Everything is very quiet
Everyone has gone to sleep
I'm wide awake on memories
There memories can't wait

Memories Can't Wait - Talking Heads

It was a Monday morning, and Reno generally hated Monday mornings. Truth be told, he hated most mornings in general, but Mondays were the worst.

He was barely into his second cup of coffee when Tseng's voice sounded on the speakerphone sitting on Reno's desk. "Reno...I have an assignment for you. Come into my office, please."

Reno sighed, gulping the remaining dregs of his coffee before responding. "All right, boss. Should I go and get Rude?"

Tseng paused for a moment before answering. "No, Reno. This assignment is for you only."

"Oh. Okay, then. Be right there," Reno replied, shrugging his shoulders. It was odd for Tseng to be sending Reno on a solo mission, but he wasn't about to argue with the Director, either.

Reno sauntered into Tseng's office and flopped into one of the overstuffed leather chairs, facing him. "What do you have for me, sir?" Reno asked, stretching out his legs slightly.

"There is a package that needs to be delivered," Tseng replied, reaching into his bottom desk drawer.

"A package?" Reno grumbled. "I'm not a delivery service. You should contact Cloud for this, I know he needs the work - "

"The package in question is for Cloud," Tseng explained patiently. He sat the box upon his desk blotter; it had been repackaged within official-looking Shinra packaging. Within the outer box, behind the layers of yellow-and-black tape marked "SEALED", was what appeared to be an ordinary looking shoe-box. Reno could ascertain that much through the small, see-through plastic window of the box emblazoned with the Shinra logo, that it was a box that one housed a pair of SOLDIER regulation combat boots - men's size fourteen.

"Oh...I see," Reno said, his voice dropping. He put two hands on the box, gripping it tightly before lifting it, clutching it to his chest as he stood up. "This isn't a pair of boots in here, is it," Reno asked, unable to even crack a smile at his own joke.

"No, it's not," Tseng replied. He sighed, and gave his second-in-command a sympathetic look. "We've recovered some of Zack's personal effects. Given your proximity to Cloud these days...I thought it would be best if you were the one to deliver the package to him."

"Thank you, sir," Reno murmured. His eyes threatened to spark with tears as he remembered that fateful day. The day he and Rude had returned, as had Cissnei, empty-handed. They hadn't been able to find Zack and Cloud, and by the time Reno would see Cloud again - Zack would have long passed into the Lifestream.

"If only things had gone different that day," Reno remarked, shaking his head. Tseng nodded, folding his hands and pressing his lips down to the knuckles, contemplatively.

"We did our best, Reno," Tseng assured him. "You did your best. Never doubt that. You may take the rest of the day off if you wish...after you deliver the package."

"Okay," Reno replied, nodding. "I mean - thank you. Might be a good idea, I don't know how Cloud is going to take this."

"Cloud? Clouuuud...where are you? Ready or not, here I come!" The little black-haired girl was giggling as she tiptoed around the apartment, searching behind furniture, inside closets, and behind doors. It was a rainy day, and she and Cloud were playing hide-and-seek when their plans to go to the playground had been foiled by the weather.

Cloud held his breath from his hiding place - he'd scuttled underneath the king-size bed in the master bedroom. Gods, it's dusty down here...I thought Reno said he vacuumed the bedrooms yesterday? Cloud thought, horrified as his nose suddenly twitched under the threat of a sneeze.

He could not hold it back, and sneezed loudly, and even though he tried hard to muffle the sound, Cloud knew he'd been found when he heard a shriek of laughter from down the hallway. Moments later he felt tiny hands tugging at his boots, trying to pull him out from his hiding space.

Cloud scooted out from underneath the bed and smiled up at the girl. "Sky...you found me!" Cloud exclaimed in mock surprise.

"You're not a very good hider, Cloud," Sky admonished him, grinning. It felt like a blow to the gut, every time Cloud saw that girl smile; there was so much of her Zack in her features that there was no denying who Sky's father was.

