X MY COMPUTER SHOT SPARKS AT ME! I've been telling my Dad for a while we needed a new fan and a day later my computer was crashing. I tried restarting it. When it booted back up not only did it shoot sparks at me, it blew two fuses and made a lovely burn mark on the table it is placed on. Let's just say I didn't even go into my room for a couple days.

X So here's Chapter 5, heh, hopefully I can get back to my one-a-week update system. That I never had. ANYWAY, reviews are wonderful :]

Chapter 5- Greater

As Zack pulled away from Claire, he smiled wide. She returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Cloud's gonna kill you." She sang, resting her head in the crook of his neck. A small giggle was heard from her. Zack let out a chuckle.

"So there's no way I could still be friends with Cloud and have you?" He asked, twirling her hair in his fingers. She looked up thoughtfully.

"You probably should've waited to ask Cloud before you kissed me." She said, giggling. Zack gently nuzzled her nose.

"I was afraid you'd say that." He murmured.

"You should, because Cloud can tell when I'm lying, so I can't cover your sorry ass." She said, stepping away from him. She gently took hold of his hand and guided him to shore.

"You know, kissing me in the ocean is kinda corny, don't you think?" She said when they walked onto the sand.

"I'm kind of a corny guy. Sorry." He chuckled. "To be honest, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing." Claire turned to face him.

"I like spur of the moment." She said, smiling.

Xx

Claire's new custom was to hold Zack's hand as they walked. Zack didn't mind at all, in fact, he enjoyed it. He was able to tell what Claire was thinking. If she jumped slightly, she was obviously scared. If she squeezed his hand, she wanted to talk but didn't know what to say. When she fidgeted, she wanted him to teach her a new battle technique. And when her hold loosened, she either wanted him to carry her or to take a break. Right now, she hold on his hand was normal, meaning she was content.

"Gongaga's right up ahead. I want you to stay close anyway, just in case. Okay?" Zack said, looking down at her. She looked up and nodded. They stayed silent until they finally walked into Gongaga. Claire looked around, and then looking up at Zack.

"Where do you live?" She asked quietly. He pointed over in the direction of his home. Taking her hand in his once more, he guided her over to his house; he quietly walked to the side, and helped Claire climb up the side of the house.

"Why are we scaling your house?" She whispered.

"Just being careful." He whispered back, beginning to climb himself. Making sure Claire had a good hold of the house, he opened the bathroom window, and he climbed in. Once in, he grasped Claire's hand, in an attempt to pull her up. She freaked, and began to frail her arms. Zack still managed to pull her up, but she fell on top of him on the bathroom floor.

"Claire, next time you freak out on me, make sure you're not going to kill yourself in the process." Zack said sitting up. Claire got off of Zack.

"Sorry," She murmured. "It's just I was hanging off the side off a building by one hand." Zack sighed. Carefully, he opened the bathroom door and looked both down the hall. He looked back to Claire, and she nodded. He checked all of the rooms in the hallway, before gently taking Claire's hand and leading her to the staircase. He let go and went down himself.

"Zack?" An older man's voice said. Zack immediately turned around. An older man, with Zack's black hair, holding a shotgun was behind him.

"Dad?" He asked, stepping forward to him. The man enveloped Zack in a brief hug before stepping back and smiling.

"Your mother and I were wondering when you would come home. Of course your mother was hoping a girl tagged along with you, but you know her."

"Is that you Zack?" A brown haired woman came into the doorway. She smiled and hugged him. Oh thank goodness, when we heard that bump upstairs, we thought we were being robbed." Zack laughed. Looking up at the stairs, he called,

"It's alright Claire, you can come down." His mother looked at him curiously. Claire peeked her head out before shyly coming down the stairs. His mother gasped delightedly.

"Isn't she precious!" She exclaimed, walking over to Claire, and placing her hands on her shoulders. Claire didn't recoil, but she tensed and avoided eye contact. She smiled nervously. Zack laughed awkwardly.

"Mom, Dad, this is my friend Cloud's sister, Claire. We're looking for Cloud and her sister, Serah. Have you seen a pink haired girl and a Blonde hair boy?" His mother looked disappointed.

"You mean you aren't going to marry this wonderful creature?" His mother said. Zack's jaw dropped.

"Mom!" He exclaimed. Claire's face was a beat red. She bit her lip nervously.

"Have you seen them, Miss?" Claire asked quietly. Zack's mother looked back at her. She shook her head sympathetically.

