Disclaimer - I don't own the Final Fantasy franchise. It belongs to Square Enix.

And a chapter! Finally!

THE END

Seven years later...

Cloud was slowly typing away another story of his. For last three years, he had managed to take care of himself and make a proper living without his brother's help and he intended to keep it that way. Ever since the Genesis Event, as he came to call it, Sephiroth became more paranoid and unbearable, which gave the blond the necessary courage, mixed with a dose of anger, to finally tell him to stop fussing over him and to let him be his own man. Their first year in their new home in Nibelheim was close to strained, but the elder of the two Strifes still did his duties as an older brother dutifully and being less annoying in his mother-hen ways. As a bonus, Cloud was able to successfully pass the rest of his high school years in peace.

He had spent months after graduation to find a job that could provide enough income for him to stand on his own. Of course, Nibelheim's shops and sole inn were manned by the family members of the owner, so no jobs could be found in that godforsaken town. Sephiroth had suggested that he took a long-distance job like he did. Cloud started as a writer under the pseudo name of Accius Skye, his stories were short but generated a wide amount of fans. Thankfully, the young blond had accumulated enough money to move to the next largest city in the world, Junon. His brother was displeased at first, though he seemed to finally realize that Cloud had his own dream to accomplish and relented from keeping him tied to his side if he would write to him every month.

Junon was a marvel, despite its now ancient naval military history, it was the holy land of artistic culture, ranging from grandiose operas to simple novels, and it had everything an artist needed. This city welcomed Cloud warmly than any other places on Gaia. Though writing was his pleasure and opulence, Strife still felt that something was missing in his life. It wasn't until two years ago that he found what he missed, as dearly as he dreaded it. He never thought he would want to pretend again, pretend to be someone else entirely again, pretend to be a girl again. Sadly, that was what he did, under the fake identity of Dawn Melody, an actress and singer for the Junon's ShinRa Opera House. He slept and wrote during the day as Cloud Strife and at night, he sang and acted as Dawn Melody, a routine that he had no intention of changing.

The currently 25-year-old Cloud Strife let out a satisfied sigh as he saved the file of his newest novel before he closed his laptop. All done, Mr. Valentine should be pleased with this one and it should give me at least a few months of vacation.

Grimore Valentine, Head of Omega Report and Junon main publisher, was the first man he had went to with the drafts of his stories, he was glad that the old CEO hadn't been the type of person who judged a story as horrible because the characters' views were different from the current society or their harsh and blunt remarks of politics. Mr. Valentine was also the man who had suggested him to go to ShinRa Opera House, because his son was also working there as stage performer and he was a close friend of one of the two owners, Lazard Deusericus ShinRa.

At first it was difficult for him to act and get into the persona of the lead he was given, while trying to keep his voice as feminine as possible, seven years of growth had caused his voice to sound deeper than when he was only eighteen. There was also the fact that there were two annoying seniors who decided to pick on him for being the newbie of the company, Scarlet and Heidegger. Scarlet was considered as the best star in the group until he came along and ruined it as she constantly liked to remind everyone everyday; Heidegger was pretty much the kiss-ass of the vile woman, if she did not like him he wouldn't like him either. Their personalities made it that they were perfect for each other.

Speaking of perfect for each other... Cloud thought with a smirk as he picked up the script of their newest play, The Phantom of the Opera. Scarlet managed to land the role La Carlotta and Cloud usurped her in the role of Christine Daaé, causing the blonde to fume in anger more than ever and many of the workers had been laughing and taunting her in return. There was also the reason that, her crush, Vincent Valentine, was picked to play the Phantom, Erik. Usually, he should be in his Ms. Melody's disguise and rehearsing in the opera house with Vincent to prepare for their very first performance of the play two weeks from now. The problem was that one third of the acts were his alone, the second part was with Vincent and the remaining scenes were with the stage performer who was picked as Raoul. The blond flipped to the page of the cast list, where the three main characters and the actors who would perform as them were highlighted in bright colour. His and Vincent were in full name, except for the man who would be the second main protagonist who went by the acronym of G. G for what that was up to debate.

While the young Strife was never one to listen to gossip and such, having had his fill for the rest of his lifetime, he did hear from his best friend, Aeris Gainsborough, and fellow actress that the man was rumoured to be the best stage performer and actor in history. The mystery G also never rehearsed with anybody and appeared only on the day he was needed on stage, because no one was allowed to take picture during the play and the man was never seen after it, only those workers and audience had truly seen him, but no one was could ever describe his face other than the fact that he had beautiful auburn hair, albeit a little spiky and wild.

