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: Warning! This is a difficult chapter. There is an assault in this chapter, I do not go into details, there is only enough to get the feel for the scene. The way it is now was the only way that I could write this scene, so if you no likey how it's written, so sorry!
I try to respond to all reviews, and if I don't respond to you, I am very sorry, I am going to school full time, and with four kids, I barely have time to shower, or write. To the all the guest reviewers, thank you for taking time to read and review! I wanted to respond to some of the questions or concerns.
Ryma: Yes it is Jenova trying to take over, but some things have to happen before we find out why she can't take over yet. Hojo is putting them all in the same cell for a reason and a more extensive explanation will be revealed later. A short little teaser to hold you over is, that Hojo needs all three of them and the three of them together is even better. Hope that helps you.
Sign-ofthe-times: Thanks for your time and your review!
Thanks to my after-post beta SubZeroChimera and my before-post beta Queen of Jokers!
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." –Eleanor Roosevelt
Chapter 16
A few weeks after Cloud's episode in the gym, it was a day they got their injections. Very early in the morning, Davis, Harper and Charles showed up with the restraints. They lead them down the hall and into the lab where Doctor Chase was with Hojo and they were going over some papers and something about results.
Once strapped into their chairs, the pain began. The usual round of mako, steroids and the oil looking stuff was actually what they called enhancer, started their morning. After everything was done they were taken down to the gym. They hated the days that they got injections first.
They were on their third rotation starting their fourth set of reps, when one of the other lab techs came in. Cloud was needed in the lab for some tests so Charles rounded him up and took him to the lab. Davis was here in the gym so Zack allowed himself to relax a little.
Cloud went into the lab from the gym and doctors Chase and Medlock were in there looking over some recent read outs from his implant, Chase instructed, "C, some of these readings are off, I am going to run a diagnostic. I also need to do a sonogram of your organic implant. Please remove your shirt and lay down."
Charles unshackled him and he started to strap him to the table. Medlock motioned to Charles, "That won't be necessary." Cloud let out a sigh of relief.
Chase started by scanning the metal implant and the readings were off again, "I believe I am going to have to increase your steroid and enhancer." Giving him two more injections of steroids and one more of the enhancer, Cloud started feeling hot, sweaty, lightheaded and weak. Chase informed him, "It is a normal side effect because of the increase, now lay still." Pulling the sonogram machine over to him, Medlock squirted goop all over the organic implant scar.
After finishing with the scans, Dr. Medlock gave him another injection in his hip, "This injection will relax you," In a whisper, Noah leaned closer to the blond so that Chase wouldn't hear, "I'm giving you a little extra so that you can get some good sleep. Just try to rest when you get back to your cell, and we will check the results tomorrow." Cloud sat up and Doctor Chase told Charles to take him back to his cell.
Charles shut the door behind him and Cloud heard the familiar clink of the lock, leaving him alone. The blond stood there and was still feeling lightheaded, but also felt exhausted, grimy, sweaty and just all together gross.
The youngest of Hojo's captives decided to get a shower and possibly get some sleep before Zack and Sephiroth got back from the gym. Maybe then he could have the bed to himself. Cloud grinned to himself at the thought of Zack and Sephiroth having to share the other small bed.
Getting the temperature of the water just right, he stripped down and got under the firm spray. Closing his eyes, he took deep breaths and let the water run over his head and down his back and as the hot water fell over him, his muscles began to relax and the thought of a good sleep sent his mind to a detached state.
Just as he was starting to get sleepy from the shot that Medlock had given him, a large and calloused hand grabbed him. Although Cloud struggled, his feet were wet and he couldn't keep his footing on the wet tile, he screamed while holding the wrist of the offending hand, "Let go of me!"
Davis had a firm handful of the dripping spikes of Cloud's hair; yanking him from the stall and toward a waiting fist. Being blindsided, Cloud slipped and fell, his head striking the raised part of the floor that held the water in the stall.
Dazed, Cloud grabbed his head just above his eye and when he pulled his hand back blood covered his palm. Then, Davis was at him again, punching him in the face and kicking him in his side. Cloud's vision had darkness encroaching from the sides and another kick knocked the breath from him.
Weakly he punched, trying to make contact but all he hit was the wall, cracking his knuckles. Then there was nothing. Rising up to sitting, he quickly rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to clear his field of vision; he grabbed the counter and pulled himself up to standing, he had to get help, get to the door and maybe someone would help him.
