Chapter 10 – Prison

When Cloud woke, it took him several long moments to figure out why he was lying face down in the snow. He heard soft groans next to him, and it came rushing back to him. Zack! Cloud pushed himself off the ground abruptly, gasping. Next to him, Tifa rolled over, groaning again.

"Are you okay?" Cloud asked, helping her up. She seemed a bit unsteady on her feet, but nodded. "Zack!" Cloud shouted, squinting into the brightness. "Zack!" he repeated, a feeling of desperation threatening to overwhelm him.

"He's gone," Tifa said quietly and he turned to her. Her face was pale and sad, and he didn't want to believe her, but knew it was true. Zack wouldn't play games with them, not now.

"They took him," he whispered hoarsely, his eyes burning. "Aerith – she betrayed him, betrayed us. I can't believe we trusted her!" he shouted again, fists clenched at his sides.

"Cloud," Tifa began gently, stepping toward him. "Calm down..."

"How can I calm down? She took him from us after all those promises to help him. We convinced him she wasn't so bad, but it turns out he was right all along. She's the enemy!"

"We wouldn't have known, Cloud. She...honestly, I think she was taken by surprise."

"You're defending her?" Cloud gasped incredulously.

"Of course not. I'm just saying...I don't think she was here to trick us. She just made her choice clear. She's picked the other side."

"...Zack. He attacked Sephiroth. Do you think he's still alive?" Cloud asked lowly, panic swelling in him.

"There's no blood in the snow. I think they stopped him..."

"Then they've taken him prisoner."

Tifa gazed at him sadly, then nodded reluctantly. "Probably."

Cloud swallowed thickly, his brain momentarily frozen. What was he supposed to do? Another wave of helplessness crashed over him. What would Zack do?

"He would save us..." he murmured, and he felt Tifa wrap her arms around him. He drew comfort from her touch, and his resolve strengthened. "I have to tell his mom what happened."

"Do you...would you like me to come with?" she asked him, her face buried in the crook of his neck, lips brushing against his skin.

"No. I'll do it alone," he whispered, and she pulled away, tears in her eyes.

"Zack will be okay. He's strong."

"As long as the mako lasts," he sighed, hugging Tifa close. For a fleeting moment, he expected Zack to burst between them, laughing, eyes shining brightly. But of course, he didn't.

With a resigned sort of sigh, he pulled out of Tifa's embrace. "I'll go tell her now."

He felt her eyes upon him as he walked to Zack's house, guilt and dread making his steps leaden. What was he going to tell her? More guilt plagued him. Zack was gone and his mother was all alone. How was he supposed to face her?

You've got no choice, Cloud. He scolded himself. Who else would tell her? Cloud felt partly responsible, anyway. Maybe if he'd been less trusting, more wary, more watchful...He shook his head firmly, trying to banish his thoughts, but they continued to fester all the way to Zack's front door. He hesitated, then he knocked, holding his breath.

It took an achingly long minute for Zack's mother to answer the door, and Cloud wondered briefly if she wasn't home. But then she answered, a confused expression on her face.

"Cloud? Why're you knocking, you know you can let yourself in...Zack's not here right now..." she trailed off as she regarded him.

"I know he's not home, Mrs. Fair."

"Cloud, dear...something's happened, hasn't it?"

"Maybe we should go inside and you can sit down," he told her gently, heart hammering in his throat. He prayed she wouldn't hate him after he told her everything.

He sat at the worn kitchen table, unsure of what he should do. He'd never seen Mrs. Fair cry before, but now she was sobbing openly.

"My poor Zack," she moaned, wiping her red eyes and sniffling.

"I'm so sorry," Cloud whispered hoarsely, hiding his face behind his palms. He couldn't look at her. He felt ashamed. "I tried to stop them -" he choked. Mrs. Fair let out a weak, watery laugh, wringing a tissue between her fingers.

"You're a brave boy, Cloud. But Zack was very foolish and hard headed – he always has been. What he has done is undoubtedly wrong, and he should face the consequences. And in normal circumstances, maybe I would be angrier..." she hiccuped then, a lost expression on her face. "Oh Zack, why do you always get yourself into trouble?" she moaned, and then began to cry again, a terrible, keening wail wrenching from her throat.

Cloud stood abruptly, then awkwardly hugged Mrs. Fair, acutely uncomfortable. The door burst open quite suddenly and Cloud jumped, tensing. Had Shinra come back for them as well? Surely they'd figured out his involvement with Zack – Tifa's too.

But it wasn't Shinra, only Tifa, carrying two large, full looking packs. Cloud slumped in relief, and was glad when Tifa took over comforting Zack's mom.

"There, there," Tifa crooned, arms wrapping around the inconsolable woman. "Don't cry, Mrs. Fair, we're going to get him back. We won't let him die in that stinking city."

Mrs. Fair looked up quickly, shaking her head. "Don't be foolish, Tifa. You and Cloud can't go after him. He's been arrested for goodness sakes. Do you expect Shinra to just let him go?"

So that's what the bags were for, Cloud realized. His heart swelled with love for the girl in front of him. Of course they wouldn't leave Zack to his fate.

