Chapter 9 is here! :D

Zack: *Unsheathes sword*

Me: Now now, you don't wanna hurt me!

Zack: Yes I do.

Me: Ahhhh! Anyway, Enjoy! *Runs away*

~XChapter9: Darkest DaysX~

The alarm blared at four in the morning just like it did everyday. Zack got up and got ready like he did everyday. But he left the house without a cute little four year old boy he had grown to love, somthing he used to do everyday. Zack held his hands in his pockets as he walked. It was cold and he had left his jacket at his apartment. But he didn't want to go back and remember that Cloud had once lived there. But his body said otherwise and he ended up turning around.

He somberly walked up the stairs and unlocked the door to his apartment. When he opened the door. He saw that same little four year old boy, holding up his jacket and smiling.

"Cloud?" Zack asked bewhildered.

He rubbed his eyes, and when he opened them, Cloud was gone.

"Just my imagination." Zack mumbled as he grabbed his jacket from the hall closet. But as he was getting his jacket out, he stepped on something.

"What?" Zack wondered aloud.

He picked the object off the dark hall closet floor and brought it into the clouded sunlight of the living room. It was a blanket. But not just any blanket. It was Cloud's blanket. He knew from the chocobo's printed on the soft baby blue fleece. He ran his hand across it. The feathers were puffy and fleecy, the beak and legs were soft and silky. Zack folded it back up and stuffed it back into the closet. He shook his head and once again left the house. Only this time, with a jacket in tow. As he made his way down the steps and onto solid ground, a fresh coating of snow was beginning to blanket the earth below.

This was the type of weather when he found Cloud in that allyway. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, as if he had a migrane.

"Get him out of your head Zack, he's off somewhere else where he can be happy with his family." He told himself aloud.

He opened his eyes and continued his walk to Shinra. It was a long and cold walk. Maybe it was a good thing Zack went back to get his jacket, otherwise, he might have regretted it later. He shook snow off from his jet black hair when he walked into Shinra and dusted pure white snow off his clothes. He walked past the secritarys without a glimpse or a wave. They all looked worried for the once happy and bubbly First Class. He went to the elevator and lightly punched the up button. He waited in silence for the elevator doors to open. When they did, he almost eagarly jumped in.

He hit the button for floor 49, or known as the SOLDIER floor. The metalic doors quietly shut as it accended. Zack's head hung low and he stared at his boots. He knew this day was already the longest and lonliest day of his life. The doors slid back open as he stepped out. Few Third Classes were talking in the halls as Zack passed. He went to a large lounging area and took a seat on one of the chairs. He heavily sighed and rested his face in his hands. He stared out the window for who knows how long.

"Zack." Someone said from behind him. He payed no attention.

"Zack!" They repeated, more sternly.

His head slowly turned to face them. It was Angeal.

"What on earth happened to you?" He asked, his expression softening.

His eyes had no spark like usual and it looked like he was dying inside, or already dead for all he knew.

"He's gone." Was all Zack said, before his eyes went back to looking out the window.

Angeal was about to ask, before he remembered. "Cloud, right?" He asked.

Zack somberly nodded.

"Did he run away?" Angeal asked, sitting next to his student.

Zack shook his head.

"Yesterday was just a normal day. I only took Cloud to get a check-up at the clinic, then a few hours later, his aunt showed up."

"He has an aunt?" Angeal questioned, slightly confused.

Zack once again gave a small nod, almost undetectable. "Well, she wanted him to stay with her, so, I let her take him." Zack replied, looking at Angeal now. He could have sworn little tears were forming in the little puppy's eyes.

"Zack, this isn't like you." Angeal remarked.

"I know." He replied back, emotionless.

"Can't you call him or somthing?" He asked.

Zack's eyes slightly windened before he facepalmed and shook his head. "I never asked." He mumbled, messing up his hair with his hands, as if he was franticly trying to remember somthing.

"Wait here." Angeal said quickly walking off.

"As if I'm gonig anywhere." Zack mumbled, rolling his eyes.

There was still just a tiny spark behind his eyes left. Angeal was not going to let that faint little spark die.

[XxXx]

Cloud was laying in his new bed, reading a book Zack had packed in his backpack. Little tears dripped and dotted the pages. Cloud furiously rubbed his eyes and dried his tears when he heard Brock shuffle about his room outside. The door banged opened and Cloud acted as if he had never shed one tear.

"What are you doing?" He asked, smirking.

"Reading." Cloud said, flipping the tear dotted page to a dry one.

"What book? The one that one guy gave you?" he asked.

"hey! He's not 'That One Guy' his name is Zack!" Cloud defended, slightly aggitated. "Cool it." Brock warned.

"You aren't the boss of me." Cloud muttered, going back to his book with a small scowl on his face.

"What was that?" Brock asked, hands on his hips.

"I said, You. Aren't. The. Boss. Of. Me." Cloud said with unneccicary pauses. But they reflected as if he had a tough side. His eyes looked up to glare at his cousin.

