Hello everyone! Wow…few reviews on the last one, was it bad? I hope not! Guess I'll just have to make it even better! Thanks to those who did review though its great hearing from you and of course, thank you for reading! Lets get this new chapter posted, shall we? –Annubis

The Decision Between Life or Death:

A Second Chance

Chapter 32

"How can this be!?" Cloud shouted; his grip on his sword suddenly tightened showing the white of his knuckles. "I thought you said Jenova was gone!"

"That's what I had suspected but it turned out Hojo had a final reserve!" Shelke slipped her hands to rest behind her back, her fingertips brushing over the handles of her weapon.

"We had no idea that the clones stole them for this!" Kadaj cursed, wishing he had a weapon of his own. He glanced at his wrist. There was a single glowing red orb, a summon materia that Cid had entrusted to him only moments earlier.

"But, I thought Zack was capable of keeping Jenova from takin' over him!" Yuffie threw down her fists.

"It's true that his body is able to manipulate the cells to his benefit, however, according to Hojo's records Zack had escaped the lab right before his final dosage. The final amount should have been just enough to push him over the edge. His body wouldn't be able to withstand any more alien blood." The intelligent girl sighed deeply. "It doesn't help that he's been severely wounded and psychologically distressed. Having that spell cast on him did quite the number. Not to mention, when he woke up, he saw Aeris basically making out with Sephiroth."

"Ergh! What a mess!" Cloud growled.

"What are we supposed to do?" Tifa asked.

"There's not much we can do-." Shelke's voice was interrupted by the sound of laughter only a few feet away.

"What have I been doing all these years? Wasting my time on you!?" Zack cackled, a hand against his forehead. His fingers dug through his hair.

"Zack, I can explain-." Aeris spoke.

"Explain!" the man exploded. "There's nothing to explain!"

"B, but…-. " The woman shook with fright. Zack stared at her, a psychotic smile on his face. His teeth seemed to shine in the light, his canines pointed.

"B, b, but!" the man mocked the woman, his hands against his chest. He scoffed loudly. "You're pathetic."

"You don't understand." Aeris bit her lip, her fingers looped around the ribbon around her neck.

"…" he stared at her again, the same look on his face. His eyes held a menacing glare, one that challenged her. He watched out the corner of his eye, his head lifted and tilting.

"Stop it…" Aeris whispered.

"What?" He licked his teeth.

"Stop looking at me like that." She stumbled away, a foot sliding over the edge of the thin pillar. The woman yelped with fright. Sephiroth flinched at the sound.

"Eh, heh heh…" Zack chuckled to himself, his shoulders shaking. The laughter was quiet and slow but quickly erupted into fits of crazy cackles. He raised his hands in the air, much like the way Sephiroth does, laughing all the while like he just heard the greatest joke in the entire world and refused to let anyone else in on it.

"He's crazy." Cid grumbled.

"Please stop!" Aeris covered her ears, not wanting to see the man acting like this.

He obeyed; his laughter stopped. Silence hung out in the air. Zack stood very still, his arms in the air, his head lowered, and his dark hair covering his eyes.

"You know what, Aeris?" the man spoke after a minute.

"W, what?" the woman asked cautiously.

The man bolted upright, throwing his arms down and preparing his fighting stance. "I'm going to kill you!" with that he disappeared.

'Oh shit!' Cloud swallowed hard, blinking, a drop of sweat fell from his brow. He had to stop Zack. The question was how. Zack was always faster than him. How was he going to keep up with the man when he was loaded with Jenova cells?

"AH!" Aeris screamed, stumbling once again. She looked over each shoulder a hundred times. Her long, messy hair twisted with her turning head.

"How permanent is this!?" Cloud shouted.

"It's unknown. The very least, it's only temporary. I would hope that it wasn't permanent but I really am not sure."

"There!" Sephiroth lifted his sword. It clashed with an invisible weapon. Sparks exploded into the air at the contact between weapons.

In a flash Zack was back to where he was standing only moments earlier. He was baring all his teeth in rage.

"Still not fast enough." Sephiroth mocked the man. He held his Masamune close to his body. He was taking deep slow breaths. His eyes were narrow.

