FIFTY-SIX

It was a beautiful night as Cloud and I rode the Starwheel gondola high above the grounds of the Gold Saucer. From our vantage point as we gazed out the window of the little car, we could see so much. Lights of all colors flashing everywhere, a rainbow assortment of chocobos all racing past us as the ride descended for a bit before rising again, a cool view of the creepy Ghost Hotel and the games tower of Wonder Square from above, the Speed Square's roller coaster rushing by, and more as a cheerful mix of sounds and music filled the air.

"Wow…" I breathed. "What a sight, huh?"

Cloud nodded as he sat across from me. "Sure is, Jessie."

I smiled. "Esther was right. It is romantic."

"Seems that way," he agreed, his hand finding mine as we watched bright bursts of colorful fireworks light up the night.

I sighed contentedly. "It's beautiful…"

Cloud gently turned me to face him. "Not as much as you."

"Very smooth, SOLDIER boy," I smirked, leaning in closer to him. My lips pressed against his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he murmured, caressing my cheek.

From there, we lost ourselves in each other for a while, the sounds of the park just a pleasant background as we shared tender kisses. Our tongues danced, our hands explored each other, my blood burned like wildfire, my skin tingled as if a live charge was running through it, and my heart raced faster than any chocobo. As we kept kissing, I moved to sit next to Cloud, and he wrapped his arms around me as mine draped around him. Our mouths moved together passionately, and I giggled as I felt his hand wander lightly over one of my curves.

"Tempting, believe me," I said with a seductive grin. "But not here, Cloud. Wait 'till we get back to our room, okay?"

"Sure," he agreed, sliding his fingers to my shoulder.

I nibbled on his ear. "Don't worry. I want you… bad… and you can have me… all night… once we get there."

Cloud traced kisses along my neck. "We'll go straight there."

"No battle arena?" I pouted playfully.

"Well… if you want to," he said.

I slipped my tongue back into his mouth. "Yeah… I do. After all… kicking ass together… fighting side by side… is one hell of a turn on… don't you think? It's kinda like… foreplay…"

"Never… thought of it… like that before," Cloud admitted.

"Our date's… not over yet," I laughed between kisses.

He nodded. "Battle arena it is, then."

Once we finally came up for air, I snuggled against him and we just watched the sights in comfortable silence for a while. It had been a hell of a good day, the best I'd had in a very long time. Being on stage again had been incredible. I still felt a little giddy about it and had to remind myself that it had actually happened. A few people had recognized me when Cloud and I had been making our way to the gondola, both of us actually, and we'd signed a few autographs. Cloud had been so adorably clueless and startled to realize he was famous now.

"You had fun doing the play?" I asked.

Cloud let out a soft chuckle. "Actually, yeah. I get why you like it so much. And a role like that I can understand. But…"

I looked at him. "But what?"

"When you start doing the show regularly after this journey's over, are you gonna kiss the guy that plays him like you did me? I know it's a play and it's all just acting, but, well, I…"

"I'd only do that if it was you, Cloud," I smiled.

He relaxed. "Thanks. But what if someone else plays Alphried? I'm not sure yet what I'm gonna do when this is all over."

"We're performers," I assured him with a little wink, understanding how he felt. "There are ways to fake it and make it look convincing. So I can do that if you're not in the show. That's what I did back in Midgar years ago when Kunsel and I started seeing each other. I didn't want to kiss anyone but him. So I always just pretended with my costar. He had a girlfriend himself, so he felt the same way."

"Oh, ok," he said, gently pulling me a little closer. "Good."

I kissed him. "Yep. These lips are only for you."

"Better be," he quipped, covering my mouth with his.

After making out with him until we had to come up for air again, I leaned my head against his shoulder. "Cloud… that first dream we had together, the one in Midgar… I remember us being outside, at Aerith's house. Then we went for a ride on the Hardy. It was a lot of fun. Being with you there, seeing you… it made a real difference."

He lightly stroked my hair. "How so?"

"At the time, I didn't know for sure if I was alive or dead," I replied. "I couldn't even remember what happened to me in the pillar. It was so hard to hold on, Cloud. That's another part of why I was reliving all my memories, I think. To stay alive, I guess by keeping my mind alert and active and giving it something to focus on."

"Makes sense," Cloud nodded.

