Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII

Warnings: Blood

Mindless Babble:

"Come on, Cloud. I know they pumped you full of the same drugs they gave me. You should be waking up by now…"

Eyes of glowing cobalt fluttered open to find a blur of fiery red leaning over him. Cloud blinked a few times, the blur settling into the features of one who could have been called friend or enemy. Namely a young Turk called…

"Reno! What…" Cloud tried to sit up, only to be pushed back down.

"Take it easy, Hero. The drugs leave a nasty hangover. Just lay there for a bit. Trust me, you'll feel better."

Cloud did as he was told. It wasn't like he had much choice. The world had started to spin as soon as he tried to sit up. Instead, he attempted to remember how he came to be in this situation. He had fuzzy memories of running an errand for Tifa and a sudden pain in the back of his neck. He had fallen then, seeing a grinning Shinra SOLDIER standing over him before blacking out.

Cloud propped himself up on his elbows, this time without any dizziness, and took a good at their surroundings. The earth had long ago dried up and hardened leaving only a barren landscape dotted by rock and petrified plants. No life seemed to exist beyond the two of them. Cloud looked at the other man.

"I can understand why I was attacked but why are you out here?" the spiky blond haired man asked, gesturing to the vast wasteland that surrounded them. The fact that the Turk was unarmed wasn't missed.

Reno gave a nonchalant shoulder shrug, as if to say he didn't care that he had been given a death sentence. "Shinra seems to believe that I betrayed them."

Cloud cocked an eyebrow. "Did you?"

"Maybe."

The ex-SOLIDER gazed at the man that had refused to face him since waking up. Reno appeared different for some reason. The red marks under his eyes seemed brighter, making Cloud realize how pale the Turk was. The goggles that had been perpetually holding back the wild hair now hid eyes that instead of making contact with his own Mako enhanced eyes, stared into nothingness.

"Are you okay?" Cloud asked.

Reno smirked. "Sure. Why wouldn't I be? I was left alone with a guy who has more reasons to kill me then any other."

"I don't want to kill you." Cloud turned away as the other man twisted to stare at him. "I did in the past, but I…"

Curiosity showed on pale features mixed with another emotion that Cloud couldn't name. "But what?"

"But I don't now. You helped those kids, you fought Yazoo and Loz, and you helped me on the highway. I think you've changed since the first time we met."

Reno abruptly stood up, turning away from the younger man. "Yeah, I guess I have…"

Cloud tensed at the other man's sudden movement. Reno was acting stranger then normal. He also seemed to move slower, more stiffly.

"Reno? What hap-"

"We should try to make for that canyon," Reno said, cutting off Cloud's question. "At least it'll offer some shade."

Cloud shook his head and tried to stand. He learned two things in that attempt. One: The knife he always had hidden on his belt was still there and Two: His left arm was a mass of agony. He cried out, more in surprise then from the actual pain.

Reno was down on the ground next to him in an instant. The redhead pushed the loose sleeve of Cloud's jerkin up and winced. The younger warrior looked down and gasped.

"The stigma? But how?"

Reno's head dropped a bit lower. "I'm sorry, Strife. It's because of me…"

Confusion spread over fair skinned features. "I don't understand? How could this be your fault?"

"They tried to inject you with different strains of the disease, but your body rejected all of them. So they made me a carrier. That way it would mutate enough for it to affect you."

Reno slid an arm around Cloud's back and helped the younger man to his feet. His hand brushed the blade but he made no attempt to take it. "Come on. If we hurry, we can make it to the canyon before night fall."

"Doesn't that mean that you were also infected?" Cloud asked, regaining some control of his breathing.

Hair the color of glowing embers brushed ashen cheeks as Reno shook his head. "It's doesn't matter, Strife. I'll make sure that you make it back to Tifa."

The walked like that for some time, Reno supporting a rapidly declining Cloud. They stopped to rest in the minimal shade of a small rock formation. The smaller blond closed his eyes as he tried to swallow the feelings of nausea. The sensation of a bottle touching his lips followed by the taste of clean water running over his tongue surprised him and his eyes flew open. Reno sat next to him, holding the small flask, although in his confused state, Cloud saw black hair framing a face that glowed with self-assuredness.

"Zack?"

Reno withdrew the water bottle. "Sorry, I'm not you SOLDIER buddy. Just an ex-Turk."

Cloud blinked a few times, his vision clearing. He blushed lightly in embarrassment. "Sorry Reno. Don't know why I thought you were him."

Reno shrugged before sliding a hand up Cloud's shirt. The blond yelped in surprise and tried to back away. The other man sighed and turned his arm so he could see Cloud's chest.

"That's what I thought," he muttered. "It's spreading fast."

Cloud felt his heart sink as he looked down at his own body. The smudged black lines were creeping down the flesh, extending across his chest and abdomen. At this rate, he would be dead by this time the next day.

Reno let the shirt slid back into place. "I'm not going to let you die, Strife."

"Why do you care so much?" asked Cloud, a smile devoid of humor on his pale lips.

Reno smirked, effectively hiding his worries behind a mask of confidence. "'Cause I don't want to see that beautiful babe of yours cry."

Cloud laughed. "I'm beginning to think you have a little thing for Tifa…"

"Well, any woman that can dish it out as good as she gets, deserves my a-"

Reno was cut off by Cloud pushing him to the side a second before he felt a breeze brush the back of his neck. He turned in time to see one of the sand creatures that Yazoo had once used in Midgard just miss him. The creature landed and turned its massive maw towards the humans who scramble away.

