AN: Well here it is...the last chapter! For a while I was beginning to think this would never happen. I made a promise to myself and my readers when I first started this story that I was going to finish it. I have found some great writers and stories on this website but it seems rare to find them compete, so I swore that was not going to happen with this story. Well 50 chapters and some 5 years later I can finally say I kept that promise. So Enjoy!

Peace, it was a feeling that was completely foreign to Cloud. The nearest thing he had ever had would have been content. He had been content after he had defeated Sephiroth for the third time and had woken up the pool in Arieth's church, but nothing like this.

It had been a year since that final battle. A battle that Cloud could not remember much of, expect that Sephiroth had been there and together they had won. Life since then was in so many ways different then the last time.

The main one in Cloud's mind was Arieth. Arieth was alive and happy. She had moved back to Midgar now that the President and more importantly Hojo were dead. Arieth would now be safe from Shinar's interests, her protectors strong and loyal. Cloud did not know if Zack would ever let Arieth far from his sight again, not after losing her for so many years. Yet Cloud had forgotten how Zack had not been the only one to care for the flower girl.

Tseng, now with the war over had resumed his formal job, though there was no longer any need. The Turk kept his distance however and Cloud doubted Zack even knew, but the Turk would be there if the need should ever arise.

So it was not because Cloud thought that Arieth would ever need his protection that he found himself back in Midgar. It was Tifa.

She still did not trust Shinra, despite all the changes Rufus had made to cast Shinra in a better light to the population. The first being to downsize the army and appoint Zack as General of Solider, Zack was easy going and had always drew people to him with his easy nature. The people were comfortable with him in a way they never could be with Sephiroth.

Tifa however had felt the need to watch the re-vamp of Shinra herself and opened a bar in the slums just like she had in that other lifetime and Cloud suspected her intervention if the changes did not go far enough to her liking.

Cloud of course had come with her and had been content in helping her. He had also re-built Fenrir and the odd time took delivery jobs just for old times' sake.

Reno and Rude had ended up frequenting the bar more often than the last time. An odd occurrence, but surprisingly not entirely unwelcomed. Cloud knew it was just a fascination to see the legendary General of Wutai serving drinks that had eventually become a habit for the two Turks. Seems they did not get enough of his company the couple months Cloud had held them captive.

Something still was nagging him though. It was an ache that was not there all the time, but every now and then it would loom up and Cloud would feel like something drastic was missing. He would turn as if to address someone and then realize no one was there and why should there be.

Cloud knew who held the answers…Sephiroth. It had all began when Sephiroth had disappeared. But despite many people's attempts, the ex-general had seemed to vanish. Cloud knew Vincent knew where the man was, but had refused to say anything and Cloud did not push.

It seemed that Vincent had reached out to Sephiroth, a huge step for the somber man and one Cloud could not see the past Vincent ever doing. Cloud did not want to damage whatever fragile trust had developed between the two.

How Yuffie fit into that picture Cloud could not even imagine, but he knew Vincent and the Ninja had partnered up like they used too when they worked for the WRO. Cloud did not know if there was anything beyond that, but he had to admit the thought of the quite, haunted man and the loud, energetic ninja together pleased him.

"Hey, you okay?"

Cloud turned his head to look at Tifa who had craned her head to one side and was looking at him.

"Mm, just thinking."

Tifa nodded in understanding, "What do you think they want?"

They were both in limo being driven to the Shinra Building. Zack had asked to meet them, the only reason why Cloud consented to being driven instead of driving Fenrir.

Cloud had been called to Shinra before. He was unofficially a Wutai ambassador, since all the official Wutai and Shinra ambassadors could never get anything done. There was something about riding up on the motorbike, blade slung over his back that inspired instant results in a meeting. Cloud also had to admit he loved the chaos it created at the Shinra front gates.

However it being Zack and not some politicians he would be meeting with, Cloud decide to forgo the headache the raven haired man would receive with the phone call from the security guards.

"They found Sephiroth."

Tifa sighed and sat back in her seat. She didn't look surprised so Cloud figured she had guessed it as well.

"You alright with that?"

Cloud looked at her confused.

She explained, "I know it is easier for you without him around, easier to keep the nightmares of that old life at bay without his face starring back at you. Gaia Cloud you did kill the man three times. He may be different from the person you knew, but that doesn't change your initially reaction each time you see him."

Tifa had always been able to understand him and this Tifa even more so. The first couple months had been strange…with everyone knowing about his past life, but it was also easier. Tifa especially seemed to see how his two worlds overlapped sometimes and was quick to put together some of his odd behaviors, sometimes even before Cloud.

