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: When I was going through to respond to all the reviews, I noticed that I had moved them all out of my inbox. I could swear that I responded to everyone, but evidently I got mixed up and so if I did respond to you, just disregard this. If I didn't, sorry about that. With me studying for finals and one of my kids being sick, I think that my mind is a little preoccupied. I remind you that this story is rated M. About the drama that I mentioned in the last update, I thank all of you that responded to me with words of encouragement and advice.
Don't forget about the poll on my profile, please take some time and vote!
Thanks to my beta Queen of Jokers! My other beta is unavailable for now, so it is all falling on QoJ.
"I'm not afraid of death; I just don't want to be there when it happens." -Woody Allen
Chapter 21
Opening his eyes, Zack couldn't see much at first, the hazy feeling in his head caused certain confusion that brought him back to when he was back in that reactor. It wasn't where he wanted to be, he didn't want to feel the panic he felt back then, worrying about Cloud and whether Sephiroth would come back and kill him and it scared him, who else would suffer because of his weakness.
Slowing his breathing, his vision was blurry and his head ached but his eyes were slowly able to finally focus, he looked around but did not recognize his surroundings, but he was just thankful to not be in the reactor.
With a quick rundown in his mind, he realized he was lying on his stomach and his head throbbed where he had been hit. Raising his head, there was a smear of blood on the wooden floor where his head had rested and the cloth that served as a gag, pushed far enough in his mouth that his jaw tired of the constant pressure of being forced open. When he tried to move so he could sit up, he noticed that his hands tied behind his back and the tightness of the restraint around his wrist made his hands tingle from lack of circulation, his bare feet tied together at his ankles and both tied with expert precision, he had no wiggle room or leverage within the heavy constraints.
With a glance to his left, he saw Cloud, tied up, but with a difference, his hands were tied in front of his chest and he had a chain tying one of his ankles to a wall stud. Shallow and steady breathing let Zack know that the blond was most likely sleeping.
Looking around a little more and their surroundings, it looked like a workshop but it was fairly empty and rather large and almost looked brand new, at least built within the last few months. Rolling over to his other side, he surveyed what he could, but then he saw someone coming, "Well, glad you're finally awake." As the man approached, he struggled with his bindings in an angry panic, recognizing his captor, "How have you been? Did you miss me when I left?" The man bent down to remove the gag.
Swallowing thickly to moisten his mouth, Zack hoarsely spat, "Charles?!"
"I asked you a question. Did you miss me when I left?" Charles stayed in his squatting position right in front of Zack.
Zack glared at him at first and then he let himself calm a little before he softened his face and raised an eyebrow, "You left? I didn't notice."
Charles's face dropped and he seemed hurt by Zack's comment. He took a deep breath and sighed as he stood, "I left not long after you killed my brother. Well he was my brother by marriage anyway."
"Who the hell is your brother?" Zack pulled at the restraint around his wrists.
"Davis," He said with a smile that sent a foreboding feeling up Zack's spine, "Don't feel too bad, I didn't like him that much." Cloud woke up and Zack could hear the sobs that signified that the blond was either uncomfortable or hungry, but the rising noises got muffled quickly when Charles put a gag in his mouth. With a purposeful pat Cloud's thigh, Charles reassured the comatose blond, "Now just calm down there pretty boy."
Seeing the way the man touched his friend sent a shudder of revulsion to Zack's gut, making him nauseous with anger, "Leave him alone! Don't touch him or I'll kill you too!" Zack glared and his face twisted in hatred. The thought of Cloud going through that again seemed to disturb a tenderness for Cloud that literally hurt his heart.
"Oh it's not him I want," He shook his head slowly, not taking his eyes off of Zack. Charles's eyes twinkled with intent.
Not able to hide a confused look, "What are you talking about?"
"I must have hit you harder than I thought," Charles squatted down to Zack's face, "I want you."
Zack struggled with his bindings again. His mind raced with reasons that he would want him, "You want me for what, ransom, reward-" The thought that he wanted him for something else pushed its way to the forefront of his brain and he prayed that it was almost anything else. Zack watched Charles's face as he stared back at him and he could feel heat rising up to his head as his anger rose with it.
Charles held something up in front of Zack's face, "Before I left the labs, I took a few souvenirs. Davis was into pretty younger boys like him," Charles nodded in Cloud's direction. "I'm into big, muscular, good-looking guys like you," Charles smiled a smile that made Zack sick to his stomach, "He told me that with you for sure, I would need this. Well I never got the chance in the lab." Shaking it lightly, Zack finally took notice, a large gallon sized baggie with a large vial of clear liquid and a few empty syringes. Zack looked over at Cloud and his blond friend's eyes were closed, seemingly sleeping again.
