This chapter contains a third extended dream sequence crossover with the Super SOLDIER series by Cloud2367 here on AO3 at /works/37600675/chapters/93854497

You should definitely check it out, it's fun and worth the read!

FIFTY

While Jessie slept, I sat near her bed on a cushioned mat, thinking about everything that had happened that day. She'd had another brush with death. Two, in fact—Corneo stabbing her in the back and then his winged pet nearly blowing her off the cliff into a fatal fall not long after that. She didn't know it, but her hanging so precariously on the edge of the statue's hand by one arm with only a single blaze talon stuck in the rock to keep her from plummeting a thousand feet to the ground so far below had scared me just as much as it had her.

But most of all, my thoughts went back that strange burst of power Jessie had experienced, that flaming aura that for a moment had made the ground itself shake. I'd never heard of anything like it. Jessie hadn't just used the fire. She had become the fire, turning Rabzu into a blazing torch through sheer force of will. The power of it had amazed me, and I had the feeling that, if she could learn how to control it better and not let it drain her so completely, she might even be able to give Sephiroth a run for his money. With me at her side, of course.

Although Jessie had said she'd explain to me about her new power when we got back here, it was late now, just after midnight, and I knew she needed to rest for a while after all she'd endured on the mountain. I could wait. And fatigue was creeping up on me, too. I kept just a single light on for now, turned low, as I relaxed on the mat, mulled over what we'd all experienced today, and watched Jessie sleep.

She was beautiful, with her long auburn hair spread out all around her and spilling over the shoulders of her satin house robe as she rested on her side under the blanket. It was a deep blue, with patterns of lotus flowers and graceful wrens embroidered in white, and I found I liked it on her. Looking at her in that moment, so slim and small, it was a little hard for me to believe how strong she had become.

After about half an hour, the thin screen door slid softly open and Cid walked inside. He was carrying a small leather pouch in one hand, and after closing the door behind him, he brought the bag over to me. I had a pretty good idea of what was in there.

"Here's your materia, Cloud," Cid gave me the pouch. "Jessie's, too. I dunno how you two had it set up, but it's all there."

I nodded. "Thanks. Did everyone else get theirs?"

He showed me the green and blue orbs in his armlet. "Sure did. We ain't missin' a single one. Yuffie even threw in an extra as well. Absorbs energy whenever you use the materia it's connected to. It's this blue one here. She's okay, Cloud. A pain in the ass, but she's okay."

"That about sums her up," I agreed.

Then Cid looked at Jessie in concern. "How's she holdin' up?"

I followed his gaze. "Exhausted by whatever it was she did up there on the mountain, but she should be fine once she's rested."

"Good," he said. "Girl's got spirit. I like her."

Then Jessie opened her eyes, saw Cid, and smiled. "Hey, there. Did you stop by just to see me? I'm touched!"

"Sure did," he chuckled. "How're ya feelin'?"

"A little better than before, but still tired," she yawned.

Cid gently patted her shoulder. "I don't doubt it. You just go on and rest now, Jessie. I think I'll talk to Godo later once the sun's up and see about gettin' the repairs goin' on the Tiny Bronco."

"Oh, I was gonna help you with that," Jessie pouted playfully.

"Another time," he promised. "She always needs maintenance. And a co-pilot. But for now, best to just focus on healin' up and gettin' your strength back. I won't let her leave without ya."

She smirked. "Better not."

"I think I'll go get some shut-eye now," Cid continued. "The others already went to bed earlier. See you two later."

Then he left as quietly as he'd arrived. Once Jessie and I were alone again, I slowly got up and sat on the edge of the bed next to her. "Sorry if we woke you, Jessie. We tried to keep our voices down."

She smiled. "It's fine. And since I'm awake anyway and we're alone, this'll be a good time for us to have that private discussion I mentioned earlier. You see, Cloud… it's about our daughter."

"Our what?" I gaped, my eyes wide.

"Daughter," Jessie giggled. "You know, cute girl children?"

I stared at her, my jaw unhinged. "Yeah, but… you said you weren't pregnant. And we haven't, uh… you know… in a while."

Jessie laughed. "That's right. I'm not. This is a little different."

"How can we have a daughter, then?" I wondered.

