Author's Note: This chapter was so stinking hard to write! I had to start from scratch a few times and had it thrown back at me by my beta readers to fix again and again but I think it was totally worth the effort.

Marken: I'm sorry for the cliffhanger but I couldn't help myself. I really tried to create the feel of a genuine relationship behind these characters and I'm happy it is working. Talin will have a lot to deal with for sure. Lots of twists and turns in this story and a whole lot of exciting action to come before it concludes.

Beta Readers: Pixie, Kiza, and Discord.

I do not own FF7 or any of its characters. Talin, Unit 28, and some other side characters are mine.

Chapter 30

SMS Message From: Talin

Talin: SOS, med blood work every quarter? Do you guys do that? -Received 7:44am-

Zack: Shit T, I was in a meeting and had my phone on silent. You ok? -Sent 8:22am-

Zack: Where are you? -Sent 8:22am-

Zack: I have Angeal with me. Where are you Red? -Sent 8:25am-

Zack: Talin?! -Sent 8:26am-

Where are you?! Zack's mind raced as he and Angeal tore through the Cadet floors. They had checked the med station closest to the cafeteria and the U28 barracks before they made their way to the class that Talin should have been attending. The thunder of their boots in the hall echoed in Zack's ears but it couldn't drown out his frantic thoughts. Where are you, Red?

Skidding to a halt, Angeal restrained his urge to slam the door open and instead entered the classroom as calmly as possible while Zack remained in the hall. His appearance startled many and, as the teacher hurried over to see what he needed, whispers erupted among the Cadets. Only one among them had an idea of the significance of the Commander's visit. Callian's fears compounded when the teacher gestured to the empty seat next to him.

The SOLDIER looked his way before turning to leave again. They have to be looking for Talin... And if they're here, then... Cal didn't hesitate, even when the teacher called him to come back, he didn't stop till he was out the door. Seeing Zack alongside Angeal confirmed his suspicion and he called after the pair. "Commanders!" The eyes that turned to look at him, glowing bright with anger, would have stopped him any other day, but he would brave their displeasure if it helped Talin.

"Now's not the time-" Protocol and manors be damned, Cal brazenly cut off the 1st.

"You're looking for Talin?" When Angeal stepped towards him, he held his ground and quickly started talking. "He left with a blonde woman in a lab coat from the Cafeteria floor. She said he needed quarterly blood work to monitor the Mako in his system. Said she could take him up just a few floors to a medical office to get it done instead of the lab." The irritation died from his listener's faces the more he told.

"What did she look like?" Zack was pulling his phone out as the Cadet described the strawberry blonde.

"He said he would be back, that it would be quick, but that was over thirty minutes ago now." Callian's own worry for Talin was a painful burn in his chest. If he had just gone with...

"Good job, Cadet. We'll take it from here." Angeal's warm hand on his shoulder was both in thanks and reassurance before they took off down the hall again. Hope warred with worry as he returned to class. They will find him. They're SOLDIERs, they'll find him.

Zack's phone rang while they ran to the elevator and he pulled it free without breaking stride. "Kunsel! You at a computer?"

"Ya. What am I looking for?" Kunsel's hands moved rapidly across the keypads as he searched the footage from the time Talin texted Zack, but whoever did this was good. They had avoided the cameras, only stepping out into the partial view of one when first calling out to the teen. The next view he got was from just outside of the elevator but it was distant and of too poor quality to get a good look at her face. When they entered the elevator, the feed went black.

"Deleted?!" It had been over an hour since that SOS message and now their one lead had hit a dead end. Zack's heart sunk but the determined 2nd had one last trick up his sleeve.

"They may have cut the feed, but they didn't wipe the keycard log." Using a passcode that should never have been known by a SOLDIER, Kunsel logged into the keycard system and found the single access request that was made just seconds after the cameras had gone dead. "Got it!"

Zack was already on his phone and heading to the door of the small office they had borrowed. "Geal, you find everyone we need?" While the young 1st had been with his tech-savvy friend, Commander Hewley had been quietly pulling 2nd Class SOLDIERs that he knew and trusted for a 'special mission'. Only when Zack arrived in the unmonitored meeting room on the deployment floor did the small group learn their assignment.

