Removing midnight blue gloves with teeth and fingers, Callandra ran shaking digits through her thick, waist length hair. Pale green eyes ran over her guest as if trying to convince themselves that he was actually there.

"Well," she snorted, "I'm gonna have a lot of explaining to do when he wakes up."

Now bare fingers slid slowly over the raven spikes marveling at the softness. So young."Well, Zack," she said to the sleeping SOLDIER, "Let's get you cleaned up a bit, hmmm?"

Efficiently, she set to stripping Zack of his gear, so like her own, placing it carefully to the side. Sliding her arm under muscled shoulders, Callandra eased the sleeping man up so that she could remove his shirt in order to tend the various injuries he'd obtained.

The deepest appeared to be a cut in his right side, from the look of it caused by a blade. Skilled fingers ran over the wound pleased to see that the bleeding had almost stopped. A simple Cure spell would do the trick. Moving away, Callandra shed her midnight blue leather coat and set it on a nearby chair.

Retrieving one of the water jugs, she poured some into a bowl and dug in a drawer for a cloth. Dropping the white cotton into the bowl, she approached the bed, sitting carefully on the edge. With tender fingers, she wiped the dirt from Zack's face and body meticulously cleaning each scrape and wound. A frown tugged at full lips when she came to the bullet burn on his left bicep. Bastards.

When each wound was clean, Callandra stood, pulling a small green orb from her pocket. Holding the mastered Restore materia in her hand, she cast Cure 2 watching the green mist envelope Zack's body before fading away. Placing the materia back in her pocket, Callandra tugged the comforter up to Zack's shoulders. "Sleep well."

Her gaze shifted to the Bust Sword resting against the foot of the bed. "Angeal . . ." she murmured, wrapping one small hand around the blade and lifting it easily. Looking back at Zack's sleeping form a small smile tugged at facial muscles that had nearly forgotten the gesture. "Well, since it looks like you'll be needed again I'd better get you cleaned up."

Kneeling next the bed, Callandra retrieved her own supplies, then sat down in a wooden chair by the bed. Laying the heavy sword across her lap, she began to wipe away the grime that had covered the magnificent blade with loving strokes. "You'll be good as new."

OOOOOOO

Consciousness returned grudgingly and honestly, Zack wasn't in a hurry to wake up. Instead, he took his time using his senses to determine his surroundings. He felt the soft mattress beneath him and after a moment's concentration realized that someone had undressed him part 

way. This isn't the Lifestream. Where am I? And then . . . it came back to him. Koyoto. His eyes drifted open resignedly and scanned the room he was laying in stopping when they rested upon the strange woman who had helped him escape.

Callandra had known he was awake, had sense the change in his breathing. She said nothing, content to give him a few minutes to get his bearings and find his composure. Her features softened when pain-filled eyes found her. "How are you feeling?" she asked, standing and striding to the bed. A lightly callused hand rested on his forehead checking for fever.

"I'm . . . fine," Zack murmured, submitting to the hand on his forehead, "Really."

Knowing eyes gave him a chastising look before the hand lifted returning to her side. "Are you hungry?"

"Who are you?" Zack demanded watching the woman move away.

"Callandra."

"No," Zack frowned, sitting up slowly, "I mean who are you. You're dressed like a SOLDIER First Class and I've only seen one other person with eyes that shade of green. And that was Sephiroth." Zack noted how the woman flinched when he said that name and she looked away. "And how did you know Angeal?"

"I'll answer your questions," Callandra said softly, "But eat first. You need to regain your strength. Oh, I have something for you."

Zack's eyes widen when Callandra pulled away a sheet to reveal the Buster Sword. When he had held it on the cliff it had been dirty and the blade dull from constant bombardment by the winds and sand. Zack had thought vaguely that Angeal would have had a fit if he could have seen his blade. "Holy shit . . ." Zack murmured as the woman lifted the blade presenting it to him the blade cradle across her palms. "You restored it," Zack breathed, "Dreams and honor."

