Leaning on You(FF7)

57

~Cloud's POV~

Three days later, and we're at Barrets funeral. It's nothing fancy, he would've been uncomfortable if he'd been there in more than his body. No, it's just something simple in North Corel. Elmyra rushed out to us the second she heard we were in town, begging to know if we had managed to save Barret. Unfortunately, there's no way to save someone that had his brains exploded by a bullet.

Tifa holds Vincent's arm a little tighter, and Marlene rests on his hip as if she weighs nothing. Poor girl is getting passed from family to family. Dyne was Barret's best friend, and Marlene's real father. Barret was Tifa's best friend, and the girl's third caretaker despite the fact that she and Elmyra get along really well. Yuffie looks ready to fall asleep and Reno, on her other side, looks, well, zoned out in a Renoish way. Everyone else is quiet unless their snapping at everyone like Cid. He's not too happy, and Shera's been hiding around as best as she can with the baby lately. I really hope he doesn't go back to the verbal abuse he swore off years ago.

One of the people that's acting kind of like a preacher today just keeps talking about how good of a person Barret was. Barret wasn't just a good person; he was an amazing friend, a great father, and one of the most faithful people I've ever been around. He wouldn't leave you behind in battle even if it cost his life, he was always fighting for Marlene, and he never let fear or emotion get in the way of the right thing. Barret was the perfect example of someone I need to be more like. But I'm Cloud, a pretty messed up dude with a past with amnesia, mako poisoning, and depression. Anger issues and too much power tend to do that to you.

Ironically, it begins to rain when we bury him in the small town's tiny graveyard. I seriously think you could only fit like four Barret's in here. The thought nearly makes me chuckle, but it just wouldn't feel right. Yuffie slips her hand into mine silently, cold fingers making me shiver in the rain. Reno hangs an arm around her shoulders, but I count it off as a friendly gesture and watch on without much interest. Something must be bothering the redhead. Tseng won't be honored in his death. He tried to kill the woman that he has feelings for. He harmed his friends. He was betrayed by someone he thought he knew he could trust. It just doesn't seem right in any way. But maybe I can help him work through his issues, since I've been through them too.

~|~|~|~|~

"Where're we headin, kid?" Cid asks, lighting one of the cigarettes he snagged back from Shera. And we all thought he was doing so well. Good thing his baby is back in Costa.

"Huh?" I look up from my spot on the floor beside Yuffie. She's just been silently playing with my hands for well over thirty minutes.

"Yer dad? Gotta kill him too, right? Otherwise this whole rebel thing is still beatin on us."

"Right," I nod, looking over at Elena for help. She nods.

"They took Mr. Strife to Gongaga to get away from the chaos. Apparently, the men holding him in his cell for Tseng worked for him."

"I don't get it," Yuffie sits up suddenly. "If Rufus and Skyler had an agreement, why was his execution to be put on TV?"

"We'll never know now," Elena says quietly, most likely thinking of Tseng.

"Cid?" I call. The pilot gives me an impatient scowl. "Gongaga."

Cid grumbles something under his breath before taking off.

"Jerk," Yuffie grumbles.

"Agreed," I nod as the blonde yells at Reno for no reason. The Turk surprisingly cowers and scampers over in our direction to escape the pilot.