I went on. "It was hard, though. There was always a pull, kinda like the undertow when we were at the beach in Costa del Sol, remember? I couldn't get away from it, and it was getting stronger bit by bit. Cold… it was so cold. And dark. The part of me that was dying. But then, after I relived that night you saved me from those thugs in the alley, I found myself at Aerith's house, and… there you were."

He held me close. "I was glad to see you, Jessie. After watching you fall into the fire in Sector 7, I needed that. You were in really bad shape when we found you in the ruins, and… I was scared."

"I can imagine," I laid a hand on his cheek. "But I'm here now. And like I said in my song, I have you to thank so much for that. You threw me a lifeline in that dream, you know? I wasn't sure where I was, how I got there, or if I'd ever wake up again. But seeing you, spending time in there together, and finding out you and the others were fighting to save me gave me the strength to keep on going."

"I'm not gonna lose you again," he swore.

I knew he'd always be there for me. "Cloud… after our dream, I fell back into my memories, reliving everything until I was standing in the pillar facing down that Shinra chopper. But there was nothing else, and I was floating in the dark again. I was so tired, and I could feel that pull dragging me under. I couldn't fight it anymore. I was drowning. Then, as I was about to die… I saw light. And her…"

"Who?" Cloud asked softly.

"My mom," I whispered, blinking back tears. The memory was still so clear. "She told me I had to remember. That dying then, like I always had before, wouldn't be my fate this time. And that I had a part to play in what was happening with Shinra and Sephiroth. An important one. I wanted to be with her, Cloud, but I also wanted to see you again. And help you if I could. I felt so torn and was tempted to let go even with all she's said and just stay with her. But I couldn't."

He kissed the top of my head. "I'm glad you didn't. But it was good that you got to see her, at least. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," I kissed him. "It was still hard for me to remember what had happened to me in the pillar, but as I was trying to do that, I heard Aerith's voice calling to me. And then I saw her, just for a moment. She took my hand, and the memories finally came. It wasn't easy for me to relive them, but it pulled me back from the brink. And Aerith never let go of me, not once. She brought me back, Cloud."

"She really did," he agreed.

I sighed. Talking about Aerith had inevitably made me think of the nightmare I'd had in Fort Condor. The one where I'd killed her in cold blood. She'd done so much for me, had saved my life several times, and I didn't want to repay her kindness by taking her own.

"Cloud…" I began. "About Aerith… there's something I—"

A sudden, loud burst of fireworks outside cut me off, and for just a moment, I watched the colorful display with Cloud, enjoying the sight. Explosions of red, blue, green, and yellow filled the night air, and I felt him nudge me a little closer. We kissed again for a while, and as we did, I set my worries aside. This was our night, our first date in a long time, and I decided that I didn't want to ruin the mood by bringing up what I'd seen myself do in that dream. It could wait a little longer. Tonight, I was just going to enjoy my time with Cloud.

When the fireworks had faded and we had pulled away, he looked tenderly at me. "What were you gonna say before?"

"It's nothing," I shook my head.

"You sure?" he wondered. "I'm here, Jessie."

I smiled and snuggled against him. "Thanks. And yeah, I'll tell you later, after the temple. We've still got that to deal with."

"Alright," Cloud nodded.

"There's just… a lot going on," I explained.

He gently lifted my face so my eyes found his. "I don't doubt it. But whatever it is, Jessie, you'll beat it. You've always been strong. And you don't know how to give up. You're a fighter."

Then he leaned in and kissed me again, softly. Flares of heat swept through me, and I felt a flicker of hope in my heart that I might be able to change the future that I'd seen. We spent the rest of the gondola ride that way, our lips locking and unlocking and our arms wrapped snugly around each other, and it wasn't until the car stopped that we came up for air and Cloud helped me get to my feet.

"I love you," I murmured, hugging him tight.

He held me for a moment. "I… care for you, Jessie."

It wasn't quite what I'd hoped to hear him say, but it was close, and I savored what he'd given me. I just hoped that one day, he'd finally tell me he loved me. Not in a play as one character to another, but to me as himself. I didn't want to dwell on it, though, so I slid my hand into his, led him off the car, and walked with him into the ride's exit area. It was quiet since we'd been last customers for the day.

"Let's do this again sometime, okay?" I asked. "Not just this, but all the rides. The whole park. I want to come back."

Cloud gently squeezed my hand. "Sure. Same here."

I grinned. "Then it's another date! Now let's head over to the Battle Square and pound a few monsters together."

