Disclaimer: Okay so this is getting slightly old. From here on out. I do. not. own FF or anything related. Blah Blah Blah. :D

So do you guys love me or what! I updated pretty quickly AND you get to find out a LITTLE bit of what Cloud was planning! :D I know, I'm good. Just a shout out to my secret Beta reader! I sent this to them... Saturday and they got it back to me tonight! So Two Dozen cyber cookies to them! (Which is only one person...who is amazing! .) Anyways, I hope you enjoy. oh... this took a baby step in the plot direction. Yeah and I will admit that the last chapter was all for fun. :)

Cloud tugged on his helmet again as he peered out the window of the moving helicopter. He shifted, uncomfortable in the uniform, repositioning the rifle for the hundredth time.

"Would you stop that," Cissnei reprimanded.

"Hmph," Cloud spared a glance at her as the vehicle flew smoothly.

They sat in silence. Their mission started late afternoon, yesterday, and they were almost to their destination. Cloud sighed and leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes. He was tired. He was hot. He was uncomfortable; he'd forgotten how uncomfortable the infantryman suits could be. However, he was thankful that he got out of Shinra's HQ before anyone started poking around for him. It seemed like Sephiroth was already putting the pieces together.

So maybe it is a good idea that I just get a break from that place! Cloud thought as he looked at Cissnei. Though I suppose it could be worse.

Cissnei tilted her head in question.

"I was just wondering how much longer until my feet are on the ground," Cloud stated.

"Should be about five minutes," Cissnei responded.

Cloud nodded and looked back out of the window. The scenery flashed by his eyes. He didn't flinch when his phone went off and fished it out of his pocket. He looked at the message that he had just received:

To: Protector

From: Eagle

Where the %& are you! You should have already #$ % been here!

Cloud sighed as he pocketed the phone.

"Who was that?" Cissnei asked, eyes seeming to drill through the helmet's visor.

"The captain," Cloud mumbled; somehow Cissnei could always nudge information from him. He inspected her to try to find the answer. Her slightly wavy, dark red hair fell just past the top of her shoulders. Her bangs were just short enough to show her light brown eyes, any longer and they would hide them completely. She had a small mouth that graced her face. She was petite over all, so fragile looking. Her beauty was definitely one of a kind, but that wasn't what drew Cloud to her. She was… well she was compassionate. Sure, she had blood on her hands, but she was always kind and ready to help. That wasn't a quality that Cloud saw often. Moreover, she was kind to him from the start. He could only say that about Zack and Aerith.

"What are you thinking about?" A small smile graced Cissnei's lips as they landed.

Cloud was about to answer when Reno poked his head into the back, not even bothering to get up or turn off the engine.

"Yo, if I am going to make it back to my next destination, you two gotta leave," Reno remarked.

"Right, thanks Reno." Cissnei got up, opened the door and got off carefully to avoid the moving blades with Cloud right behind her.

They watched the helicopter retreat into the distance then started walk in silence toward the town. Reno had to land a few miles away due to space. The first thing that Cloud saw was the huge rocket, the next was Cid Highwind leaning on his staff, cigarette in his mouth.

/ / / / / / At Midgar / / / / /

Zack sat in his living room, staring at his shaking hands. He looked up at the clock, it was three AM. He reached down for the cup of water he had brought with him. Managing to steady his hands long enough, Zack took a sip of the cool water and put it back on the table. The cold spread through him, he shivered and slumped to the floor. Drawing his knees up, he hid his face.

A hand on his shoulder startled him. He looked up to see green eyes. Zack jolted up in surprise, barely stopping his hand from going for his sword when he recognized the eyes belonging to Sephiroth. The reflex wouldn't have done him any good anyways even if it had been an enemy, since his sword was leaning against the door.

"Sephiroth?" Zack asked.

"I was concerned when I did not see you down stairs," Sephiroth replied as he straightened up.

"Oh…" Zack mumbled as he sat down on the couch, burying his head again.

"Zackary?" Sephiroth placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do I need to call Dr. Daniel?"

Zack didn't feel like answering. He felt numb. Ever since the couch incident, two days ago, he had determined that the flashes he kept having and even most of the dreams were real. He wasn't sure how that worked because there seemed to be years that had passed in the images when only about a month had passed since everything turned topsy turvy. Some of the memories were great, like great beach scenes and new friends, while others scared him to death. Last night's dream, or memory whatever you wanted to call it, took the cake.

Zack could distantly hear Sephiroth talking on the phone. Phone, where did Zack put his. Angeal would—Angeal. A picture flashed through his mind. Zack tried to push it away. His head snapped up when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Zack, Dr. Daniel is on his way." Sephiroth drew his eyebrows together and knelt in front of Zack. "Are you in pain?"

What would Sephiroth think when he finds out that I killed Angeal? Sephiroth became blurry as tears streamed down his face. Zack hid his face as more streamed down. Zack stayed like that even after the tears stopped. He wasn't sure how much time passed. At some point Dr. Daniels showed up, but Zack didn't care.

