Explosions In The Sky

Summary- He didn't want to believe that it was Zack but he couldn't force himself to believe the doubt he tried to place in his mind, he was Zack Fair and the man didn't remember him at all, Clack

Disclaimer- They are not mine unfortunately, I would have so much fun if they were ^_^

Rating- M ^_^

"Hello Zack, remember me... I wouldn't get too comfortable; death does not receive you yet..." That smile, the beautiful haunting thing that it was would surely become ingrained in the other's eyes, all he really knew what that it didn't hurt anymore; above all he was grateful of that.

Cloud hadn't been able to shake the nightmares no matter how hard he had tried, the only thing he found affective was to avoid sleep, Tifa's eyes were haunted with worry, he was becoming distant again, barely ever around, lost in a memory. His eyes gravitated towards the sword rusted on the rock face high above as Fenrir roared past, his heart clenched, seemed to grind to a stop, he groaned grasping the skin covering the organ as images flashed before his eyes. His senses returned to him just in time to stop him from crashing into a nearby rock, the bike swerved and the rocks grazed his leg as he allowed it to get too close to the ground.

He sighed as he rolled to a stop, breathing deeply, he removed his glasses, ran a hand across his face, something wasn't right he was sure of that, he slid the glasses back over his eyes, someone was watching him he could feel it. He had decided to go for a drive, he could stand the looks from Tifa no longer and work had slowed up considerably. There was a flash of black in front of him, there and gone in a heartbeat, he wondered momentarily if it were his mind playing tricks on him, still he raised his guard, eyes narrowing, there was a man to his left, dressed in red and so familiar, he couldn't pinpoint the name, it got lost on his tongue, he too was gone when Cloud turned to get a better look.

He sped up hoping to reach the next town and get out of the open; he figured it would be easier to defend himself if there was more shelter. A glimpse of red again and his mind felt like it was in overdrive searching for something just out of reach, his heart raced in his chest, adrenalin pumping, his gloved hands gripped the bike handles tightly, so tight he was surprised they hadn't snapped yet.

"We're friends right..."

He gripped his chest, the feeling immobilising; he ground his teeth together hard, so hard he swore he could taste blood in his mouth. Still he pressed on, pushing Fenrir to her limits, she growled beneath him and he prayed for just a little bit more, the city gates loomed in the distance, a horrid flash of grey and black on an otherwise beige landscape.

"You're my... living ... legacy,"

His own screams echoed in his eyes and he shook his head in an attempt to block it out, when he turned his attention back to the sand before him a ghost stood in his path. Cloud's eyes were wide, jet black hair, shimmering violet that had never failed to stall Cloud's breath, the uniform of a SOLDIER maybe slightly modified. He got close, the apparition didn't falter, something told him he had to stop, Fenrir skidded dangerously close to the ghost, Cloud tumbling after it, the rocks grazed and grabbed at his skin, shredding it, the blonde groaned finding himself in front of two black boots.

He gritted his teeth and rolled over looking up, there was no doubt in his mind that it was Zack who stood over him, he looked the same as always had and yet different, something in his eyes was wrong.

"Z...Zack?" Cloud held up his hand reaching out to his friend, the limb shook as he extended it, violet eyes narrowed, the boot connected with his ribs before he could even fully comprehend the action. The blonde hit a rock some way off, groaned and coughed up a small amount of blood, the violet eyes that met him were harsh and unforgiving, briefly they flickered to warmth and laughter but it was soon shook off. A gloved fist connected with the blonde's jaw, Cloud stumbled backwards finding his footing, just.

"It's not you... you're dead.... it's a trick" Cloud ground out rushing towards the other male who jumped out of the way easily, he smirked a horrid reflection of something that had once made Cloud's heart soar, this is wrong so terribly wrong, Cloud's eyes were wide as he spun round to face the other male, the cold blade bit into his shoulder, tearing through as easy as a knife would slip through butter, the blonde swallowed the scream before it could be torn from his lips.

"Does it feel like a trick to you...Cloud?" He didn't sound like Zack in that instance, the honey soft voice replaced by a deeper brogue, Sephiroth, the eyes morphed, the hair lightened, lengthened, all imagination, a wish maybe, the image kept fading back to Zack. Zack Fair the first class SOLDIER that had changed Cloud's life, inspired him, made him laugh, cry, work to be exactly like him. The same Zack Fair now stood before him with a sword lodged in Cloud's shoulder and didn't bat an eyelid, then there was the sword, thinner, not as big as the one wedged in the rock side, not the Buster Sword, one from before perhaps.

"That's enough Fair, leave the boy," the voice seemed distant, "he'll see us again soon," there was a chuckle and Zack's eyes rolled as he tugged on the hilt of the sword, freeing Cloud from his blade, the boy lurched forward, he tried to grab Zack, there were tears that threatened to spill, he couldn't walk away, not like this, it was all wrong. His heart burned where it was lodged in his throat,

"Zack!" Bright blue eyes stared up at him desperation laced in with the Mako, for a moment the violet wavered staring down at the boy the blood seeping from his shoulder, a gloved hand extended towards him and for a moment another similarly gloved hand moved to meet it, the violet narrowed and the hand retracted in confusion. The heavy black boots started to walk past him Cloud grit his teeth and struggled to push himself to his feet. "I'm... I'm not letting you walk away..." the blonde stuttered, tumbling forward, tendrils of blue erupted from a gloved hand, snaking towards Cloud where it encircled him, he suddenly found he could barely keep his eyes open but he fought it with everything he had.