Cloud thought that the man was arrogant and he was a bit self-conscious about himself, seeing that no matter how he rehearsed those scenes by himself or with his friends, he was unable to grip the necessary emotions of Christine. He was incapable to feel the joy of seeing his childhood friend and lover or express the uncertainty he would have to put into for Christine who was in love with both Erik and Raoul. The blond let out another sigh and prayed that when he finally stepped onto the stage he would be able to act as the female protagonist perfectly.

Two weeks later...

The Phantom of the Opera open night...

'Dawn stopped fidgeting so much, you looked great!' Aeris said as she gushed over him while Cloud inwardly thought that he was going to kill Shalua after tonight, he couldn't believe the costume designer had made the slaves costume so clingy and showy. The red-haired designer had been cooing at him when she revealed the costume and was laughing maniacally at his embarrassment. SHE WILL PAY IF THAT'S THE LAST THING I DO!

'It's almost our turn,' the brunette whispered in excitement. The blond kept his breathing steady and tried to will away the awful blush on his face as he observed the performers on stage. Palmer and Heidegger acted as the new owners of the Opera house Armand Moncharmin and Firmin Richard respectively, leading them were Ruvie Tuesti as Madame Giry. 'Oh that man must be G.'

Following the pointing finger of his friend, Cloud gasped. His ears could no longer hear the voices of the actors and he was feeling light-headed, part of him wanted to faint at this instance, but his vision was still glued to that person.

'And we're deeply honoured to introduce our new patron, the Vicomte de Chagny,' Heidegger presented G loudly and snapped the blond back to attention as a light shone on both him and Aeris, cue to him to say his lines.

Daze and still shocked by the man who had ruined his life before, almost stuttering, he whispered, 'It's Raoul. I guess you could say we were childhood sweethearts. He called me Little Lotte.'

'Christine, he's so handsome,' Aeris repeated her lines with a smile, but her green eyes showed him that she was worried and her hand clasped his in comfort, but one that would not save him from what was coming next and the script had said it clearly.

He half-listened to what the others said as he clung the girl's hand tighter when G, or should he say Genesis Rhapsodos, excused himself and was going to leave the stage, he slowly approached them, allowing Cloud to see the apparent changes of his childhood sweetheart. His hair had grew longer and was tied in a small ponytail style, the end of it was almost as wild and spiky as his, Genesis' skin remained as pale as when he had abandoned him seven years ago if not paler under the light, but the colour of his iris remained the same. Genesis brushed past them, allowing the blond to finally breath, he turned to Aeris sadly as he whispered in relief as well as in sadness, 'He wouldn't recognized me.'

'He didn't see you,' the brunette said before she glanced back at the leaving man.

The blond lightly shook his head to get rid of the stress he felt from having Genesis in close proximity, he had to focus when his solo came up which was soon and quickly ignored everyone on the stage as they continued with their verses, but he did wish he could be the one to drop something on top of Scarlet who sang in a higher pitch than she normally did.

'From the beginning of the aria, mademoiselle,' whispered in a hush-hush tone the maestro from orchestra pit, drawing the crossdresser back to the fact that it was his debut now.

'Think of me,' Cloud started as he approached the center of the stage and focused on the blinding lights from above. 'Think of me fondly when we've said good bye.'

'Remember me once in while. Please promise me you'll try,' the young man continued in his feminine voice as he recalled the only happier time he had. 'Then you'll find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free. If you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me.'

The orchestra picked up the volume and the light was shut, allowing Shalua and the rest of her team to quickly assemble a simple dress over his slave one in a flash and retreated as fast as they could when the light came back on as he continued the song. 'We never said our love was evergreen, or as unchanging as the sea.'

At that verse, Cloud thought back to the slap he got when Genesis had discovered his gender, he felt tears covering his sight but his voice didn't break down as he sang, 'But, if you can still remember, stop and think of me. Think of all the things we shared and seen.' The taste of green tea ice of cream and the smell of freshly printed books seemed to cover his senses suddenly. 'Don't think about the way things might have been.'

The blond paused for a moment to catch his breath and pondered on if that scene was for him or for a certain auburn-haired. 'Think of me, think of waking silent and resigned.' He gazed away from the light and audience for a second, scared for a moment when he thought it was Rhapsodos. 'Imagine me, trying too hard to put you from my mind. Recall those days, look back on all those time. Think of the things we'll never do.'

