Author's Note: Yikes! I made a mistake in the last chapter! Some of you may or may have not noticedbut not to worry, I tried to correct this mistake within this chapter, it might be a good save, might not, but maybe in the nearby future, if I plan to re-write this, I'll do a better job at deliverance but for now—I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

016. Love

"Cid, head to Nibelheim." Cloud's demand was stern and short, he saved no time in wanting to depart even if the rest of the party had just arrived at Cosmo Canyon, as soon as he caught the news he had to set out. Earlier, Tifa had recieved a text message—"Where's Cloud?"

"Vincent?" Soon after she received another. "Cloud, I think Vincent's trying to get a hold of you..."

She typed her reply—Cloud broke his phone, she wrote, second one and already he's already busted it. He couldn't reach your text.
Immediately after sending that message her phone vibrated a second later, followed by the tune of her ringtone; Tifa answered.

"There's a girl here," Vincent's cool voice muttered on the other side. "... Yuna?"

It was beeline for their old hometown, the place that carried many memories—both bitter and sweet, the beginning and the end of many things; and Yuna was there, she somehow made it all the way there all on her own. Cloud was vague with the details, fueled with the need to travel to Nibelheim to find her, and Tifa... Tifa found something strong in his eyes.

He was the first to exit the Shera, everyone else just followed behind, though they felt unsure if they should in the first place, and that included Tifa. But she did—she did follow.

Day greeted her with a crisp, fresh air and some beaming sunlight rained down on her, it was a day worthy of spending it outside to relax, a day she craved the entire time she spent all that time under the pillars of Midgar, hidden away in its toxins and darkness. She followed Cloud, basking in the green of the grass, and the sight of her old town off in the distance, those memories already came flooding back, distracting her for a minute, but all of that was knocked out as her eyes caught Yuna. And Cloud. There was with no distance between them in the arms of one another.

It all became clearer now, even as her heart sank deeply into the dirt, that determination in his eyes made sense, and all that work he bled to find her; he cared about her, that much was clear, but just how much? The questions only left her heart even more heavy, and Tifa found herself pushing away every feeling, every thought, and every other emotion other than relief—relief for Yuna's return and safety. She cared about Yuna too, everyone did, everythnig else wasn't... that big of a deal. It shouldn't be.

Tifa approached them with a geniune smile, as geniune as she could possibly conjure.

It was Cloud who noticed her at first, he slowly rose his head, watching her innocently—cluelessly. It was something that always annoyed Tifa. Then, Yuna pulled away, turning around as soon as she noticed Cloud's attention elsewhere; Tifa could hardly read her expression but that 'deer caught in the headlights' look said enough.

Does she know...?

"Yuna... you're alright!" Tifa finally said, though her words moved like malasses, trying to edge on some emotion. "We were looking all over for you—for the both of you." Her eyes were to Cloud now. "We're glad you're back."

Not a lie, but the complete truth, even if the sight from a minute ago left her... sinking. But Tifa was slowly climbing her way up again; she was better than this.

"Yuna, you aren't hurt, are you?" She asked.

"I'm fine, I was injured but my shoulder is starting to feel better now, I'm still healing... Thank you for asking, Tifa." Yuna smiled and Tifa managed to as well—and it was actually genuine. This made her feel a little better.

The numbness to her skin was starting to slip away, her heart steadying back to its normal beat, and she was starting to relax. The sound of the rest of the team's voice caught up to her and she felt a sense of relief to have a distraction.

"Vince!" Yuffie's voice traveled beyond them and toward the crimson man at the edge of Nibelheim, something that took Tifa wouldn't have noticed, hadn't Yuffie pointed it out. He stood there nonchalantly, as he always did, then strode toward where they all stood. Everything was fine now, and yet...

Yet she still felt so disheartened.

"Rebels took her," Cloud's voice fished Tifa's attention back from her subconscious.

"Yeah, we know," she responded. "We caught one of them, they coughed up the truth."

Cloud nodded; he turned back, turned his gaze to Yuna where they both held eye contact for a while, almost intensely, and again, Tifa's heart sank. What did their eyes read? What have they both shared?

"We should head back," Cloud muttered without breaking his gaze, though Yuna's eyes averted to the ground; she almost looked guilty.

Guilty.

"I agree," Tifa smiled, but there was no sign of malice or discourage behind it, or at least she tried to mask it; she wasn't about to let this sour her mood—Cloud was back, Yuna was back, and that was all that mattered now.

