Beyond

Flora Winters

I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

Summary: Sometimes the dead simply do not stay dead. This story will contain boy love, strong language, and scenes of explicit violence.

Chapter Fourteen

Zack fell to his knees with tears stinging his topaz-blue eyes. His body was exhausted and he was covered in two days of sweat and grime. He couldn't even yell anymore because he had shouted his voice away. All he could do now was barely rasp. His vision was blurry and his arms gave out on him.

"Zack!" Sephiroth yelled when he saw him go down on his face. He was digging his fingers into the dirt and rocks, trying to pull himself forward, but he didn't have the strength for it.

"Cloud," he rasped, struggling to get back up, only falling again. "Have to…fine…him."

Sephiroth was on his knees beside him, telling him that they would find him. It had been two whole days and they had found no traces of him. The two of them had searched the entire area where he could have fallen. His worst fear was that Cloud had fallen into the rushing river and drowned. But he did not dare voice that aloud.

"Help me!" Zack cried, gripping his shoulders so hard it made the general flinch from the pain. "I have to find him!"

Sephiroth could see the blind fear in his eyes. Zack must really love him. He quickly caught Zack as he collapsed against him. He had finally crashed and Sephiroth felt like he was about to do the same thing. He was so tired.

Cloud had been shot. There would have been blood if he was up stumbling around the mountain. They had found the body of the monster, but no Cloud.

It had pained him to see the monster. It was another mutant Genesis copy. He would know those eyes and lips anywhere. He had seen the look of shock on Zack's face as well. Zack had kicked and stomped the copy until it's face was nothing but blood, broken teeth, and pulp under his boots. He had to pull Zack away from the soupy mess.

Cloud had to have fallen into the river and drowned. That was the only explanation. If only he had been faster. If only he had not been daydreaming about holding the blond down and having his wicked way with him. A monster had never gotten the drop on him before. Hell, Genesis had never gotten the drop on him before. So, how the fuck did a copy get the chance to do so? How had it hidden itself?

He wiped the sweat from his brow and gently picked the fallen SOLDIER up into his arms. The young man was out cold. They couldn't stay out here anymore. He could smell a bad storm coming in.

"Cloud?" He whispered in fear as he looked at Zack's sweaty face. Would Zack's mind be able to handle Cloud's death? He didn't know, and he was dreading to find out.

He carried him off into the howling wind that was quickly blowing in from the south. It was hot and he could hear the voice of thunder not too far off. It was only a matter of time before the two of them got a much needed shower.

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Cloud was not happy. Oh, no he wasn't. He wanted this storm to fucking die and burn in hell. Cloud storms burn in hell? He didn't know, but he would love to find out.

"I'm sorry," Vincent said, apologizing for the fourth time. "But I can't fly the two of us in this without crashing."

Cloud nodded, standing in the mouth of the cave. All he could think about was Zack. He remembered the pain he had felt when Zack had died right before his eyes and now he wondered if Zack would be able to handle it.

Or, the darkness in him whispered, do you love him more?

Cloud narrowed his eyes. "If you don't shut your fucking face," he hissed, sticking a finger in his left ear. "I shall poke you to death."

"Hey," Vincent called, making him turn around. The taller man was seated before a fire, looking all pale and deadly in the red glow that nearly matched the furnace in his eyes. "Come and get warm. You're shivering, Cloud."

Cloud suddenly noticed that he was shivering. Hell, his teeth were chattering. He slowly walked over and sat down across from the older man. The heat felt good against his chilled flesh as he gazed at the logs being consumed.

It seemed like the fire and the rain were his two worst enemies. The rain always made him feel like he was drowning in sorrow and the fire made him feel like he was burning in it. The rain always took him back to the that dark day where Zack had taken his last breath and the fire always took him back to the night he had murdered Sephiroth. The only thing he could remember was waking up and finding Zack dying.

He could feel the heat from those roaring flames and smell the flesh in which they were scorching black. It felt as though he were choking and looked away from the fire before him. He didn't dare to close his eyes for fear of being sucked into all the sorrow and death again.

"Cloud," Vincent said, catching his attention, drawing him away from the past that only he remembered never happening. "Tell me about the world you came from."

"Peaceful," he said, smiling sadly at him. "All the fighting was done, Shin-Ra and Sephiroth had fallen, and the planet was finally at peace.

He told the crimson eyed stud all about their journey together, all the places they had seen, their many battles, and what had taken place at world's end. He told him all about floating in Life itself, but never being allowed to join with it. He was an outsider, always being cast out.