"Claudia's from another variant's future," she explained. "Where we fell in love, got married, and had her. I met her in a dream the night we camped on Mt. Nibel. She's our age, a great girl who's gone through hell and back five times over. Stronger than you can imagine, but tender as well, and a lot more vulnerable than she lets on."

After all the experiences I'd had in my own dreams, I believed her. "Wow… a daughter. You and me… amazing…"

"Sure is, isn't it?" Jessie took my hand in hers.

I nodded. "Tell me about her."

So she did, sharing what she knew of Claudia, their meeting in the dream, her immense powers, the terrible and crazy adventures she and our counterparts in her variant had struggled through over there for so many years, how much she loved her parents, and more. When she got to talking about her other self's sacrifice and death, how she had felt it on Mt. Nibel, and Claudia's quest to bring her back, Jessie faltered for a moment, clearly hurting for both of them. She had come close to death herself several times. I was very glad she'd survived.

"She'll save her," I assured her.

Jessie smiled, a hint of maternal pride in her voice. "Yeah. Claudia's determined. I hope you get to meet her someday."

So did I. "Same. She's got your strength."

"And your charming personality," she quipped.

"So those earrings she gave you… that's where the flame aura came from?" I asked. "Sounds like hers, but different."

Jessie sat up a little. "Right. I don't have the innate abilities Claudia was born with, just what the earrings absorbed of it and released in me in a way I could handle. I just need to figure out how to not let it drain me the way it did tonight. And how to call on it again."

"Corneo's threat about Lydia seemed to be what set you off," I said, thinking aloud. "That might be a good place to start."

"I noticed that," she agreed. "Lydia and I became pretty close while I was at Wall Market. She's kind of like a little sister to me, I guess. I see a lot of myself in her. So I'm very protective of her."

I thought I understood. "Harness those feelings, Jessie."

"Yeah…" she said. "That's the way to go. But for now, I think I'll go back to sleep. It's late, and I'm still pretty tired."

"Me too," I said, settling back onto the cushioned mat.

Jessie smiled. "Goodnight, my sweet soldier."

"Goodnight, Jessie," I replied.

I still didn't know what she meant by calling me that, but I felt like it didn't have anything to do with my being in SOLDIER. This… it was different, somehow. More personal. Something stirred then in the back of my mind, but it was too vague for me to tell what it was. A memory? Maybe. But from where? I didn't know, not then. Not for a long time. It hung there on the edge of recognition just out of reach, taunting me as it had months ago just before the Reactor 5 mission when I'd first seen Jessie in the disguise of a Shinra office worker.

I fell asleep wondering why it had seemed so familiar.

Sometime later, I woke up, or least I thought I did. It was still dark, a few hours before dawn, but everything looked strangely surreal, with a soft, glowing edge to it that hadn't been there before. Then I realized Jessie was sitting up in bed, a fond smile crossing her face as she gazed at our surroundings. She didn't seem a bit surprised.

"Hey," I whispered. "Why's everything look so different?"

Jessie's smile grew tender. "Cloud? So you're here too, this time. I'm glad. That'll make her really happy."

I blinked. "Who?"

"Claudia, you dummy!" she teased.

"She's here?" I hadn't expected to meet her so soon.

Jessie swung her legs out over the edge of the bed and got up. "Not yet, but soon. It feels the same as last time."

"Are we dreaming, then?" I wondered, joining her.

"Sort of," she explained. "I think it's kind of in between. That's how I was able to meet her before. Remember the last time you and I shared a dream together, Cloud? It's kinda like that."

I did. "Yeah, Jessie. Glad we can do it again."

"Me too," she agreed, taking my hand. "Let's go outside."

"You seem stronger," I noticed.

Jessie nodded. "Things work a bit differently here, I guess. Nothing hurts, and I'm not tired at all. I feel fine. That'll probably change once I wake up for real, though. But for now, I'm good."

Outside, the night air was cool and refreshing, and we walked for a while through the lush green gardens of the Kisaragi estate. White lilies bloomed brightly amidst the foliage, and on impulse, I picked one and offered it to Jessie. She smiled, her eyes dancing with delight, and took it gladly, giving me a peck on the cheek in return.

