threw his arms around the blonde swordsman and for a slight moment cloud felt a sense of pride.

"Are you and tifa getting married now." The boys question brought blush to the generally stern man.

"Well ….ummm……. that's kina what we need to talk about……. You see……….. Well"

"She really likes you a lot………….. Last night she stayed up to watch you and that Koty guy told her to get some sleep…… I know she would say yes………… why don't you just ask her." The child displayed a sense of maturity that even cloud himself felt he lacked.

"………. Well I need time…………. See I got this."

"Oooh pretty" the sound of a squealing Marlene erupted from inches away

"Marlene shhhhhh…… tifa doesn't need to know yet." Denzel hushed her with a vibrant hiss for effect.

"Are you going to kiss her……." The girl's eyes became luminous with a childish glee. "Just like in the movie with the prince and the princess….. And the dragon died right at the end…… poor dragon….. But the prince married the princess and they lived happily ever….." she was cut short with a gloved hand over her mouth

"Shhhh……… yeah that's what it's for……… man you two are way too smart……. Any way" he closed the box and pocketed it. "Its gota be special so we've gota wait for cid and shera to get here. I'm gona call them soon…………. But guys."

"Yeah cloud." The spoke in unison.

"I need you to keep it a secret………… just us okay……."

The two nod and Denzel grants cloud a small relief by dragging Marlene out of the room. He had to admit that he loved them both but for some reason things were always excessively hard to hide around tifa if Marlene was within ten feet.

He blew off the unusual blush and hurried back down stairs noting the odd crew still sat like children around the television, exempting Vincent whom now irritated with the program apparently decided to be the first of the evening rush and grab a glass of wine.

"What's so interesting." Cloud asked as he watched the news

'earlier this week there was an attack on our fair city of edge, two men were killed in a gun fight and the hero Vincent valentine was reported to have resolved the ruckus just before the backup of the Turks could arrive, earlier stories reported that a monster attacked the men and that mister valentine slayed the beast but later news states that the gunmen were both involved in a heated attack on the city and it has been concluded that mister valentine actually saved the townspeople from the merciless madmen. Here is our story from a nearby shop owner known only as granny Stella.

'Well I heard the shots and all of my customers just started to run. When I looked outside I noticed a man in red ducked down behind a car……' the words trailed of as blush rose to clouds features.

He remembered the promise he had made to the old woman and for a moment second guessed himself. 'Am I really about to do this.' Shaking off the confusion he now understood why Vincent was in a bad mood. Fame meant fans and that didn't bode well for Vincent's antisocial attitude. In a sense he pitied the poor gunman, but he also envied him slightly. The ability to have anyone he wanted and all he wanted was to be left alone. Cloud didn't want but one person but he couldn't for the life of him bring himself to tell her that.

He paced for a moment before picking up the phone. It rang twice before a loud voice and a shout from the person behind the answering voice pierced clouds eardrum. "Yo" the loud but familiar voice of cid highwind broke through the laughter on the other end. "Better make it quick lady luck just aint patient with me and I'm loosin my shit.."

"Cid its cloud…….."

"Spiky hey bud what's up……. I haven't heard from you in a while…….. Say how's tifa and the littl'ens yall don't ever call anymore." He laughed as he continued "say you still doin okay in the delivery business…… wait…….. Aw damit."

"I'm sorry" cloud said as he heard a disapproving sigh from the pilot. "Am I interruptin somthin."

"Nah……. Just lost a few gill on a game." He interjected calmly "so what's the call all about the last time I heard from teefs your ass was nowhere to be found."

"actually I was kina needing to talk to you about her." He lowered his voice shyly.

"what…… is she in trouble….. is she hurt………" the older man took a serious moment which was rare "come on spiky what's tha matter…… talk to me……"

"ummmm can I ask you for a favor" he seemed almost embarrassed

"sure..wait if you think I'm about to tell tifa your leavin forget it……. The last time I did that the poor thing cried for three days…."

"no, I'm not just hear me out……………. I need you to come to edge………… I've got something I need you and shera to see……… it's really important………..oh and if you do could you bring red too."

"alright" the pilot mad a grunt that sounded questioning "but it better be good……. Aint the reunion in a few days….."

