A/N: Alright, a little thing I decided to do one day I was bored in class, this is effectively a retelling of FFVII with Zack Fair as the protagonist (it's probably been done to death hundred times over). Anyone with any thoughts or whatever, PM me or leave them down in the review section.

;)

Calzer Dan

PS, Zack's characterisation is going to become somewhat darker and more sombre than he's normally portrayed at certain points. Just wanted to warn ya.

Chapter 1: The Long Walk

Zack stopped when he felt the first raindrop hit his scalp, he looked up at the grey sky. He then looks at the young soldier he's holding. "Not again," he moans to himself, before continuing on through the forest. The drops patter on the leaves, which intern rustle in the wind, before being weighed down by the rain. Zack adjusts the strap on their supply bag. Though he couldn't see the sun directly, he could get a rough idea that the sun was going down. It would be time to stop soon and rest for the night.

Zack soldiered on nonetheless, growing gradually colder as he is soaked to the bone by the heavy rainfall. It's a sensation that he's becoming uncomfortably familiar with over the past few days as his trek drags on. All on a distant hope, a forlorn longing.

After an eternity of trudging through the increasingly waterlogged dirt, Zack sees a small light in the distance. He can just make it out from the undergrowth. Zack stops and weighs up his choices. Keep going and find someplace somewhat dry and secluded, or stop here and risk discovery, but have a warm bed and hot food for the night…

Zack decides to scout it out. He finds a tree with a dense canopy where the rain can't reach Cloud, before approaching the light source.

He stops at the edge of a clearing with a small house in the middle, he can see a car inside an open garage, and one that looks fairly expensive too. He can make out at least two or three silhouettes inside. He notes a lack of items like machinery that could tell him what these people were doing so far out in the woods, which Zack didn't like.

Just as he was about to turn to leave, Zack sees someone exiting the dwelling. He can't discern any distinguishing features due to a large raincoat. Zack eyes the stranger suspiciously. The person turns around Zack gasps, in a mixture of shock, happiness and fear. Attached the strangers belt on the front is a large shuriken, one that he knows. Rekka, he thinks to himself. Are the Turks here?

The shuriken's owner has already caught him once before, and barely let him go. If this was some sort of safe-house, there could be more of them, and Zack didn't want to chance her letting him go again.

He looked back at the woman, who was staring back at him, then she starts waving. Zack instincts tell him not approach her, and instead to lead them away from Cloud and take them down, or to flee.

"Zack, it's safe, you can come out!" the woman calls.

Zack says nothing.

"I'm not going to hurt you!"

Zack grunts in frustration. "Swear on your life?" he calls back.

"Yes."

Zack leaves his hiding spot and walks out into the clearing. He approached the woman, who had removed he hood, revealing a pretty face with reddish-brown hair. She immediately throws her arms around Zack, who responds in kind. "I've been looking for you," she says. "I suppose it goes without saying that you need a place to stay for the night?"

"You have no idea," Zack says with a smile and an awkward chuckle.

"Where's Cloud?"

"I left him under a tree back there."

"Let's go get him."

The pair wander out to where Cloud sits staring into space, mostly protected from the downpour. They each prop him up on their shoulders and walk back, Zack also grabs the backpack. They trudge back to the house.

Once back inside, they set Cloud down on a chair, strip off his sweater and wrap him up in blankets. "Thanks, Cissnei," Zack says after collapsing in a nearby chair.

"No problem," she says with a smile. "I'll go make something for you guys to eat, you must be starving."

"Thanks." Zack looks at his compatriot, "Well buddy, I think we struck gold." He nudges him in the shoulder, and Cloud falls over forcing Zack to dive to stop him from falling off. Zack sighs, and goes looking for a towel.

Once he finds one he wipes down his face, and heads into the kitchen. Cissnei is chopping meat and putting it into a pot. "Can I help?"

Cissnei chuckles, "Not until you get changed, at least, there's some men's clothe's that'll fit you in the second bedroom on the right."

Zack couldn't argue, he is, well, soaked. He's just been soaked that often that he's gotten used and learned to live with it. "I'll be back in a minute."

Zack did as Cissnei instructed, and got some fresh garments for Cloud, as well as tucking him into bed in the room he got the clothes in. He returned to the kitchen after dressing `cloud. "Okay, what can I do?"

"Veg need chopping," Cissnei points to a board with uncut vegetables, returning to string a pot that's simmering on the hob and Zack sets to work without hesitation. He flips the knife in his hand before chopping through the vegetables in moments. Bahamut bless Mako enhancements, he thinks to himself after he finishes.

He turns to Cissnei, "You need them?"

"Not immediately, you can leave them there." She gestures to the side of the hob. Zack places them as instructed.

"Cissnei, can I ask you something?" Zack asks.

"Sure."

"What caused you to leave Shinra?"

"You've seen the bad side of Shinra, too, right?"

He sniggers, the name Hojo play across his mind. "Yeah."

"I got sick of it, most of the other Turks and I abandoned Shinra a while ago, the last thing I was ordered to do was find you."

"Who ordered that?"

"Tseng, did, he wanted to save you, actually."

Zack's eyebrows shoot up, "Really?"