'There will never be a day, when I won't think of you,' Cloud sang with his voice heightening at the last word with his arms rose slightly at his side, he wondered if he was admitting something that he had long buried and forgotten.

'Can it be? Can it be... Christine,' Cloud heard Genesis whispered from one of boxes from above despite the loud clapping from the audience. Not sure why, the blond glanced at the spot where Raoul should take place for this scene and he found his sky blue eyes locked with the eyes of a blue ocean. 'BRAVO!'

The praise was more... genuine than he had expected and the blond quickly looked away, trying to keep a smile on his lips and ignoring the gaze was burning on his skull, as he listened to his part of the song. 'Long ago, it seems so long ago, how young and innocent we were! She may not remember me, but I REMEMBER her.'

Strife could easily hear the emphasis on the word remember, he spared a glance at the redhead before he sang with a sad tone, 'Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade, they have their seasons, so do we.'

He stared back at the spectators and continued. 'But please promise me, that sometimes you will think...' This was the most difficult soprano he had ever done, seeing that he had to pitch and hitch his voice to fill in the missing music. 'OF ME!'

The first act came to a close.

Cloud clenched his fists tightly as he sat down on the velvet seat that was pulled out by some of the workers and a small dresser and mirror was placed before him while the rest of the actors and actresses left to leave him with the bane of his existence. Why can't the song with Aeris last longer? He rather suffered from the horrid singing from Palmer and Heidegger than he was not left alone with that man, he would break or Genesis would try to make the night worse for him. Part of him was still desperate hoping that the redhead did not recognize him or he had changed too much to be seen as the old Cloud. This was going to be a long night and there were too many chances for Rhapsodos to take a closer look at his face. Please dear Gaia, don't make me go through this Hell again.

He let out a heavy breath, calming his beating heart and steeling himself to the inevitable as she stared at his own reflection in the mirror, watching as Genesis slowly approached behind him. The smaller male wore a wary smile as he listened to the taller man's singing.

'Little Lotte let her mind, wander...'

Softly he replied as nostalgically as he could without showing his nervousness, 'You remember that too...'

Genesis' reflection smiled, but it did nothing to bring a genuine smile as he continued, 'Little Lotte thought: Am I fonder of dools... or of goblins, of shoes... or of riddles, of frocks...'

'Those picnics in the attic,' Cloud uttered softly.

'Or of chocolates,' the auburn-haired man finished as he came to a stop behind him.

Ignoring the close proximity as best as he could, Cloud continued with his script, 'Father playing the violin... as we read to each other dark stories of the North.' A light shake of his head 'No – what I love best, Lotte said is when I'm in my bed, and the Angel of Music sings songs in my head.'

'And the Angel of Music sings songs in my head,' Genesis repeated softly before he wrapped his arms over his neck, making Cloud flinched slightly at the contact and causing him to quiver slightly when he breathed the following words affectionately next to his ear. 'You are an angel tonight.'

A sad expression fell over him as he continued with Christine's script, but instead of looking directly into Raoul's eyes, he stared into the ones in the reflection. 'Father said, "When I'm in heaven, child, I will send the Angel of Music to you." Well, father is dead, Raoul, and I have been visited by the Angel of Music.'

'Oh no doubt,' Genesis muttered in amusement, the mocking edge on his lips sapped all warmth from Cloud's hands as he swallowed the bitter memories that resurfaced. 'And now we go to supper.'

The reluctance from the redhead to let go of his hands made the blond wondered if he wished to crack his bones to pieces as another one of his revenge plans. The relief of the distance putting between them made Cloud accidentally said his script in a faster pace, the audience didn't notice his near skip, though Rhapsodos seemed to take notice of his sudden speed and gave him a look that promised that whatever discussion they had was far from over. The dread that swelled within him only dimmed when he and Vincent's act began, allowing the crossdresser to find a form of safety in his friend as he put all of his focus on the rest of the acts that would keep him away from the monster.

A few hours later...

Cloud was panicking inside as he watched the actors and actresses alike started running in fake panic and sounded horrified screams of the realistic mannequin that now hang before the stage. This was the scene when Christine brought Raoul to the rooftop to save him from Phantom, but he DID NOT WANT THAT!

The blond gulped nervously as he sang his part while taking G's gloved hand and dragging him onto the stage where everyone quickly scattered away while the backstage workers changed the props to that of a bright night sky.

