Conclusion
Chapter Nine

Rating: PG
Category: AU
Pairing(s): Cloud/Reno, Tifa/Barret, Aeris/Tseng, Zack/Sephiroth, Vincent/Cid, Reeve/Rufus, Yuffie/Elena.
Warnings: Angst, squirrels.
Summary: Another party, another adventure ended.
Notes: I have decided that SV’s theme music is ‘Bad to the Bone’.

Angeal lay on his back, eyes closed, listening to the sound of Genesis undressing. They had managed to get Charon to Cloud’s house, and he was currently heavily sedated, lying on the couch that Genesis had recently occupied.

Angeal felt the bed shift, felt the familiar warmth of Genesis’ body, and hated himself for wanting to pull away. Instead he slipped an arm around the slender shoulders, grinning despite himself as he felt Genesis nuzzle at him.

“How do you feel, Gen?”

“Good. Great, actually. I hadn’t realized how bad I felt.” He looked up at Angeal. “How do you feel?”

Angeal did not miss the cautious, slightly fearful tone to Genesis’ voice. He sighed.

“Conflicted.”

“Me too,” Genesis admitted quietly. “I want… I want to forget it all. I want to be happy. And we were happy together before all this shit, even with me in a basket we were happy. I… I want it all to be the way it was! Before we knew!”

“I don’t know if I can do that, hon.”

“But I love you!”

“I love you too! God, Gen, there are no words for how much I love you! And I’ll never leave you, I swear I won’t, but… I’m not sure I can ever make love to you again.”

“Great,” said Genesis. “That’s it, then. Our marriage is shot, our family is falling apart…”

“I said I wasn’t leaving.”

“No, you just can’t stand to touch me now. So what next? Separate rooms? Telling other people I’m your brother? Seeing other people under my nose and I can’t say shit about it?”

Angeal turned his head to look at Genesis in the dim light of the room. “I would never do that to you. I would never treat you so shabbily.”

“It’s just a matter of time,” said Genesis, and Angeal felt himself cringe at the tone of hurt.

“Look,” said Angeal, “I don’t know what the future holds but I swear to you I will never treat you so badly.”

“At least not until your body craves attention and you see something pretty and unrelated stroll by.”

“Oh shut up,” muttered Angeal.

“Fuck you,” said Genesis, but snuggled close, pressing his face against Angeal’s neck, squeezing his eyes shut.

Angeal turned his head towards Genesis and kissed his brow. “Don’t cry, babe, we’ll work something out.”

Genesis shook his head. “Work out what? A way to go back in time and make us not related?” He lightly thumped his fist against Angeal’s chest, and then suddenly began to cry in earnest. “They took you, too. They finally have it all. They took you, too.”

Angeal held him closely, kissing the red silky hair. “Don’t cry, hon, don’t cry. I’m not going anywhere. I made a vow to you that I would love you always, and to that I hold true.”

“But it’s not the same,” whispered Genesis.

They lay together in silence, but it was a long time before either fell asleep.

Upstairs, Cloud lay in bed, the light of the moon illuminating the room. At the foot of the bed he could feel the dual weight of Sid and Johnny, and right before him was a tiny bundle that was Kin. On her other side, facing Cloud, was Reno.

“You hear that?” asked Cloud.

Reno nodded. “Yeah a little.” He nestled deeper into the covers. “I wish they’d stop. I can’t wait to have the place back all to ourselves. Just stress-free peace and quiet, without hearing about how our taste in home décor sucks, yo.”

Cloud thought about that. “Our taste in home décor does suck, babe.”

“That’s not for other people to point out, yo.”

Cloud smiled as Reno yawned, reaching out to stroke his hair. “It won’t be much longer. Are you feeling all right?”

“I can’t stop feeling bad for Angeal and Genesis,” said Reno.

“Cuts a little too close to home, hey?”

