Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters. All rights reserved by SquareEnix.

Backstep

It was so hot it felt like he was walking inside an oven. The air did little to cool what skin was exposed, but, if the heat was all he had to contend with, then he wouldn't have any problem aside from wiping away the occasional bead of sweat. It was alright though. He already knew that things were never that simple.

His boot sunk into the shifting sand with his final step, and he stopped in front of the crimson monster that paid him no heed. His hair and clothes were ruffled by the sand-filled wind as he looked up at the thing they called Ruby Weapon. It was a fitting name considering the color, but the association stopped there. The monster before him didn't have the allure of a jewel even if it shined like one under the sun, and it was way too big to be any kind of conventional weapon.

As if his thoughts offended the monster, it suddenly looked at him with dull eyes that retained no feeling. It merely gazed at him with those empty eyes, perhaps waiting on some kind of rash move to provoke it into attacking, but the ex-SOLDIER was still too awestruck to do anything other than stare at the monster.

Well, until it moved.

One of its lanky, oversized arms slid across the top of the sand, and the claws at the end of left gashes big enough for him to lie in. Just the thought of being struck by something like that knocked him out of any kind of grim fascination he had with the monster and, with his wits back where they supposed to be, he inched closer to the Weapon.

Effortlessly, the monster picked up its arms and lifted both of them high into the air. The same claws that made the trenches in the sand pierced the clouds, the sailing puffs off white clearly cut in half with the motion. Cloud frowned at the omen as he stood in the temporary shade made by outstretched arms that blocked out the sun.

At the top of its massive frame was a neck that seemed fit for dragon, and, at the end of it, was a head that couldn't belong to anything but a demon. The narrow, golden slits it had for eyes were just as menacing as the rows of teeth in its mouth but it didn't look angry.

It just looked indifferent.

It was not made to fight. It was created to destroy. Everything but the world was a threat and everything but nature was an enemy. So it was only natural that its requiem was the sound of the planet being reset. For the sake of the world, it would raze its surface but it needed something to provoke it. It needed something to challenge him and that day was here.

It was finally here.

Cloud nearly lost his balance as the monster slammed its arms down and the sand practically exploded on impact, some of it launching into the air only to return to the ground like it was poured out of a giant hourglass. He lost the monster in the sandstorm, and had to force himself to open his eyes only to squeeze them back shut. He'd have to wait till the wind blew the sand away lest he go blind trying to catch sight of the Weapon.

Something cold gripped his heart as he heard the creature make a screech that sounded like cats trying to grab onto a chalkboard and he squinted just enough to see that the monster was still in the same place it was before it started its assault. The sand shifted and claws sprung out behind him.

The cold coil of fear around his heart had thorns large enough to freeze it.

He was scared.

Ruby Weapon roared and the planet seemed to tremble in the same fear that touched the swordsman as he stared up at the monster with wide eyes. It glared at him, this time with eyes that wondered how an ant had the arrogance to question the moon. It looked at him with eyes that dared him to make his move so it could put him back in his place.

His sword, Ultima weapon, gleamed in the sunlight. Different shades of pink were cast on the sand as he tightened his grip around the hilt and tried to slow his breathing. It was useless though. All he could think of were the claws rising out of the ground behind him, all he could focus on was the monster in front of him that ignored his plight was indifferent to his cause.

He was honestly terrified but he didn't expect anything else. This was the reason he knocked out his companions and came alone in the first place. If he couldn't beat this thing by himself then he didn't stand a chance against Sephiroth and, if he lost, he would be saving them from whatever fate he would suffer.

And he didn't want anyone else to die on his watch.

The Weapon attacked. The claws behind him raked across his sword before he knocked them back but the heavy arm that crashed into the dark purple sword sent him flying. He flipped in midair and recovered enough to dash towards the monster after he landed.

Before he could get close enough to counterattack, the Weapon again amazed the blonde as it stood and drove its arm back into the sand. If it was massive before, there were no words to accurately describe how big the monster was now. He craned his neck to look up at the Weapon and it stared down at him intent on erasing his existence.

It was going to be much harder than he imagined.

"Cloud!!"

Now it was going to be even harder.

Yuffie ran towards him at full speed, skipping across the sand with steps so light she didn't even leave footprints. She came even though he knew she could see what was in front of him. From this distance, he could see the frown on her face but he could tell by the way she moved that she held no resentment. Instead, he could see the keen understanding in the depths of her eyes as she neared him.

She wasn't thinking about why he knocked her out.

She wanted to help.

"Yuffie!" He barked out as he looked over his shoulder and made eye contact with the girl not far behind him. "You have to go back!! I can-"

A sudden gust of wind lashed at him as a heavy arm surged passed in an effort to get to the girl. With speed that didn't match someone carrying such a sword, Cloud grit his teeth and ran as hard as he could. He made it, not even a second spared as he slid into the gap between the Weapon's arm and his friend just in time to cover the girl.

He deflected the blow, angling the sword so the limb merely cascaded over it as opposed to taking the brutal blow head on and being launched into the air again. His heart stopped pounding in his chest long enough for him to think straight, "Yuffie…" He whispered her name as he kept his eyes on the monster. "You…."

"You can't do this alone."

Her words hit him, the impact obvious as he yanked his head up and turned to face her in spite of the Weapon before them. The ninja shifted under his eyes, shuffling her feet as his glare posed a question without him having to voice it.

"I'm not going back! I'm not leaving you alone and," She raised her head, steel gray eyes locking onto his as she spoke the truth, "Cid is mad at you."

"I know." Ruby Weapon dug its claws back into the sand and he spun back around. "I was trying to make you mad, too."

If she was offended, she made no mention of it as she stepped from behind him. Yuffie reached into her pocket and produced some materia only to slide them into the slots of her weapon, "I am mad!" The girl exclaimed with her weapon at the ready, "Knocking me out after I volunteered to come… Going off alone to fight a thing that-"

Rambling was cut shot as claws sprung from the sand behind her and she nimbly evaded the attack before deciding to use some of the magic she wisely brought with her. She slid to a stop, her boots digging into the sand as she took a stance and whispered the name of the spell.

The claws that sped towards her slowed down until they gradually stopped moving and the Weapon itself was frozen in time. With an opening finally created, Cloud ran up its extended arm and jumped as high as he could. As he started his descent, he grasped his sword and held it above his head with the intent to cleave the monster in half.

"Braver!"

The heavy sword crashed into the monster's head but the only thing that resulted from his limit being crossed was nothing more than a dull clang and rattled hands, "Impossible…" Cloud muttered upon landing, the Weapon already rousing from the spell that was cast on it as the two that sought to defeat it looked on in shock.

Abruptly, the monster roared and pulled its arms out of the ground. The thought that it was because he hurt it was quickly dismissed as the gem in the center of its chest started to shine. Its shielded, crimson core sparkled under the light but something was wrong and, after Cloud realized that the sun was behind it, it was already too late.

