Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.
A/N: I said this over on my other story, ITI. I am starting school at the end of this month and I have to really buckle down and do well in school, my kiddos are depending on me. I suppose you could say that at my age this could be my last chance to do what my family needs, so if the updates slow down that is why.
Thank you SubZeroChimera for being my brand new beta!
"One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again." –Henry Ford
To You I Give My Heart
Chapter 13
~Deliverance from Ruin~
Time was of the essence; his blond angel needed medical care so making it there as quickly as he could was his next goal. Even if he had to walk all day and night, he would get her there.
Laid out before them was nothing but dry, desolate and barren land that stretched on. Very little to no cover would prove difficult if they needed to hide. Biting the bullet he walked along a secondary road and kept a watchful eye out for anyone associated with Shinra.
Experiments and mistreatment had chipped away at his humanity. Dipping his head down, he fought his sadness. The sadness of what he had at one time and took for granted, freedom. Now it was just a far off dream that he was having trouble seeing anymore. The further he walked, the further it seemed to get away from him. The total of one step forward and two steps backward scenario slapped him in the face.
Even though Cloud was looking far healthier than she did when they first escaped, she wasn't improving in any other area. Her nightmares were still frequent, and when her eyes were open, she still saw nothing. Not to mention, she was no longer eating very much, but one thing that concerned him was that she would still get sick in the mornings. Now, to add to his problems, she fought against walking at all, so not only was Zack breaking down physically but his soul as well. Watching the small amount of Cloud's progress stop and begin to deteriorate on a daily basis was wearing him down more than anything.
The heat kept him constantly thirsty and Cloud had stopped drinking much of anything. Wanting to force the water down her, he decided against it. He had tried that once before but she had thrown a fit and ended up hurting herself pretty badly. Instead, he opted to drink his share and part of hers. The quicker he got there, the quicker he could get Cloud fixed up.
The clear blue skies, the bright sunshine and dodging the occasional vulture, harpy or the dreaded trickplay contributed to his exhaustion. With his back and arm muscles shaking from prolonged exertion, he kept going despite his body's continuous protests. Stopping for only a couple of hours for the last few nights, he pushed his body farther than he thought was possible. Using his training and enhancements, he drove the mako until he thought he would drop.
On so many missions, he had fought in combat until he wanted to fall to the ground, but this was a new kind of feeling. It wasn't just exhaustion, it was beyond that. Looking ahead of him, he saw a few houses among the large boulders that dotted the landscape. The sweltering temperature from the ground made the sight of the buildings swirl as the steamy heat coiled up to the sky. Off in the near distance all around them, he heard a few monsters scuttle around, waiting for their opportunity to devour their walking meal.
Changing direction just a little, he moved toward the houses. Licking his lips, the dryness made him wince when there was very little moisture on his tongue. Adjusting Cloud in his arms, he tripped; he just wasn't able to get his feet back under him, so he fell. He knew what was happening to him and he had to get rehydrated soon, or he would fail not only himself but Cloud too. Failing Cloud was not an option to him anymore, she deserved a fighting chance, and he was going to give that to her regardless of what it cost him.
Shaking off his confusion and dizziness, he slowly got back up and continued. With the houses in his sights, he continued walking and quickened his pace as much as he could. Squinting, his eyes gathered dust that blew in them and burned, it made him want to rub them, but he consciously fought that urge. That was a quick way to scratch the surface of his eyeballs, and then he would be screwed until his mako healed him. Grunting, he adjusted Cloud in his arms again and lost his balance, again. This time, when he hit the ground, he fell on her and she let out a scream. He was sure it was a pained cry but then again it might not have been, possibly another nightmare, he just didn't know anymore.
Muddy was all he could describe his thoughts. Past, present and future melded together and confused him. As the heat from the sun beat down on him, he could feel his life slipping away a little at a time. When the wind would whip his hair, it caused him to get dizzy and he knew he was changing his direction by millimeters, but it was a change that he couldn't afford to let happen. On so many levels, he was ready to give up, to let the dry land take him to meet Gaia. However, there was one level that he saw more than others. When he looked down at the helpless woman he carried, she kept him going without having to say a word.
Rolling her out of his arms, he pushed up so that he was on his hands and knees. The bags shifted and fell from his back and smacked to the ground. With his head hanging, he breathed in and out feeling the dry air fill his lungs and burn as it carried the swirling and grating dust with it. Digging deep for the steel hard strength he had to believe he had, he raised his head to see how much farther the buildings were and it looked just as far as it did hours ago.
Hitting his fist on the hardened dirt, he cursed hoarsely, "Son of a bitch!" Realizing his stupidity, he studied the 'buildings' again, he'd walked at least half a day out of his way and now had to make up for it.