“Way too close. Way, way, way too close. And I don’t think Angeal is going to be able to deal. I know I couldn’t. Frankly I don’t think Genesis is dealing so well, either. All I can think is; ‘That could have been me and Rufus’, yo. And what further screws it up for them is the kids. I mean they made a family. Not enough days in the week for all the therapy they’re going to need. And if they let Loz date Phoenix they’re out of their minds. That much stoo-pid should not be allowed to breed, yo.”

Cloud laughed. “I think Loz and Phoenix are a bit young for making lifelong commitments.”

“Yeah? What about Yazoo and Andy? You telling me that’s not a permanent union?”

“I still don’t think Loz and Phoenix will ever be much more than crushes. We all know Loz’s attitude towards sex is eyew yuck gross, which is pretty much Phoenix’s attitude towards Loz.”

Reno smiled. “And what’s your attitude towards me?”

“Oh I could probably stand to be with you for the next hundred years or so.” He trailed his fingers over Reno’s cheek. He glanced down as Johnny stood up to stretch, then began stomping all over the bed to see if there wasn’t a better place to lie. Cloud rubbed the cat’s furry ears as Reno rolled onto his back, folding his long hands over his chest and sighing.

“So Teddy fixed Rufus and Genesis, and hopefully Charon. Cid got the dragon, Tseng is slowly getting better… did we ever figure out who burned down Sephiroth’s house?”

Cloud shrugged. “Baby seems to think it was Charon, and Zack agrees with him. Zack said he smelled the same dragon stink at the house the night it burned, and that was Charon’s mission. We won’t know for sure until we ask Charon. We do know it was Charon who was summoning the undead creatures. I hope Teddy’s materia worked, because I’d hate to have to fight him, especially here in our own home.”

“I feel so sorry for Teddy,” said Reno. “He really loved David. Is he sure Wish Materia can’t raise the dead?”

“There’s not much information on it, but both times it’s been used to raise the dead it has apparently failed. I would hate to see Teddy waste something so valuable for nothing.”

“So would I.” Reno sighed. “This is really upsetting, yo, all this stuff with Angeal and Genesis, and Teddy and David. I hate it. It brings up too many memories of when we were at each other’s throats.”

“We survived. They will, too. But I know how much it upsets you to see couples fight. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be in their position, to lose your marriage over something like that, over something you should have known all along.” Cloud looked at Reno. “This makes me realize how little I know about you.”

Reno smiled briefly. “And yet you stay.”

“I couldn’t leave you, Reno. No matter the situation. There is no one else I would want to be with.”

“But… you wonder about me, don’t you?”

“I think you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

Reno turned his head to look at Cloud. “And what if I never am?”

“I don’t really care. You and I are what’s important.” He rose up slightly so he could lean forward to kiss Reno. “Let’s get some sleep.”

***---***

Dawn! The great yellow ball peered over the house, and Squirrel Vicious hopped to her feet, tail flicking, alert for the sound of the approaching Thing, that great smelly dangerous Thing! She hopped down from her tree branch and landed on the antlers of Hellmoose, chattering her usual warning, to which of course no one paid any heed. Dammit! The bastard taped her tail, why did no one realize the danger here?!

Cid came to feed the moose and clean his stall, sighing heavily as he heard the usual rodent-related ruckus. What did that damned squirrel have against him, anyway? He’d never done anything to it. He growled as he felt the first of a series of moose turds bounce off his coat.

Damned rodent…

Cid cleaned the stall and loaded the mangers with feed, lingering to spend some time with Wiliburt. He was terribly fond of the massive hairy beast, and Wiliburt seemed to return the affection. He liked having his nose rubbed and the burrs brushed from his coat. He was a nice big friendly furry moose…

And then there was his room mate. Cid sighed as he was pelted with filth. He turned his head, and found himself nose to nose with the little grey beast, perched on Wiliburt’s back, a chunk of tape in her tail. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out an orb of master level fire materia…

“Cidney Warren Highwind!” said a voice sharply just behind him. “You are NOT going to fry that squirrel!”

“Damned straight I am. Watch me.”

Aeris stepped forward and gathered up the little beast, cuddling it as she gave Cid a reproachful look. “You cannot hurt a tiny animal.”

