Disclaimer: Don't own FF7... any of it! :)

So I just updated this... I am not so sure what I had written here before... so yah. For any curious readers I am slowly working on editing past chapters and I got this one edited and well I lost my comment for this chapter. T.T No, nothing major will change because I am editing. I will let the readers know if there is a change but so far the changers are grammar and minor details. No worries! XD

Enjoy the story! XD

"Zack, I appreciate the hug, but can I have something to eat?" Cloud asked.

Zack pulled back immediately and headed for the door only to stop suddenly. "Um, Sephiroth and Genesis are out there. I will be right back with some lasagna and dump apples."

Zack left the room and made his way back to the kitchen. He stopped at the doorway, hidden from everyone, and listened.

"You are right, Zack is not acting normal," Genesis said.

"I thought that I figured it out, but obviously Cloud and Zack aren't lovers," Angeal said. "I just don't know what to do."

"He has definitely been enhanced more than a Second should be," Sephiroth said evenly.

"He was normal when he went to bed last night. Then he wakes up sick and his eyes are glowing as bright as Sephiroth's eyes." Angeal sounded worried.

"What about the cadet?" Genesis asked.

"Zack won't let me near him," Angeal replied.

"Hm, we have a meeting with Director Lazard in the morning so we can ask him then," Sephiroth said.

Zack dashed back into his bedroom when he heard chairs scrap against the floor. He kept the door slightly ajar so that he could hear when the Firsts came out of the kitchen.

"Zack?" Cloud asked.

"Shh…do me a favor and lay back down, pretend that you are asleep," Zack asked without turning around.

Zack peeked around the corner when he heard their footsteps head toward the front door. Careful to avoid being seen, Zack peeked back around the corner of his room.

"Sorry about training today," Angeal's shadow apologized to the other Firsts.

"I shall see you in the morning then." Sephiroth said.

Zack heard the front door close. "We are in the clear, Cloud. You can get up."

"What was that about?" Cloud asked as Zack stepped away from the door.

"I didn't want them to come in here and start asking questions, especially questions that I don't know the answer to," Zack said, looking at Cloud. "I may not have the answers, but you do."

"Zack," Angeal said as he opened the door. "I wanted to… Cloud, it is nice to see that you are awake."

Cloud looked at Angeal and then back at Zack. Zack's face broke out into another grin.

"Angeal, this is Cloud Strife, my best friend. Spiky, this is First Class Soldier Angeal Hewley, my mentor," Zack said bouncing.

"Nice to meet you Cloud. Zack, I want to apologize if I offended you at dinner," Angeal said.

"Huh?" Zack thought for a moment, and then a red blush crept up his face. "Oh, don't mention it. I mean like never again."

Angeal chuckled and Cloud looked at Zack. Zack waved his hand. "Say Angeal, is there any food left?"

"Yes, for once you didn't eat it all," Angeal chuckled as he strolled out of the room. "I shall warm up a plate for Cloud."

"Thank you, sir," Cloud called after Angeal.

After dinner Zack, Cloud, and Angeal argued for several minutes about where everyone was sleeping. It was finally decided that Zack would sleep in his bed, Angeal in his, and Cloud on the couch. Zack got his bed because he still had a slight fever. Angeal kept his because Cloud refused to go into Angeal's bedroom and rejected the idea of kicking Zack out of his bed. Cloud didn't want to take his newly revived best friend's bed from him. Zack didn't argue when Cloud refused it. Angeal finally gave up the battle he couldn't have won.

Zack, without warning Cloud, threw a loose bundle of blankets and pillows at him. Zack let out a triumphant noise as the blankets covered his friend.

"Zack!" Cloud unburied himself and stared at his friend.

"If you need or want more, don't hesitate to ask." Zack turned on his heels and went to his bedroom.

He closed the door as he looked around. There were books scattered across the room, some half open, some on shelves, and others upside down. His clothes littered the floor. His bed wasn't made. There were dirty dishes here and there. There were even papers amongst everything else. Zack smiled. He was home.