We'd both changed into our regular outfits earlier before leaving to come here, so we were ready to go as we left the Skywheel. But as soon as we made it back to the Gold Saucer's central hub, we froze. Cait was there, looking around and moving quickly and quietly toward another exit with the keystone in one of his moogle mount's big hands. No one else was around since it was late and most of the park was closed now. I didn't like this. Why would he be sneaking around?

"What the hell…?" Cloud wondered.

"What's he doing?" I added, just as mystified.

Cait heard us and whirled around. "Whoops! Gotta go!"

"Hey, wait!" I called, reaching toward him.

But he ran off, ducking into the exit leading to Speed Square. After Cloud and I shared a glance, we ran after him. The chase took us from one area to the next, all over the park, until finally we cornered him on the stairs just outside the racing center in Chocobo Square. It was open to the night sky, and before we could say anything, a Shinra helicopter descended from above, its rotors chopping loudly. Rude was piloting it, and Tseng sat next to him on the passenger side as he brought the craft low to hover only about fifty feet above us.

"Here ye go!" Cait called, tossing Tseng the keystone.

He caught it easily in one hand after opening his door, and then he shut it again and nodded to Rude. The helicopter rose back into the air and flew away, leaving us alone with Cait Sith. I stared at him in shock, feeling hurt and betrayed and not wanting to believe what I'd just seen. I knew him and I knew Reeve. It didn't make any sense.

"Hey!" Cloud snapped. "What the hell was that?"

Cait jumped. "Wait! I'm nae gonna run again. I got mae reasons fer what I did, but it's nae what it looks like."

I clenched my fists at my sides, quivering with rage. "Cait Sith, how could you!? After how long we've known each other! After all you and I have been through together! I thought we were friends!"

"I never meant to hurt ye, Jessica," he sighed. "Neither did Reeve. It was just somethin' we had tae dae. Shinra did send us to spy on ye. But like I said, it's not what it seems. I'll explain at the hotel."

"It looks like you sold us out," Cloud fumed. "And if you think you can stay with us after this little stunt, think again!"

Cait shook his head. "I was afraid of that. Listen tae this."

Then he took out a transmitter similar to the one Reeve had given me and pressed a button on the slim metal rod. Only a moment later, a familiar voice came from it, small and frightened, and I gasped. Cloud narrowed his eyes as he gazed darkly at Cait.

"Daddy? Tifa? Jessie?" It was Marlene. "Are you there?"

"Marlene!" I called.

Cloud took a step forward. "We're here, Marlene."

"Cloud! Jessie!" she said. "Help! I—"

Cait cut the connection. "So ye have no choice. Now let's go on ahn I'll explain the situation back at the hotel."

"You son of a bitch…" Cloud swore.

"I didnae want tae dae it, but that's how it is," Cait said, leading the way down the stairs. "Just think aboot what happened the last time we were here. Things are nea as bad as they look."

What did he mean by that? It was an odd thing to say, and I found myself wondering about it as we went back to the hotel. Part of me was absolutely furious and wanted to strangle Cait after what he'd done, but another part hoped desperately that there was some covert plan that he hadn't told us about and that this was just a big misunderstanding. We walked through the park in silence, Cloud staying protectively near me the whole time as he watched Cait with wary eyes.

"WHAT!?" Barret roared once we'd met him and the others back at the hotel and had gathered everyone together in the lobby to tell them what had happened. "What've ya done with Marlene!? And why would ya go an' stab us in the back like that, ya damn cat!?"

Cait didn't answer at first. Instead, he nodded to the clerk, who was closing up the reservations counter for the night. As soon as he did, the clerk nodded back, went to a small control panel on the wall, pressed a button, and left. At first, I wasn't sure what was going on. But then, as I looked up, I saw the security camera in the corner switch off. Cait took out another device, small and black, and turned it on.

"A jammer," he explained as it lit up. "Now we can talk freely. Dio's got a good staff, but they weren't the only ones at the park tonight. So I had tae take a few precautions, just tae be safe."

"But you gave the keystone to Shinra!" Tifa snapped.

He just winked and took something out of a hidden compartment of his moogle mount. "Oh, ye mean this?"

My jaw dropped. It was the keystone! "What?"

"But if that's the keystone," Red said, sounding as confused as I felt. "Then what does Shinra have? What did you give them?"

"A dud," Cait explained, twitching his whiskers in satisfaction. "Dio ahn I made it while the rest of ye were havin' fun in the park today ahn Cloud ahn Jessie were rehearsin' fer the play. It looks like the real thing but won't open the temple. Ahn I put a trackin' device inside. So they'll lead us right tae the place ahn not even know it!"