"Now what do we do?" Reno asked, slightly panicking. The last time he had seen these creatures, he had at least been armed.

"Try to distract it," Cloud replied. "I'll go after it from the side."

Reno spared the blade master a glance. Seeing the light of the setting sun glinting off the blade, he sighed, resigning himself to the role of bait. "Alright, but hurry it up!" He dodged to the side, throwing a small rock at the creature.

As soon as the monster turned away, Cloud attempted to strike its head but his weakened body decided on that exact moment to give out on him. Pain flared in the arm that wielded the blade and he dropped it. The man who had faced the dreaded one winged angel, not once but twice, fell to the ground, his cry of anguish catching the beast' attention.

Reno immediately comprehended what had happened. As the creature advanced on the still form that was his only companion, Reno did the only thing he could; he tackled the thing. Razor like claws racked his back as the monster twisted in his grasp. Reno pushed away and landed near Cloud and more importantly, the knife.

"Alright. I always figured I'd go down fighting…" Reno mumbled, feeling the blood run down his back.

"Too bad you won't get that chance."

The voice was both familiar and yet unfamiliar. Reno looked down at where Cloud lay and was surprised to see a large, red lion-like creature standing over the man.

"Red… no. Your name is Nanaki, isn't?"

Russet eyes widened in astonishment. "I did not think a Turk would know that name."

Reno returned his focus to the sand creature. "Yeah, well, I've learned a lot in the past couple of weeks."

Nanaki shook his head, the crystals entangled in the thick mane glistening in the fading light. "Rest and protect Cloud. I will take care of this abomination."

Reno nodded and collapsed next to the other human as Nanaki leapt at the monster. True to his word, the felne destroyed the monster in a matter of minutes. He returned to the pair.

"Can you walk?"

Reno had been wondering that too. He felt dizzy from the blood loss but was determined not to embarrass himself in front of the one who had saved him. He clambered to his feet, trying very hard not to sway. By the time the world had stopped spinning, Nanaki had managed to get Cloud situated on his own back.

"Follow me. There is a cave not far from here where you can rest for the night."

"I don't think Strife has much time for resting," Reno replied, stumbling into motion beside the intelligent animal.

"Do not worry about that for now," Nanaki said, looking up at the Turk. "Things will work out. I promise you this."

Reno would have shrugged, if there had been any amount of energy left in his body that wasn't being used to put one foot in front of the other.

A gentle nudge that sent waves of pain through his body woke Reno. He moaned in response as he opened his eyes. Glowing brown eyes met his.

"Get up. Your ride will be here soon."

Reno sat up and looked at Nanaki. "What ride?"

A grin that revealed sharp teeth appeared on the furry face. "There is a delivery truck that goes to the outlying towns that uses a road a short walk away. I will take you there and make sure you and Cloud are given a ride back to Midgard."

Reno glanced to where the spiky-haired man slept fitfully. "So long as Strife makes it back to Tifa."

Nanaki watched as the Turk, no- ex-Turk, tried to rouse the ex-SOLDIER. "You are different from when I met you last."

"Yeah, that's what Strife said too."

"No. You are physically different."

Hidden eyes turned to face Nanaki. "How far is this road?" Reno asked, intentionally changing the subject.

"An hour's walk."

Reno sighed and slung one of Cloud's arms over his shoulder. "If he wakes up, I don't want him to find out about me."

"Why? You risked your life to save his…"

"Because some lives are more important then other's."

The cryptic answer puzzled Nanaki but he didn't question it. Instead, he quietly led the way to the dirt road that led through the canyon and into Midgard. Again, the red creature had spoken true as the first rays of light crept over the horizon, a small pick-up truck appeared.

"Wait here," Nanaki commanded. He bounded gracefully towards the vehicle and, in a powerful leap, landed on the hood of the truck. Reno heard the driver scream, slamming on the brakes, even from where he stood with Cloud. Nanaki motioned for them to approach.

"Will you take these two to the city?" the creature asked the driver.

The man pried his vision from the terrifying sight on his hood and looked out his side window. His eyes darkened as he recognized. Reno. "I'll take the blond one but there's no room for bloodthirsty Turks! Especially not for that mass murdering son-of-a-bitch!"

Reno felt as if the man had sucker punched him. That probably would have hurt less. He looked away, trying to get a mask up to hide the pain. "That's fair enou-"

"NO!" Nanaki growled. "He is a Turk no longer and is now this man's guardian! You will take BOTH of them!"

The man looked about ready to need new shorts as the very sharp teeth came closer to the soft skin of his throat. "Alright, alright! I'll take them both. But I warn you, anything funny and I kick them both out!'

"Acceptable." Nanaki jumped down from the hood as Reno helped Cloud into the bed of the truck. He hooked his paws over the side to say his farewells. "Cloud once spoke of another time he traveled like this."

Reno smiled sadly. "I know. But that time, he traveled with one he could call brother."

Red fur swayed. "Perhaps the two of you are bound in a brotherhood of a different sort."

A bit of humor crept into Reno's voice. "You know, you're way too smart to be the animal Hojo thought you were."

Nanaki returned the expression. "And you are too kind to be a Turk."

Reno laughed and waved goodbye as the truck started down the road.

Brown eyes watch the dust cloud until it had settled. "He is in pain."

A shadowed pulled away from the rest and stood next to the four legged creature. "I know. I will follow and make sure Cloud makes it to Midgard."

"I wasn't talking about him, Vincent, and you know that."

The raven haired man in the red coat bowed his head. "I had thought we had ended that nightmare."

"Apparently, the nightmare just moved to a new host."