"Yes."

Zack lifted his eyes from the Buster Sword to find Callandra watching him intently. Her eyes lit with warmth and a soft smile took years from her features.

"I'll find us something to eat," Callandra murmured averting her eyes and moving away.

Slightly trembling hands ran over the gleaming surface of the blade. The restoration of the Buster Sword had been a labor of love. Not one speck remained to testify to years of neglect. Even the crevices in the hilt had been painstakingly cleaned until the metal gleamed. For this more than my freedom, I owe her.

Zack was still clutching the sword when Callandra returned. "They're just military rations," she said apologetically, "I haven't been to a town recently."

Zack accepted the rations, waiting until Callandra a seated herself in the chair before asking, "We're in Midgar?"

"What's left of it, yes," Callandra confirmed. "Of course after Meteor everyone was forced to abandon the city." Those eerie eyes regarded him questioningly, "How much do you remember?"

"Most of it I think," Zack murmured sadly, "Enough."

"What . . . is it like? The Lifestream?" Callandra asked, leaning forward.

"It was . . . peace," Zack whispered, "And damn Koyoto for taking me from it."

Callandra sat back taking a thoughtful bite of the bland rations. "You're not happy to be alive again?"

Zack shook his head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," Callandra said dryly, "I might surprise you."

"We were together again," Zack said after a long pause, "Me and Aerith. We were together and we were happy. And that bastard took her away from me again!" Zack flung the half-eaten rations aside and started pacing the small room. Oh Aerith . . . I can't do this . . .

"Aerith Gainsborough. The Ancient," Callandra mused.

Zack spun around, eyes sparking in agitation, "How do you know all of this? I think it's time you explained a few things. Starting with why your eyes are like that!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Callandra retorted, "You heard Koyoto. I was one of Hojo's experiments."

"That doesn't explain the SOLDIER uniform or how you knew Angeal."

Callandra sighed, and spoke, voice detached. "Hojo determined that a female's genetic structure could be more compatible with the Jenova cells than a man's if a few modifications were made. Not that there wouldn't be women with a strong negative reaction just less of a likelihood of it occurring. So, Hojo got permission from the President to find a female subject and try and reproduce his previous experiments."

"You mean Sephiroth," Zack said grimly.

"Yes," Callandra admitted in a pain voice. "I was raised within Shinra. I-I think I remember having parents but I'm not sure. I guess it doesn't matter. I was injected with Jenova cells on a bi-weekly basis."

"Why were you such a secret?"

"It was unheard of for a woman to enter SOLDIER, as I'm sure you're aware. And the company wanted to avoid any criticism it might face conducting such an experiment on a woman. So, I was yet another secret. Angeal, Genesis and . . . Sephiroth were my friends and only family."

"How old were you?" Zack asked.

"When Angeal became your mentor I was fourteen."

"Fourteen!" Zack yelled, "Damn Hojo."

"Sephiroth faced similar things from the moment of his birth," Callandra reminded him.

"And look what happened!" Zack bit out.

"At that age I was already being sent on missions," she pressed on.

Are you trying to tell me that you're as strong as Sephiroth?" Zack sounded skeptical.

"No," Callandra smirked. "He was stronger. But . . ." Suddenly the Buster Sword was torn from his grasp and the redhead stood before him, the blade pressed to his throat. " . . . I am faster."

"I, uh, see," Zack gulped, taking his sword back, "So no else knew about you?"

"Very few," she shrugged, "Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth were the only SOLDIERS. There were one or two Turks who knew out of necessity."

"Sounds lonely," Zack murmured.

Callandra looked down, "Not until Genesis and Angeal . . ." she trailed off.

"Yeah."

"What will you do now?" Callandra changed the subject, "Koyoto isn't likely to give up."

"I don't care about that psycho," Zack said, "I need to go to Edge."

"Edge?"

Ghostly memories (no pun intended) flitted through Zack's mind, memories of watching Cloud struggle and suffer. "I need to find Cloud."