"Fast enough to make you take the defensive." Zack smirked.

"I don't understand…" Sephiroth questioned nervously. "Why the cells?" he looked down at the clones. They were all watching with deep interest. "What are you idiots doing!?"

"Sounds like you can't handle the competition." Zack straightened himself, shouldering his weapon.

"Mother! Why him!? Why does he get to share your powers!?" Sephiroth cursed.

"Maybe…" Zack gulped, suddenly feeling very sick. He leaned forward with his hands on his knees. The man rocked back and forth, his eyes darting upward to watch Sephiroth. "Cause you're too weak…" a faint smile crossed his pale lips.

"Weak!?" Sephiroth growled. He thought a moment, looking at the people surrounding him. They were all staring at him. "Weak…?" Why were they staring at him? Sephiroth felt nervous, afraid of the many eyes. "Weak…" For the first time he felt that everything was out of his control.

"WEAK!" Zack growled, his voice dripping with another sound. One that was foreign, unrecognizable. It was a sound in mixed octaves, some low and some high all swirled around his tongue.

Sephiroth looked back at Aeris. The girl was staring at him as well, a worried look in her eyes. "No…It can't be…" the silver haired man gasped. "I'm…I'm her son!"

"You're nothing more than a failed experiment!" Zack's alien voice screamed. The man lowered to a knee, groaning as the voice continued growling through him, using his vocal chords without permission. "A loser, a waste, a failure!"

"Failed…experiment?" Sephiroth grabbed his head, wincing in emotional pain.

'Of course…Mother wants Zack…' Sephiroth frowned, an anguished pain escaping his dry lips.

"You failed too many times. This is where I find my new son." The voice cackled in Sephiroth's face.

The ex-general cracked. His world just crumbled into pieces and fell about his feet. The man was standing alone in darkness, no more thoughts, no more voices, and no more scratching orders in his brain.

"M, Ma…" his green eyes darted back and forth. "Mother?"

"GAH!" a pained scream emitted from the man on the floor. "S, sssTOP it!" he grunted and squeezed his head. His fingers jabbed into his own temple to try and ease the pain.

"Zack!" Aeris hollered. He was still in there, alive and well. Zack wasn't completely changed yet.

"NO!" Sephiroth yelled. "I won't sit by and watch as you take over my life's work! Without mother, I'm nothing!" he raised his weapon and charged forward, leaping off the pillar.

In three quick slashes the wandering clones were bleeding and dead on the crater floor. Sephiroth spun around quickly, his hair covering his face. He growled all the while lifting his bloody sword. His wide green eyes stared at the two cloaked clones that had stabbed Zack with the green blood of Jenova.

Meanwhile, Zack shuddered and convulsed on the floor. His veins rippled and his muscles and bones popped.

"You!" Sephiroth glared, crimson fluid pouring down the blade and over his gloved hand. The two clones trembled, staring at the other dead bodies on the floor. "The cause of my pain! You shall die!" the man stepped forward sticking his sword through one of the clones. The clone shivered, looking down at its self. Its pale fingers traced lightly over the red blade. It pulled away quickly, its fingers now cut and bleeding as well.

"No…" Kadaj watched sorrowfully.

Sephiroth tugged his blade away. The clone dropped to the ground, its hands holding it's stomach.

"Ow…ow…ouch…" it mumbled to itself.

The other clone watched in horror at its brother. It lifted its hand, not tearing its gaze away from its sibling's eyes. Sephiroth bat it away with ease and ran his blade through the second like the one before.

"Pain…" the clone muttered. A solitary tear fell down his cheek.

"Don't…" the clone on the ground spoke once again. Long strands of silver hair pooled around its face. Kadaj shivered. "Cry…"

"Don't cry!" Kadaj covered his mouth.

"Brother?" the second clone muttered, looking toward Kadaj. His hood fell from his face once Sephiroth tugged his blade away from his torso. He joined his brother on the floor. His pale face and green eyes was a painful reminder of Kadaj's past.

"LOZ!" Kadaj shouted.

"Brother." The first clone shivered, dying. He raised his head to look at the man who was running toward them.

