The Past Should Stay In The Past

Cloud woke up around noon the next day. His room was beyond freezing. Shivering slightly he pulled his blankets tightly around his body and scanned his mostly, unpacked room. There were boxes here and there, but he really didn't feel like unpacking. Last night had left him uneasy, but before he could do or say anything his stomach growled angrily. He had never gotten to eat last night, had he?

"Hey Cloud! Rude lied to me last night! Wasn't that mean of him making me leave when I could have stayed?" Who the fuck was in his house? Reno popped his head into the bedroom making Cloud yelp and fall off the couch.

A breeze ran through his hair making him jump to his feet and run out the door past Reno. Hadn't he locked his front door last night? Rude tried to apologize as Cloud grabbed a pair of shoes and took off for the stairwell with his heart racing.

"Wait Cloud!" Rude tried to call him back, but the blonde was already gone.

Reno reappeared in the hall slightly confused, "What did I do? Was it something I said?"

Rude sighed and shook his head while rubbing the back of his neck. "You did just break into his apartment. Maybe that has something to do with it."

"Should we leave?"

"We can't lock the door."

Reno stood silently for a moment before moving back inside. "Okay, then let's wait him out and I'll apologize for breaking in. I would feel bad if he got robbed because of me."

Rude raised an eyebrow, "Would you really?" Probably not, but the red head didn't say this aloud.

Cloud ran down the street, his shoes had been put on in the elevator. Why the hell was he being haunted? This hadn't happened since his mother died. There was snow on the sidewalks and he was out in a pair of black shorts and a white tank top. He ran the entire way to Aerith's, the entire mile and a half. Thank God his stamina was amazing.

"Cloud?" Aerith threw the door open to let him in. "Oh my goodness, are you okay? What are you doing here?" She ushered him inside and ran to grab a blanket. "It's freezing, are you trying to catch your death?"

Cloud was physically shaking and most of his body was numb. "I…there's… I think my mom is haunting me again."

"Why? You moved out and did what you promised, she should have moved on." Aerith was the only one he could say this to and she think he was completely normal.

"I don't know! I keep…it keeps feeling like there's a draft in my apartment. I heard voices last night, and I walked through something that made me feel empty! Aerith, don't make me go back alone, please!"

The brunette waited patiently while her younger friend displayed all of his emotions right there for all to see. He normally didn't do this, so she knew something was going on. Marlene rubbed her eyes lazily and walked out of the back room.

"Miss Aerith…" Her eyes landed on Cloud and she immediately woke up laughing. "Cloud!" Jumping forward she wrapped her arms around the male's waist excitedly. "I thought you moved out! It's good seeing you again!" He was just a kid magnet wasn't he?

"I'll go with you and try to read the soul there. I have to watch Marlene today though, so I cannot stay long." Aerith spoke softly and kindly. She would never leave someone in a state like this.

Cloud nodded to himself as he wrapped his arms around the little girl giggling next to him. She was about ten now and one of his favorites. "How are you?"

"Fantastic! Aerith is teaching me how to run the flower shop! I get to sell flowers too!" Better then what her father had her doing.

"That's great." He spoke weakly and ruffled her hair as Aerith tossed him an over sized jacket.

She smiled as he stared, "The walk back to your place is a ways. I don't need you freezing on the way there. Marlene, go back to bed okay? I'll be home in an hour, so don't go outside."

The little girl nodded before high fiving the other and running off to her room. Shrugging Cloud watched her leave, "Why is she with you again?"

"Tifa can't watch her right now. She is dealing with some complicated, family things." Why did that sound familiar?

"And Tifa is?"

Aerith shot her friend a soft look, "Honestly, don't you listen to anything I say?"

Not really, not entirely, not all the time. None of those words sounded like a good idea to say, so he just nodded and rubbed the back of his head. "Of course."

He had this woman thing down, right? She sent him a knowing look before they began their long walk. Aerith had bundled up but she rarely got cold anyway. Her red, fur hood shrouded her face from the wind, and her cute mittens made her look younger then she was. They had bows on the wrists.

"So when did this haunting thing start?" She asked gently trying to gather all the information before they got there.

"It all began last night when I was sleeping. I heard a man's voice telling me to wake up and then….there's just this constant gust of wind." Cloud tried to go through everything, but like before it was impossible to explain.