It was a whirlwind of emotions—anxiousness, shock, warmth... and one other Yuna felt so familiar with, an emotion that came back to visit her, and something she couldn't quite deny any longer. But she kept it at bay, especially when Tifa interrupted them. That's with it all set in, the warmth left, the shock jolted her body, the anxiousness took over, and then there was guilt; this emotion spoke the loudest.

There was guilt for many things, after their embrace, his icy exterior returned, that look on his face said it all—he wasn't at all happy with her decision, about her whisking off without realizing what she was getting into, without properly informing him...

... Without trusting him enough to speak to him.

The truth was it actually did hurt when she thought about it this way, when she finally had the chance to see it from his point of view. She was driven from her desire to rescue and be her own person that she forgot about her friends. Her heart ached, she now stared at the whites of the clouds mixed with the radiant blues of the sky, and she felt herself falling into it. She stood at the cockpit, Cid to her back on the steering wheel, and everyone else spread out.

Her heart wouldn't stop aching.

In a hurry, she ultimately left Besaid Island for a new adventure, she did once before to start her search for Tidus, and it seemed she had grown prone to do this now. But even after she managed to squeeze in a goodbye this time, when was the last time she actually wrote to her family? Maybe she should write to them now, while she still had the time, but she couldn't move from her spot, there was an anchor chained to her foot, weighing her down, and it taunted her.

I should talk to him.

She knew it was the right choice.

I need to talk to him.

"BOO!"

A gasp escaped her, knocking her thoughts back, yanking her back from her daydreams; she was face to face with Yuffie who giggled and grinned at her deviously.

"You're... so out of it," said Yuffie.

"I..." Yuna blinked at her, puzzled.

"Something's on your mind, isn't it?"

"Y-yes..."

"Why did you run off like that?"

"I..."

There was nothing Yuna could really say, she was stuck on two words but her mind had many.

"You know ~ I never seen Cloud so worried, and so upset too! You must've really messed up big time, sister." Yuffie's grin dropped the moment Yuna's scowl deepened to a gloom. "... Shit, I mean, I'm exaggerating. The truth is I don't think he's that upset, I mean you saw that look on his face when he saw you, didn't you? Maybe he's just worried."

The two faced the cockpit's enormous window, with the world greeting them from below, Yuna's fingers twitched and rubbed against each other; her throat felt dry and she felt as if she had to say something to shove away the melancholic silence, but Yuffie did that for her.

"You know," she said. "If I didn't know any better I'd say he's... ~ falling in love with you."

No.

An electric shock sent her body trembling, her breath was stolen, and her windpipe sealed shut; her face burned. How ridiculous! How could she say something like that?

"... You like him too, don't you?" Yuffie asked, and those next words certainly numbed her cheeks to the tip of her ears.

"No, I don't like him. Not like that. And neither does he, he has..." Tifa's name was at the tip of Yuna's tongue, she hesitated on swallowing it back or spitting it out. He cares more about the woman he grew up with than the woman he barely meet within this year; she knows better. At least he should care more about Tifa.

"I don't know, Cloud sure gets real crazy around girls he likes," Yuffie's laugh was lighthearted. "Did you know he liked Aerith too? He can't seem to make up his mind! But anyway... wallowing here isn't going to solve anything, so go tell him how you feel already." It wasn't a suggestion, it was a demand, and Yuffie walked off before Yuna could even muster a protest.

Dear Wakka and Lulu,

I hope you're okay, I hope you're doing well, I hope Vidina is happy and isn't missing me too much. So much has happened I don't even know where to begin. This place is so strange, there is so much mystery, and there is...

Yuna paused, piecing her thoughts together.

... so much going on all at once. I'm scared—for many reasons, and I don't know how to feel anymore. I've made some rash decisions... and I stand by them. I can't just sit back and watch another home on the verge of danger, and there is someone I have to help, even if he refuses it. He is my friend.

She pulled her head back to inhale deeply; it felt good to write that down—friend and nothing feeling was honestly very painfully bittersweet.

I told you about him before, didn't I? He's an amazing friend, he's helped me get back on my feet, and many others too. But I feel he's had the greatest impact on me so far, and I can't thank him enough. I feel like without him, I would still be behind. He gave me a push when I needed it, he stood by my side while I did it, and he came running after me even though he could've easily ignored me. He acted so cold but he's honestly very caring...