"Kadaj! No!" Shelke followed after him.

"You bastard!" Kadaj rammed his body into Sephiroth's side. Sephiroth tumbled over, not expecting an intrusion. "You heartless….bastard!"

"Kadaj, come back!" Shelke slid to a halt.

Kadaj turned quickly to look at the clones on the floor. It was too late, they had already expired. "No!" the young man cried out. He kneeled next to the bodies. He stared at their faces. "Loz…Yazoo…" he choked on a sob. "You were alive!?"

"You…piece of shit!" Sephiroth's voice growled from behind the man.

"KADAJ!" Shelke screamed. It was too late. Sephiroth's blade had pierced through the man's back and was sliding through his stomach before she could even warn the man.

"Get away Shelke!" Vincent screamed.

"Shhh….it…" Kadaj gasped.

"You can join your pathetic brothers now." Sephiroth grumbled. He twisted the blade, cutting the man on the inside and out.

"STOP IT!" Shelke screamed at the evil man before her. She didn't notice Vincent's hands on her waist lifting her and pulling her away from the scene.

"We'll…be waiting for you…" Kadaj spat.

Unsatisfied with that remark, Sephiroth raised his blade, lifting the young man with it. He flung the boy over the ledge and watched in amusement as his body dropped into the Lifestream below.

"NO!" Shelke kicked and screamed. She shoved away from Vincent but he only tightened his grip on her.

"You're a monster!" Cloud cursed at the man.

"Not anymore…you see…" Sephiroth stepped to the side, revealing to his audience Zack's body. At least it was what used to be Zack. "I've been replaced."

"Oh no…" Aeris raised a hand to cover her mouth.

"The battle, I'm afraid, is far from over." Sephiroth responded dryly. He leapt backwards, his sword and eyes pointed at the man on the floor. He landed gracefully beside Aeris, returning to the pillar.

"It's…sooner than you think." A low growl sounded from Zack's body. The man picked himself up from off the cold ground. His eyes glowed with a new kind of hate. "AHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, stepping forward. He hunched over once again; his hands gripped his shoulders.

"What's wrong with him!?" Aeris screamed.

Zack's yells quickly subsided as a loud sickening 'CRACK' sounded. In a loud 'WHOOSH' magnificent wings sprung out from his shoulder blades. He stood upright, flexing the wings. He enjoyed the gentle breeze he created blow about him. He smiled.

"Finally got my own set…" the man chuckled. "What do you think, Aeris? Am I an angel or a devil?"

"…" the woman stared at the giant wings sprouted from the man's form. They were covered in grey feathers, some blacker than others and few whiter.

There was an explosion of quills as Zack disappeared yet again.

"Where'd he go!?" Cid raised his spear.

"Keep an eye on him." Red XIII advised.

"Would if I could see him." Barret said sarcastically.

"Wait! We can't just…fight him…can we?" Tifa asked worriedly.

"I…I'm not sure!" Cloud grunted.

"But…what if he attacks us!?" Yuffie pulled out her shuriken.

"Then we fight." Vincent answered. He slowly released his grip on Shelke's shoulders. The young woman immediately ran to the edge of the drop off.

"What do ya say, Cloud?" Cait Sith messed with his PHS, most likely talking to Reeve.

"I…" the blonde lowered his head. "If he goes after us, then we fight."

"Are you sure?" Tifa asked nervously.

"Positive."

'Where is he?!' Sephiroth turned on all his senses. He'd need to use all of them in this fight. He could sense a tremendous power coming from Zack. 'Where is he!?'

"Too slow…" A low voice sounded.

Sephiroth's eyes widened. An image emerged from before him. Zack was standing face to face with the man. Sephiroth blinked and swallowed thickly. His ears were ringing from the scream coming from the woman at his side.

"…You…" Sephiroth looked down at himself. Zack's long and wide blade was shoved into his body, wedged between the bottoms of his ribcage.

"Oh GOD!" Aeris covered her mouth.

"Impossible!" Cloud felt his jaw drop. It was light speed. No one was able to see it coming, not even Sephiroth.