"We'll think of something," Cloud said, slipping up next to Tifa. We can't just leave him."

"Cloud, Tifa," Mrs. Fair began weakly, but Cloud held up his hand to stop her.

"Zack would come after us. I know he would. How can we possibly NOT go after him?"

Mrs. Fair sniffled again, then stood up. Cloud blinked, not realizing how he'd grown lately. They were eye to eye now, and she looked hard at him. Zack's eyes. And the same, determined expression, Cloud noted. For a moment, Cloud could picture Zack's mother, much younger, and just as carefree and wild.

She cupped his cheek tenderly, the hard look in her eyes gone, and smiled warmly. "Zack has wonderful friends. I know I can't stop you – it seems some of Zack's hardheadedness has rubbed off on you two. But at least let me pack you some food and give you some money for the trip. It's a long road to Midgar."

The trip to Midgar hadn't taken long in a helicopter. Two days at most, but only because they stopped in Junon to refuel. Zack kept his mouth shut the whole time, painfully aware of his proximity to Aerith. He ignored her attempts to talk to him, although after he'd snapped at her the first time, she'd kept her distance a little, only glancing at him warily.

They fed him, and he ate as well as they did, although he would only muster a few bites before his stomach churned. Sephiroth glared at him the whole way, and Tseng seemed entirely indifferent. Cissnei had fallen into a very professional mode, and barely spared him a glance.

He didn't care. He felt numb and sick simultaneously. Why had he told her that he loved her? Why hadn't she answered? She chose, he reminded himself. Isn't her answer clear? She doesn't feel the same way.

The voice in his head was quiet, for once. Like, maybe even it was shocked by the turn of events. His only beacon of relief was that Cloud and Tifa were okay. He hadn't asked, but Aerith had told him as he'd stared stonily out the window, as though she could read his thoughts. Or maybe she'd just read his worried expression.

Shinra was an impressive looking building, he had to admit. It had clearly been built to intimidate. To him, it seemed to give off a menacing, evil aura. How could Aerith live here? How could she choose this over him?

Sephiroth had led him to a small, sparse cell, a wickedly tight grip on his arm the entire way, but Zack refused to wince. He was shoved unceremoniously into the cell and the door whooshed closed, leaving him in the pitch dark. He flopped onto his firm, uncomfortable bed, and stared into the darkness as his eyes adjusted. He wondered how long it would take for him to die.

Aerith was lectured severely when she returned to Shinra, and then pun on probation for consorting with the enemy. Her! Put on probation!

Normally, she might have been angry, may have fought back. But she accepted her punishment. Maybe she felt a little like she deserved it, though not for the reasons Shinra thought she did. She was temporarily suspended from all missions and required to stay in the Shinra HQ at nearly all times. It was, she reflected, like Shinra was an angry parent, and she a naughty child being grounded. She even had a curfew!

She didn't resist thought. She only left the HQ to visit the old run down church in the slums, admiring the flowers that grew there. Several had wilted and died in her absence, but she did her best to tend them back to life. When she was back at home, she was painfully aware that Zack was in a cell in the very same building. She wasn't forbidden from seeing him, strangely enough, but found that she lacked the courage to face him anyway.

She spent most of her time in the SOLDIER training room, staring listlessly at the sword they'd confiscated from Zack. His birthday seemed like such a long time ago.

This was how Sephiroth and Cissnei found her two weeks after Zack's arrest.

"Aerith?" Sephiroth's deep, calm voice rang through the training room, but she didn't respond.

"Aerith," Cissnei tried, and Aerith tilted her head to indicate she was listening.

"I know you're upset, Aerith," Sephiroth began, and she turned to him, eyes shifting between him and Cissnei. Her best friend had a slightly guilty look on her face, and comprehension dawned on Aerith. Cissnei must have explained the situation to Seph.

"You understand correctly, then," she said slowly.

"You'll move on. It was merely a...distraction. He lied to you and attacked innocent men. He deserves his punishment."

Aerith stared at the man she'd always regarded as her older brother, a bit of resentment rising up inside of her. She'd move on? Zack was just a...distraction? Zack's voice rang in her head then.

He killed all those innocent people in Wutai...

"You've killed innocent people before. Aren't we all responsible for the deaths of people?" she asked, eyes locked on his. Sephiroth's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed again.

"I don't know what you've been discussing with this Zack fellow, but you know we were only doing our job." Sephiroth didn't sound very convinced though. It seemed more like he was trying to reassure himself than her.

"We didn't talk about Shinra much," she confessed, hugging her knees to her chest. "Fought about it...no, he just opened my eyes a little."

Sephiroth sighed, then sat down next to her, one hand coming up to rest on her shoulder. "I'll agree, Shinra isn't always right, but this time...he deserves to be imprisoned for his crimes."

Aerith stared blankly at the floor, her mouth dry. Of course, Sephiroth couldn't know Zack's story, how he'd been wronged by Shinra already. But it also wasn't her place to tell.

"Right," she mumbled, for a lack of anything better to say.

"And like I said," he continued, clapping her shoulder firmly. "He was merely a distraction. You'll move on soon, and you'll be back to work in no time." Then he stood, giving her a long concerned look, then left the room. Cissnei stayed behind, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Aerith...I'm sorry things turned out this way for you. For both of you."

