Disclaimer: All characters from Final Fantasy VII belong to Square Enix. Plot loosely based on Texts from Dog by October Jones on Tumblr.

A/N: Okay, here I go again. This spawned from me and a friend sitting in the student lounge, laughing at the Tumblr blog mentioned in the disclaimer (seriously, if you need a laugh, visit it). Recently, I've been on a FF7 fanfiction reading spree, so my brain made a random connection. Dog – puppy – Zack. Bam! Here we are.

I tossed the idea around of using Angeal instead of Cloud for the interactions with Zack, but as I went back over the blog, I realized that the owner and dog act more like friends. Also, in order to get the reactions I want out of Cloud, I'm going to be working this as a timetravel!fic. Kinda unoriginal, but Cloud before would be a little too hero-worship in my opinion for what I want. And I want to fiddle with a few more things. You'll see. I'll try not to bias towards any pairings since this is a friendship fic, but I won't promise anything.

This chapter is for presenting the situation. I'll get to the writing actually inspired by the blog later. If I get too carried away with the base plotline, this might morph into another, separate fic. Like I need another. Pfft.

Edit: It has been pointed out to me that this makes more sense as a prologue, so now it is.

- Zack the Puppy -

- Prologue - This Is Goodbye -

Cloud had half expected Tifa to throw a fit when he told her that he would be leaving, this time forever. Really, it wasn't everyday that a girl was basically told that she wasn't good enough for the one she loved. And she did – Tifa loved Cloud. It was beyond reason and Cloud just couldn't understand her sometimes. How could she keep putting her heart on the line for someone so buried in his own past?

A past that Cloud was hoping to change.

He hadn't been entirely sure what to do when Aerith first approached him with the idea. Not only was talking with her still surreal, the things coming out of her mouth didn't make much sense. Going back in time? No matter how the Cetra explained it, Cloud just couldn't wrap his head around the concept.

But did it truly matter if the plan made sense or not?

"If you can't be happy as things are now, won't you let me give you a chance to fix things?" Aerith had said.

Redemption. Going back to the beginning so he could fix things. So that Aerith wouldn't have to die. So that Zack would still be alive. And, just maybe…

Tifa's soft voice broke through his thoughts. "Is this really what you want, Cloud?"

His eyes slid over the surface of the bar, across to where the brunette was leaning. She was twisting a cleaning rag in her hands as she watched him anxiously. What she was hoping for, Cloud really couldn't say, but he knew if he looked away when he gave his answer, her calm would break. If she thought for a second that he wasn't sure, she would definitely fight to keep him by her side. The guilt could make him change his mind.

So Cloud held her gaze determinedly as he replied. "Yes. More than anything, I want to save them."

Tifa's sigh was almost painful as she turned away. Her knuckles turned white against the rag. "I can't tell you 'no' when you look at me like that."

"Tifa, I'm-"

She whirled around. "Don't, Cloud," she said fiercely. "Please. Don't be sorry for wanting to take this chance. If… if it were me, I think I'd do the same."

"Like hell," Cid cursed as he sat down beside Cloud. "This is a load of shit." He slammed his glass down on the counter.

"I think you've had enough," Tifa scolded, snatching the glass away from him.

"Not nearly enough," he grumbled. "Not enough to make me believe this crap."

"I get it."

Cloud turned slowly to face Barrett, watching carefully as the gunman leaned forward in his seat at the table beside the bar. Barrett glanced around the room, his brows scrunched together.

"I get it," he repeated. "I get that you miss them. Fuck, I lost people too. But that's not making me throw what I've got away for… for… shit." He paused scrubbing his good hand over his face. "You're asking for a miracle, Spiky."

"Are you saying you don't think he can do it?"

Cloud's head snapped back to Tifa in surprise. The brunette was glaring around the room, daring anyone to prove her wrong.

"That's not what I-"

"What the hell-"

"You've got to be-"

Suddenly it was as if the room exploded, several voices joining in the argument at once. Tifa looked like she was about to jump over the bar to go after either Cid or Barrett. Yuffie was complaining loudly, though her words were lost when the argument between Tifa and Cid rose to yelling. The only people who were silent were Cloud and Vincent, who leaned against the wall, simply watching the sudden chaos. Cloud raised a hand to rub the bridge of his nose, sensing an oncoming headache.

He didn't need this.

Cloud stood up suddenly, his stool falling over with a clatter. The room fell silent. "Enough," he said quietly. "I didn't gather all of us together to argue about this. I'm not asking for permission or approval. I just thought, as people who are closest to me, you should at least know the reason why I'm disappearing."

He turned on his heel and headed towards the door, passing by Vincent as he went. He briefly met the ex-Turk's eyes and silently beckoned him to follow.

Cloud was sitting on the front steps, chin propped on his arms that were across his knees, when Vincent slipped out the door and shut it softly behind him, muffling the arguing once more. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. They stayed in silence for a few minutes until Cloud finally spoke.

"I won't be able to change what happened to you," he said, guilt tinting his voice. "I'm sorry."