And to think I forgot who Zack was, more than once, even, Cloud mused thoughtfully. Then I forgot all about Sky, until I got my memories back.

"I know I'm not," Cloud deadpanned, smiling at Sky. "Hey...come here. Want a hug?" he offered, squeezing the girl tightly in his arms. Sometimes it even felt as he was holding some part of Zack, whenever Cloud hugged Sky.

Perhaps I am holding some part of him...his heart. I'll never stop watching over her, Zack...I promise.

"Cloud? What's wrong?" Sky asked him, her big blue eyes looking up at Cloud. She looked so much like Zack that Cloud felt an ache in his chest. Despite the constant reminder of his lover who had died so many years ago, Cloud couldn't imagine his life without Sky in it. She had grown into a precocious, fun-loving eight-year-old who was just as headstrong and determined - and loving - as her father had been. It comforted Cloud in a way too, seeing part of Zack live on in this little girl he'd come to see as his own daughter, though Cloud had not yet officially adopted her.

Cissnei had been the one to raise Sky in secret all these years; having been a Turk gave her the insight and ability to stay under the radar of both Turks and Shinra, though Tseng had played a large part in keeping Sky's true identity and whereabouts under wraps. After Meteorfall, with the establishment of the WRO, Cissnei felt it safe to come forward, and sought out Cloud, who had been searching high and low for Sky once he'd regained his memories, and his fragmented mind began to mend.

Wonder when Reno's coming home. Cloud smiled at Sky, ruffling her hair a bit as he thought about the lanky, redheaded Turk who had quite unexpectedly captured his heart, even when Cloud had vowed he would never love anyone again, not in the same way he loved Zack.

Of course, Cloud loved Reno differently than he'd loved Zack; they were entirely different men, and the relationships began differently in each case. With Zack, it really had been love at first sight, when Cloud looked back on it. Falling in love with Reno - that had been a slow burn. They began as enemies, morphed into somewhat-friends, and eventually that friendship turned into something much more.

Sky looked up as she heard the jangling of keys in the door, and a smile broke out across her face. "Reno's home!" she announced, happily skipping through the living room to answer the door. Cloud followed along behind her, smiling. As Reno entered, a box tucked under his arm, the first thing Cloud noticed was how tired and sad the Turk looked. It was in opposition to his normal happy-go-lucky nature, and Cloud wondered if Reno had been sent on a particularly difficult mission that day.

"Something wrong?" Cloud asked his lover. Reno sighed and shrugged, giving Cloud a quick yet tender kiss on the lips.

"I'll tell you in a minute," Reno promised. His gaze turned over to Sky, who was hugging his leg, and he laughed. "Hey...get off of me, you little monkey," he teased.

Sky stuck her tongue out at Reno and blew a raspberry. "I'm not a monkey! You are," she retorted.

"Reno can certainly climb like one," Cloud interjected, chuckling. Reno shot him a look.

"As usual," Reno said dryly, lofting an eyebrow, "you two are ganging up on me."

"But we love you!" Sky reminded him, laughing goofily as she poked at the box under Reno's arm. "What's in here? Is it a present?" she asked hopefully.

"Kind of," Reno said, and he gave Cloud a serious look. "Listen, Sky - I need to talk to Cloud for just a minute. Why don't you fire up one of our video games, and I'll be right there in a few minutes. You did your homework?"

"Okay," Sky replied, nodding. "Yeah. I did all my stuff. Cloud helped me with my math homework."

"Good girl," Reno smiled at Sky as she bounded off, blue-black hair flying out behind her in long, crazy tufted spikes. "Every day...she looks more and more like him, you know?" Reno observed. "She's got some of her mother in her too."

"I know," Cloud said softly. "Sometimes it hurts to look at her, even. So...what is in the box, Reno?"

"It's for you, actually," Reno replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Tseng sent it home with me. It's...some of Zack's stuff."