"Awww, how sweet!" Jessie grinned, fondly tucking the flower into her hair. "Never knew you could be so spontaneous."

"I'm full of surprises," I smirked.

She laughed. "You certainly are! Thanks, Cloud. I should bring you here more often. Must be something in the air."

I wrapped her in my arms and held her. "Maybe there is."

I couldn't really explain why, but in this place, I felt different, more relaxed, more like myself. I didn't need to wear that tough shell here. It was like the first dream we'd shared, a brief moment of peace and calm where we could put aside our worries and burdens for a while and just be with each other. Almost without realizing it, I found myself leaning toward Jessie, my mouth drifting closer and closer as she tilted hers up to meet mine, her lips soft, moist, and inviting.

"Mom?" a girl's voice suddenly called. "I—oh…"

We looked over, still in each other's arms, and saw her. Blonde hair in a ponytail with streaks of pink. A black leather outfit—jacket, shorts, tall boots, fingerless gloves—and a glowing red materia orb on a chain around her neck. But what I noticed most were her eyes. Blue, glowing with mako, and just like mine. And her undeniable resemblance to us. She had my eyes and hair, but Jessie's mouth, nose, and cheeks. She was also short like her mother. Looking at her there, I realized then that she really was our daughter. From another variant's future, maybe, but still our flesh and blood, just the same. Our child.

Jessie smiled. "Claudia!"

She blushed furiously, her eyes wide. "I'm so sorry for interrupting! I didn't mean to just, um, walk in on you like that. I just laid down and the next thing I knew, I was here in the garden."

"It's fine," Jessie assured her, letting go of me and hugging her tight. "Your father and I will definitely get back to business later. This time is for us to be together as a family for a little while."

"I've really missed that," Claudia sighed, gazing at her materia.

I didn't doubt it. "I know. Jessie told me what happened."

"Dad…" she went to me and hugged me.

I stumbled backward a little, startled by her display of affection. As she held onto me, though, I relaxed. "Guess that's me."

Claudia chuckled. "In a way. Do you mind if I call you that?"

"No," I said.

"Good," she said, stepping back. Then she noticed Jessie's blue satin robe and the white lily in her hair. "Oh, you look so nice, Mom!"

Jessie beckoned her to a long, ornate stone bench nearby. "Thanks, Claudia. Tifa picked it out for me when she was helping me get settled into bed earlier. And Cloud went and surprised me with the flower. He knows just what to do to make me smile!"

"He always has," Claudia agreed fondly. "Whenever my dad would come back home after training or a mission, he always had flowers for my mom. Fridays were their regular date night ever since I was a kid. I don't think he ever missed a single one. And sometimes he'd just sit out on the front porch with her and watch the sunset."

"You taking notes, SOLDIER boy?" Jessie teased, her hand in mine as we sat side by side on the bench with Claudia.

I smirked. "Detailed notes."

"I'm so happy for you guys," Claudia replied softly. "Seeing you like this reminds me of home, of my parents. We were always close, even if we didn't always agree with each other. I really miss them. Sometimes I worry that I won't be able to bring my mom back. We've found some of the flowers, but I still have doubts sometimes."

"You're a Strife," I assured her, my voice firm. "You'll get it done."

She relaxed. "Thanks, Dad. I needed to hear that."

"And when you've brought her back, take her and your dad and go someplace fun and special, just the three of you," Jessie suggested. "You guys should have some nice family time together after everything you all have been through over the years, you know?"

"Definitely," Claudia brightened immediately. "I will, Mom. It'll be something for me to look forward to. It's been a while since we've done anything like that. Not since I first joined SOLDIER."

Jessie went on. "Good, that's settled! Now there's something I need to tell you. When Cloud and I were on Da-Chao mountain today with the others fighting Don Corneo, something happened to me. It was the earrings, Claudia. They gave me power like yours."

"I know," she replied with a wry grin. "Materia sensed it even from where we were. I got a quite a lecture, believe me!"

"Did you know what would happen?" Jessie asked.

Claudia nodded. "Sort of. But I wasn't entirely sure. I knew the way mythril works and how it stores and absorbs magical energy, so I gave you the earrings hoping they'd pass it on to you. I really wanted to help you, but I couldn't do it directly. So I did this instead."

