Chapter IV: A Small Bit of Peace and Zack's New Love

It was as if time itself had stopped. Aerith blushed slightly as she noticed all eyes were on her. Zack got to his feet and wrapped his arms around her. The others stood there in disbelief, Nanaki told Cid to see if Cloud was awake and he left immediately.

"How do you come back?"

"I'm sorry Zack..."

She lightly pulled off his arms and turned to the exit of the room.

"I...came back for...Cloud..."

She left as quickly as she came. Zack's heart sank from his throat to his gut, he began to feel noxious and vomited on the floor and his hands. His nose bleed and his fists began to smash the floor, a pathetic display for Tifa and Nanaki. Tifa walked over to him, no longer threateningly, but she kindly put her hand on his back. He threw her kindness away and picked up the fallen Vincent's "Death Penalty."

"What are you doing!" Tifa shouted.

"If this is the kind of world that will exist now...then I want no art of it!!!" and so he placed the barrel to his ear. He took a deep breath, slowly, and pulled the trigger.

THE END ((lol j/k))

The hammer smashed against an empty chamber. Zack fell into his own vomit and began to cry. Tifa and Nanaki left him alone in the room, he needed some alone time after that. But it didn't take long for his sorrow to turn into even more hatred. With love no longer in him, his humanity also faded a little more. He left them alone and traveled to Wutai to rest.

"Fate must love irony...."

He dare not go to the Pagoda, he instead spent nearly a week drowning himself in liquor at the Turtle Paradise. He hated what he had become, he hated Cloud, his friends, Aerith, and the rest of the world. All his property was forgotten on the Highwind except his Buster sword. He went outside for a breath of fresh air and saw the girl again. The little Ninja girl was playing with some small children and he took it upon himself to talk to her.

"Aren't you the motion-sick girl from the Highwind?"

"Oh! your the jerk that hurt Cloud, killed Vincent and left a big mess!"

"You have my apologies, you can extract vengeance from me now if you like..."

"Why....are you just going to let me kill you?" Yuffie asked.

"Why not...I have nothing to live for anymore...there isn't any light in my life..."

"What about the sun?" Yuffie asked jokingly.

"You can't ever see the sun in the darkness..." Zack answered with a grim tone.

Yuffie put her hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes, "Hey! Even in the blackest night there will always be some shred of light."

She walked away to let her small rhyme poke around in his mind. Zack returned to his seat in the pub and pondered what she meant. If he searched hard through himself could he find some light? Aerith was his light, even though he only admired her from afar...but wait... was that really love? He and Cloud were the same age right? Why would she now prefer him...I died...

"I CAN'T AGE WHEN I'M DEAD!!!" He screamed, he had just recalled that he was only sixteen.

A sad thing that a mind as bright as his had such a young body...I've been calling that girl a child...when I myself and most likely even younger. Could she have known all this? That ninja girl, she either knew this or made a lucky assumption. Death gave me strength and wisdom, but not emotion...I never even truly loved someone...my life is a joke, why end Cloud's? He has more meaning then I ever will. That girl...maybe she can guide me in the right direction...

He searched around the small resort town for a bit until he found her. She was sleeping in a small house. he didn't wake her but sat in the corner and watched her. Nearly an hour later she awoke and rubbed her eyes, the noticed him.

"What the hell are you doing here!!"

"I need to talk...I need help...to find the light..."

Zack told her about his life, what had happened in death, and how he felt about everything. Yuffie tried her best but this wasn't her specialty. She tried to make him feel better about the world but missed his main anger of Cloud which was the basis of all his anger. The day grew long and night was upon them.

Yuffie asked him, "Aren't you tired?"

"I don't sleep..."

"Why not?"

"It's far too dark..."

"Your world is way too dark Zack... maybe..."

"Maybe?"

"Nothing.. never mind ..., you should go to Gold Saucer... It might take your mind off of things..."

Zack said no more and left, he had nothing better to do so he went to Gold Saucer. The petty games did little to keep him amused, and the prize of a Masamune blade copy scared him. Then he decided to take a trip on the Gondola. He found Yuffie waiting there.

"What are you doing here?"

"How are you going to find light if you don't enjoy yourself?" she asked.

"You aren't going on this with me are you?"

"HEY! You asked for my help! If you don't want it I'll leave!"

He didn't want to argue anymore and they both went onto the ride. It Moved slowly over the attractions and gave a wonderful view.

"Hey Zack, what do you feel in your heart?"

"My heart? Hmm...hatred..."

"Why...?"

"It's the reason I was reborn...even death can't stop true hatred..." Zack explained.

"NO! I asked why?"

"Why? I don't know...maybe it's the only feeling I know..."

The ride was almost over and he felt worse now then when he had gotten on.

"Zack...I...I...I'll help you discover other feelings..." Without hesitating she leaned over to Zack's side and placed her lips to his...

((Tell me what you think about me putting romance in, Review!!))