"How..." The blood ran out of Cloud's face, and he took the box from Reno's hands, running his finger along the sealed edge. "How did you find this?"

"I don't know the details, really," Reno replied. "Tseng just asked me to bring it to you personally."

Cloud had a hollow feeling in his chest as he held the box tightly. "Thank you. If you don't mind...I think I'm going to our room for a bit, to go through this."

"Of course," Reno said quickly. "I understand, Cloud. If you need me...just holler. Going to play some games with Sky."

"Okay," Cloud said, brushing his hand over Reno's back. "Thank you." He felt the blood rushing to his head, face flushing as he headed toward the privacy of his bedroom to go through the contents of the box.

Shutting the door behind him, Cloud sat upon the bed, and took out a pocket knife to break the tape-seal of the outer box. He shook the clear plastic box and dumped the inner box on the bed, smiling as he recognized the boot style and shoe size as being Zack's.

"Size fourteen," Cloud murmured, quietly chuckling. "And you know what they say about feet, Zack." He removed the lid and reached inside, pulling out an assortment of faded photographs, ticket stubs, and two yellowed sheets of notepaper that had been folded over into a square. Cloud gasped as he read the words that had been hastily written on the outside in Zack's loopy script.

For Cloud Strife, in the event of my death, and For Sky Fair-Strife, in the event of my death

Cloud's hands shook as he unfolded the note with his name on it. He wouldn't open Sky's note; that was for her eyes alone, and he would make sure she was the one to open it and read it, if she was ready.

He could hear Zack's pleasant, happy voice in his head as he began to read the note silently to himself.

Dear Cloud,

I'm writing this while you're asleep. You're sleeping a lot lately, and it has me worried. You've got Mako additction really bad; you're getting more and more confused, and weaker. You're doing more sleeping than anything lately, barely eating, and I know I need to get you somewhere safe. I just don't know how to do that when we're both wanted for crimes we didn't even commit. I could take you to a hospital, but they'd probably kill you on sight rather than treat you. I hope I'm making the right decision by hiding out here with you. I'm praying that you live through this, and that you don't die because you didn't get the proper medical care. Gods, I'd never forgive myself if that happened.

I just want you safe, and I want you happy. I want our old lives back, and I want the old Cloud back. I know he's in there somewhere, that stubborn, quietly determined man I fell in love with. Sometimes you remember exactly who I am, but it's just for a few fleeting minutes. I hang onto those little moments of time, hoping that the next time you remember me for a few minutes longer.

I don't know how much time we have left, because from what Cissnei told me, the entire Shinra army is gunning for us. But the promise I made to you still holds true. I will protect you and defend you - to the death if I have to.

Cloud stopped reading and crushed the paper to his chest, a choking sob escaping. Blinking away stubborn tears, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and kept on reading.

I don't even know if you'll ever read this letter - or if anyone will ever read this letter - if I don't make it out of this alive. Maybe it'll get lost, like so many other little things. I told Cissnei about the stuff I left back in Midgar, in a safe deposit box in Headquarters. Just some little bits and pieces of our life together. You know what a packrat I can be, right? When the world seemed like it was crashing down around us - right after Genesis defected - I started gathering up all these little things. I wanted to keep them some place safe, so I talked to Cissnei about it. She was the one who suggested the safe deposit box. So I put a few things in there for you to remember me by. Some menus from our favorite restaurants - maybe some of them are still around, yeah? There's a few ticket stubs from movies and concerts we went to - remember that zombie movie marathon in the theater on Loveless Avenue? I remember we were laughing so hard at how bad some of the movies were, that we almost got thrown out. Man, I miss those times, Cloud. I miss just being with you. It hurts sometimes, to look at you. To look at you staring back at me as if I'm a stranger.

Mostly I've left a bunch of pictures of both you and me. Remember that camera I got you? That's in here too. I kept the memory card with it, but I printed out my favorites. My old cell phone is in here too, there's pictures on that as well. What the hell am I going to do with a cell phone now? The world is after us, and I know they'll catch up with us eventually. But first they have to catch us.