"yeah but maybe we can bump it up a few. Yuffie and barret are already here. So is Vincent. The only ones missing are you, red and shera. Oh and reeve but I doubt he can make it."

"what about shelke" he sounded slightly inquisitive "she not comin."

"she's already here too. I don't think it would matter if we break tradition by a few days would it" clouds rare devil may care attitude puzzled cid.

"no I guess not…… hey spikes I kina gota roll bud after all if I'm gona get red ill need a head start. I'll be there tomorrow around noon. Need to get my bird all prettied up not that she aint gorgeous as she is but I like to make an entrance."

The two exchanged farewells and cloud hung up feeling slightly better about himself after conversing with an old friend. He hadn't spoken to any of them except yuffie and tifa since the omega incident and it did him good to know that they all still held him in high regard.

He was lost in thought for a moment before a loud explosion rocked the room adjacent to him.

"what the….." he opened the door to see Koty standing in the center of the room with a displeased look plastered on his face as his clothing smoldered with a smoke of strange origin wafting off of him

"that's not right either….." he mumbled apparently unaware of clouds presence. The irritation in his tone showed as he held his hand out in front of him and a light began to flow from it "awaken."

A small flower sat across the room from him. It was one of the flowers from the church. Cloud had noticed it was still fairly fresh. 'what has he been doing. And why the flower.' The questions were not answered as he had wished but were instead responded to with another violent explosion erupting from the man in front of him.

"Koty" he gasped as he ran in to find the man unscathed

"cloud……. I assume the dreams have gotten better" he inquired as he dusted himself off and walked to the far end of the room to retrieve another flower from a basket which held so many that cloud wandered at whether or not he could even have collected them all from the church alone.

"not exactly" cloud still questioned the man with his eyes "so why did you stay…….. Denzel sais you helped tifa watch over me……… why"

" I thought we had settled that the last time we spoke." He chuckled "must you always be so stubborn. As I said you are important to me."

"but why you never said why…………. What makes me……. A perfect stranger so special…………. Why do you even care" he was growing frustrated

"because you embody my hope………. I see your story your history………….. and in you I see my friend…… for some reason by this I feel I must help you…… so that we too may become……………… friends." His analytical interest in the flower on the table caught clouds attention.

"what are you doing……" he asked as if the object was foreign or disgusting. "what's with the flower."

"it's an experiment……." He digressed "a surprise……….."

"but why did you blow up just now………."

"because I found a way not to succeed in my experiment……. The desired affect lies just out of reach. Now if you would be so kind my comrade and leave me to my own devices, I need time and space to complete this and you with no insult intended are in the way."

He noted the man's calm but slightly impatient pacing and granted his request. It was a strange request to be left alone to explode. He knew well this boded ill and reluctantly left with a small beguiling feeling still buried in his gut.

'well that was weird I wonder what he meant by surprise………… but now's not the time what about tifa' he thought to himself 'it'll be at least tonight before I can say anything about the ring and who knows how long to get an answer. …….. I can't start that now…. Gota think positive…….." he pictured yuffie with a hand on her hip and stomping the ground at the phrase with a sinister smile planted on her face. 'when she's right she's right……………. "

He walked the floors of the bar occasionally stealing a glance at tifa and receiving many (encouraging) looks from barret and even a wink from yuffie rarely. The innuendos were not exactly far from truth but they weren't welcomed either. He had kissed tifa multiple times yet he still felt uncertain. Aerith hadn't died too long before his affections had switched to tifa. At least in his mind she hadn't died that long ago. He wandered if his feelings for the flower girl were ever stronger than his feelings for tifa. Only time would tell.

The night passes

After the grueling task of waking up a second consecutive day in a row cloud found himself famished and yet, oddly not hungry at all. He welcomed the coming breakfast with a meek appreciative glance as if receiving money from a poor man. Not that he would embarrass the person but he didn't need the donation. This brought his mind back to the ring. His current goal of prospect. It went without saying that the idea tore his insides asunder with a knotted twisted feeling. He couldn't help it. It was SHINRA that had last occupied him with commitment. He had been dedicated to the company and his loyal partner in SOLDIER. He hadn't undertaken any sort of actual commitment since and it scared him to think that maybe tifa might even reject him. After all the time he had spent making her worry he felt that a trinket even one as beautiful as the ring would not atone for his transgressions.