A thin red beam shot out from the orb and ran along the ground in front of him. Cloud waited, unsure if the monster missed him or not until the sand started to explode like a line of explosives went off. He was blasted backwards, his body ungracefully tumbling in the air until he rolled to a stop on the ground.

Shaking off the sand, he started to run towards the monster again until he noticed the sky was starting to darken but he knew this feeling. He stood his ground as the girl behind him made the motions to finish her summon and the Knights of the Round Table dropped out of the sky liked they were thrown from heaven.

They were just as big, if not larger, than the monster itself and their attacks resulted in more than their weapons just bouncing off. Ruby Weapon raised its arms and tried to defend itself for the first time but the swords, magic, maces, and axes the immortal knights carried and used still damaged it enough for its pained cry to echo across the desert.

This was his chance.

"C-Cloud!?"

Yuffie called after him as he darted towards the monster and jumped into the summon. He advanced on the weapon with all of his rage, skill, and strength focused into the conviction that was his strongest attack, "Omnislash!"

He heaved his sword into the air with him and started to slash at the monster so fast that sword became a blurred purple. He poured everything into the limit break as the knights continued their offensive along side him.

The frustration at not being able to put a dent in it…

Cloud cut off a piece of its shoulder.

The fear that made his mouth go dry…

He slashed through the claws and landed a crippling blow on its arm.

The fact that it tried to kill one of his friends…

He was going to systematically cut it into pieces.

"All Creation!"

Yuffie joined in, the gigantic beam of blue under him overwhelming the Weapon as he gathered energy for the final strike. He flew at the monster and the last knight sailed through the air. They attacked at the same time, the monster succumbing to the explosion of raw power as they finished the combined offensive.

Cloud landed on the ground and the monster, the imposing Weapon itself, faltered and fell to the ground like it collapsed on itself. They did it! He did it! Another weapon was defeated and he did it alone for the most part. The blonde looked behind him to find and congratulate the girl that helped him but something else had her attention.

"Cloud!! It's not-"

Something appeared between them, a small dot of green inside of a black orb floated in mid-air. The black expanded, encasing both of them in a void before realization dawned on him. He ran, but no distance could be covered in a place where distance or time just simply didn't exist. The only thing in this inky black besides them was the green that exploded.

Ultima.

It felt like the world blew up, everything before his eyes enveloped in waves of jade before the black retracted and folded upon itself. The void disappeared, taking the ongoing explosion with it as the hole in the world winked out of existence.

Ruby Weapon crashed into the sand with its last breath spent and Cloud rolled over, groaning as he got back to his feet. Compared to being surrounded by superheated, unstable energy, the desert air felt cool but the sand in his wounds stunned regardless.

Immediately, his own nicks and scratches were forgotten as he thought about the girl that followed him. He stood up, nearly leaving his sword as he spun around looking for sight of the girl…

And didn't see her.

He swallowed hard before clearing his throat, "Yuffie…" He whispered, her name leaving his mouth softly though he meant to yell it. "Yuffie!!"

No response.

No. This couldn't be happening. No, this couldn't be happening to him again. He refused to accept the thoughts that assaulted him as he ran oblivious to the blood streaming down the side of his face. If she died, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. If she died then he wouldn't be able to go on anymore. If she died then-

A sound interrupted his musings and he found who he was looking for. She was laughing, the light sound more than enough to relieve his fears, "I'm right here Cloud…" She said weakly, smiling up at him as he arrived at her side too tired to talk.

He took a deep breath, exhaling in relief as he stood straight up and looked down at her. "Yuffie… I thought-"

Wrong.

Something was wrong with her and he scanned her body looking for anything only to see what was obvious to both of them. Like him, she had various scraps and cuts but the blood that flowed from the broken stump of her arm stained the sand under her. He blinked, rubbing his eyes with his forearm before looking down at the sight again.

"It's that…" Her words were staggered, her forced laughter lost on sight of his expression. "It's that bad…?"

Her words, the way she was looking at him, the tears…

"N-No!" He knelled down at her side, fishing in his pocket for anything that could help her. "Everything…" His voice cracked and he knew it. "Everything is going to be alright, Yuffie…"

The materia spilled out of his pocket, orbs of varying colors rolled in different directions but he didn't need all of them. He divided his attention between the wounded girl and the materia he dropped until he found the one he wanted.

"Full Cure!" He cried and a soothing wind flowed across the girl but nothing changed.

She chuckled, turning her head to the sky as he tried again in vain. "Don't waste your time…"

"Shut up!" He yelled as he cast the spell again only to hurl the orb as far as he could when it failed to work when he needed it the most. He twisted around, eyes darting around until he found something else. "I'm not wasting my time!"

This was more important than defeating a Weapon alone. This was more important than beating Sephiroth. He was not going to let her die on his watch. He wouldn't let her die. This was his fault! If he had made her leave then this wouldn't have happened. If he had been paying more attention then this never would have happened!

"Cloud," she smiled as one of the puffs of white in the sky sailed by, "I'm glad… I'm really glad I helped."

"Don't talk like that…" He panicked; a shaking hand holding up the materia he prayed would save her. She didn't respond. She merely smiled up at the expanse of blue with an unblinking gaze that nearly gave him a heart attack.

"Life Two!!"

The ninja rolled on her side, coughing up blood as her soul was forced back into her body. She was wide awake now, completely aware of the pain that made her fight to keep from screaming in agony. The only comfort was that he was trying so hard but she just couldn't live like this. Not in this kind of pain. Not without her arm.

She didn't have any say in the matter as he lifted her, clumsily picking her up and adjusting his arms around her in order to make her as comfortable as he possibly could. She cringed, her face twisting in pain as her bone jut into his chest but he didn't say anything as he started running in what he hoped was the right direction.

The broad side of his sword slapped against his back as he rushed across the desert. He was sweating, perspiration blinked out his eyes as he looked through hot haze of the desert.

Though he was as careful as he could be, he took a step too quick and crushed her against him in an effort to keep his balance. She cried out in pure anguish, what was left of her arm squeezed between his chest and her own body.

"I'm sorry…" Cloud said all too softly, his voice dripping with panic yet tinged with concern. "I'm sorry…" He repeated with misty eyes as he crossed the desert, "Yuffie, please don't…"

He couldn't say it and she hoped what dripped on her was sweat as he continued to run.

She wanted to say it was alright. She wanted to say that she was okay but she knew she wasn't. This kind of pain was unlike anything she ever experienced in her entire life and it took everything she had to keep from throwing up on the spot. She was sick to her stomach, the notion that she already died once making her feel so bad that reassuring someone else felt like fallacy.

Still.

"Don't cry…" She tried to smile but she was too tired; she tired to look up but her eyelids felt so heavy she shut her eyes. "I'm alright so… don't cry…"

He stopped. She drew the strength to open an eye long enough to see what happened. Instead of bade slopes of sun baked sand, she could see mountains in this distance and grass not too far away.

She closed her eyes again but the jolt of suddenly being laid on the ground was enough to wake her long enough to hear him shuffling through the pack she brought with her. She could hear the hiss of a tent being unpacked, the muted clank of stakes landing on the ground as threw them down and stretched out the ropes he needed to keep the tent upright.

