Dear Reader,

After getting a review from someone who knows more about FFVII than I do I did some research and now realize that part of this story was wrong. I redid it and this should be more correct than before... Sorry for my mistake... This goes to show that I should research if I don't get it the first time... And stuff...

I just bought Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and I LOVE IT! It's soo beautiful and wow and sigh...Even though I've never played the game it was easy to follow along (it also helped that in the extras they do a summery of the game and show the important bits). So I decided to write this short little ficlet... I may turn it into a drabble series, but who knows... Some of the drabbles may turn into bigger stories but only time will tell..

I do not own FFVII:AC.

I don't own the song 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'

Thanks to my friends and thanks to my reviewers blahdyblahdyblah.

Stay safe

Stay healthy

Sincerely,

Starr Bryte

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There were nights when Cloud couldn't sleep. He would lie awake in bed and stare up at the ceiling. Whatever thoughts came into his head, be it the memories of Aerith, Zack, Sephiroth or Kadaj, were either pushed away violently or lingered over painfully. It was on nights like those that Cloud would go up to the roof. The bar was far enough into the Old City that the stars were clearer and the moon was brighter. He would sit and stare at those stars and try to guess the ones that were the souls of the ones he had loved. But he never could. There were too many stars. Each one overwhelming the other. The wide swath of the Star River dragging the other stars with it in it's course across the heavens. It was late spring and already too hot to bear. The air was warm and pleasant during the night, yet swelteringly hot during the day. It was stifling indoors. At least that was the reason Cloud blamed for his lack of sleep. It was almost a love hate relationship he had with the night. Night was when darkness seemed to overwhelm the world and shadows lurked at every corner. Or at least that was the reason he blamed for his over cautious watchfulness on the roof. It was Wednesday. The exact middle of the week. It was late. Past midnight. He only knew that because Tifa had closed the bar at eleven, cheerfully shooing the stragglers out. Tonight he had avoided his bed altogether. It would just be another night of staring at the ceiling and jumping at shadows, be they that of memory or delusion. The ribbon on his arm tickled his skin, reminding him that it was always there. Like she was always there. Watching over them. Watching over him. What he wouldn't give to have her sitting next to him, watching the stars and telling stories to him. She had always been able to calm his nerves. But she wasn't there anymore. He was alone.

A soft sound made him tense and turn. He listened hard. There is was again. The sound of tiny feet trying to be quiet coming up the stairs. He turned to glance over his shoulder as the door creaked open softly. Marlene peeked around the door at him. Her hair was down and she was wearing the little pink sleeveless nightgown that Tifa had bought for her. Turning back to the stars he leaned back on his hands.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked softly.

"No..." Came the soft reply.

"Mmm." Cloud hummed and scooted over to make room for her on the ledge. Marlene padded over and sat down next to him.

"You can't sleep either, Cloud?" Marlene asked softly.

"Hmmm-mm..." Cloud shook his head. There was silence for awhile, simply staring up at the stars before Marlene shivvered a little. Even though it was warm, the breeze came from the desert and was cooler than the air of the town.

"You cold?" Cloud asked. Marlene shook her head stubbornly, positive Cloud would make her go back inside to bed. Cloud's lips twitched a little and he reached over, picked her up and placed her on his crossed legs so she was pressed against the warmth of his body and protected from the wind. She was so tiny that Cloud was positive he could've picked her up with one hand. The cold didn't bother him and he was only wearing a thin tank top and a pair of sweat pants. Marlene snuggled up against him and continued to stare up at the sky.

"There's my mommy's star!" She said suddenly, pointing. Cloud looked up.

"Where?" He asked. She jabbed her finger at the sky.

"There!" She said, "That smallish star where my finger is... The one that flickers every so often like it's laughing." In a small voice she said, "My mommy had a pretty laugh... I don't remember it, but Daddy always said she did... He said it sounded like silver bells... And... He said that he can hear her laughing whenever I laugh... He says he doesn't miss her as much when I laugh..." There was silence for a moment before Cloud asked hesitently.

"...Who else can you see... Up there in the stars...?" All was quiet for a moment as Marlene looked before she pointed.

