Update 8/13/17: This work has been edited and beta'd by the lovely and awesome ChaosBalance over on Ao3 who has been an amazing help throughout this journey.

"I want to see your smile."

He closed his eyes against the bleak sky that was staring at him from above. It never failed to bring those memories racing back. Just hearing that low upbeat voice sent tremors through his aching body. It had been so many years since he had last heard it, that it had him fighting tears that were trying to spill over and run down his face. It was a losing battle.

"Come on Cloud, we were given a second chance and we made the most of it." Zack's voice sounded as if he was right there next to him.

He knew there was only one thing he could do. So, he ignored the tear tracks that were washing away the soot on his face, and opened his eyes to the ash filled sky and smiled. Maybe not the best smile, but it was a smile for Zack.

"Hey! Don't cry." Her voice was like the sunshine he hadn't seen in ages. Of course she would be there too. Aerith would make sure to shadow Zack, so that he didn't lose his mind while waiting for his Soulmate.

"M'ss 'im." His voice coming out distorted from the pain lancing through his body. He struggled on his next breath to be able to speak clearly. "I can't believe I've been able to hold it together so long. I can't do it anymore." The last spoken on nothing but a whisper.

"Then, I think our news will help you out some." Her bright cheerful voice floated to him, along with the smell of flowers that always accompanied her presence.

"We're getting a third chance Spike! Also, from what Aerith was told, we won't be the only ones to remember everything!" Zack's exuberance hadn't changed much. He might have mellowed a bit but it would never go away. It gave so much hope for what was to come.

"We can try again, to stop the world from ending?" His voice wasn't as rough, but it was fragile. He couldn't go through all of that all over again. They had to be able to actually change things for the better. To be able to save all the lives that were lost to them. So much was learned in their second lives that could be put to use if they really were getting another chance.

"Of course. I mean this life was already a bit better than the first. Our mark was proof of that." It felt like fingertips grazing his calf where his Mark of the cocoon sat. Shivering, he closed his eyes against the sensation.

"Please tell me I'm not imagining this?" the begging pleading tone in his voice doing him no justice. It wasn't something that was normally in his nature to do.

"Cloud…" Zack sighed, not knowing what to say. That's what he had Aerith with him for. She always knew what to say to either of them when the other was lost. She was ever their big sister.

"It's time to get you out of this wasteland." Her whisper was so gentle, knowing just how fragile he was in that moment.

He opened his eyes for a moment and looked around himself at the burning land that had been torn asunder. There was nothing left. Only him. "Yeah let's," and it all went dark.

The darkness wasn't what scared him anymore. It was that feeling of being the only person in that darkness. It can tear you apart and change you. No one wanted that, especially Cloud. He had lost so many of his memories in his first life already and just wanted to stay who he was.

Then the burning started. It was the same as last time. The ache in his calf was fierce. He knew that it had to be changing. He just hoped it was a good sign. He didn't want to lose his other half just because Gaia chose to change him again. He couldn't lose Zack. As the pain grew all thoughts were fading. His last thought was the feeling of lips on his own as the darkness swallowed him whole.

When thoughts slowly came back to him they were different. Definitely not what he was expecting.

He could feel the darkness slowly adding to who he was. Instead of tearing him down, the darkness was building him up. Missing memories slowly sliding into place. Methodically piecing together who he once was. It was almost like watching himself grow up. As if he was reliving that missing past.

It didn't erase the horrors that he had lived. He needed all of his information to make things right. Everything that he had lived over the past two lifetimes made him the man that he was at heart. He didn't want his past to change because he was going to change the future. It seemed as if Gaia felt the same.

Just as the darkness swiftly overtook him without mercy, it clung and took its time letting go. Not wanting to release him but knowing that it must. It was just biding its time, waiting for that perfect moment. It wasn't like the first time when Cloud was sent back. This time Gaia had a better idea of what she was doing. Her plan was more concrete, well rounded, and thought out.