"Yuffie…" He sounded so scared; almost too timid to be the same person that just defeated one of the strongest monsters they ever came across. "Stay awake. I'm going to set this up as fast as I can so…."

She looked up at him, a strained smile coming to her face as she gave him a corny thumbs up. "D-Don't worry about me…"

He nodded, the hopeful expression he put on for her sake changed the moment he turned around and she saw it. For a long second, she watched him walk away. She looked at his back and studied the man in front of her before she started to feel sleepy again.

"Cloud…"

Her voice didn't reach him as he rushed to put up the tent and she closed her eyes, her trip into the murky depths of unconsciousness starting the moment she let his name escape her lips.

Yuffie opened her eyes one last time, the sight of him using his sword to hammer down the stakes amusing her for some reason but she was too out of it to laugh. All she could do was lay back and hoped this wasn't it for her even though she knew it was.

She was going to die.

"I'm…" The sight disappeared, replaced with a deep black akin to the one that took her arm but this was one was more somber, more defining than just some magic spell. "I'm sorry..."

0

It was cold.

This wasn't the type of chill she ever came across in Wutai. This was the type of chill that set in your bones, the kind that only the flames in the fireplace could take away. In fact, this kind of cold was par with the ones she experienced at Bone Village and that place was as cold as it gets.

It was cold but…

Yuffie blinked open her gray eyes.

She was alive.

She looked around, eyes darting from corner to corner until she realized she was inside the tent. Her eyes ran over the lamp beside her, the blankets on top of her, and everything else her savior pushed to the side. She caught sight of her arm guard and, surprisingly, her shirt in the pile of stuff that consisted largely of the stuff he must have dumped out of her pack.

Now that she knew where she was, she reached down and pulled back the blankets he must have placed on her. The first thing she saw of course was bandages. Stained strips of white covered not only what was left of her arm but also her torso. Though she was curious to what happened to her chest, her arm was what worried her the most.

It was gone.

It wasn't something that she could just replace like a lost glove and a replacement would never match up to the original. Her arm, the same one she was born with was gone forever along with the weapon she cowered behind.

To live she gave up her best weapon and her arm but, without them, she was useless. In essence, she was already dead. Without her arm, she wasn't the same person she used to be and she couldn't do the things she used to do.

She was useless.

Yuffie groaned as she sat up, her back aching and her body protesting as sore muscles moved. She laid back down, her stomach deciding to grumble as her head met the makeshift pillow. She couldn't remember the last thing she ate but she was too tired to check if there was any food.

"I bet he's angry at me…"

This was all her fault.

Obviously, he didn't want her to come and she did anyway even when he tried to send her away. He didn't need her help, seeing him fight in tandem with the summon proved that much but she wanted to be there. She wanted to help him.

Instead of helping him, she became a burden.

Like she always did.

Yuffie sighed, her spent breath visible the moment she let it go. She shivered as she tried to think of something else only to find her eyes resting on the bandaged stump of her arm. Idly, she noted that more of it was missing than before and it was only then that she could recall that the injury she sustained wasn't as… clean as it was now.

Though she was horrified beyond belief, she had the mettle to look down at it after she saw Cloud's reaction. It looked like her arm was chewed off and the thought, the memory of her trying to lift something that wasn't there anymore made her nauseous thanks to what she saw when she did.

Cloud…

She pictured the man amputating her with a pained expression, mulling over the fact that he was going to lose her like he lost… her. Aeris. The woman that made him break down and cry when he thought he was alone but she heard it, everyone heard it. That was why no one mentioned her anymore. It wasn't because they disliked the flower girl or anything like that. They just came to the silent understanding that the subject was taboo, especially when the spiky blonde was around.

Who was she kidding though?

She was not Aeris.

Everyone liked her. She was pretty and kind, delicate and soft spoken. When all hoped seemed lost she was always there with the words they needed to keep going forward and when things were going well she was just as happy as everyone else. Everyone was sad she was taken from them.

No one would cry if she died.

Cloud was kind enough to spill some tears but that was only because he felt he failed as a leader when he most certainly did not. Did he forget how angry he was when she stole his material and ran, the joke she meant the play on the party quickly became something more serious than she intended for it to be. She knew that none of them exactly trusted her before but, after that, they always kept their eyes on her every time she came close to things like equipment and materia.

After all, she was just a materia thief.

Yuffie grinned as her stomach rumbled again, hunger tugging at her smile as she stared at the opening of the tent. No wonder she was laughing when Cloud found her. She wasn't a materia thief anymore. She wasn't anything anymore.

Except useless.

They had a reason to throw her out now, a reason to abandon her. The same people that fought at her side, the same people she traveled with were nothing more than associates at best. They called each other comrades, masquerading like they were friends when they were anything but. She was always an outsider, some nuisance they didn't really need at all.

"Maybe I should have stayed in Wutai…"

"Y-Yuffie…?" Cloud rushed into the tent and threw the blankets he carried down on the ground before rushing to her side. "Thank God… I was beginning to think you would never wake up." He looked exhausted but happy, his lines around his eyes highlighting the strain to keep them open but his smile was something he didn't have to force.

"Huh?" She raised an eyebrow. "How long was I out?"

"Four days…" He whispered, his sword clattering to the floor as he cast it aside, "How are you feeling?"

"Four days!?" She yelled, surprise overwhelming her as she stared at him, "Why didn't you go back to the Highwind!?"

"I can't leave you alone…" He sighed, the fact that he already did making him feel like a hypocrite as he rubbed a gloved hand in his hair. "I don't know how long it would take to find them and," there was something about the way he looked at her that made the chill in the air fill just that much colder, "I don't think you can make it back across the desert."

So, in addition to being hurt, she somehow managed to trap him here with her. It was another step back, another mistake on her part that troubled someone else. It was ridiculous how quickly things turned against her when all she tried to do was help.

"I'm glad you're not in a coma or anything but you had a really high fever." Cloud walked over to retrieve the pack of things he threw down with the blankets, "I was scared you had an infection at first but… I'm just glad you're awake." He finished lamely, pulling materia out of his pocket as his spoke.

"Is that some new material?" She asked, ever curious to see new magic and effects but her curiosity died upon seeing the roll of bandages he fished out of his pocket as well.

"Yeah," Cloud murmured, shrugging off the question as he stared at the material he held but she missed the look on his face seeing that she turned away the moment she saw the bandages.

"Do…" She gulped, the sound audible in the quiet tent as her companion kneeled beside the lamp. "Do you have to do that now?"

"Yeah…" He said it again, his attention snatched from the jade orb as he nodded to the blushing girl, "Just let me change your bandages. I promise I won't look any longer than I have to."

He reached a slow hand up to her chest but both of them hesitated for a brief moment until he finally grabbed the end of the strip. With the aid of the lamp, he slowly pulled back each strip, some stained, until her body was exposed.