“Sure I can. You ever had squirrel stew? And I can use the fur to make a shoulder cape for Ifalna’s doll.”

“Cid…”

“That squirrel is evil, Aeris.”

She rolled her eyes. “Nonsense. Anyway, I came out here to ask a rather large favour of you.”

“Lemme guess. You wanna bring Tseng home but you can’t talk him back to Kalm because you can’t look after him and two kids and fight with your mom so you wanna know if you can bring him here.”

Aeris blinked. “How did you know?”

“I been hanging out with Teddy for years, I’m psychic too now.”

“So… can…?”

“Yeah, sure, why not. I don’t mind.”

Aeris smiled warmly, her eyes large and grateful. “Thank you Cid, you’re a real… SON OF A BITCH!”

“Yer welcome. What happened?”

Aeris had her arms crossed over her chest. “The hairy little shit bit my nipple!”

“It did? Let’s see.”

“NO!”

“I mean how bad is it?”

“Bleeding!”

Cid put an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you inside so you can bandage your booby. I keep telling people that squirrel is evil but no one believes me.”

“I believe you. MAN that hurt!”

Squirrel Vicious perched victorious on the hind quarters of Hellmoose. She had drawn blood! Surely they would not dare return now, not when she has shown herself to be such a ruthless adversary. She flicked her tail and chattered a warning to her retreating foes, telling them to not come back.

“So what does squirrel stew taste like?” asked Aeris.

***---***

At about the same time Aeris and Cid were dealing with a rampaging squirrel, Cloud and Reno were being awakened by a noisy baby. As usual, Reno was up and out of bed and on his feet before he was actually awake; something Cloud used to do back in SOLDIER. Dressed in only his shorts and an old t-shirt, Reno picked up Kin and held her close, preparing to start his usual morning routine; bathe baby, dress baby, feed baby, hand baby off to daddy, and then fall back into bed for another couple of hours. Cloud was the morning person; Reno was not.

He walked to the bedroom door, opened it, and stopped. Cloud could almost hear his hackles rising as he began slowly backing up. The wings came out; great midnight black spans, edged with scarlet flight feathers. Cloud came to his side, and saw what had upset him so. Charon was awake and standing in the livingroom.

“I thought you said the Halcinol would keep him down,” said Reno.

“It works on Sephiroth.”

“That, my love, is not Sephiroth, yo.”

Cloud removed his sword from its mount on the wall, putting himself before Reno and his child. Charon watched all this with luminous eyes from inside an inexplicable dark aura.

“You have no need to fear me,” he said quietly. “I… understand now.”

Cloud did not lower his sword, but he kept his voice calm and even. “And what do you understand?”

Charon blinked at him. It was impossible to tell what colour his eyes were, but his hair was black, streaked with purple. His skin was an unearthly white, and he was very tall, almost as tall as Sephiroth. He was an otherworldly beauty, and it was difficult not to feel a fascination for him. He was clearly not human, but he was definitely pretty, with the thin frame and features of a vampire lord, long hands, and soft red lips. He was eerily striking.

“I understand myself, and what has happened, and no longer seek to lay blame. I know what I am. And I know my place in the universe. I am of Jenova’s race, but I am not her. She was insane, driven mad by isolation. We are a nomadic race, but not solitary. We are in constant contact with one another. To be alone is unbearable. That she went mad from it speaks to me of a great and terrible crime committed by her, so terrible that she was isolated from her people for it. She was evil, but we are not an evil race. She has been in my mind since birth. It is good to be free of her ravings. It is good to be free of her evil.”

Cloud lowered the sword. “Why does your kind travel the darkness of space?”

Charon shrugged, and a faint smile touched his lips. “Why does your kind explore the sea, and the mountains? There are things to see, of course. We are explorers. It is… shameful to us that the only one of our kind you met was a murderer, and mad.”

“Do you hear them now?” asked Cloud. “The others?”

“I do. They greet me. They call to me. They wish to meet me, for I am very young.” Again that smile touched his lips. “And male. There are few males, I gather.”

