Hi everyone! For some reason I've been on an updating kick! Lol anyway thank you again to cupofteaforaliceandhatter! Hope you all enjoyed last chapter. :)

I DO NOT OWN FF VII

Chapter 13: I promise

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Zack rushed down the streets of Midgar toward Tifa's home. His heart pounded furiously in his chest as he increased his speed. He felt terrible that he left so easily without a fight, she could be in danger and he didn't even think twice about it.

Vincent and Yuffie rushed out the door and looked after Zack who was long in the distance. "Holy S**** he can run." Yuffie said with wide eyes.

"He's a soldier." Vincent replied.

"Should we go after them?"

"Yes." Vincent said, grabbing Yuffie's hand.

Zack continued to run as fast as his legs would allow. Tears fell from his eyes as the warm summer wind blew in his face. He growled and wiped his face and continued to run. He did his best to avoid citizens, he wasn't paying attention the anyone around him or their faces.

"Hey!" Shouted a familiar voice as Zack ran by.

Zack slowed down and looked behind him to see Cloud and Aerith walking with Marlene and Denzel. He assumed they must have been on their way to drop the kids off. "Tifa..." Zack said, nearly out of breath. He couldn't think clearly enough to say anything more, he then turned and continued sprinting to her home.

Cloud looked after Zack concerned. The look on Zack's face was enough to tell him something was wrong, very wrong.

"Cloud, is Tifa okay?" Marlene asked, gripping his arm.

"I don't know, Marlene. But I promise we're gonna find out." Cloud replied.

Aerith knew the look on Zack's face also. And then she saw the worry in Cloud's eyes. "Go, we'll catch up." She said as she nudged Cloud. Cloud gave her a nod and quickly sprinted after Zack. Marlene and Denzel looked after Cloud and suddenly, Denzel ran after him. "Denzel!" Aerith cried.

"C'mon we gotta catch up!" Marlene said, taking Aerith's hand and running with her.

Zack rounded the last corner and was just a few feet from Tifa's home. His blue eyes widened when he saw the front door was wide open. Hastily, he ran inside. The place was a wreck, the whole downstairs looked as though one hell of a brawl had just taken place. Zack closed his eyes angrily and clenched his fists. "Tifa... Why did I leave?" He whispered to himself. Just a moment later, Cloud rushed to Zack's side.

"What the hell happened?! Where is Tifa?!" Demanded Cloud, starin intently at Zack.

"Shh." Zack said, covering Cloud's mouth. He heard a muffled scream from upstairs. his eyes gazed upon the stairs and wondered up them, with each step, a small trail of blood droplets could be seen. "Tifa!" Zack gasped as he dashed upstairs with what seemed to be a single leap. Cloud followed closely behind.

The trail of blood lead to Tifa's room and the two ex SOLDIERS made their way to the doorway briskly but cautiously and with extra stealth. When they peered inside, they saw a glorious and tremendous battle taking place Between Tifa and none other than Sephiroth.

Tifa's entire left arm was soaked in blood and it looked as though her blouse was torn. Her gloves were ripped and her fingers also dripped with her own sticky blood. Right away, you could tell that her hands were broken. Sephiroth stood before her, blocking her swift and forceful attacks. Left hook, right jab, swift kick to the legs. Tifa was putting up a fight, but to Sephiroth, it was merely a game.

Upon seeing Zack and Cloud, Sephiroth jumped toward her bedroom window, kicking the glass and shattering it. He then pulled Tifa to him, lifted her by the neck and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Tifa thrashed and kicked her legs, grabbed onto his hand that held her neck and desperately tried to get away. Zack and Cloud rushed into the room and readied themselves. "I will return, my flower." He whispered before an instant flick of his blade slashed open Tifa's torso and he disappeared in a whirl of black feathers, and Tifa fell to the ground.

Her hands immediately flew to her stomach, desperately trying to stop the bleeding of the new and deep wound.

"Tifa!" Zack and Cloud cried simultaneously, as they both rushed to her side. Cloud made it to her first and he knelt down. "Oh Tifa." he whispered as his voice cracked. Tifa moaned in agony and Cloud slowly turned her to her back and winced at the severity of her wounds.

"We have to get her to a hospital, now." Zack said sternly as he knelt down next to Tifa. Warm blood was pouring out of her body rapidly. Zack immediately tore off his shirt and wrapped it around her wound the best he could. Tifa cringed and screamed in anguish. Suddenly, her body began to convulse, and her arms started flailing around and her eyes began to roll back in her he Zack's eyes widened. "S***!"

"Tifa!" Cloud screamed. "What's wrong with her?!"

"Hold her arms." Zack ordered.

"Wh..what?" Cloud asked with trembling lips.

"Do it!" Zack yelled. Afraid of what may happen if be didn't, he grabbed Tifa's arms and pinned them down at her sides. Zack took his forearm and wiped the side of Tifa's left arm where the first wound seemed to be. Once the majority of the blood was removed from the point of entry, Zack could see the skin around the gash was blue and purple. His Mako eyes examined the wound carefully and he determined it was definitely poison that was now running through her veins. Without another thought, Zack grabbed onto the back of Tifa's shoulder and placed his mouth on the wound and began sucking out the blood and spitting it out onto the floor.

Cloud stared at him in utter shock, as he watched the black and red liquid fly from Zack's mouth. As Zack did this, Tifa screamed again, and began kicking her legs in protest and pain.

"N..no!" She managed to mumble as Zack continued to remove the venomous toxins from her body. Zack ignored her and continued until the only color he saw coming from his mouth was red. He quickly lifted Tifa into his arms and held her close to him. He knew without a doubt that she would die within the hour if he didn't get her help immediately.

"H..have to... Hospital." He stammered.

