Okay, let me be very clear. I'm not going to cave every time I feel bad for torturing you guys with a cliff-hanger. Or every time sanu-chan completely destroys my will-power with her mind-numbingly awesome Zacky/Angeal stuff. I must go more slowly than this, and frankly, you guys are not helping me do that, what with all the reviews. :) Thank you. Never should have revealed that weakness.

Okay, let's check on Zacky, watch Angeal get pissed off, and meet Tseng's elusive "pet delinquent"...

THE MADNESS OF ANGELS
Chapter 11 - All Your Demons

Genesis must have heard them too. "Fuck," he whsipered angrily. He turned my head again to face him and stared through me with his glowing eyes. "If you tell him I touched you, the deaths will begin again. Remember that, little puppy."

He stepped away and leaned back against one of the examining tables, and the red light faded from his eyes, replaced by the more subtle brightness of mako. I looked back to the door just in time to see it open, and a small crowd of bodies beyond the doorway. Angeal pushed past them all - I almost cried, I was so glad to see him - and he was by my side before I could blink. He touched my face and urgently said my name, and I looked up and tried to smile.

"You see, Angeal, he's perfectly fine," Dr. Hollander's voice insisted, sounding harassed.

"I'll be the judge of that." Angeal's stare left me and looked up, and I could tell he spotted Genesis by the narrowing of his eyes and the fury he spat into the next word he spoke. "You."

"Me, Angeal?" Genesis said innocently. "I left a book in here and came to get it, and stayed to make sure the cadet was all right. This room used to frighten us when we were boys, do you remember?"

"If you've laid a finger on him, I'll - "

"I wouldn't do that," Genesis said. "What reason would I have? You can ask him if you won't take the word of your oldest friend."

Angeal looked at me again, frowning, probably able to feel me trembling as he cupped my face. "Zack?"

"He didn't do anything, sir," I said, sickened by the need to lie to Angeal. "He just...said hello and asked if I was okay."

My mentor continued to look tense and angry. He turned my head from side to side, pulled my collar down, and ran his fingertips up and down my neck. I didn't know what he was expecting to find, or how he knew to look there.

"Genesis," Hollander was saying, "how did you get in here? That outer door was locked."

"No, it wasn't, Doctor. Perhaps you forgot to secure it?" Genesis suggested politely.

"I...I was sure I..."

"Moray," Angeal said tersely, "check the door on the far wall. See if the lock's been forced."

"You see, Sephiroth? He doesn't trust me at all."

"You leave him out of this!"

"It's all right, Angeal," a low voice said calmly. The general was here too?

"Heh heh, you three never change," Hojo said with amusement. "Still the same as you were years ago."

"Sir," Moray called as he jogged back toward us, "the lock isn't damaged. The door appears to have been left unocked."

"Hollander." Angeal's voice, though quetioning, was deadly, almost a growl.

"What, do you think I left it open on purpose? How could I know Genesis would come in here, or that Fair would have such an odd reaction to the mako?"

"Fair's previous exposure to mako resulted in different symptoms," Sephiroth said pensively. "It seems likely, therefore, that his current state may be attributed to some other cause."

"Traces of Gongagan Fever, perhaps, as I suggested earlier," Hojo volunteered, sounding disinterested in the whole thing.

"But he's recovered from that," Hollander argued, and I recall thinking he was genuinely distraught. "I only gave him the antibiotic first as a precaution."

"Maybe it was something else you injected him with," Angeal said coldly. "Something that looked similar, yet instead produces a sedative effect."

"Angeal, why would I do such a thing? To anyone, much less your apprentice?"

"Was the syringe out of your sight at all between the time you filled it and the time you administered it?"

"Hojo and I left the room for a few moments, that's all. I was with him all day!"

"True," Hojo said idly. "It was only a few moments. And we were right by the door. If you are thinking Genesis snuck in and switched syringes or some such nonsense, think again. We would have seen him."

"Angeal," Sephiroth said, coming closer and speaking reasonably, "I know you are upset. But the fact is that we have no evidence that Genesis did anything wrong."

"I want Zack's blood tested, immediately."