'How am I going to stop him!? If Sephiroth didn't even see that coming, how would I!?' the spiky haired man didn't notice his quickening breaths.

"Zack! What are you doing!?" Aeris screeched. "Seph…Sephiroth!"

"This is for all the pain you caused me…for everyone's pain…for the world's pain!" Zack hissed.

"…Pain…" Sephiroth's voice was hoarse. "You…think…I don't…know pain!?" he wheezed.

"Not like I do." He leaned forward, his nose against Sephiroth's.

"Not…like…you." The silver haired man replied, his sight blurring momentarily. "Am I dying?"

Zack responded by removing his sword from Sephiroth's body.

"No…" Aeris watched in horror.

The dark haired man raised his sword over his head, much in the way Cloud had before he attempted to kill Aeris.

"Stop it!" Aeris jumped forward. She grabbed Zack's arms. "Leave him alone! He's going to die, leave him be!"

"You want me to make him suffer? To bleed out?" Zack smirked. "What a more suitable death."

"NO! I want you to stop this!" Aeris shook her head.

"Why!?" the man glared at her.

"Because…I don't want to see any more people die." She bit her lower lip. "You're out of control. You need to stop this." She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes were pleading.

"…" the man watched her.

"I know he's an awful man. He should die and stay dead, but what do you think is going to happen now that he has none of Jenova's power?" the Ancient looked out of the corner of her eyes at the dying man stumbling about behind her. Blood poured from his massive wound, painting the stone ground at his feet. The liquid poured over the edge of the pillar.

"Move." Zack instructed.

"No! You've done enough!" Aeris screamed.

"I SAID MOVE!" he shoved against her, his palm colliding with her lower stomach. The woman was sent flying upwards and away from the pillar. She shot across the crater slamming into the far wall. A series 

of loud cracks sounded upon impact and the woman dropped several feet to the solid floor of the pathway.

"#!" Cloud shouldered his weapon and sprinted toward where the Cetra lay.

"Aeris! Aeris!" Tifa called out to the unconscious woman.

"Damn it, Zack!" Barret aimed his gun-arm. "I'm gonna shoot yer ass!"

Zack glared at the thick man with the robotic arm. He didn't have to think hard to send a wave of energy at him, jamming and squishing the weapon into nothing more than scrap metal. Barret yelled in pain, holding onto his now crushed arm. Cait Sith quickly rushed in to the man's aid.

Vincent didn't hesitate another moment. He drew his weapon and shot a full magazine at the winged man. Zack didn't seem to move at all, but not a single bullet seemed to hit him. The ex-SOLDIER sighed. He sent a spell at Vincent. It blasted in full speed at the red eyed man. Vincent didn't even see it coming. The blast shot the weapon from his fingertips, melting the barrel. Vincent watched shocked by the speed Zack had seemed to develop in only minutes.

Zack suddenly groaned; his body was beginning to change once again.

"She's not breathing!" Cloud listened closely, his ear near her lips. His shaking fingers grabbed the woman's wrist.

"We've got to do something, Cloud!" Tifa held onto the side of her face.

'So…this is what real pain feels like?' Sephiroth felt his stomach twisting and churning. He fell over onto the ground. He leaned over the edge, vomiting rich blood. 'Mother…never let me feel this pain…Not until now.'

'My powers are weakening by the second…all the more he changes form.' Sephiroth sent a dazed look toward Zack whom was fighting with himself and his mixed emotions. 'Mother…you have forsaken me for this…weak, emotional, imbecile?'

'Of course.' Sephiroth continued his psychological conversation with himself. 'All the more power for her to control him.'

"This is getting dangerous!" Red XIII barked.

"I'm going to let it out." Vincent growled. From the distance Tifa shot the man a worried look.

"What do you mean!?" Yuffie squawked.

Vincent's red eyes glared at Zack. He watched the man transform into something undeterminable, something that may have looked like Jenova's true form. Inside, Chaos screamed to be released.

