My story of what may have happened if Zack and Cloud both made it to Midgar safe and sound!

I don't own any thing to do with FFVII and if I did do you really think I'd be writing this? ;)


Chapter 1

Zack shifted himself in his sheets; they were rough and scratched at his skin whenever it had the chance. He sighed and growled to himself finally flipping onto his back.

He stared up at the peeling ceiling and then turned to the window next to him. What a difference a week makes he thought to himself. Just last week he'd made it to Midgar in the back of a truck. And just before that he was trudging across the planet almost dragging his friend along.

The Soldier turned to his friend who was curled up asleep in his own bed. He watched him shudder and twist and turn the sheets sticking to his wet skin. Zack would take him to the doctors or something but he might as well hand Cloud over to Shinra. He promised himself that whatever illness his friend had got would pass.

Zack got out his bed tossing the sheets off the brick like bed. He stared at the room he was sleeping in; his sword was besides his bed ready to be grabbed if needs be. There was one chair in the corner and a small cupboard pushed against the wall. The dark haired man shook his head and walked out into the joining room.

He stared round at the flat he and Cloud inhabited. It consisted of two rooms and nothing more than old furniture. Zack fell down onto the moth eaten sofa and shifted his weight feeling a spring dig into his back. Zack was a mercenary, working for whatever money he could get. He didn't expect Cloud to work not in his current state but what he had hoped for was that the blond would speak, a little more than he does already.

Zack looked at the clock besides him and sighed, he wouldn't have minded having an extra hour in bed but he didn't expect he would be able to sleep again; Cloud would be awake soon anyways. He stumbled over to where he had left his clothes from yesterday and gathered them up and headed off to the bathroom, outside his flat.


Cloud jumped at the slamming of the door, he turned to the bed besides him and saw it was empty; Zack must have gone to work. He slid out of bed and grabbed the one baggy jumped on the floor that Zack had been kind enough to donate to him.

He stumbled outside wiping the sweat with his sleeve. Cloud looked round and noticed the piece of paper Zack had quickly stuck to the door.

Shower.

Cloud stared at the plain writing and walked over to the joining kitchen. He fell down onto the stool and set about making his breakfast along with Zack's. The blond looked up at the clock reading half seven and then carried on with what little help he could offer to Zack.

After finally making toast for himself and his friend he couldn't actually bring himself to eat it. He stared at it frowning, not sure whether he should try and at least eat some of it and risk being sick again or just leave it.

The door swung open and Zack walked in a smile plastered across his face. "What better way to wake up than a nice cold shower!" Smiled Zack, realising Cloud hadn't note the sarcasm in his voice. "For me?" He whispered, dropping the towel across his shoulders, he waited for Cloud to at least make a sign that it was his before taking the plate, only just noticing the slight nod of his head.

"Thanks!" He said again sliding down onto the sofa. There was a long awkward silence, something Zack couldn't stand. "So… any plans for today?" He asked half way through munching on his dry toast.

Cloud lifted his head slowly and looked at the older man. "No." He whispered.

"Maybe you should go out get some fresh air, well not fresh air, Midgar isn't that kind of place but you know go outside!" Said Zack almost pleading to his friend.

Cloud slowly looked away from his friend considering what he'd said, he didn't really want to leave here, and he knew it was safe; the last thing he wanted was to lead Shinra here finding not just him but Zack too. "How about it Cloud, you might want to look for a job or something, if you feel alright that is." Added Zack. Cloud frowned he didn't want to appear weak, not to anyone least of all Zack.

"Fine." He forced out, staring down at the dirty worktop.

"What?!" Cried Zack, standing besides his friend not sure if he heard right.

"Alright." Mumbled Cloud, walking away from Zack not wanting to be so close, he walked back into their shared bedroom and grabbed his bundle of clothes. He headed for the door and ignored Zack's gaze and left the man alone walking towards the shadow.


Zack walked the streets of Midgar, thinking of only Cloud not sure whether or not he did the right thing allowing the younger man to leave the safety of his flat.

Can't control Cloud all the time Zack he thought to himself. The Soldier stared up at the tower of flats of where he hoped Cloud would stay for the rest of the day.