Where was she? She wasn't on the Shera, she was stuck inside her mind, in a field of fog that felt like soft cotton on her skin. Yuna placed her pencil down, she couldn't write anymore, she knew what to say, and yet her emotions ultimately shut her senses down. Yuffie's words refused to leave her mind, her elbows were firmly rested against the table, as she pushed her face to her palms. Eventually, she found the strength to pick up the pencil once more.

I keep thinking about Tidus, I know he's well, I hope he's well. But sometimes I wonder if he thinks about me as much as I do—and I think he does—but would he be happy if I tried new things? Would he be...?

Her hand trembled, Sephiroth's dreams were suddenly sneaking through her confusion, passing her barriers, and leaving reminders in her brain—don't forget about Sephiroth, forget about your silly feelings, a mad man is trying to control you...

But these feelings only left her fire to burn intensely.

It was settled, she couldn't deny it any longer.

She wrote her conclusion, she signed her name, and she sealed it in an envelope. Now, to find a courier. And Cloud.

There was another room of pitch black darkness, a vast room separated from the others, and Cloud felt so hopelessly lost in it, but it was alright, if he slowed down and got a hold of himself, he would find the path back to reality in no time. He could say he felt numb of all emotions as he was numb of his skin, but that would be a lie, he felt disappointed, he felt distressed—something that seemed to have stretched out in the past three years.

But then what are you doing? His mind asked; he knew what it meant, but he was used to it. In reality, he was in the passenger bay, back to the door, arms crossed, eyes to the ground. It shouldn't worry him this much but it did. His priority was Sephiroth, it's always been Sephiroth, until he can finally defeat him once and for all, his mission would never die, because Sephiroth—because Jenova will always haunt him.

But he dragged far too many people into this, and while the strength of his friends pushed him forward, encouraging him, he still felt... nervous and he couldn't help but to question—why was Yuna so different here?

He had no clue just how tough her enemies were, what she had to go through to fight, and if it would even compare to Sephiroth, but the uneasiness was still there. It's not like Sephiroth hasn't hurt anyone in his team, it's not like someone hasn't suffered near-death experience, it's not like someone... actually died.

But they still fought, didn't they?

Because if they didn't...

No, no, Yuna was different! Wasn't she? She already fought, she already had vanquished her own demons, she didn't need to do the same to his, and she certainly didn't need to be placed under danger.

"Cloud?"

Even the sound of her voice was enough to sent an electric shock up his spine, it reached his heart making it jump intensely; shit, he was so afraid, but he still found that courage to face her.

"Yuna," he responded.

"I'm sorry..." Right away, she handed him an apology, he's seen the guilt in her eyes right as they boarded the Shera, and his heart swelled with its own guilt. "I understand if you're angry... it's just I thought I could help."

"Running away doesn't exactly help," he said but his tone wasn't stiff. He was unhappy with her choice but he couldn't hold that against her.

"I know, I should've told you... I'm so sorry, Cloud."

"Why did you do it?"

"Why did I leave? Well, I guess I just wanted to help you, I didn't want you to worry, and well..." He watched as her hands were brought together to her front, where she fidgeted with her fingers, staring at her own boots. "I guess I was being stubborn. I thought if I could fix this you wouldn't have to worry anymore, that you could rest. Going by my theory, I can at least handle things here so you don't have to face him, not after everything he's done."

"Yuna, it isn't that simple—"

"I know it's not! It will never be that simple, but I can handle it, I can—"

"You could get hurt—!"

"This isn't the first time I've done something like this, Cloud! I've told you before—with Sin, I can take care of myself, I know how dangerous it can be. I'll be fine."

Once in his dreams, she came to him, dressed in pink, surrounded by the sleeping forest that led to the Forgotten Capital, she didn't want Cloud to worry about her, she wanted Cloud to stay behind, she wanted him to let her take care of the rest, to summon Holy, to save the planet, only to watch her die before his very eyes...

He couldn't let that happen again.

"Yuna, you'll get killed." Cloud's tone hardened, the muscles to his face tightened, and his hands clenched up into fists; he glared at her, he tried to get through to her, but rather than to back down, she glared back, her green and blue eyes fought back.

"Well what about you!? You've been through this from the start and you're telling me there isn't a chance you could get killed too!?" She retorted.

"That's different—"

"No it's not! It's a suicide mission, I get it, but I've been through many myself, I'm not weak!"

"I'm not saying you're weak, I just don't want to lose you—"

"And I don't want to lose you and that's why I'm doing this! This doesn't just involve you, it involves me too, he's been in my dreams, he wants something from me, and I'm not going to back down, even if I may die, I don't want you to have to go through this alone! Please!"