"I haven't dear, but I don't leave the house often, have you, dear?" She looked over to Zack's father. He nodded in response.

"The boy's hair looks like a chocobo, right?" Claire nodded quickly. "They've been around; the boy didn't look too good. I thought he was dead at first, but he's breathing. The girl's doing well, she dragging him around." Claire's eyes widened as she looked at Zack.

"Where are they Dad?" Zack asked, looking at his father.

"Farther down the path, closer to the mountains." He answered Claire made an attempt to go, but Zack grabbed her by the waist.

"No, you're going to stay here and rest, your fever is coming back." He said, guiding her to the couch in the living room.

"But-"She started.

"No buts. Now rest." He said pulling a blanket from the top of the couch and draping it over her. "I'll get them, I promise." He caressed her cheek and stood. When he turned, he saw both his mother and father smirking. Zack looked away and flushed.

"I'll be back; can you take care of Claire for me?" He said walking by them towards the front door.

"Of course." He mother said, smiling.

Xx

Zack had to look around for a while; the sun was beginning to set. He couldn't disappoint Claire. So when he saw a flash of pink he bolted towards it. When he got to a large rock, a small girl came out in front of it, holding a Shinra gun. She was clearly nervous, as she was shaking. She realized who Zack was after a moment. Placing the gun down, she started crying.

"Where's Claire?" She asked stepping back. Zack blinked.

"She's resting, she has a fever, but other than that she's okay." He said, kneeling down to Serah's level. "Is Cloud all right?" Serah shook her head and pointed behind the rock. Zack walked over quietly. Cloud was placed behind the rock, his eyes open but he wasn't moving. Just like his father, Zack had to make sure Cloud was even breathing. Cloud looked up to him.

"Claire." He said, his head tilting.

"Claire is all right." Zack said. Cloud nodded, his eyes closing.

"He's sleeping now. He has gotten better, ever since we got away from that place, he's been like this." Serah said, sniffling. "He got us onto the boat, and then he started acting like he was dead. I had to drag him places. At the beginning, he was able to move around himself sometimes, that's how he wrote the letter to Claire. But it got worse, and soon he couldn't do anything. A while ago, he started moving a little again. And now he can ask one-worded questions."

Zack smiled at Serah. He slung Cloud over his shoulder. "Well, he's getting better again, right?" He said. Serah nodded weakly.

"Cloud's heavy. If you've been carrying him you've got some muscle." He chuckled as he led the way back to his house. Serah stopped in front of him.

"I got help most of the time. Other times I had to wait for someone to help me. Where are we going?" she said. Zack stopped.

"Back to my house, Claire's there and waiting." He answered. Serah nodded lightly.

"Serah." Cloud said quietly. Serah looked up. "Trust." He finished. Serah understood and nodded more confidently. Zack smiled.

"Let's go."

Xx

Zack opened the door to his house and stepped in. His mother looked out from the kitchen and smiled. Zack smiled back before going into the living room. Claire looked up from the television. She immediately got up even when Zack gave her a look. He placed a sleeping Cloud down of the couch as Serah ran and embraced Claire.

"Claire!" She cried, sobbing into Claire's shoulder. Claire hugged her back, a look of relief consuming her face.

"Are you alright Serah?" She said quietly pulling away from her to look at her face. Serah nodded.

"They only injected Cloud with stuff. They just kept me to the side." She answered. Claire's head snapped up to Zack, who immediately walked over to Serah.

"That's what you meant by 'that place'? Serah, the guys who injected Cloud with something, what did they look like?" He said his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hojo." Cloud said behind Zack. Zack spun around to face him. "Hojo?" He repeated. Cloud nodded. He reached out. "Claire." He said. Claire walked over to him and took hold of his outstretched hand. He slowly took his hand and touched her cheek, before going back down and taking hold of her hand once more. Very slowly and carefully, Cloud attempted to sit up. With the help of Claire, he managed to slump over the arm of the couch. He winced.

"I was worried about you." He said quietly. Both Zack and Serah were surprised. Claire just smiled lightly and nodded.

"I spent a long time thinking you two were dead. Just ask Zack." She smiled at Zack before going back to Cloud. "I think I win." She added. Cloud chuckled.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." He said embracing her. She wrapped her arms around his neck gently.

"Trust me, after this whole experience, no one is allowed to die anymore." She said. Cloud's head slumped onto her shoulder. She looked at him to find him asleep. She smiled softly before laying him down on the couch.