Putting his forehead back down to the floor, Zack groaned loudly in frustration and pulled at his restraints as Charles continued, "Imagine my surprise when I am walking back to the farm from hunting and I see you and pretty boy here. I had decided to sell this shit, but then there you were," Charles paused and reveled in Zack's fighting spirit with a lecherous laugh, "It's not supposed to put you to sleep, but it… oh you'll find out later."
Stopping his struggle, Zack was surprisingly calm when he said, "You are going to die." Charles moved to put the gag back in his mouth and Zack jerked backward and rolled as far from him as he could.
Charles grabbed the bindings around his wrists and yanked him back causing Zack's arms up behind him. Crying out in pain at the feel of his arms pulled up toward his head and one of his shoulders threated to dislocate.
Finally getting the gag back in his mouth, Charles grinned, "Ahh, now don't act like that. I'm not so bad, once you get to know me." Not lowering his lips from the smile, it changed instead to a more sensual smile as he rubbed Zack's bicep, lightly squeezing the tightened muscle under his hand and his eyes glistened in anticipation.
The sight of Charles enjoying touching him, made Zack's desperation increase, he jerked his arm out of his captor's hand. Instead of being angered, Charles rose and turned to leave and he giggled with giddiness as he walked out of the workshop.
Zack started wiggling on his side, trying to roll over to Cloud. 'Maybe if I could get his ropes loose. Oh what the hell am I thinking?' He then started looking around for any tools or anything to use as a weapon or something. Seeing something high up on the wall close to Cloud, he wiggled his way over to his friend.
Once he reached the side with the scythe hanging up, he worked to get himself to a sitting position, his back against the wall. Pushing up with his legs, he slid his way up the wall, the unfinished wood snagged at his shirt. Through his gag he tried reassuring Cloud, and himself, "I'll get us out of here, one way or another, Buddy."
Now that he was standing, he hopped a little to the left and was able to touch the handle of the scythe. Again he spoke as assurance, "-Hopefully before Charles gets a hard-on." Holding out his hands, he got them underneath the end of the handle. A simple movement, lifting his hand and getting on is tip toes, he got it unhooked and unable to catch it, it fell to the floor, "Shit!" Zack halted and watched the half-open door to see if Charles had heard.
Hearing nothing, he dropped to his knees and then down to his side and wiggled his way over to it. Sweat working its way down his face and the unmistakable sting of salty sweat burned his eyes and some got soaked up by his gag. Raising a shoulder up, he tried to wipe the side of his face on his shirt, trying to clear his vision. Putting his wrists around the blade, he ran the ropes up and down the sharp edge.
"Oh no you don't!" Charles picked the scythe up and took it outside.
Through his gag, Zack cursed, "Damn it!" Resting the side of his head on the floor, he tried to catch his breath. Not being able to breathe through his mouth made it a little more difficult. His heart pounded at the thought of what was going to happen, he tried to calm himself down, but the thought of what he would have to go through was making it was damn difficult.
Charles came back in and this time he carried a heavy four-foot chain. The former guard wrapped and locked one end of it to the large wall post that was close to where the brunet had woken up and the other end of the chain sported a shackle.
Grabbing the rope around Zack's ankles, Charles dragged him, on his stomach, closer to the post. Zack couldn't make it easy for the guy, so he was able to jerk his feet back and out of Charles's grip.
When Charles just stood there, surprised, Zack rolled away, but the pudgy guard stepped out of the way and was lucky enough to grab a hold of the rope between his ankles again. Charles flipped his wrist, using some of Zack's own momentum and flopped the former Soldier back to his stomach and pulled him the rest of the way, sitting on Zack's legs to keep him from moving. Once he attached the shackle end to one of Zack's ankles and once free of Charles's weight, the angry brunet rolled to his side.
It was getting dark and with the light fading, Zack quickly looked for something else. The former Soldier smacked his forehead on the ground when he saw his and Cloud's armor and boots in a pile on the floor close to Cloud's head. 'I bet good money that my sword is probably over there under our armor and boots.' He couldn't see anything to help him in his current situation though, if only he'd noticed before, but now he was tethered to a wall post. Apparently Charles had cleaned the workshop of tools prior to his waking up.
Pulling at his bindings hard enough that it brought with it a little blood, the rope drank up the red liquid before it could drip down one of his arms. Hearing footsteps, Zack turned back over to see the door.
Seeing Charles with one of the syringes, that was now full, Zack started yelling at the man through his gag and struggling harder with his bindings. Panic settled into his bones as Charles got closer and Zack could see the amusement on his face at his futile struggles.
Leaning down he punched Zack in the face and when Zack's face hit the floor, Charles got a knee in his upper back, pinning his chest to the floor. Zack felt the pinch of an injection in his arm muscle. He doubled his efforts in his battle with the ropes, and Charles softly informed him, "The rope is reinforced, so even you can't break through it," Charles laughed and patted Zack on his backside.