The volume to their voices had increased, and he hadn't realized it till Yuna's outburst. He couldn't stop staring at the glistening tears brimming her eyes, they streamed down her cheeks, and fell into droplets onto the floor. Her own hands were formed into fists, she brought them up and pounded them on his chest, but he felt no pain, she used no force at all. It was because she didn't want to hurt him but she was still frustrated—so was he. But his mind was clear enough for him to take her hands into his, to gently touch her and steady her. He listened to her breath—heavy and shaking, till it eventually slowed down, and he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her figure.

They stood in the silence, with nothing but the hum of the engine to fill the room; they couldn't even hear every other passenger—it was just the two them for now. With their bottled up frustration out, they settled into the afterglow that cloaked them. Cloud didn't know what to feel then, he just basked in the tranquility and enjoyed it—it felt simple for him, and he needed simple, at least for a little while.

He didn't need to speak, and neither did she, they felt the communication through their touch, and that was enough, that was all they needed.

"I just don't want to lose you."

It rang in his ears.

"And I don't want to lose you!"

There was a candle in his heart that has been lit, and the realization slowly dawned on him; he wanted simple but as he told Yuna: it would never be that simple.

"What are we going to do now, Cloud?"

His team all stood by the cockpit, ears ready, eyes on him—they were all there, watching him, looking up to him as the trusty leader he found himself to be, and it was almost that sense of déjà vu that brushed against him, as they all stood before him many, many times to listen to his speeches. Tifa smiled at him—firmly nodding, and he did the same back to her; a reassurance between the two.

"Well?" Barret asked, approaching Cloud.

"Sephiroth's not going away soon, that much we know."

"He's a fuckin' pest—like some sort of...bug... He ain't ever goin' away."

The word Barret looked for was parasite and Cloud couldn't agree more.

"Not unless we find a way," said Cloud.

"And you got one?"

Cloud was reluctant, his eyes scanning the room, greeted by his team a second time; Yuna wasn't there, she resided back at the barracks for some rest, it was just them—the old team.

"Yuna... believes she may know how to stop him," he finally said, he ignored most of the reactions he got—obviously negative ones, such as displays of disbelief, and maybe even fright. "She claims she's getting visions of him—he wants something from her so... I'm going to help her out, if has a lead to stopping him, I have to tag along. She's going to help me stop him."

"Cloud," Tifa stepped up. "Are you alright with this?"

"Sephiroth is my problem, the very least I can do is help her."

Tifa nodded. "Then I'm helping too."

Cloud parted his lips, feeling as if he should argue, but he couldn't think of anything to say. Truthfully, he didn't want to, it was comforting to have his friend by his side, even if it seemed hypocritical on his part; he wanted to push Yuna away from this. But now...

"We let you do this alone and yer gonna get yer spikey ass handed to you!" Barret stepped in; he roared with laughter and this earned him a smile from Cloud. Little by little, each of the old team stepped up to stand side by side Tifa and Barret, all offering words of encouragement (save for Vincent who offered an encouraging smile instead.)

"Thank you... all of you, I really mean it." It felt cheesy and cliché, to have his group of friends by his side who are willing to put themselves in front of death itself just to help him on his journey, and he couldn't be anymore thankful; he was embraced by the hope that filled the air, though that was soon be replaced with willpower. And now there was an extra member on this team, a young woman who he met by chance, with a mysterious power that might be the key to stopping Sephiroth...

Didn't that sound familiar?

But no, he couldn't make the same mistake twice, he couldn't let her get killed by him. Sephiroth would always be his priority, and Yuna—she was too.

There was only one thing that stumped him and the others already knew it too—a lead.

"We got nothin' on him, 'cept what Yuna's been dreamin' about. You think Sephiroth might've left some clues in these visions of hers?" Cid asked.

"Dunno, she didn't tell me anything about them..."

Cloud's mind wandered off to their previous meeting, her arms dropped from his body, her aura left him, and she excused herself to get some rest. He didn't want to disturb the small amount of peace they was left behind, the type of feeling he wanted to end their day off.

He decided on questioning her the next day, edging onto the topic slowly, offering her his shoulder, his ear—anything.

That morning they would start off the beginning of their journey—together.

Author's Note: In case you couldn't tell, I've been awfully slow with this fanfiction, life is kicking my ass and quite frankly I feel I might have to place this under a official semi-hiatus. I'll continue writing, I'll continue doing my best, and thank you to those who stuck around, it means a lot! I'll keep you updated in the future.