"Of course, I'll do it myself," Hollander offered.

"No. Moray, go to the front desk. Ask Lieutenant McNally to page Dr. Linzman."

"Yes, sir."

"Angeal." Hollander's voice was pleading. "Perhaps I did forget to secure that door, but I did not do anything to harm the cadet. Why would I? Why would Genesis? The two of you were like brothers once."

Angeal didn't say anything. He was running one open hand over my hair, which felt nice, but I was kind of surprised that he would do this in front of other people. Of course, I wasn't about to complain. Whatever the circumstances, I was just glad to have him back.

"Doctor," Sephiroth was asking, "would anyone else have had private access to the medical instruments in that room?"

"Cadet Yamura, for a moment or two, but he's trustworthy, ask any officer."

I tried to shake my head, though Angeal hushed me and held me still. "Not Kono. He's my friend."

"Yamura did seem worried about Fair," Hojo added.

"Would you ask Yamura if he saw anything strange, Doctor?" Sephiroth asked quietly.

"Of course."

I think we all breathed a silent sigh of relief when Hojo was gone. Even before I knew what he was capable of, being in his presence gave me a creepy feeling.

"Satisfied yet, Angeal?" Genesis said softly. "Why must you try to cast me as the villain? Is it to make yourself the hero? The truth is, you've done some pretty unheroic things."

"And you haven't?" Angeal growled.

"Boys, boys!" Hollander said sharply. "That's enough."

"I've survived, no more. And you were the one who betrayed me, remember?"

"Genesis," Sephiroth broke in, "please."

"Of course, Seph. I'm sorry."

"Dr. Linzman is on his way, sir." Moray's voice, he must have just come back in. "He can do the analysis right away."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"May I offer some advice, Lieutenant?" Genesis said coldly. "It's not very nice to glare like that at a superior officer."

"Moray," Angeal said, an obvious warning.

Footsteps came closer, growing louder before they halted, and I saw Moray's face above me, opposite Angeal's. He put his hand over mine and observed me with concern; he too seemed not to care what the others might think.

"Zack, are you all right?"

"Yes, sir. Just can't really move."

"I'm sorry, Commander. I should have been with him, I should have insisted - "

"It wasn't your fault, Lieutenant."

This is my fault, I thought, now I have to lie to both of you. I closed my eyes and let my head fall into Angeal's hand, unable to stop his fingers when they wiped the tears from my face, the physical proof of my guilt. I heard Dr. Linzman come in, offer murmured greetings to all, and say "You'll feel just a tiny prick, Cadet", as he laid my arm out flat.

"How long, Doctor?"

"Not very, Commander. It will go faster if I know what I'm looking for."

"A sedative, probably one used in these labs."

I opened my eyes to see Dr. Linzman nod and walk away. "I can call you, Commander."

"Thank you."

Genesis spoke up, tapping his fingers casually on the metal side of the table he leaned against. "I heard that Cadet Fair was recently involved in a fight with another cadet. Fair's position as Angeal's apprentice must make him the object of a lot of jealousy. It may be worth considering that another cadet might have slipped Fair something, hoping to make it look like a bad mako reaction."

"That is entirely possible, Angeal." Dr. Hollander sounded almost hopeful, eager to have his name cleared. "If the blood sample yields evidence that Fair was drugged, it would've had to happen a short time before he began to show symptoms. The cadets had lunch together in the waiting area at twelve-thirty, so many people, something could have been slipped into food or drink without Fair noticing."

"I was with Fair the whole time," Moray said. "Between myself and Cadet Highcliff, we should know the names of everyone who was sitting nearby."

"At your earliest convenience, Lieutenant, I'll ask you to give these names to Commander Lefler," Sephiroth said. "Should Dr. Linzman find something, that is..."

There weren't many of us left in the room, but I was feeling more uncomfortable with each passing second. I didn't like being talked about and not to, and I hated the sense of everyone's eyes on me, Genesis's especially. I tried to turn toward Angeal but couldn't, tried to slide closer to him but couldn't get very far. He must have picked up on this.

"Dr. Hollander, is Zack in danger of any other symptoms?"

