Listen to the rain

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Final Fantasy

A/N: As you can probably guess from the title this is inspired by the song Listen to the rain by Evanescence. It's a truly beautiful song and seemed kind of perfect for this scene.

I can't move, I can hardly breathe.

I can't stop the drops of rain from falling into my eyes, slowly blinding me, turning the world into a blurred mess. Not that there's much to see now, just the slowly retreating backs of the gunners. I feel a wild urge to yell after them 'Suckers! Come back and do the job properly!' was that all it was to them? Just another job then what did that make me? Another one of Shinra's little runaways that refused to come along quietly like a good boy.

Screw that, I gave them hell and they threw it right back in my face, so much for honour.

It don't hurt as much as I thought it would, if Seph were here he'd explain it to me so complexly that I'd have to ask him to repeat it. I know the basics though, it's all the adrenaline blocking most of the pain and once it wears off I'll be in trouble. But now I think about it I've been in a lot of trouble lately, it doesn't make sense.

The rain's soaking through my jumper but it's not enough, I want it to be colder so I don't have to be reminded of how much blood I'm losing, it's too hot. Too alive. I don't want to be reminded of how I'm slowly dying, it's easier to forget and sink into the quiet of my memories. But even they aren't peaceful.

I wonder if this is how Angeal felt. But he wanted to die and I don't, I'm still hanging on desperately hoping for a miracle that isn't going to come, for someone, anyone to come and hold me close and tell me it'll going to be alright.

Will they tell my parents that I died? Will they tell the story truthfully or will they just say I ran like a coward and was gunned down in the attempt?

Gaia this hurts, those gunners obviously hadn't been trained to aim properly. Even the one who had shot at point blank range had missed killing me, he only managed to graze my head, the flow of blood has almost stopped there, but it still hurts. Everything hurts now.

How many of my friends have felt this kind of pain? Angeal, Sephiroth, the Director, Genesis, Cloud….

I wonder if he's okay. He must be scared stiff sitting amongst all those corpses, that is if someone didn't find him and take him away.

I flinch as a horribly dull pain washes over me starting at my head and sweeping down my body. All the other bodies are being taken back into the Lifestream, how long is it till I'm gone too?

A low moan made him turn my head slightly, Cloud! He's dragging himself weakly towards me; poor kid never had any kind of Mako poisoning, I wish I could help him.

He's sitting up next to me, large blue eyes both confused and concerned like he can't believe what he's seeing. "Z-Zack"

I have to look at him, to let him know I'm okay, I need to tell him something, something important. But I don't think I can speak. I open my mouth trying not to retch from the thick salty taste of blood "For the…Both of us"

"Both of us?" his voice sounds thick and confused; I hope he's not just parroting what I'm saying.

"That's right" speech is getting really difficult now, I take a couple of shallow breaths "you're gonna" everything starts to go hazy, the sentence I was forming melts away.

"You're gonna?"

I snap back to my senses, I'm not dying just yet! I slowly raise my arm and grab the back of his head; I was kind of aiming for his shoulder. It might work better as a symbolic gesture though. I pull his face down onto my damaged chest, not caring when my wounds scream with protest. "Live" I say simply "You'll be…my living legacy" I let my hand fall, exhausted by the effort of holding I in place.

Cloud slowly sits up again, his cheek and several strands of his hair covered with blood. He doesn't speak, just sits there and stares at me, it's breaking my heart.

My chest risings and falls quickly, I haven't got much time left now, I look at my sword and make my decision. Angeal gave this sword to me after he died; he gave me his dreams and his honour, now I must do the same.

I curl my hand tighter around the hilt and raise it slowly "my honour, my dreams" when did the blade get this heavy? I drag it up to Cloud's level and hold it out to him "they're yours now"

He doesn't have to take it; I've given him the choice. But his fingers slowly wrap round the hilt hesitantly. I slowly take my hand away relinquishing the sword I've carried for so long; as he takes the sword with both hands I reach out and push it towards him making my point very clear. It's yours now Cloud, take it.

My hand falls back to the ground; I stare up at him feeling my life slowly draw to a close.

"I'm your living legacy"

This is it; I stare up at him and give him the only comfort I can.

I smile.

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