Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

I was inspired to write this story by the fan fiction "Reduced to Specimens" by JaydeeGrey. With permission, I have taken some elements from her story and inserted them into mine to build upon. Certain portions of scenes of this story are presented as re-writes of parts of "Reduced to Specimens."

A/N: This is the first fan fiction that I ever wrote and after it was taken down by choice, I considered not putting it back up. In fact, I told someone at one time, that I was never going to put this back up, but with much encouragement from friends and family, I have decided to post it again. This was not an easy decision as there was a lot of feelings surrounding this story. However, this story meant a lot to me and helped me get through a difficult time in my life. I read a lot of fan fiction and when I read "Reduced to Specimens" it inspired me to want to write my own fan fiction story. I want to thoroughly thank JaydeeGrey for her understanding, grace under pressure and endless generosity.

I changed the name from "Unbreakable Bonds" to "Nexus" because I got to the point that the name just got on my nerves. I have also shortened the chapters from 12 to 18 pages, cut down to 4-8 pages. Italics are dreams, thoughts or flashbacks. Story contains pseudo-science.

This story was originally started in August, 2012, and posted Oct, 2012 through July, 2013 as Unbreakable Bonds. Everything is the same, story and plot lines. The only differences now is extra and better descriptions, grammar and punctuation fixes.

I had this crazy idea for this story and wanted to get it out. As with any emotion that you find yourself stuck in, I needed to get it out and starting up a story was my outlet.

Great big hugs and thanks to my fantastic beta SubZeroChimera!

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -Robert Frost

Nexus

Chapter 1

Feeling the first parts of confusion of first waking up, Zack thought, 'What is that?' Something was digging into his ribs.

Trying to move, a shot of pain went through his body and he stopped immediately. Slowly opening his eyes, the low lighting in the dim room was thankfully easy on his growing headache.

'Where am I?'

All of a sudden the realization hit him right where it hurt. The stairs beneath him was what was putting painful and odd pressure on his body. Looking over to his right, he saw Cloud lying in an awkward position upside down on the stairs. Blood, and a lot of it, drawn by gravity up Cloud's neck, across his face and through his hair where it dripped to the stairs.

Reaching out, he tried to shake him, check on his friend, he just couldn't lose anyone else. Panic set up residence in his gut as he realized that he could almost reach him. Darkness seeped in and took hold of him and he found he was fighting a losing battle, he just couldn't stay conscious.

A shrill voice ricocheted around the enclosed area, "Excellent!"

Opening his eyes just enough to see a little light, he recognized Cloud on a stretcher across from him. A man who resembled that vile and creepy Professor Hojo looked him over, "This is excellent! He will make a fine test subject."

Hojo, cackled in that obscene laugh that was oh so annoying to anyone who was within ear shot. Trying to look over the edge of the stretcher so he could see Cloud, a thought interrupted the desire to see his friend, 'Wait… What? Did he say test subject?' He wrote it off, thinking that he just misheard him; after all, he was surely in shock from blood loss.

The undersides of his eyelids were a comforting feeling until he felt hands touching him. The pain from his wounds that he sustained from the fight with Sephiroth stung from the rush of cool air when they turned him over. The pain got him thinking again and he was sorry of that fact, 'Sephiroth! Cloud killed him… Sephiroth killed everyone.'

Unable to really speak, his inner monologue was becoming quite consoling. When the hands that didn't feel very gentle, laid him out, his wounds yet again let him know he was still alive. When the tightly drawn canvas material met his back, he grimaced and screamed with his inner voice, 'Ouch! You stupid bastards, that hurts.'

Next thing he knew, the rhythm of the sway back and forth while he was carried to the medical transport lulled him.

When the rhythm stopped with a jerk and then nothing, he slowly opened his eyes. Taking a slow pained glance around, he could see Cloud lying on his back on another stretcher right next to him. The slow steady rise and retreat of his chest in sync with his breaths, made Zack sigh in relief. Again, he tried to reach for him, but his weakened arm got intercepted by a medic, "Just keep your hands right here," Then his hand got placed back by his side.