I miss Sky. I never thought my heart would ache so much, especially for a little girl I barely know. But I guess it's different when it's your own kid. Cloud, I want you to find her some day; if you haven't already whenever you read this note. I left her with Cissnei a few days ago, in Gongaga, but I don't know if they're staying there permanently. I'm going to write a note to Sky now, too. With any luck, she won't be reading this for a very long time; not until after I've lived a long life with you and Sky - my family - and die a happy old man.

I could go on about how unfair all of this is - and it is. It seems like the world is against us right now. All I ever wanted was to live our lives, to love you, and to watch you fulfill your dream of becoming SOLDIER. You always had what it took, Cloud. I believe in you, even when you don't believe in yourself.

I'm going to write that note to Sky now, so I guess I'll finish off here and just remind you how much I love you. Someday you'll remember, Cloud. If I don't make it for some reason...take care of my little girl. Take care of Sky.

I love you always,

Zack

Cloud's face was streaming with silent tears, and he lay his head down upon the pillow, trying to muffle his broken sobs. He had to let it out, he knew he couldn't bottle it up any more than he had, but he didn't want to upset Sky. Cloud could hear them in the other room; Reno and Sky, laughing and teasing each other as they played video games.

"Zack.." Cloud's voice croaked, and he sighed. Zack...I do remember. I wish I could talk to you again. I found her...I found Sky. I hope you know that she's happy, and she's safe. She's with me and Reno now. Cloud smiled, suddenly picturing Zack's broad grin, hearing his joyful laughter.

"This is crazy...but I feel like you can hear me," Cloud muttered, shaking his head before retreating back into his internal monologue. Yeah...me and Reno. I bet you're having a good laugh over that one. I didn't want to date him - didn't want a relationship, even, not after you died. But Reno, as you know, can be quite persistent. It took me a long time to remember who he was, after my mind got all messed up from the Mako. I thought he was just a Turk - the enemy. And we were, for a while, when I was with AVALANCHE. On opposite sides, always trying to kill each other. I don't know when it happened, or how...but Reno told me one night how he blamed himself for your death. The Turks had been looking for us, I guess - under Tseng's orders, they were to bring us back alive. And by the time Cissnei was able to tell them where she had seen me - near Gongaga - we'd already made it onto the ferryboat to Junon, with that old guy.

By the time the Turks caught up to me - I'd crashed through the roof of Aerith's church, with no memory of you, or anything else. I'd reinvented myself as Cloud Strife, First Class SOLDIER. In a weird way, I did remember you - I just took all those things I loved so much about you, and made it part of my own personality. Your strength, your cockiness, your loyalty. Though Barret tells me I was a major asshole when he hired me as a mercenary. Yeah, I hear you laughing, Zack. Thanks a lot.

Cloud was starting to feel better, 'talking' to Zack in this fashion, though part of him was starting to think that maybe he really was a little bit crazy - and that maybe it was okay if he was. He eyed the pile of photographs, and the note that was addressed to Zack's daughter.

Our daughter. Cloud could hear Zack correcting him, and he laughed. "Yeah. It's time that Sky got to meet her father, I think." Cloud tiptoed back out into the living room, where a bunch of squealing and giggling was going on - Reno and Sky were in the middle of a massive tickle fight, the video game long abandoned.

"No! Not my feet! Sky, no, pleeeeeease! Don't touch them, yo, they smell!" Reno shrieked, sending Sky into gales of hysterical laughter. They stopped when they saw Cloud standing there, smiling at them. Reno saw how red-rimmed Cloud's eyes were, and knew he'd been crying his heart out.

"You okay?" Reno asked, sitting up. Cloud shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, then nodded.

"Cloud...were you crying?" Sky inquired perceptively. Cloud nodded his head again, taking a seat on the sofa. He patted the seat next to him, inviting her to sit, while Reno stood up, scratching his head awkwardly.