Jessie laughed. "You do like to push the limit, don't you?"

"As much as I can," Claudia grinned. "So… do you think you could show me what you can do? You know, your power?"

"I'm not sure how," Jessie admitted.

Claudia explained. "Whatever you were feeling that set it off, focus on that, draw it down deep inside you and then let it out. Your power'll do the rest. Did it drain you when you used it?"

"Completely," Jessie told her. "I could barely even move. Cloud had to carry me all the way back down the mountain after the battle. And I still haven't fully recovered yet. More happened up there than just that, and I'll be feeling it for a few days, at least."

Claudia's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Corneo stabbed her in the back," I said, my free hand curling into a fist almost on its own at the memory. "She'll be alright, the Wusheng have taken care of her, but it was still a close call."

"That son of a bitch!" she snarled. "Did you kick his ass, Dad?"

I nodded. "Thoroughly. Jessie took him out, though. She shot him right off the side of the mountain."

"Good!" Claudia grinned fiercely. "Where was he after that?"

"Trying to fly, last I saw," I quipped.

She relaxed with a relieved chuckle. "Not too well, I take it."

"Does bouncing count?" Jessie laughed. "I thought I heard him hit bottom at least a couple times."

"I don't think so," I flashed her a devilish little smirk.

With a fond smile at Claudia and I, Jessie stood up, then beckoned to her. "I feel fine in here, Claudia, so I should be able to show you my flame aura. Then we can do a little training together. Let's head over to the plaza, though. We'll have more space there."

She sprang to her feet in less than a second. "Gladly! But, uh… are you really going to fight in those clothes, Mom?"

"Hmm?" Jessie blinked, startled. Then she looked down at herself. "Oh, right! I almost forgot! Satin's great for relaxing, but the FEX-01's a lot better for combat. Good thing this is a dream!"

She concentrated for a moment, and the air around her seemed to blur and ripple almost like a mirage. Then her blue satin robe changed smoothly into her black leather and kevlar combat suit, complete with her blaze talons in their thigh-mounted holsters. She kept the flower I'd given her in her hair, though. That she didn't change. It was a cute look for her. I hoped she'd still have it when she woke up.

I followed the girls as they left the large Kisaragi estate and entered the northern plaza. Soft moonlight shone down from the night sky as I watched from the side while Jessie and Claudia moved into position in the middle of the area. The platform with the gong was nearby, and the pagoda stood tall, silent, and elegant at the far end of the plaza. No one else was here with us in this surreal dreamscape, this strange place that mirrored our own world but was also different.

Jessie concentrated for a moment, listening closely as Claudia told her more about how the aura worked, and then only a moment later, it flared to life around her, surrounding her in a fiery orange glow. When she drew her weapons and lit them, the energy blades burst into flame almost at once just as they'd done on the mountain.

Claudia grinned. "Awesome! Now, remember, don't let it go too far or too long or it'll drain you like it did before. Your body isn't used to it yet. Draw it out only in short, quick bursts for now, and only when you have to. Over time, you'll be able to use it more often."

"I see now," Jessie nodded. "It's like regulating the power flow of an electrical circuit. You've always gotta keep it in balance. Too little and it won't even turn on. Too much and it'll burn out."

"Exactly!" Claudia agreed.

Jessie looked slyly at her. "So, how about a little sparring?"

"Thought you'd never ask!" Claudia smirked. Then she fell eagerly into a ready stance as a pulsing golden aura rose up around her and her eyes shifted from blue to green. "Since you're new at this and can't push the power as far as I can, I'll keep mine at base level."

"You can take it further?" I blinked.

She laughed, striking the same cool and confident pose I often did. "Being me has its advantages."

"She's your daughter, alright," Jessie teased.

"And yours," I shot back, flashing her a wry little grin.

She winked. "Of course!"

Then, as I watched, Jessie and Claudia went at each other, fighting back and forth across the empty plaza. The area was lit up in shades of orange, green, blue, and gold as they darted around and struck at each other again and again, Jessie with her flames and fiery blaze talons and Claudia with beams of energy and a huge broadsword that looked a lot like Buster but was made from several other, smaller blades interlocked together. I liked it and found myself seriously considering building one myself someday. With Jessie's help if possible.

