Fort Condor Research Lab 3:47
It was the end for Craig.
Several heavily armed soldiers moved into the room, each holding a large assault rifle. Nicholas stared mutely at his companion and wished for the end to be swift.
He turned to Zanzer. “Maybe it is sad. I don’t know.”
“What is?” asked the old man.
“Is it sad that we could not save him? Or is it cause for celebration? Craig’s soul is finally free.”
“Death is a time for reflection, Nicholas. Reflect, and remember him. It is the kind thing to do. His body is starting to rot from the Cancer now, the pain must be agonising.”
Nicholas breathed in deeply and closed his eyes.
“Do it.” he said.
The gunfire opened up in a roar that built to a rising crescendo. Tears fell from his face when he heard Craig’s screams.
Stepping forward, his eyes still closed, he grasped the rail with his hand as the soldiers moved out of the lab.
“Goodbye, Craig.”
Standing there, Nicholas remebered the Proverb that his Father used to say:
What we do in life, echoes in eternity.

-
City of the Ancients 5:18
They knew now.
Yuffie had told Cloud first. After all, he was the leader. And there was no use hiding it, the others were already getting suspicious.
She smiled. Trying to keep a three month baby hidden was almost impossible.
But she didn’t have to try any more. She had dreaded the moment, but now she felt strangly calm. As if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
Elena walked up to her and placed a conforting hand on her back.
“Well done, Yuffie.”
“...Thanks.”
“Listen to me.” Elena said sternly. “Cloud and the others understand. Just be honest with them. That’s all you can do.”
Yuffie nodded. For the first time in three months she felt happy.

-
City of the Ancients 6:23
Reeve couldn’t work out why everyone was giving him such a hard time. Or why he got so many stares when he walked through the City.
He strolled past Aeronnist uneasily, then stopped in shock when the old man spat on the floor next to him.
Shock quickly changed to anger. He scolwed at Aeronnist.
“What the hell do you think yer doing?”
“People like you deserve to be shot.” snarled Aeronnist walking away.
Reeve stood silent for a second before it dawned on him.
“Shit.” he hissed.
That bitch Yuffie had blamed it all on him.

-
“What are we going to do with him?” cried Cid. “I don’t want someone like that in the mission!”
“I agree.” growled Red XIII. “Reeve has never been one of us.”
Cloud nodded. “I know what you mean. But we’ve got to hear Reeve’s side. Then, we’ll make a decision.”
Vincent stood up. “I’ll go fetch him.”
A voice came from behind them. “No need, Vince. Y’all can sit down.”
Reeve walked calmly into the Ancient house.
“First, I have to say that my side of the story differs from Yuffie’s. She took it all the wrong way-”
Cid laughed bitterly. “So that makes it alright? You really are a bastard, Reeve.”
Reeve ignored him. “Me and Yuffie started to go out before this all began. Tifa will vouch for me there. And one night...”
“Spare us the details.” said Nanaki.
“Yeah. One night, we both got drunk. Pretty drunk. And we ended up... sleeping... with each other.”
“Yeah, right.” said Cid. “I’ve heard this story a million times. People like you don’t have much imagination.”
“Let me finish, please. I... I liked Yuffie. A lot. And I didn’t think it would hurt if I went out with her. But I went too far, I admit that. She’s naive: she thought I loved her.”
Cloud shrugged, unimpressed. “I don’t care, Reeve. You don’t seem very sorry to me.”
Suddenly, Reeve’s temper flared. “And what would you know, Cloud? I am sorry. You think I wanted to ruin her life? I’ve done wrong, and I am sorry. But no one seems to be able to forgive me. No one.”
He calmed down a little, and sat down.
“I’ve gone wrong, Cloud. Really wrong. There was a time when I used to care. I used to devote my life to people. Now... I don’t think about anyone but myself.”
He broke down in tears, crying softly on the floor.
Cid remained cold. “Yer cry, yer always cry. But are yer sorry? Nah. You just wanna get off this time so you can move on to the next woman.”
“Cid, Cloud, Red. Stop it.”
They all turned to see Yuffie by the door. A warm light shone in her eyes that seemed to melt their impassive statures. She walked over to Reeve, put a comforting arm around him.
“Reeve...”
“You listened?” He stopped crying and looked up.
“Yeah.” She looked at the others and inlcined her head toward the door.
One by one, they left her and Reeve alone.
“This time, I won’t scream at you and tell you I hate you.” said Yuffie, forcing a small smile.
“But you do.”
“What?”
“Hate me.”
She searched for answer inside herself. “Reeve... this is an awkward situation. And I guess we mistook one and other’s intentions.”
He laughed softly. “I’ll say.”
“But I need to know something.”
“What, Yuffie?”
“Are you really sorry?”
“I am. I truly am.” The words came easily.
She smiled sheepishly. “And... I’m sorry, too.”
“For what?”
“For just... for not giving you the oppurtunity to apologise. I know you tried but I wouldn’t let you.”
“This isn’t like you.”
“You could say we’ve both changed.”
“...Yeah.”
“Yuffie?”
“I know, Reeve. You’re sorry.”
There was a long silence.
“And... I forgive you.” she said.
His eyes widened in surprise. “You what?”
“I said I forgive you.”
“Why?” he asked, numb with shock.
“Because... because it seems the right thing to do. You did wrong, Reeve, and you’re sorry. So I’m saying it’s Ok.”
Reeve’s eyes brightened and he stood up with renewed vigour. “Thanks, Yuffie... for everything.”
He went towards the door.
“Reeve?”
He stopped, turned to face her, grinning.
“I’d like a name for the kid.”
“Like what?”
“I was thinking along the lines of...” she scratched her head thoughtfully, trying to remember. “Gee, I haven’t actually got any good ones.”
He moved up to her, held her hands. The rift that had grown between them over the past few months seemed to dissappear.
“How about Godo?” he asked.
Her face warmed at the mention of her father.
“Perfect.”
 