"Cloud . . . Strife?"

"You know him?"

"No," Callandra shook her head, "But the entire planet knows of him." Her face went blank and her tone flat, "After all, he and AVALANCHE did defeat Sephiroth."

Zack sighed, remembering that day in Nibelheim when they nightmare had begun. "Guess you're right." The brunette cocked his head questioningly, "Do you hold it against them?" he asked softly. "That they killed Sephiroth?"

"No," Callandra said softly. Her eyes met his, "Just like I don't hate you because you killed Angeal."

The First Class staggered back. "Y-you know?"

"Of course I know," she said, "Sephiroth told me."

"I hated myself," Zack said, looking away.

"Don't," Callandra said earnestly, laying a hand on his arm, "Angeal wouldn't want that. You let him die as a SOLDIER. If you chose you then it was because he trusted you." She yanked her hand back nervously.

"I-I know," Zack whispered, "Angeal was there . . . in the Lifestream, you know. When I died, he came for him himself."

Looking up from the floor Zack was surprised to find Callandra smiling with relief. "What?"

"If you saw Angeal on the other side," she said, "That means that one day, I will too." Realizing that this was a difficult subject for Zack, she once again changed the subject.

"So, you and Strife are friends?"

"Yeah," Zack gave a small grin, "We hit it off right away." The smile faded. "That day on the cliffs . . . I died protecting him. I never regretted it but . . . Cloud took it hard. He's never forgiven himself. He's finally doing better but I can't let him live with that guilt anymore. I have to find him."

No wonder Angeal was so proud of him.

"You'll need to be careful," she reminded him.

"What about you?" Zack said, "Koyoto will probably come looking for you. After all, you're as close to Sephiroth as he'll ever come."

"You're probably right," the red head admitted. "But, I really don't have anywhere else to go. And I've been here so long."

"You'll come with me," Zack decided.

"Pardon me?"

"You'll come to Edge with me," he repeated, "We'll be safer together."

"Go to Edge?" Callandra looked down thoughtfully. There's nothing for me in Edge. Yet, there's nothing for me here either. I'd have to face . . . She looked up at Zack's hopeful face and suddenly understood why Angeal had been so lenient with his protégé. Oh gods, puppy dog eyes. Shit. Not fair.

"Okay," Callandra conceded, "I'll go with you." I'm sooo gonna regret this.

"Awesome!" Zack grinned, "I want to get started A.S.A.P." Zack looked sheepish. "Do you know how to get there? Edge wasn't built yet when I . . .uh . . . left."

"No road maps in the Lifestream, hmmm?" Callandra teased.

"Not so much." Zack grinned back.

"Hopeless," she smirked, "But, yes, I can get us there. It's only a few miles. Just far enough that the inhabitants don't have to look at Midgar's ruins every day. I know you're in a hurry but you need to rest some more. Plus it will be dark soon anyway. We can leave in the morning."

Nodding, Zack headed towards the door. "Sounds like a plan. I need to stretch my legs a bit. I won't be long."

"Don't go far," Callandra cautioned, "It's possible that Koyoto may decided to search the city."

Zack waved dismissively. "I'll be careful. Trust me."

Running a hand through her hair as the door closed behind Zack, she murmured, "How did Angeal deal with both of us at once? The man was a saint."

Amberblood: So how was that? There's still a lot more that Callandra is hiding but how was that for developing her a little more? I've never played KH so I don't know about Vexen. I keep meaning to but haven't gotten around to it. There are some similiarities between Genesis and 

Callandra. You'll also see similarities with Angeal and Sephiroth as the story goes on. I just have to be careful to do that but allow her to be her own person too. And of course I know who you are. I'm actually reading one of your stories Full Circle. Which I hope you update soon. LOL. Anyway thanks for the review and don't worry about yacking my ear off I love it!!

Black-Valentine-1992: Glad you like it! Is this soon enough? LOL.