The angry flicker and glow of Mako eyes as Angeal told them of the Cadet's abduction was a welcome sight to Zack. His relationship with Talin hadn't remained a secret among the SOLDIERs and he was more thankful for that now than ever. They outlined the plan quickly to the assembled 2nds and then, with a one-time use keycard from Kunsel, boarded the elevator.

Zack watched the number tick down as they descended. We're coming, Talin. Hang in there.

People scattered like mice away from the group of angry SOLDIERs that stormed the 30th floor. The flashing Mako glow from each pair of eyes was all that was needed for lab assistants to comply with the commands barked at them. They didn't know that these powerful men were under orders to do no harm. Angeal had selected each of them carefully, making sure to only pull those he was sure would obey that order.

Keycards were confiscated as they rounded up scientists and lab personnel and the search began. In pairs, they worked their way down the hallways opening door after door searching for that distinctive red hair. Anyone else they found within each room was escorted out or locked in. Someone would let them out later but for now, they were just in the way.

Angeal was exiting yet another empty room when his phone rang with a priority ring tone and he answered as he ran to another locked door. "Hewley? Why am I getting reports of SOLDIERs on one of the laboratory floors? What happened?" Director Lazard's voice was sharp with authority but Angeal had known him long enough to hear the true concern beneath.

"They took Talin," At the dangerously quiet response, Lazard's focus changed.

"You're sure?" an affirmative from Angeal. "And you're sure he's somewhere on the 30th floor?"

"I'm sure." When the call ended with a click, the 1st knew he would have no further interruptions to his search and he was glad. Hall after hall of doors to small rooms, some with more doors beyond them, were taking far too long to clear. Some wouldn't open with the standard keycards, requiring special access, and they had to swipe a dozen cards to find one that would work.

What if they moved him? They know that we would come looking... What if-

"Commander!" One of the 2nds came tearing down the hall towards him, stopped, and turned back the way he come when he saw Angeal pivot to charge in his direction. He didn't need to be told that they found what they were looking for.

Within a few powerful strides, he'd outpaced the other SOLDIER but didn't slow down. Those that saw him coming gave quick hand signals to lead the way through the maze of halls and laboratory rooms. Three heavy muscled bodies parted from in front of a door when he rounded the last turn and, in an instant, he was past them. His instinct to sweep the area for danger as he entered shorted out when his eyes landed on the bed tucked into one corner of the small room.

Talin, the fiery youth that had turned their world on its end, had never looked so helpless, so small. He was bound to the medical bed by heavy restraints, normally tan skin was sickly pale, but the most terrifying to Angeal was the faint glow that was coming from every vein near enough to the surface.

Zack stood at the bedside, fighting the urge to unlatch the buckles and get Talin away from this nightmare. Till they knew what was pumping into his system through the IV, they couldn't risk removing it. Angeal was about to call for one of the SOLDIERs to bring a nurse from the group by the elevator when he heard approaching footsteps not made by combat boots.

The 2nds that were standing watch parted and Zack and Angeal tensed till Lazard strode into the small space. He too was shocked at the Cadet's appearance and waved for the woman who had followed him to go to Talin.

"Please, do what you can," Angeal knew the Director wouldn't have brought someone he didn't trust completely and watched her careful approach to the bedside. Zack, however, was still wary. The younger 1st almost bristled at the small brunette and refused to move from where he stood near Talin's shoulder. He watched with an intensity that would have made most hesitate or flee back to safety, but as young as she was, the woman didn't flinch from the scrutiny.

Her focus was entirely on the Cadet she had been asked to help. She checked the chart, looking for indications that other substances had been administered, and found none. The IV was labeled and both SOLDIERs caught her slight pause when she read it. A glance from the bag, to Talin, and back again before she moved to start pulling cabinet doors open, searching for something.

The quiet murmuring outside brought Angeal's attention to the fact that they needed to leave ASAP. The number of detained scientists wasn't enough to worry the 1st, but the fact that someone had reported to Lazard wasn't lost on him. It'd taken them a while to locate Talin after arriving on the 30th floor and he knew it wouldn't be long before someone came to quell this minor mutiny.

