'Sam what are you doing?' Sydney questioned as her sister bundled her into her bedroom. Dropping to her knees Sam started to desperatly pull away the boxes stored underneath her bed.

'Come on.' She motioned holding out her hand her blood suddenly chilling at the sound of Rufus' shouts.

No-one was coming to save them, Zack wasn't coming and even if he was he'd never get there in time the door wouldn't hold up to much more.

'Come on Sydney!' She ordered a different tone entering her voice suddenly Sam wasn't afraid anymore she felt calm she wasn't scared of dying the only thing that mattered to her now was keeping Sydney safe.

'Get under the bed.'

'No, what about you?' Sydney cried struggling from her sister's touch.

'I'll be fine now get under the bed, he's not looking for you just me I can handle him.' Sam explained hoping that her tissue of paper thin lines couldn't be completely seen through.

'Just get under the bed!' She frowned pushing Sydney to her knees, shaking her head Sydney crawled underneath the matress.

'It's for the best, just keep your head down okay.' Sam whispered weakly as she pushed the boxes back underneath the bed obscuring the sight of her sister everything was the way it had been before. Getting to her feet she made her way out of the bedroom, she was really thinking on her feet now her heart raised as she jumped up onto the sofa pushing at the ceiling tiles poping one off she felt that, that was suffient to make it look like she'd hidden Sydney up in the ceiling space.

Before Sam had the chance to climb down from the sofa she was suddenly knocked down onto the floor by the weighed of the explosion, looking up through a curtain of rich chestnut hair, which had fallen across her face she saw that the door was hanging off it's hinches.

'Rufus please, please don't do this.' She whispered desperatly her eyes searching the room for any sight of him. Before she'd even closed her mouth she'd managed to locate him or he'd managed to find her at least. Grabbing her by the fabric of her hair Rufus pulled Sam's head violently back so far that she was looking straight down the barrel of the gun that was hovering over her.

'Don't take it so personally.' His cold emotionless voice filled her ears.

'I simply have no longer any use for you or your little family.' Closing her eyes tightly Sam tried not to be afraid as she heard the snap of the safety button the angle of the gun changing. She wouldn't be afraid, she wouldn't be weak and she wouldn't cry it would be over soon anyway.

'Rufus!' It felt like she had been waiting for an eternty when she heard his voice her heart skipped a beat at the familar sound. He had come for her he'd really come to safe her no-one had ever done that for her before.

'Zack.' His name escaped her trembling lips as she opened her eyes focusing on him.

The action was taken off her now Sam couldn't move she couldn't think she just sat hunched on the floor watching as Rufus shot at Zack who easily deflected the bullets with the steel of his sword.

Zack had no idea of what he was doing until he had done it taking himself by suprise he fell on Rufus punching and kicking him in the ways that his Mother had trained him. Although he carried a sword like his Father it was in hand to hand combatt where Zack had always really excelled. After a while there was no resistance Rufus was ither unconcious or dead he didn't much care, which of those it was.

'Zack.' Her voice called him out of his furry. His gaze quickly ran to her she matched it with her own it explained everything that needed to be said while they both said nothing.

'Sam.' Moving towards her Sam suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around his neck breaking into sobs as she clung to him.

'I'm so ssorry.' She gasped, clutching her back tightly Zack frowned at her appology.

'You don't have to do this.' He motioned moving away cupping her tear streaked face in his hands.

'I do. I've been such a selfish stuborn cow I haven't cared about anyone else...I couldn't even see what was going on right in front of me I risked Molly and Sydney's lives...and you you could have been killed. I'm so sorry.' Leaning forward Zack gathered Sam up into his arms and kissed her. She didn't fight him off and it wasn't like any of the other kisses they had ever shared this one was filled with loss and joy pain and sadness and most importantly love.

'I love you.' He whispered once they'd broken off the kiss, he didn't wait for her answer his ears suddenly pricking up at the sound of movement from the corridor.

'We have to go it won't be long until this place is crawling with Shinra.' Grabbing her hand he pulled her to her feet.

'Sydney!' She paused running into her bedroom pulling the boxes back out from under the bed her sister along with them.

'Come on we have to go now.'