"If you want me to leave - " Reno began, but Cloud interrupted him.

"No, Reno...I want you to stay," Cloud said firmly. "We're a family, right? The three of us." He cocked his head at Sky, and she nodded vigorously.

"Of course!" Sky replied, as Reno took a seat next to her. "But why are you sad?"

"Well," Cloud began. "You remember all the things I told you about your father, Zack?"

"Yes," Sky replied. "Auntie Cissnei told me some stuff too, before she vanished."

"Yeah," Cloud murmured, and he saw Reno flinch at the mention of Cissnei. The former Turk had gone missing on a mission and it was another thing Reno blamed himself for. "Well...your dad left you this note. He left me a note too, and I read it already. Some of it made me sad, and that's why I was crying. Because I miss him. I miss him a lot."

"You loved him very much," Sky said knowingly, taking the notepaper from Cloud and unfolding it. She read it in silence for a few minutes and smiled. "I knew it," she said cryptically. "I knew it was him."

"You knew what was him?" Cloud asked, confused. He looked to Reno who appeared just as bewildered, shrugging his shoulders.

"He said in the note, that even if he couldn't be with me...he would watch over me at night when I slept," Sky continued. "And now I know, that he's the wind that comes into my room, and pulls my blankets up tight around me, if I get cold in the middle of the night."

"He - he did what?" Reno blurted. "You're not...scared of ghosts, are you?"

"Of course not!" Sky laughed. "Why should I be scared when the ghost is just my daddy looking over me?"

Reno's mouth fell open at that, and Cloud's hands were shaking as he pulled out the pile of photographs, going through them one by one with Sky. "This one...this was taken when your dad and I first met. I was a cadet, and he was in SOLDIER - but you know that already..."

"He was very handsome," Sky said admiringly. "Aw, Cloud - you look so cute in your uniform!" Cloud blushed and Reno grinned.

"Yeah, he did. Cloud looks good in anything, though," Reno said, winking at Cloud and waggling his eyebrows at him.

"You're impossible," Cloud told Reno, but he was smiling. "Hey...Sky. Maybe we could put all this stuff in a scrapbook," he suggested. "So you can look at the pictures of your dad whenever you want."

"Oh, that would be really nice!" Sky replied happily, beaming. She hugged Cloud, then went over to hug Reno. "But leave some pages blank. For all the new memories and stuff," she added.

"New memories," Cloud echoed. He moved further down the sofa to sit closer to Reno, and grabbed his hand. He held his hand, palm side in, toward Reno's, matching up their fingers together. Cloud secretly envied Reno's long, elegant looking fingers; hands that belied his profession as a Turk. Cloud's fingers were shorter, thicker, as were his hands. Reno stared at their hands joined together, mesmerized for a moment as he drank it in, how right it felt to be here; to be with Cloud, though the paths that had intertwined to bring these two lives together had been anything but linear. Fate is a funny, fucked up thing, Reno thought as he moved his hand against Cloud's stroking his palm.

"I know you were hurting too, Reno...after Dill died," Cloud said softly. "It never goes away, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Reno agreed. His mouth crinkled up into a smile, and he leaned in to kiss Cloud, a hand reaching up to stroke his hair. "And some days it hurts more than others," he added. "I'm betting today is one of those days for you."

"It's hard," Cloud replied, shrugging his shoulders. "But there's more good memories than bad, really...and I've got photographic proof of that right here." Cloud smiled as he watched Sky thumbing through the photos, turning them over to read Zack's handwritten notes on each one.

"We'll make new memories," Reno declared positively. "The three of us, together."

Author's Note: On THAT note...this is really the end of my tale, three years in the making. Thank you so much, to everyone who ever commented, read, reviewed, offered beta help or simply gave me a fave or kudos. I've enjoyed writing this story; it really and truly came from the heart, and I hope that shows.

And now that this epic project is over...I think I might actually cry! Thanks again, to all of my readers and supporters. I couldn't have done it without you.