Xx

Zack sighed as he flipped through the television channels. Cloud had woken up but went back to sleep, and it was now dark outside. He was snoring slightly and would occasionally shift in his sleep. He seemed to be able to control his body from the waist up.

"Zack?" Zack's head turned to face Claire in the doorway. He smiled.

"What's up?" He said quietly. She looked at the ground.

"Can I, take a shower? And wash my clothes?" She whispered. Zack chuckled and nodded.

"I'm assuming you want some of my old clothes to sleep in, huh?" He said standing. He had already changed and bathed himself and Cloud. He didn't really have to help Cloud. Cloud surprisingly was able bathe and change himself; he just needed some help turning the water on.

"I would like that," She started. She bit her lip. Zack tilted his head to the side.

"What? They don't smell of my beastly odor; they're clean." He said. Claire shook her head.

"No it's not that, it's just," She started and looked at Serah who was sitting on the couch next to Cloud.

"Serah first?" He guessed. Serah looked up at the sound of her name and Claire nodded. Zack turned to her.

"Come on up Serah, let's get you and your sister cleaned up." He said, leading them both up to his room. Going through his dresser, he pulled out some shirts and shorts that no longer fit him. He gave the smaller ones to Serah and showed her the bathroom. Turning to Claire, he smiled.

"There's a bathroom downstairs you can use." He said guiding Claire to the other bathroom. Walking back to the living room, he sighed and plopped himself onto the couch opposite of Cloud. Cloud's eyes were now open, as he turned to Zack when he came in.

"Thank you for taking us in, and watching Claire for me." Cloud said. Zack smiled.

"No problem, although watching Claire was quite an adventure." He chuckled, "I'm surprised I don't have a Turkey imprint on my face still." Cloud sighed.

"I'm sorry. She gets very defensive after someone dies. I don't think actually witnessing my mother's death was a good thing for her mental health." He said.

"I don't think it's good for anyone's health." Zack commented. Cloud nodded in agreement. Zack thought, and he decided this was probably the best opportunity to tell Cloud about him and Claire. It probably wasn't, but he had tell him someday.

"Uh Cloud, I have to tell you something." He said dumbly.

"You made a move on my sister." Cloud said chuckling. Zack's draw dropped for the second time that night.

"Did she tell you?" he asked, trying to remember a time Claire and he were alone. Cloud shook his head.

"She's my sister. I can tell these things. Claire stops whacking you and Serah will giggle around you a lot. Of course, that's when they like it. When they don't, they usually both slap you across the face like a normal girl." He answered.

"Should I ask how you know this?" Zack half asked. Cloud laughed.

"Trust me, I learned the hard way. I walked into them by accident and they've done the same to me." Zack raised his eyebrow. He was about to say something cocky, until a moment of realization dawned on him. He shot up from his seat.

"Wait, does this mean I can date Claire? You're not going to kill me?" He asked, trying to keep quiet so his mother wouldn't hear him and come squealing into the room. Cloud nodded.

"I trust you. You've kept her safe for a while, you're only 2 years older than her, and you're not some random scum off the street. Of course, if you hurt her, in any way, I will personally rip your heart out off your chest with my bare hands." Cloud said. Zack laughed out of pure joy. He hugged Cloud briefly.

"You can trust me. I will pamper, and baby, and spoil her! I won't let anyone lay a finger on her, well I already do that, but still!" There was more to Zack's babbling, but Claire walked into the room and that shut him up momentarily.

"Claire!" He cried picking her up and twirling her. Her hair was damp and she was wearing his favorite shirt he had given her. She had to grasp the shorts he had given her to keep them up. He couldn't answer him because his mouth on hers silenced her. She closed her eyes and kissed back, her arms wrapping around his neck. It was short and sweet. Claire giggled.

"Hello to you too." She said.

Xx

After all had been fed, bathed, and clothed properly, Serah had a problem sleeping upstairs and away from Claire and Cloud. Zack had offered Serah the guest room and Claire his room. Serah had accepted but like Claire, she had a problem saying what she wanted. The conversation had resulted in Cloud and Serah sharing a couch, while Zack and Claire shared the other.

Zack yawned quietly, occasionally checking on Claire. He thought having her right next to him would be enough to let him fall asleep. The fact he was still awake proved him wrong. He wasn't the only one awake, either. He would notice after a couple minutes, Claire would scoot closer to him. After she scooted closer to him for the 6th time, he wrapped his arms around her. He knew Cloud wouldn't be exactly happy with him, but it was apparent that both of them couldn't sleep. Claire giggled and snuggled into his chest.