"You'll kill him Vincent!" Yuffie shouted. She placed her hands on her head as she hopped up and down, frustrated with the current situation. #!" the hard floor of the pathway. the far wall. A series of loud cracks sounded upon impact and the woman dropped several f

"Come on, Aeris…Breath…" Cloud whispered as he pushed against the woman's sternum. He took a deep breath and released it into her lungs. The last time he had to do something like this was in Junon when the little girl, Priscilla, had nearly drowned.

"Come on, Aeris. Don't give up so easily." Tifa messed with the woman's bangs.

"I won't…let you win…" Sephiroth wheezed.

"…I already have." Zack said through gritted teeth. He flexed his monstrous muscles, his large wings flapping as he did so. His pupils took the form of tiny slits, like a sea serpent's.

"No." Sephiroth gave a weak smile. "You and I have failed."

"Me? Fail!?" Zack stood, laughing. "You're ridiculous." He lifted his sword.

"The moment you joined SOLDIER you were signing your life over to the devil." Sephiroth chuckled. Blood dripped from the corner of his cracked lips.

"…SOLDIER has nothing to do with this current situation." Zack twisted his head to the people watching him. "It's all Jenova. All mother."

"She isn't your…mother!" Sephiroth weakly got to his feet. He stumbled, barely able to hold onto his weapon. He pushed himself forward, basically falling toward his opponent, weapon sticking straight out. The point of the sword was aimed at Zack's chest.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Zack vanished, dodging Sephiroth's lame attempt at attacking the man.

Sephiroth trotted, unbalanced, almost sliding over the edge of the pillar. A large slice from Zack's sword sent a new wave of pain down Sephiroth's spine. The man collided with the ground as Zack's boot stomped on him.

"Too easy…" Zack grinned. "Killing a child would prove more difficult."

'Child!?' Zack's mind screamed suddenly. His eyes dropped to where Cloud, Tifa and Aeris were. Aeris lay on the ground, unconscious. 'CHILD!!'

"Leave her alone!" he pointed his buster sword at Cloud. The blonde stared at Zack, seriously annoyed. "Don't touch her!"

Zack walked to the edge of the pillar opposite of Sephiroth. He glared at the three on the floor. "You touch her and I'll kill you!"

"Zack, you've lost your mind!" Cloud shook his head.

"Like how you lost yours and I was chosen to be your bodyguard!" Zack was agitated. "I died for you!"

He held onto his head, feeling the beating pulse in his temples. Each pump gave him a new headache. His stomach ached, feeling empty and full of air. His hands were shaking like they did when he hadn't eaten all day, or trained too hard. His boots were heavy and so was his sword. His sword was covered in rust and blood. Zack frowned when he stared at it.

'I ruined it!' the corner of his lip twitched. 'NO! I didn't…Cloud did!'

"Why!? Why would you let this happen!?" Zack raised his sword in the air vertically for all to see. "Look at it!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Cloud murmured. He shook his head, not really listening to the calls of the crazy man. "Wake up, Aeris."

"Angeal's gonna kill me!" Zack groaned. A hand desperately slapped his forehead. "You're paying for this, CLOUD!"

"I'm not paying for anything." Cloud spoke unclearly.

"And you're going to pay for it with your blood!" this got Cloud's attention.

"ZACK!" the wannabe SOLDIER stood. He immediately withdrew his blade.

"Cloud, don't!" Tifa reached out to the man. Cloud stood still, feeling the warm touch of Tifa's fingers.

'I have to protect her…' Cloud closed his eyes.

"No…" Zack spoke again. His face carried a large smile. "I have a better idea."

"…" Cloud stared at the man standing above him on the pillar.

"How about I stain this sword with her blood?" Zack ran a finger up and down the side of the blade, blood pouring over his digit and plopping to the floor. Sephiroth quavered a few feet away, his eyes becoming more and more glazed over. Zack's brilliant gaze fell to the woman kneeling beside Aeris. Tifa felt the hair on her neck stand on end. Before Cloud could respond Zack was gone.

"AH!" a yelp sounded from the woman.

Cloud turned as quickly as he could, but he wasn't fast enough to do a thing. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Tifa flew into the air and crashed into the wall, cracks splintering up the side. She groaned, stuck onto the wall by an invisible force. Her jacket crumbled up about her chest. The woman screamed silently as her throat collapsed under a great pressure. Tiny cuts spread over her body, letting blood stain her clothing. It all occurred in less than a second.