Vincent shook his head and stepped away from the wall. "You can't right every wrong, Cloud. If you could, you'd have to be the god Sephiroth always claimed to be." He let out a soft, short breath when Cloud flinched. "You… intend to save him as well."

It wasn't a question. So Vincent had already guessed his intentions. "If I can keep him from going crazy, a lot of things will change."

"And if you can't?"

Cloud was silent for a moment. "I'll kill him before that happens. Or I'll kill her."

Vincent lifted his chin slightly above his scarf, making his frown visible. "You don't have any sort of plan, do you?" His brows drew together when Cloud shrugged in response. "Cloud…"

"I have time," Cloud said quickly. He lifted his head and turned slightly so he could see Vincent in his periphery. "It's not like Aerith is gonna drop me in the middle of my infantry days. I'm going to start over – completely over."

"… You mean as an infant?"

"Well, sort of." Cloud settled back down into his slouch. "According to Aerith, I won't remember any of this life until I'm five or so. I can start preparing myself then."

Vincent sighed and shifted his weight against the wall. "Even so, you should plan a little before you leave."

Cloud huffed a sigh and turned his head to rest the side of his temple against his arms. He was silent for a beat before he spoke again, softly. "I'll wake you up as a kid. I'll ask you to help me train. Maybe Chaos will remember me."

There was a long moment were Vincent seemed to be conferring, more than likely, arguing, with the demon inside of him. "He thinks it's possible."

Cloud nodded shortly. "Good then."

Both warriors, ever alert, looked towards the door as it opened. When Tifa stepped through and closed it behind her, they relaxed. Cloud sat up and looked over his shoulder at her.

"Can I talk with you, Cloud?" She glanced at Vincent. "Alone?"

At this, Vincent raised both hands, as if to say he knew when he wasn't wanted, and slipped back inside, closing the door quietly.

Sighing, Cloud scooted over on the steps and patted beside him, silently inviting Tifa a seat. She took it, slowly sinking down beside him, and smoothed out her skirt. An awkwardness settled between them and Cloud shifted away from her slightly so he could turn towards her.

"I'm sorry. I-"

Tifa quickly shook her head while staring at her hands folded in her lap. "Not this again, Cloud. Just… don't. I didn't come out here to listen to you say that you're sorry."

"Tifa…"

"Don't get me wrong." She lifted her head to stare at him. "I'm still mad at you. Just because I'm letting you go doesn't mean I'll forgive you anytime soon. It's all over. Has been over for a while now. You shouldn't be this hung up on everything that happened!" Her hands were clenched tightly.

Cloud sighed heavily and turned away, his shoulders slumped, only to jump when Tifa punched his arm. With a short sound of protest and a frown, he scooted further away and rubbed the spot where she had hit him.

"There you go again. That attitude right there is exactly why I think you need this." Tifa lowered her arm and folded her hands in her lap again.

"You… think I need to go?"

She nodded slowly, her hair swaying into her face. "I do. For the same reasons Aerith must have offered this to you. You can't let go of the past and be happy right here and now. You'd rather suffer through it all over again just to have a chance at changing things." She looked up abruptly. "And I would take that chance too," she said fiercely. "I just don't have the strength you do. If anyone can do this, Cloud, it's you."

Cloud stared back at her, his voice caught in his throat as he processed her words. It made his heart ache knowing that she had such faith in him. So much faith, and what had he given her in return?

"Cloud? Can you… promise me just one thing?"

He bit the inside of his lip before nodding shortly. It was the least he could do. "What is it?"

She smiled at him. It was the saddest smile he had ever seen on her face. "Promise me, while you're off being a hero… that you won't forget about me?"

Cloud was frozen for a moment. She was worried that he'd forget her? "Tifa, that's…" He shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders as he leaned towards her. Their foreheads touch. "I promise. I won't forget you. I can't."

Slowly, Tifa reached up and wrapped her hands around Cloud's wrists. Her eyes were closed as she leaned into him. "Okay. Okay." She said twice, as if to convince herself that she had heard him right. Seconds passed. "Can we stay like this for a while?"

"… Sure."

-.-.-.-

It was hours later, after he had talked to everyone individually, when Cloud found himself at the church. Each goodbye left his heart a little heavier, a little more fragile, but he was still determined. Rebuilding the relationships would be hard. He knew that. Changing the course of events would be hard. Retraining his body would be hard. Fighting Jenova all over again would be hard.

He knew all of that.

He made his way through the ruins of the church, stopping only when his boots were at the edge of the pool of water that was the remains of Aerith's flower garden. Staring down at his reflection amidst the floating petals, he waited.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Cloud closed his eyes and let out a slow breath through his nose. "Yes."

He felt her small hand on his shoulder. "Are you sure?"

He almost turned around. "I am. You can't change my mind, Aerith."

He heard a familiar laugh. "Looks like he's serious."

His eyes snapped open. Zack…

"Alright then."

Two pairs of hands pressed against his back and suddenly he was falling, flailing, and the pool of water rushed up to meet him. Except there was no bottom. Instead, a soft green light reached for him and started to envelope him in its glow. His eyelids felt heavy and, moments later, they were closed as he drifted along with the flow of the lifestream.