The limo had pulled up to the Shinra Building, but didn't stop. Instead it pulled into an underground parking lot and only stopped at a set of elevators.

Cloud got out, Tifa close behind him. They rode the elevator in comfortable silence, neither feeling the need to elaborate further on the current situation.

The elevator stopped on one of the uppermost floors and when the doors opened Zack's eager form greeted them. Arieth close behind him, while Angeal and Genesis waited further back, more reserved. Zack had latched on to their old friendship almost as quickly as he had the first time.

Zack gripped Cloud's shoulders briefly in greeting then turned to greet Tifa. Zack was determined to get the martial arts woman to trust him, and she did as far as she would anyone in Shinra, but even she was not completely immune to Zack's personality.

Arieth smiled warmly and gave Cloud a huge. Cloud never got tired of seeing these two, his two best friends alive and together.

After greeting Angeal and Genesis, the six went into Zack's office, which surprisingly had enough seating to accommodate them all quite comfortably. But then Zack was much more sociable then Sephiroth had ever been.

There was a moment of silence, which Cloud decided to break knowing they knew how uncomfortable he was when it came to Sephiroth.

"Where is he?"

Zack's leaned forward on his desk, his face thoughtful, "So you know?"

"Is he here?" Tifa asked concerned.

"No, no he is not." Angeal responded.

"Though we now know what the pain in the backside has been doing all this time." Genesis grumbled.

Cloud's brow furrowed in confusion.

Zack elaborated, "For the last half year things have been surprisingly quite from some of the remote towns and villages who until now have frequently send word to Shinra requesting aid in dealing with monster infestations and bandits. Until now most have been ignored, but Rufus has put them on high priority since coming to power and their absence was been noticed."

Arieth leaned forward eager, "When questioned it was found that these…problems had already been taken care. Ohh forgive me, I interrupted you love."

Zack grinned obviously not minding the interruption. Work and personal life were obviously not separated in their relationship. That meant that there was a chance a large part of how the army and Solider program were run was due to Arieth's influence. Not a bad thing at all Cloud decided.

"So let me guess," Tifa interjected, "these villages also report seeing a tall man with long silver hair."

Genesis gave her a smirk; unresolved feelings of being punched out by a woman obviously still lingered in how he treated Tifa. "No. Not even a mention of silver hair, but there was quite a bit of talk about a seven foot sword and that is not even the most interesting bit."

That caught Cloud's attention, "Oh…"

Genesis's eyes turned to Cloud, "It appears this savior and champion of the weak has… a partner."

Cloud knew the shock was obvious on his face, and he to admit that he sputtered, "Partner…how like an apprentice or…" He trailed off not sure how to finish that sentence.

Angeal however saved Cloud from his own awkwardness, "A couple months ago we also started receiving reports of some strange… incidents happening in Shinra labs."

Cloud stiffened visibly, but Angeal continued, "A number of labs have been completely and uttered destroyed."

Cloud paused…destroyed? Where in Gaia was all this going?

Zack started clicking on the computer on his desk, "Some of those labs are equipped with surveillance. We received this a few days ago."

Zack turned the monitor toward them and clicked a button started the video on it.

It showed a large lab complete with tools freshly laid out on a cart and a mako tank though it was empty. Cloud felt a hand slip into his and he gripped it tightly to help push down the wave of emotions that were suddenly pressing in on him. Tifa always knew exactly what he needed.

Suddenly the door flew open and a woman slowly stepped in. The woman's back was to the camera so all Cloud could see was a head of blond hair that was pulled into a braid that ran down her back. For some reason something in Cloud jumped at the sight of the woman. It was strange but Cloud was certain he would recognize the woman if only she would turn.

When she did eventually turn, she seemed to look straight at the camera. Something did stir inside Cloud at the woman's face, but it was not familiarity at least not of the recognition kind. Any familiarity came from the fact that Cloud recognized the face when he looked in the mirror. They had very similar features, the nose, chin, even the blond hair despite being tied in a braid seemed to defy gravity and many strands had come loose and were sticking up. What especially drew Cloud though were those eyes, those sharp, intense, blue eyes.

Right now those eyes were tense, slowly moving around the room taking in every detail. The growing disgust becoming more apparent on her face as the seconds passed. Then abruptly everything about the woman seemed suddenly to go cold and she moved to the surgical table.

