"Zack! NO!" I screamed as I bolted straight up from the reoccurring nightmare. The image of Zack sprawled across the ground, his perfectly spiky black locks flattened due to the massive head injury he had, his clothes tattered, it was the imaged I saw ever night as I closed my eyes. My Zack, my love, dead. I clutched my chest as I tried to control my uneven and ragged breathing. This nightmare had been occurring every night since Zack and Cloud left in search for a cure for the Stigma. Mina, my roommate, has been having the same dream... but Cloud's death fills her head instead of Zack's. It was no surprise to look over and see her in my same position. "They just need to come home. Alive." she whispered, her voice hoarse from sobbing. One thing was true, I never, NEVER, wanted to feel that pain that was in my nightmare. It was unbearable. "Let's just try and get some sleep Mina, it's the only thing we can really do right now." I said as I laid my head on my pillow, closing my eyes. The only thing I saw was Zack's beautiful face with crimson blood dripping down it.
I awoke the next morning feeling as if I hadn't slept at all. Mina looked the same. It just needed to end. We both walked out of our room in Seventh Heaven, only to be greeted by Tifa. "It's okay girls, today might be the day." Mina and I looked at each other. "You've said that, everyday, since they left. It's kind of lost its meaning Tifa." I snapped bitterly. Mina just glared. We never used to be like this, we were the fun loving, carefree people. Them leaving and the nightmares had taken their toll on us. Tifa just gave us a look, the "I wish I could do something" look, and walked off. I scoffed and walked into my bathroom while Mina did the same. We were in no mood for the false hope that she had been feeding us for the past month.
I looked at myself in the mirror, at awe at how much my appearance had changed. My hair, normally a darker brown with a purple tint, had lost its luster and shine. There was no purple to it. My tan complexion had faded, I was now almost white, just a hint of my tan was left. The bags under my eyes could have been used as pillows. And that's when I noticed. My eyes had lost everything they once held: joy, happiness, fun. The only thing they had were the small ounces of hope and love I still felt for my beloved. I was not the same person. "You said it was only going to be for a week." I whispered to myself. I splashed water on my face in attempts to wash away the person I had just seen. But it was no use.
I walked out of the bathroom, my hair in a messy ponytail and in a pair of jeans and a black tank. Mina came out, almost in the same outfit, hers was a yellow tank. "Let's go get started on our chores I guess." I mumbled as we walked down the stairs. We stopped at the bottom though looking at each other. "We've got to get through this. It's not like their… like in our dreams." I tried to convince myself. Mina half smiled as she put her arm around my shoulder in a half hug. I quickly returned the hug and looked over at Tifa. "You don't have to say anything." She smiled and gave each one of us a hug. Maybe things would be looking up.
It was almost noon, and Cid, whom Tifa had called in (with bribes of free drinks), was failing miserably at trying to brighten our day. "Oh cum' on girls! It can't be tha' bad!" Tifa smacked herself in the forehead at her friend's stupidity. Mina broke the glass she was cleaning in her hand, blood spurting everywhere. I took a deep, DEEP, breath before looking at Cid. "Really now, how would you feel if your most prized ship went missing, not knowing when or IF you would see it again?" Cid was speechless, he knew I had hit a spot. "Well now that you put it that way…" he mumbled. "I thought so." I snapped as I went over to mend Mina's wound. "Sheeze, next time just throw the glass." I laughed looking at Mina's hand. She chuckled too, it was a first for both of us in a really long time.
"Um, girls…" Tifa called from the other side of the bar. "What?" Mina snapped, I simply just turned around. Only to have my mouth drop to the floor. There was one of our boys. Cloud. Standing in the door way. "CLOUD!" Mina cried as she bounded with amazing speed to her Cloud. "Oh my GOD! I can't believe it's really you." She held his face in her hands, looking into his deep blue eyes. "I've missed you so much Mina." He whispered to her bringing his lips to brush against hers. Mina's eyes were overflowing with tears of joy as she kissed him back. They broke apart for a moment, Cloud holding onto both of her hands. His eyes went over to me, I was standing right behind her just waiting. "Cloud…" I whispered as I went to hug him. I had missed my brother terribly. "Don't ever leave okay?" I said, tears slightly brimming. "Britt there's –" "Later, I'm going to help Zack with his things!" I said as I brushed past him to the outside - but there was no one out there.
"Cloud… wasn't Zack right behind you?" I said as I turned around. Cloud's face dropped, Mina and Tifa looked at him in confusion. "Cloud… where's Zack…" I said, my voice getting shakier than it was previously. "Britt – ShinRa troops – there were too many and he was trying so hard to protect me." Cloud was holding back almost every tear he had in him. "Just tell me he is fine and is coming home. Please." I closed my eyes tightly, as if it were going to make everything a lie. "Britt, I'm so sorry." Mina whispered as she walked over to me, enveloping me in her arms. Tifa covered her mouth and let out a sob as she went to seat herself in a chair, Cid slightly rubbing her back as he messed with the scruff on his chin. "DAMN IT SHINRA!" He banged his fist against a table. "Cloud – he's coming back right?" I said, tears filling my eyes. Cloud looked at me shaking his head as he walked towards me. "I'm so sorry, I did everything I could!" he was reaching out a hand to hold me but I backed away. "DON'T touch me!" I said as I started to shake. My worst fears and nightmares had come true.