Somehow Zack doubted that, rope strong enough to hold a Soldier First Class was damn near impossible to get, that was the reason that Hojo always used the Soldier steel metal restraints that he'd lived in for four years.
Charles took a handful of thick black spikes and pulled his head back harshly, snapping Zack's head back hard enough that Zack cried out from the sudden shock of pain in his neck. Involuntary tears welled up in his eyes as his neck strained at the odd angle.
Charles cleaned the blood and sweat from Zack's face with a wet washcloth and then brushed his messy black hair back from his face gently, "There, now there's the good lookin guy I know." Standing back up, Charles shrugged, "This is a drug that just relaxes you. They use as part of anesthesia when they do surgery, or something like that. I had to give you a little extra cause you're such a big guy, and a Soldier."
Apparently, unless there was a miraculous rescue by the inconveniently absent Sephiroth, Zack was going to succumb to the drug's effects and he was going to be raped. Zack was a strong man, and he had a high tolerance for pain, he just hoped that if he waited long enough, Charles would make a mistake and then he could make his move. After all, Charles was an un-enhanced man, he shouldn't have to endure much before Charles tired himself out. However, having to endure any of it was more than Zack could handle emotionally, but then he looked at Cloud, as the younger man seemingly slept peacefully unaware of his surroundings, and what he'd gone through at the hands of Davis.
Zack worked to bolster his feelings, empty his mind so that he could mentally go somewhere else, anywhere but here. Closing his eyes, Zack's heart rate slowed as he remembered all the meditation that Angeal had tried to instill in him as part of his Soldier training.
Charles smiled, "The best part is I have a couple of friends that should be here anytime and they want to take a crack at a Soldier First Class too."
Zack's eyes burst open in a sudden panic, his breaths increased as he watched Charles go over to the corner and wash his hands in a small sink. When Charles turned back around to Zack, his glare was dangerous. The menacing bright glow of mako eyes enforced the hatred and anger of the wicked strength of will in Zack's heart. If Zack hadn't been tied up, Charles would have been dead a long time ago, "Whoa! I guess Davis was right, I did need that shot for you!" He laughed and then Zack heard footsteps entering and there were the two more rapists that showed up.
"So this is him? He's a lot bigger than I imagined," Said the guy wearing brown pants.
The guy with gray pants asked, "How long do we need to wait before the drugs take effect?"
"They'll be kicking in soon," Charles came over and Zack tried to kick but he was beginning to slow down and weaken. Looking over at Cloud, his bright blue eyes were open now and he was looking in Zack's direction. Zack continued to struggle and scream into his gag and he heard the men laughing and they seemed delighted at the thought of his fright. He kept his eyes on Cloud and he looked around the room then back to Zack.
"Do you have a knife?" Brown pants asked.
Charles said, "Oh I forgot it in the house. I'll be right back."
Gray pants asked, "Where is the thermostat for the heater, I'm getting a little cold."
"It's over by the blond guy."
Whatever that drug was, it was effective. Zack's screams were getting weaker and he could barely move anymore. His eyelids seemed to be getting a little heavier as well. Charles was walking back in holding a large combat knife and a large bucket.
"Hey Charles. Do we get that blond one too?" Brown pants was looking over at Cloud, caressing his pale cheeks and running his hand over the soft blond locks.
"Yeah maybe later," Charles laughed and elbowed brown pants, "Just remember that we can't hurt 'em too bad, they're worth a lot of Gil."
Brown pants added with a sickening smile and giggle, "I may want the blond one first."
"Well suit yourself. You can use my knife when I'm done. He doesn't really seem to move, that nut bag professor did something to him. Here is a syringe just to be safe. He gave Davis a pretty good fight," Charles handed him a syringe. Brown pants went and gave Cloud the shot and untied him and stripped him down to his boxers. Waiting for Cloud's shot to take effect; he went back over to where Zack lay.
"Well, let's get those clothes off, take a look at the spoils," Charles pulled Zack where his legs were straight out and he was on his stomach. He started with his shirt, "Wait till you see this." Cutting through the back and up to his neck. He eventually cut the shirt completely off. Rolling Zack over to his side, the men marveled at his muscular chest and stomach muscles clench and unclench with each breath.
Zack was still screaming, but all that was audible was whimpers, the drug had him at a severe disadvantage. Still willful, he tried moving away from them, but they were able to get a hold of him easily. Rolling him back over to his stomach, he went down to his pant leg and started at the left leg and cut all the way up to his waist. The knife slipped a little and cut him on the back of his thigh. Zack looked at Cloud and his eyes were still fixed in Zack's direction.
Charles cut up the other leg and yanked the tattered pants out from underneath him. Then he started cutting his boxer shorts off. After stripping him, Charles untied his hands and turned him over to his back. Zack flailed his arms in punches, but in his weakened state, he accomplished nothing. With help from the other two guys, they easily re-tied his hands in front, "Tell me, what you think?" Charles beamed in his achievement at capturing a Soldier.