Cissnei turns and nods, "Several other Turks and I have been on the run for the past while now, after Tseng's predecessor resigned," Zack had heard oh him, a man called Veld, but never actually met him, "don't worry you didn't know him. I've been trying to find you still, along with a couple of friends of yours."

"One of them wouldn't happen to be Kunsel?"

"And Luxiere. Kunsel mentioned that he sent you an email saying that he'd find you."

Zack just realises that he hasn't checked his phone in about four years. He then smiles. "Where are they?"

"Right now, I don't know, we try to keep our contact to a minimum, but I was going to call them later on to let them know you're here."

It made sense to Zack, however unfortunate it might be. The less each side knew about the others location and actions, the less Shinra can extract.

"I can't wait for them to get here!" Zack chirps.

Cissnei turns and adds the veg. "Zack, there's something I want to tell you."

"Yeah?"

"Cissnei isn't my real name."

"Oh really, then what is it?"

"Cassandra Neilson."

"Can't say I'm surprised, but I think I prefer Cissnei," Zack says with a smile.

"Thanks."

"So… nice little place you got here."

"It's a Turk safe-house, but don't worry, any of the remaining Turks won't be using it anytime soon, only Veld knew of this place, as before we took it over, it belonged to AVALANCHE." Zack released a breath that he didn't know he was holding. "You can stay here as long as you like."

"Thanks."

"What do you plan to do now?"

Zack sighed he hasn't really thought that far ahead yet, he's been so focused on surviving with Cloud, but thguere was one thing, "I need to get to Midgar."

Cissnei burst out laughing, "You're kidding, right?"

Zack turns quite serious, "No, there's something I have to do. Then, I dunno, I'll see."

"What do have to do?"

"I have to visit Aerith."

Cissnei's shoulders slump. Zack finds this interesting, while he her considers a close friend, no never mind. He knows that she knows who Aerith is, after all, Shinra has been keeping an eye on her for years. "You'll be found and killed, that place is crawling with Shinra forces, you used to live there for Gaia's sake!"

"That doesn't matter, I have to see her, to let her know that I'm alright, and I have to know that she's fine, too."

There's a sudden fire in Cissnei's eyes, one that Zack finds uncomfortable, "What if she's moved on? What if she's been taken by Shinra, or Shinra have set up a trap to capture you, you know these people, Zack, they will do anything. I mean, what about Cloud! He needs you as well!" Zack averts his gaze down to his feet, "Look, Zack, I understand that you mean well, but, you've got to consider the risks involved."

Zack sighs, "I know, just… I just have to, to set my mind at ease, you get what I'm saying? I understand you care, and I really appreciate it, and if it's any consolation, I don't intend to stay in Midgar for very long. I just need to know Aerith is okay."

"Alright, but you're not to stay for anymore than three weeks."

"Thank you, and I'm not leaving Cloud on his own until he gets better."

"His condition is delicate."

"I know, maybe Kunsel could pick up something that can help?"

"There isn't anything to counteract it. We can only wait and see."

Zacks sighs. Cissnei rests a hand on his shoulder. Zack moves to the hob and stirs the stew. Cissnei stares at him with sad eyes. "I guess the best we can do is make him comfortable," Zack says turning and Cissnei nods.

They both leave the kitchen while the stew simmers away. Zack goes looking around the house, and finds himself impressed with it. He eventually takes a shower, spending far longer than he needed to, just because he could, and it had been several weeks he last stepped in a hot shower. Once he stepped out and got dressed again he heard Cissnei calling that dinner was ready. Zack comes into the dining room to find the table set with two bowls pull of steaming stew. Zack smiles broadly as his stomach rumbles rather loudly. The two sit down and start eating.

Amiable, conversation flows between them.

Zack finishes as quickly as possible without being rude or obscene, and takes a bowl down to Cloud. He finds his friend still lying where he left him.

"Hey buddy, brought ya some food," Zack says as he opens the door. Zack sets the bowl down on the side cupboard next to the bed. Next he pulls Cloud some that he's sitting upright and drags over a chair so that and begins feeding him. Zack notices a lot of sweat on his brow, despite the fact that the house isn't extremely, warm and is in fact quite comfortable. Zack frowns, this can't be good. Once Zack finishes, he presses his hand against Cloud's forehead. Not good at all.

He leaves the room with the empty bowl.

When he gets back to the kitchen, he cleans it and leaves it on the drying rack. Cissnei walks. "I've just got off the phone to Kunsel and Luxiere, they'll be here tomorrow."

He turns to face her, "Good, listen, Cloud has a fever, a really bad one."

"Damn, I would have thought he became Mako enhanced after all this time."

"I can't say other than he has Mako poisoning, that may have compromised his immune system or something, that and travelling for several days outside, wind and rain. I suppose it's not inconceivable."

"Hmm, we can't bring you guys to hospital, you'd be captured."

"Have ya got any potions?"

"Yes, I'll go give him one."

"It might keep him in it for a while."

Zack walked over a to a window and looked out, resting his hands on the countertop and placing his weight in top of them. I'm not going someone else, not after Angeal, or all those who dies because of Genesis and Hollander.

Zack loiters around the house for a while longer, unable to settle, before crawling into bed and staring at the sealing unable to sleep. Thoughts rushing all over the place, he rubs his eyes…

Sometime later exhaustion gets the better of him and he falls asleep, only to be tormented by dreams of his time in Hojo's 'care.'