"Zack, I need you to look at me." Dr. Daniel's voice reached into Zack's numbness. "That's it. Now, what happened?"

"He's gone," Zack rasped out.

"Who?" Dr. Daniel encouraged.

""Geal…" Zack managed to force the simple word out of his mouth and saw his mentor lying on the floor, disappearing into the lifestream.

"All right, but what else?" Dr. Daniel inquired not tearing his eyes off Zack.

"I did it. I am the reason he's gone. I killed him." Zack blurted as rivers of tears flowed. "Angeal is dead because of me. I failed him. I failed Genesis. I failed all three of them."

"Zack, Angeal is not dead," Sephiroth corrected gently.

"No…I watched him die. I stole his life," Zack stated.

Dr. Daniel stood up and motioned Sephiroth to follow him out of the room.

/ / / / / / Perspective change / / / / / /

"I do not know what gave him that idea, but he honestly believes it," Dr. Daniels said.

"I am not sure either, but I know that Angeal is indeed not dead." Sephiroth stole a look at Zack to see him curled up again.

"What time did you say that you found him like this?" Dr. Daniel inquired as he started packing the instruments that he had pulled out when he got here. He was relieved that he didn't need any of them.

"I came in at seven this morning and called you when I realized that he was not himself." Sephiroth looked at the clock that now read eight AM.

"Well, there's nothing I can really do. He has convinced himself that he has watched Angeal die," Dr. Daniel supplied.

"Is there something I can do?" Sephiroth was concerned for Zack, he'd promised Angeal he'd look after Zack. There had to be something that Sephiroth could do.

"I am not sure. I would say seeing Angeal would be best, but given the circumstances, that is not possible." Dr. Daniel turned and studied Zack.

"Indeed," Sephiroth nodded. Even though the doctor wasn't Shinra, Sephiroth had told him that Angeal was MIA. He thought that it might have been the cause of Zack's odd behavior. Though the plan was originally that Angeal was going to complete his mission and then go talk to his mom. Well, he finished his mission, then he was just gone. Not even his mom had seen him.

"I guess, the best thing to do is just give him time," Dr. Daniel counseled as he interrupted Sephiroth's train of thought.

"Do you know what may have been the cause?" Sephiroth requested.

"I'm not sure. It could have been anything. Though the likelihood is that it was just a dream. We won't know for sure until he is back to himself. If there isn't anything else, I have to get back to the clinic," Dr. Daniel said as he looked back as Sephiroth.

"No, thank you though." Sephiroth answered.

/ / / / / / / Four hours later / / / / / /

Just give in, and I will make the pain go away, child. The creepy voice echoed in Zack's head.

Zack growled in his mind and gritted his teeth, somehow finally knowing that the voice belonged to an alien named Jenova. Stay out of my head!

Oh, but I cannot do that, for you are mine, it cooed.

Never! Zack thought stubbornly.

Maybe not now, but soon.

Images of Angeal's death poured into Zack's mind. Zack tried to push the images back but ended up gripping his head.

"Zack?" Sephiroth walked to Zack. "Do you want something for your headache?"

Zack bit the inside of his mouth as he pushed the images and the alien presence back. It felt as though he was ripping out his own hair and all of it, but he did not stop until they were both gone. Panting hard Zack relaxed the best he could with the searing pain.

"No thank you. I just need some rest…" Zack croaked out, his eyes screwed shut. He managed to get on the couch and stretch out. 'Stretch out, no matter the pain, to let the blood flow.' He couldn't remember why… but it was important. Zack lay there for what seemed like ages until the pain calmed down. He cracked an eye open when he heard papers rustling. He moved as little as possible until he caught sight of Sephiroth who looked him in the eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Sephiroth's voice was calm and soft.

"I…" Zack shook his head.

"Drink that," Sephiroth pointed to a cup sitting on the table in front of Zack. He continued when Zack gave him a quizzical look. "It's tea."

Zack pushed himself up and downed the contents of the cup. The lingering flavor was bitter, he was glad that he chugged it. He looked up at Sephiroth for his next order.

"Rest," Sephiroth instructed, going back to his paperwork.

"No argument here," Zack mumbled as he pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and curled into it, letting sleep overtake him.

/ / / / / / / With Cloud / / / / / / /

Cloud stopped under the shadow of the rocket, the rising sun hidden behind it. Their plan was definitely crazy, but hopefully, it would work the first time around. That would be a miracle in of itself. If it did succeed than many lives would be saved; Denzel's and Marlene's parents, Barret's wife, the victims of Sector 7, Tifa's dad…Cloud's mom. Cloud looked down at his hands…his mom.

"Cloud," Cissnei called from behind Cloud, who turned and looked at her. "Reno's here. All right, what's with the long face?"

"My mom… I haven't seen her since…" Cloud didn't want to, no, couldn't finish. He looked up as Cissnei wrapped her arms around him.

"Will you be okay next week?" Cissnei whispered in his ear.

"I'll have to manage… maybe I'll think of something." Cloud rested his head on Cissnei.

So... thoughts? :D