This take right after the Nibleheim incident, Zack and Cloud are in the Shinra mansion basement. This story is about, what if Zack had survived. What would happen if he and Cloud had fought side by side? How would things be different?

Zack awakens

The lights were out in the lab at the Shinra mansion, all that could be heard was the bubbling of the mako tubes with Hojo's most recent failed experiments. There were two young men floating in the mako to keep them alive until Hojo was finished experimenting with them. They were nothing but garbage to the mad man. He would throw away their bodies at any given moment. The dark hair young man of the two had slowly gaining consciousness. The mako liquid had burned his eyes, he winced at the touch of it. While had had his eyes open he saw a vague figure coming in the doorway. He was a man in a lab coat…

"It must be Hojo, I'm gunna get us outta here Spikey" Zack said to himself.

The lights flicked on. This only irritated Zack's eyes farther. It wasn't Hojo, no matter how much he had hoped it was. He would love for the chance to squeeze the life outta the tiny son of a bitch. The man in the lab coat had approached. He had a clip board and was taking notes vigorously. The scratching pen on the paper tears tearing through Zack's ears. He was getting his SOLDIER senses back. The man had turned around and was getting things together on the table nearby.

"Hey fellas its time for your dinner, I know how much you guys love this artificial stuff. Crap, where did I put that damn thing. Hold on guys I gotta go get something" the man in the lab coat said as he was heading out of the room.

Zack had looked down at his hand, he could feel it, and he focused on his feet to see if they could move. After a brief moment, they moved. Success! This was his only chance for him and Cloud to get outta this hell hole. It's all or nothing, worse come to worse he would be dead and that would be a step up on being Hojo's toy for the rest of his life. He wanted his freedom. The man in the coat had come back in the room carrying a tray. The man went back to the table he was working at before he had left the room. The man had come close to Zack's tube with a rather large needle, which must be his lovely dinner. The man had gotten close to the tube. This was it. It was go time. With all Zack's might he had broken through his tube, and the mako had flooded out. With one swift movement zack had punched the man in the lab coat. He was out like a light.

Zack had stumbled after taking his first steps. His legs had felt like rubber, it must have been a long time since he had used them. How long he had wondered. That was for him to deal with later, now it's time for him and Cloud to get out. He went over to Clouds pod and pressed the release button. The liquid had poured out and Cloud had fallen straight into his arms. He had dragged Cloud over to the nearby wall and sat him up.

"Hey Chocobo head I need to go do something real fast. I won't be far and I won't be gone long. Don't worry pal, I won't let anyone hurt you" Zack had said to the lifeless eyes of his friend.

He turned and walked over to the man in the lab coat. Zack took a quick look at him. He was young, to young. Zack looked around the room and he saw what he was looking for. His sword. It was leaned against the wall in the far corner, it was covered in dust. He had quickly cleaned it off. Angeal would have killed him if he knew his sword was gathering dust. He picked up his sword, but he didn't put it on his back. Instead he walked over to the young man in the lab coat. Zack looked at him with sad eyes.

" I'm so sorry. I wish I didn't have to do this, but I have to. The moment you wake up you would call in about our escape. I can't have that friend. We would probably have the entire Shinra army looking for us".

Zack raised his sword in the air and came down with a fast sweep. The poor boy was dead. The buster sword was covered with blood at the tip.

"This blood will never wash off no matter how hard I try" or at least in his mind Zack though.

He walked around the room and found a folder with him and Cloud in it. He though this could be useful, but now is not the time to leisurely read through it. It was time to go. He walked over to Cloud who was still blank in expression. Zack put his sword on his back, and carefully put Cloud over his shoulder. He walked upstairs to the mansion. He had looked out the window and saw that it was day time. It wouldn't be wise to move around during the day. He had to rest up anyway. He took Cloud into a room deep in the mansion. It wouldn't be long until someone had come checking on why the man in the lab didn't check in. He laid Cloud down on the bed next to him. Zack plopped down on the bed with his arms crossed behind his head. And let out a deep sigh. Billions of things were racing through his mind. Then he remembered the file! This would be a great time to take a look at it.

Zack read…

Zack Fair- tests ineffective due to his SOLDIER enhancements, recovery unlikely

Cadet Cloud Strife- young body could not handle the mako. Recovery would take a miracle.

…

..

.

YEAR 2014??

"What the fuck!! This has to be a type o. I gotta look at the other files. What they are all dated the same. This can't be good. It's been four years?"

I gotta get back to Midgar. Aerith… she must have moved on. The very thought of this made Zack feel shaken. He was in SOLDIER and SOLDIERS don't shake… Shinra… he had been so loyal to the company. And the thanks he gets is to become a test subject against him will. He had been betrayed, this would not be the last time Shinra hears his name.

WHAT KIND OF TEST DID THEY DO TO HIM! Was he going to be a monster? Was he going to go mad like Sephiroth ? He sure hoped not… CLOUD! With all that was going through his mind he had forgotten about his spikey haired friend. He had a mako addiction he needed to get him outta his cadet uniform that was soaked with mako. What was he gunna put him in?? Zack looked around, he found a buch of clothes none of which he had the heart to put on his buddy. He would kill Cloud if he was in his shoes and put anything of these clothes on him. He continued to look. Jackpot he found a SOLDIER first uniform! He quickly threw could in the shower hoping the cold water would snap him out of it. No luck. He dressed Cloud quickly. He carried his friend over to the bed and laid him down. It was time to sleep.

Chapter end.