He followed the road walking towards the small company he was working for, for the time being. He raced across the road and opened the metal door he stuck his head inside and looked round. "Hello?" He cried finally entering himself. "Hello?!"

A man slowly walked into view, Zack stared at him. The man was old and scruffy, he'd not shaven for days and the grey stubble stuck out. "I'm Zack, Zack Lark." He replied remembering how long he had spent on choosing a different second name and that was the best he'd come up with. The older man nodded to him and motioned to follow him.

Zack sighed and walked after the man. "Needs delivering." Zack stared at the various boxes in front of him. The other man left him and Zack frowned.

"Just great."


Cloud walked out the flats and turned and stared up at the building, he couldn't actually remember going into there. He spun round and looked up and down the street; it was nothing like Nebelheim well what Nebelheim used to be like anyways.

He stared at the group of women standing on the corner of the street, talking to any male passers by. Not that way then Cloud thought and walked down the road.

He looked up at the sky and saw nothing but endless smog, no clouds no sun. The blond followed the streets turning corners not bothering to try and remember which way he had gone.

Cloud watched some people pass by, smiles on their faces. How could anyone be happy here? He stopped still and looked down the various streets. He sighed to himself and chose to walk down one road and followed it.

Find a job, right, like anyone would want to hire you! He snapped to himself. He tried to remember where Zack had said he'd gone to find a job but it eluded him. Cloud stopped in front of a building and stared at a sign.

Need part time work?

He looked the building up and down and finally opened the door. It was a bar; there was hardly anyone inside, most people who were looked like they had spent the whole night there. There was a woman at the bar she was cleaning glasses and she seemed to be ignoring everything around her.

Cloud slowly walked over and stopped at the bar waiting for the woman to notice him. She slowly looked up and placed the glass that was in her hand down. "What can I get you?" She asked sounding bored of asking the same thing over and over again.

"You've got a sign in the window for work, I…" He began, feeling a loss of words.

"She ain't here, come back tomorrow." Replied the woman picking up the glass again realising she wasn't getting any business; she flicked her long dirty blonde hair over her shoulders and cast him a why-are-you-still-here look.

"Right, thanks." The woman gave him a soft smile and watched him leave.

Cloud scratched his neck and looked up and down the street again. At least he'd tried to get a job, not that so far he'd made any difference, but he'd tried.

It was nearing afternoon, and Cloud found himself with no more energy and was starting to head back to his and Zack's flat. He stared down at the floor, his scarf covering half his face. He slowly looked up and stopped gazing up at one building; it was nothing else like Midgar.

Cloud walked to its huge wooden door and slowly pushed them open. A powerful smell swept over him, but it reminded him so much of his home, of Nebelheim. He looked round his mouth hanging open slightly, it was beautiful.

It was a church and looked like it hadn't been used in an extremely long time, and in the middle was a patch of flowers, flowers?

He walked over to where the colour was and stared down at it. "Pretty, right?" He spun round and there was a young woman standing behind him, she had a basket in her arms holding flowers. Her hair was long and in a braid, she was wearing a pink dress and a pink jacket too, something unusual for someone to wear in Midgar.

Cloud nodded slightly and tried to give her a smile, only his corner of his lips twitched. She smiled at him and walked over. "I'm Aerith." She smiled up at him, obviously waiting for him to reply.

"Cloud." He whispered to her, looking at her beautiful face.

"Do you want to buy one?!" She cried, Cloud noticing the pleading in her voice. He dug into his pocket and brought out one coin and passed it to her. She smiled at him again handing him a yellow flower.

"I thought, you couldn't really get flowers in Midgar." He said finding himself that he wanted to make a conversation with her.

"Well, you know you can now!" She laughed, swinging the basket in her arms slightly. She turned round and looked through the door. "I better be going, it was nice meeting you Cloud, I might see you around again?"

Cloud nodded once and she smiled again at him and then turned heading out of the church. He watched her leave and stared down at the flower in his hand, not sure if Zack would appreciate that he'd just spent money on a flower.