Relief flooded through me at once. "Cait! You're a genius! And you didn't betray us after all! I'm so sorry I doubted you."

He chuckled. "It's fine, lass. I'd have done the same in yer shoes."

"But what about Marlene?" Barret demanded.

"Oh, she's safe," Cait assured him. "Kunsel got her ahn Elmyra over to a house in Kalm a few weeks ago. Reeve went tae check on them the other day ahn told them all aboot the old temple ahn the keystone. He's been keepin' them updated on our progress, ye see. It was Elmyra's idea fer Marlene to pretend to be my hostage if need be."

Cloud stared at him, his eyes wide. "So that whole scene back there on the stairs after the Turks left was just an act?"

"Aye," Cait nodded. "Like when Dio sent us to Corel Prison."

"Why didn't you tell us before?" I asked.

He laughed. "Sorry aboot that, lass. Shinra had people watchin' the security cameras, ye see. Includin' yer father. He wanted tae make sure I did what Rufus sent me tae do. So basically, I needed ye both to give a good performance tae fool them. Ahn ye did great!"

"You never left us," I hugged him.

"Nae, I never could," Cait assured us. "Ahn I never will. Reeve ahn I are with ye all. Ye got us both on yer side fer good when ye saved our dear Jessica after the Sector 7 plate fell, Cloud."

He nodded. "Alright. Glad I was wrong about you."

"Uh, me too, I guess," Barret grumbled. "Say, can I talk to Marlene? I know you said she's fine, cat, but I gotta hear her say it."

Cait smiled. "Aye. I can do better than that."

He tapped a few more buttons on his transmitter, and a light shone from it. At the same time, a pair of holographic figures appeared in the room with us. Marlene and Elmyra. Barret's face lit up, and I felt a hard lump form in my throat. We hadn't seen them in months, but thanks to Cait, they were here with us, even if only as holograms.

"Marlene…" Barret breathed, reaching for her.

She waved. "Hi, daddy!"

He hastily blinked away a few tears. "You okay, girl?"

"I'm fine," Marlene giggled. "Me and Elmyra are at the new house. It's really nice here. Mr. Reeve comes to visit us sometimes to check on us and make sure we're okay. I'm sorry I scared you, Daddy. But he said it was important that I pretend so the bad Shinra people wouldn't find out that he was helping you. Did I do okay?"

"You did jus' fine, sweetie," Barret knelt in front of her, and I could see how much he wanted to hold her. But she was just a projection here and wasn't solid. "Mighty proud of ya for bein' so brave."

"Thanks! Love you!" she grinned.

Barret closed his hand over where hers would've been and smiled. "Love you, too. I'll be back before ya know it."

"We've missed you, Marlene," Tifa went to her.

"A lot," I added, doing the same.

Marlene smiled and waved at us. "Jessie! Tifa! I miss you, too. And you, Cloud. Please take care of them and my daddy, okay?"

"Will do," he promised. "You hang in there, Marlene."

"You're doing great!" Aerith added.

Marlene laughed. "Thanks! I've been taking care of all the flowers, Aerith. I can't wait for you to come and see them!"

"Me either…" she replied, a catch in her voice as she did.

"Hi there, baby," Elmyra gazed warmly at her.

Aerith's eyes grew misty. "Hi, Mom. You're really okay?"

"Yes," Elmyra answered. "No need to worry."

Aerith nodded. "Good. I miss you. And I just…"

"I know, Aerith," Elmyra said gently. "I know. Do what you need to do. I'll be fine. Reeve visits us at least once a week, quietly so no one in Shinra catches on. Kunsel and Marissa stop by as well sometimes. They helped us move here to Kalm and have been doing all they can to keep our new home a secret so Shinra doesn't find us."

"I'm so glad," she sighed in relief. "Thank them for me, okay?"

"Of course," Elmyra replied. Then she looked fondly at me. "Hello, Jessie. I've been worried about you, too. Please be careful out there and stay safe, alright? And come home when it's all over."

I blinked, surprised but happy. "I will. And… thanks."

The maternal tone in her voice was unmistakable, and it made me feel almost like I'd found something again that I'd lost. I'd spent about a month living with her and Aerith in the slums of Midgar two years ago after I'd been driven from the plate and the life I'd built there. I'd been a stranger then—homeless, heartsick, and hurt—but Elmyra had shown me nothing but kindness. And again when I was hurt and broken after the plate had fallen. She and Aerith both meant a lot to me. Almost like family. That she felt the same way touched me deeply.