Knowing time was running out, Angeal stepped past Lazard to the protective ring of SOLDIERs. He spoke quietly but their enhanced hearing caught every word. "I pulled each of you for your discretion." He paused a moment before making his request, "I thank you for your assistance and ask that you speak of this to no one. We'll take it from here." Mako eyes still burned white-hot as the group turned, saluted, and then quickly made their way to the stairwell.

Within moments they would scatter up and down the stairs to mix back into the flow of the great structure. Kunsel would cover their tracks with static just as he had for the entire 30th floor from the moment they chose this plan. The few that were still guarding the group of workers would remain till they saw Angeal leaving with Talin and Zack, then they too would make their escape.

Returning to the small room, he arrived just in time to see the IV pulled from Talin's arm. There was no reaction to the removal or to the gauze being pressed to his arm and the utter stillness was just as concerning as a violent outburst would have been.

Not willing to wait any longer, Zack rapidly started undoing the buckles, going as fast as he could without jarring the limp body. Under the restraints, there were deep bruises and freshly scabbed scrapes that told a chilling story of what had happened to their Cadet. Knowing that Talin had fought back would have made Angeal smile but for the fact that the teen must have been frantic and terrified.

The small, dark-haired girl looked between the two 1sts just then. "He will need more help than I can give, but he is stable enough to move." She hurried back to Lazard when Zack wrapped Talin in the bedsheet and lifted the teen to cradle him against his chest. They moved quickly back to the elevators on the almost empty floor, got inside, and entered a command code to prevent any stops on the way up. Just as the doors were closing, Angeal saw the remaining 2nds flash by in full sprint. They would be gone into the crowd before he and Zack made it to their floor.

"I'll send Naree to your apartment," Was all the Director said as the SOLDIERs stepped out and they turned to nod their thanks before hurrying down the hall. The reassurance that trusted assistance was on its way did little to calm Zack's racing heart as he followed Angeal into his apartment. Talin felt so cold and his breathing was shallow...

They carried the teen up and into Angeal's bedroom, piling blankets onto the bed before Angeal got in and pulled the unconscious Cadet into his arms. He wanted to rub at the cold skin to warm him up but knew it would only cause pain so he bundled him closer and listened to the slow heartbeat.

Zack had left only long enough to sign Talin out of classes for the time being and to unlock the door for Genesis. The Red Commander didn't say a word as he followed up the steps. They had expected an outburst from the volatile Commander and were both shocked when he sat himself quietly in one of the chairs to one side of the room. Beyond worry and anger, there was pain in the 1st's eyes that the others could understand. They all had their own nightmares, and they all revolved around the same things; a lab, a needle, and pain.

Another knocking at the apartment door at first drew apprehension but, when opened, revealed an older woman that Zack knew well but the older SOLDIERs knew only in passing. Naree was one of only three trained medical personnel that reported directly to Lazard, but even he didn't have her absolute loyalty. That was only given to her SOLDIERs.

She had been part of Shin-Ra's general medical teams till she had started subtly defying orders and doing what she could for the young teens and men that came under her care. The Director had been watching her after whispers of things she had done had reached him. She kept the youngest of the program safe from harmful procedures or, when unable to prevent it, had done everything in her power to make them comfortable during and after.

She was so fiercely protective that it had almost cost her job when she refused to leave an unconscious 3rd alone with Hojo. The priority text message Lazard received that day had saved the teen and when the Professor fired Naree on the spot, the Director offered her a new one. To work for him and offer safe, uncorrupted, medical care to the SOLDIERs who were so rightfully wary of the Shin-Ra doctors and nurses. Her small team was now the only ones authorized to give the first injections to new 3rds and were there to help them through the difficult adjustment.

Her dark brown eyes widened at the shocking state of her patient and she quickly took charge. Angeal and Genesis hesitated only a moment before following the orders she issued in a calm but decisive voice. In no time, she had Talin hooked back up to an IV, had tested his blood on a compact machine, and was giving him a very small dose of something that would start to counteract the overdose of Mako in his system.

None of them spoke as she explained what she was doing at each step. Having dealt with spooked and traumatized SOLDIERs, she knew the Commanders would want to know what exactly she was giving their Cadet and what it would do. Additionally, she was honest with them instead of pretending everything was fine.