Aerith nodded slowly taking it all in, "Alright so it sounds like before, but why would it be a man? You're mom isn't a man. Did you know anyone recently that died?"

Cloud shook his head, "Maybe I heard wrong."

"Not if you were sleeping. You're mind is sensitive to spirits and what not more so when you sleep. You should know better Cloud, you have done this before."

He wished he could just forget it all. It's not like he asked for any of this. "It's not my fault! I try to ignore them, but I can't!"

"Maybe this one has taken a liking to you?"

Cloud groaned and hoped, no prayed, that this wasn't the case. If he had an over eager spirit attached to himself he would never get rid of it. "You're not making me feel better."

They stopped in front of Cloud's apartment building. Aerith smiled knowingly and slipped her hand into Cloud's. "Come on, I'm with you. I won't leave until you're okay."

She wouldn't and he knew it. Nodding Cloud took a breath and headed upstairs not wanting Aerith to freeze because of him. As they neared his apartment his heart began racing more and more. He didn't want to go back into the cold. He opened his apartment door and Aerith put her hands to her mouth suppressing a giggle.

"You're doing it wrong!"

"No, no this is where it goes I'm sure of it!"

"Reno, you're going to drop it! Look it's already falling, catch it, catch it!" Reno dove off the couch and grabbed a plate that fell from atop the TV. Rude was lounging on the couch and Cloud sighed.

Aerith giggled as they walked in and closed the door. "Who are these fine fellows?"

Cloud groaned and rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Why are you two still here?"

"We didn't want to leave your apartment unlocked. You kind of just took off, and now I see why." Reno wiggled his eyebrows at Aerith.

Cloud stood in front of her glaring at the other, "Don't even think about it, creep. Get the hell out of my apartment and take your friend with you."

Reno shot a look at Rude with a snort, "He's not my friend. He's just Rude." What the hell was wrong with these two?

Cloud looked up as a third came from the kitchen, hands behind his head. "I was talking about the other one."

Reno scanned the living room confused, "Other one?"

The raven haired man met Cloud's eyes with a smirk. "Who the hell are you talking about, kid? There's only the two of them."

"You." Cloud glared deftly.

The smile disappeared from the others face. "Oh shit….you see me! You fucking see me!"

Oh God no. Cloud snapped his attention to Reno and Rude immediately, "I need you to leave right now!" His voice had taken on a frantic note, an act of desperation.

Zack ran over to him overly excited, "No, they're fine really! I used to know them, they're fantastic, don't make them leave. Oh man this is awesome!"

Aerith's hands landed on Cloud's arm and she smiled, "He's happy."

Cloud clenched his fists in irritation. Why was he seeing him now? This was not okay, not at all. "That's a damn understatement."

Reno and Rude watched the two really, really confused. Cloud looked at the two irritated, "Look, please, just go."

"Maybe we should listen to him." Rude murmured standing.

Reno sighed and waved a hand in the air, "Fine, fine. We will see you later then, alright? Sorry about breaking into your place this morning."

"Don't worry about it."

Zack smiled wickedly, "Tell them I say hi and bye! Say something to them about me! Oh come on, don't ignore me now!" He pouted like a child, but his body moved all the while. He looked like a puppy trying to quell its excitement.

"You're going to hurt his feelings. Who is he?"

"Hell if I know." Cloud muttered as his front door shut. "But he's in the entryway to the kitchen."

Aerith looked up eagerly wishing she could see the being behind all of this energy and excitement. "At least we know it's not your mom."

"At this point and time I think I would have preferred that." Cloud sighed and met eyes with his friendly ghost friend again.

"Stop talking about me and talk to me, Cloud!"

Great, he had a needy ghost at that. "Why are you here?" Cloud demanded sighing. "What do you want?"

"Some muc needed human interaction." Zack plopped himself down on the couch with a charismatic smile, "So there's something special about you huh?"

"I think I'm going to go, Cloud. Marlene is still at home and this entity isn't a danger. He is very…sweet."

Zack smirked, "I like her."

"I like you too." Aerith beamed and kissed Cloud's cheek. "Things will be okay, Cloud. I will see you tomorrow, ok?"

The boy nodded and held his hand up. "I don't want you walking though, let me give you cab money." She was going to protest but Cloud would have none of it. "It's too cold and I don't want you getting sick because of me."

He handed her some money and Aerith took it with a nod before leaving with a wave. "Good bye Cloud, good bye friend."

