X- Hi! Sorry for the terribly long period of time before another update. Haha. Oopsies. Ah well, Reviews make me warm and fuzzy inside! :D

Chapter 10- Burden To Bear

Zack sat back, after successfully lighting a fire. Snow blinked as Claire was now the one with him, not Cloud. Had it really been that soon that he had met Lightning? Zack let out a sigh as he looked over at Claire.

"You alright there?" He asked, nodding to her knee. She simply nodded back. "We should probably change the bandages, if that's alright with you." He said, crawling over to her. She simply nodded and held her leg out for him. He carefully started to peel back the bandages he had quickly put on the girl to aid her wound. The gash was no longer the sickening yellow and was now a bright red. I looked like it stung, but Claire showed no emotion to it. She just gazed at the fire. Zack pulled a clean bandage out and began to wrap the wound more effectively then last time.

"Listen," Claire said as Zack wrapped her leg. "I'm sorry about the way I've been treating you." Zack looked up from her knee and smiled lightly.

"It's alright. Don't worry about it." He said beginning to work on her leg again. Claire shook her head.

"It's not alright. I've been a bitch. And I'm sorry to tell you, but I'm probably just gonna be a bitch the whole time. I'm sorry. I don't know why, but I lash out at people often." She said quietly.

"What I think, is that you don't really know how to deal with this newfound pain, of the loss of your mother, and you react in the ways you do because all the built up emotion just comes out at once." Zack said, finishing tying the bandage. Claire scoffed, but didn't say anything.

"You're too nice for your own good." She said after a while. Zack chuckled.

"Terribly sorry about that." He said leaning back. Claire quietly crawled next to him, and sat by the fire. She buried her head in her knees and said nothing.

"Bet you're sorry about meeting me." She mumbled after a minute. Zack looked at her.

"I'm not sorry about meeting you; however I'm sorry we had to meet the way we did. I would say the memory is bittersweet." Zack said. Claire looked up from her knees, then shook her head and let out a dark laugh.

"I don't understand you at all." Claire said.

"Well, you don't have to." Zack said. There was another brief pause between the two.

"You know, a good friend of mine, his name was Angeal, he told me something one time. I didn't understand it, but now I think I do. He told me 'Men not cry for themselves, but for their comrades.' I know you're not a man, but, what I'm trying to say is, it's alright to cry for someone when they die." Zack said. Claire's lip quivered, but nothing was said. She furiously wiped her eyes and shook her head. She lies down next to the fire and closed her eyes. Zack sighed and repeated the action.

It didn't take long for Claire to crawl over to Zack and snuggle close.

Xx

Zack walked slightly ahead of Claire, since his legs were considerably longer than hers. She had to speed up a couple times when she fell behind. Zack would realize that Claire would struggle to keep up, and would take breaks so that she would be forced to do so herself. She never did like to admit weakness. He stopped, and she bumped into his back, unaware because her head had been lowered.

"Wanna take a break, or wait until we get into town?" Zack said turning to her.

"How much longer?" She murmured.

"About 10 more minutes. See?" He paused to point down off the ledge. In the distance, a small town could be seen. Claire shook her head. He paused to look down the ledge. "Looks like we can jump down from here." He murmured, starting to jump down the smaller ledges. He paused, then turned, and held his arms out.

"Jump. It's okay, I'll catch you." Zack said. Claire hesitantly started to edge her way down, then leaped and let out a yelp. Zack caught her easily and set her down next to him. They repeated the process for the next part the ledge, only Zack lost his footing and they went crashing into the ground. Claire slowly started to get up off of him proceeding to call him a "klutz"., before she fell back down onto his chest. Zack sat up with her cradled in his arms.

"You sure you don't wanna take that break?" Zack murmured softly. Claire shivered.

"It's too cold out here." She managed through clenched teeth. Zack gently pressed his hand to her forehead.

"Looks like it'll be cold to you wherever you are with that fever of yours." He said quietly. Claire slowly wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Carry me." She murmured snuggling her face into the crook of his neck. Zack's face matched Claire's hair as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Wha-what are you doing Claire?" He asked and looked down to her face. She was already fast asleep her mouth open slightly. Zack let out a sigh, then a chuckle, as he gently gripped her thighs and got up. He gently boosted her up to get a better hold of her. Her eyes fluttered open momentarily, then fluttered back closed as she snuggled closer to Zack.

