Author's note: And here is another chapter! This one has Zack's mom in it! I had a lot of fun righting the two sides of her. :3 Thanks again for all of your comments and everything! Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Warnings: None. Well, maybe language.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story idea and OCs.

Word count: 4,745

Zack has never been so pumped. At least, not in a while. Angeal had to continuously remind him not to push his hands too hard while they were still bandaged up, but he could barely hear the concerned older man. All he could do is keep working and look forward to his exams. Such a thought had never occurred to him before and originally sounded painful, giving him a flinch, but then he realized what it meant and the thought just kept coming back again and again. After a few days, Zack's test freak out was the last thing on anyone's mind.

He looks around at the bustling open field, which was usually filled with cadets working out and running laps, is now filled with cadets and others in civilian clothes. He looks around for anyone familiar but he separated from his friends long ago as they went to mingle. Zack looks up at the sky and smiles. Today is warm. One of the few times that the sun is able to pierce through the clouds.

Zack's birthday was small and with few gifts. Zack wasn't used to it, but actually really liked it. It was a lot more personal then when he was back in Gongaga and could only spare a few words before the next person came in to wish him a happy birthday. His friends had poor their meager allowances together to take all of them out for dinner. It was great. The way into Zack's heart is through his stomach, so naturally it went well.

On their way back to their barracks, Zack spots Angeal standing next to the door leading into the barracks. There is a few cadets huddled around him, talking anxiously. They look a mixture of excited and nervous to be so close to legend. Angeal, like an ethereal creature surrounded by a bright benevolent light, talks friendly and smiles kindly. The Cadets melt and are more awestruck the more they spend with the legendary warrior.

Kunsel nudges Zack in the ribs. "Did you know he'd be here?" He whispers into Zack's ear.

The dark haired boy shrugs, rising onto his tiptoes to be able to see his mentor over the taller boys between them. He waves his hand around. "Angeal! Hey Angeal!" Zack jumps up to see Angeal staring with an amused look on his face. "Stop smiling like that! I'm short, got it. Come 'ere!"

Angeal apologizes to the other boys and move through the crowd to Zack. "Happy birthday, Zack."

"Thanks!" Zack beams up at him before he grabs the older man's hand and pulls him over to his friends. "These are my friends; Kunsel, Chase, James, and Gabe." Angeal shakes all of their hands, smiling faintly at their awestruck looks. "Oh come on guys, he's not that cool. No need to be so starstruck." Zack says waving his hand around dismissively.

Kunsel's jaw drops, staring at Zack with wide eyes. "Dude!"

Zack grins back. "I'm just messing with you. Angeal and I are cool." He bumps the older man's arm with his shoulder.

"I'm used to Zack's blatant disrespect at this point," Angeal says with mirth. "Now, if you boys wouldn't mind, I would like to speak with Zack alone for a moment." And Zack has never seen his friends scatter quite so fast.

"Hey!" Zack calls after them. "Where is this speed during training?"

"Go to hell, Zack!" Kunsel calls back.

Zack laughs, turning back to Angeal to beam up at him again. The older man watches as the other milling Cadets make their way inside as well, all shaking with excitement at the prospect of meeting such an important man. But once the boys have all filtered inside and it was just the two of them, Angeal turns to Zack and says again, "Happy birthday, Pup."

"Thanks man," Zack says. "The guys took me out to some restaurant for dinner. It was amazing! But so filling." He holds up a styrofoam container filled with food. "I'll be eating like a king tomorrow." He pats his stomach for added effect.

Angeal shakes his head. "I wanted you to have a fun time with your friends before I came to see you myself and tell you that I got you a gift but I won't give it to you until you pass and become a SOLDIER."

Zack holds his hands behind his head. "That's cool! I can't wait. What is it?"

Angeal shakes his head, reaching out to pat Zack on the shoulder. "Patience, pup. Just focus on passing all of your finals." Zack pouts at that. "Now, who's coming to visit you tomorrow?"

Zack's pout transforms into a look of glee. "My ma is. She sent me a letter yesterday saying she got the notice by Shinra saying a family member could come visit the Cadets. I am so psyched! You are going to love her! She is awesome, albeit a little crazy but don't worry, you'll get used to her." Angeal shakes his head, able to think off the top of his head someone else that fits that description.

"Very well," Angeal says, dropping his hands. "It would be an honor to meet her. She sounds like a very wise woman."

Zack shrugs. "She can if she wants to be." Zack smiles broadly at his mentor. "So, tomorrow, then?"

Angeal nods. "Have fun tonight. I'll see you tomorrow. Happy birthday again."