Before he could ready himself for the next attack Davis was at him again.
Suddenly being pinned against the wall in a headlock, Cloud could feel Davis's breath on the side of his neck and the guard's skin touching his own, "No!"
Mustering his strength, Cloud elbowed him in the ribs and Davis let go and stumbled back. Turning away from the wall, Cloud let his momentum get a backhanded punch to the side of Davis's head. Cloud grabbed onto the counter again to keep his legs from failing him and he took the opportunity to move toward the bathroom door.
Cloud's reprieve was shortened when Davis surprised him and took him by the shoulder, spinning the dizzy teen around. Cloud's head whirled in drowsiness as he stumbled and fell forward, but Davis was there and caught him. The young blonde's feet floundered but he was finally able to push himself away from Davis and steadied himself against the wall. Davis threw another punch and got him in the side of his face knocking him to the ground again.
Desperately, Cloud tried pulling himself away from Davis and toward the doorway to the bathroom. When his speech began to slur the real panic of his current situation sunk in and he garbled, "Leave me alone!" From where he lay, he could see the door to the cell; he had to try, had to fight this cruel fate, but Cloud's strength and resolve was beginning to buckle, "No! Stop! Please!"
Davis spun him almost effortlessly, over onto his back and grabbed at Cloud's throat, and Davis straddled him, and he got two hands at Cloud's throat. The pressure of Davis's weight held his hips down and Cloud grabbed at the hands and wrists around his neck. Feeling a small boost of adrenaline, he launched punches blindly and instinct of self-preservation kicked in again as he grabbed at the hands on his neck again.
Floundering, Cloud pushed at his attacker in weak and wild fear, and then it got worse when Davis lifted Cloud up just enough for his head to clear the floor, and then swiftly back down to the damp tile in a sickly hollow thud.
Cloud's hands held on, but his grip was crumbling, digging his nails in the tanned flesh but then weakness took over and they fell out to his sides as his eyes rolled under his lids. Now, slipping in and out of consciousness, he was at the mercy of Davis and his sick desires.
Davis's face split with a lusty smile at the sight of Cloud's mouth, the guard squeezed the teen's face, causing the boy's lips to pucker, "Which one do I want first? Hmmm?"
Letting go of Cloud's face, he turned the limp body over to his stomach and slowly ran his fingers along the skin on the back of Cloud's thigh.
Cloud could feel movement behind him and when Davis leaned down and kissed his lower back, Cloud let out a weak, "No…" Trying to lift himself up and off the floor, Cloud was stopped abruptly when a hard hand pushed at his shoulder and the other around his waist from behind.
Hot breath heated Cloud's ear when Davis softly and sweetly spoke, "I told you that I was going to get what I want, sweet thing." Davis grinned as Cloud screamed.
Starting on their last rotation, Zack decided to race Sephiroth and see who finished first. Sephiroth was in the lead but the brunette was catching up very quickly, "You give up already?" Sephiroth had a blank stare and his reps slowed significantly so Zack snapped his fingers to get his attention, "What's up with you? Don't tell me you're going to have a psycho moment?" Zack turned his attention back to his reps.
Sephiroth's face went sheet white and with a strained smile, "Oh, it is nothing. I just thought I felt something, maybe I am just fatigued." Sephiroth shrugged off the feeling as best as he could but Zack could tell that it seemed to be getting worse as time went on.
Zack got back in the rhythm on the row machine, "It could be the tests they are running on Spike." Zack's reps were almost done and after a while, he jumped up in victory, "Yes! I beat the Great Sephiroth!"
With the last of his reps finally done, Sephiroth stopped and rested his elbows on his knees, putting his head in his hands, he began to shake. Now that they were done for day, they had the whole rest of the afternoon and evening to 'relax' and let the mako sickness fade. All Sephiroth could rally was to look at him and he spoke softly, "I suppose you did." As he slowly worked to get to his feet.
Zack looked a little concerned, he bent over to put his face in front of Sephiroth's, "Are you okay?" They stood there for just a moment staring at one another, before Sephiroth could answer, he fell to his knees.
He looked up at Zack and his face was strained and twisted in pain. Very quietly Sephiroth said, "Cloud." As Zack helplessly watched, the former General let out a little shrill groan, breathed in rapidly and shuddered.
Zack immediately went into a panic. Dropping down to the floor with him, he grabbed Sephiroth's shoulders and shouted, "Is it the tests they are running on him or not!" The two techs gathered around them, taking notes and talking amongst themselves, then one began to take Sephiroth's vitals.
