Blood...

His blood, its everywhere.

His chest, its full of bullets.

His eyes are closed...

His beautiful eyes, once full of love and life...

Now cold and lifeless.

His mouth, usually curved with a smile to lift my mood.

Hes not smiling now...

His hand, its clenching mine...

Just a second ago his grip was tight, now its loose...

He said he'd see me again someday...

I screamed,

"What do you mean? Your gonna be with me forever.

Your not leaving. You promised me! Remember?"

He smiled so sweetly, he looked me in the eyes...

And squeezed my hand,

"I don't break my promises.

I'll always be with you in spirit."

I screamed again,

"No! Don't leave me, please don't leave me!"

I scream his name, he looked up at me one last time...

He placed a soft, last kiss...

On my lips...

I taste the coppery taste of blood...

I reach out to touch his soft, pink lips...

A few drops of blood coat them...

I move my hand, caressing his cheek.

He leans into the touch, looking up at me,

"I'll never leave you."

He smiled at me...

And I screamed again,

"No! Don't say that! No! Zack! Zack don't leave me!

Zackary! C'mon baby don't leave me like this please!

We have to open up our shop! We have to go see Tifa!"

I look at him and realized he didn't appear to be listening.

"Zack...?"

Hes not moving.

"Zack! Zack talk to me!"

But it was too late, he told me goodbye and then he was gone...

I can't beleive hes gone...

He was just here...

Now hes not...

His chest is no longer rising and falling...

Its still.

I feel a few tears slip down my cheeks...

I'm... Crying?

But, he wouldn't like that, right?

He always told me to be strong.

But... Hes gone...

I don't understand...

I should be the one there...

Not him..

I should be bleeding...

Not him...

They were aiming for me, not him...

Those bullets in his chest were suppose to be in mine...

He's supposed to live.

He's supposed to fulfill his destiny.

He was going to open his shop.

Midgar was supposed to be where he was going...

This isn't fair.

This isn't fair to him.

He was the only one who understood me.

He told me he'd be there forever.

He said he'd never leave me.

Those murderes...

The Turks.

Before we left...

Before any of this happened.

We were perfect.

I was a cadet, and he was a SOLDIER First Class.

It was a cold night, it was snowing and I was so upset.

Sephiroth had been so harsh with me the hour before then.

I didn't mean to actually hurt the other cadet...

It was an accident.

I ran to him. He hugged me...

He told me that he would make the hurt go away...

That he would cheer me up...

And he did.

All of the hurt was gone.

But now...

I look at him and I see those memories start to fade...

His last words to me...

They hurt me so bad when he said them...

It made me feel guilty...

"I Love You... Cloud."

And then... He was gone...

I tighten my grip on his hand and throw myself on his chest...

I'm not hiding the tears any longer...

They fall all over my face, a single tear slides down the tip of my nose...

It drops right into a single bullet hole.

I did not notice...

I cry harder...

Not hiding all the pain I have in my voice, I begin to talk, slowly,

"Why... Why must you die and leave me here... You said you'd never leave me...

You said you'd always be there for me."

I continue to talk to him, though I know he cannot hear me...

I won't leave him... I won't.

But he told me... On that truck...

"If anything happens to me, promise me you will still go to Midgar.

Find a place for you to work, get some money. Build the shop. And be happy.

Will you promise me that?"

He knew I couldn't answer him. I simply nodded as good as I could without hurting.

It hurts so bad to see him like this, I don't want to leave him, but its what he wanted...

He wanted me to build the shop...

That does everything...

I don't want to leave him...

Though I know I have to...

Slowly, I pull back and take one last look at my longtime lover...

I whisper,

"Goodye, Zack."

I stand and continue down the road to Midgar.

I look back at him and start crying again, I face forwards and continue walking.

"Godbye... Zack."