FAST FORWARD 1 YEAR
I could barely remember how I had gotten to my bed that day, my legs went numb and I remember falling to the floor. They next thing I remember is that I was in my bed with Cloud holding my hand the entire time. He said I looked like a zombie from a bad horror movie. I told him that's what I feel like.
It's been a year since they told me. A year today. I forced myself out of bed, placing my feet in the black flip-flops by my bed. Mina looked at me, I knew she felt horrible, that Cloud came back and Zack didn't. "Hey, Mina, don't feel bad okay?" I said, a little bit of my normal voice showing through. She smiled a little but I could tell that today was going to affect her too. I returned it, a single tear streaming down my face. I made my way to the bathroom, but not before Cloud came up the stairs. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and a light hug before letting me go. Zack's death had taken quite a toll on him too. Zack was his best friend, an amazing guy, he was always trying to protect Cloud. After that day, Cloud sort of resigned to himself, the only people he ever spoke to anymore were me and Mina. And that was with force.
I entered the bathroom, like I do every day. I looked into the mirror, and the same person was there. The one from a year ago, only one thing had changed. My eyes, the no longer had anything to them. The love and the hope that was once there, gone. They were blank, only one person could fill them again, and he wasn't ever going to come back. I splashed my face and performed my daily ritual. Instead of wearing my usual Seventh Heaven uniform… I chose the same pair of jeans and the same black tank as that day. It was my day of mourning, everyone in Midge knew that.
I walked down the stairs and took my place behind the bar, waiting for Seventh Heaven to open. "Britt, you don't have to work today. I can cover your shift." Tifa called as she rounded the corner of the kitchen. I gave her a light smile "I need to work, it'll keep my mind off of things." Tifa nodded, she knew that there was no way she was going to win.
It was noon, and the bar was surprisingly not busy, only one customer. Which happened to be the ShinRa Turk, Reno. "So Britt, what are you doing tonight?" he asked, his voice trying to be as silk. I scoffed, "Who do you think you are? WHAT IN YOUR RIGHT MIND WOULD GIVE YOU THE IDEA THAT I WOULD WANT TO DATE A MURDERER LIKE YOU!" I screamed. Tifa came and started pulling me by my shoulders. "He's not worth it, Britt. Take a deep breath." "Yeah take a chill pill, that happened ages ago!" he smiled evilly, knowing he had just struck a nerve. "TODAY! It happened A YEAR AGO TODAY YOU ASSHOLE!" Tifa was no match for the strength I had found. I got out of her grasp and launched myself at Reno. His eyes got as wide as saucers as my fist connected with his glass jaw. He fell to the ground, stunned. I looked down at him, hate fresh in my eyes. "You have NO idea what it is like to miss someone who is never coming back. I pray it never happens to you." I spat as I started to walk out the door of Seventh Heaven. "Britt, where are you going?" Tifa called. Before I could answer some did for me, "To see me of course." I froze, that voice. But it couldn't be.
Tifa's face filled with shock, fear, and joy all at the same time. I could see it. My breathing was getting heavier as my feet turned slowly to see the owner of the voice. "CLOUD MINA!" Tifa cried. There were no barriers to her tears. Cloud and Mina trampled down the stairs and looked to Tifa. She was crying still, but they didn't know why. Cloud spotted Reno and ran to throw him against the wall. "What did you do?" Cloud cried angrily. Mina saw what Tifa had and gently put a hand on Cloud. "Look…" she smiled happily, tears forming in her eyes. Cloud, still with a raged face turned to see. "Z-zack?" he whispered, losing his own voice.
I continued to turn, closing my eyes, thinking that I was just imagining things again. "It's been a year, and I don't get to see those beautiful eyes of yours?" his smooth voice called out. I took a deep breath, a sob almost escaped. I looked up, it had to be a mirage, a ghost, something. "Are you real?" I whispered as I ran my fingers over his chest, up his neck and too his face. I felt him smile under my touch. "Of course I'm real." He said as he gently grabbed my hands and kissed the palm of both of them. His lips, they were warm, soft. I could feel the tears slipping from my eyes. "But you were – Cloud said – how did you—" Zack gently pushed his lips to mine. "I thought I was going to. I was almost gone when Cloud thought I was dead. But I kept picturing you. You kept me alive Britt." I smiled as I jumped on top of him, arms wrapping around his neck. "I thought I lost you." I sobbed into his shoulder. He held my head and my back as he hugged me, taking in my scent. "I'm so sorry I've kept you waiting, I had to stay hidden from those ShinRa rats." He glared at Reno when he said this. He set me down and looked at me, "You've never looked more beautiful." He whispered, tucking a stray lock behind my ear. I cried silently, thinking that I knew I looked like crap.
"Zack?" Cloud said as he came nearer. "Hey buddy!" he high-fived his best friend and hugged him. "But… you…" Zack smiled, "I think I just had this conversation with her. Hey we'll catch up later… right now…." He looked at me and slung me over his shoulder gently. "I've got to catch up with my love." He smiled as he bolted up the stairs. I smiled the biggest smile I think I could muster as he opened the door and began the most passionate catching up session I think I've ever known.
(Unfortunately I want to keep this on here, so imagine mmmmmkay?)
The next morning I woke up to an empty bed. I started to think that it had all been a dream until Zack popped his head through my open door. "Zack?"
"Yes love?" he said as he walked in and closed the door.
"Don't ever do that again. You don't know how badly I was missing you." I smiled at him, the life back in my eyes.
"Oh but I do, and I'm never going anywhere…I'm not ever leaving you again. I promise."