Closing his eyes again, his thoughts drifted slowly like a piece of paper in a breeze, a paper airplane given life by the wind, 'Alright then, I will talk to him once we reach the hospital and they fix us up. Just hang in there Cloud, we'll make it, I promise.' Already forgetting what he had heard from Hojo, he let out a small quiet sigh as he let himself fall back into unconsciousness.

A loud screechy voice was heard from farther inside the reactor, "Sir…Doctor Hojo…Sir, Professor," The owner of the voice, an infantry soldier, appeared in the doorway.

Highly annoyed, Hojo raised his head from the paper work he was signing to berate the infantryman, "Do you not realize that I am busy? Why are you yelling, I am NOT on the other side of town… Now, what do you want?!"

The soldier looked down at his feet and already regretted yelling so emphatically. In a normal inside voice the soldier informed the visibly irate man, "Sir, we found something in here that you may want to see."

Hojo's ominous gaze changed to straight anger, "What! Why are you just now telling me this! Get out of my way, insect," Bounding up the stairs, he went faster than anyone had ever seen the man move before.

As he entered the room where Jenova was kept, his gaze fell several feet down from the walkway. Right next to the wall on the far side, a large crystal seemed like it was hovering just above the raw mako. The shiny part was equal to the dull green color of mako, and although it was cloudy and difficult to see, there was definitely something in it.

The smooth surface on the top of the very large crystal had a fluid-like appearance and resembled a beautiful bright olive colored river rock. Adding small swirls of different shades of green, it could easily be called exquisite. But Hojo wasn't looking at the beauty, he was looking at what it held beneath the surface. It was large enough to hold a full-grown man, "Well what are you waiting for? Get something to get it up here!" Under his breath he said, "Sephiroth, my boy."

The soldiers immediately got to work bringing the crystal up on the walkway. Stroking the lightly glowing crystal, Hojo knelt and smiled a gleeful and uncharacteristic smile. The infantryman who discovered the crystal was beyond creeped out by what Hojo considered a smile, "Load the crystal and its contents carefully into the second truck." The soldiers immediately complied, fearful of what Hojo could do or them becoming another 'lost' soldier.

Loading the man-sized crystal proved somewhat of a challenge as the soldiers quickly found out. Although the top was smooth, the bottom of it was nothing but large jagged edges that were sharp and jutted out with dangerous intentions. Placing it on a large industrial type metal stretcher was hard enough so they were forced to place it on its side. Out the door and down several stairs, the path to the transport seemed never-ending. Grunting and sweating the entire way, one of the soldiers, Private Barber, lost his grip and caught it just as Hojo rounded the corner. A glance at the soldiers across from him, the other guys sighed with relief that Hojo hadn't seen the slip. They eventually got it into the back of the truck and closed the doors. The strange Professor was fast approaching them with a clipboard in his hand, "Take the crystal to the mansion along with the other cargo, and do not break anything!"

Zack could feel hands on him, cold hands that matched the frigid metal table he was on. Hearing chatter, he was only able to pick up a word here and there. 'Table… IV… clothes… tank… Soldier First Class… sword wound… blond…'

Opening his eyes slowly, an extremely bright light shone in his face. As his eyes gradually adjusted to the light, he looked around, nothing seemed familiar to him. A lightening bolt of pain shocked him, he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Upon opening his eyes again, a woman wearing a white lab coat approached him. Thinking that it was rude not to smile at her, his drug induced joy, he watched as she emptied the contents of a syringe into his IV. Just as he started to doze off, he asked where Cloud was. The lab tech said nothing so he drifted into darkness again with his thoughts of Aerith...