"He's still in danger from the amount of Mako that isn't absorbing into his body." She said slowly as she cleaned the gashes in Talin's hands. "I will stay with him till he's out of danger." Her tone and the uncompromising look in her eyes when she boldly stared them down, dared them to challenge her. They didn't. Zack's previous meetings with this confident woman made it easier for him to entrust Talin to her care. The others, while still hesitant, knew they needed her help.

Several shards of plastic were pulled from the teen's damaged hands as they took turns changing the water or holding a high-powered light while she worked till at last, Naree could find no more. The only blessing of the massive amount of Mako was that it was already working to heal the deep cuts. The scrapes the restraints had made were already gone along with much of the bruising but the taser wound they found on his chest would also take time to disappear.

Time crawled on, and they waited. Naree took a small blood test every half hour and although she saw improvement, it was slow. His temperature had gone from freezing to fever, and she replaced the IV bag over and over as his system burned through the liquid. She gave him several more small doses of medicine to help his body process the Mako, counseling patience when Genesis grumbled that she should just give him more at once.

Chairs from the sitting space by the window were pulled over, Naree taking one and the Commanders alternating between the chair, sitting on the bed corner, or pacing slowly like trapped big cats. Not much was said as minutes, and then hours, passed.

Angeal was lucky enough to not have anything on his schedule for the next few days, but Gen and Zack both had to leave for meetings they couldn't reschedule. The three of them had a private text group set up, normally only used when surprising Sephiroth, that they now checked in on between meetings. The decision to exclude Seph from the conversation had been unanimous.

After what had happened between Cadet and General, the other 1sts weren't sure how the silver SOLDIER would respond to the attempted kidnapping. It was also the better part of wisdom to not distract someone on a mission, even one that was only a political appearance.

Genesis brought lunch back for themselves and Naree who had remained resolutely at Talin's bedside. They ate and waited. Each test she did on his blood, they hoped for better news. Each time they had the same response. "He's getting there." or "It takes time to reverse this level of overdose."

Zack received a message from Callian closer to dinner begging for information on his friend. The truth was off-limits to anyone outside of the rescue party and Naree, so they came up with a cover story that Talin would be with Angeal for extended training in the General's absence. Zack felt bad for not telling the young Cadet what had happened after his help, but it was safer this way for now.

Cal read the response and decided not to push his luck. If the Commanders said Talin was with them, then he wouldn't doubt them, but the fact that his Unit mate wouldn't be coming back to the barracks for a while told him that something had happened. With effort, he told the lie to U28 and attempted to join in on their envious banter about wanting to skip classes to hang with the 1sts.

A few of the more perceptive noticed his forced humor and when they went to spar, that Callian only partnered Dayton who let his childhood friend work off his anxiety without question. Nothing was said, but by the end of the night, almost half the group knew that something was wrong with their Captain.

Darkness fell over the city and still, the SOLDIER's waited for any sign that Talin would wake. Exhausted from worry, Zack crawled onto the bed next to the slowly recovering Cadet, ignoring the questioning glance from Naree. When she said nothing and returned to her book, the spikey-haired fighter reached down to link his fingers with Talin's and instead wrenched back.

His gasp brought Angeal and Genesis to the bed and they were just as startled. The teal blue color of Talin's arms was spreading. The edges of that Mako coloring had always been a jagged pattern that ended just below the elbow, now it was edging towards his bicep. The creep of color was as slow as Talin's recovery but, not knowing what else to do, they kept track of it as the night wore on.

By midnight, the glow that had persisted in the teen's skin had faded away. Genesis and Angeal heard Naree sigh from where they sat and looked up when she stood. "His levels are finally stable." She put away the portable testing kit and was pulling the bandages from his hands when they stood and came over. Hands that had been a horrible mess now showed not even the smallest sign of the damage that had been done.

"Any idea when he'll wake up?" Zack said from his side of the bed, looking hopefully at the nurse.

She shook her head. "Mako has its own way of doing things and everyone is different," She glanced down at the stained skin of Talin's arms, "Your friend is more different than most. However, he is out of danger. The rest will work its way out over time." Her smile at Zack was reassuring but she turned to Angeal and Gen to give one last order. "If, by some unkind chance, he doesn't wake in the next 48 hours, call me. I'm leaving enough IV fluid to keep him going for that length of time, but after that, he will need extra care."