-
City of the Ancient’s, Grave of Aeris
The place brought back memories.
Aeris...
Cloud shook away the look of her face just moments before her death.
Focus on here and now, Cloud.
He roused himself and walked over to the Elites standing in scuba gear at the edge of the water. Anthony prepared to dive in-
Something in Cloud snapped.
“No.” he said sharply. “No one but me will go down there.”
Anthony protested as Cloud started to put on the wetsuit.
“Quiet.” he snapped. “No arguing. I’m going down.”
Aeronnist leaned over to Anthony as Cloud put on the mask and dissappeared below the surface.
“What’s with him?”
Anthony could only shrug.

-
Ancient Lake
The wetsuit was heavy and clung to his flesh tightly. Cloud ignored it and dived deeper.
Two metres...
His heart started to beat loudly in his chest. In the silence of the lake it was an eerie sound.
Nine metres...
He looked about the crystal clear water and inhaled deeply. The lake was a fitting place for Aeris’s resting place. A serene peace came over Cloud as he descended into the depths.
Eighteen metres...
He began to see a faint outline in the distance. It was hard to make out, the place was so dark now.
Twenty metres...
He switched on his headlamp to get a better idea of what was ahead of him.
Twenty-three metres...
It can’t be deeper than this. It can’t.
Twenty-five metres...
His brooding thoughts came to an abrupt halt when he saw the bottom of the lake. Looking about, he swam north, trying to remember where he had put her all those years ago.
The bed of the lake was made up of completely smooth sand which seemed to go on unbroken forever. There was not a single fish in sight.
Suddenly, he saw her. His breath caught in his throat as he stumbled upon her grave.
She was the same as he had remembered, the water had preserved her immaculatly. Her hair lay neatly placed over the sandy floor. Folded on her stomach, her hands floated slightly. Her eyes lay closed.
She looked heavenly. Cloud had almost forgotten how beautiful she was. He swam up close, disturbing the sand slightly as he lay next to her.
For a long time he stood silently gazing at her angelic face. Then he brought out a tiny syringe and pierced her outstreched arm.
I’m sorry Aeris. But it is for the Planet.
She would understand. She always did before.
He scraped off some of the tissue, putting it in a small jar. Placing the jar in his pocket, he began to rise to the surface.
Something stopped him, and before he knew what he was doing, he had taken off his breather and kissed her gently on the cheek.
“Thank you.” he mouthed.
With emotions cascading inside him, he pushed up with his feet and swam for the growing light.
He did not look back until his head broke the surface of the water.

-
City of the Ancients 5:07
“So you got it?” asked Nanaki eagerly.
“Yeah, that’s right.” Cloud grasped the tissue sample and tossed it to Vincent. “Here, Vince. You take care of it.”
Vincent nodded. “Of course Cloud.”
Rude, Reno and Elena entered the building. Reno cheered when he saw the tissue sample.
“Nice one, Cloud!”
“Nice one, Aeris.” Cloud corrected.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Hey, can we go now?” asked Rude. “The troops are getting uneasy, and I got a feeling that Sephiroth is gonna show up real soon.”
Cloud looked at the others for advice.
“I see no reason to stay.” said Nanaki.
“Yeah. We got what we came for.” chimed Cid.
“Cid’s right.” chirped Yuffie.
Reeve spoke up. “How we gonna get home?”
“That’s no problem.” said Cloud smiling. He drew a green materia orb from his pocket. “This is Grissom’s Teleport materia. It’s how I found you guys.”
Elena grinned. “Great. If I have watch the camp once more, then I swear I’ll go crazy!”
Cloud beckoned to Anthony. “Gather the men, tell them we’re going back to the Highwind.”
The happy mood was cut short when a scream pierced the walls of the house. From outside there were several wild shouts and then gunshots ricocheted off of the wooden door.
“Shit!” cried Cid as he grabbed for his spear. “What the hell is going on?”
Anthony ran outside and did not come back. Cloud looked out of a window and his face turned ashen.
“Sephiroth.”

To Chapter 6