"Zacky?"

Zack's head drops to lock eyes with the most important woman in his life. His arms throw open wide and he pulls the woman into his chest and lifts her up, spinning her around. She giggles when he finally puts her down. She reaches up and cups his head in a very familiar gesture. She turns his face left and right take a good look at him before shaking her head and showering his face with kisses.

"Ma," the young boy whines, although secretly relished in the familiar attention. He kisses her cheek when they finally pull back all the way. "How are you and pa?"

"I'm wonderful! Joyce decided to start up a book club, which as you know is one of my vices, so we've been reading all kinds of books these past few weeks. I got to start that vegetable garden, which of course Thomas didn't like, we were some of his biggest buyers but whatever," she waves her hand around dismissively, smiling playfully, "I've also invested some time in knitting and I made you sweater by the way, it's adorable." She turns and starts to dig around in her bag.

Zack raises an eyebrow. "What about pa?"

"Huh?" his ma pauses a moment, then continues to dig around. "Oh, he's fine."

Zack laughs for just a moment before he sees the horrendous thing that probably could have been called a sweater in a different life, and if Zack had three arms, but he took it regardless and inspects it curiously.

"It's... different..." he admits.

"It's horrible," his mother says affectionately, taking it back from him and stuffing it back into her back, grinning. "I just wanted to show you what my life has come to now that I'm not constantly cleaning up your messes."

To that, Zack at least had the decency to look appalled at her words. "I don't make a lot of messes, ma."

Victoria looks at him evenly, with a quirk at the corner of her lips. "Zackary Fair, you are by far the most forgetful creature that I have ever had the misfortune of constantly cleaning up after." Zack scoffs but doesn't argue with it. There may be a shred of truth in that but he'll never admit it out loud.

"How was your trip?" Zack asks, easily slipping into the next topic of conversation. He puts his arm around her shoulder and begins to lead her to the front of the building, slithering through the crowd of people.

"Long, and boring," Victoria says exasperatedly. She settles her hand onto his hip and follow obediently as he leads. "But, as I've always said, while the destination is the foreseeable goal, the journey there can be just as fulfilling."

Zack grins down at his mother. "You know, I've been sharing your fortune cookie wisdom with my friends and mentor here and they think that you're pretty cool. Angeal even said that you sound very wise. He said he was going to come by and meet you today," Zack takes a moment to scan the crowd for people bowing down to the all mighty Angeal Hewley, but sees nothing of the sort. "I don't see him, though."

Victoria gives Zack's hip a squeeze. "I guess that means more time with you all to myself. So, you were very vague when I asked you how school was going." She looks up at him knowingly but is surprised to see a smile spread across his face. More often then not, school work, or classes to be more specific, was always a touchy subject with Zack. To see him happy thinking about it is... strange to say the least. "What's up?" she asks.

Zack shakes his head, finally getting out of the crowd and heading toward the steps leading up to the front entrance of the main building complex. The same place he met that Tseng guy. Now that Zack thinks about it, he hasn't seen that man since that time. Didn't he say he worked at Shinra? Zack forces the thoughts back and sat down on the step with his mother.

"My mentor got me some help. I take my tests with him. So long as I ace all my finals, they'll accept them and I can make it into the SOLDIER program." Just saying the words sent a slice of thrill through him. Each day he's one step closer to becoming a SOLDIER. Each step forward in his training just gets him that much closer to his dream. That keeps him charging forward regardless of his weak moments of wanting nothing more than to crawl into his mother's awaiting, nonjudgmental arms and never leave. He pushes the feelings away and focuses on each step and focuses on the man in front of him.

Angeal.

The older SOLDIER has become a beacon of light and guidance for the young man. He's constantly guiding and careful. Giving Zack all the tools he needs to succeed and then stepping back and letting Zack do it himself.

"Never underestimate your own strength and honor," Angeal would say every time Zack would falter or fall to his knees wanting nothing more than to give up. Training is only getting harder. They are pushing the young cadets to their limits and beyond, leaving Zack aching and wishing to never get up again, but Angeal refuses to let Zack give up on himself.

And Zack will never truly be able to express what such a thing means to him.

"You like him a lot," Victoria says, watching Zack's face. "I can tell by that look. Is he your humanoid version of Clucky?"

Zack is pulled from his thoughts, face burning with embarrassment. "Ma, that's a kid's superhero."

"Battling off mean old Behemoth kings with justice kicks?" Victoria says with mirth, nudging her son's shoulder with her own. "That sounds pretty adult to me." She smiles at her son who playfully scoffs.

"Ma, trust me, it's not."