Aerith made a non-committal noise in response.

"I know he meant a lot to you...but maybe he had ulterior motives the whole time. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but..."

"I understand," Aerith spoke up, a sad smile on her face. Cissnei was a Turk. She was made to think in terms of betrayal and intrigue. "But I don't think he'd do that."

"...You think he meant it when he said he loved you?" Aerith stalled, breath hitching. Tseng...or maybe Sephiroth...one of them must have told her Zack had said that. Perhaps even to confirm her relationship with Zack. Those three small words had haunted her ever since, especially in her dreams. Had he meant it? Or had it been a means to get her to choose him over her family? Did he say it because he thought she wanted to hear it? She supposed it didn't matter, not anymore.

"Aerith?"

"I don't know," she snapped, sounding more irritated than she'd meant to. "Does it even matter now?"

"...it does. To you," Cissnei said quietly, then turned and left after Sephiroth. Aerith scowled at the empty space in front of her. Cissnei was right – it did matter to her.

Zack started to lose track of the days. He was fed through a slot three times a day, measly meals consisting of stale water and leftover food. He barely ate. What was the point? Zack felt broken. He'd given up. He waited for the sickness to take over, and he could feel it growing stronger every time he opened his eyes again. Each second brought him closer to death.

His dreams became strange. He wondered if they were putting some sort of drug into his food or water. Visions of people he'd never met, but felt connected to, swam through his head. One word repeated in his mind like a mantra: Cetra. He didn't know what it meant, but it felt old. Maybe he was losing his mind, he reasoned.

"Shower time," a guard grunted from the doorway, and Zack squinted into the bright hallway. Zack stumbled along, legs weak from sickness and lack of use.

This was his fifth showering. He was fairly certain he showered every week. So maybe he'd been prisoner for...over a month. He wasn't sure. He could barely think, his mind was so thick with fog.

"Cetra..." he mumbled, lips slurring his words so they were barely discernible.

"Eh? You don't look so good," the guard said, his face hidden behind his helmet. Zack realized his guard was wearing a purple suit. What kind of color was purple for a guard? "Hey, you okay?"

"Cetra..." Zack mumbled again.

"Er, that your name, bud?"

"Mmm...Zack." His voice was raspy and dry from lack of use.

"Well Zack, let's get you cleaned up. Maybe you'll feel better afterward."

"Why...why're you...nice to me?" Zack asked haltingly.

The guard shrugged. "You seem okay, that's all. My name is Kunsel."

"...hey."

"You don't look good."

"...Dying," Zack laughed weakly.

"You're sick? You don't look old enough to die."

Zack didn't get the opportunity to answer though. Another guard appeared, a scowl apparent even on his helmeted face.

"Hey, don't talk to the prisoners."

"Yes, sir!" Kunsel shouted. "Sorry, Zack," Kunsel whispered, and then the other guard escorted Zack to the showers.

By the time Zack was back in his cell, he couldn't remember the purple-suited guard named Kunsel. His head was occupied by the Cetra mantra and visions of a girl he had once loved.

"You've been moping around for weeks," Tseng said to Aerith, standing tall next to her, looking serious and grim in his meticulously pressed suit.

"Oh?" Aerith commented, trying to sound lighthearted and nonchalant.

"Is this about that prisoner from December?"

"Zack. His name is Zack."

"Right. Is this about him?"

"Tseng...I can't stop thinking about him. I can't stop worrying. I can't stop feeling guilty. I took him. From his friends, his mother..."

"Aerith, we took him..."

"They trusted me. He... he said he loved me."

"...and did you love him?"

Aerith halted, staring into Tseng's warm brown eyes. Tseng, who was like a father to her, in a way.

"He wanted me to choose between him and my family. I couldn't."

"You didn't answer me, Aerith," He said sternly. She quailed under his firm gaze.

"I...yes, I think so. I believe I loved him. If I didn't, I could have. He made me feel..."

"Special?" Tseng asked kindly, and Aerith smiled softly, shaking her head so her brown curls brushed her cheeks.

"No. He made me feel normal. I've always been special. Aerith, 1st Class Mage, Turk, secret weapon of Shinra. With Zack, I was just a girl, just Aerith. He taught me to sled and how to have snowball fights and he showed me a Nibelheim sunrise...I was just Aerith, normal Aerith..." she broke off, unable to continue with her tears strangling her words.

"Shh, shh, shh," Tseng hushed her, wrapping his arms around her, and she collapsed into his embrace. "It's okay."

"It isn't!" she insisted shrilly, sobbing. "I betrayed him!"

"You did your duty."

"Z-Zack hates Shinra. All I've done is given him more reason to!" Tseng rubbed her back soothingly, trying to calm her. "I p-promised to help him, an-and..." she shuddered, burying her face into his chest. She knew she was probably ruining his suit, but he didn't pull away. She couldn't continue, though. She couldn't think about Zack dying. "Oh Tseng, I love him," she moaned, her voice muffled by his jacket.