"cloud……. Yoohoooo….. Romeo…….. lover boy over here" yuffie dragged cloud away from his pacing spot to further her own level of knowledge. "so what's going on….. I notice you stare when you think she isn't looking. Did you make her mad…… did you……. Do……….. her..??"

"no…… no …….. what no…….." cloud shook his head violently to rid himself of the degrading images he was now harboring thanks in full to yuffie's intervention of his thought process. "what would make you even think that."

"oh come off it spikes it's not like we haven't noticed how you stare. We're just curious."

"curious or perverted" he retorted triumphantly

"she masturbates to you ya know"

The phrase eluded clouds knowledge for a moment before the dawning realization of yuffie's words hit him.

"what.." his eyes were wide with both embarrassment and shock. "shhhh yuffie don't say stuff like that."

"no…. she really does…… I'm not kidding….. you should hear it……… how did you sleep last night…… she was not exactly appeased if you know what I mean." She elbows the baffled man "man this tension is killin the both of ya….. so when are you gona plow'er" she teased him to the point of actually being angry.

"shut up………" silence filled the room and yuffie took a step back. Realizing why she was now several feet away cloud found a sudden interest in the ground. "it's not like that." He stole a small awkward glace at tifa "its not like that at all."

"come on lets go." Yuffie drags the man outside the bar grabbing her conformer hastily as she passed it. She stopped several feet from the entrance to seventh heaven. "what's really on your mind cloud……. Act antisocial if you want but I'm a brick wall. Eventually you will hit me."

"I couldn't agree more" he sneered jokingly at the phrase.

"not what I meant blockhead……….. what's got your shorts in a knot……….. you're tense jittery almost…… you've been pacing since last night and now you've gone to yelling at people…….. what happened the other day……….. what did that guy do to you…….."

"Koty hasn't done anything………. I ……. Its just ……. I don't like people talking about tifa that way." He avoided yuffie's gaze by seeking refuge in the ground once more.

"cloud" she looked at him questioningly before a look of realization broke through her general bubbly façade "oh my gawsh. Cloud…… cloud strife you're glowing…….."

"huh?" he looked like she had just used a different language on him.

"you're in love……. Awwwwwwwwwww………. Poor little cloud has went and gotten himself shot by cupid…. So its not just the hormones……"

"yuff…."

"now we gota get you two together. There's just no way around it. Leave it to me"

"oh no we've been down this route before……… you're the matchmaker from hell….. the hair dresser of the devil himself and apparently all around violent type….. no ill do this on my own."

"sublime…." A pleased sound erupted from an open window and Koty was seen jumping from the height with absolutely no concern for his safety. "young strife the time has come…. I need your cooperation however……."

"with what…….." he looked cautious.

"that is the surprise" he smiled almost sinisterly "please come with me we need to talk.

Yuffie bid farewell to the duo and they hurried on their way.

"strife." Koty said sternly

"cloud……" he sounded as though his last name was irritating to him. "what is it."

"do you ever wish that death could be bargained with or even halted……. No perhaps your acceptance is higher than mine own. But do you ever wish you could go back in time. Or at least reverse its affects or perhaps reclaim something that you've lost to its unwavering flow."

cloud stared at the ground before an extreme nausea overcame him. "what tha……."

"I apologize but the walk here would have taken days…… and your vehicle cannot accommodate many passengers." He displayed a very subtle sarcasm.

Cloud sat up from his slump and realized where he was. It was the grave. Buster sword and all. He instantly thought of his friend and the last memories he had shared with the long dead soldier.

"do you not wish you could have said more…." Koty sounded sadden by his own words "do you not wish you could have saved them all."

"I……" cloud thought for a moment "In the worst way………. Yes……….. but you can't save every one…….. Zack taught me that………"

He stared at the sword before noticing Koty's advance. "would you consider us friends……."

"what" cloud was stunned by the man's words

"are we friends…… do you trust me………………."

"well…… you protected tifa……… and from what they've told me you saved Denzel and Vincent too…….. I have no reason not to…… but………"

"do you trust me…. Cloud………."