Cloud smiled, and hung up his sword, stepping out of the room to allow Reno to take Kin to the bathroom.

“Will you leave?”

“One day,” said Charon. “In a few years. I have millennia before me, but my parents and brother do not. I shall stay for the duration of their lives, and then take to the stars to be with my kind.”

Reno stuck his head out of the bathroom. “Cloud, yo, little help?”

Cloud nodded. “I’m on it, babe.”

Cloud went off to help Reno with Kin, just as Phoenix ascended to stairs to cautiously approach his twin. Charon looked down at him, and smiled nastily, narrowing his eerie glowing eyes.

“If mother and father find out what you have been doing with Loz, they will be furious.”

Phoenix clenched his fists and rose onto his toes, standing almost nose to nose with his much taller sibling.

“I liked you better when you were mad.”

“Don’t get pregnant; the baby will have a wind tunnel for a brain.”

“Snot.”

“Tart.”

“Freak.”

“Sissy.”

“Space alien.”

Angeal came up the stairs, clearly fatigued, black circles beneath his red rimmed eyes.

“Do I have to send the two of you to your room?”

“No father,” said the pair primly, both abruptly coming to attention, hands behind their back, eyes large and innocent. Little angels with bent wings and tarnished halos.

Angeal managed an exhausted smile. “I’ll make breakfast.”

Phoenix and Charon followed him into the kitchen, watching as he set about making pancakes.

“Father?” said Phoenix softly. “Are you and mother… not happy together anymore?”

Angeal winced. “We’re having some problems. But that is not for you to worry about, all right? We are staying together and we love you both very much. Come help me cook this, everyone will be awake soon.”

Charon and Phoenix exchanged worried glances, but did as they were told.

***---***

They decided to have the welcome home party at Cid and Vincent’s house, since Tseng was in no shape to travel. The turn-out was spectacular to say the least; Rufus and Reeve were there, as well as every Turk currently in existence, including Elena and The Ether Patrol. Elena was still coughing from the night in the bar, but she was better. It was a very full house.

Tseng entered the house under his own power, though he was very weak and he needed help. Aeris followed anxiously at his side as Rude helped him over to a large padded chair set up just for him. He was eased down into it, then looked around the room at the assembled crowd.

“I hope no one will take it personally if I have no idea who you are,” he said.

“Hey, it’s all right,” said Reno. “You’ve been denying knowing some of us for years.”

Tseng gave Reno an amused look. “You I remember.”

“It’s the twenty gil I owe you, isn’t it?”

Angeal and Genesis arrived not long after Tseng, though not together, and it was clear there was some tension between the pair. Zack sighed and shook his head, but said nothing.

“You can’t expect them to not feel the effects of what they have learned,” said Sephiroth.

“It just breaks my heart,” said Zack. “Angeal has been my friend, my mentor, my teacher…”

“I know,” said Sephiroth quietly. “I’m sorry, Zack. It’s not your fault what happened to them. It isn’t any of our faults.”

Zack lowered his head to Sephiroth’s shoulder, feeling the tears rise. “They’re breaking up and we can’t help them.”

Zack suddenly turned and walked out of the room, looking for a quiet place to gather himself. Sephiroth watched him go, and then sighed quietly. He felt a silent presence come to stand beside him, and he glanced at the old Turk in the black and grey uniform.

“Is the Major all right?” asked Kymira.

“He will be,” said Sephiroth. “I am less certain about Angeal and Genesis, though. Some… information has come to light that is affecting the marriage.”

Kymira gazed after Zack for a time longer, then seemed to silently vanish. Sephiroth couldn’t help but be amused at the way time and circumstances changed, but no matter what, a Turk couldn’t stand by and not get involved when something affected a member of SOLDIER. It was their job to know everything, and keep the machine functioning, and they would continue to do so even though one branch of that union no longer existed. Like a border collie with no sheep, Turks would do their job even when there was no job to do.