"Guess what, Mom?" Aerith grinned, wrapping an arm around me. "Jessie starred in a big play tonight! She was amazing!"

Elmyra chuckled. "I know. I saw it."

My jaw dropped. "You did?"

"Yes," she explained. "When Reeve got here earlier and gave us the transmitter to use for Marlene's little act, he also told us about the play and set up his controls so we could all watch it through Cait's eyes. We saw what he did. You were wonderful, Jessie. And I'm so proud of you. Marlene really loved the play, too. She had a lot of fun."

"You were so pretty, Jessie!" Marlene giggled next to her.

I wanted to hug them both so much. "Thanks, you two."

"Aerith, Jessie…" Elmyra went on after we'd introduced them to the rest of our friends and Cloud, Barret, and Tifa had greeted her. "I know you both have a lot ahead of you, a lot of things still to do on this quest of yours. So I'm going to go ahead and let you do them. Just know that you've always done the right thing and that I love you."

"I love you too, Mom," Aerith murmured, her soft voice thick with emotion. All I could do was nod in agreement, too overcome for words at the moment. She understood. "We both do."

Elmyra went on. "Reeve's still here with us, by the way, and so are a few other friends. I'll let you talk to them now. They felt, and I agreed, that it would be best if Marlene and I spoke to you all first to put you at ease after what Cait had to do so you wouldn't worry."

Then four more holographic figures appeared with her. I gasped in delight when I saw Reeve, Kunsel, Marissa, and… "Lydia!"

"Hi, Jessie!" she waved excitedly. "You were great tonight!"

"Thanks! Glad to hear from ya!" I grinned..

She nodded. "Me, Kunsel, and Marissa came here with Reeve to do what we could to help with Cait's plan and watch your play. And I also wanted to thank you so much for saving Marcy. She's on her way home now and should be back in Midgar in a day or two."

"Just happy to help a friend in need," I smiled.

"You always are, Firebrand!" Lydia smirked. Then she thanked the others as well. "I really appreciate everything you've done, guys. People in Midgar still have mixed feelings about you, about Avalanche, but I'm doing all I can to change that and get them on board."

Barret looked gratefully at her. "Glad you got our back, girl. I heard a lot aboutcha an' all the good ya done for us. So jus' keep at it, ya hear? You parta the gang now, far as I'm concerned."

"Will do," she promised. "Thanks."

"It's good to see you again, Lydia," Tifa greeted her warmly.

Aerith giggled. "We heard you've been busy."

"Yeah, I've had a bunch of new singing gigs in Wall Market thanks to my duet with Jessie at her concert," Lydia said. "Andrea's even let me perform with him at the Honeybee Inn. I sing while he and his people dance. It's a lot of fun, and I use my time on stage to try and tell people what's going on with the planet and Shinra. Not everyone's receptive to the message, but Kotch makes sure no one gets rough."

"Awesome!" I was happy for her. "Keep it up!"

She nodded. "You bet!"

"Be careful, okay?" Tifa told her. "If Shinra hears that you're trying to gather support for us, they may try to shut you down."

"I'd like to see them try," Lydia smirked.

Aerith chuckled. "Yeah! Just watch yourself and be safe."

"I will," she replied. "I know it's dangerous. But Andrea's got a lot of influence in Wall Market. He's promised to keep Shinra off my back as much as he can. And Kotch won't let them anywhere near me."

I knew they'd protect her. "Alright. Stay in touch."

Marissa looked at her, then at me, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret. "Kunsel, Lydia, and I have been coordinating with Domino and Hart to work on our operations here. Nayo and her cell have been helping us, too. We're focused more on providing assistance to those in need and sharing the message right now than taking any sort of direct action against Shinra. But when you come back, we'll be here if you need us."

"Good to know," Cloud said. "Thanks."

Barret folded his arms in front of him. "The merc's right. Jus' keep up the good work. Shinra ain't gone yet, an' the people there in Midgar still need help. They gotta know we ain't the enemy. An' what you guys are doin' by helpin' 'em get food, clothes, shelter, an' whatever else they need's jus' as important as what we doin' here."

Kunsel nodded. "Yeah. We'll take care of things on this end. So you guys do what you need to do. Don't worry about us."