Looking at the strange mans eyes was like seeing a long lost friend come home from many years absence. His voice was kind and yet alarmingly strange. As foreign as he was however cloud found the man to be calming. Not disarming but, with no other word for it he felt safe around him, as if he had been part of AVALANCHE all along.

"I" he hesitated. "yeah…….. I guess so."

"then is it not customary that friends return their debts…."

"what…. What are you getting at."

"in return for your friendship I wish to give you a gift"

"okay…." He sounded skeptical "then go ahead…….."

"its not that simple…….. I must first ask you again do you want to save them all…….."

"what does that mean"

"your family…." Koty concluded with a brief glance

"yes……"

"then we need something"

"what….. what do we need " he looked like he was now desperate.

"a hero….."

A flashing light erupted from Koty's left hand and his eyes took again their ivory glaze. Suddenly cloud didn't feel so safe as his voice echoed in his ears the thought of a hero. 'what's he gona do now.' He thought to himself while drawing his blade.

"a hero…….. no………. a friend……………………" Koty's voice now took on a thundering bass that almost knocked cloud over with its intense roar.

"what are you doing.!!" Cloud prepared for battle a he noticed the formation of a storm gathering over him.

The earth quaked as if strained by his footsteps and the sky became a dark abyss where light was not to be seen. No animals or birds sang upon the breeze and thunder could be heard in the distance. 'here we go' cloud thought out loud as he raised his weapon at Koty.

"you shall be the witness to his resurrection. !!!!!!!" Koty's arm suddenly snapped in the direction of the buster sword and a blinding light overcastted the two men.

When the light faded so did the storm. The earthquake subsided gently and cloud looked puzzled as he took in Koty's now weary figure.

"are you alright." Cloud watched the man as steam began to creep from his body.

"behold." His voice was now again gentle and quiet and almost pleased as he pointed in the direction of the buster sword.

"wha…………… Zack?!" cloud looked to find the body of a young man resting upon the ground beneath the buster sword.

His body was tone and lean. A brazen god of men crafted from marble and shaped by a master craftsman. Powerful shoulders broad and strong. His raven hair protesting to its being blown about by the gentle breeze that now invaded the valley. His arms attested his strength and his face portrayed a sense of peace that cloud didn't think possible. He appeared to sleep. Still and quiet like a picture unaware of clouds and Koty's presence.

"how……… wha…………." Cloud was baffled as he stared at the long since dead man.

"we needed a hero……. To teach you to become………. A man…………. The man you wish to be…… the hero ……… you wish to be…….." Koty stuttered as he fell to one knee. "my gift is this man……. Your loved one……….. to atone for half of my sin I offer this silent sacrifice……… a testament to our friendship…… cloud."

Cloud walked over to the unconscious soldier to realize that he was indeed alive. Alive as cloud himself. Living breathing and now returned. Clouds mind betrayed him as he stared in disbelief. 'this can't be real. The dead stay dead don't they.' It seemed to good to be true.

"you doubt me…….. strife……… he is real……. As real as I………… as you ………… as tifa……….. he has returned but we need…….. to get him to shelter soon……… he is weak…….. and so am I………….." Koty heaved heavily as he stood with shaky legs to walk to cloud "my gift to you………. My friend………"

"I don't understand what's going on……………… how………"

"we'll have time to discuss this later. Now we must make haste………. The paradox is coming."

"what do you mean a paradox…….."

"behind you" Koty shouted as he fell again to the ground in a vain attempt to come to the blonde swordsman's rescue .

Cloud turned with an instinct to block and was sent sliding several feet from his position by a tall skeletal like creature. He noted that it was exceedingly strong as a second blow rocked him again.

"what the hell"

"it's a paradox…… quickly slay it………. It must not be allowed to exist."

Cloud noticed the panic in the man's voice and watched as the creature began to grow in height and foreign appendages erupted from it. It was horrifying as if watching a monster devour someone alive. Its skin pitch black and its eyes darker still. Its howl like that of a hell spawn demon.

"quickly………. Strike it down."

"graaaaaaaaaa." Cloud hefted his sword high and carried a swift blow down upon the creature.

