Zack talked to Cloud for a while, telling him about what had happened since their return, and taking the time to introduce and explain everyone who had been involved so far, down to vague physical descriptions and humorous anecdotes.

Kunsel admired but was not at all surprised by his ability to just… talk, especially given what was riding on it. He helped where he could, filling in details or just adding little side notes to help keep the one-sided conversation going. It seemed like Cloud had roused a little - well, that or he was dreaming - but there was something going on, and you couldn't help but be hopeful that it meant Aerith's uncanny way of knowing things had kicked in this time too.

"We'd probably need like, a brain scan to be sure how much this is working," Zack admitted. "He looks like he's doing something though, with his eyes moving like that."

"You'd think," Kunsel agreed.

"He feels closer," Aerith said. "I think it's working. Obviously a test would be more conclusive, but… it feels right."

"That's something, at least. Given the current medical advice is just… 'wait for him to wake up' I'm all for actually actively trying something," Zack said. "Even if it didn't work, it feels like I'm helping. I kinda need that right now."

"We all do," Kunsel said, reaching over to hug him.

"Some music with lyrics might work, later, too," Aerith said. "Especially if it's something he knows and likes. Not very loud, but loud enough he can make it out, if the doctor would clear it."

"No idea, but I can ask," Kunsel said. "We can at least see."

Aerith moved to his side, looking at him with concern. "I don't know if there's anything else I can do… mako poisoning isn't like regular poisoning."

"No, it's not," Zack agreed. "I wish it was. That's so much more straightforward, and you can take the edge off of it with a good Heal or two."

Aerith nodded, reaching over and gently brushing back a few gold spikes.

She jerked her hand back with a gasp.

"Aerith?" Zack sat up, ignoring the brief spike of pain. "Aer, what's wrong?"

"I can hear him," she whispered, eyes huge as she hovered her hand over his cheek.

"Hear what?" Zack frowned, then made a strangled sound. "You can hear his thoughts? Wait, you've got a telepathic bond - you're soulmates?"

Aerith made a breathless sound, resting a hand over his forehead. Her eyes unfocused and she swayed a little. "Oh…"

"Hey now, don't you go getting lost too," Kunsel said, getting up. "Aerith? Hey, look at me."

"Not lost, but… I think he can hear me," she managed, still looking distracted, focused on something none of them could see. "I can bring him back."

"Just be careful," Kunsel said, ready to snatch her hand away. He wasn't sure if it would help or not, though; it might have just been touch-triggered, and not touch-reliant. Psychic bonds of any kind were rare enough that there just wasn't a sample size to say all or even most worked a particular way.

"Do you want me to hit my call button?" Zack asked, reaching for the button for the nurse. "I think this kinda qualifies as important."

"Give it a minute," Kunsel said. "If she gets any more out of it, we'll call."

"I'm fine," Aerith said, though she was still staring off at nothing, voice taking on a sleepy, almost dreamy quality. "Just… give me a minute."

"I will literally count sixty seconds in my head," Zack warned.

She hummed softly, absently petting Cloud's hair as her eyes fluttered shut. Beneath closed lids, his moved rapidly, and he turned his head into her hand with a breathy sound.

For a moment, Zack forgot to count, the world seeming to freeze as dazed blue eyes slit open.

"Cloud?" Zack whispered.

"…I'll have someone go find the professor," Kunsel decided.

"…Zack?" Cloud's voice was rough and raw, little more than a whisper itself, but enough for enhanced senses to still pick up easily. "You're… okay?"

Zack made a relieved sound, blinking rapidly against the threat of tears. "Yeah, buddy. I'm okay. We're both okay. Better than okay. We've got our soulmates."

"Soulmates?" He repeated, sounding a little lost still, before turning his head and looking up at Aerith. He offered her a sleepy, shy smile. "Oh. Hi."

Aerith giggled, still looking not completely in the moment herself. "Hi there. You've been through a lot, huh? Thank you for coming back."

"Coming… back?" He repeated, looking like it was a bit of a strain to try and process things at their usual speed.

"We can talk about it later, sweetheart," Aerith said. "We've got time."

"…okay," he agreed, fumbling for her hand and holding it gently in his own.

They had a few moments to just look at each other, savoring their connection, before rapid footsteps led to Rayleigh and Jack hurrying in. "He's awake?"

"Psychic bond," Zack said helpfully. "She uhm… got in his head and woke him up, I guess."

"I see." Rayleigh arched a brow, watching them a moment before coming over. "I'm going to ask you a few questions while Jack checks your vitals. Can you tell me your name?"

