One Last Touch

Everything I wanted,

Just to be with you,

Just to stand by your side,

To watch over you and protect you

"Zack?" Cloud breathes.

The man lets out a laugh, tipping his head back and grinning. It's too much like Zack, and yet, at the same time Cloud knows it's not him. There's a malicious glint to his eyes, and also the fact that Zack's eyes are a bright green. As Cloud stares into the man's eyes, he can see hunger and insanity.

Cloud sets his mouth in a grim line. That's not a good combination.

"So you realize your mistake?" The Zack hybrid asks.

Cloud shivers at the voice. It's much too like Zack's, other than the underlying crazed tone. The hybrid grins, eyes wild. He reaches up, unsheathing his sword. Cloud swallows, it's most definitely Zack's sword. It's rusted and beat up, but Cloud would recognize that sword anywhere. He'd visited his grave site so many times, but not recently. He must've stolen it from Zack's grave site.

However, the hybrid doesn't seem to realize the sword's importance. He flings it out before him where it clatters to the ground and Cloud stares in disbelief.

"Gah, I hate that thing, so rusty. Much prefer the replica." He states shrugging.

His eyes raise, "Brother! What do we do now?"

"Well, I suppose the children were returned safely?" The other asks softly.

"Of course! I had to stick around for a while ya know, make sure they got back...so, where is she?" There's a hunger in the man's eyes that makes Cloud flinch.

Cloud suddenly understands the hybrid's fascination with Tifa. It's a mixture of Sephiroth wanting to finish what he started, Cloud loving her, and Zack having a fascination with the girl his close friend had loved. If he ever got his hands on Tifa, Cloud knew it would not be pretty.

"In due time brother," The other says, stepping to block Tifa's body from his brother's view. "Let's go check up on everyone, it's been a while. Come, Zacs."

Cloud frowned, he knew the first hybrid had no name, and yet the second apparently did. The first caught Cloud's confused look, and merely smiled.

"He wanted a name, so I gave him one. He mostly resembles Zack, so, it just seemed appropriate." The hybrid grins.

"And I still don't see why you won't let me name you, brother." Zacs seems to pout.

"Ah, we've had this conversation before. Come, we have work to do." The hybrid gestures to his brother, and the two begin to leave.

Cloud feels a pain well up in his heart as he watches 'Zacs' go. For a moment he had actually believed that it was his long dead friend. He shook his head at his foolishness. Even if he did look like Zack, there was no way this hybrid could be his friend, his brother. Cloud dropped his head, hanging limply in the shackles, thinking of his time spent with the SOLDIER. Zack had often pulled that pouting face whenever he wanted something, and it had unsettled Cloud to see it again. It also seemed as if 'Zacs' was like a child, although Cloud knew he posed a serious threat to Tifa, in more ways than one.

Tifa...

Cloud's eyes raised to see Tifa sitting up, looking at him.

"Cloud..." She breathed, crawling over to the bars of her cell.

"You're okay." That was all Cloud could say.

She smiled, despite the situation, and nodded her head. He could see tears welling up in her eyes, and she shook her head quickly, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands.

"It wasn't really him, was it?" She whispered.

"No."

"And about the children?"

"They had no reason to lie."

She smirked, resting her head against the bars.

"Tifa."

She looked up.

"Please, do whatever you can to stay away from him."

Tifa looked shocked. There was a pleading tone in Cloud's voice and a pain in his eyes she had never seen before. But she nodded her head.

"If I can get out of here, I can take care of myself." She said, pulling her gloves from her back pocket.

"If we can get out of here..." Cloud muttered beneath his breath.

They sat in silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say, but also knowing this could be the last time they may talk alone.

"Tifa..." Cloud's voice was small, and Tifa tried to meet his averted eyes.

"I'm sorry for getting you dragged into this." He muttered.

"Cloud, you didn't get me dragged in, I was already in, from the moment you came back into my life all those years ago. I've always been in, it's not your fault. You heard him, according to him, my words were what got you up and moving."

"He was right though, they were...but you shouldn't be punished for words...after all, they're just words."

"Cloud...words have meaning to them, don't just take them so lightly. If you did, how would you know that I really meant it when I said 'I love you'?" Cloud raised his eyes, "How would you've known I meant it when I said 'I do'?" There were tears in her eyes now. "How would you have known when I said I would spend my life beside you until death that I meant it, Cloud? Even if death is knocking on our door now, I meant it, with words. Cloud I love you, and that's the only way I can tell you right now. I have to tell you with words, I have to say it; I can't hug you or kiss you or hold you because of these damn bars, but I can still say it. So please, don't take words so lightly. When I say I love you, I want you to feel like I'm in your arms, that I'm kissing you and holding you. I just don't want you to feel nothing. Feel something with my words, please." Her voice cracked, and she bowed her head.

"Tifa..." Cloud said softly, averting his eyes. "Your words mean so much to me. The first time you told me you loved me, nothing could compare to that moment. I've always felt your words in me, and you're one of the few that can do that. So please, don't think that I don't feel something within your words."

There was such a sad look in her eyes, and she whispered, "I'm just glad I had you for as much as I did, that I was with you for as long as I was. No one can take that away, the one thing I truly ever wanted."

Cloud looked up. Tifa was stretching her arm out towards him through the bars, pressing her side against them. Her fingers splayed out widely, there was a desperation in the way she held herself. Cloud slowly straightened, leaning out to the extent that the shackles would allow him. She reached out, and Cloud strained once again against the cuffs, the metal biting into his wounds.

And then he felt it, a light brush through his hair, and a fingertip grazing across his forehead. Tifa left her fingertips there for as long as she could keep her arm stretched out, and Cloud for as long as he could stand the metal bite in his wrists.

Words were wonderful, but they could exchange words again. However, this was limited, this one thing. It was just one chance.

They both deserved one last touch.

A/N: heh, I like this chapter, Tifa and Cloud coming to terms that things may not work out for them. Hope you all enjoy this...and elebelly...'breathe! IN...out...IN...out' I didn't leave you with such a cliffie this time, so hopefully your life won't be in any immediate danger...XD thanks for all the reviews, and just survive elebelly, just survive...love ya all!