Disclaimer: Erm, nothing is ours. Except maybe the trees. =]

The soft sunlight filtered through the leaves, splashing dapples of shadow onto his face. Taking a deep breath, the young SOLDIER looked around the countryside and sighed in contentment.

"Home." he murmured.

Shifting his bag to a more comfortable position on his arm, he walked up to the house that he had been standing outside of for quite a while. The door looked exactly the same as he remembered it, and he grinned as flashes of memories went through his mind.

Raising a strong fist, he rapped gently on the door, briefly remembering that he had acquired more strength and did not want to break the door down. Bad way to make an entrance. Although it would be typical of him...

He heard the footsteps first and recognised them to be his mother's. He stepped back slightly, moving his weight to the balls of his feet and plastering the biggest grin on his face that he could. The door opened and his mother stood there, looking exactly as she had, though perhaps slightly more stressed.

"Hey, Mum. It's me. I'm back. For good."

The woman gasped, one hand fluttering in front of her face for a moment as the shock set in and she realised who this strong, handsome young man was.

"Zack!"

He laughed as his mother flung her arms around him, squeezing him with more strength than he ever remembered her possessing. She had begun crying, which he only knew because he had noticed his shoulder becoming slightly damp.

"Missed you." Zack said. That set her off on louder weeping and he chuckled again.

"Linnie? Who's there?" His mother's grip released and she stepped to the side.

"It's Zack! Oh, Peter, it's Zack!"

Zack felt himself go slightly limp and sensations begin to fade away, as the man he had always strived to please came into view. He was tall, broad-shouldered and firm. Yet his face was different, older. Deep shadows lined the underneath of his eyes and worry creases riddled his face with cracks and ravines, giving hint to the deep strain and loss the man was under.

Zack wet his lips as his mouth suddenly went dry.

"Hi, Dad." His voice was weak.

Peter Fair stood still for a moment, staring at his son with a look that was undefinable. His eyes wandered over the sword strapped to his son's back and the bag hanging on his arm. Then he looked back up at the face, to stare at the blue eyes which were ten times brighter than the day he left. The day they had thought they couldn't get any brighter because he was setting off to become what he'd always dreamed of being.

"Zack."

With such a simple, non-committal word, the man's face broke. The creases of fear and stress turned to lines of disbelief and excitement. Stepping forward, he gruffly pulled his grown-up son into his arms.

Unable to quite comprehend what was happening, Zack numbly raised his own arms to embrace his father.

"Oh, Zack you fool! Why didn't you ever write to us? You never sent word. We thought you were dead!" Peter growled softly, his underlying emotions desperate to show through. He sighed, "Don't you ever do that to us again. We were so worried."

"Dad. I love you!" Zack's voice cracked and he gave in, burying his face in his father's shoulder as long pent-up tears began to fall.

"Come inside!" his mum said. "Oh, we've got so much to talk about!" She quickly ushered them in and grabbed Zack's bag, her own tears beginning to fall again.

"It looks exactly the same!" Zack exclaimed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand and staring around at his house. His house. "What did you guys do while I was gone?"

"Not a lot, I guess." his mum shrugged, placing his bag next to the wall. "Would you like something to eat?"

"Yes, please! I'm starving!" Zack grinned and slapped his stomach.

"Oh great." Peter grumbled, "With the way you eat we'll have to break out the winter supplies!" Zack couldn't help but snicker as his mother admonished her husband, saying there was plenty of food for Zack and for the winter. A contented smile settled over his face. No, it wasn't how he remembered it.

It was a thousand times better.

"Man, it's good to be home." he said, leaving his sword by his bag and following his parents to the dining room. At long last, he was back where he belonged.

A/N: Septasonicxx: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed reading this! As a change from the collabs written by Lioneh and myself, this one is written by InyrilJace and myself. She's so awesome! Go find her on dA!

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