"Glad you've got our backs," I grinned.

"Always," he agreed.

Reeve looked proudly at me. "You were magnificent tonight in the play, Jessica. Your mother would be very proud."

"I know she is," I smiled. "Thanks."

"It's good to meet you at last, Reeve," Tifa told him. "I can't imagine the risks you're taking even having this conversation."

He chuckled. "It's worth it. You're all good people. None of us have done everything right, we've all made mistakes, but maybe together we can build a better future for everyone. That's my hope."

"Mine too," Aerith said. "But won't Rufus and the Turks catch on to you once they realize the fake keystone doesn't work?"

Reeve sighed. "It's possible. But Dio and I can always claim we had no idea it wasn't the real thing. And he warned that merchant when he bought it to hide someplace quiet out of sight in case Shinra decides to go after him. We tried to cover all our bases."

I was still worried about him. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will," he assured me. "Trust me, Janice isn't about to let anything happen to me. She's in on this, too. Both of us are doing what we can to change the company and look out for each other."

"Good," I smiled, reading between the lines. "I like her."

Reeve tapped a few buttons on the rod he was holding, then looked at us with a small, knowing grin. "Now, before we wrap this up, I'd like to invite a few others to join us for a moment."

Tifa and I exchanged a surprised glance. More? Who did he mean? We found out soon enough as four more holographic figures appeared in the room. Their projections flickered a bit as if the transmission was a bit less stable than the others, and when I realized who the rest of our guests were, a rush of excitement raced through me.

"Biggs! Wedge!" I exclaimed. "Lena!"

Barret's face lit up. "Guys! Damn, it's good to see ya!"

Aerith gasped. "Edwyn…"

He was there, too, his gaze lingering tenderly on her for a moment as something unspoken passed between them. As their eyes found one another, Aerith reached up and closed her hand lightly over one of the pockets of her red jacket as if grasping something that was inside of it. Her face was a study in bittersweet affection, and as I watched her and Edwyn, I suddenly understood what it meant.

I had to admit, Aerith had good taste. Despite being almost thirty, Edwyn was boyishly handsome. Bald and clean-shaven with his clothes all neat and pressed thanks to his military habits, he was definitely easy on the eyes. I wondered how much time he and Aerith had spent alone together while we'd been at Fort Condor. I'd been too busy all that week working on my own projects to really notice.

"Aerith…" he murmured. Then he turned to the rest of us. "I don't know how long this connection will hold, but it's stable for now. Reeve got word to us today about what's going on and helped us link into his holographic signal so we could reach you."

Wedge gave us a thumbs up. "Yeah! It worked!"

Biggs just rolled his eyes. "Of course it worked! Had to hot wire the relays a bit to get the transmission to go this far, but I never doubted it. Reeve told us how to do it, remember?"

"Still, it's pretty cool, you know?" Wedge laughed. "I've never been a hologram before. Well, I'm not really one, but—"

"We're just glad to be here," Lena finished for him.

Tifa smiled. "It's wonderful to see you all. We miss you. And Biggs, I love you. I hope we can get back there soon."

He nodded. "Love you, too, Tif. We'll be here, don't worry."

"Shinra givin' ya any trouble?" Barret asked.

"They've sent a few more sorties our way lately, but it's nothing we can't handle, boss," Biggs replied. "They also tried moving their staging area to throw us off, but Wedge and Lena found the new one fast, only a day later. We've been keeping a close eye on it ever since."

Edwyn took over. "They're getting reinforcements from Junon, but my sources over there tell me more troops are being loaded onto ships bound for the southern islands. They're probably on their way by now, so you may encounter some resistance on your way to the temple. And I've also heard that Shinra's made some progress in clearing the tunnel to Midgar. So we'll be facing another major battle soon."

"Okay. Thanks for the heads up," Cloud answered. "We'll make our way back there as soon as we can to help."

"Understood," Edwyn said.

Lena smiled. "It's not all grim news, guys. Watch this!"

She was sitting in her special wheelchair, the one I'd tricked out for her, and after taking Biggs' hands in hers, she began to move. Slowly, a little at a time, she stood up. Her legs wobbled like jelly, and she had to hold onto her brother the whole time, but she was on her feet! I let out a cheer and grinned as Aerith, Barret, and Tifa did the same and Cloud looked on approvingly while Yuffie gasped in excitement.

"You're standing!" she squealed.

"Well done!" Red added.