It laughed as he cut its arm off. A sinister sound that angered cloud in ways he couldn't describe. He again lunged at the creature only to be thrown to the side with another twisted laugh at his attempts. Cloud stood up and realized why Koty was so panic stricken as the creature continued to grow.

"alright here comes the big one." A hail of fire and rock rained down upon the creatures head and an otherworldly cry of pain erupted from the smoke as a familiar voice accosted clouds ears.

"what………." He looked around and then with instincts again forcing his will he spun sword first to clash against metal.

"did ya miss me spiky………." He now recognized the voice of Zack. He was alive. "not much of a warm welcome. Oh well…… how are things……… its been a while man…… phew…… good to be back………."

"Zack…………. Its……. You're………." Cloud was still baffled at the sight before him.

"dead sexy I know but wait comin from you that's kina creepy. Ughaaa…. Gross…………… I thought you were into tifa…… sorry dude …….. I'm with aerith and I don't mean to bust your…….."

"you're alive." He ignored the jokes and continued to stare.

"nah I'm the end result of too much liquor in your guts." The man laughed heartily at his own antics before he noticed clouds confused look. "spiky its me………….. Zack……… don't ya remember me….."

"yeah…… I remember……." Cloud swallowed the confusion before turning to embrace the man.

"I missed you too rookie……… uhhhhh"

"he is quite happy…….. I am happy as well but first things …….." Koty stood slowly as Zack practically pried cloud from himself.

"sorry." The blonde choked back tears before noticing what Koty was mentioning.

Zack was completely naked. Bare and brash for all the world to see. Cloud took a moment to look the man over and though he had no actual attraction to his body he admired his build. He was obviously strong as his arms suggested tremendous upper body strength. Shoulders that seemed to be able to carry the world and a washboard stomach only helped to confirm is power. His legs too protested an ability far beyond that of any man cloud had ever before met. And cloud blushed at the sight of his friend in the buff.

"hey if I look that damn good take a picture….." he sniggered as he swept a stray hair from his face. "now where can I get some pants……. Its kina drafty out here………."

"Koty take us home….." cloud looked at the man now rejuvenated of his former disability

"do I need to remind you of the disorientation…….. you and tifa are apparently fairly susceptible to its volatile existence." He warned cloud of the former sickness that had only recently invaded him from the travel to the grave.

"ill deal with it…….. just make sure we aren't in the public when we pop back up. We don't need to draw attention to ourselves." He issued orders like a commanding officer

"wow spikes when did you upgrade…….. that's first attitude man….." Zack ruffled the blonde's hair.

"I learned it from you……"

Suddenly they found themselves in clouds room the sickness present but not as prevalent as before taking over clouds body.

"ugh shit." Zack had not apparently fared so well.

"should I explain" Koty stood beside cloud who now only kneeled rather than double over. "you seem to be becoming immune to the disorientation."

"I don't think he is though"

Zack dry heaved momentarily before he stood. "aw man what was that……. Felt like I ate some bad sushi."

"long story….." cloud replied as he nodded towards the closet. "there's some cloths in the closet. Well need to get you acquainted with everyone. Meet me down stairs whenever you've gotten ready."

Cloud was now incredibly confused. First he was dragged out into the middle of nowhere when he suddenly popped up in front of migar. He had had an out of body experience and apparently blacked out for three days. Then the news reported Vincent firing Cerberus as much as it was usual it didn't seem like something cloud had known the gunman to do in the presence of people. Then he had the urge to kiss tifa without so much as a slight consideration for how she felt. And to top it all off his most recent 'friend' had just brought his dead best friend back from beyond the grave. This was turning out to be the strangest week he had ever seen however his mind still lingered on two things. First being tifa and the next the ring. Both of them had occupied his mind with an endless succession. He had to get it over with. Deep in his heart he wished aerith could have been alive to see it but, he thought to himself at the very least Zack would be.

he needed to do this. He wanted to. He felt the needed to ask yet he also felt content as he was. However the urge to belong to tifa tore at him with a ferocity that could not be matched by contentment. It ripped at his very soul. He desired her. He knew he wouldn't tell Koty this but that was his only desire. He desired tifa, in the worst way.