"Cloud..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember anything?"

"No."

"Do you remember any of us?"

"No."

"Don't you want to?"

"Want to what?"

"Remember... us?"

"...I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Why? Why don't you want to remember?"

"He... He could come back and take it all away again."

"But you're the one who controls that."

"I still don't want to remember."

"Cloud... please understand. Sometimes we have no choice when it comes to our memories."

"No... Don't make me..."

"Remember. Remember all of us Cloud. We've earned that much."

(break)

He came to with a gasping breath, pain wracking the corners of his brain as the young man jerked away from the tangle of blankets. His eyes darted around the corners of the room and then seemed to freeze on a presence in the doorway. A shuffle of nervous feet brought the SOLDIER to a smile as he called himself a fool for reacting to a nightmare in that way.

"What's wrong, Marlene?" he asked.

"I had a bad dream and daddy hasn't come back yet..." The little girl answered him. "Can... can I stay here?"

Cloud frowned for a moment. "Where's Tifa?"

"With daddy. Please, Cloud. I won't make a noise." she begged him.

"I've a better idea." Cloud answered her. "Let's go to the kitchen, find that icecream Tifa has been saving and watch a movie. What do you say?"

Marlene's eyes widened. "Really? But... it's really late and I'm supposed to be in bed."

"I had a bad dream to, kid. It'll help both of us." he pushed. Slipping out of bed, Cloud took the little girl's hand in his own and brought her with him up the stairs and into the bar proper. The Seventh Heaven was a haven of sorts to all sorts of people. With Cloud recently recovering from Mako Poisoning and Barret leading the others into unmentionable trouble, the Soldier had been left to care for the young girl.

Marlene was inquisitive and bright. She knew how things were done and adored patterns and flowers...

She was the kind of kid Cloud would have named little sister if given a chance to have one.

"Cloud?"

"Yes, Marlene?" he answered.

"Is it true you really lost all your memories?" Marlene asked.

He was silent as he raided the dish cabinet and nabbed a couple of spoons from the drying rack. Opening the freezer, he carefully reached in for the ice cream and set it on the counter between them.

"That's right. I was really sick, Marlene. That illness took something precious from me... but... I think that could be a good thing too." he stated softly.

"Why? Aren't memories good to have? Daddy says they tell us important things. That without them we wouldn't know what was right or wrong." she answered.

Cloud paused for a moment to scoop out the ice cream. "I don't think that's necessarily true, Marlene. I know what's good or bad. I know who I am, even if I don't always have a reason behind it. Memories are both painful and sweet, that is true. We can learn a lot from them. But there's a chance I may never recover mine."

"Does that mean you're not sad about it?" Marlene asked as she took a bowl of ice cream Cloud held out to her.

"No. It just means that I have to make new memories to fill in the gaps left by the old ones. What do you think, want to help me with that?" Cloud answered.

Marlene followed him into the living room area where the Soldier grabbed one of her favorite movies and placed the video into the player. Hitting the play button, Cloud rejoined her on the couch and tucked a blanket around her as she bit into the ice cream.

"I think I can do that." Marlene decided. "I'll help you fill in those gaps until there's nothing missing."

"Thank you, Marlene." Cloud Strife answered her. "I... could really use your help right now."

(break)

"You'll have to remember one day, Cloud."

"I'm not ready to..."

"Time is growing short. What happens when it's Marlene who will pay the price if you don't remember? Just like..."

"I'm not discussing that with you. Ever."

"You can't avoid your fate forever, Cloud Strife. It will come for you and drag you out of this hole you're putting yourself into."

"I don't care."

"You will. You always have. You can't stop."

"I'll do what I have to."

"That's all we can ask for."

"Until then, Cloud Strife, be a good little puppet and stay right where I need you to."