Lena clung to Biggs but smiled. "Thanks. I can't do it by myself yet, but I'll get there. I've got more feeling in my legs now, and I exercise all the time, every day. I'll walk again, sooner or later."

"You doin' a helluva job there, Lena," Barret grinned.

"She's the best," Wedge gazed lovingly at her.

I gave Lena's holographic fist a bump. "Knew you could do it!"

She chuckled as she returned the gesture while holding onto Biggs with her other arm. "Thanks, Jessie. With luck, by the time you and the others get back here, I'll be walking again!"

"I really hope so!" Tifa agreed.

"That'd be great," Cloud added. "Stick with it."

Lena nodded. "You bet. And Jessie, we saw the play! Reeve told us how to patch into Cait's signal so we could watch your show from here in Fort Condor. You were incredible! Cloud, too!"

"Never knew you could act, man," Biggs chuckled.

Cloud shrugged. "Neither did I."

We all laughed at that as I slid an arm around his waist. "Oh, I just knew he had it in him. He's a natural! And I'm really glad that you guys got to see us perform tonight. I miss you all."

"Same here, Jessie," Wedge said. "We miss you, too."

We all talked for a little longer, introducing Vincent and Cid as we all caught up with one another and just enjoyed each other's company. It was a chance to reconnect that we needed. And I noticed Aerith and Edwyn talking quietly together off to one side for a little bit as Tifa and Biggs did the same thing on the other side of the room. I smiled, happy for them, while I chatted with Lydia and the others.

But all too soon, our reunion came to an end as Reeve informed us that the holographic signal they were using was starting to break up. It took a lot of power to make it work, and I was surprised it had lasted as long as it did. We all said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch with each other. Then they were gone, and the room was quiet and still for a moment as Cait put his transmitter away.

I went over, picked him up off his moogle mount, and hugged him tight. "You really are the best, you know that?"

"It wasnae much," he laughed.

"Thank you, Cait," Aerith murmured.

He smiled. "Mae pleasure, lass. Reeve ahn I just figured that before we all take on the temple tomorrow, it'd be good idea for us all tae have a little visit with the rest of our friends tae boost our spirits. Things are liable tae get a lot harder from here, so it may be a while before we can talk with them again like we did tonight."

Barret scratched his head. "You, uh… you okay, cat. Thanks."

"We're on the same side, Barret," Cait reminded him. "I've got stuff I'd like tae say tae ye aboot Midgar, but that can wait. Fer now, let's just focus on gettin' tae the temple ahn beatin' Sephiroth."

"Fair enough," Barret agreed.

I snapped my fingers as a sudden thought hit me. "Cait, it was you who told Shinra we were going to Gongaga, wasn't it? That also means you and Reeve must've told Cissnei about us, too."

Cait nodded. "Aye, Jessica, that was mae. Shinra already suspected we were goin' that way, so I didnae really tell them anythin' they didnae already know. Ahn me ahn Reeve also gave Cissnei the heads up aboot us as well as the intel aboot Scarlet's inspection. Sorry fer givin' Shinra our location, but I couldnae let them suspect I was really with ya. I had tae play along, but I gave them as little as I could."

"We understand," Tifa assured him. "You've taken a big risk for us, Cait. You and Reeve. It's very brave. Thank you."

"Well, we've got a planet tae save, right?" he winked.

Aerith smiled. "That we do!"

Cloud looked at everyone. "And on that note, we'd better get some rest. It's late, and we've got a busy day tomorrow."

"No argument here," Cid yawned.

Yuffie did the same. "Sleepy time for me…"

"Aw, I thought we were gonna kick ass in the battle arena, Cloud," I teased, batting my eyelashes at him with a playful pout.

He flashed me a faint grin. "Next time, Jessie."

"That's okay," I laughed. Then I leaned in close with a steamy little smirk and whispered seductively in his ear. "You'll just have to make it up to me in bed tonight, SOLDIER boy."

"I think I can manage that," he whispered back.

As the others all headed upstairs to their rooms, I giggled and took Cloud by the hand, my heart racing in anticipation. It had been a great day, the best I'd had in a long time, and I looked forward to finishing it with an even better night. After playfully kissing Cloud on the cheek, I quickly guided him upstairs to our room on far right side of the second floor. We hadn't been intimate in over a month, and after tonight, there probably wouldn't be many chances for us to be close like that until our journey was over. So I intended to savor this moment.

With that in mind, I pulled him into our room and got started.