Zack's refusal to fight Angeal cost him a long trip down under the plate without the advantage of using stairs or taking the train. Taking a quick assessment of his body, everything felt fine and in good working condition so far. Hearing a soft voice, he immediately thought that maybe he wasn't alright.

"Heelllooo"

Cracking his eyes open a little, there was a figure standing over him, a beautiful woman with bright warming light surrounding her. It was only natural that he asked the first thing that got from his brain to his mouth, "Heaven?"

Long hair, light brown in a braid fell over her shoulder, "No, sector 5 slums."

The bright light resembled wings as the divine light enveloped her now, "Angel?"

A soft innocent giggle and a radiant smile made her that much more beautiful, "No, I'm Aerith"

'I sure do miss her….'

Brady Chase was new to the lab run by Hojo. To say that he was nervous was a bit of an understatement. When he got the call yesterday to come to Nibelheim with the rest of Hojo's lab crew he was so happy that all his hard work was finally recognized, and by none other than Hojo himself. He had heard stories of how he was creepy and strange but he was just another rung on that ladder to the top to him. Chase was as power-hungry as any other person in the Shinra Corporation.

Hard work and recognition was the key that got him where he was. Now that he was in a good position, advancement was only given to those who showed promise. Of course a little underhanded deal here and there didn't hurt either, he knew how to play the corporate game and he played it well. Hojo was his ticket to success.

When the soldiers brought in his patients, one was a Soldier First Class and the other an infantry soldier. The analytical medical side went into straight into work mode.

The first patient was a fairly large male, approximately 18 to 20 years old and well-muscled. The second patient was smaller framed and damn near a child and couldn't have been more than 14 to 15 years old.

Quickly looking over their injuries, he let out a long sigh, at the prospect of performing surgery until late into the night. Adjusting his white lab coat, he looked down at the notes that were scribbled on the pages from the medics that recovered them from the reactor.

A lab tech handed him some official looking files, "Hmm, Soldier First Class Zack Fair and Private Cloud Strife, infantryman." Glancing over to Zack, he was awake and trying to look around. They still needed surgery for their injuries, so he ordered one of the lab technicians to give him a sedative.

Getting the sedative ready, he smiled at her and it was surprising that he really was a beautiful man with a smile that would light up a room, "Hey pretty la...lady, h…how is Clo…ud?" She said nothing, just a simple smile, and injected the medication directly into the port of his IV and watched as he drifted off. Those particular drugs didn't work well on Soldiers because of their enhanced metabolism so he had her double the dose.

Another lab technician, Burton Hill, was such a weasel of a man. The odd little man reminded him of Hojo, only younger. Looking over the tanks, he wanted to make sure the water was the right temperature for them after their surgery. Hojo came in about that time and started barking out orders. Two more lab techs came in right after him and the lab was then a flurry of activity.

Chase and two of the male guards cut away Zack's shirt to show his extensive wounds. Two very deep sword wounds that went across most of his chest and abdomen required surgery to repair the massive damage to skin, bone, muscle tissue and organs. The cause of his low blood pressure was the blood loss, Chase wondered how he was even still alive.

Going to the younger patient, the boy's clothes were already discarded to prepare him for emergency surgery. A long slash along his abdomen was as deep and bad as the first patient. The wound that was more concerning was a stab wound that went through his chest just below his heart and exiting his back, very close to his spine. Also having massive blood loss, they both needed surgery immediately. Talking to the only female lab tech, Chase ordered, "Go ahead and get their pre-op vitals."

Busy with his notes, Chase also uselessly directed some other soldiers to move a huge crystal into one of the other labs. When his other technician joined Doctor Chase next to the blond patient, the large metal swinging doors closed, blocking his view of Hojo. He didn't care about a crystal anyway, that was not in his job description; his job was a medical Doctor.

Hojo soon entered and he informed him of the condition of the Professor's newest toys, "Both patients need surgery immediately, before they lose any more blood."