"TIFA!" Cloud continued his spin, lifting his sword overhead. He pulled his arms downward to hit the invisible force.

Tifa gasped as her throat reopened, but she was still clung to the wall. Cloud's sword was stopped midair.

"ZACK!" Cloud cursed loudly.

"Why do you always cause me so much trouble?" Zack whispered in the man's ear, his form reappearing finally. His blue eyes stared into Cloud matching ones. "I bet you're thinking: 'How can I beat an invisible opponent?' right?" the man laughed quietly.

"Put her down." Cloud said sternly.

"Why…" Zack set his sword across Cloud's clavicle. "Should I listen to you?"

"Because I'm your friend." Zack frowned at the man's nonchalance.

"Friends don't steal other friend's girlfriends." He glared.

"You're the one who told me to take care of her." Cloud replied.

"Take care of her…not # her!" Zack yelled, spittle flying into Cloud's face.

"Don't get started on this, Zack. You know this has nothing to do with me." Cloud said in a low tone.

"It has everything to do with you!" Zack screamed. "You, Aeris, Tifa, Sephiroth, EVERYONE!"

"You need to calm down, Zack." Cloud warned.

"AH!" He clutched his hair; Tifa fell to the ground, no longer having a bind. She breathed in deeply. "Did…did you know…that I kissed her?"

"What?" Cloud questioned. He heard a soft gasp come from Tifa on the ground.

"Yeah…" Zack smiled. "I've kissed her." He looked down at the injured woman. Tifa only stared back in shock.

"…Okay…" Cloud narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah. In Nibelheim. Remember that night?" Zack tilted his head. "You were rejected by Aeris the very moment Tifa's lips were on mine."

"Stop it." Tifa turned her gaze away from the men.

"…" Cloud stared at the floor a moment.

"How's it feel?" Zack sneered.

"…Probably better than knowing that someone else was #ing my girl only moments later." Cloud brought his stare back to Zack's.

"!" A litter of curses erupted from the man. He threw Cloud away, causing the man to tumble and roll. Cloud hit his side against the wall but he quickly rebounded to his feet. !"oments laterstare back to Zack'. e else was #ing my girl."
" She breathed in deeply.sure. Tiny cuts spread over her "#damnit!" he squeezed his head. "Why!? Why does this keep happening to me!?" he dropped to his knees.

"AHHH!!" He screamed out in frustration and pain. It was a sound that a man gave when he was dying. "I hate you! I hate you all! I hate you all so much!" he dove forward on his knees, resting his elbows on the ground, screaming. "Why can't…" his voice dulled and quieted down. "Why can't anything good ever happen to me?" the man cursed.

All was quiet for a minute. Cloud watched, prepared to fight. He stared at the man, pity on his face. This was his best friend, but right now Zack wasn't all there. A loud scream erupted from the man again.

"I'll #&#& kill you!" he cried out again, drool slowly falling to the ground only inches from his face. A hand dug into the dirt, his nails bending backward as he scraped his hand against the rock. His wings stiffened, rising up behind him. There was no sound as Zack flew into the air, sword drawn and pointed at the man he planned to impale. He flew closer and closer, forgetting all tactics and relying on savage instincts.

BAM!

Zack gasped. It was a loud, high pitched shriek. The man turned sideways, a wing gone out.

BAM!

Feathers exploded into the air. Another shriek of pain emitted from the man's throat. Zack fell ungracefully at Cloud's feet.

"H…how?" Zack sputtered.

BAM!

A blast was sent into the man's back. Blood spurted from the wound. Zack let out a nonexistent scream. His mouth gaped, wide. The man's eyes about popped from their sockets. There was a 'splash' as his blood trickled onto the pavement.

Cloud turned his gaze to the source of the noise.