Minutes flew past as the women fought, and I couldn't help but be impressed at the power and skill Jessie had gained over the past several months even without her new flame aura. A far cry from the intelligent but inexperienced slum girl I'd first met in Midgar that fateful night. It amazed me to see how much she'd changed since then. And Claudia… I was only seeing the barest glimpse of her power, but she was holding her own against Jessie without even breaking a sweat.

Eventually, after fighting each other to a draw, they relaxed, letting their auras fade as their power subsided and Claudia's eyes returned to her normal bright mako blue. She and Jessie were smiling and panting for breath as they put their weapons away, having enjoyed the workout immensely. It had been pretty fun to watch, too.

"I think I'm starting to get the hang of it," Jessie chuckled.

Claudia nodded. "Good! I don't think you'll be able to go as far as I can with this power since you're not an actual super SOLDIER like me, but you'll still be able to kick some serious ass."

Jessie laughed. "I like it!"

"This power isn't from your world, though, so I don't really know if using it'll cause any side effects," Claudia said. "You might want to just save it as a last resort until we know more."

"Right," Jessie agreed.

Claudia went on. "There's something else you need to know, Mom. You too, Dad. Sometime before I laid down to get some rest and found myself here, I was attacked… by another Cloud."

Jessie's eyes widened. "What?"

"Not your birth father, I take it," I added.

"No," Claudia shook her head. "But he's been having problems with him, too. This Cloud, he's gone mad… from what he said, he loved the Jessie from his world, but she was murdered in front of him and he just snapped. Started destroying everything and everyone."

I shook my head. "I can't believe I'd ever…"

"That wasn't you," Jessie insisted. "You're not him, Cloud. Even if I did die, you'd never go that far. You're better than that."

She was right, of course. "Yeah. Thanks, Jessie."

Claudia grimaced. "When we met, I discovered that he'd found out about you, Mom. He'd already threatened my dad with killing my birth mom, and I think since he was too late… because of… what she did to save my friends… he figured he'd just kill you instead."

"The hell he will!" I growled.

"Exactly," Claudia agreed. "I fought him after that. Wasn't easy, but I managed to drive him away and get back what he took from me. But I don't feel safe with him still out there wrecking havoc in his world and others and my dad not being strong enough to stop him. He was given the task of doing that, but I'm not sure how he can."

Jessie thought for a moment. "Maybe force isn't the answer."

"What do you mean?" Claudia asked.

"If that Cloud's as far gone as I think he is, fighting him isn't gonna pull him out of it no matter how hard you hit him," Jessie said. "What I think you guys need to do is try another approach."

Claudia nodded. "Yeah. Like my mom's been telling me lately. The solution's there, but it isn't always obvious, and sometimes there's more going on than it seems. That Cloud, he's full of rage and guilt and pain, and I think maybe… deep down, he blames himself more than anyone else for what happened to his Jessie. So he lashes out at everyone else in his fury and grief because he just can't forgive himself."

"There has to be a way to reach him," Jessie said. "Although he isn't my Cloud, he's still a part of the man I love, an echo of him. So I wanna help him if I can. Maybe he can still come back."

"The only one who could possibly get through to him would be his Jessie," Claudia sighed. "But she's dead. Unless…"

I stared at her as her eyes suddenly lit up. "What is it, Claudia?"

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Spirit of the Remembered!"

"What's that?" Jessie wondered.

Claudia looked excitedly at her. "It's something that my Aerith can do. A powerful Cetra magic that lets her summon the spirits of people who've died. Not just anyone, though. Usually only people she knows. I think it could work, though. If my Aerith can call back the spirit of that Jessie, she might be able to reach her Cloud, heal the pain in his heart, and bring him back to the good man he used to be."

Jessie took her shoulder. "That just might work, Claudia."

Claudia nodded eagerly as she touched the bright red orb hanging around her neck. "And maybe, just maybe, if I can summon my mom's soul from her materia at the same time, she might be able to bring that other Jessie back to life again with her rebirth flame! It's how she saved my friends back home after we almost lost them."

"Hole in one, sweetie!" another voice called.