"That star up there... The one at the center of that triangle of stars? That's Denzel's daddy and his three sisters..." She said, "I never knew them but Denzel did and he used to talk about them all the time... and they remind me a little bit of Denzel..."

"How do you know it's them if you never knew them?" Cloud asked suddenly, "How can you pick them out of all those stars?" Marlene laughed and it was a beautiful sound, just like bells, and Cloud wanted to hold that laugh close to his heart. Maybe it would make him feel less lonely if he did. In that moment he understood why Berret always smiled when Marlene laughed. It was impossible not to feel happy when she was.

"Because..." Marlene said, "They remind me of them..." Then she snuggled closer against him and yawned, "It's easy to find the person you love, even when they are a star among thousands... All you have to do is find the star that reminds you of them most..." Her voice began to slur a little with sleep, "With a little practice... You can... Too..." Then she was asleep. One hand curled up in his top, her head pressed against his chest. It was an odd feeling to have someone so dependent on him. It was a protective, fierce feeling. A powerful feeling. That tiny life was depending on him. Relying on him. Trusting him. And he wanted to protect her. To keep her safe. To keep her smiling. To keep her warm and living and shining as brightly as a star herself. Tentativly, almost as if he were afraid she would dissappear or break, he wrapped his arms around her. Holding her close and keeping her warm. Looking up at the stars again he simply stared at them. Admiring their beauty and how each star seemed to be different now. Like people. No two were the same. Clusters of stars were families. Some stars were in pairs and some were alone. One caught his eye. It was a small star. It twinkled as if it were dancing. It reminded him of the time he had caught Aerith dancing to no music. Her pink skirt twisting around her legs, her feet flickering out as she gave tiny little hops as she turned. Her arms twining over her head. And he knew. It was her star he saw in the heavens, dancing and twirling through the sky. It made him smile. A soft, small smile that only a few had ever witnessed. And near Aerith's star was another star. It was bigger and tinged slightly blue. It's light twinkled and he was reminded of Zack's laughter and how he could hug cloud with his voice alone. Zack's star and Aerith's star were close together, but far enough apart that there was space between them. As if they were saving the place of another star.

"One day, my friends..." He murmured to them, "One day my star will join yours..." And he didn't think of that day with bitter longing, but with a soft feeling. A feeling almost like joy. He had more to live for now than the day he died. He had to keep those he cherished safe. He had to keep them warm and protected. It was a vow gladly made and he knew it was readily accepted.

"Cloud...? I can't find Mar-oh... She's with you..." Cloud turned his head to glance up at Tifa before turning back.

"She said she couldn't sleep." He said. Tifa laughed softly as she sat down next to him.

"Looks like she's sleeping now..." She said, reaching out to gently brush the hair off Marlene's forehead.

"We were stargazing." Cloud answered Tifa's unspoken question, "She was showing me her mother's star."

"Yeah." Tifa said, "Have you found anyone we know up there?" Cloud pointed at the tiny, dancing star.

"There." He said. Tifa cocked her head to the side and smiled.

"Aerith still loves to dance it seems." She said as she stood up, "Want me to take Marlene back? She'll catch cold out here." And you should come in too before you get sick... was left unsaid. Cloud shook his head.

"I'll take her in soon." He answered, "You go ahead."

"Okay..." Tifa said, standing slowly and brushing off her bottom "Don't stay out too long. You have to make that trip to the next town tomorrow."

"Mmm-hmm.." Cloud nodded, "Good night."

"Good night Cloud. See you in the morning?" It was a double layered question. Would Cloud still be here by the time the children left for school?

"Yes." Cloud said and the way Tifa beamed at him made him feel slightly guilty as he watched her walk back inside. He hadn't always been there when they needed him, yet they still believed in him. Still wanted to be near him. He turned back to stare at Aerith's star.

Is that so surprising Cloud? The star seemed to asked, Is it so surprising that they want to be near you? That they love you? Cloud smiled again, an oddly happy yet self-depricating smile.

"Not anymore..." He murmured, "Not anymore."

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Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are

Up above the world so high

Like a diamond in the sky

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are

Up above the sky you creep

While down below a vigil keep

Although you never shut your eye

Until the sun is in the sky

Twinkle twinkle little star

How I wonder what you are