"I know you do," he replied simply. "I admire you for picking family over boys, but...given different circumstances, there's a good chance we wouldn't be your family at all."

"What do you mean?" Aerith sniffled, withdrawing slightly from Tseng's grip.

"I found you when you were seven," he began hesitantly.

"I know," Aerith nodded. "You saved me."

"Aerith...I found you because I was sent to look for you. Shinra was looking for you and your mother to begin with, to return you to Professor Hojo. When I saw you that day, I changed my mind. I wouldn't let that vile man touch you again, and Director Lazard agreed with me."

Aerith stepped back sharply, her hearing going a bit fuzzy as her heartbeat accelerated and pulsed in her head.

"Why...why were you looking for me? Why did Professor Hojo want us?" Aerith knew Professor Hojo only through word of mouth, and his reputation as a slightly mad scientist. She'd never met him personally at Shinra HQ. But here Tseng was, telling her Hojo knew her all along.

"Aerith, you're right to say you're special. You and your mother...well, your mother for certain, she was an Ancient. A being with the ability to converse with the Planet, to bring us the Promised Land. President Shinra hoped you would be an Ancient as well, but it soon became apparent you had no connection to the Planet. We raised you as our own, made you what you are. But you see, if you had been an Ancient, you probably would have been as much as prisoner as Zack is now," he said, his voice sad. "She was the last of her race."

Aerith's mind raced. Bits and pieces of the night her mother died were rushing back to her.

"He...he killed her," she whispered, licking her dry lips. "I remember a train. We came from somewhere...cold."

"Yes. Your mother escaped with you."

"You were sent to retrieve me." Regret flashed in his eyes.

"Yes, I was.'

Aerith took another step back, body tingling at the sudden revelations. The voice she used to hear...had that been the Planet? Had she been the last Ancient, but lost the ability somehow? What had happened to that voice?

Zack hears a voice...she told herself. After his accident. A mako explosion. Mako, energy from the Planet, the life source. Her thoughts raced. What if the Planet had chosen a new host? What if it had chosen Zack? Why, though, had it left her?

"Aerith? Please, I know it was wrong. But...we really did come to care for you. I know it's a lot to take in, but I hope you forgive me."

"Tseng...I just..." she ran her fingers through her bangs nervously, mind still buzzing. "I need time to think. I have to...go..."

Aerith ran.

"Oh yeah, that Zack guy is in here, Miss Aerith," Kunsel said, and she saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks, creeping out from under his visor.

"Thank you, Kunsel," she said politely, even though her body was thrumming with nervous energy. "You can go – I can take care of myself."

"R-right, Miss Aerith, of course," he stumbled over his words, the flush increasing on his face, and then he fumbled away, running straight into a wall, then sliding along it until he disappeared from view behind the corner.

Perhaps she had overdone the magic, but she'd learned long ago that a small dose of her magic often helped her to persuade people to do what she wanted. Of course, everyone reacted differently, and it probably didn't help that he'd had a small crush on her for a long time.

She banished Kunsel from her thoughts and focused on opening the door, her fingers shaking as they pressed into the keypad. The door slid open in what Aerith considered far too slow a manner, and her heart sped as she laid eyes on Zack for the first time in months. His usually cheerful eyes were dull and red rimmed, his hair limp and brittle. His skin seemed to have lost all color, and her heart came to a stop as she realized he was very sick indeed. He hadn't had mako for nearly a month and a half. She was almost surprised that he was still alive.

"Zack," she uttered his name, her voice squeaking. He lifted his head, trembling with the effort.

"Must you haunt my dreams always, green-eyed girl?" he asked her seriously. "I don't even know your name, but your face is so familiar. I think my memory is failing, girl. Even in my dreams."

"Oh Zack...it's me, Aerith."

"I...used to know someone by that name, girl. I think I loved her. You have the same eyes, did you know? I haven't seen her in a long time..."

Aerith bit her lip to keep from crying. Zack was quite delusional, obviously, probably delirious with fever.

"Hey," he whispered huskily. "I'm dying. Can you tell? Cetra, the voice says. Cetra, Cetra, Cetra. I don't know what it means though. What does it mean? That damned voice will plague me to my death, and so will you."

Aerith remembered with a start why she'd come.

"Zack, the voice you hear, is it the Planet? I need to know. It's...very important to me."

He stared at her for a long time, eyebrows scrunching together like he was trying to remember something. Then his eyes unfocused and he started to mutter again.

"Aerith...Cetra, Cetra, Cetra, Cetra..."

"Zack!" she cried out, reaching toward him.

"No!" he shrieked hysterically. "I'm sick, green-eyed girl. Don't you know mako is poisonous? My friend, that girl that I loved, she's going to cure me. After that you can touch me. But I'm waiting for her, okay? She's going to help...I'm sick," he repeated. Then he closed his eyes, clearly exhausted from his outburst, and paler than ever.

"...Zack?"

No answer. But his chest still rose and fell, however sickly his lungs sounded. He was asleep. She placed a hand on his burning forehead, and she willed her magic through him, praying it would buy him some more time.

"Hold on, Zack. Please, hold on."

