Cloud stirred slightly. His eyes began to open, slowly, but open nonetheless. As he did, pain shot through his entire body. Cloud squinted his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes fully just as the door opened.

"Cloud! You're finally awake!" it was Yuffie. She bolted out of the room and reentered; this time with Cid, Barret, Denzel, and Marlene.

Marlene and Denzel raced to Cloud's bedside. Both had red eyes, obviously crying eyes. "We were so scared."

"Where am i?" Cloud asked.

"My ship. We fished you two out of, what used to be, your house. We just entered Healin Airspace." Cid explained.

Cloud tried to sit up, "Not a good idea, Cloud. You're lucky to be alive with broken spine. not to mention at least six broken ribs, a shattered knee, a shattered color bone, and a skull fracture." Vincent said. He stood in the corner of the room.

"It's good to know at least part of my body still works." Cloud said. "Where's Zack and Tifa?"

No one spoke right away. Never a good sign. "Cloud, you're lucky to be alive after that, but Zack...he wasn't so lucky."

"how bad?" Cloud asked.

"Zack won't last the night." Yuffie answered. She fought back the tears forming in her eyes.

"And Tifa?"

"Sephiroth took her. When we found you two, she was long gone." Cid answered.

Cloud covered his eyes with his bandaged hand. "Damn! Did Sephiroth find Artemis?"

"Yeah, he found him." Barret answered.

"Damnit!"

"He's still alive Cloud. The doctor says he'll make a full recovery, but he'll be scarred for life." Yuffie stated.

Cloud couldn't stop the tears rolling off his face now. Not only was he now enable to move his legs, but Zack was dying next door and Tifa was missing. He had truly failed. He had failed everyone, even his son. Cloud sat up and wiped his face. He tried his best to ignore the pain.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Cid asked.

"I'm going to see Zack." Cloud answered.

"What part of 'lucky to be alive' did you not get?" Yuffie asked.

"Five days ago, Aerith died. I just lost Tifa and now I'm losing Zack! Not once did I see Aerith or Tifa before they left! I'm not letting Zack die alone and I don't give a damn about how much pain it causes me!" Cloud yelled. He tossed the blankets off of him. He saw how right Vincent was. His legs had been pinned straight and were still in the cages. Everyone in Cloud's room was quiet. Yuffie starred at the ground.

Vincent walked from the corner of the room to Cloud's bedside. He took Cloud's left arm and carefully placed it around his neck.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Cid asked.

"Are we gonna deny Cloud seeing Zack for one last time?" Barret asked. He walked over to Cloud and helped him out of bed. Cid, Yuffie, Denzel, and Marlene moved away from the door as Barret and Vincent helped Cloud across the hall.

00000000000000000000000000000

Zack lay on a bed just like Cloud's. His head was bandaged, along with fifty percent of his body. He opened his eyes as the door opened. When he saw Vincent and Barret bring Cloud in, his face lit up. Barret and Vincent set Cloud on a nearby chair and left. Cloud looked at Zack and tried to keep his cool.

Zack smiled, "You look about as bad as I feel."

Cloud gave a small smile, "It's more painful than you think."

"Probably, but what's li8fewithout a few broken bones, right? How's Tifa?" Zack asked.

Cloud didn't answer right away. Zack knew what it meant. He sighed deeply, "Any idea's on where she is?"

"None. And we have a time limit as well." Cloud replied.

"I'll leave the investigation to you guys. Don't think I can do much when I'm dead." Zack said.

"Hay, you can make it! Just because no one else believes in you, doesn't mean you should give up!" Cloud replied.

Zack laughed slightly, "They didn't tell you, did they?"

"Tell me what?"

"Cloud, my lungs are failing. Every organ in my body is trying to fight, but Sephiroth beat me. I'm not gonna make the night. I guess his hit was harder than I thought." Zack explained.

"And I'm forced to live the rest of my life paralyzed from the waist down." Cloud stated.

"So you're just giving up on yourself? Who's gonna save Tifa?" Zack asked.

"When your spine is broken in four places, you're lucky to be alive." Cloud explained.

"Cloud, since I met you, never have I seen you back down once! Excuse me for using your life as an example. You're the one who asked out Aerith, you proposed to her, you built your own home and furniture, hell you even started your own business there. Need I continue?" Zack stated.

"But I never broke my spine." Cloud replied.

"At least you've got a chance. Just wait till your bones heal and start again." Zack said.

"What part of 'broke my spine in four places' did you not get?" Cloud asked.

"Cloud, they can't stop Sephiroth on their own. They'll need your help." Zack said.

"You ever think maybe at some point, you've got to quit?" Cloud asked.

Before Cloud knew it, Zack had sat up and hit Cloud in the back of the head, really hard, "There is no way in hell you are quitting! You've don't too much in your life to quit now! Tifa is depending on you! You have no idea just how much she's needed you in the past three years!" Zack stopped and began coughing.

Cloud sat and thought about everything they had been through, "Wait, did…did you know about Tifa's relationship in Edge?"

Zack hesitantly nodded, "Yeah I knew. Hell, I knew before Tifa told Aerith."

"And you didn't do anything about it?" Cloud asked.

"At least I knew how she was! You were too busy with Aerith, someone had to look after her!" Zack yelled.

Cloud didn't answer. How could he? It was true, he had left Tifa in Edge and married Aerith. But, he still married his best friends girlfriend. He had left everything for her, and now he was paying for it.

"See? I'm no hero." Cloud said. "You were right Zack. I was too busy with Aerith to notice her."

"Cloud…I didn't mean any of it." Zack replied.

"But you're still right. After you died, Aerith was crushed. I did what any friend would do, but then I guess I started to fall in love with her. If I had paid more attention to other things around me, I might've figured out you were still alive." Cloud explained.

"No you wouldn't. The only one who knew was Tifa, and she was sworn to secrecy. But I'm glad you took care of Aerith." Zack said.

"She really missed you Zack." Cloud stated.

"Cloud, promise me something."

"What?"

"That you'll find Tifa, and kill Sephiroth once and for all." Zack said.

"You bet." Cloud replied. Zack held up his right hand. Cloud, despite the excruciating pain, clasped Zack's hand. Zack smiled and started coughing. Cloud held onto his friends hand while he coughed fiercely. When Zack finally stopped coughing, his breathing was even worse than before.

"Hang in there Zack." Cloud said. He held Zack's hand, despite the pain in his arm.

Zack smiled again, "Hey, when's your time to go, you go."

"Zack-"

"I'll tell Aerith you miss her." Zack said.

"Come on Zack-"

Zack closed his eyes. His breathing topped almost immediately after. His grip on Cloud's hand lessened. Cloud stared at Zack in shock. Tears formed in his blue eyes. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes.

"Damnit!" Cloud yelled. His tears rolled down his cheeks. He felt a hand on his left shoulder.

"He knew it was his time." it was Barret.

"He didn't deserve to die like that." Cloud said.

"Damn straight spiky. And we ain't letting Sephiroth get away with it." Barret replied.

"Damn straight." Cloud stated.

TBC

ok, that was cruel of me, i know. but what's a fanfic without and character death?

disclaimer: i own nothing!