Once he was finished, the girl brought her forearm in front of chest to protect her modesty, "You promised…" She whispered, as she clumsily shielded her breasts from his eyes.

This drew a blush from the man tending to her, his cheeks warming as he looked at the girl in a new light. The arrogant ninja in front of him was reduced to a blushing girl trying her best to stop him from seeing something he already promised he wouldn't look at but his eyes never dropped lower than her face.

She was cute.

She turned away from his scrutiny, staring at him out the corner of her smoky gray eyes even though she was pretending to look away. His eyes dropped from her hair and even her face as he looked down at naked skin. He saw what she sought to hide as his eyes traced her thin body but something in the back of his mind clicked as he realized something that he never noticed before.

She wasn't just cute…

"C-Cloud…!"

Yuffie was flustered, a deep shade of pink crossing her face as her voice stole him from his musings. She felt so uncomfortable that she was starting to squirm but he found that he couldn't look away until he finally recalled that he was breaking his promise.

"Stop…" She started, her tone softening as he remembered what he was doing and looked away so fast that he almost hurt himself. "Stop staring…"

She was beautiful.

"S-Sorry…"

He felt just as awkward as he pull the roll out of his lap and quickly started to wrap them around the girl after casting another cure spell. Before long, he was finished but he wasn't worry about the gashes in her side nearly as much as he was worried about her arm.

Anyone could provide first aid but she needed to see a doctor, and she needed to see one soon. With that in mind, he pull back another line of bandages with as much patience as he could muster while the girl bit down on her lip all the while. Strip by bloody strip came off and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when he finished the process.

"I had to…" Cloud cleared his throat as he stared at her wound much the same way she did, "I had to cut some of it off so I could properly bandage it."

The mood change, the embarrassment experienced before leaving the tent with the same wind that seemed to usher in something far more somber. He was hurt, visibly shaken now that he looked down at his handiwork. It was a smooth cut but…

He amputated her.

"Hey, I'm alright…" She smiled at him, trying to loosen him up but that miserable look remained until he forced it away and made eye contact with her.

"Listen to me Yuffie." He was serious, the way his hand gripped her shoulder keeping her in place like she was going to run away the moment he shared what he had to say, "I… You…" He paused long enough to collect his thoughts. "This is going to hurt a lot but I'm here." The materia he held gleamed in what little light the lamp provided. "I just need you to be ready for it."

Yuffie did a double take, her eyes darting from the man to the materia he must have recently purchased, "Oh shit…" She cursed before locking eyes with him again, "Don't tell me that is-"

He shrugged off his shoulder guard and paid no heed to where it landed on the ground, "I'm going to hold you okay?"

"Okay…"

She allowed the swordsman to take her into his arms. Though it wasn't meant to be a hug, she turned it into one when she wrapped her arm around his frame and squeezed herself against him. He pulled her closed and she braced herself, "Ready?"

She nodded and so did he.

"Fire."

The orb followed the command and a flame came to life. Within moments, what was left of her arm was on fire. Flames danced on the flesh, razing and cauterizing it all at the same time but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"Just a little more…" He whispered, his voice feeling like gasoline when he wanted him to put it out now. She squeezed her eyes shut but unwanted tears stared their journey no matter how hard she tried to hold them back. Her fingernails dug into his shirt as she grasped it in an effort to tell him to stop since it hurt too much to talk.

Then it was over.

Just like that, doused the flames and wrapped the bandages around her so fast it looked like he was playing with a ribbon as opposed to tending to someone. He ripped away the excess and gently laid her back down. Her back met the blanket and she pushed away the pillow he made so she could lay flat on the ground.

She was sweating and still somewhat dizzy but she could manage a smile, "I…" The ninja brought her hand up to wipe away the tears, "I can tell you like your meat well done."

It was a joke.

Her sense of humor was just one of the weapons she employed to fend off the sad things that lurked in the back of minds, the depressing thoughts that sunk to the bottom of hearts. If people laughed then they could be happy and, right now, she wanted him to be happy.

He didn't laugh.

"That… That's not funny Yuffie." Cloud remarked as he reached into a bad and produced some bread and a bottle of water, "I should have did it while you were unconscious."

She decided to change the subject with a question she meant to ask earlier as he returned to her side, "Where did you go? You… You weren't here when I woke up."

"I climbed the mountains to find out exactly where we were and got really lucky. North Coral is right over there on the other side of the range," He held up his hand and pointed in the direction he walked even though she couldn't see anything other than the tent around them, "They didn't have much but I got as much as I could carry."

"Cloud," She warmly accepted the loaf of bread he handed her, "Thanks for, you know… Thanks for going this far for me."

He watched her eat for a minute before crawling towards the blankets and dragging them towards the girl, "You don't have to thank me for something like that Yuffie. I would do it for anyone."

She was glad to hear him say that but, at the same time, she couldn't have felt any more distant. If he would do the same for anyone then what did that say about her? It was an unintentional blow to her spirit but she took it in stride as she continued to eat.

"I know it s late but," Cloud finished what little he did eat and reached for the water, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for knocking you out and getting you caught up in this."

"I chose to come." Yuffie replied as she chewed the bread, "You don't have to apologize to me for something like that Cloud." She said, mimicking his voice after she swallowed the food.

He laughed, the chuckle easily turning into a laugh that made both of them feel better. She joined him in his amusement and both of them laughed, the sight of the other being touched by amusement adding to their own as the laughter filled the tent.

It wasn't that funny and, in the back of her mind, she knew that they were only laughing for each others sake. Morale was important, vital in a situation as grim as this but the way Cloud grabbed at his sides made it clear that he wasn't faking.

He was genuinely amused, delight mingling with the deep blue of his eyes as he threw his head back and laughed hard enough to produce tears. In the darkest of nights in the middle of nowhere with a girl that was keeping him here, he was laughing his heart out.

Just like that, she forgot…

Yuffie forgot that she wouldn't be able to fight anymore and she never thought to think that this could be one of last days alive. The things that mad them sad seemed to disappear like it was ushered away by the chill in the air.

"Haha," She rubbed the tears out of her eyes with the back of her hand, "I haven't seen you laugh like that since Aeris-"

His laughter died, his eyes widening in shock as she encroached on something that would never make him laugh. She immediately dropped the bread and what was left of the loaf fell into her lap as she motioned to apologized, "I'm…"

"It's alright," He laughed in an effort to play it off like it didn't bother him but she knew him well enough to see the raw emotion in his eyes, "I'm alright now. I got over-"

"Cloud," the ninja got his attention when she reached out and touched him, "You don't have to lie and," she brought her finger up to his lips, "I don't care what you think about it. I know you tried your best, you know you tried your best, and I think she does, too."

Things like that were easy to say.

Words were just words. People tried to comfort each other using them and tried to hurt each other using them but, at the end of the day, it was just a way to communicate. Words couldn't stop a sword from going through your chest and words definitely didn't stop him from remembering how he just stood there and watched it happened.

Words would never make him feel better.

