Warning: Canon character death with an AU twist.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII belongs to Square-Enix. No copyrights infringement intended.

Coda

When he walks out of the lake, it's Barret who approaches him first.

"How do you feel?" the other man asks, his voice edgeless in a way it has never been before. It's almost a relief to notice that the softness doesn't reach Barret's eyes.

"Guess," he replies, stepping past Barret. The others are waiting, and a part of him wants to lower his eyes, but he keeps them up, searching every face for traces of horror and disgust.

He's dismayed to find none.

"Cloud," Tifa begins, stepping towards. Her face is smooth and calm, but he's surprised that she's the only one to have anger in her eyes, only one to look betrayed although she's extending her arms out for him, continuing: "It wasn't your.."

He's moving before he even realizes it, pulling his sword from its sheath and throwing it at Tifa's feet. She jumps back just a little, her legs automatically moving into their battle position as her eyes narrow, hostile. That makes him feel better, as does the clash and click of weaponry around him, the way Red's tail rises and curves in a warning. He smiles slowly, watching as all those around him share a common twitch.

He inhales deeply, and allows his mouth to twist downwards.

"There's no one else to blame but me."

They all just slide out of his way as he walks away, leaving the sword on the ground. If Aeris ever bled (because of him), he doesn't want to know.

Note: Just in case it wasn't clear, Sephiroth succeeded in making Cloud kill Aeris for him.