I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters. I don't know if there was supposed to be anything between them but I got the impression that Zack liked Cissnei a bit and that she felt the same. That's why I wrote this. Plus she's way cooler than Aerith.

Grounded

Zack stomped down the hall past Luxiere who was trying to calm him down.

"Zack you're lucky that they brought you back alive at all," Luxiere said. "The fact that they reinstated you in SOLDIER, even as a 2nd class, is incredible."

Zack just kept walking. After a couple minutes he reached the training room and found it empty. He went inside and turned it to a simulation in which he had to fight Wutai soldiers dressed as Shinra soldiers until he was overwhelmed. The soldiers shot stunning rounds so he wouldn't be hurt but he would be able to take out his anger about Shinra turning on him and Cloud. Cloud had saved Zack's life at the last second and as a result had been forced to fight against the soldiers in Zack's place. He had been severely wounded but before he could be finished, Cissnei had arrived and had used her authority to take Zack and Cloud back alive. She was the soul reason they were alive.

Zack's surroundings became the same barren wasteland he had nearly died in. then the soldiers began to appear. Zack began moving as fast as he could and killing soldiers left and right. The more he fought, the more memories flashed through his head and the angrier he got. The angrier he got, the more often he felt a bullet hit him. After three minutes, he finally dropped to his knees and the scenario ended.

"You aren't stronger for being angry," a voice said behind Zack. "You're weaker."

"I've been angry every time I've faced a strong opponent in the past," Zack said.

"Then imagine how strong you could be if you controlled your anger," the owner of the voice said walking around in front of Zack and Zack glared at him.

"What do you want Tseng?" Zack asked.

"The boss wants to speak with you," Tseng said.

"Great," Zack said picking up his sword and standing.

He didn't have Angeal's sword anymore, he had given it to Cloud during the fight and Cloud still had it. Now Zack had a standard SOLDIER sword. The only difference between Zack's and any other soldier's was that Zack's was handmade by Cissnei and had an inscription on the side of the blade. It was in Japanese so Zack could read it. He had memorized it the first time he read it.

The inscription read, "To my world and the best SOLDIER in existence, from Cissnei."

Zack smiled as he glanced at the inscription.

"Heavy words," Tseng said. "Don't let her down."

"I would never do that," Zack said. "If I ever get out of here, I'm going to rebuild Wutai."

"Why?" Tseng asked.

"What we did was wrong," Zack said. "They didn't have any weapons besides guns and we only attacked them on suspicion of having weapons of mass destruction. Bet you didn't know that."

"No I didn't," Tseng said. "How do you?"

"You tend to learn a few things when the leader of SOLDIER commands you not to return to SOLDIER," Zack said. "He hated this place too."

With that, Zack left and went to the Director's office.

"Ah, Zack," the new Director, Rude, said. "I'm glad you're here. I'm promoting you back to 1st class. It would seem that a group of surviving Genesis copies is headed to Midgar. You are to meet up with the Turks stationed there and end the copies then return. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Zack said through gritted teeth.

Zack left and went to the training room then left after putting on his new 1st class uniform. He went to Midgar and when he was halfway to the church Aerith was staying at, he reached a bridge. He walked to the middle and looked down. Three copies were left standing and Cissnei was about to kill them.

"Wait!" Zack said dropping next to her.

"Hey Zack," Cissnei said cheerfully. "I see you made it back to 1st class."

"Just got the uniform," Zack said. "Please let me kill them."

He did his best puppy dog eyes and pressed his hands together in front of his face.

"How long has it been since you saw any real action?" Cissnei asked.

"Three years," Zack said.

"Fine," Cissnei said. "I suppose I'll let you owe me one."

"Whoopee!" Zack said drawing his sword and cracking his neck. "I just hope it isn't a slaughter fest."

He charged at the copies who all charged back. A half hour later he was laying on Cissnei's kitchen table shirtless while she used a new materia to heal a gash running from his left shoulder blade to his right hip.

"Remind me why I let you take them?" Cissnei asked.

"Oh shut up," Zack said. "It's been three years since I fought anything that wasn't a hologram."

"I'm sure that's the problem," Cissnei said. "I suppose I should be thankful that you asked me to let you fight them. Honestly I would have let you go see Aerith."

"I should have just asked for that," Zack said.

"Too late," Cissnei said.

"You know, I never thanked you for saving me," Cissnei said.

"I didn't," Cissnei said. "Cloud did."

"And you saved him," Zack said. "Once he had been finished, what do you think they would have done to me?"

"Good point," Cissnei said.

"And thank you for the sword," Zack said. "It means a lot to me. Me having it is a life or death issue."

"Very funny," Cissnei said. "I'm done."

"Thank you," Zack said sitting up and pulling his shirt on. "And I really did mean it. The sword, and inscription, mean a lot to me."

"I was beginning to wonder if you could read Japanese," Cissnei said. "It's been three years since I gave that to you and you still didn't say anything about it."

"Sorry, I was busy hating Shinra," Zack said.

"I figured," Cissnei said. "So, how much longer till they come looking for you?"

"Why do you ask?" Zack asked grinning evilly. "You got some way to pass the time?"

Cissnei turned scarlet but Zack just laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm kidding," Zack said.

Cissnei's blush faded and she smiled but still looked slightly sad.

"That's not what I meant," Zack said. "I was just joking about passing the time. I really do care about you."

"Just not as much as Aerith," Cissnei said.

"Well...I..." Zack began.

Just then someone knocked on the door and Cissnei answered it. Rude walked in and glared at Zack.

"You were supposed to come straight back afterward," Rude said.

"I got wounded and Cissnei was fixing me up," Zack said.

"SOLDIER has an infirmary," Rude said.

"I trust her," Zack said. "She didn't try to kill me."

"Just get your rear back to HQ," Rude said.

"Yes sir, right away sir," Zack said unenthusiastically.

Rude rolled his eyes and left and Zack flipped the door off after him. Then he turned back to Cissnei.

"Guess I gotta go," Zack said. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Cissnei said. "It was good to see you again."

"Maybe we could meet up again some time," Zack said.

"Sure," Cissnei said taking his hand and grabbing a marker. "This is my number. You'd better call me."

"I will," Zack said. "See you later."

He left and went back to SOLDIER while Cissnei called in to the new leader of the Turks and told them that the Genesis copies were dealt with.

THE END

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