"In the end," he whispered, looking up at the high ceiling. "I lost my mind and the will to do anything. I had defeated Sephiroth, and lost all that I loved most."

Vincent looked down at his crossed legs.

"NO!" Cloud suddenly screamed, standing on his feet. His eyes were glowing with molten blue madness. He looked deathly pale and ready to kill. "I DIDN'T LOSE THEM! THEY WERE TAKEN FROM ME! SHIN-RA TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! THEY TOOK MY LOVE, MY LIFE, EVERYTHING!"

He stumbled back like a drunk. He could see pictures in his mind that he didn't fucking want to see. No! He didn't want to see them! MAKE IT STOP!

"Cloud," Vincent said, and Cloud suddenly found himself in the bigger man's arms. He fought to catch his breath and Vincent was so warm. He felt like he was up against a furnace. He was just that warm and he smelled so damn good.

"I hate them!" He hissed, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain. "I hate them so fucking much…"

Vincent gently squeezed him. Thunder echoed loudly from outside and the wind was howling like a pack of wolves on the hunt.

The darkness in him chuckled. His own scary voice was telling him that it was only a matter of time. He felt as though icy cold lips were kissing their way down his spine. It caused him to shiver, making him want to give in to it. It would be so easy to just go away and let his primal self take over.

"You're exhausted, Cloud," Vincent said, leading him back to the fire. Cloud soon found himself covered up with Vincent's cloak and resting his head in his lap. The bigger man was playing with his hair. "Destroying that reactor has drained you."

"Vincent," he whispered, looking at the many shadows dancing on the cave wall. "I don't want to be a monster."

"You're not a monster," Vincent said, twirling blond strands of hair around a golden talon. "You're protecting the ones you love."

"I've hurt Zack," he said, feeling the tears sting his eyes. "He probably thinks I'm dead."

"Well," Vincent cooed. "Won't he be surprised when you come strolling in."

Cloud smiled and the tears fell across his face from the way he was laying. "You make me feel not so crazy."

Vincent chuckled, playfully pulling his hair. "Good."

Cloud closed his eyes. Vincent was so Vincent. He was as firm and solid as the ground he was lying on. It was like the guy knew just want to say in order to talk him down from his crazy heights.

"Just rest, Cloud," he said, gently stroking his cheek with a pale finger. "And I'll wake you once the storm is over."

"What about you?" Cloud asked. "Aren't you tired?"

"I've been asleep for such a long time," he said, pulling the cloak up to Cloud's chin. "I'm tired of dreaming in darkness."

Cloud rested a hand on Vincent's knee, gripping hold of the leather material. He needed something to hold onto while he slept. He had to make sure he had something to pull him back up should he sink too deeply into dreams.

"Don't worry," Vincent said, patting his head. "I'll wake you up if you have a bad dream."

The thunder bellowed so loudly and the rain fell even harder.

"Thanks," he said, dozing off, still gripping Vincent's knee.

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Vincent couldn't help but smile a little sadly as he stroked his fingers through the blonde's silky hair. There was just something about this beautiful fucked up man that really turned him on in the darkest of ways. There was simply so much sadness and madness all mixed up in Cloud's brilliant blue eyes. One minute he seemed fine and the next he was crying as he was tearing out someone's spinal cord and beating their dead body with it.

He suddenly pictured Cloud standing in the shadows created by distorted and disturbed light. He was naked and his marble white body was splattered with the blood of his enemies. His yellow hair was slicked straight back away from his face with the warm crimson honey.

He felt the demon in him shift and heard it growl in horny slumber. Zack was such a lucky man to possess the heart of such a crazy lover. Cloud was so fucking hot. He was even hotter when all he was wearing was blood on his white flesh and crazy in his eyes.

He shook his head and gazed into the burning flames. They moved, crackled, and danced all over those logs. He imagined what it would be like to dance with Cloud on top of their enemies twisted and mangled bodies. It was such a sexy and morbid sight to create. Would it be wrong to fuck in the center of all that carnage? He didn't seem to think so.

"Oh well," he whispered to the shadows dancing across Cloud's beautiful face. "A demon can dream, huh?"

He longed to kiss him and Cloud squeezed his knee in his sleep. He wished Cloud was squeezing something else.

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Sephiroth ceremoniously deposited Zack on the bed and removed the unconscious SOLDIER'S mud caked boots. The dark headed younger man was soaking wet and so was he. He had told Rik and Steff that it was no use. There was no trace of Cloud. The beautiful young man was simply gone.