"Aerith," he sighed in his sleep, and for the first time since she'd come to see him, he sounded content. Then, "Cetra...Cetra...Cetra..."

Aerith left him, anguish eating at her heart and curiosity burning in her mind. What did 'Cetra' mean?

When Zack woke again, he felt...different. A little better, maybe. Not enough that he wanted to move, but enough that he was aware of himself and his surroundings. Surely it couldn't be much longer – every blink drained his energy, consuming his last reserves, every breath he drew in costing him.

The flap on his door opened quickly, shining bright, artificial light onto the cell wall, then shut again, the room returning to darkness. Food.

Smells good, he thought. He couldn't move though. His limbs refused to obey him. He supposed it hardly mattered. Food or no food...death was on its way.

Zack closed his eyes, wondering if they'd open again.

"Cissnei, I need your help with something."

"What is it...Aerith, are you okay? You look unwell."

"I...a lot has happened in a few minutes. Some revelations, to say the least. But more importantly, Zack's sick. Really sick. He...he didn't even recognize me, Cissnei."

"You visited him?" Cissnei's thin red eyebrows shot up, disappearing behind her bangs. "When?"

"Just now. Tseng told me something and...I had to figure something out. And I think Zack holds the answer."

"Are you sure, or are you just looking for an excuse to talk to him?"

"Of course not. I could have visited him a hundred times before now, but I've always lacked the courage."

"You, lack the courage?" Cissnei sounded disbelieving.

Aerith stared at the ground, the cool grey floor giving her no answers to the questions in her mind. It struck her how sterile Shinra was, especially compared to Zack's home. "I couldn't face him," Aerith confessed. "I was scared, after what I did to him. I didn't – I couldn't stand to see the anger and disappointment in his eyes when he looked at me. In any case, I don't think he would have talked to me."

Cissnei sidled up next to her, slipping an arm around Aerith's shoulders. "Aerith...I'm sorry. I know you care about him still. And...it must hurt an awful lot that he doesn't recognize you now. But, what made you change your mind about seeing him?"

"Tseng told me something about my past..." Aerith trailed off, almost hesitant to continue. But Cissnei was her best friend. Surely, if she'd known beforehand, Cissnei would have told her. "Tseng said he was sent to find me when I was a child. He was supposed to recapture me...and my mother."

"But she died, did she not? Tseng found you alone." A confused expression darkened her features. "Aerith, why was he sent after you both?"

"He told me my mother and I escaped from Hojo – that my mother was the last of the Ancients, and I was supposed to be one as well. But I never showed the signs."

"That Ancients? There aren't very many files on the Ancients, at least that I've seen. But what does this have to do with Zack?"

Aerith took a deep breath, wriggling out of Cissnei's hold on her. "Everyone thought I showed no signs of being an Ancient. But I think they were wrong. When I was little, I used to hear a voice in my head. When it told me that my mother was dead, I didn't want to listen to it anymore. I resented the voice. I shut it out. And one day, it was just gone. Zack though, he told me about a voice in his head...what if they're the same voice?"

"So you went to ask him," Cissnei stated. It wasn't a question, merely an affirmation that she was following along.

"Exactly. I need to know if its the same, if that voice is supposed to be the Planet. Why did it leave me? Is Zack an Ancient? I have so many questions...I need to found out who...or what I am."

"But...Zack doesn't know, does he?"

"He might. He's delirious, though. He kept calling me 'green-eyed girl' and muttering the word 'Cetra', whatever that means."

Cissnei was suddenly gripping her arm tightly. "Aerith, Cetra is what the Ancients called themselves."

Aerith felt the air whoosh out of her, as surely as if she had been punched in the gut. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline racing once again.

"You see? He's connected somehow. Maybe he has the answers I need. We have to save him."

"How do you propose we do that?" Cissnei asked, and Aerith had to smile. She had worried that Cissnei might refuse her plea for help, but she should have had more faith in her friend. Aerith reached across and grasped the younger girls' gloved hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you..." then, "First, we have to find Sephiroth. Come on." She tugged her friend out into the hallway.

They were both blissfully unaware of the man who had caught enough of the conversation to be interested in this 'Zack' character. He stepped out from the shadows and smoothed down his pristine, white lab coat and straightened his glasses. This prisoner was certainly someone worth investigating.

"We made it, Cloud," Tifa said, staring at the great wall surrounding Midgar. The city loomed above them, ominous and foreboding.

"Yeah. Finally," he replied, giving her a one armed hug, the other gripped the strap to his pack. It had taken them roughly two months to get to Midgar. Zack's mom had been right – it was a long trip, especially since most of it had been on foot.

It had been dangerous, too, but she and Cloud knew enough about fighting to deal with the smaller monsters. They avoided the more dangerous ones as best the could.

They ended up using nearly all their money on boat ride across the continents to reach Midgar, and things had slowed from there. She and Cloud had had to catch their own food or scrounge up what edible plants and fruits they could find. On more than one occasion, Cloud had gotten food poisoning, slowing them down further.

But every time, he recovered and pushed on, determined to make it, even though she knew he was worried. She was worried, too. Two months was a long time – would Zack even be alive still? It was a concern neither of them voiced, because they refused to let it be true. They would save their best friend. He wouldn't be dead.