Xx

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Claire asked as they walked along a path. Zack gave her a shocked expression and smiled lightly.

"No, but my mother took in some orphans off the street until she found them good homes. You could say she was a foster mother, I guess. I was never really alone, but they were always younger or older than me, so I never really talked t them. You are Cloud seem pretty tight." Zack said. Claire smiled brightly.

"Yeah, we were the blue-eyed terror of Nibelheim." Zack stopped walking.

"I think that's the first time you've smiled this whole time." Zack said smiling himself. Claire looked down shyly.

"You should do it more often." Zack said, starting to walk again. Claire looked up and smiled lightly.

"Okay."

Xx

Zack gently laid Claire down into a hotel bed, and tucked her in. She was asleep, her breathing even. He smiled lightly before going to leave.

"Where are you going?" Claire said from the bed. Zack turned around.

"Oh. I thought you were asleep." Zack said lightly walking back to her. Claire looked drowsily at him.

"You're leaving me?" Claire said, pulling his arm.

"I'm only getting some supplies since we have to stay in town a little longer. I'll come right back." Zack said, allowing Claire to pull him down onto the bed.

"Don't go." She whined, trying to pull him closer. Zack chuckled.

"Just last week you would've loved it if I left." He murmured brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face.

"You can leave and come back when I'm asleep. Claire mumbled, pulling him even closer to her.

"Baby girl," Zack murmured back, trying to gently pry her hands off his arm. Claire's eyes opened a little more.

"If I'm a baby girl, you're a SOLDIER boy." She said as they both laughed a little. "Just until I fall asleep, please." Zack sighed and crawled into the bed with her.

"Okay, you win." He said.

Xx

"Wait." Zack said, pulling Claire's arm. He pulled her close to him and kissed her. Claire blinked before closing her eyes and wrapping her arms and Zack's neck.

Xx

Claire lay down close to the fire, using her arm as a pillow. Zack smiled lightly before pulling a blanket he had bought in the town before hand and draped it over her. She snuggled into it and smiled.

Xx

"Zack?" A quiet voice mumbled through the dark. Zack's eyes snapped open and looked up. He groggily rubbed his eyes as he said,
"What is it Claire?" Claire took small steps toward Zack now that she had been recognized.

"Can I sleep in here for tonight?" She mumbled back, now standing in front of Zack. He looked up from his pillow.

"Yeah" He said, patting the other side of the bed. She quietly obeyed and crawled into the space next to him. He turned and gently covered her with the blanket. He lies back down comfortably and let out a content sigh.

"Zack?" Claire whimpered. Zack opened one eye.

"What's up?" He said lifting his head off the pillow. She sniffled.

"I can't sleep without you." She whimpered. Zack blinked.

"What do you mean? He whispered quietly turning around and pulling her into an embrace to comfort her.

"I've tried and tried, but I can't sleep without being right next to you. I feel… safe with you." She said, resting her head on his chest. Zack chuckled.

"You're always safe with me baby girl." He said playing with a strand of pink hair. She let out a small giggle and snuggled closer to him. There was a brief, comfortable silence between the two.

"To be honest, I can sleep without you right next to me either. I keep worrying about you, but I found if I have you right next to me, I know you're safe, and I can sleep." Zack said looking at Claire's head. When she looked up, she was smiling.

"You worry about me?" She asked. Zack nodded.

"E very second of every day." He mumbled, kissing her forehead.

"We're quite the dysfunctional couple." Claire giggled. Zack chuckled.

"Yes we are. And now we live together. This should be fun." They both laughed quietly.

Xx

It was pitch black outside as Zack stumbled into his home, coming straight from work. He was drenched in sweat in mud. He grunted irritably as he kicked his boots off and headed for the downstairs shower. He had one upstairs, but he couldn't stand the dirt any longer. Once done, he wrapped a towel around his waist and started to head upstairs. Claire was holding a pillow, leaning against his door, shivering. Zack blinked.

"Claire? What are you doing?" He asked quietly. Her head snapped up and her frightened azure eyes looked up to meet his mako enhanced ones.

"Zack, Um, I can go, I'm sorry-" She started to get up.

"No wait, just let me get changed." Zack said, holding onto her wrist. He let go and changed quickly, before allowing the door to open. She had waited against the other wall, crawling back into her ball with the pillow in hand. Zack sighed and gently picked her up and carried into her room.