"Mom!" Claudia whirled around, her blue eyes wide.

Following her gaze, I saw another Jessie appear in the plaza amidst a soft, gentle light, her eyes green and her hair as blonde as Claudia's. It was undeniably Jessie, though. I'd have recognized that cheerful energy and coy little smirk of hers anywhere. She strode confidently over to us and drew Claudia into a warm, tight embrace, then let go.

"Knew you'd figure it out," she smiled.

Claudia nodded. "Was that why you brought me here tonight?"

Her mom laid a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah. And also to help my other self get used to the new power you gave her. You showed her the ropes and how to keep it from emptying her tank again?"

"Yeah. We had a lot of fun doing that," Claudia grinned.

"Sure did!" my Jessie chuckled. "Took me totally by surprise when I found about it, though, believe me! That little sneak…"

Claudia winked at her. "You're welcome."

Then the other Jessie looked approvingly at me. "Well, well… very nice seeing you here, Cloud. I gotta say, you're just as hot and hunky as my own SOLDIER boy. The other me's one lucky girl!"

"You'd better believe it!" my Jessie giggled.

"So, what do you think of me?" the other one purred.

I smirked. "Nice outfit."

She was wearing a First Class SOLDIER uniform like me but styled for a woman, with her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. Black vest with her midriff exposed, matching gloves and pants, and tough brown leather boots. It was definitely a good look for her.

"Knew it'd catch your eye," she teased.

"Sassy, isn't he?" my Jessie flashed her a knowing grin as she stood on my left with her arms folded in front of her.

The other one admired me from my right. "Oh, yeah!"

"Yours that way, too?" Jessie asked.

Her counterpart laughed. "All the time!"

I looked back and forth at them smirking at each other from either side of me. "You ladies are having way too much fun."

"Only because we love our pretty SOLDIER boys," my Jessie batted her glowing brown eyes at me with innocent playfulness.

"And you're both total babe magnets," the other one added.

Claudia rolled her eyes. "Mom…"

Her Jessie smiled fondly at her. "Thought it was bad enough when it was just your father and I, didn't you?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "Now I've got it in stereo."

Her mom touched the red materia Claudia wore. "Now that you've figured out what you need to do, Claudia, call me when it's time to stop that other Cloud. But you need to contact Aerith back home first to let her know what's going on so she can join you. I know you're a long way from her right now, but Materia can help with that."

Claudia nodded. "Right. I'll do that, Mom."

"Good," she said. "You might still have fight that other Cloud again once you find him to keep him occupied long enough for Aerith to use her power and summon his Jessie's spirit."

"He'll never touch her," Claudia swore.

Her mom went on. "Then I think it's time to go. Your other parents here still have a lot ahead of them. No need to worry, though. You'll see them again one day. But it might be a while."

Claudia hugged my Jessie first. "Bye, Mom. I love you."

"Love you, too, Claudia," she murmured.

Then Claudia embraced me as well. "Bye, Dad. I'm really glad I got to meet you and get to know you a little."

I returned it. "Same. Let us know how things turn out."

"I will," she promised.

Then, before I knew it, she handed her mom her phone, slipped in between me and my Jessie, and posed with an arm draped around each of our shoulders. I didn't have a clue how a photo taken in a dream was supposed to show up in the waking world, too, but I'd long since given up trying to figure out all the weird, fantastical, and sometimes bizarre things I'd seen and experienced over the past few months.

Once the other Jessie had taken the photo, Claudia let go of us and took her phone back. Then she blinked and look around. "Hey, where's Materia? I thought she'd have been here, too."

Her mom just laughed. "Oh, she's fine. A certain handsome friend of hers paid her a surprise visit after you got here, that's all. They're just spending some time alone together while they can. And she wanted to let you and your other parents here have some, too."

Claudia grinned. "Oh, really?"

"Right," her Jessie smiled. "Materia may be a goddess underneath it all, but part of her's mortal, too. She's got so much to see and do and be that she couldn't before, so much to explore. Including love. Especially love. Knowing about it's one thing, but actually experiencing it yourself is totally different. Isn't that right, SOLDIER boy?"

"Like night and day," I agreed, gazing tenderly at my Jessie.