For the first time since their last visit to Angeal's mother in Banora, Zack heard the older 1sts give a quiet "Yes, Ma'am." and nearly laughed. Genesis walked her out before coming back and giving each of them a hug goodnight.

"I would stay, but your bed isn't big enough for four 'Geal." The old gripe made Angeal smile as he let Gen move to the bed to hug Zack. Genesis's tired brain laughingly urged him to kiss Talin to see if it would wake him but instead, he ran gentle fingers through the Cadet's hair. Sleep well, Little Bird. Wake up when you're ready, we'll be here.

All the next day, the three 1sts rotated watching over Talin. Being a Saturday, they didn't have any meetings to attend but when the endless waiting started getting to Genesis, Angeal took him for an exhausting sparing session. The Red Commander didn't like the idea of leaving but gave in when they opted to use one of the training rooms just across the hall instead of VR.

Neither went easy on the other. Using blunt swords for the sake of clothes and not having a potion handy, they went at full combat speed in the large room. Trading blow for blow and not minding the bruises and welts, they went on till the practice blades broke.

Angeal's phone beeped at the same time as Zack's. A moment later, the trill of Gen's phone receiving a message. They had just returned to the bedroom from their match and each looked at the other. Zack checked his phone to confirm but didn't need to read the message.

SMS Message to: AxGxSxZ

Sephiroth: ETA 1 hour.

Angeal and Gen showered and then watched Talin so Zack could stretch his legs before they left again to meet Seph. Better to explain what happened on an unoccupied floor than in an apartment...

The crash of the front door being thrown open was Zack's first warning that they were back. He didn't need to hear footsteps to know they were coming and, with the mood the General was probably in, he was unlikely to hear any.

Rage clouded Sephiroth's thoughts as his quick strides brought him up the stairs. Abducted? Mako poisoned? What the hell had happened?! When he saw Gen and Angeal waiting outside on the landing pad, he had known something was wrong, but this?

They had said they couldn't tie Hojo to anything but everyone knew the man's level of obsession regarding Mako and his experiments. Had Hojo planned the abduction and just waited for the right moment? Or had he somehow suggested that Sephiroth go to Wutai for the political meeting? His anger deepened at the thought of his foolish Cadet getting caught in such an obvious trap.

Zack felt the atmosphere shift just before the General's shadow darkened the bedroom doorway and went on high alert. What had been a feeling of impatience and concern, changed as the air was weighed down by a wave of vengeful anger and irritation. Bright green eyes flashed as he entered, full of such fury that Zack pulled the Cadet closer.

He wouldn't stand a chance if Seph did something stupid, but he wouldn't let anything happen to Talin on his watch again. Angeal and Gen had followed and now stood in the hall thinking much along the same lines. They were ready if they were needed and praying they wouldn't be.

The General made it one step past the doorway before he suddenly stopped as if struck by lightning. Curled up in bed with Talin, Zack was the only one to see the shock that flitted through glowing, slit green eyes but, just as quickly, the emotionless mask slid back into place. They had anticipated a strong reaction, but the dangerous stillness that fell as the great SOLDIER took another slow step, had the hair standing up on their necks in warning.

True concern crept into Sephiroth's chest and he fought to contain his emotions as he looked over the limp form buried in blankets. He hardly noticed Zack, curled so protectively around the Cadet, all he saw was the teen's paleness, the shallow breathing, and heard his terrifyingly slow heartbeat. It hadn't been uncommon for him to see Talin asleep in the arms of Zack or Gen, but this was an unnatural, deep sleep. But how deep? Just unconscious? Or comatose?

As he had done so many times since first discovering Talin's Mako aura, Sephiroth reached out and touched an ephemeral hand to the shapeless cloud of the Cadet's mind. In the past, he had done so to test the teen's sensitivity to such contact, evaluating to see if he could one day be trained to use it. Then it became a way to get his attention, like in the VR room when he telegraphed his appearances with the faintest brush of his mind. Now he did so to gauge the severity of Talin's condition. When he felt nothing at his gentle touch, his worry grew and he pushed slightly harder. Cadet... Talin... As his worry started to bleed into his mental touch, there was a reaction.

