You woke up late the next morning; it was the first time you've slept decently in who knows how long. It was strange, you felt so relaxed here it almost felt like home. You decided to unpack a few things after all you'd be staying here now. As you threw your backpack onto the bed, someone knocked on your door.

"Come in" you said without turning around as you unzipped your backpack and started taking out your clothes and a few possessions.

"Morning Autumn" Tifa said as she walked in. "you slept late" she said cheerfully, "Riley saved you some breakfast"

You smiled "yeah its been a while since I've slept in an actual bed" you said as you hung up your clothes in the closet, it didn't take very long, you only had 3 pairs of jeans- two black and one blue, a few shirts and tank tops, your threadbare hoodie, the bare minimum necessities and a old beat up leather jacket that was your mother's.

Tifa noticed how few clothes you owned, "we should go shopping one day, it could be a girly day, and we'll take Marlene and my friend Yuffie" Tifa rambled.

You laughed "sounds fun" you walked back over to your bed and took out a few photos

"Can I see?" Tifa asked, you handed her the photos. The first was of you, your mom, step dad Zander and Riley from 6 years ago. "Is this your family?" you nodded. "You all look so happy"

"We were, Riley is all I have left now," you admitted.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you must miss them"

"All the time," you replied as you found Genesis' copy of LOVELESS, you remember how he had stopped by one night just to give that book to you. You were confused because he showed up in the dead of night, told you how he wanted you to keep it for him and that he always thought of you as the daughter he never had. You found out from Jace and Zack once they began as First class Soldiers that Genesis had gone crazy and lead a rebellion shortly after he gave it to you. It had been the last time you ever saw him, a mysterious white feather was left behind as he disappeared, for some reason you decided to keep it as a bookmark.

The second picture is of you, Jace, Ryan, Jeremy, Alyssa and Melody when you were kids.

"Awe is that one you? You were so cute"

You laughed, "Yeah I guess life happened and all the cuteness went away"

"You'll always be cute," a familiar voice said from the doorway.

You looked up in shock you knew that voice, "Vinny!" you ran over and hugged your old friend. He looked exactly the same as the day you met him.

"Vinny?" Tifa said in confusion "geez Vincent since when do people get to nickname you?"

Vincent shrugged. "We're old friends, I used to visit him in the Shinra mansion all the time" you explained. "I see you finally left your coffin," you playfully elbowed him as you smiled.

"I thought you were dead, I couldn't save you and Ryan" Vincent said quietly as he looked away, you could tell he felt guilty.

You pulled him into the room and had him sit on the bed next to Tifa. "Vincent, its in the past, I was never mad at you, I knew I shouldn't have gone there. Please don't blame yourself." Tifa looked shocked, in all of three seconds you went from playful to serious.

"Is everyone…?" Vincent trailed off.

"The only survivors were me, Riley, Ryan, Alyssa and Jeremy."

Tifa looked at the next picture it was of you when you were nine sitting on Angeal's shoulders while you pulled Genesis' hair. The next photo was of you, Zack and Jace the morning of your 18th birthday, Zack had his arm around your shoulders and Jace had his arm around your waist. And the last photo was of you and Jace, and it was the picture you always hated. Angeal took it on Jace's final day of leave right before he became a SOLDIER first class. You were laughing and covering your face, the ring you usually wear on your necklace was on your ring finger and Jace was kissing your cheek.

"Jace is…" Vincent said slowly already knowing the answer.

"Dead" you finished. Vincent instantly pulled you into a hug, you clung to him just like you did when you were little. A spiky haired figure was walking past the room and heard part of the conversation. Tifa looked at you and Vincent curiously, trying to put the pieces together.

"Oh my god, you loved him" Tifa said slowly, "You were engaged to Jace weren't you!" she realized.

You pulled away from Vincent, tears beginning to form in your eyes. You were so distracted that you didn't notice that Cloud walked into the room. "We got engaged right before he became a SOLDIER first class," you said quietly.

"You were the girl Jace always talked about" Cloud said from behind you, it startled you mostly because you had no idea he was there.

You wiped your tears away, suddenly embarrassed, "Cloud, I wanted to apologize, we got off on the wrong foot, I'm sorry I was so rude yesterday"

Cloud just nodded, you couldn't help but think he was being a jerk because he was rude last night too. "Jace is dead too?" he questioned, his voice sounded cold but his eyes looked sad and hopeless.

"He died in my arms the day of the Nibelheim Incident" you said as you looked out the window. Cloud was about to ask another question when Vincent stood up and pulled you into a protective hug, since you were little Vincent was always very protective of you and your friends. You could tell he didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Cloud that's enough" Vincent told him.

"Vincent"

"Cloud, I'll answer any questions you want, you deserve answers, I know how close you were with Zack and Jace," you said as you pulled away from Vincent. Vincent reached out for you again, "No Vinny, you can't protect me from everything" Vincent looked so hurt, and you felt terrible about it but Cloud deserved to know whatever he wanted, even if talking about it hurt you. Maybe you'd get some answers too.

"Why are you here?" Cloud asked suspiciously.

The question caught you off guard. "One of the last things Jace said to me was to find you and Zack, when I found out Zack was dead I stopped looking, I'm only here because my brother is here" you replied, how little did he think of you? How could he not see how depressed you are.

"And she's staying I gave her this room" Tifa chimed in as she crossed her arms. Something about Tifa's tone and body language made you want to stay on her good side.

"Why would Jace tell you to find us?" Cloud asked completely ignoring Tifa.

"Jace trusted you and Zack, he thought you two would protect me"

"Not interested, I can't protect anyone," Cloud said as he walked out of the room. You watched him leave. Cloud seemed so cold but you couldn't help but think that he was masking his sadness with coldness.

You turned; Tifa hadn't moved from where she was sitting on your bed, she was examining the photographs again. Vincent was looking out the window; you could tell that your words hurt him. You felt awful about it.

"Vincent, I'm sorry, I know you were just trying to protect me," you said to him.

Vincent looked at you, and silently accepted your apology.

You smiled "Vinny, from now on you can protect me from anyone except Cloud." Vincent nodded and smiled slightly, and then he swiftly left the room. "Well that must have been awkward for you Tifa" you said in an attempt to lessen the tension.

"Why won't you let Vincent protect you from Cloud?" She asked. It was pretty nosey but she did just witness a lot of information, you owed her some answers, after all she was kind enough to let you stay here no questions asked.

You sighed "honestly, in a weird way Cloud reminds me so much of Jace and Zack, I don't think he would ever hurt me"

Tifa smiled, "He wouldn't, Cloud cares, he's just scared to let anyone in"

"Well, that makes two of us."