Sephiroth hissed in some air and a violent sob left his mouth. Sephiroth paused and said, "I don't know… No." Zack wondered what he meant and he looked at Burton, but then he noticed something that dropped his stomach. In the excitement of the race, he hadn't noticed that Davis was gone and Charles had replaced him.
Zack's blood rushed to his face, his heart stopped and his hands turned into the weapons that Shinra worked so hard to create, "Oh, Motherfucker!" He leapt up to leave the gym and Charles and Harper were in the way. Charles held up their restraints. Zack threw a punch and hit Charles in the face.
Charles pushed him backward and readied himself for a fight, "Back off Fair!"
The tech wrote all of the vitals taken of Sephiroth on the notes. Sephiroth quickly got Zack's attention, "Zackary, if you do something now, you will not be able to help him at all." Zack watched Sephiroth, as he stayed on his knees, his hands on the floor, his head hung limply between his shoulders, his body rattled and shook. The tech told Charles and Harper to get them back to their cell.
Sephiroth looked up for a moment and Zack looked into his eyes and he thought he could see Cloud's eyes for just a split second. Zack had seen eyes like that before in the soldiers that he had cut down in the name of Shinra. Some of those eyes haunted his dreams and he could never forget the horror that filled them to the brim. It would flow over into the anxiety of the unknown, the sight of their willpower and spirit broken and shattered. "He is going to need you…" Sephiroth gasped loudly and violently and then exhaled with a pain filled groan. His head dropped back down and he reached up to Zack's hand without looking at him, "Believe me."
Sephiroth was right, if he lost control now he wouldn't get a chance to help Cloud at all, he would surely be sent to solitary confinement. Zack helped Sephiroth to his feet and he stumbled a little and fell into Zack's arms and he kept him standing. The overprotective former Soldier was about to explode, but he kept telling himself to stay in control. Once the guards were finished putting on their restraints, Zack looked at Sephiroth as he looked at the far wall as if it were an attacker; bright eyes dulled and welled with tears. Zack called to him, "Sephiroth! What's happening?"
Slowly and sadly, he looked over at Zack and a single tear slid down Sephiroth's cheek. Zack clenched his jaw and balled up his fists. He closed his eyes and squeezed back the tears of anger and took a deep breath.
Both men waddled down the hall to the cell door as quickly as his chains and escorts would allow and when they got to the door, Charles opened it and Zack yelled into the cell, "Spike!" Zack's heart felt like it was going to leap from his chest. Zack shook the restraints on his wrists behind him and looked over his shoulder at Charles, "Damn it! Get these damn things off me!" Zack looked toward the bathroom doorway and saw a little bit of blood on the floor. "Cloud!" Sephiroth stayed in the hallway until Harper pushed him in and shut the door behind him.
Once loose of the shackles Zack ran to the bathroom where he saw that Cloud had squeezed himself into the corner between the toilet and the shower stall. The boy's legs were drawn up and his arms were wrapped tightly around his knees, he was bloody and bruised, and his sideways gaze was completely empty. Blood ran down from his nose and eyebrow and more blood was smeared on his face. He just vacantly stared at the wall next to him.
As he took a step into the bathroom, Zack slipped in a small puddle of a mix of blood and water on the floor. Catching himself on the counter, that's when he saw the bloody prints. All around the bathroom he saw bloody hand, finger prints and blood smears on the corner of the door frame, the sink, the walls, the counter, the side of the toilet and bloody drag marks on the floor. Cloud had vomited on the floor on the other side of the toilet and Zack gagged when he realized what it was.
Swallowing the terror of what had happened, he made his way toward the back to get to Cloud. Zack put his hand on Cloud's shoulder and he jerked away, out from under the friendly hand.
"That son of a bitch," Zack slapped at the wall and Cloud flinched. Hanging his head, the brunette took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. Sephiroth came around the corner, walked a few steps into the bathroom and pushed a blanket into Zack's hands. Without a word, Sephiroth went back and sat down on the bed silently, he leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees and covered his face.
Zack crawled closer to Cloud with the blanket and wrapped it around him as he sat down on the floor in front of his traumatized friend. Mustering everything in his being to speak as calmly as possible, Zack quietly called, "Spiky, it's me." Cloud's face startled, and Zack let a sad smile briefly show, "Hey Buddy."
Cloud's eyes focused on him and in a very quiet, shaky whisper, all he said was, "…Zack…?"