‘Well good luck to Kymira,’ Sephiroth thought, raising his glass of wine and sipping it. ‘Maybe he will dig something up to make the whole situation right. I very much doubt it, though.’ Then he felt something attach itself to his leg. He sighed.

“Hello Akira, I see you are up from your nap.”

He moved aside the skirt of his coat, and raised an eyebrow as he saw his child was dressed in a black and grey uniform, complete with tiny grey gloves. The collar around his neck had the customary Shadow Turk insignia, but Akira’s was a pacifier, and embroidered onto the lapels was crossed diaper pins. Sephiroth sighed.

“Rufus Shinra you really are a menace with far too much money.”

“It’s a Turk party!” said Rufus, one arm around Reeve. “Can’t have anyone out of uniform. Which reminds me. Rude, confiscate that infant, would you?”

Reno permitted his friend to take Kin, though he was clearly a bit nervous about it. He received her back a few minutes later in a uniform that matched her mother’s right down to the aviator goggles. He raised an eyebrow.

“So why is my baby the same rank as I am, and Baby’s baby is a Shadow Turk?”

“I’m a general,” said Sephiroth. “I outrank you. Therefore my baby outranks your baby.”

“My baby could kick your baby’s butt.”

“Foul odours do not count.”

Tifa walked up to Sephiroth, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek as she slipped something into his pocket.

“Happy birthday!” she said.

“Thank you, but my birthday is not until February.”

“I know,” said Tifa. “But I know how sad you were when Satin died, and then I saw something at the market in Kalm this morning and I couldn’t resist, I had to get it for you. Especially after I found out what it was.”

Sephiroth felt the thing in his pocket squiggle, and heard a strange noise. He looked at Tifa wearily.

“It’s not a bunny, is it?”

“I can assure you that it is not a bunny.”

Sephiroth reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked to be a very small dull brown chicken. He raised an eyebrow.

“Dazzling. What the hell is it?”

Tifa giggled. “Well he doesn’t look like much yet, but when he’s grown up he will be silver-white with a black belly and a scarlet head. He’s a silver pheasant!”

Sephiroth smiled his faint little smile. “I beg to differ, it is definitely a little brown chicken.”

“He will grow up to be a silver pheasant. Do you like him?”

The smile broadened slightly, clearly charmed by the little bird. “Yes, Tifa, I do. Thank you.”

She hugged him, then went off to get herself a glass of wine. Sephiroth looked at Reno.

“Would you like to play with my cock?”

Reno poked his tongue out at Sephiroth, then turned his head to watch Genesis as he approached Vincent, moving almost cautiously. Slowly, shyly, Vincent retreated behind Cid, but like a kitten tracking something strange, Genesis simply followed after him, eyes narrowed, knowing he had seen this man someplace before. Then the single watt bulb came on over his head.

“Corporal White!”

“Oh god,” muttered Vincent.

“You played Corporal White in the musical version of ‘Loveless’! You were brilliant! You were fantastic! Tell me; what was your motivation for the way you played the part?”

“Getting paid.”

“No, really, what was your true motivation because I have to say your performance left me in tears, it changed my whole view of that character. Now in the third scene where you hid behind the pillar as opposed to the broken cart, which is where White hid in the book, what personal insight into the character were you attempting to project?”

“Please go away.”

“You felt it was his desire to have the invaders leave that motivated it?”

“No I would really just very much like you to go away.”

“In a moment, I promise. Now in the fifth scene…”

Angeal cleared his throat, grinning. “Oh darling, your OCD is showing.”

“I’m just asking the man a few questions!” Genesis looked around. “Where did he go? Oh there he is. Now as I was saying, in the fifth scene… Angeal… what are you doing?”

Angeal put an arm around Genesis and gently drew him away from Vincent. “Leave poor Mr. Valentine alone, you can pick his brain after we’re all a little more drunk.”

Genesis nuzzled him and asked quietly; “And how drunk do we have to get to pretend our marriage is not circling the toilet bowl?”

“Our marriage is fine; it’s just… in a transitional period.”

“Yeah? What’s it transforming into? A divorce?”

“I can’t take you anywhere. Let me get you something to drink.”