Smoothing Cloud's dirty hair away from her face, he noticed the dust had gathered on the wetness on her cheeks from when she had cried. Around her temples and on her forehead the sweat had collected the dry ruddy colored grit and almost made a mask out of red desert sand.
Pulling a bottle of water out, he took Cloud's cheeks and squeezed them just enough to open her mouth. Pouring just a little of the clear liquid in, she swallowed slowly and he tried again wanting to get as much as she would take down her throat. When she stopped swallowing, he drank the last half of the last bottle down. Gathering all their things, he changed direction back to his original heading.
The pain in his entire body protested all of his movements and it became a fight to the death. Die peacefully by giving up, or be killed while fighting hard for what they both longed for. His body wanted to give up but his heart had to go on. From walking for the last five or six days in this desolate part of the planet, he figured it wouldn't be much longer until he had the village of Cosmo Canyon in view. It was just his will power keeping him going.
Probably by pure luck, he didn't run into any patrols or any Turks. If the Turks thought that they went east instead of south, that would be an unbelievable break for them. It was a plausible scenario and if he thought that it would help, he would have headed for Wutai. Shinra didn't have much to do with Wutai since the war, at least that's how it was before they were captured by Hojo.
Praying to Gaia kept his heart from sinking at the thought that the army was occupying his destination, or worse, the Turks. If perchance they were there, he didn't know what he would do. Supposing that the forest that was just east of Cosmo Canyon, it was another two days brisk walk away according to what Conrad told him. That was an option that he considered for a worst case scenario.
Feeling the weight of his angel getting heavier, added with the steadily increasing soreness in his legs and arms, he considered changing her position. Stopping for a moment, he dropped the bags and gently put Cloud down. Another bad sign that loomed over him was the fact that neither one of them had needed to pee. With Cloud's small frame and weakened condition, it was a death sentence just waiting for a place to happen.
Standing straight and stretching, he surveyed the horizon. About another day's walk, he could see the village tower on top of the plateau as the other huts clung to the sides of the cliffs. It had always intrigued him how the villagers were able to build that way while still incorporating the rock as part of the buildings. At least he thought that it was the village, for all he knew, it was another mirage.
Taking up the bags across his shoulders, he picked Cloud up and slung her over his shoulder. Immediately she began to flail and he almost dropped her, "What is it? What's the matter?" Once he got her to the ground, she calmed. Trying again to put her over his shoulder, she again fought him, only harder this time. Getting a swift kick to his shin and a knee to his stomach, he put her back down, "What the hell?! God-damn it Cloud!" Stepping back for a moment, he raked his fingers through his hair, "I guess you don't like that. Okay, FINE!"
Unsuccessfully trying not to lose his temper, he had to remember that she really didn't know what was going on. It still didn't stop another outburst from him though, "Damn it Cloud! We've got to get going!" Calming again, he picked her up in a bridal carry, "I don't know what that was all about, but fuck! Give me a break would ya?" Opening her eyes, she blindly looked around as she leaned her head on his shoulder. With the hand that was furthest from him, she reached over and took a handful of his dried salty sweat stained shirt and did nothing else.
Taking a deep breath, he felt horrible for yelling at her. When he began walking to what he hoped was the village, he kissed her on the top of her head, "I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?" Not getting an answer, he just watched the horizon and his fake mirage get closer.
As the sun began to set, a large obstacle loomed in front of him. Working up the last bit of his strength, he slowly worked his way up the steep stone staircase and to the village entrance.
At the top, a deeply tanned man with dark brown hair stood in the way, stopping them, "What business do you have here?"
Breathlessly Zack spoke through his raw throat, "I need help for her. I was told to ask for Bugenhagen. Please, she is dying."
"We don't allow Shinra to enter our village without permission."
"I'm not with Shinra anymore, we escaped from them. They are the reason she's dying," Not able to hold her anymore, his sapped strength gave out on him. The man watched as both of them fell to the ground in front of him, "Please… Have mercy on us." Looking up, his eyes churned with sorrow, swimming in pain, "…Leave me to die if you want, but have mercy on her. I'm begging you…"
"Kitchi, let them pass," Zack looked up at the old man who addressed the guard, "I can sense innocence from them." Unable to hold his weight on his hands and knees any longer, he fell to his stomach on the warm rock slab. The last thing the fallen man heard before he was enveloped in darkness was, "Kitchi, go get Tokala and get both of them to Sharna's hut."
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads, favorites, subscribes and/or reviews, I appreciate your time and I dedicate all of this to you. To quote another author, "Getting reviews makes me feel all warm and squishy."
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