"Don't try to make me look like the good guy…" Cloud mumbled as he looked down at the hand she placed on top of his, "I always mess up when people need me the most. I… Why…"

He trailed off, hopelessly hurt now that he gave a voice to the insecurities he never wanted to be known but the girl who accepted them said nothing. She rubbed the hand that was under hers just to let him know that she was here, just to let him know that she would listen to anything he had to say.

So he continued.

"It wasn't just Aeris." Cloud admitted, after a long minute, "Zack, Jessica, my mother… I kept telling myself that I couldn't do anything but when he murdered I was right there. I was right there and I didn't do anything."

"Cloud…"

"She said she loved me."

"Did…" She was slow to pose the question thanks to how he trembled but she had to know, "Did you love her?"

He shook his head too fast for her liking, "I never got the chance to know if I did or not but she loved everyone. That's the kind of person she was but I-"

"Don't be so quick to say things like that." She squeezed his hand and he looked up at her, "You can't keep thinking like that or you'll really be no good. Wait, I didn't mean that… I…"

His hand slid from under hers but he offered her a weak smile as he nodded in understanding, "I know what you mean." He stood up and walked over to close the opening to the tent and ended up grabbing everything he cast aside when he heard her sneeze. "I'm just a natural pessimist I guess…"

"I thought you were more- Wait, you got all of that stuff for me? Cloud… I-"

He kneeled to fix her pillow before he unfolded her blankets. Carefully, he pulled a few of the heavy blankets over the girl, "Just rest. If you feel better tomorrow then I'll see what I can do about getting us out of here."

He stood, reaching for his shoulder guard and sword before he arrived at the opening of the tent, "I'll be back soon. Turn off the lamp if it keeps you from-"

"Huh?" Yuffie glared at him, "What do you mean you'll be back soon? Where are you going?"

"I have to go and stand watch." He put his shoulder guard back on before sticking his head outside to tent to take a look around, "I have to stop anything that comes looking for something to eat."

"Do you really have to do that? You…" She found herself turning away as he looked at her, "You look so tired."

"Well, I don't really have a choice. There's a lot of stuff out that there that could eat us you know." He looked down in thought for a moment before turning around and putting down his sword down, "Now that you mention it, I don't necessarily have to be outside to hear something coming."

"You should come and sleep with me then."

Cloud chocked on the piece of bread he helped himself to and she felt her cheeks burning as a blush conquered her face. He beat on his chest in an effort to expel the food stuck in his throat and somehow managed to do so, "E-Excuse me?"

"Don't be stupid!!" Yuffie roared as she slammed her fist down on the stack of blankets, "You know I don't mean like that!"

With his face still flushed with color, he closed the distance between them, "Are you sure about this? I mean I could always just-"

"C'mon Cloud, I'm not going to bite you or anything and I'm too sleepy to be arguing."

"A-Alright…"

With a moment of hesitation, he pulled the blankets back and slid under them. She made some room for him by scooting to the side and he in turn kept as much distance between them as possible.

He became more aware of how close he was to her when she turned on her side, staring at him like she didn't know that he could see her out of the corner of his eye. He felt like he was under scrutiny thanks to way she silently studied his profile and indeed he was.

She openly started at him only to be surprised when he rolled on his side to face her. They made eye contact and kept it, murky gray meeting the same aqua blue that watched over her for days. She didn't notice it before but she could smell the mako that was infused with him. It was the same energy that gave his eyes that unnatural glow that intimidated so many people that didn't really know him.

Truth be told, she didn't think he had an intimidating bone in his body. The scariest thing about Cloud was that he could wave around a sword nearly taller than he was but that was it. He was never menacing and he really only pretended to be if he had to. Other than that, he was a pretty quiet guy who usually kept to himself. That didn't mean he couldn't be an ass though but, when there were no prying eyes around, he could be the kindest person she knew.

Still, it was only now that she really looked at him that she understood a part of him that he never shared before and for a good reason. He was fragile. She always had an inking that he wasn't the fearless leader everyone wanted him to be but to see Cloud, the same man who swore to defeat Weapons and take down Sephiroth, reduced to tears for her sake made things way more obvious than she would have liked them to be.

Yet, in those eyes she saw a reflection of herself. She too was never as strong as she said she was but she never cared who saw her cry. She would cry if she felt like crying while he would try to hide it and pretend like everything was alright.

He was like her, but at the same time, he was so different.

"I'm…" Cloud cleared his throat, lowering his eyes to the pillow between them as he spoke. "I'm sorry about your arm. I went back into the desert to look for it but I couldn't find it."

She smiled thought the thought of him running across the desert to look for something she lost touched her like nothing else ever did before. "You have to stop apologizing so much. It doesn't suit you."

"I'm serious Yuffie." He sighed. "I know saying stuff like sorry won't help anything but I don't know what else to say. I don't know how I can even make it up to you…"

"Just don't throw me out…"

More than anything she didn't want to go home like this. The thought of being sent away was one far more disturbing than having to be a back row warrior. She probably couldn't fight anymore but she didn't want to be a disgrace. She wanted to stay with them as long as she possibly could.

"N-Never!!" He blinked, unintentionally raising his voice as his eyes snapped back to her face, "I wouldn't do that to you! Fighting isn't the only way you can help Yuffie."

"I want to help fight though." She looked in straight in the eye, "That's what I always wanted to do."

"Okay…"

He said it before he could change his mind.

If he could, he would let the girl do whatever she wanted to do but reality was never kind. Fighting was dangerous and the things they fought rarely if ever knew what mercy was. Easy prey was easy prey and without her arm she was most certainly…

She kissed him.

Yuffie pulled back only to see if he was angry only to find him in a daze brought on by nothing more than the fact she did something like that so she did it again. Sure that he wasn't angry, she flicked out her tongue and parted his lips. Access was granted and she took it.

They tasted each other and, before he could realize exactly what just happened, it was over. She licked her lips after breaking this kiss, the distance between them little to none now that she close enough that he could feel her breath on his face.

"I… We…" He never turned away but he was visibly uncomfortable as he fumbled with his words. "Why?"

"I don't know." She told the truth and caused him to sink even further into confusion, "It just felt right."

She was impulsive.

She did what she wanted to do and didn't care if it didn't make sense to other people. Just because she was a girl didn't mean she couldn't fight and just because she was young didn't mean she could understand things she wasn't meant to comprehend. That was the reason she never really had friends before. People her age were dumb and people older than her pegged her as impudent.

That was why she separated herself from others and was content with being alone but he was just like her. She could tell that he was the same. He would be able to understand her the way no one else tried to before.

To say that he never thought about her like that wouldn't exactly be a lie but he could honesty admit to not having any special feelings for her until now. Carefully, he edged away from her before she grabbed him.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?"

"No, not really…" He looked down at the hand on top of his arm, "It was just really sudden that's all."

"That's how I feel and," She couldn't help blushing as her hand trailed down her arm and took hold of his hand, "It's a thank you."

He responded to her smile with one of her own, "You could have just said it." He said dryly, smirking as she frowned at him.

