Cloud looked up to see almost exactly the same scene as before; Kadaj stood over him smirking.
"Ah brother, your awake. Don't worry I wont allow anyone to interfere with us this time"
"Kadaj, do you mean Jenova?" Cloud asked innocently.
"Why yes, I do, now...were is mother?"
"She was destroyed" Cloud smirked.
"No...She can't be...I need her for the reunion"
"Reunion? Does the name Sephiroth mean anything to you?"
"Sephiroth...He is mothers favourite... He can guide us to the promised land...I can sense him...the reunion is coming soon..." Kadaj trailed off into his thoughts
"You are a remnant of Sephiroth..." Clouds eyes went wide. He understood why Kadaj wanted Jenova so badly.
"Heh and I no how to get mother now, all I have to do is hurt you brother, then your mako will kick in and Sephiroth can get into your head and take over you and lead me to mother"
"No, I can control myself, I wont let Sephiroth into my head, not again..."
Kadaj began senselessly beating Cloud. He shattered bones, tore flesh and slashed organs. Cloud tried to resist, he tried to forget what was going on and focus on not letting Sephiroth into his head. With each blow, pain shook Clouds body and Cloud didn't understand why he wasn't fighting back. He didn't even try to move his limbs, was this how Sephiroth was taking over his mind? By holding Cloud still and giving Kadaj the chance to kill him, the one thing Sephiroth could never do.
Cloud briefly escaped his thoughts and looked around. He was in a pool of his own blood and one of his legs was bending the wrong way. His body was littered with deep gashes and he felt warm liquid oozing down his face. This was bad. Cloud couldn't even try to escape in the condition he was in. Pain filled his body making him shake badly and his eyes kept rolling back into his head. His vision was fuzzy and his body felt like it was burning. Any normal person would have died by now...
"Cloud!" Clouds thoughts were cut short by a familiar voice. He tried to call back but the pain was to intense for him to speak. Cloud watched as the buster sword went strait through Kadajs abdomen. The raven haired man flung Kadaj into the lake and ran over to Cloud and knelt by him.
"Cloud? Can you hear me?" A look of worry and panic was painted over Zacks face.
Cloud responded by weakly holding Zacks wrist.
"Okay Cloud I'm gonna put you to sleep so your not in pain any more" Zack said holding out a materia. Cloud nodded weakly. Zack cast Sleepel on Cloud and watched the blonde flop onto him. Zack splinted Clouds arm and leg as best he could then gently picked him up. Zack sat Cloud on the back of his bike and then sat in front of him and smiled to himself when he herd Cloud sigh with content as he laid on Zacks back.
"Don't worry Cloud, I wont let you die" Zack said softly as he raped Clouds arms around his waist. Zack then remembered back to the time when he and Cloud were on the run from ShinRa. How it seemed impossible to get to Midgar alive. Why had Zack even chose to go to Midgar, it was swarming with ShinRa. To be with Aerith. Zack remembered how twice everyday for almost a year he would hand feed Cloud and re assure him that everything would be okay. Zack never wanted Cloud to see how scared he was, how hopeless everything looked. Zack would only cry after he was sure Cloud was asleep. Sometimes he would fall asleep huddled into Cloud. Zack always missed how, back then, Cloud never hugged him back. But then they finally made it to Midgar. He remembered the Angeal copy that jumped in front of the bullet heading strait for Zacks heart. How seeing that copy die for him gave him new strength even though he was so badly hurt. He recalled how angry he had been to see the last Angeal copy, the only thing that proved Angeal had existed at all, was shot down heartlessly before him. He felt so proud when he saw the last grunt fall and the ShinRa helicopters fled back to were they had come from. Zack remembered when he went back to Cloud, who looked up at him and smiled. Zack was so happy to see that. All Zacks bottled up emotions found their way out and he fell to his knees and hugged Cloud as tight as he could, crying into his shoulder. Cloud slowly lifted his arm and stroked Zacks hair which made Zack cry more, with happiness.
Now Zack was worrying about Cloud just like how he did when they were on the run. Zack could feel Clouds blood drip down the back of his neck and make his shirt wet. This was scary. Cloud might die. Zack didn't want Cloud to die. He had so many things to tell him...so many emotions he wanted out in the open. So many feelings Zack had grown since he first met Cloud. How Zack adored Clouds bright blue eyes and wild blonde hair. How he loved how cute Cloud looked when he blushed. He loved the nights when he would take Cloud to the bar before the nebleheim incident and Cloud would get hammered after just one pint and no matter what Zack said Cloud would splutter and giggle and hiccup and after about an hour of being hammered Cloud would fall asleep in Zacks arms back at the apartment they shared. He loved when he could cuddles Cloud in the bed they shared and whisper in his ear when he was asleep "I love you, you are so beautiful inside and out, I love everything about you" and Cloud would smile unconsciously and huddle into his arms. He loved how when he walked in on Cloud crying in his bed he would scoop Cloud up into his lap and sing lullaby's to him and Cloud would fall asleep in his arms. He loved how his best friend had grown into his love interest. Zack thought; Life was amazing before the nebleheim incident. Before the fear and the pain and the hiding of feelings and knowing they were never truly safe. But now Cloud was slipping away. Zack needed to make sure Cloud survived. Zack needed Cloud. He didn't know what he would do without his Spikey.