Chapter One:

A Second Chance

Pain…

With every breath, every gasp for air, more pain would welcome him without a hint of hesitation. Every time his lungs expanded for there much needed oxygen, pain would course all through his chest, especially his ribs. He knew without a doubt that the majority of his rib cage was broken; he had the rubble to thank for that.

Yazoo tried to adjust his body into a more comfortable position… If that was at all possible he wasn't exactly sure. What he was sure of was the pain coursing throughout his veins like a blazing fire. He felt pins and needles in just about every limb, if he could feel them at all… There was a weird burning sensation trembling and riveting in his body. He didn't know how much more of the pain he could take without slipping out of consciousness.

Had his brother suffered the same fate or had he ended up in a worse fate than himself? After they attempted to rid Gaia of their elder brother Cloud, there was an explosion atop the once great Shin- Ra tower. Kadaj did not make it. He had simply faded away into the Lifestream, becoming one with Gaia. That voice that called out to him… Was it Mother? Had Mother taken Kadaj away in her arms, leading him to a peaceful slumber?

Yazoo felt a sudden urge to cry, but something held him back that at first seemed easy to explain. He at first found his answer in the fact that Loz cried enough for the three of them combined, regardless of the fact that he was the eldest of the three. Maybe the tears did not come because he did not mind being alone. Mother should whisk him away in her arms too, right?

Yet he had spent his entire existence with his brothers and the thought of being alone terrified him so much that he knew he couldn't deny it. It was useless to try and do so. He was alone, companionless, and forsaken… Was it possible that even Mother had abandoned him?

The tears threatened to overwhelm him if they weren't released soon, even if it seemed as if he shouldn't have any tears to begin with. Remember, it seemed as if Loz cried enough for the three of them combined. But then again, Loz wasn't there right now to cry for him.

There was movement suddenly occurring above him. At first Yazoo couldn't tell what it was. When there was a sudden flash of bright light he nearly cried out. His eyes took a moment to adjust, but in the end he still ended up squinting his eyes. He lay there for a moment, the sun's warm rays tingling his skin. Then a cold wind blew and a cloud hid the warmth of the sun away from him almost mockingly at him, like he had been when he and Loz fought the Turks.

He shivered uncontrollably, his body convulsing in a weird and twisted way. He heard voices, but none of them resembled Mother. His eyebrows furrowed when the cold wind nipped at him again. He was suddenly, yet gently lifted from the rubble. There were a few people surrounding him, the thought that Loz might be one of them almost comforted him… almost.

There were several hands carrying his body though he couldn't tell how many. Their hands were so different from his own. They were comforting and helpful, nothing like his bloodstained hands that would go as far as using innocent children as a tool for his own greedy and selfish desires. Yazoo felt terrible, if that could even be the word to describe it.

One of the people, a young child who followed Yazoo's rescuers, gave him a small smile. After that, Yazoo saw nothing but darkness; a cold abyss seemed to swallow him up leading him into and intimate meeting with oblivion...

-------------------

When Yazoo woke up, he found himself in a soft bed with the sheets tucked in under his arms. The room smelled clean, warm and… safe. There were several bandages around his arms, legs and head. His torso was securely wrapped as well. He took a moment to glance at his surroundings. It was a small room with two beds, one of which he was currently in. The covers were a mild brown that reminded him of the fall season when the leaves turned and the trees became bare.

A soft glow came from the small lamp next to him. There was a warm cup of tea on the night- stand at his other side. Yazoo could see the steam rising from the dark colored liquid. Everything about the room seemed unreal, at least to him. He couldn't remember if he had ever been in a place so relaxing as this.

The forgotten city was similar in a way that it was relaxing, but it had an eerie mystery behind it that filled him with chills from the moment they first entered the forest. Here that was not so here it was warm and pleasant. The curtains had been drawn back to allow light to seep through. It was either dawn or dusk, but Yazoo couldn't tell between the same fiery shades of the two.

After gazing around some more Yazoo discovered a figure in the doorway. He had suddenly become alert, his muscles tensed slightly and the slits in his eyes narrowed to the point were they became a single line of black. The pleasant feelings left and were replaced with a wariness similar to that of and animal. He scooted back into the base of the headboard.

Cloud continued leaning against the doorway, his eyes closed and his body was still, save for the slight rise and fall of his chest. They remained that way for the longest time, the silence between them was agonizingly painful to both their ears, but the two of them ignored it. A few minutes had passed and it was Cloud who made the first move.

"How's the tea?"

Yazoo couldn't believe it. Weren't they enemies only days before? Now he was asking for comments on his tea? Maybe he was still buried beneath all that rubble and this was just an illusion, a dream to sooth his aches and pains. It didn't seem real, not that Yazoo was complaining or anything. After what he and his brothers did he wouldn't have been surprised to see Cloud bludgeon him to the point of death.

Yazoo made an attempt to answer the blonde, but all that came out was a disgusting croak that made him want to tear out his vocal cords. Cloud resisted the urge to chuckle and quietly paced forth to where Yazoo sat upright on the bed. Gently he grasped the cup of tea and held it out to the silver- haired man, who reluctantly accepted it.

There was an agonizingly long pause before Yazoo was urged on to take a sip. He thought about it for but a moment until he then greedily sipped the liquid, anything to sooth his sore throat. He let out a small sigh; it had definitely helped. He looked at Cloud with questioning eyes.

"Why are you helping me?" Yazoo asked quietly. His hands trembled as he held his cup of tea. Its warmth felt good against his skin as goose bumps began to form all along his arms. Silence hung in the air.

"Does kindness need a reason?" Cloud stared at Yazoo, his face calm, his lips almost smiling. Yazoo was taken back by the comment. He nearly dropped his cup of tea on his lap.

"No," he said, his voice quivering slightly. Again there was silence. Yazoo had to think for a moment. He looked down at his tea and then at Cloud. "No I guess you don't."

This is most likely going to be only about five to seven chapters long… Originally it was just going to be a oneshot but as you can see that isn't the case. So let me know what you guys think, comments are most definitely welcome! Let me know where I can improve on my work.