Zack waved from the couch eagerly. "Good bye, Aerith!" A smile found her lips as the words ghosted through her head. He was friendly after all.

Cloud turned to Zack when she was gone. "You can't stay here! I've finally gotten a normal life, you have to leave. I am so done with the undead thing!"

"Technically I'm not undead, I'm not some brain eating zombie I'm a ghost. Ever hear of Casper? That's kind of like me."

Cloud frowned, "No, Casper was like eight. You are like nineteen."

The man smirked, "I'm twenty…or was anyway."

Why hadn't this man crossed over? It wasn't like he had unfinished business. Actually, he looked quite pleased with himself. "Why are you here?"

"I'm bored and haven't had a conversation with someone in like forever. I'm bored as all hell."

Was his unfinished business as simple as having a conversation? Even his mother had crossed over when he met her terms. He was stupid to think she had been the one haunting him. "This cannot be happening to me right now."

"Oh it can and is, Spiky. I think we're going to have some much needed fun, don't you?"

No, no he did not think the same.

Zack had been hanging with Reno and Rude when Cloud came back. He was making his own conversation among what was being said. The two were trying to help Cloud unpack his house. When he realized he could be seen though, that was the perfect moment. Zack finally had someone to talk to and he had so much to say. It seemed Aerith had some feel towards him as well, and that just made him smile more. Cloud seemed less pleased.

With some unsuccessful prying and trying to get Zack to leave, the two were now sitting on the couch in the living room. Zack was smirking pointedly at Cloud who was shooting daggers from his eyes.

"Come on, at least talk to me a little. I've been so bored sitting around here trying to get you to talk. Are you always this quiet?"

Cloud blinked slowly, "How long have you been here?" That was a stupid question, "I mean before me. How long before me have you been here?"

Zack shrugged, "I don't know I lost track of time. I come here every once in a while, but normally I stray another building."

"Why?" Cloud was building a conversation without meaning too.

He looked away and bit his lip silently. "I don't want to talk about it. That's a need to know basis for now."

What was a need to know with this one? Cloud sighed in frustration before nodding, "Okay, then what do you want to do?"

"I want you to do all the things I can't! There's so much I miss doing." Zack wanted Cloud to do things and have fun. He would lead him, show him things weren't as bad as he made them seem. "You're life is just starting! There are so many possibilities here!"

That's the last thing he needed to hear from a damn ghost. "Alright then, Zack. Tell me, what is it you want me to do first?"

If he got him to cross over he could have his apartment back. Zack knew the thoughts that ran through Cloud's head, but for now he had to use them to his advantage. "I want you to go shopping and buy some bread, bacon, and mayonnaise."

Cloud frowned, "Why?"

"I'll tell you when you get back." Zack had one other place to visit before he settled down with Cloud for the day. He couldn't let the other sap all of his time.

"I swear, if you think you can make me eat some ridiculous combination, I will hurt you."

Zack waved a hand through Cloud's own. "Dead remember? How are you going to hurt me if I can't be hurt?" A slight wave of pain flashed through his eyes. He was dead and there was nothing that would ever change that, but if he could just remember what happened.

"Oh right." Way to turn a conversation to the negative.

Zack puffed his cheeks out before smiling again, "Okay! Have fun shopping I'll see you soon I'm sure!" And just like that the ghost was gone.

Cloud played with the list in his head, but he had no idea what Zack thought he was going to do with those ingredients. He grabbed what was asked of him and scanned the shelves for other things he may want. He ended up leaving with the few things Zack had asked. Great, so he was taking orders from the dead now.

Stepping into his apartment he was pleased to find it empty. Zack still hadn't come back from wherever it was he had gone. Letting out a small sigh of relief he deposited the items in his fridge, not caring if they didn't all go there, and going to his room. He needed to sleep some, Zack had been the reason he hadn't been sleeping. It would be nice to get a few extra hours while he could.

Extra hours turned into one hour. Cloud awoke with Zack blowing on his face yet again. "Oh you came back."

Zack pretended to not be bothered by the words, "Morning, sunshine! Alright, let's begin."

Cloud blinked and looked around his room slowly. It was only two in the afternoon. How great. "What am I doing with your odd concoction of food?" He asked yawning again.

"Eating it."

Why had he seen that one coming? Cloud groaned but nodded anyone, "I hate you."