"We made it," she repeated, not quite able to believe it after everything they'd gone through. They were dirty and tired and hungry, but Midgar was in front of them, proof they could overcome the odds. The idea bolstered her, gave her strength.

Cloud tilted his head back and inhaled deeply, then grimaced. "Smells...dirty," he said. He was right, too. The air was much more polluted here than in Nibelheim. In fact, the air seemed to be a bit thick; smoggy, perhaps.

"I smell...food," Tifa said as she sniffed, and her stomach growled loudly. She would kill for some hot, ready made food.

"We've got a little money, still," Cloud said, pulling a handful of gil out of his pocket. "And I bet the food's cheap down in the slums," he told her optimistic grin on his face.

Tifa wanted to protest. It was the last of their gil, and she didn't want to delay their search for Zack any longer. Her stomach disagreed with her. It grumbled again, and she swayed a little.

"Maybe there are some people who can help us find Zack," she said, mostly to reassure herself that stopping to eat something would be okay.

"Right," Cloud agreed, adjusting his pack. "No point in charging in without a plan. Bars are always a good spot for information," he rambled on. He was nervous, she could tell. Tifa stopped him, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward her.

"Hey," she greeted quietly, and he responded by looking politely puzzled. "It will be okay. We've made it this far, haven't we?"

His shoulders slumped and he took a deep breath, then sighed heavily. "Yeah. We did." His shoulders straightened again and he looked straight at her, the determined look back in his eyes. "Thank you. For coming with me, I mean," he said.

"Of course," she replied. Momentarily, she wondered how her father and Cloud's mother had dealt with their absence, especially during Christmas. She had left her father a note, explaining the situation, having known full well he'd never let her go otherwise. Cloud's mother had been more understanding and wished them well, just like Zack's mother had. "I couldn't let you go alone. I would have missed you too much, silly," she murmured and stood on her toes to kiss him quickly. When had he gotten so tall, she wondered?

"I would have missed you, too," he replied in soft tones, returning the kiss gently before pulling back, his face mixed with seriousness and adoration. "We should go in, yeah? I can hear your stomach growling," he teased with a light smile, poking her stomach.

"Hush," she chided, slapping his hand away without any real force. He let his laughter die away and grabbed a hold of her hand.

"Stay close, please? You never know what might happen." He was being overprotective, and they were both perfectly aware that she could take care of herself, but she had no intention of straying from his side. The sight of the grey city made her nervous, and even though she could probably fight better than Cloud, he made her feel safe. She squeezed his hand in response, and they walked through the outer gates into the city, passing a large '7' printed boldly on the door.

Once inside, the air became rather oppressive and rank, and the sunlight all but disappeared, great heavy plates hiding the slums from the city above.

"How does anyone live here?" Tifa asked, choking back a gag as the stench of garbage assaulted her senses.

"Maybe they don't have any choice. I can't believe Shinra lets people live like this," he added sadly, features drawn as he viewed the rubbish and rubble around them.

"It's terrible," Tifa agreed.

It took some time to navigate the narrow dirt paths the slums were comprised of. It seemed like the slums were composed mainly of junk, towering next to precariously built homes. After getting lost several times, running into five dead ends along the way, Cloud and Tifa practically stumbled into a bar, their stomachs protesting loudly in their hunger.

The smell of hot food was absolutely heavenly in Tifa's opinion. Maybe Cloud agreed, because he was inhaling deeply, and his stomach gurgled again. They sat down at the bar and a chubby looking man waddled over to them.

"Hey, you kids even old enough to drink?" he asked seriously.

"What? We just want something to eat -" Cloud protested. The man started to laugh heartily.

"The look on your face. You think we really care? No one checks IDs in the slums, kid. What can I get you?"

"Biggs, you harrassin' customers again? Get away from the bar, you idiot!"

A very large, black bearded man rounded on the jollier one, then turned to them, sighing. "He doesn't even work here, damnit."

"We uhhh..." Cloud managed to get out before the man glared darkly at him.

"Hey, Spike, you in SOLDIER or something? You got the nerve to come in here?" The man was suddenly holding a gun to Cloud's face and he jerked back with a surprised yelp.

"Wait, wait, no! I'm not in SOLDIER!"

"He's not, really, sir, please!" Tifa pleaded.

"You got mako eyes, Spike, don't lie!" the man growled between bared teeth, the veins in his neck bulging dangerously. Tifa thought he might have an aneurism.

"No, I swear!" Cloud yelled, falling right off his chair.

"No, please, listen," Tifa continued, trying to lower the gun. She realized with a start the gun was attached to his arm, and stared, the words leaving her at the strange sight.

"Like this?" The man demanded angrily. "A little present from Shinra. Or because of them, really."

"I-I'm sorry. But please, Cloud isn't SOLDIER. We're from Nibelheim. We've got natural mako pools up there, ad he had an accident once. He got mako poisoning and his eyes have glowed ever since," she explained hurriedly, praying that he would believe her.

He stared suspiciously. "And what's your story, girly?"

"Cloud and I came to Midgar to save our friend. Shinra arrested him."