"Yeah, it's me," This was the hardest thing Zack thought he had ever done. He fought everything to keep his tears and screams of rage at bay. Tears welled in the blonde's eyes, but none fell, instead he averted his gaze back to the wall.
Zack started to put his hand on his shoulder again, but pulled his hand back, "Please let me help you." Cloud remained still and they sat there for a while until Zack verbally nudged, "Hey, I'm going to get you cleaned up and in bed." Cloud said nothing and refused to look at Zack; Cloud closed his eyes and silently accepted Zack's help.
His face remained blank and he was unmoving on his own. As Zack went to pick him up off the floor, Cloud winced and hissed at the pain in his beaten body.
Zack noticed that the spot where Cloud had been sitting, a small amount of blood had accumulated. Cloud stood motionless and stared at the shower with a fearful despair filling his eyes until Zack reassured, "It's okay, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." Those words tasted bad in his mouth.
As Cloud slowly began to clean himself off, Zack saw that Cloud had fresh bruises all over. He could see some of them on his hips, thighs and neck that were in the shape of hands. He had a gash on the side of his head that had since clotted. There was a nick on the back of his head but it hadn't bled quite as bad as the other one. His hair was matted with blood, sticking to the side of his face and head. He had bruises and cuts on his left fist and the knuckles on his right hand were bruised, swollen and bleeding.
Zack cursed himself, his friend had been brutalized and he did nothing to stop it. Zack got him out of the shower and dried him off, and helped him get dressed. He walked him out of the bathroom and put him in the bed. Zack sat at the foot of the bed, "Okay buddy, I'll stay right here in case you need me." Zack leaned forward and put his head in his hands. 'How long was Cloud at the mercy of Davis? Cloud was gone from the gym for almost three hours. How long was he in the lab? It's my fault. Maybe if I had seen Davis leave, I could have done something.' Zack and Sephiroth made eye contact from across the room. Zack asked in a quiet voice, "Seph, did you feel all of it?"
Sephiroth moved his eyes over to Cloud's form under the blanket; he swallowed hard, "Only part." Zack looked over at Cloud and lowered his head. Cloud was restless so Zack sat back against the wall and gently put his hand on Cloud's ankle. That small amount of contact from his friend seemed to calm the blond teen.
Sephiroth got up after Zack got Cloud settled and went to the bathroom to clean up the mess. Some of the prints and drag marks had since dried. Sephiroth ran his fingers over them. He got all of the attack in a rush of feelings and images. Even though in was just part of it, it was enough pain, terror and shame that it set Sephiroth to thinking. Cloud had been able to block most of it from getting to him, but how.
The whole rest of the afternoon they sat with Cloud. That evening, Cloud refused to eat and remained in bed, facing the wall, refusing to look at either of them.
Much later that night Zack had fallen asleep sitting up and Cloud was sleeping restlessly. Sephiroth finally fell asleep but got woken up by someone sneaking into the room.
"Hey, Mr. Sephiroth. I need to talk to you," Lawrence whispered.
"What?" He asked very curtly.
"I heard what happened." In a quick fluid movement Sephiroth jumped to his feet and grabbed him by the throat and held him at arm's length. "Wait, wait I want to help you," he said hoarsely.
Without loosening his grip, Sephiroth's eyes narrowed and focused fiercely on Lawrence's face, "I'm listening."
"Davis was bragging about what happened," Holding the wrist of the hand that held his throat firmly, he held his free hand up in surrender, "Listen, Cloud and I haven't ever really gotten along, but NO ONE deserves what happened to him. Davis is a sick bastard and I want to help you. Please."
"Why do you want to help us? Why don't you help us get out of here?" Sephiroth's baritone voice spoke lowly.
"I can't help you escape. Believe me I have thought about it. It's a long story. I can and want to help you with Davis," Lawrence pleaded.
Sephiroth scanned him in a way that Lawrence began to tremble in fear, "I'm waiting, and I am not in a very patient mood."
"My sister… the same thing happened to her. She died and they never caught the son of a bitch that cut her up after violating her over and over," Lawrence started tearing up and his voice cracked.
Sephiroth slowly let go of infantry soldier's neck. Lawrence took his throat in his hands and swallowed. He tried not to cough to clear his throat.
Sephiroth walked over to Zack while still keeping an eye on Lawrence, squatting down, Sephiroth nudged the brunette's knee and Zack startled awake, "What's going on?"