Victoria rolls her eyes and leans back to look up at the sky. She leans back on her elbows on the concrete stairs, closing her eyes. "I believe you, baby. So you like it here? You dig the city life more than the country?"

Zack shrugs. "I like both. It's fun meeting all kinds of new people in the city. I've made a lot of friends."

Victoria reaches over and grabs Zack's hand, squeezing it. "I'm happy to hear that. I'm happy that you are happy.

"Thanks, ma," Zack says softly. They sit in silence for a long time, just enjoying the unusual Midgar heat. Zack turns to look at him mother. He takes in her long raven hair pulled into a loose braid over her thin left shoulder, cascading down to her hip, messy strands dangling around her head and into her face. Her eyes are the same light blue as his. In fact, a lot of Zack came from his mother. His skin is sun kissed from years of time out in the bustling Gongagan heat.

"I want you to come home," Victoria admits, keeping her relaxed posture. Zack tilts his head slightly. "I won't ask you to come home, though." She smiles ruefully. "I know this is your big chance at your dream and I wouldn't for the world ask you to give that up. I just want you to be happy. But... if things get too hard... baby please come home, okay? Pa and I will help you, okay?"

Zack nods. "I know, ma. But I'll be alright. I promise. You and pa raised me well."

Victoria smiles at her son, caressing his hand. "I know, baby. I know." After another moment of silence, she sits up and takes Zack's other hand. "How about we go get an early lunch?"

Zack grins easily, standing up. "You know me too well, ma."

He holds his hand out for his mother to take. She grabs it and they walk hand-in-hand out in the city.

Zack and Victoria spent the entire day munching on local cuisine and window shopping. Victoria gives Zack a few birthday gifts; new clothes and boots, and an advance on his weekly allowance. And the best present in Zack's opinion, a chocobo doing a karate kick with a behemoth skin over his shoulders. That makes Zack pull his ma into his arms and spin her around again.

"Clucky!" He holds the chocobo into the air and mimics it flying. "Thanks ma!"

Victoria laughs, shaking her head amusedly. "You're welcome, baby."

Zack pauses, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. Angeal got it for him as a form of communication so the older man didn't have to send people down to the cadet quarters every time he can't help Zack with training for one reason or another. Zack was a little hesitant at first to take it, but Angeal insisted it would be easier on him rather than for Zack's leisure. At that, Zack couldn't deny the gift and was even hesitant on giving the number away to his friends fearing that he would be abusing the gift.

"Angeal texted me..." Zack says, reading the message. "Oh! We can visit him now! His work for the day is done." He grabs his mother's hand and two make their way back to the tower, occasionally skipping for a few laughs, only stopping on their journey to look at something in the windows of stores but they continue on their way before too much time has passed.

"Are you sure we can be up here?" Victoria asks, noting all of the SOLDIERs watching them as they head to Angeal's apartment.

Zack waves at the blond haired First, who he still doesn't know the name of but sees him often enough for a friendly smile and nod when they pass each other, and walks to Angeal's door. "Yeah," Zack says, knocking. "It's okay. Angeal is expecting us."

The door opens a moment later to an apologetic Angeal. "Sorry Zack."

"Is now a bad time?" Zack says.

Angeal shakes his head. "No, it's not that. I tried to get him to leave so this would be a somewhat normal meeting, but I guess that's not going to happen." He steps aside to reveal a grinning Genesis standing by the couch. Zack laughs at the sight of him.

"Hi Genesis! Come to meet my crazy ma?" he asks, jumping at the swipe she takes against his head.

"Learn manners, boy! Introduce me to your friends," Victoria says, nudging her son.

Zack gives her a look. "You first, child abuser."

Victoria gives him an identical look to his. The similarities between them is astounding. "I'll show you, Zackary," she says playfully. "Now, friends, go!"

Zack grins, taking her hand and pulling her into the apartment while Angeal closes the door behind them. Zack leads her over to Genesis first. "Ma, this is my friend Genesis Rhapsodos."

Victoria takes his offered hand and shakes it, smiling up at the tall red head. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Rhapsodos, I'm Victoria Fair, Zackary's mama."

Genesis's grin widens. "It's a pleasure, my lady. Now I see where young Zack gets all his good looks from."

Victoria smiles broadly waving her hand playfully. "I bet you say that to all the moms, you flirty devil." She laughs and then turns to Angeal and holds out her hand. "Victoria."

Angeal shakes it firmly trying desperately to ignore Genesis's waggling eyebrows over the head of the young mother. "Angeal Hewley, ma'am. I've heard a lot about you from your son. He's a good boy. You raised him well."