"They would have manifested already if they were going to. Best thing for him is to rest. If this weakness was caused by a drug, it will take a few hours to work its way out of his system."

"I'm taking him back to the apartment, then."

"I should warn you, sir," Moray cautioned, "the other cadets know something's happened with Zack and a lot of them are lingering outside the lab and in the hallways, waiting for news. I tried to tell them everything's fine, but..."

"It seems you require a diversion, Angeal," Sephiroth said. "Genesis, do you have your sword with you?"

"Of course. Northwestern fields?"

"I think so. Is it cloudy enough?"

"Yes, it's fine," Genesis said quickly.

Sephiroth swept toward the door back into the smaller lab room, pausing to clap his hand on Angeal's shoulder. "Give us five minutes," he said, then looked at me. "Feel better, Cadet."

"Thank you, General."

He disappeared and Genesis followed closely, turning back only to offer an indecipherable smile. I remember that he seemed very pleased to be treated as a friend by Sephiroth; apparently it was only Angeal he had a problem with. What could those two be planning to do? At least Genesis was unlikely to hurt anyone in the presence of Sephiroth, to whom he seemed eager to appear innocent. I looked at Angeal questioningly.

"They are going to begin a public spar," he explained. "Word of it will spread like wildfire and all will flock to the fields. This way you'll be spared the indignity of the entire cadet corps. seeing you carried around by the gruff Commander Hewley."

"I can walk," I grumbled, though even sitting up was impossible.

"You three used to do that as children," Hollander said sadly. "Two of you would start a fight to distract our attention from the movements or misbehavior of the third."

"That was ten years ago, Doctor."

"You've remained the same more than you've changed, though," Hollander murmured.

Angeal didn't respond to that, he didn't look at anything but me, with a soft, probing stare that seemed to go right through me and expose the lie Genesis had made me tell. His hand cupped my face and I turned into it again, brushing his skin with my eyelashes as I closed my eyes and tried to pretend none of this had happened. He seemed to understand. When his other hand reached out to run over my hair, the way he curved his arm over me made me feel almost hidden from this eerie place.

Not entirely, however. I could feel Hollander staring - not impolitely, merely in surprise - and wondered vaguely what he was thinking, what assumption Angeal's odd behavior might be leading him to. Did he think of Angeal the way Kono had thought of that Turk commander, Tseng? Or was it usual for mentors to be so protective and caring with their apprentices? The pairing was made so rarely in SOLDIER, I wasn't sure if there was a "normal" way to exist in either role.

Moray's voice came from over by the door whose lock he had checked earlier; I guess he had gone out into the nearest hallway for a moment. "Everyone's headed somewhere in an awful rush, Commander. The halls have emptied."

"Soon, then. We'll give them another minute to clear the Main Courtyard."

"Angeal," Hollander said, his voice hinting that he could no longer hold back what he was about to express, "I know you are reluctant to trust Genesis and I understand that. But I'm telling you, the new drug works."

Angeal's arms tensed, and he shifted a little closer to me, though he didn't seem to realize it. "That's enough, Doctor."

"Wutai was a test, and all the evidence we have says he passed it! No suspicious deaths reported! That impulse has been suppressed!"

"Doctor," Angeal hissed, "you are saying things that should not be spoken aloud."

"I...yes, excuse me. But Angeal, you are persisting in seeing a part of Genesis that no longer exists, why? Whatever this grudge is between the two of you, is it so important that you cannot let it go?"

"He is the who will not let it go, and I will not say any more. Lieutenant."

I opened my eyes and looked around as Angeal spoke. Hollander was pale and seemed defeated, weary. Moray only managed to close his mouth when my mentor addressed him.

"S-Sir."

"What you've heard does not leave this room."

"Yes, sir."

"Go to Dr. Linzman, stay with him until he's finished the analysis. Make sure nothing interrupts him." Moray must have looked reluctant. "Zack will be fine, I've got him."

"Yes, sir."

"Relax, Zack. We'll be home soon."

