I got five whole reviews for just one little chapter! My appolgies for all spelling errors in this as I have no beta. Thanks for read, enjoy!

Disclaimer: If it was mine FF VII would have never ended.

Chapter 2 Starting From the Beginning

"Are you ok, kid?" Zach asked, frowning down at him. "Everyone says you were walking down the hall and just collapsed."

Cloud stared in silence for a moment. This was Zach. Zach was talking to him. He wasn't dead. Was this some twisted fantasy his mind had come up with? He blinked as he was shaken slightly. Apparently he was expecting an answer.

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine. I just haven't been getting enough sleep is all." Cloud lied smoothly. And yet, he could tell Zach didn't believe him.

"If you say so kid. But the doctors might want to keep you here for a bit anyway, to make sure you're really ok."

Cloud looked around. He was in a curtained off section of some sort of infirmary. He frowned as he realized something.

"But why is a SOLDIER bothering with a cadet like me?"

Zach grinned.

"I didn't tell you? I was the one that had to carry you here. The cadets ran to find the first person they could when you collapsed on your way back from class. I was who they found first."

Cloud blinked again.

"I see…" His eyes lost focus on the world around him as he recalled what had happened to him before this. Had the Planet really sent him back? He felt nearly giddy at the possibility. A chance to atone for his sins, to fix what should have been fixed. After all, it was all his fault, wasn't it? He was supposed to be some sort of great 'champion'.

"Hey!" Zach snapped his fingers in front of Clouds face, "Don't do that kid, its weird."

Cloud blinked, bringing himself back to the present.

"Why is it weird?" He asked slowly, "And it's Cloud, not 'kid'."

"Only Seph gets looks like that, that's why." Zach explained, "All shut down and cold. If you're not careful you'll end up emotionally stunted." His tone was teasing, but there was a curiosity in his gaze that had not been there a moment ago.

"Thank you, I'll be sure to remember that." Cloud drawled. "And who is 'Seph'?"

Zach chuckled.

"Oh you know, Sephiroth. He's like a freaking icicle some days. But that's what I'm for! Better shape up, Cloud, or I'll make you my mission too."

Cloud rubbed his chest, fighting a wince. It always ached in the places where he'd hung at the end of the Masamune. Sephiroth. He'd nearly forgotten about him. He refrained the urge to beat his head on the wall. He had to focus. He needed to get his priorities straight. First, he had to get out of the ridiculous gown that forced him to wear and then he needed to go find someplace to think.

"I never got your name." Cloud said suddenly.

Zach blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Opps. Sorry. I got all carried away and forgot to introduce myself." He held out a hand and smiled brightly. "I'm Zachery Fair. But everyone just calls me Zach."

Cloud shook his hand firmly.

"Cloud Strife."

Zach reached out a hand and ruffled Clouds hair.

"Well I have to go and you should get some sleep. Glad your ok. See you around, Cloud!" With a wave, Zach slipped through the curtains and out of sight. Cloud could only stare after him. Shaking his head at long last, he smiled faintly.

'Don't get complacent.' A sinister voice in the back of his mind whispered. 'It will make you weak.' Cloud felt himself unconsciously stiffen warily, his body on guard for threats that weren't there. He'd spent years that way, it wasn't easy to simply dismiss. And then the doctor appeared and he nearly reached for the weapon that wasn't there. Dressed in the standard white lab coat of Shinra scientists, he had short brown hair and thick glasses that magnified his dark brown eyes.

'Its not Hojo.' He told himself, forcing his muscles to relax. The man smiled warmly.

"Ah! Good, you're awake."

"Can I go back to my bed now?" Cloud desperately wanted to get out of there. Doctors of all sorts made him nervous. To much time in the company of Hojo would make anyone hate people in white lab coats.

He looked at the clip board in his hands, "Hmmm. You took quite a bump to the head when you fell, but other then that there seems to be no lasting damage. We're still going to keep you over night but you'll be free to return to classes in the morning."

Cloud bit back a childish groan of disappointment. If they wouldn't let him go then he'd just have to sneak out. He needed to clear his head before he snapped.

"Alright then, thank you." He said quietly, snuggling back into the thin bed.

"Good night Cloud. If you need anything one of us will be here all night." With that, the doctor left. Cloud waited tensely for several hours before he quiet got up. He crouched low and his muscles ached. His body was unused to bending in such a way. But he ignored the pain and pressed on. He slipped through the curtain and began surveying his surroundings.

There were a few dim lights on, with more curtained off beds on either side of him. He was directly in the middle it seemed, with a large set of double doors that looked like the exit. On his left was an office which had a much brighter light on and signs of movement. To his right were a few doors that looked like closets and a bunch of shelves and cabinets.

Smirking victoriously he began to creep his way towards the closets. His eyes picked up the signs of something shiny and he focused on it. A paperclip. Perfect. He scooped it up and continued his slow journey.

He started with a large cabinet first. It was locked, as he had expected. Straightening the paper clip he bent it over and over again until he had to perfectly straight halves. That done he slipped the one paperclip into the lock and began picking. In seconds he heard a small click and he gently opened the cabinet. He was in luck. He'd picked just the right one. He grabbed the set of clothes labeled Strife and dressed quickly.

As soon as he was done he began to creep back towards the doors. Thankfully they didn't make much noise as he opened them. As he squeezed through, he took off running. He used all the knowledge he had to move silently but swiftly through the building. He knew there was an outside training area on the floor. He tried to remember where it was and eventually found himself near the right door. Part of him was fairly certain he'd only found it by sheer dumb luck.

He nearly grinned as he opened it up and walked outside. Moonlight barely pierced the layer of fog that surrounded Midgar, but it was enough to see by. His eyes fell on the dirt track before him and he began a slow jog. It wasn't much but it was completely abandoned.

He took a few deep breaths and then froze. He was being followed. How had he not noticed it? Immediately he whirled around, body switching into a defensive stance while one hand reached for the blade that was no longer there. He met the eyes of his enemy and couldn't contain his gasp. They were the glowing green eyes of Sephiroth.

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