"Shhh." Sephiroth put his finger up to his lips and pointed to Cloud. Pointing his thumb at Lawrence, Sephiroth whispered, "Lawrence here has a proposition."
They walked over to the bathroom and Zack stayed in the doorway in case Cloud woke up, "What's going on?" Zack crossed his arms, "What is your deal? You're one of the guys that jumped Cloud in his barracks room."
Lawrence held his hands up, "No, wait… That was all Connors's deal." Lawrence fidgeted, "Conners had it out for him for as long as I knew him."
Zack shifted his weight forward, "So why did you get involved?"
"I was new and he was the first guy that I made friends with. He knew Cloud from his home town. He said that he left shortly after Cloud did because he wanted to join the military too." Lawrence leaned against the wall, "Something about some girl that he liked."
Sephiroth crossed his arms and addressed both of them, "This Conners boy sounds completely intellectually deficient."
Lawrence smiled, "Well Jason Conners was never known for being the brightest color in the crayon box." He recalled, "The last time Connors jumped Cloud, he told us that Cloud was all over the girl. Shit, I can't remember her name."
Zack spoke solemnly, "Tifa."
Lawrence snapped his fingers, "Yeah that's it. Anyway he said that Cloud was all over her and she was yelling for help. He said that if he hadn't been there, that Cloud was going to rape her." Lawrence peeked around the corner at Cloud, "I never tried to get to know Cloud because I always thought he was a rapist or something."
Zack's shocked look at the story dropped his jaw, "Cloud would never do anything to her. He is and always has been in love with her." Cloud stirred in bed and Zack lowered his voice.
"Well, now that I know him better," Lawrence looked at Zack and Sephiroth and continued, "He is a good person… and I see that now."
Zack raised an eyebrow, "So you want to help. How?" Lawrence explained what his plan was and they all agreed.
Davis had the next couple of days off and it gave Lawrence and Barber some time. The morning that Davis was due back at work, all three of them stood in their cell in a semi-circle. Zack looked at Cloud, "Listen Buddy, I want you to trust me."
"I do trust you," Cloud's eyes remained pointed at the floor and he strained a small smile.
Zack put his hands on the sides of Cloud's head and looked intently into his friend's eyes. Cloud fidgeted from the eye contact, but he tolerated it, "Okay, because something is going to happen here in a few minutes and I need your help."
"What's going on?" Cloud was starting to sound uneasy and worried.
"You stay right here in the bathroom with Seph, I will be right over there. Okay. Do you understand?"
Cloud's concerned look turned to a puzzled look, "Zack?"
With his hands still holding Cloud's head, Zack pulled Cloud's head toward his until their foreheads touched, "I promised you that I would take care of you and that is exactly what I'm going to do."
Cloud put his hands around Zack's wrists and closed his eyes, breathing in deeply, "Okay."
When he heard the door open, Lawrence asked if they were ready and Zack released Cloud from his secure embrace. Zack looked at Lawrence and asked, "Where is Barber?"
Cloud tensed up at the sight of Lawrence who threw up a quick wave and said in a pleasant voice, "Hey Cloud." then continued to Zack, "Barber's out there. We're gonna go throw the bait, so heads up." Lawrence took his leave.
"Okay," Zack turned to Sephiroth and Cloud, "Showtime." Cloud was questioning in his face. "Trust me." Zack turned and headed for the door.
Zack's eyes held a certain sadness that Sephiroth had never seen in him before. He appreciated their friendship with him and each other. Sephiroth took Cloud's arm and pulled him over to the doorway to the bathroom, "Cloud, you stand right here. I will be right over there." Sephiroth took a step around Cloud and went further into the bathroom.
Cloud looked at Sephiroth without making eye contact, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"When it… when I was here, did you…" He had trouble finding the words that he wanted to say.
Cloud had refused to talk to either of them about anything pertaining to the attack and anytime Cloud caught him or Zack looking at him, he would drop his eyes. This was the first time Cloud had looked at him since the attack. Sephiroth studied his face knowing and feeling what he wanted to know.
Sephiroth knew that Cloud deeply wanted to know that his shame had not been shared, but at the same time, he wanted to know that he wasn't alone, "Only bits and pieces," he said softly. Sephiroth's eyes stayed steady and strong.
Cloud hung his head, "Oh, I'm sorry that I couldn't fight back better."
Sephiroth gently put his hand on Cloud's shoulder, "Some of what I felt was when you were fighting. You have nothing to be ashamed about."
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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