Without turning his head from his present distraction Hojo ordered, "Well, then do what you're being paid so well to do then." When Hojo turned, he studied him, looking for any deceptions with his beady black eyes and said coldly with a greedy smile, "Do not let either of my specimens die. From now on, let's call them specimen C and specimen Z."

"Yes sir," Brady answered blandly, not knowing or caring one way or the other, Hojo's reasons.

'It is so warm and I feel weightless'

Zack opened his eyes and could see just blurs, goo, a gummy feeling substance covered his eyes, like Vaseline. Trying to rub his eyes, his arms were blocked from moving. Then there was something being held in his mouth, and it was choking him. Not being able to see much, he still tried to look around, trying to see where he was. Pulling with his arms again, they still didn't move from his sides. Looking down, he could see straps tying his hands at his sides and down toward his feet. Being in warm water, he floated upright in a large round tank of some sort. With his ankles also tied to the bottom of the tank, the straps on his extremities kept him from floating to the top. Air hoses and IV tubes hung from the tank's top.

About the time that panic started to set in he could see a man, no, two men standing in front of him. They were talking until one of the men stepped over to a panel in front of the tank and pushed a few buttons as the other one seemed to be writing down something on a clipboard.

When the water level started to go down, so did he. Feeling weakened, he wasn't used to that feeling and it scared him. As he slumped to the bottom of the tank he flailed against his bindings and ventilation tube, wanting desperately to gasp for air on his own. The white coat clad man who let the water out opened the tank and with help from another man, they flipped him over to his back and pulled the tube out of his throat, "I'm Doctor Chase, just relax."

The sound of the metal doors swinging open was followed by the bark of Hojo entering the room, "Oh, specimen Z is awake I see."

Coughing and trying to take in deep breaths, fear crept into his gut at the sound of the voice. Trying to push himself up to a sitting position, he noticed his nakedness but his larger alarm was that his wounds were completely healed. Starting to shiver, he finally was able to find his fractured voice through a raw throat, "Hojo? What is going on? Where are we?"

"There will plenty of time to talk later specimen Z. We will begin as soon as you and your friend feel up to it," Hojo smirk didn't make him feel any better about the situation.

"My friend?" Zack looked around and just to his left was another tank just like the one he was in. Seeing Cloud floating in water and unconscious with his wrists and ankles tied to the bottom of his tank just like his. Little white discs with wires were stuck to him, a ventilation tube was inserted into his mouth and he had an IV. One of the IV tubes had the eerie green glow of mako, "Why are you calling me specimen Z? You know what my name is you creepy bastard."

Zack's confusion seemed to not be getting any clearer. In fact, he was more confused now than he was before. The doctor who let the water out came back and inserted a needle into his shoulder, untied his wrists and ankles, took out his IV and disconnected all the leads that attached to his temples, chest, neck and abdomen. Wanting to get away from the stranger, he just couldn't seem to get his body to cooperate with him and that just added to his current stress level.

Looking over at Cloud, his head jerked a little to the side, then Hojo spoke again, "Well, it looks like specimen C will be waking up soon as well. Excellent!" Hojo quietly cackled to himself as he covered his mouth with the back of his hand. It was a common thing that he always did and made him look even more like the evil scientist.

Feverishly, he tried to remember what happened that got him in to this. First they went on the mission to Nibelheim. Then he was at the reactor and fighting Sephiroth, his thoughts rambled, 'Now I remember, Sephiroth's last attack almost killed me and Cloud came in and went after him. Later, he came out of the door, stumbling, holding his chest... Cloud killed Sephiroth! Then he collapsed on the stairs right next me. Hojo showed up and then I woke up here. This is seriously messed up. Alright, Zack get a hold of yourself.'

Two men who weren't any bigger than Zack came and picked him up and carried him over to a gurney, laying him on his side. Covering him with a thin sheet, they left the dank and depressing lab and went down a hallway that seemed just like it was out of the horror movie that he and Aerith watched a week before he left. She hadn't wanted to watch it, but he promised her a foot massage.

