Epilogue

Denzel had a bag in his arms, as he walked into the home he’d grown up in since he’d been about eight. Standing in the kitchen and sitting at the table were the people he’d known as parents, for those years.

The first person to smile at his presence was Tifa, though she had taken on the title of Mom about eleven years earlier.

“Denzel,” she said happily, approaching him and hugging him, “It’s been weeks.”

“A month,” Denzel said shyly.

“How are you and Marlene?” Tifa asked, stepping back for a moment.

“We’re alright. We’re staying in an apartment right now, kinda small, but we don’t need all that much room.”

“Yes,” Tifa said, retaining her smile as she looked over at Cloud, “Well?”

“I still don’t like it,” he said, a frown engraved on his face.

Denzel looked at both of them, “What are you guys talking about?”

“Oh, it’s a long story,” Tifa said wiping her hands dry on a towel, “But I’m sure your father won’t mind telling you the story,” she nudged him, before whispering, “Maybe you can get him out of his mood.”

Denzel nodded, as Tifa walked out of the room. Then he proceeded to sit down across from Cloud, dropping his bag on the floor, “So what’s going on?”

Cloud had his hands clasped, still appearing unpleased by something, “It’s him,” he muttered, as though the word caused a bad taste in his mouth.

“Him, who?” Was Denzel’s first response, “Zack? He can’t be that bad. From what Mom told me he was getting good grades.”

“Oh, Zack’s perfectly fine, it’s not him. The him, I’m talking about, is a slimly bastard son of that filthy Turk.”

“Who’s that?”

“Well, I think he’s a rat, but she calls him Zayne.”

“And you’re sure that...Zayne, is the son of a Turk?”

“He’s got to be, I’ve never seen any other idiot with red hair.”

“Oh you mean Reno,” Denzel said recalling the image of the red headed Turk, “But what’s so wrong about Zayne? I mean even if he is Reno’s son...”

“There is only one thing in that boy’s mind,” Denzel was startled when Cloud brought his hand down on the table, creating a slam, “And it involves, him, Skye and a dark room.”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting, just a little bit?” Denzel asked.

“I’m not overreacting, I know what I saw, he was going to kiss her, I know it.”

“Wait, you were spying on them?”

“I wasn’t spying. Two teenagers should not be allowed in a room together, when one of them is the illegitimate child of a pervert.”

“Dad, come on,” Denzel said, “You realize, that someday you might just have to accept him. What if they come in one day and say that they’re dating, or that they’re engaged, or even that they eloped and got married. What are you going to do then?”

“Hang him from the nearest tree.”

“Dad,” Denzel started, but was interrupted when the eight year old Zack Strife, burst into the room.

“Hiya,” he said, when he reached Denzel’s side.

Cloud glanced over at him, “Where’s your sister?”

“She’s coming,” Zack muttered, looking up at Denzel, “Long time no visit,” he said, smiling.

The three of them sat, or in Zack’s case, stood, around the kitchen table, when Tifa’s voice caught their ears.

“Skye,” but then there was a pause, before she added, “And Zayne, how nice of you to come. Why are you here?”

“School project. I’m her partner,” came a voice that Denzel figured to be Zayne’s.

“Ah,” that was where Tifa’s voice ended and now the clear sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen, called each of theirs attention to the doorway.

That was Denzel caught his first glimpse at the man who had become his father’s greatest foe. Though, he didn’t look that threatening. The seventeen year old, was about a head taller then Skye and lanky in build. He had bright red hair that wasn’t nearly as long as his supposed father, and, from what images Denzel could recall of Reno, the exact same green eyes, minus the symmetrical tattoos that Reno had underneath them.

Denzel noticed the scowl that formed on Cloud’s face, but he missed the words that his adoptive father had muttered. However he was sure that he had just seen Skye roll her eyes, when she caught sight of the look on their father’s face.

The only one who seemed to not notice anything wrong, was Zack, who went up to Zayne smiling, “Hey, why are you here?”

“School work,” he said, ruffling the younger boy’s bright blonde hair.