It had taken him six hours to get back to the inn and he was dead on his feet. Even the mighty Sephiroth had his physical limits. He removed Zack's wet clothes and covered him up with a warm blanket.

"Cloud," Zack whimpered in his sleep, shivering. His teeth were chattering.

Sephiroth sat down beside him and gently ran his fingers through Zack's dark hair. Comfort was not something he was used to giving. He had stopped from the moment his heart had been ripped out and stomped on. Only Cloud had caused him to feel again.

"Genesis," he whispered, lowering his head. He didn't want to think about him.

"Cloud?" Zack asked, and Sephiroth gazed down into those wet sky-blue orbs.

"I'm sorry, Zack," he said. "I…"

Zack's teeth chattered and the tears fell from his eyes. He shook his head from side to side. His bottom lip was trembling. "Please…"

Sephiroth felt like a hand had grabbed hold of his heart and began squeezing. That little plea held so much sorrow. It physically hurt him to hear it.

Zack began to cry. It was the only thing he could do. His voice was gone and he could barely move. Sephiroth was actually surprised that he was even awake. He watched Zack roll over on his side, curl up in a tight ball, and sob. His whole body was shaking. He was watching a young man shatter right before his eyes.

"Zack," he said, touching his naked back. His flesh was so cold. "You need to cover up."

"Cloud…"

Sephiroth just sat there. He couldn't leave him. He might try and do something stupid. When Genesis had left him all alone, he had thought about killing himself many times. But, he was too selfish to ever go through with it.

"Cloud!" Zack rasped. He was suddenly on his feet, staggering like a half naked drunk. He picked up the table and sent it flying across the room. It hit the wall and broke into three pieces. He staggered and fell onto his side.

"ZACK!" Sephiroth shouted in concern, suddenly at his side.

"YOU!" Zack yelled, rearing up, punching him right in the left eye. "You left him out there all alone!"

Sephiroth hissed in pain and quickly pinned him to the floor by his wrists. Zack kicked his legs, bucked his hips, and snapped his teeth like a rabid dog at him. "CLOUD!"

He held the snarling puppy down until it was exhausted and panting for breath. "I'm sorry."

Zack squirmed under him. He was too weak to do shit.

"You're freezing," Sephiroth said. He was so pissed because his eye stung like a bitch.

"I have to find Cloud," he snarled, fighting to get free. "Please, let me go. HE NEEDS ME!"

"He's gone, Zack," Sephiroth whispered.

"NO!" Zack yelled, struggling against him even harder than before. "I NEED TO FIND HIM! CLOUD!"

"He's dead, Zack," Sephiroth said. It killed him to say it out loud. "He was shot and he fell over two hundred feet. The water took him."

"NO!" Zack screamed, shaking his head from side to side, choking on his tears. "NO!"

Sephiroth's heart ached for him. Zack really loved Cloud with all his heart.

"Let me go!" Zack hissed, kicking his feet this way and that. "LET ME THE FUCK GO!"

Sephiroth did the only thing he could think of. It wasn't something the old Sephiroth would have ever done in a billion years. He hugged him.

"OH, GOD!" Zack cried in agony, clawing at Sephiroth, and finally collapsing into a fit of screams. "GOD!"

Sephiroth closed his eyes and just held him like that. He suddenly remembered Tifa as well. She had locked herself up in her room and refused to see anyone.

A Genesis copy had taken Cloud from them and he was going to find out how that could have happened. What the fuck was going on in that reactor? How the fuck was this even possible? Did Shin-Ra know of this? Was this why they were sent here? Was that copy the reason why the reactor was offline?

Had he really heard Cloud hiss Shin-Ra's name with contempt in his voice. He thought he had imagined it. But…

Was he being paranoid? Yes, yes he was. Had the blond discovered something? How had the Shin-Ra mansion burned down? His mind was racing.

Zack was whimpering Cloud's name over and over again. It was like he was trying to summon him to appear. "He's not dead," he whispered, suddenly laughing like a crazy person. "That Chocobo Head got lost."

Sephiroth continued to hold him. Oh, yes. He was going to figure this shit out, and then he was going to make a bitch bleed worse than a chick on a heavy day.

"Cloud," Zack prayed, squeezing Sephiroth's wet shirt. "Please, don't leave me all alone."

Sephiroth helped him to the bath where he drew hot water for him.

