First of all, I'd like to thank all of my reviewers:

Ziggy Pasta, chibipinkbunny, Imaxgoxgnomgnomxonxya, Morimemento, Dragi, Meyko, Guess Who, and Dazed-Daisy. I apologize if I've forgotten someone, or spelled a name

wrong- so uh... please don't hunt me down with a pitchfork. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter, *****

Cloud stared at the pale white above him.

The ceiling stared back.

His thoughts were a little clearer since his injection, but still, he felt as if living in a haze. He could hear the soft breathing of Zack beside him, an innocent and vulnerable expression on his

face.

Moonlight shone through the porthole on the wall, igniting his soft black spikes in silver, caressing his face in an eerie glow. The peaceful expression though, that Cloud had so fervently

hoped would befall his features when he entered the realm of sleep, was absent, leaving a slightly unsettled demeanour over his face. His mouth was turned down at the corners, his

forehead betraying something Cloud had very rarely seen on his friend's usually jubilant face.

Fear.

He was mumbling something incoherently, almost pleading.

"Stop- please." He murmured, his head turning.

"Don't hurt... Cloud..."

"Z-Z." Cloud mumbled franticly, in attempt to wake his friend from the nightmare, but no coherent sentence left his lips, and he was left to watch as his friend suffered through whatever

twisted dream that had consumed him.

Zack deserved so much more than he had.

He'd always been a great friend, there for Cloud when he needed someone to talk to, or a shoulder to lean on. He'd never asked for anything in return, he'd just given it freely, expecting

nothing.

How could he give up everything, his job, and his freedom just so he could help Cloud?

I'm not even worth helping.

Cloud had never thought much of himself, and had been scolded by Zack many a time for brooding on this.

From the time he'd been a little kid, he was picked on for being smaller.

He grew up lean and muscular, but never as brawny as the others in his unit, even with the extra hours he'd put in at the academy's training gym, working into the long hours of the

night. He'd always been a little jealous of Zack's muscular and athletic physique and it didn't help when Zack was always sticking up for him in front of bullies. It made him feel weak,

helpless, and had worsened the issue when people began saying Zack was his 'bodyguard'.

The problem with the older man was he had almost what you would call a- 'motherly instinct'.

If someone was messing with his friend, he'd go berserk, hunt them down, and get revenge. One good thing about being around Zack, no one would try to mess with him. He was second

class, just recently promoted to first, and the best SOLDIER in the academy.

If it hadn't been for his near paralytic state, he would've smirked at the memory of the place.

The academy.

Cloud was leaning against the back of his bunk, a text book in hand. The dorm was quiet, as most of its occupants were down in the mess hall, or home for the weekend. The lights were dimmed,

and Cloud had his ears perked, not reading the words on the pages in front of him, but waiting.

Thunk.

A smile spread on his lips and he closed the text, looking to see an arm hanging limply over the top bunk, and a textbook on the floor, a comic concealed inside. Cloud ever so quietly slid off his bed,

lifting his mattress where he'd concealed a large can of styling wax. He looked at the can, smiling deviously, and took it, opening the cap and climbing onto the wooden bunk ladder.

Zack was snoring softly, a black spike in front of his face bobbing every time he did. His eyes were closed, and his lips parted.

His black spikes he so proudly wore were drooping over his ears as he slept, his chin cradled on his chest, one arm folded over his stomach. Cloud smiled wolfishly, carefully squirting a large dollop

of gel onto his hand and advancing on Zack's precious spikes.

Finally, his chance for revenge.

There was a sharp creak, and Cloud woke from his reverie.

The door creaked open gently, swinging on its hinges to reveal two forms, concealed in the darkness of the night.

They stood still for a moment, as if waiting for someone to wake up and discover them, but the room's other two occupants slept on.

Cloud's heart skipped a beat.

"Z-Z!" he moaned, but Zack only turned in his sleep.

The forms crept across the room hastily, making only the slightest squeak of the floorboards as they went. Cloud's heart beat painfully in his chest, and he focused on getting the word out of his dry mouth.

"Z-Z..."

C'mon!

"Z-Z-Za-ZACK!"

He shouted, and both Zack and Flint shot up, Zack was the first to recover. He leapt from his bed, pouncing on the two forms who fell with grunts as the air was knocked out of their lungs.

There was only the sound of ragged breathing, then a match striking the wall as Flint lit the lantern, and the room was filled with light.

His eyes adjusting to the dimness, Zack could see two frightened young boys trapped beneath him, his knees resting on their chests to hold them down. He sighed tiredly, standing up

and pulling the boys to their feet roughly.

Denzel stared at Zack with watery blue eyes, and Sen stood somewhat ashamedly beside him.

"What were you thinking coming in here in the dead of night?" he growled. "I know the door was locked when I went to sleep, so obviously you weren't just here to visit."

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"If I thought you two were SOLDIERS, I could've seriously injured you." He said in a slightly softer tone.

"We-just wanted to see what you were hiding that was so important." Sen said quietly.

Zack shook his head, almost smirking at their innocence.

"What I have is dangerous. If it fell in to the wrong hands- well it would be bad." He sat down on the edge of his cot.

"And if someone were to question you about this object, they would be able to track us down."

Sen shook his head defiantly. "We wouldn't tell. We're really good at keeping secrets, right Denzel?"

Denzel nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

Zack smiled softly. "I'm sure you are, but these people would hurt you until you told them, torture you. I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

Denzel nodded in acceptance with a small sniffle, Sen a little more slower, nodded nonetheless.

"Now go back to your cabin and get some rest. We need ours too." He mumbled, watching as the two boys solemnly trudged out of the room.

Closing the door behind him, he turned to Flint who was wearing a rather confused expression.

"What?" Zack asked, pausing in his tracks and frowning.

"Did- Cloud just say your name?" he muttered, his eyes on Cloud's cot where he lay, blank eyes staring at the ceiling.

"But I thought- that was you." Zack said slowly. Flint shook his head.

"Cloud?" Zack called, leaning over his friend, a hand on his shoulder.

"Mmm-uh." He mumbled.

"Did you- say my name?"

Cloud's still eyes seemed to flicker, a spark within them, but then heavy eyelids fluttered, and closed, hiding the soft blue orbs from sight.

Zack sighed, smiling and ruffling his blonde spikes. The boy gave a soft sigh, almost leaning into Zack's touch.

"Don't worry Cloud, we're almost there."

Okay, okay! Sorry for this pathetic excuse for a short filler chapter, but I needed it!!! School's been slowing me down significantly with tons of homework, so I apologize :(

Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed 'Almost There' New chapter up soon if I can.

By the way, some of the chapters coming up may seem like the end of the fic, but it's not! I'll tell ya when:)

Thanks for reading:)

Lucifer