Four figures stood at the entrance of the crater. They wore pristine business suits, all but one actually. Cloud's gaze immediately fell onto the disheveled and messy looking redhead on the right end of the line. His red markings on his cheeks made him identifiable as none other than Reno of the Turks. He tapped his prod against his shoulder, next to him stood Elena with her weapon drawn. Beside her was the bald Rude, his fists raised. On the far left was the leader, Tseng. His Desert Eagle was drawn and pointed at Zack, smoke drifting from the barrel.

"DON'T! STOP!" Cloud raised his arms into the air.

"Stop!? You mean you want us to stop shooting that thing?" Reno tilted his head, looking disgusted by the wounded man beside Cloud's feet. Cloud stared too, finally realizing that Zack no longer looked like Zack.

"That thing is Zack." Cloud responded.

"ZACK!?" the four wouldn't have been more shocked if they were told Sephiroth was a princess and he was going to save them all from a giant man eating squirrel.

"His body was infused with more of Jenova's cells." Cloud explained. "His current mental state and wounds is keeping him under the monster's control." He sat on the ground beside Zack, rolling the man over.

"We didn't kill him, did we?" Elena asked.

"Not sure." Cloud frowned.

"DIE!" a hand gripped Cloud's throat. The Turks immediately lifted their weapons.

"ZACK!" Tifa screamed.

Zack's attention fell to the woman, though his hand never left Cloud's throat.

"Stop this! Listen to me!" Tifa held out her arms. "Aeris is dying! If you continue this any longer she will surely die! Don't you care!? Don't you care that the woman you've died and lived for is going to die all over again when you have the power to prevent it!?"

"Aer…" Zack's grip loosened. Cloud gave Tifa a reassuring raise of his eyebrows.

"That's right!" Tifa smiled. "Aeris needs you, Zack. She needs you to be with her. She needs your help."

'Don't listen to her!' the voices called out in Zack's mind.

"CHILD!" Zack let go of Cloud and squeezed his head.

"…?" Cloud rubbed his throat. He gave the black haired man a confused look.

"I'm a murderer! Kill me!" Zack shook Cloud's shoulders.

"No way, man." Cloud swayed his head from side to side. "You fix your problems."

"Ah!"

"Save her, Zack! She needs you!" Tifa stepped closer to the man. "Look at her! Which is it, the voices or the woman you love!?"

'Love? I love…?' Zack gasped for air like a fish out of water. 'Aeris…she's…she needs my help!'

Slowly, Zack's body began to take a more natural form. His bulging muscles lessened in volume, his veins and bones popped back into place. Even his voice seemed to return to a more normal tone.

"Aeris…" the man whispered. His large wings did not descend into his back, however.

"Please help her." Tifa pleaded. "She loves you. She did all of this for you."

"For me…?" Zack coughed, blood trickling from his lips.

Shelke wiped at the tears on her cheeks. She was watching the scene as soon as Zack was shot.

"He's losing blood! Even if he's weakening, Jenova's not going to be able to hold on for too long if he loses too much blood! It means he's dying! If he dies, Jenova dies. In order for her to survive, she'll need to push herself onto another host!" the girl explained.

"And there's no one left!" Barret shouted.

"Keep going, Tifa…" Cloud nodded at the woman.

"She need's you." Tifa reassured the winged man.

'She needs me…She needs someone to save her, her bodyguard!' Zack closed his eyes.

'You need to hold onto your dreams…and your pride…' Angeal's words reverberated off the walls of Zack's mind. 'In order to be a hero.'

'A hero! I need to be a hero…I need dreams…' Zack thought long and hard. He didn't realize he had a group of people watching him cautiously.

"My dream…" Zack growled. He slowly ascended to his feet, his wings lifting him off the ground. "Is to be free!"

The man glided over to where Aeris lay. He pried open her tiny hand and grabbed the green materia in her palm.

"And when I'm free, I want to live with you." The man whispered raggedly. His journey to the woman left a life threatening trail of blood behind him.

Zack raised the materia, concentrating his last remaining energy into the tiny orb. He was going to save Aeris, even if it killed him.



Okay! Sorry but I've got to end it here for tonight. I can't continue any longer, im getting tired! Lol! Sorry! But ill update again next week! Don't worry there's plenty more to come! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading and reviewing! –Annubis