The particularly vicious strike of energy that lashed back at him stung like a whip of electricity up his arm. Sephiroth tried to remember that such a backlash wasn't personal, that it was a good sign proving the teen was not in real danger, but he failed. His previous irritation with his Cadet flared back to full life and the concern that had been creeping deeper into his chest vanished.

Without a word, the General turned and left the apartment. The need to go back and shake the boy for his stupidity was like an itch under his skin, but he kept walking. He wasn't blind to the fact that his three lovers were on edge and, having become very attached to his trainee, wouldn't take well to such treatment of him. After this, the Cadet probably didn't need a reminder, but he would have one anyway.

For all his maturity in most subjects, Talin was still a foolish teenager. Why had he ignored all the warnings they gave him about anyone from the medical or lab teams? With Sephiroth gone, he should have been even more wary yet he'd walked right into a trap. Angeal had told him about the ruse of needing a blood draw, but why didn't Talin-

Having just walked into his own apartment, the General halted as he realized the only possible reason for such a lapse in judgment. Concussion. The anger drained from him like water through a sieve. Did I cause this? Without conscious thought, he reached again for Talin's mind. The resulting strike burned along his arm and the memory of that pain lingered as Sephiroth moved to his home office.

Within moments, he had the feeds of the building up from the morning Talin had gone missing. Kunsel had tried recovering the lost footage but was more focused on finding the missing Cadet than anything else. They had saved Talin from the lab, now it was time to find the ones who had orchestrated the abduction.

"Hey." The voice in Talin's ears sounded distant... "Hey." Closer this time, and more insistent.

"Za-" His voice was rough from dryness in his throat and he swallowed several times and tried again. "Zack?"

The quiet laugh came from nearby and Talin heard the sounds of movement as they drew closer. "Oh, c'mon. You should know better than that." He was right. Now that he heard them speak more, there was no way he should have ever mistaken the two.

Without thinking, he cracked his eyes open and winced at the painful light that forced them closed again. "Bright..." He muttered, but his arms were too heavy to lift to offer more shade to his eyes.

"It usually is here."

"Here?" As if the word was a trigger, Talin felt the soft movement of air on his face, the warmth that radiated down on him. "The field?" He couldn't open his eyes to confirm it but the man gave a quiet hum of confirmation. With a sigh, he relaxed. If he was in the field, then he was safe from-

The thought sheared off and danced out of his grasp as he tried to remember. Something had happened... "While I'm glad to see you, it's time to wake up. You can't stay here, Talin. Everyone's worried, can't you feel it?"

Again, he was distracted from chasing the missing memory by the odd statement. "Feel? Feel what?" He wanted so badly to open his eyes, but the light was still painfully bright.

The sound of his visitor sitting on the ground just to his side made the urge to look harder to fight. "Like a pressure at the back of your skull. Focus, Talin." The words were encouraging, sounding a lot like Angeal when he was teaching him something complicated.

Fighting his distracting thoughts, the Cadet did as asked and it only took him a moment to notice the odd pressure. He hadn't even realized it was there it was so slight, like the very beginnings of a headache before it became painful. When that pressure shifted, his heart about jumped to his throat but something stopped him from being truly afraid. It felt different... like... "Angeal?!" The name was more gasp than actual words. He could never describe how, but that slight little contact felt like the big SOLDIER.

"That's right." Talin could hear the smile in the words. "He's waiting for you and so are the others. You just need to wake up." The coaxing tone was back but this time, the teen hesitated to follow their direction. Something was wrong, he just couldn't-

Cold. Pain. A haze of green across his vision. The crack of electricity. A shiver shook his prone form as the sensations flashed across his brain. They weren't full memories but cracked shards of them. Warnings. Of all the times he had been there, Talin had never felt pain when he was in the field, not even when his shoulder was so badly damaged. Even if it had been fleeting, the shock of it was enough to spook him even more.

"It's going to hurt, isn't it?" His heartbeat was loud in his own ears as he waited for an answer.

The sound of a sad sigh told him all he needed to know. "I won't lie and say that things will be fine, but I know you can handle it." The honesty was appreciated, but again Talin stalled.