Zack walked over to his dresser. He pulled out a fresh pair of pajamas, He quickly got dressed and opened his door, that way he could hear Cloud if he needed Zack. Zack flipped off his lights and jumped in bed. He pulled his blanket over his head and drifted off to sleep.

Instead of being pulled into a dream. Zack found himself floating in the lifestream. The familiar sense of peace settled over him.

"Zack," The voice seemed to echo around him.

"Ifalna?" Zack knew that voice. During his time in the life stream, he had gotten the chance to meet Aerith's mom and had talked with her several times.

"How are you doing dear heart?" Ifalna asked. "Did you figure out why Minerva sent you back?"

"To stop the Sephiroth nightmare," Zack answered.

"Correct."

"But why send both Cloud and I back?" Zack had wanted to ask this question since he appeared in the training room with Angeal.

"Minerva knew that Cloud would need a friend." Ifalna answered lovingly.

"So, where to start…" Zack knew the events that led to his general's madness and eventually his own death. "Hm... stop President Shinra, Hojo, and Hollander, that seems as good as any to start."

"Right, all easy tasks," Ifalna said with a chuckle.

"I know, right?" Zack smiled at the sweet sound of her laugh then he sighed. "How can I be of any help when I am so tired? Why am I tired?"

"You know the answer, Zack," Ifalna chuckled.

"My body is getting used to being used again?" Zack asked.

"Yes. On a side note, it is okay if you meet Aerith and fall in love again. Better to give her the option to love you, knowing the costs, than to ignore her. We both know that she would be upset if you did that," Ifalna chuckled again. "One more thing, because your spirit is used to the lifestream, you may come and go while you are asleep. I recommend that you stay here for tonight. Let your spirit return to your body when it is ready."

"Sounds good to me, Thanks," Zack yawned.

"Rest well Zachary Fair." Ifalna's presence faded.

Zack woke up. He looked at his clock to see that it was 7am. Zack yawned and stretched. He jumped out of bed, closed the door, and changed into his uniform. He then wandered out into the living room to see a big pile of blankets.

"AHHHHH!" Zack let out a battle cry and jumped on the pile.

"Zack," Cloud's voice came from somewhere under the blankets. "Get off."

"Oops, there's a person underneath." Zack played up his voice.

"Zack!" Cloud pushed Zack off him and sat up.

"Morning Spiky!" Zack wore a smile from ear to ear. "Get up and let's go."

"Why and where?" Cloud asked as he fell back into his makeshift bed.

"Because we will be lazy and fat if we didn't go somewhere and that somewhere is to the slums!" Zack said as he started to fold up the blankets.

"The slums? Oh, you want to see Aerith." Cloud stood up, yawned, and helped Zack fold up the blankets.

"Not quite. I have a different plan in mind," Zack said.

"So how are you going to get there?" Cloud asked as they placed their folded blankets on the couch.

"Easy," Zack said. He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and placed it on top of the pile. Grinning, he then walked over and opened the window. "We jump."

"What?" Cloud asked.

"Look, there is a building across the way," Zack said, pointing in its direction. "We push off from here and land on that building where we jump to the ground."

"Are you joking?" Cloud asked. "It is humanly impossible to make that jump."

"Cloud, the last time I checked we do "inhumanly-possible" all the time." Zack said.

"Are you sure that we will make it?" Cloud asked.

"Do you doubt me?" Zack did his best to look offended. When Cloud didn't give in, Zack leaped out of the window letting out a whoop.

Zack love the felling of falling. If only he had wings like Angeal. White ones. Zack wished he could just soar in the clouds. He opened his eyes as the first building came into view. He tucked and rolled. Standing up and dusting himself off, Zack looked up to see Cloud seconds away. His eye then locked on to the empty window with the curtain dancing in the wind.

"You're crazy!" Cloud said as he got to his feet.

"You enjoyed it," Zack said with a grin.

"I think you enjoyed it more than me," Cloud said as he jumped off the building.

Zack smiled as he looked at the rising sun over Midgar. Zack let out another whoop as he flung himself off the building. He felt good to be alive.

So whachya think? Let me know in a review! What's a fav part? Do you have a bone to pick with me! Let me know! XD