"It wouldn't have been fun that way though," Her frown melted away as she moved closed to him, taking comfort in the warmth he provided, "It was your first kiss right?"

"Yeah," He blinked upon realizing that it really was the first time, "It was…"

She smiled, "I'm glad you liked it then."

It secretly amazed her he was so shy when it came to things like that but his blushing face had to be one of the cutest things she ever saw in her life. He bowed his head, his light blue eyes sneaking looks at her through his blonde locks before he spoke.

"You're welcome."

With that, she fell asleep and he watched her get the rest she needed. She slept with a smile and he eased his arm from under her as he slipped from under the blankets and reached for the materia he kept at her side.

He cured her before getting up and reaching for his sword.

"Please don't die on me Yuffie…"

He knew it was selfish to say something like that. If she had any say in rather she died or not they wouldn't even be in this situation but he sincerely hoped that she could hold out until he found them some help.

The girl coughed in her sleep and curled into a ball. Quietly, he pulled the blankets up to her chin before standing up to go on watch.

"Cloud…"

Caught, he turned back around with the intent of apologizing until he realized she was still sleep. She was still smiling though she had a little droll on the side of her mouth. He grinned at the sight before walking out into the night.

Yuffie opened her eyes and watched the man leave, the sound of his footsteps becoming distant as he walked away from the tent ready to stop anything that dared come close enough to wake her up even though she wasn't sleep.

She coughed again.

"I won't…"

0

She woke up sweating and with something too bad to be called a headache. It felt like her brain was trying to push her eyeballs out. It felt like something inside her head was trying to split her in half and was close to doing so. She clutched her head and shook as the pain became unbearable but…

"Yuffie, calm down…" Cloud whispered as turned one of water bottles upside down and drenched the rag he held. "It's going to be alright. I'm right here."

He was with her.

"I need you to take this medicine for me alright?" She could feel his hand, his actual palm finding a place in the middle of her back as he helped her sit up, "It won't break your fever but it should-"

"God… My head… It hurts…" She knew she was crying but she didn't care, nothing ever hurt this bad. "I… Time… Long… What…"

"Yuffie…"

He reached for the medicine and raised it to her lips. Slowly, he poured the stuff into her mouth. She drunk most of it though some of it spilled out. He didn't know what she was trying to ask him but she made it perfectly clear that she didn't feel good at all.

Patiently, he held the girl hoping that she would lose consciousness again soon so she wouldn't have to go through this and she did.

0

"Ugh…"

She sat up feeling so much better than she did before but the nightmare that woke her wasn't pleasant at all. Even though she could barely remember what exactly transpired in the nightmare, she could faintly remember that she was alone. She baked under the desert sun all by herself until she finally died.

It was creepy.

If she had to die, then she didn't want to be alone when it happened.

The same sun that assaulted her in her nightmare allowed its light to enter the tent as she stretched. This place was the same every day. It was so hot during the day that she wouldn't have been surprised if the water in the bottles started to boil but, at night, it was so cold that she forgot how close they was to the desert.

She rolled out of the makeshift bed and groaned as she stood up for felt like the first time in weeks. She slid her foot across the floor only to find herself falling, the fact that she hadn't actually walked in a while coming to mind a little too late as she braced herself.

The impact she was expecting never came and she opened one of her eyes to find herself in the arms of the man who took care of her.

She was surprised that she didn't notice he was there but what stunned her was the fact that he was clearly still sleep. He yawned as he slowly opened his eyes, "Yuffie…?" His voice sounded scratchy, like he went too long without saying anything, "Your fever is gone?"

"Fever? What are you talking about?" She slid out of his grasp and looked him up and down. "Either way, you don't look so hot Cloud…"

He was kind of skinny before but he never looked that thin and he had bags under his eyes when she woke up the first time. Still, she never saw him look like that. He was looking directly at her but he was still sleep.

"Cloud?" He blinked before quickly looking around. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you but how… how long was I sleep?"

"We have to leave. Now." He ignored her question before grabbing his sword and standing up. Bandages and materia fell out of lap as he stood but he didn't care, "Too many monsters are coming now. We have to leave the tent before something big comes."

"Tell me how long I was sleep first!"

"Yuffie," His tired eyes landed on her. "Please… Get something to eat and put on your clothes." He looked around for anything they couldn't leave behind, "After that, grab all the materia you can hold and then we'll leave."

"Cloud wait!"

He ignored her as he headed out of the tent until she grabbed his shoulder. He reacted instantly, his half closed eyes snapping open as he spun around with the intent to kill flashing in his eyes until he realized who he was about to strike. He willed his sword to stop inches away from her neck and tumbled to the ground thanks to the wasted momentum.

Even Cloud had his limits…

She stared at him, her mouth gaped open in shock as he slowly got back to his feet.

"I'm sorry… I didn't-"

"It's okay," he huffed out now that he stood at his full height again, "Forget about it. Get on my back."

"Huh…?" Was he going delirious? "Did you just say get on your back?"

"Yeah," Cloud kneeled in down in front of her, "Get on."

"Are you crazy?" She pointed at the lamp he broken when he fell. "You can barely walk straight?"

"Please Yuffie…" He looked down at the lamp and frowned. "Just trust me."

She couldn't refuse after he put it like that. A long arm wrapped around his neck and her chest pressed into his back. As she wrapped her legs around his waist, she was sure they were going to fall to the ground until he quickly stood up and left the tent.

The landscape was just like she pictured it. The desert continued on for miles, hills of bade that went on and on until they met the stark blue at the horizon. What she didn't expect were all the dead monsters that literally piled up not far from the tent. It was amazing she didn't smell it before she saw it but she decided not to dwell on it as Cloud lifted a hand and pointed straight ahead.

"Costa Del Sol… That's where we are going." The gasp he heard honestly didn't surprise him, "There has to be a doctor there who can treat you."

"Cloud…"

She held on even tighter, squeezing herself against him as he took the first step of many. He took step after step before he started to run as fast as he possibly could. With nothing but the hazy view of the horizon taunting them in the distance, he ran like lightning was behind him.

He ran faster than a chocobo, the sand filled wind that lashed her face caused her to bow her head until she heard something behind them. A pack of gigantic worms turned their attention to the pair and she could feel her mouth going dry as they decided to give chase, "C-Cloud! Those-"

"I hear them!" He decided to use some of the materia he brought and the Deathblow material cast a brilliant glow on his face as he attacked the first one that sought to eat them. He sliced its head clean off and dashed towards the body that was quickly falling back to the earth. He ran on top of it and jumped off, launching them into the air as the other two Land Worms dived into the sand under them, "Hang on Yuffie!!"

The mounds of sand under them started to break up thanks to the earthquake the monsters caused but neither he nor Yuffie took that into account as they soared through the air. She squeezed her arm around his neck and her legs got that much tighter around his waist as they glided. It would have felt peaceful if not for the monsters that waited under them with their mouths wide open.

This time her life flashed before her eyes as they started their descent.