Angeal drew the blanket back up to my shoulders, tucked it around me, and slipped one arm under my knees and the other beneath my back. I must have been nearly dead weight, but he didn't seem to feel it, just lifted me up and adjusted me to a comfortable position. I loved being so close to him, having my head against his shoulder. But I knew what I should be feeling, as a sixteen-year-old being held like a baby, and tried half-heartedly to do what was expected.

"Cadet, stop attempting to squirm," Angeal said with a trace of amusement.

"Pffft."

"Saying 'Pffft' won't change anything."

"It makes me feel better."

I knew no SOLDIER of any class or ShinRa employee of any position would willingly miss the rare chance to see Sephiroth duel, so I was pretty sure the chances of Angeal and I running into anyone were slim. Even so, I closed my eyes as we left the labs and headed out the front doors of the Old Building.

It was eerie to hear the Compound so quiet. The only noise was faint and far to the northeast, from the fields that were no doubt surrounded by awestruck cadets, officers and executives. I was relieved - no one seemed to be around to witness my undignified position.

It was almost a straight line to walk from the Old Building to the White, requiring only a sharp right turn once you pass the Lesser Courtyard. Since I had my eyes shut, it was only by this turning movement that I knew we were almost there. It was then that Angeal suddenly halted, and I tensed a little as footsteps approached. Angeal squeezed my arm gently, I guess to tell me it was okay.

"Commander Hewley," a steady, business-like voice said in greeting. "You're not joining the crowd to watch your friends in action."

"Nor are you, Commander Tseng," Angeal said neutrally.

Tseng, Tseng of the Turks? I was curious, but not quite enough to open my eyes and become part of the conversation.

"Not by choice, I assure you. Commander Rhapsodos and General Sephiroth deciding so suddenly to spar in public is very out-of-character for both of them, and that is sufficiently suspicious to attract our attention. I have Turks deployed all around the Compound," Tseng said, and there was a hint of warning in his tone. "The president was reminded of the method you, the commander and the general favored years ago."

"Nothing is going on."

"I think I understand." I felt Tseng's eyes on me. "Is your student all right?"

"Yes, thank you," Angeal said. "I would appreciate your discretion, Commander."

"Of course, Commander. Reno, that goes for you too."

"Yeah, yeah," another voice answered, male, around my age, I thought, but very bored and cynical. The way a smirk might sound. "I got it, I didn't see nothin'. Just like I didn't see you staring at Cissnei's - "

"You have my sympathies, Commander Hewley," Tseng interrupted. "The roles we've recently found ourselves in are similar, I believe."

"Indeed. Good day, Commander."

"And to you, Commander."

I chose to keep my eyes closed on the elevator. I was okay riding the thing by then, but only because I had learned to keep steady on my own two feet while it moved. Being off my feet and going up brought up some of that old uneasiness again. I took in a deep breath and didn't let it out until Angeal stepped onto the 13th floor and carried me to the apartment door, shifting me to one arm for a moment so he could get out his keycard.

With a sinking, sad feeling, I realized he was going to put me down soon. I pressed my face to his shirt as subtly as I could manage and breathed him in while I had the chance. I didn't look until he had gently deposited me on my bed and was removing my boots. The silence was mostly comfortable with him, and everything I needed to say wasn't, but if he thought I was asleep he would probably leave, and I couldn't stand that at the moment. I felt like I'd been alone for weeks, not just a day.

"Sir."

"I know you're awake, Zack."

"Was that Tseng of the Turks, before?"

"Yes."

I was deciding whether or not I should ask about the other, the one Tseng had called Reno, but the words dissolved in my throat as Angeal unfastened my uniform pants and began to slide them down. Half of me reacted with nervous with glee, the rest with nervous confusion.

"Sir?"

"I need to check for something, Zack. No questions just now, all right?"

I lay limp (not that it was hard in my condition) and obediently allowed him to strip me down to my underwear. Speaking of limp and hard, I wasn't noticeably either yet, but I knew that would change pretty quickly, especially when Angeal's hands began to touch me, beginning with my face and working downward. He turned my head from side to side and made another, more detailed examination of my neck and shoulders. He lifted each of my arms and rotated them, then moved his fingers and eyes up and down my legs. He even looked at my hands, spreading my fingers apart and peering in between them, then asked me to stick out my tongue - something he usually made a disapproving noise at me for.

