A/N: I finally got back to the Final Fantasy 7 stories. I hope you all enjoy this one. Well, onto the chapter.

Chapter 1: Dismay

Zack panted roughly. He had defeated the entire Shinra army. Now he and Cloud could reach Midgar. A sudden gunshot made him flinch. But he didn't feel an extra feeling of pain. He heard a gasp of pure horror and turned around. Cloud's eyes were wide and a small hole opened up in his chest. Shocked and heartbroken, Zack limped to his friend as quickly as he could. He turned to the one who had shot him and noticed that he had died from his wounds.

"Cloud? Cloud, please speak to me!" Zack said, tears showing in his eyes. Cloud's chest was heaving and his eyes were glazing over. Zack wouldn't let his best friend die, not after they had been through so much together. "Cloud, no, please!"

"Z - Zack...is that you?" Cloud whispered, tears in his glazing eyes. "I see darkness. Then I see you, why? And I find it hard to breathe."

Zack grabbed Cloud in his arms and hugged him tight, knowing that there was nothing he would do for his best friend. He looked down at him and noticed that a small stream of blood was at his lips. Trying not to cry, Zack wiped it from his lips and hugged Cloud to his shoulder. He could feel Cloud's breathing getting heavier. Something heavy landed on Zack's battered body and he looked up. It was raining.

"Z - Zack, it hurts," Cloud whimpered weakly. Zack grabbed Cloud away from his body and saw tears in his best friend's eyes. Zack swallowed the lump in his throat and brought Cloud back down in the ground. "Z - Zack...I wanna hear...your voice. One last time."

"Y - Yeah. Heya, Cloud, finally awake?" Zack whispered through tears.

"Yes, that's what I needed," Cloud whispered. "Hey, I just remembered something. It - It was that thing that you... always said to me. Embrace your dreams... protect your honor."

"Yeah, the lesson Angeal taught me. Please don't go," Zack said, tears streaming down his dirty face.

"I'll try not to. I - I don't want...to die," Cloud whimpered. "Z - Zack, I'm...scared."

"Don't be. Please don't be scared," Zack whispered, he brought Cloud up to his chest. He felt his friend's breathing stop and hugged him closer. Zack looked down at Cloud's face and saw that his eyes were closed. He looked so peaceful. "Goodnight, Cloud. I'll never forget you."

Zack closed his eyes and slipped into unconsciousness. His wounds burned and his eyes felt heavy. He barely heard the sounds of footsteps and voices.

(Tseng POV)

Tseng jumped from the helicopter and ran up to the unconscious form on the ground. He recognized it as Zack. Heart in his throat, Tseng checked for a pulse. He had never been more relieved in his life. He didn't know why, but he had developed a sort of affection for the young SOLDIER 1st Class. Tseng noticed the young infantryman beside him and felt for his pulse. No use, he was dead.

"Is Zack alive? Is he okay? Who's that boy with him?" Cissnei asked, worry in her voice.

Tseng turned to her and said, "Zack is alive, just injured. The boy with him is an infantryman, he's dead, but it looks like they were close."

Tseng noticed that there were tears streaming down the battered SOLDIER'S face. He gently picked him up and carried him into the helicopter. Reno and Rude looked at Tseng as he placed Zack in one of the seats. Rude looked indifferent, while Reno looked disgusted. Tseng grabbed out the letters and placed them next to Zack. Tseng watched as the young infantryman joined the lifestream. He couldn't help but feel like he knew that infantryman.

Of course, he had been that kid who had been friends with Zack! Tseng remembered how crazy that day had been. The day that the two county bumpkins had met. It had been amusing when the two of them had realized they both were from the country. Zack Gongaga, the kid, Nebilheim if he remembered correctly. He tried to remember the kid's name. He would have to wait for Zack to wake for him to ask.

Even then, he might still be in too much emotional distress to think correctly. After all, that was his friend that got killed. Tseng didn't understand what it was like, but he couldn't imagine the pain that Zack was going through. He heard a groan and looked up. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed Cissnei healing Zack. Tseng looked at Zack and saw a confused look on his face as he looked around.

"W - Where am I?" Zack murmured, clearly still delirious.

"You're in a helicopter, don't worry, you're safe," Tseng said reassuringly, he couldn't deny it, Zack was like a son to him. Seeing him in pain was unbearable. "We saved you from the Shinra troops that were still alive."

Zack jolted awake as soon as he heard that name. He looked up at Tseng with tired, fearful eyes. Tseng gently rubbed his back, tears in his eyes. It would be hard to tell Zack the news about his friend. That boy had been kind and shy. The sight of him lying dead on the ground like that was heartbreaking. Zack seemed to just have remembered the kid. He tried to move but groaned in pain as the bandages tugged at his skin.

"Sit still! What do you want to do, injure yourself more?!" Cissnei snapped.

"Where's Cloud?!" Zack asked desperately, pain visible in his eyes. The Turks all fell silent with Tseng looking at the ground. "Is he okay?!"

"Zack...Cloud is dead," Tseng said quietly.

Any light of hope instantly left Zack's face and his eyes widened with dismay and doubt. Tseng knew that he didn't want to believe them. Even Reno was quiet, and that never happened! Rude was sitting in the front seat looking down at the floor as if he found something interesting. Cissnei was working with more potions and cure materia to try and get the most minor of wounds out of the way.

Tears formed at the corners of Zack's eyes and he put his face in his hands. Tseng watched saddened as Zack's body was racked with tears. He knew he couldn't walk over there to comfort him because Cissnei wouldn't let him. She said she didn't want him getting anywhere near her patient because he was "dangerous". Which was true, but he had told the others time and time again that Zack was like the son he had never had.

"I failed," Zack choked out. " I was supposed to be there for him, but I failed. He died because of me."

"It wasn't your fault! It was Shinra's!" Tseng snapped.

"But I was there. I should have saved him. I'm...a failure," Zack whispered, pain in his eyes.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Also, no training for a while," Cissnei ordered briskly.

Tseng watched as Zack silently agreed then laid back down. This would be a long couple of weeks.

A/N: And cut! What did you think? This was an idea that came to me in a dream actually. So I thought I would but it to light. Modify it, then publish it. Please let me know what you think. Remember to review favorite and follow! See you in the next chapter!