“Okay but I would be more inclined to behave if you kissed me.”

Angeal did. Sephiroth smiled slightly as he watched the pair, but like Zack he too felt the pain of watching his friends struggle with the situation. His attention was drawn by Kymira leaving the party with two of his crew accompanying him, moving quietly and purposefully. Angeal and Genesis too were distracted by their exit, and exchanged glances.

“What do you suppose that was about?” asked Genesis.

Angeal just shrugged. “I haven’t a clue.”

***---***

The party went on well into the small hours of the night, people slowly departing until there were only a few left in the large livingroom. The lights were dimmed and Tifa lit a fire in the hearth, casting a soft glow over the gathering. Outside thunder softly rumbled, distant and quiet.

“I’ve brought you all here to tell you I’ve discovered the identity of the murderer,” said Cid.

“Oh behave,” said Aeris, giggling.

He snorted. “Bigger men than you have tried to make me, lady.”

“And while we all try to sort the meaning behind that phrase…” Barret leaned forward and peered at Vincent. “Valentine, are you high?”

“Little,” admitted Vincent quietly.

“Leave the man be,” said Cid affectionately. “The kids are with my mom tonight, let him get goofy.”

Tifa looked at Aeris. “Are you and your mom speaking yet?” she asked.

“Not exactly,” said Aeris, “but Ifalna wanted to see her so I let mom come get both kids. They deserve to see their grandmother. Vincent, pass that roach.”

Tifa’s jaw dropped. “Aeris!”

Reno grinned. “After everything Aeris has done you’re surprised that she smokes a little pot?”

“No, that she never told me! We could have bought a baggie to share when we were on the road.”

Teddy handed Vincent a baggie of fine Mideel marijuana. “Your turn. I rolled the last two.”

“Look this is all very amusing,” said Angeal, “but if you don’t mind I’d like to get what’s left of my marriage home and commit suicide.”

Genesis shot him a sidelong look. “You can leave any time.”

“I don’t want to leave,” said Angeal quietly. “I told you that.”

“I know. I’m sorry, it’s just… all getting to be a little much. But it’s not fair! I hate watching my family disintegrate because of something that is not our fault!”

Angeal put an arm around Genesis, hugging him, then glanced over at Vincent. “You’ve been asking us to wait all evening, and we have but frankly we’re getting rather tired, and it’s late. Do you have something to show us or not?”

Vincent was about to speak, when his phone rang. He pulled it out and looked at it. “I do,” he said quietly. He glanced at Angeal and Genesis. “Kymira is a bit of compulsive digger. I’m not free to discuss a Shadow Turk, but… well… when he gets a thought he follows it. He just sent me the information he was looking for.”

Before him on the coffee table was a large piece of paper, on which they had been rolling joints. Vincent carefully brushed aside the bits of plant matter and took out a pen. He looked towards Angeal and Genesis as Aeris handed the joint to Rufus.

“The first thing you have to understand,” said Vincent, “is the effect pop culture has on human beings. At the time when your parents would have been born, there was a play called ‘Sojourn’ being performed. It was a very powerful, very moving piece about a woman who commits suicide to save the life of a man she has never met. It had an enormous impact on many, many people. It is estimated that 43% of female infants born in the five years the play ran were named after the main character – Gillian.”

Angeal and Genesis looked at one another, puzzled, but they listened, Angeal’s arm around Genesis’ shoulders. Vincent took a skewer and stabbed a piece of fruit out of the vat of Yukkaflux. As he ate it, he wrote across the top of the piece of paper HOLLANDER. He then wrote in a row beneath that name GILLIAN H. GILLIAN K. GILLIAN F. He drew a line from Hollander’s name to Gillian H.

“These are Angeal’s parents,” said Vincent. He wrote Angeal’s name beneath Gillian H’s, then drew a line from her name to Angeal’s.

“So far so good,” said Angeal.