Zack has the decency to look bashful when all eyes in the room turned to him. He waves his hand around, grinning shyly. "Aw, Angeal. Thanks for that. Goddess, now I'm embarrassed." He looks away not looking nearly as embarrassed as he probably should be. In fact, he looks to be enjoying the praise. "Please, stop, no more." Victoria looks between the two men and rolls her eyes.

"My little attention hog," she says affectionately.

Zack pouts at that. "Ah, ma!"

Victoria grins back at her son. "Oh, Zacky, if Mama isn't embarrassing you than she ain't doing her job." Zack groans loudly and falls face first into the couch as Victoria, used to her son's antics, turn to Genesis and Angeal. "I was unaware that Zack had such famous friends. What made you so interested in my little manboychild of a son?"

Zack groans again but his voice is muffled in the couch cushions. He pops out right as Angeal opens his mouth to explain. "Ma! You know who they are?"

Victoria scoffs at her son. "Of course. Only you would go into a profession without knowing who's who."

Now Zack scoffs, looking playfully insulted. "I know who's who in Shinra!" Victoria crosses her arms and leans heavily on one hip, tapping her left foot, mind working. Zack groans again. "That's her 'I'm about to make a point' posture."

"This should be good," Genesis murmurs to Angeal. The other man shrugs back, also intrigued by their dynamics.

"Okay, Mr. Smartypants," Victoria says, "name the general in charge of the third division of Shinra's SOLDIER and Infantry."

Zack blinks a second before pointing over at Angeal. "Him! Easy!"

Mrs. Fair nods slowly, eyes narrowing. "Good. Now how many directors are there?"

"Uh.." Zack scratches his head.

"Seven. And what are their names?"

Zack squints at her. "Um... Phil?" Angeal and Genesis glance at each other mouthing, "Phil?"

Victoria snorts. "Heidegger Forebearin, Palmer McLinley, Scarlet Milton, Hojo Cresent, Reeve Tuesti, Lazard Deusericus and Veld." Zack flinched at each of the riddled off names, noting none had Phil anywhere in them. "How is the Vice President?"

"Uh..?"

"The son of the President?"

"The President had a son?"

"Who," Victoria says, staring at her son with an amused look on her face, "is the President? By that, I mean what is his name?"

Zack stares at her for a long moment, his eyes still squinting. "I know this one."

"Oh?" Victoria sweeps her hand around her. "Then tell us."

Zack shakes his head, bouncing up and down slightly, eyes trialing around the room as if the answer was somewhere written on one of the walls. "It's... uh... Shinra!" Victoria raises an eyebrow. "Uh... It's... Shinra... Phil..." Zack sighs when he hears Genesis snort loudly. "Okay, fine. I don't know."

"You were close," Victoria says.

"Really?" Zack says, eyes widening.

"No. It's Hector."

Zack groans and falls back to the couch. "Is your visit over with yet?"

To this, Victoria chuckles. She walks over to the couch and pats his back before turning to look at Angeal and Genesis once more. "Sorry about that. Sometimes my son needs to be reminded that he doesn't tend to think things through before acting. Now then, back to my question. What made you so interested in my son?"

Genesis is the one to answer, by simply pointing at the groaning boy. "That."

Victoria laughs. "He is amusing to have around isn't he? It's like I always say: the best kind of company is the kind that makes you smile."

Angeal feels the corners of his mouth quirk up at that. "Yes, that for myself as well, but it was also his determination and genuine desire to do his very best. He's not here because of the SOLDIER craze, he's here because this is where he truly believes he belongs and I do too. Your son is gifted."

"I always tell him that," Victoria says affectionately, looking down at her son.

Zack snorts and lifts his head from the couch. "That's not the type of gifted he was referring to, Ma!"

Genesis chokes out a laugh while Victoria looks shocked. "I never said no such thing! To your face, at least!"

Zack jumps up, pointing at her face. "Ha! Wicked witch!"

"Ungrateful son!"

"Fat ankles!"

Victoria gasps, then narrows her head. "Fat head! I had to birth that huge noggin of yours!"

"I know!" Zack yells back. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome!" They both stare at each other for a long moment before grinning identical grins. Zack pulls the woman who birthed him and his huge head to his chest and hugs her tightly.

"I've really missed you, ma," he says, closing his eyes and smelling the familiar scent of his mother. His one true friend his entire life. He didn't really realize it until now, holding the real thing in his arms, that he missed his mother dearly and yearned to see her more often. Maybe he would give her the number to the phone he's barrowing from Angeal. Just to be able to hear her voice more. That and his pa too. He missed the kind, but stiff man.