With calm and decisive moves the steel table was flipped over and the stand next to it somehow ended up through the nearest mako tank in a spray of glass. Nothing in the lab seemed to be spared from the woman's wraith, for though the destruction was done with calculated precision, Cloud could feel the rage below the woman's calm exterior.

Cloud leaned forward in his seat, some raw part of him connecting with this woman. It was obvious to Cloud that this woman must once been a victim in a place like this, and he found himself inwardly cheering at every shattering of glass, every tool destroyed.

Then a movement in the corner of the room by the door drew Cloud's attention. Even without Masamune or the famous long, black coat Sephiroth was still instantly recognizable to Cloud. Though perhaps not everyone, the man had changed.

Gone was the silver hair, instead long, black hair was pulled into a traditional Wutai tie at the back of his head. His clothing had changed from leather armor to civilian clothes though the color still remained the same. At first glance no one, but those closest to the man would recognize the legendary general, but Cloud suspected that was the point in this new look.

Sephiroth stood in the doorway silently watching for almost a minute, until the woman ended her rampage with a fire Materia, setting anything left in the lab that could still burn into flames. Only then did Sephiroth move further into the room, seeming almost unaffected by the flames. Cloud unconsciously shuddered as the image brought back memories that were no longer a reality.

The formal General moved to stand behind the woman, so close his chest was touching the woman's back.

"The victims of this place?" Her voice was so soft Cloud almost didn't hear it.

Sephiroth's response was equally soft, "I saved those that could be saved…and made it quick and painless for those who could not be saved."

The woman turned and brought up a hand to Sephiroth's face in a gesture of…comfort?

"They would thank you for that if they could."

Sephiroth's eyes closed and he seem to almost lean into the touch. The flames by now had burned what fuel was to be had in the room and had died down. Sephiroth opened his eyes and looked around critically.

"Thought we agreed the next time you felt the need to trash a lab you were going to let me in on it."

The woman turned, looking around the room, then bent down to pick something up and held out a beaker that had remarkably escaped the rampage.

"I saved this one especially for you."

Sephiroth glanced at the breaker a small smirk appearing on his face. He slowly took the beaker in hand and then casually let it slip through his fingers to crash on the floor.

The woman smiled and the atmosphere lightened considerably.

Sephiroth's head dipped down catching the woman's mouth with his own. The woman however pulled back as one of Sephiroth's hands crawled up under the back of her shirt while the other moved lower.

"Hmm… Seph you know my feelings about public affection."

Sephiroth had in the meantime had moved his lips to her neck, but he pulled away enough to issue a short command.

"Take care of it then," before resuming his prior task.

A smile again appeared on the woman' lips, "Oh course, General."

A revolver was suddenly in the woman's hands and without even looking at the camera she fired a single shot and the monitor turned black.

Genesis was the first to voice his opinion.

"Can't believe Sephiroth not only had the nerve to ignore us for a year, but also has found a woman." Genesis shook his head, "Sephiroth with a woman! It is almost unfathomable."

"Unset because it's another area Sephiroth has beat you in Genesis?" Zack grinned at Genesis spluttering face and turned to Cloud, "No offense Cloud, but she almost looks like you. I mean besides the fact that she is a woman and I'm not saying you feminine or anything…"

Cloud tuned him out, eyes still fixed on the screen. There is was again, that ache. It had spiked sharply at the first glimpse of the woman on the screen, than had slowly eased off.

She seemed so familiar yet Cloud knew he had no memory of her, not in that life or this one. At least he thought he was sure, the longer he starred at her though the more uncertain he became. This woman had been the source of that ache though. Why he didn't know, but seeing her and oddly with Sephiroth had calmed that ache. It soothed him and oddly Cloud now felt his peace was complete.

"Cloud?" Tifa's hand was on his arm, "You recognize her, don't you? Who is she?"

Cloud shook his head, "No, no I don't know who she is."

"But that is alright, isn't it Cloud." Arieth was now looking at him with knowing eyes, like she understood what he was feeling. "Now no one is alone."

Cloud nodded looking around the room full of his friends, and then over at the screen again. "Ya, I don't why, but seeing this… it makes me feel like everything is…alright."

An: I hope this is a satisfying ending for most. I choose to not let Cloud remember due in part to what I wrote in my last chapter about wanting to end with the setting and characters as close to the original. I thought by letting Cloud still see Rain and have some deep part of him connect with her and finally feel competently at peace was a good comprise.

I hope you have all enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I feel I have grown so much in my writing and that is due in large part to all the support and feedback I have received from all of you...thank-you!