In the end he couldn't grip to the pictures as they blurred and faded to black in his eyes, the last thing he saw rivalled a memory that already existed in his mind, he was reaching out and Zack was walking away from him and Cloud screamed as the world disappeared and he collapsed into the sand.

XxxxXxxxX

It was dark when he woke, the bed was soft and warm, the blanket perhaps a bit too tight and for a moment Cloud let himself fall into the belief that it had all been another nightmare. It was the pain radiating from his shoulder that caused him to realise the truth and all he could think of was Zack. He immediately ripped the blankets from him and stood; ignoring the burn in his shoulder he pulled his shirt on heading for the door. Tifa stood on the other side, arms crossed and eyes like fire, he would have rolled his eyes but she more than likely would have slapped him.

"Cloud Strife where do you think you're going? What the hell even happened to you? I've been so worried," her words faded from harsh and angry to small and worried in a matter of vowels. Cloud hated to see her so downtrodden, she always looked so hopeless in instances such as these, like she was dealing with a two-year old child and was at the end of her tether. He didn't answer and she stormed past to sit on the bed, Cloud wanted to run but he thought it best to hear her out. "Was a good thing Vincent was going the way he was or you'd have been dinner for a couple of Fangs out there, Fenrir's scratched the hell out of, I've sent her in to be fixed." She didn't look up to meet his eyes, stared at her hands.

Cloud went to speak, swallowed the words soon after, what did she want him to say, the truth? He wasn't even sure what the truth was, he had looked like Zack, sounded like him, there really was no doubt in Cloud's mind that it had been him yet he tried to convince himself otherwise... Zack's dead remember... your fault... you're not a hero...

He closed his eyes to the words that swum through his head, glanced from Tifa to the open door and then back again, he wanted nothing more than to run, to get out of here and clear his head but where would he go and how, Fenrir was locked up somewhere due to have the scratches waxed and polished away.

"Is Vincent...?"

"He's downstairs, Marlene won't leave him alone, think he's getting a little frustrated but it's good for him," she glanced up at him, all smiles and bright eyes, he frowned and glanced away, finding the floor with his gaze, she huffed slightly, "maybe you'll tell him what happened..." she went to stand clearly disheartened and hurt, Cloud sighed and ran a hand through his hair, the words he uttered were out before he even had a chance to think about them and they were the only ones he didn't want to say, didn't want to admit to, not yet, though there they were, he couldn't take them back no matter how hard he tried.

"Zack... It was Zack," He hid his eyes from her because she'd always been too good at reading him and there was nothing in them now that he wanted her reading from.

"Cloud... Zack? As in Zack Fair? SOLDIER first class," he nodded, his hands clenching into fists at his side, "he's... he's... dead Cloud, you know that, it doesn't make any sense, maybe it was someone who looked like him... maybe..."

"It was Zack, Tifa, there's no doubt in my mind of that, as much as I'm trying to pretend there is, he attacked me, something's wrong... I have to find him..." he went to move her words stopped him,

"Why would he attack you Cloud, he looked after you, you were friends... close... weren't you?" he nodded because for some reason he thought his voice might fail him. His mind fell back to the sands outside Edge, harsh and unforgiving, Zack walking away and the flash of red that had called him away.

"Someone was with him, giving him orders..." Cloud remembered, the words but a whisper slipping from his tongue, he knew Tifa was finding it hard to believe, if he hadn't seen it himself he wouldn't have believed a word of it, a cruel joke, it's what it felt like in the pit of his stomach.

"Who Cloud? What's going on Zack wouldn't do this to a friend..." she fell silent for a moment, "if he's dangerous Cloud... what will you do?" The words struck him like a sword through the heart, he hadn't even thought of that, how could he fight against Zack if it came to it, could he kill him if it meant saving the world,

No...

He thought he heart would snap at the very thought, Tifa's hand on his uninjured shoulder offered none of the comfort it was supposed to and he found himself desperate to pull away from it, she smiled, warm and loving, that was Tifa, dependable, caring, beautiful, why couldn't he make himself feel anything more than sisterly affection for the woman?

"Come on, let's get you a drink we'll talk to Vincent he may have heard something on his way over here, you know Vincent always got an ear to the ground that man." She chuckled and grabbed the other's hand leading him gingerly down into the bar, he let himself be guided, succumbing to her wishes if only until Fenrir was fixed.

Well then... that's that, well for now, ;) I hope you enjoyed and that the characters were in character... save for Zack . like he'd ever do that! Lol but yeah hope it was ok and that you'll be back for the next chapter, thank you for your time and you know.... review? Please?