Vincent nodded. “But this is where it begins to get interesting. Gillian H died not long after Angeal was born, and Hollander married another woman, Gillian K. Then he met a third woman, Gillian F. Not being known for his self-restraint, he had an affair with her, and fathered a child. Gillian F, however, was a married woman who was under the impression her husband had been killed. Not long after getting pregnant, she received a letter informing her that her husband had been mistakenly declared dead in a mining accident. She went home to be with him, and had a child.”

Vincent drew a descending line from both Gillian F and Gillian K’s names, then drew a line from Gillian F to Hollander.

“So we have three Gillians, each connected to Hollander, each bearing a son. But Gillian K was pregnant when Hollander married her. The child she bore, the one Hollander declared a failed experiment, was not fathered by him. He sent that child to live with another family, unwilling to have a child under his roof who was both a failure and a bastard.”

Vincent wrote beneath Gillian K’s name GENESIS. The room was silent.

“Gillian F went home to Gongaga village, where she and her husband reconciled, and live to this day. But Gillian F, to distance herself from the affair, and the project, stopped using her first name and began calling herself Bonnie.”

Vincent crossed out Gillian F’s name and wrote BONNIE, then wrote beneath her name ZACK. He raised his red eyes to look at Genesis, Angeal and Zack as they sat together, all wearing equal expressions of shock.

“Angeal and Genesis are not half-brothers,” said Vincent. “Angeal and Zack are.”

Sephiroth looked at Zack. “Did you know that?”

“Yes!” said Zack. “Well I mean I knew most of it. They thought it best to tell me because you can’t keep secrets like that in a tiny village, but they never told me who my father actually was.”

Tifa stared at the two. “Well it makes more sense than the other way around, I mean look at them. You can’t tell me THAT hair is an accident.”

“Technically,” said Vincent, “Angeal and Genesis are brothers, but by marriage. Not blood. But James Sovereign did not know that when he programmed Angeal and Genesis to fall in love with each other. Because of the substantial amount of Jenova cells injected into each of them, they did produce a Jenova being, but Sovereign bred the wrong offspring. He should have had Angeal and Zack produce a child, but because Zack was never modified to the same extent the experiment would not have worked anyway. The ‘G’ in Project ‘G’ does stand for Gillian. But there were three of them. And Angeal and Genesis are not related.”

Angeal collapsed back into his seat, bringing his hands up to his eyes in relief. Abruptly he stood up and fled the room. Genesis watched him go, then turned to Vincent, eyes large.

“That’s the truth, isn’t it? I mean you’re really not just trying to make us feel better, because I have to know. I’ve been telling myself it didn’t matter but it’s been eating the both of us alive.”

“It’s true,” said Vincent. He passed Genesis his phone, watching as he took it and ran after Angeal.

“But what about the information Angeal found?” said Zack. “It said…”

“You have to understand how the records from that time period were kept,” said Vincent. “The records Angeal found were the official ones – records written for bureaucrats that had to be orderly and concise. Then there are the complete records, which only certain persons would have access to. People like Rufus and Kymira. Angeal would not be able to find those ones because he would have no idea where to look, and what codes were required to find them. You also have to take into consideration the mindset of scientists on a mission, whose funding depends greatly upon keeping up appearances and achieving results. The information in the official records is, as I said, technically accurate. But in this case it is the details that make the difference.”

“So it’s finally over,” said Aeris quietly. “There is nothing left to learn.”

“Well, not about this, anyway,” said Rufus. He was leaning back against the couch, one leg resting on the coffee table, Reeve comfortably passed out in his lap. “But who the hell knows what bloody garbage is buried in that company? I’m afraid to look, frankly, I’m afraid of maggots.” He smiled at Reeve, stroking his hair, then turned his attention to Teddy, who was quietly playing his sitar. “What about it, Teddy? Is all well?”

“For now.”

“What are you going to do with your last piece of materia?” asked Aeris.

“I don’t know. Keep it.”

“Are you sure you can’t...?”

“Yes,” said Teddy quietly, firmly, cutting her off.

“I’m so sorry.”