Her counterpart looked knowingly at her as well. "I think it's time, wouldn't you say? You needed space to clear your head for a while and heal some old wounds, but things are gonna get tougher from here on. Better to get this settled before all that, isn't it?"

Jessie slid her hand into mine. "Yeah. I think you're right."

"Always am!" her other self smirked. Then she lifted her right arm, and the dreamscape began to fade. "Now off you go! Pip, pip! You too, Claudia. Don't worry, I'll be here whenever you need me."

"And I'll bring you back, Mom," Claudia promised. "I will."

Light surrounded her, flowed from her, making her appear almost angelic as it filled the dream. Claudia gazed longingly at her, unable to hide the pain in her eyes at the sight of being torn from her again. The other Jessie gave her daughter a warm, gentle smile in return. Then she was gone. The light kept growing, washing out everything around me, and before long, I lost sight of Jessie and Claudia as I felt myself start to rise steadily up toward consciousness like a diver swimming out of the deeps and up toward the surface of the water.

When I opened my eyes, I was laying on the cushioned mat in the Kisaragi guest house again. I sat up slowly, blinking the sleep out of my eyes, and saw Jessie doing the same in her bed. She moved stiffly, still a bit sore from her stab wound, and struggled to pull herself up at first. I went over, sat on the edge of the bed, took her hand, slid my other arm around her waist, and gently helped her sit up.

"Thanks, Cloud," Jessie yawned. "I'm feeling a little better now, but I probably won't be myself again until tomorrow."

I nodded. "Take your time, Jessie."

She smiled gently at me. "So… some dream, huh?"

"It was definitely an experience," I agreed. "Glad I got to tag along. Claudia's really something special. Like her mom."

Jessie lightly touched my cheek. "Well, you're in a sweet mood this morning. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I could listen to you all day long like this. Might even help my recovery."

I gave her a faint smirk. "Then I'm at your disposal today."

"Lucky me!" she giggled.

Jessie was wearing her blue satin robe again, her long, auburn hair spilling over her shoulders and chest. The white lily I'd given her in the dream was still there now that she was awake just as I'd hoped it would be, tucked neatly along her right temple just above her ear. It made her look so different than usual, so… feminine. I liked it.

"Be right back," I said, an idea suddenly coming to me. I pointed at her as I stood up again. "Don't go anywhere."

It didn't take long to pull together what I had in mind. The kitchen was just down the hall, and although I didn't know the first thing about cooking or much about Wutaian food, I did my best. Yuffie often liked to prattle on about her homeland and customs during our travels, so I'd picked up a few tidbits here and there. With a little help from Tifa, who had walked in from one of the other bedrooms looking fit and rested, I managed to prepare something for Jessie.

"Awww, breakfast in bed?" she gasped in delight when I set the tray down in front of her. "You're gonna spoil me rotten, aren't ya?"

"That's the plan," I nodded.

The rolled omelettes hadn't turned out too bad, and Tifa had made sure the rice was steamed just right so I didn't overdo it. The soup was a traditional broth with vegetables and mushrooms. There was enough food for both of us and two cups of hot green tea. So we ate and talked, just enjoying each other's company, and I couldn't help thinking about the dream and what her other self had told her.

When we were finished, I set the tray aside and sat back down next to her on the edge of the bed like before. "You good now?"

"Nice and full," Jessie answered. "Thank you."

"Anytime," I replied.

She gently put her hand over mine. "Cloud… you remember what the other me said at the end of our dream, right?"

I did. "Yeah. You gonna be okay now?"

"No," Jessie said softly. "But I will be. I'm ready, Cloud. I was gonna wait a little longer, but she's right. I want to be close to you again. And I think now, I can be better. Before, I was trying to hide from all the guilt and shame I felt about my past and the reactor bombings. You were my way of doing that. I liked you a lot, but… I also used you. I'm so sorry, Cloud. I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you."

"No need to apologize, Jessie," I assured her. "I understand."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Are we back, then?" I asked.

Jessie touched her lips to mine. "We're back. And this time, I'm not gonna hide from myself anymore. I wanna be with you for you. For us. Because I love you. That's my reason now, Cloud."

"Works for me," I smirked, kissing her.