At last, he seemed satisfied, and he brought me a set of my civilian clothes, which cadets are allowed to wear on Sundays and other days without classes and duties. He began to put them on me as casually and methodically as he had taken the others off.

"Do you have something against my uniform, sir?" I joked.

"Hmm," he said, sounding amused. "Jealousy, perhaps. I never got to wear one myself."

"I don't think they make them big enough for you, or I'd suggest you get one. They're pretty comfortable."

Angeal lifted the top half of my body up to slip a green shirt over my head. Then he grabbed my desk chair, brought it close to the bed, and sat down. Oh, crap. He had his we-need-to-talk face on.

"Um, how was the mission? You came back early, sir, didn't you?"

"Our presence there was not as urgently required as we were led to believe. I will tell you about it later, perhaps. Zack, what happened?"

I still couldn't move much, though it was easier to move my fingers now, so I toyed with the blanket beneath me, stalling for time. I knew he was probably referring to the few moments I'd been alone with Genesis, but I played dumb.

"I don't know, sir. After the injections I felt really weak all of a sudden, and I couldn't move."

Angeal looked thoughtful for a moment. "Like you were relaxed, but frozen?"

"Uh-huh."

His mouth curved into a tight frown. "I see. But I want to know what happened with Genesis."

"I...told you, sir."

Gaia, it was the worst time to not be able to move. I was never good at lying, probably because I always hated doing it. And lying to Angeal made me feel sick, even worse than the effects of Bio1. I got a nauseous, churning sensation in my stomach, my heavy limbs began to tremble, and no matter how much I blinked I couldn't get the tears out of my eyes. I felt like a baby, on top of everything else. A stupid, lovesick kid, at least - how could he see me as anything else?

"Zack, why are you lying to me? It upsets you so much."

I couldn't deny it. He would have been well within his rights to punish me for insubordination, terminate my apprenticeship, even threaten me with expulsion. He did none of these, and that made me feel worse. Angeal slid over to sit on the bed, carefully lifted me up and held me against his chest, where his arms anchored me to the sound of his heartbeat.

"This isn't fair," I whispered.

"That I know you like being held and I am using it against you?"

"Yeah."

"You are the one who gave me this information. Perhaps you wouldn't make a good Turk after all."

"Thank you," I said quietly. "Why aren't you mad at me?"

"Because I know how honorable you are. You would not refuse to tell me something unless you had a good reason," Angeal said. "My guess would be that you are protecting someone. But it's my job to protect you. I can't do that unless I know as much as you can tell me."

His fingers were combing through my hair, tracing lines down my scalp.. I remember thinking, in a weird, out-of-time panic - I will never love anyone the way I love you. There was something devastating in that, like a piece of me had died. Or grown up.

"Sir, did you know Genesis was killing them?"

His hand froze, but just for a moment, and I felt the sigh in his chest. "I thought it was him. I - We weren't sure until Lieutenant Selwin."

"Why didn't ShinRa do anything?"

"Hollander and Hojo were working on a way to drug that part of Genesis out of him. The executives weren't too concerned about the deaths of a few grounds employees, though the publicity made them uneasy," Angeal said, with a touch of disgust. "The drug they came up with was not through preliminary testing when Selwin was found. We hushed up his death, but the president was frantic, he must have imagined the program and his empire collapsing under public outcry. He ordered Genesis be started on the drug at once."

"Dr. Hollander mentioned Wutai," I remembered.

"Wutai was the drug's trial. Genesis was there for nearly three months, with Hollander going once a week to administer the treatment, and mako, of course. There were no suspicious deaths or disappearances during that time, and the SOLDIERs who were with Genesis reported no odd behavior."

"But you didn't believe it?"

"I had doubts. Genesis is cunning. Killing is not the only way for him to feed."

I thought I must have misheard Angeal. "Did you say 'feed'?"

"Yes, I did. Genesis drinks blood, Zack."

Heh, that took a while to come out and say, huh? :) To be continued!