Rhapsodos shook off his hand and sang in distrust, 'There is no Phantom of the Opera.'

The sight was too much, too similar to what happened seven years ago, but the show must go on and he did not want to make any excuse in his bad performance, so Cloud replied with barely withheld tears, 'Raoul, I've been there. To his world of never ending night. To a world with the daylight dissolves into darkness... Darkness...'

'Raoul, I've been there,' he sang as he stared in an almost accusing gaze. His anger filled with injustice and the sorrow he was drowning from within as he recalled the darkest day of his life. 'Can I ever forget that sight? Can I ever escape from that face? So distorted, deformed, it was hardly a face in that darkness... Darkness...'

He turned away from the auburn-haired man and settled to stare at Vincent's hiding spot where his dark-haired friend kept a watchful gaze on him. 'But his voice filled my spirit with a strange, sweet sound... In that night there was music in my mind... And through music my soul began to soar!' His sapphire blue eyes stared at the light from above, remembering the first time he had taken a step upon the stage and how he had first lost his own identity into the role he played. 'And I heard as I'd never heard before...'

'What you heard was a dream and nothing more...' his ex-childhood sweetheart softly interjected with pleading eyes.

The young man returned the gaze with mistrust and unshed tears. 'Yet in his eyes, all the sadness of the world. Those pleading eyes that both threaten and adore.'

'Christine,' Genesis called out as he approached him in a manner that was similar to how one approached a skittish animal.

Cloud simply turned his back on him as he glanced at the Phantom disguise around the corner of the statue, trying to brace himself for a crushing hold or harsh whispers, but he only found a pair of gentle and gloveless hands on his own and was slowly led to the center of the stage where the light technicians focused the stage lights on the pair. The blond flinched as the warm fingers traced his cheeks and kept him from turning his face away. Soon, he found himself lost within the azure colour of his ex-lover's irises, losing in a stormy sea and it was scaring him.

Genesis carefully brought their forehead together and keeping his lips inches from each other, the closeness wasn't helping the fear that was spreading from his pumping heart, but it soon slowed as Rhapsodos sang, 'No more talk of darkness. Forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here nothing can harm you, my words will warm and calm you.'

Cloud pulled back slightly, though he remained in arm-length to each other, as he listened to the beautiful voice that he had once adored greatly. 'Let me be your freedom. Let daylight dry you tears. I'm here with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you.'

His heart was filled with so much hope that it scared him that this part of nothing but the play, but Genesis simply brought his left hand to his lips and gently kissed his knuckles as he did back in high school and whispered softly, 'I love you, Cloud.'

The blond finally allowed himself to shed his tear as he began his part in the song, 'Say you'll love me every waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summer time. Say you need me with you now and always.'

The smaller male brought his hands to Genesis' cheeks, breathing heavily as he demanded, 'Promise me that all you say is true. That's all I ask of you.'

'Let me be your shelter. Let me be your light,' Genesis replied as he held him close. 'You're safe, no one will find you. Your fears are far behind you.'

Cloud breathed in relief as he let his head rest against his lover's shoulder as he continued the song, 'All I want is freedom. A world with no more night. And you, always beside me. To hold me and to hide me.'

Genesis brought his head up to stare into his eyes once more and sang softly, 'Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Let me lead you from you solitude. Say you need me with you here, beside you.' He wiped away the tears that covered his face. 'Anywhere you go let, me go too.'

'Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime,' Cloud repeated the lyrics as if it was an oath. 'Say the word and I will follow you.'

The musicians began picking the pace and volume.

'Share each day with me each night, each morning,' they sang in sync.

'Say you love me.'

'You know I do.'

Their lips were millimetres from each other as they finished, 'Love me. That's all I ask of you.'

With that, they brought their lips together and it was like those seven years spent in solitude and regret vanished for the two lovers as they deepened their kiss, one that they did not have a chance to share before.

As the audience clapped their hands in applause, none of them knew of the bond that was mended right before them, nor the love that once again blossomed after being fractured by family and social matters.

Genesis Rhapsodos and Cloud Strife had finally found their happiness together, one that would not be ruined ever again.

Just as the last words of the song ended:

Anywhere you go, let me go too.

Love me, that's all I ask of you...

I hope all of you have enjoyed the chapter and please to see the end of this story. Thank you everyone who has taken their time to read this story and hopefully I'll see some of you on "The Night Saga - The End".