"I don't know how to wake up from here." It was a lie. Such a big fat, lie that he felt stupid as it came from his mouth, but he was scared. Scared that the things his mind wouldn't let him remember would be worse than what he could. The worst was the possibility that he would wake and still be in the la- The thought snapped away like a rubber band being shot across a room, leaving his brain stinging while the chill of dread grew greater.

Movement again of the man shifting his position. "C'mon, you're smarter than that." The laugh cut through Talin's lie, but still, he played along with the teen's excuse. "What have you avoided every time you've been here?"

Talin knew. It was something he'd wanted to do so bad, but now that he had the chance, all he could think of was his fear. He didn't realize he'd moved his hand towards the specter till a larger one gripped it. Warm as any real, living person, the grip was strong as it squeezed his hand. His fear receded slightly at the comfort and reassurance in that firm grasp and, as his heart tried to beat out of his chest, Talin made up his mind.

With effort, he rolled onto his side, trying to shade his sensitive eyes from the sun as best he could. If he had to wake into a nightmare, then he wanted to at least have an answer to this question. A shadow shifted over him, working as a shield to block the direct sunlight. "That's right." Another squeeze on his hand, "Open your eyes, Talin. Let me see what they look like now."

"What?" Confusion and the shock of a possibility overwhelmed the teen's fears and his eyes flew open. The world around him started to degrade as he followed their clasped hands up to the man kneeling next to him. A powerful frame with less muscle than Angeal but more than Genesis met his pained eyes.

The wind had died and the sun that had kept him so warm was slowly being swallowed by a creeping blackness as Talin's mind struggled to capture details. The man was in simple dark pants and his wide chest was adorned only by leather straps for a masterfully designed pauldron. Down that same arm, he had a matching vambrace and gauntlet, its fingertips shaped like claws. Of his face, Talin could only catch the flash of a smile before the dream shattered.

A pained gasp and the sudden thrash from the bed had all three 1sts jumping into action. Talin's eyes were wide, the glow as bright as raw mako, but they were yet unseeing. His lungs fought to breathe deeply past the agony that each breath caused. Hands held him down, pressing against skin that felt both burned and frozen, and his struggles increased. The green haze was all he could see as panic gripped him. The lab! I'm still in the lab!

Memories crushed into his brain and, just as he took in air to scream, a nudge at the back of his skull deflated the cry into a whimper. Still blinded, ears deaf to anything but his thundering pulse, he felt that little shove, and his mind latched onto it like a lifeline. As before, it felt like Angeal, but this time it emanated the man's calm and protective presence, willing Talin to trust him, to calm himself, that he was safe.

Strengthened as much as he had been weakened by the Mako, the Cadet had fought against the Commanders with a surprising amount of power. They all had known this reaction was a possibility but were greatly relieved when the frantic motions abruptly slowed. Not letting down his guard, Angeal continued the gentle contact of his aura against Talin's as he relaxed his hold on the teen fractionally.

Angeal had been confused the day before when he felt Sephiroth's mind brush past his without making a connection. When the Commander followed the same direction, he found a mind that lashed out violently. Not at him, but at Seph. His shock at finding Talin to be the source was just as great as the realization that the General had known and said nothing to anyone. If Talin had been trained to use it, they might have prevented his abduction...

Zack had leaned over the teen now that he had ceased his struggles and was quietly calling out to him. "Talin, you're safe, you're here with us. You're gonna be ok." Eventually, the glow in his eyes dimmed. Not having faith in his eyes alone, Talin reached up and touched Zack's face. "There you are, Red." The smile, warmth of the cheek under his fingers, the voice, and the light kiss that the young SOLDIER gave him finally convinced Talin that he wasn't dreaming. He was safe.

Maybe it was the pain of his still-recovering body, or the trauma of his kidnapping, or the pure relief of knowing he was safe, but Talin didn't feel ashamed when his eyes burned and wet heat slid down his cheek. He didn't protest when Zack pulled him into a tight hug, even though his skin still felt rubbed raw. He needed the contact just then more than he would admit.

Angeal had pulled back very carefully from Talin's mind after he'd seen the first tear fall. The last thing he wanted was to shock the Cadet any more than he already was. Too much had happened too quickly. Anything else at this moment could cause the currently fragile teen to crack.