"Yeah, our friend, Zack. He, uh, doesn't like Shinra either," he said. "Neither do we," he added quickly, clearly hoping to alleviate the situation.

Time slowed and stretched as Tifa and Cloud waited with bated breaths for the man's reply. Then, thankfully, he lowered his arm (and gun) and helped Cloud up with his only hand, lifting him up smartly.

"Sorry there, Spike. Can't be too careful down here."

"My name's Cloud," he said a bit mulishly, trying to flatten down his hair.

"And what's your name, sweetheart?" Barret asked gruffly.

"I'm Tifa. Um, thank you for not shooting us."

"Amazing, since Barret here is more the 'shoot first, ask questions later' kind of guy," another man quipped, and Barret clipped him on the ear.

"Shut it, Wedge," he growled. "Anyway, uh, you two here for something?"

"Food," Tifa put in, then flushed in embarrassment. "But more importantly, for information about our friend."

"Well," Barret gestured at the bar. "How 'bout we get some food in those bellies and you can tell us the situation here. Maybe we can help."

Aerith and Cissnei found Sephiroth nose deep in files, a slight scowl on his face. It looked like he was trying to burn a hole into the paper before him with the intensity of his stare.

"Seph, I need your help," Aerith blurted, not particularly interested in what he was reading. With every second, her awareness that Zack had less time to live grew more pronounced. It was a rising panic in her chest, and she had to keep pushing it down firmly.

"Aerith? What's going on?" he asked, dropping the files onto the desk with a flop.

"Tell me, do you know where I can find files on the Cetra?"

"Why are you interested in the Ancients, Aerith? They're an extinct race -"

"Please, humor me, Seph?" she begged, preforming her renown puppy dog eyes. He sighed in defeat.

"Very well. Information on the Cetra...let's pull up the files on the database here..." Sephiroth's fingers fairly flew over the keys, clicking away efficiently. He paused, then hmmed, typed away again, then leaned back in his chair, brow furrowed, his thin eyebrows angled sharply.

"All the Cetra files are currently being stored away in the Nibelheim Mansion for safety purposes."

Aerith almost began laughing hysterically. Everything was connected. Destiny was calling out to her.

"How'd you discover that if it's confidential information?"

"I did a little hacking. I'm more than just brute strength, you know," Sephiroth said, sounding a little amused.

"Well the, I guess we're going back to Nibelheim," Aerith announced, clapping her hands together.

"Aerith, you're on probation, in case you've forgotten," he reminded her.

"Which is why you're coming with me. Surely they can't refuse the two top SOLDIERS?"

"What about Zack?" Cissnei asked. "Are you taking him too?" Aerith hesitated, biting her lip. She came to a quick decision.

"I can't. Taking him – freeing him – will surely be seen as an act of treason to Shinra. I'd never be able to find my answers that way. No, Sephiroth and I will go to the Mansion and investigate. Can you stay here and keep an eye on him?"

"What if he starts to really die?"

"I gave him a shot of magic, he should hold," Aerith said, though not very confidently. "Just keep him alive however you can. Inject him with mako if you have to."
Sephiroth had been silent through this exchange, but a confused expression marred his usually calculating features.

"What is this? What does Zack have to do with anything?"

"He has everything to do with it, Seph. Everything to do with me. Please, I'll explain on the way, let's just go. Get the helicopter!"

"This had better be really good, Aerith," Sephiroth groaned, then sped swiftly out the door to go prepare their transportation.

"I'll be back soon," Aerith promised Cissnei.

"Okay. I will call you if anything goes awry."

"Thank you," Aerith whispered seriously. She threw her arms around her friend, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. "Keep him alive for me."
Cissnei nodded gravely as Aerith pulled away, and they shared a look as their eyes connected. They both realized how feeble the string of hope they were clinging to was – it was stretched thing, ready to snap at any moment.

But neither spoke a word of their concerns or doubts.

There was no need to.

There was no time to.

Their bellies full of food, Cloud and Tifa now found themselves exhausted and their eyes heavy with want for sleep.

"You two really came all the way from Nibelheim on foot?" Barret asked after they had finished their tale.

"Mostly," Cloud shrugged.

"And you came to save your pal from Shinra? You kids got guts, I'll give you that," he said, scratching at his beard.

"He wouldn't do any less for us," Cloud said; next to him, Tifa nodded in agreement, then yawned widely.

"Sorry," she apologized, wiping tears from her eyes.

"We're just ex-exhaust-" Cloud yawned too, his mouth stretching open. "Tired," he finished, sniffing.

"You kids deserve a rest. I tell you what, you can stay here for the night, then we'll see what we can do about your little problem."

"What can you do?" Tifa wondered, her eyebrows drawn together in puzzlement. Cloud silently agreed with her sentiment – what could a bar tender do for them, armed or not?

"Well, shit kids, this heap of a bar is more than it looks. Shit, I mean, this place is the hideout for AVALANCHE. You know, the -"

"You're AVALANCHE?" Cloud blurted, suddenly wide awake. "Seriously?"

"Damn straight, Spike." Cloud frowned. Barret seemed determined to call him 'Spike'.