Teddy said nothing. He finished playing, and then retired to bed. Slowly the guests departed for their own homes, save for Rufus, who did not want to disturb Reeve and ended up falling asleep on the couch with him.

“C’mon, dipstick,” said Cid affectionately, picking Vincent up off the floor. “Let’s get your cute little skinny body to bed.”

“Mph.” Vincent snuggled close to Cid, his eyes closed. “Would you care if I was your brother?”

“Aw don’t ask me crap like that, you know I have no morals or scruples.”

Vincent smiled. “I’m glad.” He draped his arms around Cid’s neck and looked up at him with glazed, lidded eyes. “I’m drunk, high, and helpless.”

“And I have every intention of taking advantage of that.”

“Oh good, we’ve only had sex twice today. I was starting to worry that you didn’t find me attractive any more.”

“Mr. Valentine, if I ever not find you attractive… I can’t finish that sentence because I can’t imagine not finding you attractive.” Cid suddenly changed direction, heading outside. “I just had a thought.”

“I thought I heard a noise.”

“Hush.”

“So what was this thought of yours?”

Cid lowered his head and kissed him. “You, me, by the lake, a pot of tea in the moonlight, maybe exchange a few heartfelt vows without the moose and the anthropology students, you slightly less stoned than the last time, then maybe a little sex by the water’s edge. Sound good to you?”

Vincent smiled. “Cid, you are my greatest treasure. I hope no one ever finds out what a loving romantic soul you are.”

“Doing my best to keep it hidden, babe. I’ll make the tea, you grab a blanket.”

***---***

Teddy awoke, feeling bleary, tired, and mildly hung-over. Something was gently tapping at his psychic wall, but he ignored it. He was leaving that part of his brain off these days; he didn’t have the heart or strength to talk to spirits. Not without David. He would speak with them again one day, but not now. For now he just permitted himself to feel out the inhabitants of the house. Aeris and Tseng were still asleep, Ifalna playing in her room. Rufus and Reeve were just waking up, their thoughts on only one another, and having breakfast before getting back to their houseful of orphans. Cid and Vincent were sleeping in well past their usual time, having fed the moose before taking their weary selves to bed. All was well in the Highwind-Valentine household.

All but him, that is. But he would be okay too, in time. Teddy chose some darker colours that better suited his aura and mood than his usual purples, yellows and greens, then left the room, heading downstairs to make coffee. He smiled despite his grief as he saw Rufus and Reeve feeding each other the handful of strawberries left over from the party.

“Morning,” said Teddy quietly.

“Good morning,” said Rufus. “And how are you today?”

“I’m all right. Coffee?”

“Yes, please, oh, and I think Skippy needs to be let in, I think I heard him a moment ago.”

Teddy thought it was odd that Skippy would be outside; the wolf was not a fan of the great outdoors. He walked to the door, opened it, and stared, jaw dropping, his heart lurching in his chest.

“Hello,” said the tall handsome man before him. “I heard you were missing a WRO Major..?”

Teddy’s heart did something painful. He clutched the door, holding himself up. “Da… David?”

David smiled. “Miss me?”

Teddy collapsed to the floor. Reeve’s head shot up as David knelt to feel for a pulse.

“Rufus?” said Reeve. “I think we just gave the hippie a heart attack.”

Rufus rolled his eyes. “Bloody hell. David, pick him up. Dammit, Teddy, you cannot pay Rufus Shinra to bring your lover back from the dead and then keel over when he does. It’s just bad form.”

Meanwhile, in the yellow villa, Genesis was just waking up, breathing in the warm, familiar scent of his lover, relishing the way the weight was finally gone from his heart. He had his marriage back, and his family. Life could not be more perfect. He raised his head and looked at Angeal, smiling as he saw him gazing back at him. Saying nothing they moved into an embrace, kissing softly, caressing one another. Upstairs, Cloud and Reno watched Phoenix dart out of his bedroom and into the bathroom, where he loudly vomited.

“Should we mention that to his mommy and daddy, yo?” asked Reno, sipping his coffee.

“Later,” said Cloud. “Let’s give them a few hours between catastrophes.”