"I've missed you too, baby." She kisses his cheek and pulls back, smiling. She looks over at Angeal and Genesis who were both watching the exchanged with mixed expressions. "I trust that you two will look out for my baby?"

Both nod but only Angeal speaks, "Yes ma'am."

"Good, now, I'd best be off. I need to check into my hotel. We will have lunch tomorrow, Zack?" She looks up at her growing son, he's almost taller than her now. He's growing up so fast. Soon she won't be able to call him her little boy anymore.

"Sure thing, ma, here, I'll walk you." Zack moves to follow her as she heads for the door but she stops to shake her head.

"No way," she smiles up at Angeal. "Would you mind walking a mama to her hotel? I need to put the fear of the goddess in you before I leave tomorrow."

Zack's eyes widen. "Ma! Say no, Angeal! Quick! It's a trap!"

Angeal smiles thinly. "I got it Zack, thanks." To Victoria. "Yes ma'am. Genesis, hold down the fort while I'm gone."

The redhead smiles and waves his hand lazily, leaning back against the arm of one of the loveseats. "Okay. Toodles."

Angeal rolls his eyes and offers Victoria his arm, to which she slips her through, murmuring, "What a gentlemen" and follows him to the door and out. Zack lets out a long winded sigh, looking after them like he wanted nothing more that to run after them.

"Great, now that she knows city men can be gentlemen, she's going to make my pa be one," Zack says, shaking his head. "Pa's going to hate Angeal before he meets him." Genesis snorts loudly at that.

"Pup?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I love your mother."

It's when they are on the elevator riding down the bottom floor that Victoria finally speaks, "My baby is my world."

Angeal nods in understanding. "I'll do everything I can to protect him."

"I know you will," Victoria says, staring straight ahead. "Because on your way back here you are going to be thinking of different ways to make him strong enough to protect himself and how you are going to look after him if I do my job correctly. You see, Zack isn't a hateful creature by nature. He loves a lot and is very friendly and that often gets him hurt. But the emotional stuff, that he can work through and become stronger from it." Victoria looks up at the taller man. "My baby can overcome almost anything. Death isn't one of them."

"I understand," Angeal says solemnly.

"I would never make him give up his dream," Victoria continues, "if he dreamed of becoming a serial killer, yeah, maybe I'd try and change his mind."

"Maybe?" Angeal says softly smiling faintly, still looking straight ahead as the elevator descends. A soft dig at ever stop.

Victoria's lips curl a little. "Yeah. But he wants to go out and give people something to believe in. He wants to give them hope. He wants to help people. I could never ask him to give up on such a pure dream. Now, in Gongaga, I could watch him. I always knew where my son was, what he was doing and who he was with. Here, I don't have that luxury. I just have to trust that he's hanging around good people and is taking care of himself. Knowing when he should step away from a situation and get the help of an adult.

"That's why I'm glad he has someone like you, Mr. Hewley. In just the short time I've known you in person and from everything Zack says about you in his letters, I can tell you are a decent human being and a good man and I thank you for being a positive influence on my son. I would like to ask that you continue that for as long as you can," Victoria says.

Angeal nods. "I can, ma'am. I will look out for Zack and help him."

"Good," Victoria says softly, closing her eyes as if a great weight has been lifted from her shoulders. "Thank goodness."

"Ma'am, may I ask you what made you allow Zack, a fourteen year old to come join the army, essentially?" Angeal asks. "I mean to say with no amount of disrespect for your reasoning... I'm just curious. There is a lot shrouding his joining of Shinra."

Victoria nods slowly, opening her eyes and revealing a pained face. Her grip on Angeal's arm his hard. The elevator opens to the lobby and the two walk out, ignoring the looks of the people around them. Angeal has to wonder if Victoria doesn't care for the attention or doesn't notice it because she's too deep in thought regarding her son. It was interesting to see that while she acted like Zack's best friend with him, that she was still just as she had always been to him: his mother. Her care for him is evident on her face and in her eyes. She worries deeply for her son and his safety but for his sake hides it behind a goofy mask.

Angeal has to wonder how painful it will be tomorrow for the obviously close pair of mother and son to say goodbye once more. Shinra isn't overly kind in paying for families to be reunited.

Once they make it outside, Victoria says, "He was recruited by a man for a different division in the army. But all my baby wanted to do was be in SOLDIER."

Angeal's eyebrows pull together. No where in Zack's file was that mentioned. "Who? What other division wanted him?"

Victoria shakes her head. "I don't remember the name. But I do remember the man's name, though." She nods. "He called himself Reno."