Cloud nodded. "D.. Don't let the kids see her, go out the back. It's one block down I know you can make it, I'll meet you there. Hurry!" He yelled as tears began streaming down his face.

Zack flew out of Tifa's room and made his way to the back door of her home, Carefully he opened the door while still holding her in his arms and then he sprinted down the streets of Midgar once more with the bloody girl he began to become quite fond of. Guilt flooded him as he made his way toward the hospital building. "I'm so sorry, Tifa." He said as he held her broken body in his arms. "I never should have left your side."

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The entire crew waited in the hospital waiting area for the Dr to emerge and give them any sort of news on their companion. Yuffie was pacing the area, pulling at her hair. Aerith was doing her best to keep the kids distracted by asking them questions and keeping their minds on other things. Vincent was standing against the wall by the reception desk with his arms crossed, staring intently at the door they expected the Dr to walk through at any given moment. Cloud sat slumped in a chair, his face pale and eyes glazed with his hand glued to his chest as if his heart were about to burst. And Zack sat alone on the opposite end of the room with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands, mumbling and swearing to himself.

They waited for what seemed to them to be an eternity, but in reality it was around an hour and a half. Finally, a tall and slender woman with golden blonde hair and a white lab coat emerged from the doors Vincent seemed to be guarding like a hound dog. Everyone stood and looked at her with concerned eyes.

"She's alright." The Dr assured. "Many stitches, and a long road of recovery, but she pulled through."

"Thank God!" Yuffie shouted.

"When can we see her?" Marlene asked politely.

"At the moment, she only wishes to see one visitor." the Dr replied.

"We who goes first?! I vote me!" Yuffie proclaimed.

"No, no. She wants a specific visitor. She said he had the dark hair, he was tall and had sparkly eyes." The woman looked between Vincent and Zack and pondered for a moment, then she looked directly to Zack. "You're the one."

Zack gulped. He figured the only reason she wanted to see him was to tell him how much she still hated and resented him, and today's events must have made that hate multiply by thousands. "Y..you're sure she wants to see me?" He questioned.

"Yes. No doubt in my mind, sir. Follow me." She replied as she turned on her heel and walked through the black doors. Zack looked at his friends in the waiting room for a moment and they urged him on. He gave them a nod and followed the Dr. She led him down a long, cold hallway. Each door they passed, Zack was expecting it to be hers. The strange scent of the hospital made his stomach churn with unease and memories he did not want to relive.

Finally they reached the end of the hall, and the room the woman gestured to was the last door on the right. Hesitantly, Zack walked to the door and stopped in front of it.

"What's wrong? You don't wanna see your friend?" The Dr asked, concerned.

"It's my fault she's here." Zack whispered as he looked down to the floor.

"No, it's your fault she's alive. Now go and see her. She asked for you." She replied sternly. Zack looked up and nodded, he then walked into the room slowly.

Tifa lay gracefully on the small bed looking out the window for any glimpse of sunlight she might find. Her dark hair delicately surrounding her and her pillow. Her left shoulder was bandaged well, and both of her hands were also in bandages.

Zack examined her carefully. She was almost unrecognizable. Her face was gaunt and her body seemed so small and frail covered in the white sheet of the hospital bed.

Upon hearing his footsteps, Tifa turned to him and began to sit up. Zack quickly strode over to her and gently placed his hand on her good shoulder. "No. Lay back down." He ordered.

Tifa let out a small sigh and lay back down. Zack grabbed a stool and slid it to her bedside and sat next to her. "How ya feelin, Tifa?" He asked quietly.

"Like an idiot." Tifa replied, sadly.

"What, why?" Zack asked, confused as he looked at the brunette. He could see sadness in her wine colored eyes, but he also saw the intense beauty in them. It was the first time he had noticed the deep color of her orbs.

"I should've never pushed you away this morning. No, all those years ago." Tifa said looking away from him.

Zack's eyes blinked a few times. "Oh Tifa, I never blamed you. I should've stayed today instead. This is my fault."

"No, it's mine. I had to be stubborn." Tifa whispered.

"I like that about you." Zack said with a chuckle.

Tifa turned to him with red teary eyes, unable to speak or reply. Zack pushed his stool away, got onto his knees and gently touched her face. "I won't let it happen again. I promise" He said gently but firmly.

"Z..ack." Tifa managed to whisper without a flood of tears escaping her eyes.

"I'm gonna take care of you." He said as he gently rested his forehead against hers.

"Th..thank you." Tifa said with a gulp. "You saved my life."

"I should've stayed with you back then too. I never should've left you lying there after Sephiroth hurt you. All these years later I made the same mistake."

"No, Zack. You didn't make a mistake." Tifa whispered.

"Thank you, Tifa." Zack said, as a hand gently ran through her hair.

Before the conversation could continue, the Dr returned. "Alright, you're free to go. But I don't want you walking for a week, and no strenuous activities for three months." She warned as she wheeled in a wheel chair for Tifa. Zack stood and thanked the Dr.

"How long before my hands are healed?" Tifa asked concerned.

"It depends. If you take it easy, they should be better and fully recovered by six month's time."

Tifa's jaw dropped. The news was crushing to her. Of course she would have a difficult time not using her fists. She felt defenseless.

Zack frowned at the look Tifa made. He knew she was extremely disappointed. "Hey, I'm gonna stay with you. I'll help you through it." Zack said kindly.

"You don't have to stay." Tifa whispered.

"Yeah, I do. I'm going to so don't try to argue with me." Zack warned.

"But..."

"Nope, no arguing miss Lockhart." Zack said as he carefully helped her into the wheelchair.

"I really have to sit in this thing?" Tifa mumbled as she sat herself in the chair.

"Yes, no complaining." Zack said with a smile.

"Let's get home."