Cloud blinked at her with wide, dilated eyes. "Cloud… Strife."

"That's correct. Do you know where you are?" She asked.

Cloud looked around, then glanced at her. "…medical?"

"That's correct," she agreed. She went through several other things - his ID number, his birthdate, his enlistment date - most of which he got, though he blanked a couple times along the way.

It was honestly better than anyone had been expecting for some time. Just hearing him coherent was enough to leave Zack reeling. He'd hoped, of course he had but… deep down, he had expected this was going to be a long, hard road.

And here he was, talking and smiling and -

"He's going to be alright," Kunsel murmured, getting up on the bed with him again, mindful of the IVs in his arm.

"Yeah." Zack swallowed hard. "Yeah, he will. We'll make sure, right?"

"Of course." Kunsel nodded, fingers playing through Zack's hair. It soothed them both, and right then they needed the grounding.

Zack tipped his head into the gentle touch, sighing. "I mean, I knew he'd be okay. He's too stubborn not to pull out of it. But…"

"Yeah, I know. That's a lot for anybody," Kunsel said. "He's still going to need therapy. Probably several kinds of therapy. But he's going to be okay."

"Yeah." Zack sighed, smiling. "Yeah, he is."

Veld wasn't surprised to get a call from Cissnei updating him on things. He was very surprised to find out that Aerith and Cloud Strife were not only soulmates, but had a psychic bond. Considering the sort of powers she had… that could be interesting. Like so many other things, there would be consequences to this, but he was wound too tight to look at them all, beyond wondering how this would affect SOLDIERs' tenuous ties to the company. Aerith was not by any means fond, and he wouldn't count on any sort of attachment to the Turks. Theirs had always been a complicated relationship. Even though she'd been under their protection, he suspected she resented their presence and what it represented. Did she even understand how long he'd lied to Hojo and the President on her behalf?

"I take it that wasn't good news," Vincent said. He'd been a constant presence since he'd returned, a silent shadow lingering in his office while he'd tried to sort through the information Maur had dug up and figure out how to go forward with AVALANCHE. As a group, they needed stopped. It was hard not to focus on his daughter first.

"I have no idea," Veld admitted. "It was news. It'll be something. But I make no bets where Aerith Gainsborough is concerned."

Vincent hummed softly, not familiar enough to weigh in. Tseng could have. He might have to pull him aside for this… even as upset as she was with him, they'd always had a bond. It was unavoidable, as long as they'd known each other.

"I suppose you'll see," Vincent said.

"I suppose I will," he agreed, sighing. "I need to make rooming arrangements, she's going to want to stay near her soulmate, which means somewhere Plateside."

"With one of your Turks, perhaps?" Vincent suggested.

"Mm. Cissnei, maybe. They've always gotten along," Veld said, tapping his desk with a sigh. There was just so much to do, so much to process… a hand settled on his shoulder and he startled a little, not having seen Vincent move. "…you need to stop that."

Vincent just smiled, clearly pleased with the ability to sneak up on him, but it faded into something gentler. "You can handle this."

"I have to," Veld said. "Failure isn't an option."

"Just let your people help," Vincent said. He squeezed his shoulder. "All your people."

Veld glanced at him. "That count you?"

"You know I could never be anything less," Vincent said.

Veld made a quiet sound. "Here I thought you wouldn't stay."

Vincent shook his head. "I can't leave you like this."

Veld smirked. "Afraid I'll get reckless, huh?"

"It looks like you've left a distinct gap at your back," Vincent observed. "Someone has to fill it."

Veld looked at him for a long moment. "You know no one could have ever taken your place, Vincent. I didn't even try."

Vincent was silent at that, hand tightening on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I left you behind. Sorry things ended that way."

"She was your soulmate, Vin," he said gently. "Of course you fought for her."

"She wasn't the one who would have laid their life on the line for me," Vincent said quietly. "She wasn't the one who knew me better than I knew myself."

He couldn't look away, listening to him. They'd always been like that, been so close the line between them blurred.

Sometimes, it felt like it should have been another name on his wrist, another mark on Vincent's hip. But they'd never said it before, because they'd both been raised too old fashioned; you had someone you were meant for, and you waited for them. And they'd done that.

But Vincent had never truly had Lucrecia, and Jess hadn't even been thirty when he'd lost her. They were the only ones still standing.

Together.

Vincent squeezed his shoulder. "I won't take that for granted again, Veld. I'm not going anywhere."

Veld covered his hand with his own. "I'm counting on it."