Aetiyu

[Tifa Lockhart]

The battle was won and Cosmos had sent everyone back to their own worlds with her eternal thanks. They'd promised to see each other again one day, but they all had things of incredible importance to return to.
The portal felt icy cold against Zack's skin as he emerged from it, Aerith's hand was still tightly held in his, and Cloud and Tifa emerged not far behind them.

It was a sunny day, and the ocean spray nipped at their toes as they walked out of the portal. At first Zack had no idea where they were, then a familiar house caught his eye on the shoreline. His eyes lit up with joy, home. They were finally home.
"Come on!" Zack exclaimed with joy, releasing Aerith's hand to race up the beach towards the house.

Inside a young boy sat on the couch watching his little sister draw. He looked up and out towards the beach as he often did, planning to watch gulls float on the ocean breeze, but today he saw something far more exhilarating.
"Its daddy!" He yelled, leaping to his feet and running to push open the glass sliding door that went out onto the beach veranda, "Come on Ashie!" He yelled, gesturing for his sister.

[The Painted Lady]

Bright blue eyes tore themselves off of the paper to look up as Ynyr spoke. The little girl was frozen in shock for a moment, but the form of her racing father was soon joined by that of her mother too. She got up quickly, sketch book and pencils flying in all directions, running after her brother and squeezing through the gap he had opened in the door.

Inside, Yuffie was the first to react.
"Hey... kids! I don't think--"
When she saw who was sprinting up the beach, she stopped.
"Hey Kunsel! Check it!"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Kunsel emerged from the bathroom where he'd been shaving when Yuffie called, and grinned when he spotted the SOLDIER running up the beach.
"About time huh?" He said happily as he wiped the left over shavers cream from his face.

Zack was surprised when he spotted two little figures running out of the house to greet them, and before he could properly brace himself Ynyr was crash tackling him to the ground wit a strength unnatural for a three year old XD
"Hey buddy!" He exclaimed, scrubbing the boy's hair.
Ynyr laughed madly and swatted his father's hand.

[The Painted Lady]

Ashlynn caught up to her brother with a little less ease. She was noticeably smaller than her twin, and had never been the healthiest child. Aerith knelt in the sand beside Zack as Ashlynn arrived, holding her arms out in welcome, which the little girl quickly jumped into. Aerith started crying immediately, holding her daughter close.
"Hello baby," she smiled.
She kissed her face over and over.

"Why are you crying Mama?" Ashlynn asked around her mother's kisses.

Aerith laughed quietly.
"Because I've missed you," she looked to Ynyr, "both of you, so so much."

"I missed you too Mama..." Ashlynn whispered.
"Lots and lots..."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack gave a playful groan of mock effort as he sat back up and propped his son onto his feet.
"I hope you two have been good for Aunty Yuffie and Uncle Kunsel while we were gone." He said, looking from Ynyr to Ashlynn and back again.

Behind them Cloud and Tifa caught up, they'd taken their walk at a much more leisurely pace.

[The Painted Lady]

Ashlynn nodded quickly before leaping at her father.
"Are you back for good now?" she asked as Aerith scooped up Ynyr, kissing him gently.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack grunted as Ashlynn threw herself at him and smiled as he held her gently and kissed her forehead.
"We're back for good now." He said with certainty. There was no way he was leaving Gaia without taking ALL of his family with him... he'd experienced far too many risks to be away from them again.
"Mummy and Daddy aren't going to leave anymore." He said as he climbed to his feet, holding Ashlynn close.

Ynyr hugged into his mother tightly.
"I looked after Ashlynn good Mother." He said with a grin.

[The Painted Lady]

"Good."
Ashlynn hugged her father tightly, wrapping her limbs around his body.
"I drew pictures for you," she said quietly.

"Of course you did," Aerith smiled, kissing the top on Ynyr's head.
"Look at you, you've grown so much haven't you?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Ynyr puffed his chest out proudly and nodded, "I has mother. Aunty Yuffie kept measurin' us an' i've got new lines an' everything." He seemed rather smug about that fact, "But Ashie hasn't got none new ones mother." He expression saddened a little.

"Oh you did, did you?" Zack said with a smile, "How about you show them to me huh?" He asked, kissing the girl's forehead before he headed up to the house.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith gave a sad smile.
"That's okay... Ashie will grow eventually," she assured.
"But we'll just have to look after her extra careful, hm?"

Ashlynn nodded enthusiastically, but then spotted the couple that walked behind them over Zack's shoulder.
"Uncle Spike! Aunty Tifa!" she said happily.
She had missed her uncle and aunt too.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud looked away from his mumbled conversation with Tifa when Ashlynn called to him. He blushed as usual at her nickname for him and gave her a small wave.
"Why don't you go say a proper hello to Uncle Spike huh?" Zack said with a cheeky grin and a wink to Ashlynn before he set her down on her feet.

Ynyr nodded to his mother when she said they'd have to protect Ashlynn.
"You can count on me Mother!"

[The Painted Lady]

Ashlynn giggled.
"Uncle Spike! Uncle Spike!" the little girl called cheerfully, rushing toward Cloud once Zack put her down on the sand.

Aerith smiled, adjusting Ynyr on her hip and kissing him again as she turned around to watch Ashlynn run to Cloud.
"Did you want to say hello too?" she asked Ynyr.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Ynyr screwed up his nose slightly as he watched his sister run to Cloud. The blonde picked her up as she ran to him and sat her on his hip with an art that looked well practiced.
"Y'know mother... i think Uncle Spike doesn't LIKE us." He looked at his mother and pouted slightly.

Despite what the boy thought, Cloud was secretly quite fond of Zack's children, he was just terribly awkward about them, he'd never dealt with children this young before.
"Hello Ashlynn." He said once he'd picked her up, "How did you enjoy your time with Yuffie and Kunsel?" He gave the girl a small smile before looking to Tifa, who smiled back at him, almost encouragingly.

[The Painted Lady]

"Oh now, that's not true," Aerith said immediately, lightly tapping the tip of Ynyr's nose with her index finger.
"Uncle Spike loves both of you very much."
She kissed him again.
"He just isn't sure how to show it sometimes. When he first met Denzel and Marlene, they were already starting to grow up, so he doesn't know how to act around you and Ashie. He's a good Uncle though, isn't he?"

"Aunty Yuff and Uncle Kuns are fun..."
Ashlynn leant forward to whisper in Cloud's ear.
"But I prefer Mummy and Daddy."
She grinned as she pulled away.
"I missed you Uncle Spike. Aunty Tifa and you are staying too?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Ynyr gave his mother a look of disdain before he looked back over at Cloud and his sister. After a moments observation he turned back to his mother with a smile.
"He's weird." Ynyr joked with a playful grin, "Kinda like daddy only quieter like." He giggled.

Cloud blushed heavily when Ashlynn asked if they were staying, and he glanced at Tifa using his periferal, not wanting to make his uncertainty too obvious to the little girl. He saw Tifa nod, and so he turned to Ashlynn with a tiny bit more confidence.
"We'll stay a little while Ashlynn, but Tifa and I have to make sure Denzel hasn't trashed Seventh Heaven" He smiled.