"What's wrong baby girl?" Zack asked quietly as he laid her down into the side of the bed she liked.

"Nightmare." She whispered watching him climb into the bed next to her. Zack gently pulled her closer to him and sighed lightly.

"What was the nightmare about sweetheart?" He murmured quietly.

"You died." She said shakily. Zack chuckled quietly.

"Baby girl, I'm not going anywhere." He said ruffling her hair affectionately. She looked up him through bleary eyes.

"Really?" She asked. Zack nodded.

"I'll never leave you baby girl. Even when you dump me and call a restraining order on me." She smiled happily and snuggled closer to him.

"Why would I call a restraining order on you?"

Xx

It was peaceful and quiet as Claire and Zack were lying on the couch. Claire had fallen asleep once more, while Zack played the newly placed ring on Claire's finger.

Serah came crashing into the room, groaning as she flung her backpack to the other side of the room and plopped herself on the other couch, turning the television on in the process. After she got situated, she realized Zack was smiling at her, amused at the scene she had just caused. Serah giggled and waved, to which Zack returned the gesture. It was quiet between the two for a while after that.

"You know, you two cuddle a lot." Serah commented after the show ended and changed to a new. Zack chuckled in response.

"I know. Never knew I was clingy until I met your sister. I don't think she minds though." He said, gently ruffling Claire's hair. Serah laughed.

"I don't think you are, I think Claire is the clingy one. This is odd for her too." She said looking at her sister sadly, before her regular happy smile returned to her face. Zack just shook his head and let out another chuckle.

Xx

"Haha, I was right bitch. And you doubted me. I feel offended." Zack turned to see Kimberlynne walking into the living room and plopping down next to him. Zack gave her a look.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He said as she took the remote from him and changed the channel.

"Think Spiky. Think. There's got to be a brain somewhere in that thick skull of yours." She said, changing the channel once more. A look of dawning appeared on Zack's face.

"Oh you were right, weren't you? I can't believe I never linked the two!" Zack exclaimed, jumping off the couch and pointing at Kimberlynne.

"Yes. Now never doubt my wonderfully magically powers again stupid." She said, taking a bite of a sandwich she had come in with.

Xx

The bacon sizzled as it dropped into the pan Zack had placed on the stovetop. He placed piece by piece into the pan, as Serah did her homework at the kitchen table.

"Why are you bacon in the middle of the afternoon?" Serah asked as she looked up from a worksheet.

"I'm bribing your sister into the kitchen." Zack responded simply taking a bite out of an extra crispy piece, that was extremely close to looking burnt instead.

"Why?" Serah asked, completely confused.

"Because, you know how the doctor said she should probably be bigger? Well, if something good smelling is cooking, Claire comes in like she hasn't been fed in weeks. So I figured I'd make some bacon." Zack said, placing even more bacon into the pan, now that the previous had been cooked. Serah laughed in response.

After a couple moments of silence between the two, Claire came in, her belly slightly rounded.

"Is that bacon?" She asked quietly. Zack winked at Serah before handing the plate he had been eating off of to Claire.

"You want something else with that baby girl? I don't think a plate full of bacon will be good for you." Zack said, opening the fridge.

"You were going to." Claire snapped, taking the plate into another room. Zack chuckled softly, placing the used pan into the sink. Serah put her pencil down at looked at Zack.

"One day, I'm going to find a husband like you." She said softly. Zack turned at stared back at her.

"What do you mean?" Zack asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I mean, you treat Claire really good, and you don't get irritated at her easily, even though she does to you." Serah said, looking down at her worksheet. Zack smiled and sat down in the chair opposite the girl.

"That means a lot to me, Serah. I love your sister. And you and Cloud, are now my sister and brother too. But don't go look for a guy like me, because I'll pound his face in. I'm nothing but trouble." Zack smiled brightly and leaned back into his chair.

Xx

A small boy bounded into the kitchen, grabbing onto his father's pants as he opened the door. Zack picked Angeal up and smiled, his eyes tired from a long day of work.

"Daddy!" The small boy cried and latched around Zack's neck. Zack chuckled returning the hug and setting him back down onto the floor, ruffling his hair in the process.

"Hey Angeal," He said.

"E seccat oui! " The boy shouted, pulling his father's arm and led him into another room.

Xx