Her mother was a gentle person… She could remember how she would lift her in the air and laugh when she made baby noises. Cloud found it pretty funny too when- She stopped thinking the moment the spiky blonde entered her thoughts. She shook her head, freeing herself from any delusions she had and realized he was saying something.

"Yuffie!! You have to make me angry!"

They were going to fall right into a Land Worm's mouth and he needed something to make him angry!? Oh, she would make him angry alright. "Cloud!! I swear on my life that if you don't do something right now that I'll kill you before the worm eats us!!" She stared at the circular rows of sharp teeth that lined the opening of the thing's mouth and started praying as fast as she could.

Cloud laughed in spite of himself, she didn't quite make him furious but that was good enough.

"Meteorain!!" He yelled as he started spinning his sword. Large chunks of rocks materialized and rained down on top of the worm, some of them landing right in its mouth.

Cloud jumped from one rock to the other until they finally landed back on the ground, the battered monster behind them falling as he somehow kept his balance good enough to maintain the kind of speed he had before they took to the air. Yuffie bowed her head as they ran directly into the sandstorm the last worm summoned. Neither of them could see it but they could easily hear the monster thrashing about as it slithered across the sand faster than he ran but he was ready for it.

"Cloud!!" She yelled as the monster bounced off the ground and opened its mouth to devour them.

He was past his limit already so…

"Finishing touch."

It was useless to hold back now.

He summoned a tornado that overwhelmed the sandstorm and pulled the worm into the air. Cloud held his breath, running with his sword at the ready just in case the monster dropped back down so he couldn't help but sigh in relief when it didn't.

The tornado died out and the girl he carried felt like kissing him. "Oh my God… I swear I love you Cloud!" She poured her gratitude on him as she squeezed him with the arm she had around his neck. "I love you so much!"

"Never thought you'd say something like that…" He said, picking up the pace as he neglected to tell her he didn't have the strength to swing his sword anymore. If they encountered another monster, he would just have to hope he was fast enough to avoid it.

It wasn't until he realized he couldn't use his sword anymore that it dawned on him that he couldn't feel his legs either. He was still running. He knew that much but it just felt like he was floating. The only thing he could feel aside from the heat was how his lungs burned. He would have been alright if he did this a week ago but he was dead tired and this was seriously killing him.

The girl on his back never would have noticed thanks to the speed at which he ran. He was faster than any chocobo she ever rode but the idle thought of a Cloud chocobo left her mind when she looked behind her.

One of the worms they encountered before was coming after them, the rocks that were stuck in it reminding her that it was the one that he just knocked out. She turned to tell him they were being chased only to find him holding up some material. "Yuffie, I need you to use this. I… can't."

She took the red orb from him and shut her eyes in concentration.

As Cloud ran forward, a moogle riding a chocobo sped passed them in the opposite direction. Yuffie couldn't help but chuckle as the moogle stood on top of its mount and gave them a salute. Dropping its hand, the moogle turned its attention back to the monster and bravely pointed at it.

The collision was terrible and she cringed at the sound of it. Turning back around, she was pleasantly surprised to see something other than sand. He did it again…

Cloud tripped and landed hard on the ground. Yuffie rolled off his back and skidded across the sand like she had been knocked off a motorcycle. The ninja signed before rolling on her back. "Cloud, are you alright?"

She saw him trying to get back up only to fall back down. Like her, he finally gave up and was content with just getting his face off of the sand, "Yeah, I'm alright and… I'm sorry."

"For what?" She smiled. "Feeling me up?"

He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, "You can still talk like that even at a time like this?"

"Yup," She shielded her eyes from the sun, "It's because it is like this that I have to say stuff like that."

Cloud turned towards the girl he shared his first kiss with, "Did you really mean that Yuffie?"

She didn't have to ask him what she was talking about. She clearly remembered what she blurted out but she meant what she said regardless, "I did…" She started, turning to look at him as she thought about it. "At least I think I did…"

Before all of this happened, she never thought about things like this because she never needed to. People never liked her before so things like love never crossed her mind until now. She wasn't sure if what she felt was really the type of love that people wrote about in stories and the like but it was love all the same.

He smiled, his eyes lighting up as decided to share his feelings with her. "I think I love you, too."

"Cloud… You don't-"

The blonde shook his head. "I'm not just saying it to make you feel better or anything. I mean it Yuffie."

She stared at him for a long time before looking up at the cloudless sky. "The real reason I wanted materia was just so I could go back home and kick my father's ass. Restore the pride of my country? Haha, what a joke."

"I think Vincent saw it but I made a mistake and dropped my sword on Cait Sith once." He chuckled upon remembering how much he apologized to Reeve, "I can't remember if that was the forth or fifth though…"

"Was it really a mistake?"

"Yeah, but he kind of deserved for giving me a stupid fortune."

She laughed, the fact that Cait Sith always gave her stupid fortunes having a role to play in her amusement and he joined her in laughter as the sun gave them no mercy. All too quickly, she found herself wishing that she could spend more time with him but this was really it.

"Can't believe it…" Yuffie sighed. "I always thought that it would be one of the Turks that did me in but this is really pathetic. Hey Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Let me have all your material."

"Sure," He cracked a smile. "You have to kiss me first though."

She thought to say that she was too tired to make it over there but he knew that much already. The girl reached into her pocket and, with the last of her strength, threw a blue ball of materia at him only to see it fall short of her target.

"You missed…" He pointed out as the materia rolled to a stop next to him.

"I wasn't trying to hit you idiot." She watched him grab the materia and hold it up, "I mastered it so it should keep you safe long enough for someone to find you… I should have used it earlier but I don't a weapon or anything to put it in."

"Yuffie…"

It was Enemy Away.

Weakly, he put the materia into one of the empty slots of his sword and pushed it towards her. Ultima weapon slid across the sand and the hilt hit her hard enough in the side to hurt. He watched her shake her fist at him with a smile until he passed out.

"Cloud…"

This was it for her.

Just like in her nightmare, she was going to die before realizing any dream she ever had but she was happy she wasn't alone. She beamed, happy that at least he would be able to make it. Cloud was strong. After he rested for a couple of hours, he'd get up and wouldn't have any problems finding the airship.

He would be able to make it without her.

Just like that, she resigned herself to the truth she accepted a long time ago. It wasn't that dying scared her. It terrified her. The thought of dying, especially now that someone loved her, scared her to the point that she couldn't think about anything else.

She didn't want to die.

More than anything, she didn't want to die but there was nothing she could do. If it wasn't for Cloud she would have died in this same desert a long time ago.

Her only comfort was that she wasn't alone. Even though he was unconscious, he was right there. She looked at him through her tears and watched his chest rise and fall with every breath. He was going to be alright. He would be able to find someone else.

Yuffie held onto his sword but she couldn't help but keep crying as she gradually became more and more tired. She forced her eyes open in an lacking effort to stay away and every conscious thought donating to doing so became fleeting.

It was her time to go.

0

"Well, damn… Slap a gunarm on her and I bet she'll kick more ass than he does."