"Oh? Who's the older one here? Let me think, I'm eight, and you're four, so I have seniority." He snorted, storming up to Cloud, he stopped just inches away from his face. He noticed that his eyes were irritated and bloodshot.

"You were crying." He said.

"I was not! You're just angering me!" Cloud defended.

"No, you were crying. You miss that Zack guy don't you?" He chuckled.

"Of course I do! He's my Daddy!" Cloud defended.

Brock burst out into laughter. "Your Daddy? So, does that make him your third Daddy?" He laughed.

Cloud's scowl turned into a look of hatred.

"Yes, yes. That's right. Your first daddy beat you, your second daddy died, and now your third daddy abandoned you."

"He did NOT abandon me!" Cloud angrily cried, tears swelling in his irritated eyes.

"Then why'd he get rid of you so quickly?" He laughed loudly.

"Shut up!" Cloud yelled.

Brock just continued to laugh even more. Cloud scoped his room and noticed a little bambo sword he had gotten from a recent Mideval fair. May-May thought he'd like it when she went yesterday. Cloud jumped up from his bed, grabbed the bambo sword and tightly gripped it.

"Oooh! I'm sooo scared!" Brock laughed sarcasticly.

Little did Brock know, Zack had let Cloud mess around with a few lightweight swords when he took an intrest in Zack's training. He ran at Brock and klonked him upside the head. Brock stumbled back and fell onto his rear. Cloud held him down by resting his foot over his chest. Cloud stuck his tounge out.

"Who has seniority now?" He giggled.

Gregory had heard the noise and rushed in. Gregory was May-May's husband, or, Cloud's uncle. The worst part, was he wasn't exactly fond of Cloud and he favored Brock.

"What the hell Cloud?" He shouted.

Cloud stumbled back and lost his tough defence. Brock scrambled up and hid behind his dad.

"He hit me with his sword!" He whimpered.

"He was insulting me!" Cloud cried.

"Brock, don't insult. And you Cloud." he said, taking a few thundering steps up to him.

Cloud whimpered and fell back into his rear. Gregory was about to speak when the phone rang.

"You wait here." he pointed as he went to get the phone.

Brock stuck his tounge out at Cloud. "You're in SO much trouble!" He smiled.

"You started it." Cloud growled.

Brock giggled and dashed away to his room. Greg returned with the phone in hand. He held it out to Cloud.

"It's for you." He said.

Cloud slowly walked up to Greg and took the phone.

"I'll be mauling over your punishment, for now, enjoy that little taste of freedom you have left." He said leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

Cloud held the phone up to his ear. "Hello?" He asked.

His eyes widened when he heard.

"Cloud! It is you!" Zack said on the other end of the phone.

"Daddy!" Cloud cried.

"I've missed you buddy." Zack said, smirking on his side.

"I missed you too Daddy!" Cloud exclaimed happily.

"How have you been?" Zack asked quickly.

"I don't like it here." Cloud whined.

"Aw, what's wrong?" Zack asked.

"Brock is a big meanie and always gets his way. May-May is never home, Greg is also a meanie who favors Brock and he drinks a lot." Cloud whispered so no one else would hear him speak.

"You really don't like it there do you?" Zack asked.

"No. I wanna go home!" Cloud sadly whimpered. Little tears fell from his eyes as he sobbed.

"Hey, hey, buddy. Don't cry." Zack soothed.

"I wanna go home. I wanna go home." Was all Cloud repeated as he cried.

Zack really wanted to be there for Cloud and hug him, hold him, and tell him everything was alright. But he couldn't. He didn't have custody over Cloud anymore. Even though with each passing minute, he always regretted letting Cloud go so easily. If May-May was never home, how could she possibly have time for him? Or was it for the money? Usually in cases like these, "Distraught" Family members would take in a relitive, close or distant, all for money. If this was the case, he could get Cloud back!

"Are you done in there boy?" Greg shouted.

"I-I gotta go. Bye Daddy." Cloud quickly said before he hung up. "Yes, I'm done." He said as if his voice was heavy and weary.

Greg was there. He had a leather belt in one hand, and a bottle of beer in the other. Oh God. Another drunken rage. Cloud's eyes filled to the brim with tears. He could live with just a swat, but when there was a beer bottle in Greg's other hand, he knew it was going to be more than just a swat.

~X~X~X~

Zack had heard Greg shout if he was done, and he sounded drunk.

"Angeal!" He cried, jumping up from his seat when the call ended. He searched the SOLDIER floor for him, finding him near the elevator.

"Zack?" Angeal asked, quite shocked at the quick spring in Zack's step, and that hidden horror within his voice.

"Where does Cloud's Aunt live? I think Cloud's about to be in serious trouble." He almost shouted.

Angeal noticed that it looked almost impossible for Zack to keep his emotions calm, resulting in his horrified, yet timid look.

"The secritaries can look it up, come on." He said as the elevator doors opened.

Hold on Cloud. I'm coming! Zack's mind screamed.