"Then you can help us get Zack back. I mean, that's what you do, isn't it? Strike back at Shinra?"

"Sure do, kid. But we're a bit short on help."

"We'll be helping," Cloud said.

"Yeah, of course, we wouldn't ask you to do it alone," Tifa agreed.

"We're not rushing into Shinra. Are you crazy? You have to prove you're up to the task first," Barret grunted.

"We don't have times for games or tests," Cloud said, his voice rising with his temper.

"Cloud," Tifa interrupted gently, placing a hand on his arm. "Calm down..."

He took a deep breath, clamping his jaw shut and grabbing at his hair.

"That's right, listen to yer girly, there," Barret chuckled. "If you want AVALANCHE's help, you'll do any damn tests we feel like putting you through. Now, follow me if you want to get some shut eye."

Feeling it was useless to argue any more, they followed him silently. When they reached the room, Barret hesitated. "Er, We only got one room. You two, eh, aren't gonna..." Barret trailed off, obviously embarrassed.

"What?" Tifa questioned, and Cloud blushed as Barret's bushy eyebrows shot up and his meaning became clear.

"Well, I got a little girl in the next room, see, and I don't need her scarred for life cause you two-"

"NO!" Cloud practically yelped, then cleared his throat to cover his girlish cry. "We'll be sleeping. That's all. Fast asleep."

"Cloud, what...? Oh." And Tifa blushed too as she finally caught on. "Not that it's any of your business, but Cloud and I don't..."

"You're right," Barret held his hand up quickly. "It's your personal life. How 'bout we keep it that way?" He walked away before he could hear any more on the subject.

"I'll take the floor, then?" Cloud asked as they entered the small room. There wasn't much room, but there was a bed, at least, and a small drawer with a lamp sitting on top.

"Cloud, you don't have to be so noble. After all, we slept next to each other on the way here," she pointed out, flopping on the bed. "This could be the most uncomfortable bed in the world, and I couldn't care right now. It feels wonderful after the ground we slept on," she added with a contented moan.

Cloud's cheeks burned. He didn't really know why, but sharing a bed with Tifa was much different than sharing the same patch of cold hard ground. She noticed his hesitation and she sat up on her elbows and patted the bed.

"Come on. I know you'll be a perfect gentleman."

"Er," he managed to say, and she smiled.

"Or are you worried I'll misbehave?" she asked slyly, and Cloud's heart reacted accordingly by nearly flying from his chest. He wondered if his face would melt off if he blushed any more.

Tifa giggled and pushed off the bed, reaching over and grabbing his hands, pulling him toward her.

"Your virtue is safe with me, Cloud. But you're so cute when you blush, you know."

"You're...evil," he croaked, then laughed. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I trust you."

Cloud sprawled out on the bed, kicking off his shoes and folding his arms behind his head.

"Scoot over," Tifa laughed and he made room for her. She curled up next to him, resting her head on his chest and sighing. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder, brushing her hair back from her face with his other hand.

"Sweet dreams, Tifa."

She wriggled closer to him, eyes closed already. "Goodnight, Cloud," she mumbled. He smiled faintly and let his eyes droop as sweet sleep overcame him.

Zack woke slowly. What day was it? Was it even daytime? He couldn't tell – the dark room was unchanged. He could barely remember where he was.

The door hissed open, and Zack was blinded by light. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"Cetra," he gasped out I response.

"You shall be a most interesting test subject, Mr. Fair."

Suddenly, Zack was being picked up roughly. He tried to stand, but his legs refused to obey. Instead, the rough hands gripped him tighter and his feet dragged uselessly as he was escorted out of his cell. He let his head slump forward – not that he had the strength to hold it up anyway – but it helped keep the light out of his overly sensitive eyes. The voice in his head was practically screaming, and his stomach roiled unpleasantly.

Please let me die, he thought.

"No, Mr. Fair, you won't be dying...not yet."

Could this man read minds? Or maybe Zack had said some of what he'd been thinking. That seemed likely.

His head throbbed painfully, and Zack fought down the urge to vomit. The next thing he knew, his head was being jerked up, and he blinked blearily, groaning.

"Yes, I see. Mako exposure. How interesting. You appear to be quite ill, Mr. Fair. I've never seen mako poisoning quite this severe. Yes, yes, a most interesting subject indeed."

The man with glasses and black hair faded in and out of his vision. Zack dimly registered a white coat.

Doctor, Zack thought. Is he here to cure me? Zack felt a needle prick in his arm, and then a curious sensation shot up to his shoulder. Then, it began to burn like fire and he hissed in pain and surprise. His world grew dizzy, and the voice in his head more and more distant.

Everything went black.

A/N: This chapter broke from the norm a bit and we got to see things from Cloud and Tifa's perspective. Actually, there's quite a bit of jumping around with POV's, but that's how this chapter needed to be. It was a nice change of pace, I think. I'll most likely revisit them next chapter as well. We'll have to see how it plans out, I suppose. Meanwhile, Zack's dying (isn't he always? That seems to be a theme with me. Poor Zack!) and Aerith and Seph are running off to discover some truths. Until next time. Oh, and you should leave a review. Thanks ;)