"You betta watch who ya talkin' to cuz I bet I could whoop yo ass."

"Uh…" She rubbed her face as the voices she heard started to register in her mind.

"Be quiet you two! She's starting to wake up!"

Yuffie opened her eyes and flicked them across the faces of the people crowded around her bed. Tifa cleared her throat, drawing the attention of everyone in the room as her scarlet eyes started down at the injured girl. "Good morning." She said evenly, though she was clearly worried.

"Uh…" The ninja sat up and looked around. "Good morning?"

Tifa circled the bed and placed a hand on top of hers. "How do you feel?"

She looked around the room and figured that she was in an inn. With an exception or two, everyone was here. She could spot Red XIII staring at her from the corner. Barret and Cid stood on the other side of the bed, both of them looking like they wanted to say something but failing to come up with the words. That was it though.

"I'm alright," She took another look around the room. "Where is everyone?"

"Vincent and Reeve went to look for your weapon." Tifa sat down on the bed as Red silently left the room now that he knew how she was faring, "He left you one of his guns just in case-"

"They didn't have to do that…" Yuffie rubbed her temple as she started to feel a headache coming on. "And I'm not a big fan of guns. I'll thank him later but… um… what happened?"

At that, Cid took the cigar out of his mouth and caught a not so friendly look from Tifa as he blew out a cloud of smoke. "I'm looking all over the damn desert for sight of your scrawny ass and then I came back here so I could use the Highwind to look for you."

In spite of his colorful language, the man smiled as he told his story. Ash fell from the tip of his cigar as he waved his hands around depicting how they went back and forth, "So, about eleven days in. "I'm on the deck wondering what happened to you two and I throw my cigarette overboard." He put his cigar back in his mouth and took a puff from it. "Then, if you can believe it, I see some blue and green specks right next to each other. A damn miracle I tell ya."

Finishing his story with a broad smile, Yuffie almost laughed at the thought that his habit of smoking saved their lives. However, it was at that time that she realized someone was still missing. "Where's Cloud?"

The look on Cid's face soured and the cigar fell out of his mouth. "That idiot!? Knocking me out so he could fight by himself? What the hell happened to just asking people stuff? I should have beat his-"

"He's right there…" Tifa whispered, cutting off Cid before he could go into detail how angry he was when he woke up alone in the middle of the desert. The brunette pointed at the foot of the bed and it was only then that she could see the blonde tips of his hair.

"Well," Cid sighed before he bent at the waist and picked up the cigar, "I just wanted to see how you were doing kid. Got to get back to the crew before things get too crazy."

With that, Barret took his spot at her bedside. "I best to be leavin' too then. I can get sumthin' done to ya arm if ya want me to."

Yuffie shook her head, "I'm good. Thanks for the offer though."

The men followed Red's example and left the room after they was sure the girl was alright. The woman that was left couldn't help but sighed. "I'm sorry about those two. I know they mean well and everything but you know how they are."

"Ha, I'm just glad Cid saw us…"

"We all should have gone to fight it…" Tifa stood. "I had a feeling he would be reckless but I never thought he would have tried to fight it alone."

"Don't worry about it." Yuffie gave her a thumbs up. "We beat the thing after all."

The brunette smiled before pulling the sheets up to the girl's neck. "You two really scared us you know. The doctor said kept telling me things I didn't really understand but he made it really clear that you almost died. He praised Cloud's first aid a whole lot though."

"Yeah," The girl laid back down and rested her head on the pillow, "He saved me."

"I know." Tifa looked down at the floorboards and shuffled her feet around, "It's just that he almost died taking care of you…"

It didn't come as a surprise that he would go that far. She always knew that he would do something like this if his friends were in trouble but, now, she had a horrifying example of it. She couldn't help but ponder what would have happened if she switched places with the girl. Would he have done the same for her?

"He would have done it for anyone." Yuffie said as she looked at the ceiling, unintentionally answering the question that Tifa never asked.

"That really sounds like something he would say but I'll let you get your rest now."

"Wait Tifa," Yuffie waited for the fighter to turn around until she posed her question, "Can you tell them to comeback… I don't need my weapon anymore."

It looked like she wanted to tell her otherwise but nodded all the same, "Sure… We're going to be here for a while so don't try rushing yourself on account of us alright?"

The door was closed before she could say anything and Yuffie smiled as she pulled back the sheets. Cloud did exactly what he said he would do. They made it to Costa Del Sol and her nightmare remained the dream that it was.

Everybody cared.

Even though it took something like this to make her realize it, she could see it on their faces and searching the desert for something that probably wasn't even there could attest to how Vincent and Cait Sith felt about her.

They cared but there weren't many people that loved her.

With her eyes locked on tips of blonde, the gears in her mischievous mind started to turn and her plan was in motion. She brought her legs to the edge of the bed and got up with mischief carried in the smirk on her face. Carefully, she took a few steps to test her balance and crept towards the end of the bed where her savior slept.

Peeking at the closed door, she tiptoed towards Cloud and barely held back a laugh at the look on his face. He looked way too happy, like he had fallen asleep mid-laugh. For a moment, she just stood there snickering until she reached for his pocket and the magical orbs inside, "A dead is a deal…"

Cloud kissed her, his lips coming into contact with her cheek as he briefly opened his eyes and looked up at her. He found himself chuckling at the look on her face, "Yeah, it is you materia thief."

"You idiot!" She dabbed at her eyes with her wrist before diving on top of him, "Don't pretend to be sleep with such a stupid look on your face."

He ruffled her hair as she buried her head in his chest, "Don't try to wake me up under the pretext of stealing then…"

"Cloud, I…" She clumsily embraced him inside the rented room, "I was so scared that I'd never see you again. I thought I was going to die."

He yawned before pulling her closer to him, "I can't do anything about what already happened but if you still feel like staying with me then I'll do my best."

"I want to help you fight but," She paused before looking him in the eyes, "I don't want to be a burden or anything."

"You'll never be a burden Yuffie…" He blushed as he adverted his eyes, "You're my g-girlfriend."

With no reply from the girl, he found himself falling asleep until she got up and turned the lock on the door. Sleepy eyes opened once more as she tugged on his arm, "C'mon Cloud, let's go to sleep."

"Ah…" He slowly shook his head, "I'm alright right-"

"I don't think we're going to be able to sleep with each other that much after we leave and don't look at me like that." She smiled at him as she pulled him to his feet and him to the bed, "You're my boyfriend now... and you know what I mean."

Nodding, he kicked off his boots climbed on top of the covers to rest on a bed for the first time in weeks and his girlfriend joined him. Almost instantly, he fell asleep and she watched him knowing that, at least for now, everything was going to be alright.

"Wait… Where's my Enemy Away?"

-Fin

Author's Note: It sounds kind of messed up considering it is only a one shot but this story has the most favorites out of everything I've written so I decided to rewrite it. I was thinking of continuing this for another chapter or two a while back but it is fine like this. I'll leave the original, the next chapter, just in case anyone prefers that version.

Thanks for reading everyone.

CF