Denzel got up, and came over to him, amazed to find that he was about an inch shorter then Zayne, “Hi, I’m Denzel,” he held out his hand.

“Her brother right?” The younger man asked, shaking his hand, “I’ve heard about you.”

“Yeah,” he glanced at Skye, who mouthed something to him. He nodded and looked at Zayne again, before glancing back to Cloud, “Aren’t you gonna say hi Dad?”

It was only right that Denzel and Skye were both thrown off guard when Cloud stood up and walked over to where they stood.

“Zack why don’t you go see your mother?”

“But Da-“

“Just for now, alright?”

“Alright,” he turned and scampered out of the room, leaving Skye, Denzel, and the one Cloud found to be a threat in the room.

He managed to look at Denzel and Skye without a scowl, “Could you two go, also?”

“No, wait,” Denzel clamped a hand around his sister’s mouth.

“Sure, fine,” he said, practically towing her out of the room.

When they had left the kitchen, Skye looked at Denzel, “You realize he’ll murder him, if we leave them alone.”

“Why is Dad so mad at this guy?”

“Because, Dad swears he’s going to rape me in the night. You know how dads are. They think everyone’s out to get their kids.”

“Yeah, he’s already thinking that he’s the son of Reno.”

“Really?”

“Tell me, he’s wrong.”

“I’m not sure. Zayne never mentioned his parents. He never really talks about them at all. Denzel,” she said, her voice bordering on a whine, “He’s going to kill him, I can guarantee you that.”

“Just as long as he doesn’t answer the ‘What’s your name’ question with the last name of Sinclair, he’s sorta off the hook.”

“Why Sinclair?”

“Because that’s Reno’s last name according to what Dad’s told me.”

After a pause, both of them had pressed their ears against the door, listening to the interrogation that was taking place.

However Denzel pulled away, for a moment, “What’s Dad got against him anyway?”

“Oh, one time, he swore he saw him trying to kiss me,” she said, “had a fit. He’s never really let go of that.”

“I know,” he sighed, “The first time I left you alone with one of my friends, I nearly was grounded for life.”

“I was fifteen.”

“I know that, but still. He doesn’t trust anyone with his daughter.”

Skye rolled her eyes, “You realize if he lays one hand on him, I’m going to walk in there and say that we’re married.”

Denzel turned to look at her, “What happened to my goody-little-two-shoes sister?”

“Uh,” she paused, for a moment, as Denzel answered his own question.

“I think you’ve been spending too much time with this guy.”

“What?”

“When I left, you were all innocent and would never do anything that would make Dad mad. What happened?”

“Well...”

Denzel looked into her green eyes, before his own blue eyes widened, “You like this guy don’t you?”

“Um...”

“And you wanted him to kiss you,” he said, trying to keep his voice down.

“...,” she frowned at him, returning to press her ear against the door, but was met with the sound that reminded her of someone sobbing.

Skye reached for the door handle, opening it, but not finding her father anywhere in the room. Only a slightly confused Zayne stood there with a dazed look on his face.

“What just happened?” Denzel asked as he followed Skye in.

“He asked me what my intentions for his daughter were, I told him, he asked me what my name is, he took off.”

“Was he crying by any chance?” Skye asked.

“I don’t..really know,” Zayne said, “He just took off.”

“Okay, tell me what you said to him,” Denzel walked over to face Zayne, while Skye looked out the open doorway.

“Well, I said that I would like to have a steady relationship with her,” he said, recalling his exact words to the older man.

And what did you say your name was?”

“Zayne. Zayne Sinclair.”

Denzel glanced back at Skye, “I think Dad might have lost it.”

Skye glanced back at him, “You think?”

Denzel sighed, pressing a hand to his eyes, “Better tell Mom to say goodbye. I can see it now, he’s going to a looney bin.”

“Either that or a murdering spree.”

Zayne glanced at both of them, “Did I say something wrong?”

The two siblings exchanged glances, while Skye simply sighed, “Dad could never let go of some things.”

Fin