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Cloud's clenched hands were covered in fresh blood and he could smell the stench of electrocuted flesh. He gazed into emerald green eyes that were wide in shock and then clenched in stunned pain. There was also something else in those scary eyes. There was the look of utter betrayal bleeding into their fast fading color.

He fell back as Sephiroth's either dead or unconscious form fell into the glowing green mako pit. It he hadn't been dead, he sure as hell was now. He could hear wicked laughter echoing all around and it was filled with crazed agony. The shocking part was, it wasn't his.

"You did it," A voice said, gasping for breath. "You did it, Cloudy."

Blood was gushing from his stomach and he fell at Zack's side. He tried to reach out and take Zack's reaching hand, but they were only inches from being able to do so. He couldn't move his body. He just smiled in Zack's handsome face, memorized the love in those shocking blue eyes to every detail, and closed his.

"Cloud…"

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The second Cloud's feet touched the ground outside the inn, the door to it opened up, and Sephiroth stepped out on his way to the reactor. His molten green eyes widened in shock and his mouth gaped open as if to question what he was seeing. There the stunning blond was, looking as if nothing had happened to him, standing in front of a man with crimson-black dragon wings protruding from his back. They instantly fell, becoming a cloak of hissing red as blood silk.

"Cloud?"

"Zack," he said, rushing from the taller man standing behind him.

"What happened?" Sephiroth asked, feeling bewildered, relieved, and very happy. Cloud was all right.

"This is my best friend, Vincent," he said, running by the silver haired general. "He'll fill you in."

The door slammed and Sephiroth turned back to the dark headed man. He had never seen eyes so alluring since Cloud's.

"Beer?" The golden clawed man asked in a deep voice. His eyes were like amber-red flames.

Sephiroth slowly nodded his head and followed along after that ever-flowing red cloak. He found that he wanted to touch it. He just wanted to see if it was as soft as it looked.

"I'm one of Cloud's oldest friends," the handsome guy said. "I was exploring the mountain like I always do when I happened to look up and see what I thought was a falling angel."

Sephiroth snorted and then got serious. "And it took you almost three days to bring him here?"

"He was severely injured," Vincent said. "I took him to my home and took care of him there."

"You live on the mountain?"

Vincent nodded. "I like silence."

Sephiroth quickly came to the conclusion that Vincent was just as creepy, spooky, and alluring as Cloud was. No wonder the two of them were friends. What was it with him being attracted to unstable people?

"You're Sephiroth," Vincent said, turning to smile as he opened the door to the bar for the general. "It took me a moment to recognize you."

Sephiroth just walked on by him.

"Did you do something to your hair?"

Sephiroth growled, pursing his lips.

"Nice shiner, too."

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Cloud ran right by a very stunned looking Rik and Steff, racing up the steps as if his boots had grown little white wings that would run raster than the wind. He pushed the door open, seeing that Zack was struggling to put his muddy boots on. The spiky haired SOLDIER looked up and his boot hit the floor with an echoing thud. Those blue eyes were wide, wet, and bloodshot. He looked like hell and he was still fucking gorgeous.

"Tch," Cloud snorted, rolling his eyes. "How dare you come looking for me with you shirt on backwards."

Zack stumbled to his feet and Cloud ran at him, throwing his arms around his neck, squeezing him tight.

"I," Zack fumbled, holding him tight, breaking completely down. "I let you fall."

"I'm right here," Cloud cooed, kissing his crying boyfriend. It was the first time he had ever seen Zack cry. It made him feel so loved. How could he have ever doubted that Zack didn't love him like he loved him? The man had fucking died to protect him from Shin-Ra. "I love you."

"Where were you?" Zack sobbed happily, kissing him, pulling his shirt up, seeing that he was healed. "You were shot."

Cloud led him to the bed and explained how his friend Vincent who lived on the Mountain had found and saved him. He omitted all the crazy shit he had pulled on Shin-Ra.

"I thought I'd lost you," Zack said, touching him all over. "We looked nonstop for two days and then I woke up back here. I was coming to find you."

Cloud kissed him. Oh, it felt so good. He wanted Zack to make love to him right there.

"Tifa," Zack suddenly said. "We have to tell Tifa. RIK! STEFF!"

Cloud pounced. He was going to lick all those tears away.

TBC…

Please review and tell me what you think. Thank you all so much for your awesome reviews. I'm so happy that ya'll are enjoying this story. It's only going to get crazier from here.

Flora.