I don't write much anymore but I saw Fairheartstrife's list of prompts and looked through them all and decided to write one of them. Perhaps I might steal a few more of those prompts for more one-shots. Basically this is an AU one-shot where Zack survived, but has yet to learn the details of what he missed out on. The word prompt is below.

Change: Gone were lanky limbs on a budding form, and in their place muscle and curve made his mouth go suddenly dry.

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Having survived through six months of physical therapy after being in a coma for four months and apparently a giant calamity from the skies that Zack had not been aware of; Midgar seemed like the logical place for him to go. It had been a second home for the better part of his life and with the absence of ShinRa, he felt he needed to fulfill a promise in getting to Midgar. He hadn't expected the destruction that was at Midgar, nor did he expect to come across a place called 'Seventh Heaven' in the city of Edge. What had drove him to step inside the establishment Zack couldn't have been too sure about. Could it possibly be an old memory from the slums when he had given the very name to a carpenter looking to build a bar? Could it have been the children sitting outside of the bar, a location that, even in Zack's mind, seemed unfit to have a child wait while the parent drinks.

Zack never had very much luck with kids, the only two he's had to deal with in his life had stolen from him. One from the slums and one spunky punk from Wutai; you would think after six years he would have gotten over his worries of children. Still, he could never be too cautious so while they made no blatant reach for him or his wallet that was stuffed in the back pocket of his jeans, Zack still found himself checking to be sure it was there while he stepped into the establishment. All was safe and the children didn't make any attempt to run after him from behind while he found himself stuck at the entrance to the bar. It was a bit 'homey' feeling to him. It had that comfortable atmosphere that Zack felt was what brought people to the bar for the first time. He wasn't much of a drinker considering he had trouble holding his own with alcohol but he could see the interest it gave people to drink in such a place and make idle chitchat over the stresses and worries of the day.

Even though it was barely passed three in the afternoon, Zack could spot a few costumers scattered about the bar. Two were sitting at the bar trying to make idle conversation with the female bartender located behind the counter serving them their drinks. Three more were sitting in different tables across the bar floor. "Who left their kids out on the steps?" The words erupted from his mouth without his permission and any conversation that had been going on halted while everyone turned to look at him. Long moments passed that were simply filled with the fans running above them. The Ex-SOLDIER simply scratched the back of his head as he came to the sudden conclusion that it may have been in his best interest to have just left it all alone. He knew Midgar was in bad shape, but that didn't mean it was potentially dangerous to just leave children out on the stairs of a bar. Surely there wouldn't be anyone stupid enough to have just passed by and whisked them away. The children must have been smart enough to know that running into the traffic would have been a very bad thing.

"Um… Never mind that." He probably should have just kept himself out of bars anyway. He wasn't the type to run in and wash away his guilt, his sorrows, and his despairs through consumption. He was always an optimistic person, and he always took life to the fullest no matter what it gave him. He shook his head at his own stupidity before he turned around and made a move towards the door.

"…Zack?"

The Ex-SOLDIER stopped in his tracks however when he heard his name called out. How does anyone in the bar actually know his name? He hadn't been to Midgar in six years and anyone he did know probably died when Meteor came close to destroying all of Midgar. He couldn't pretend that it wasn't his name however, and it just drove him with curiosity to figure out who exactly knew him. He found himself turned around and he glanced around the bar at the other customers, but the voice he heard was feminine and none of the customers were women. The only woman in the establishment was the bartender.

The brunette had stepped out from behind the counter and now just stood at its end to simply stare right back at him. She knew him? Zack couldn't even faintly recall where he could have possibly met the woman to have her actually know who he was. There hadn't been any visitors in Gongaga since Meteor was stopped. "Zack Fair, from SOLDIER?" She took a hesitant stepped forward and Zack found himself taking a step back while he simply starred across the bar. Where had he seen such a face before? It almost seemed familiar to him, as if he had met her once in another lifetime.

'No… it couldn't be.' Zack found himself thinking while his brows drew close together. He could remember the destruction, the fire, and the cries of anguish; but most importantly, he could recall the heated outcry of hate directed at him by a small country girl located in Nibelheim. He all at once found his eyes dance across what used to be a fifteen year old figure and absorbed what he saw before him. Gone were lanky limbs on a budding form and in their place muscle and curve made his mouth go suddenly dry. He couldn't place the name to the face no matter how hard he tried. He could only come up with possibilities. Theresa, Tiffany, Terry, Tracy; he knew he had to be close but he also knew one important fact about the woman. She had been a childhood friend of Cloud's.

"You must be mistaken." Zack quickly choked out before he rushed to the door and out of Seventh Heaven. The children were still there, and now perhaps he understood who they belonged to at that moment and why they were there. He had more things to be concerned about, his own promises to keep that were far more important than trying to rebuild old bridges. His wallet was in his back pocket, the bar was behind him, and the path before him led towards the future.

AN- Well, that's it. It was fun to write. I'm more into the who realm of RPing rather than writing fanfics. I have a FFVII RP Site so if everyone is interested, drop me a mail and I'll send you a link. Thanks for reading! I might do more word prompts. :3