They came to what looked like a prison cell in a loony bin, "Anyone wanna tell me what's going on?" Zack asked nervously, "What are your names?" They said nothing while they picked him up and tossed him on a bed and took the sheet with them, "Ouch!"

Sitting up slowly, fighting off dizziness, he looked around at his new surroundings. From his bed he noticed that it felt like a hospital room but with a much less comfortable bed. The bed was a little wider than a single, but the mattress was only about 2 inches thick. There was another bed that was the mirror image across from his. Cold white tiles covered the floor and walls in the fairly large room, it looked to him that it was about the size of his bedroom in his apartment back at Shinra. A small bathroom doorway on the back wall and all he could see from where he sat, was a sink in a small counter. The real bonus was the small round mirror set into the wall above the sink.

Cold, naked with the added water droplets that hadn't yet dried on his skin didn't alleviate any fears of his. Blowing into his hands, he rubbed them together to help fight the cold. There was no sheet on the mattress, no blanket and no pillow. He laid his head back down and looked at the ceiling, there was a large fluorescent light to high for him to reach. One of the two long light tubes was burning out and it flashed and twitched on and off. He kind of laughed a little. Why he thought it was funny, he had no idea. Stress and fear played a major role in being hysterical he learned from some of his classes while in SOLDIER.

Before he could get too far into his analysis of his own psyche, the shot they gave him was pulling him into a dream…

"Scary movies scare me Zack."

"That is what they're supposed to do silly."

"Yeah but…"

"I'm here and I will never let anything happen to you. There is not a monster alive that will get near you."

"You're so cute when you say things like that."

"I bet I'll be even cuter when that monster is chasing you!"

"Oh you!" Aerith slapped at his arm in that playful way that he liked.

"Okay, how about I will… massage your feet."

"Really?"

"Unless they stink and then no deal!" Zack smiled.

"You're terrible!" Aerith giggled.

Tilting his head a little, he did his best puppy dog face. Very few people could resist that face and he knew it.

"Alright, scary movie it is, but it better be a really good massage."

"I will have you know that I give the best foot massages, even Sephiroth thinks so."

"Oh you are so bad!"

After laughing and getting slapped again, he reached up, he marveled at how dainty she was, as his hands covered each side of her head. Pulling her closer, his lips touched hers so softly as she leaned into him. The kiss turned to a more passionate one as his hand glided down to her shoulder, embracing her with deeper meaning.

Feeling her hands going around his waist, and up his back was almost to much as it sent warmth throughout his body. With slow deliberate movements, she guided her hands up under his shirt and pulled it from him effortlessly. With tiny kisses and small bites leaving soft red marks, they trailed down her neck to her collar bone. Slipping his fingers under the straps of her dress they fell down the soft curve of her shoulders.

When making eye contact with her, he could feel the love flowing through his veins. Smiling to each other, he leaned into another kiss when her eyes lit up like a fireworks display. He was at her mercy and always was.

Laying her down slowly in the flowers, he kissed down her chest between her breasts and down to her soft porcelain stomach. When he looked up at her, he came back to her parted lips. Looking into her beautiful green eyes, he waited for her to let him know it was okay to go further. Getting her answer to his unasked question, her hands found their way to his waist band, as he was finding his way around her bra.

Soon he was lying right next to her propped up on his elbow, kissing her neck and ear. A calloused and rough feeling hand softly rounded her waist as he pulled her closer to him. When a small moan of arousal parted her lips, she looked up and smiled that fabulous smile and it was directed to him and only him. Love, he knew that he was in love with her and wanted her forever, in fact he could see himself married to her one day. Never had he felt this way about anyone. It was not their first time with each other, but it always felt like the first time.

A/N: Thanks to all of you who favorite, subscribed and/or reviewed, I appreciate your time. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."

Please send me your reviews. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*