With words that dripped with arousal, Gray pants said, "I think he's beautiful," Reaching with eager fingers, he ran his hands down Zack's chest, stomach, and arms, then groped at his thighs and backside. Zack screamed into his gag again and he was able to get a small jerk of his head and he kicked his legs weakly. Brown pants took his turn groping and fondling him. Dipping his hands into the bucket, it turned out that it was full of soapy water and they enjoyed washing him of sweat and the smears of dirt he'd accumulated during his travels. Brown pants cooed in Zack's ear, "We want you to smell pretty for us."
Continuing to cry out in angry protests, the brunet tried again to kick and move away from them but they enjoyed watching him struggle against their roving hands, it lit a new excitement in their eyes. Charles turned him back over to his stomach while Gray pants went across the workshop and pulled a small wooden work table over to the post where Zack was chained to.
"Well I caught him so I get to go first," Zack closed his eyes, his tears burned as he felt rough and crude hands on him when they picked him up to put him over the small, but sturdy wooden table. Zack's long arms and head hung over the other side of the table. The feel of his skin pinching between his hips bones and the other edge of the table caused him to shudder, but he had to try to stay calm.
At the sight of Gray pants belt buckle in front of his face, however, his heart raced and his battle to keep up a state of calm was short-lived. Gray pants took his wrists and another rope and tied it to the leg brace closer to the floor, between two of the table legs, fully securing him to the table.
A quick glance in Cloud's direction, Zack saw his royal blue eyes still looking right at him, almost like he was comprehending what was fixing to happen, but the blond didn't move, didn't twitch or flinch at the noises or the sight in front of him. Blood from the cut on his thigh tickled as it creeped down the rest of his leg, tickling him as it crawled and dripped and played down the small hairs on the back of Zack's thigh.
Jerking his eyes up at the feel of Gray pants gripping a handful of Zack's of raven hair, the man pulled his head back, painfully, "While you're down there Charles, I'm going to start-up here." Dropping his head callously forgetting that Zack's chin would slam into the edge of the table, Gray pants started unbuckling his pants and Zack heard Charles removing his clothes. Wincing at the feel of his teeth bashing together through the gag, he quickly forgot that pain when he inhaled harshly at the feel of Charles putting a cold hand on one of his bare hips.
With a curse under his breath, Charles talked to Brown pants, "Get me that lube over there, evidently Sephiroth wasn't fuckin this one." Leaning down, he whispered over Zack's shoulder, "Just relax and it won't hurt so bad, I don't want to have to get the other syringe, but I will if I have to."
Grey pants pulled his pants off and Zack was eye to eye to his crotch and saw what was intended for him. When Grey pants reached for the back of Zack's head to untie the gag, all he could do was squeeze his eyes shut tight and his burning tears spilled out over his heated face. He hated to admit it, but he was scared and the sound of his blood rushing through his veins almost deafened him.
Keeping his eyes tightly closed, he held his breath at the sound of a loud noise and the unwelcome hands on his hips. When sharp finger nails dug into the skin on his hips, Zack screamed out in fright, but he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes.
A heavy weight fell on his back and pushed the air from his lungs, somewhere in the back of his mind, he barely heard a low scream from one of the men and then there was nothing, but he kept his eyes shut tightly and panted in panic while waiting for the horror to start.
Warm hands brushed his skin, again he yelped in distress, and when the weight lifted off his back, he lowered his head, and prayed for Charles to just get it over with. Again, hands were on him as his gag was being removed, he bit down on the rag, desperate to hold onto the one thing keeping the man in grey pants from violating him.
"Are you okay Zack?" Opening his eyes slowly, he couldn't believe what he saw. Cloud stood there, in his boxer shorts, Zack's sword laying on the floor close to the blonde's feet. Cloud was very calm, oddly calm, and the tone of his voice was just as calm as his demeanor.
Moving quickly, but carefully, to remove his bindings on his wrists, Cloud pulled Zack's limp body off the table and to the floor. Removing the chain around his ankle, he untied the ropes and patted Zack's shoulder softly, "I'll be right back."
Zack lay on the floor on his back, exposed, cold, terrified, relieved, angry and happy. He still couldn't really move or form understandable words, but he was able to move his eyes slowly and he looked over the room as far as he could and he saw three dead men littering the floor in varying stages of undress.
Cloud returned with some clothes and he got Zack dressed as he reassured, "The drug will wear off soon." Zack thanked him with a low groan and his eyes just before he closed them to squeeze the rest of his tears of relief out. He would thank his friend properly when he could talk coherently and give him one of the tight hugs that Cloud and Sephiroth always complained about. He didn't hear Cloud or see him after Cloud finished buttoning his shirt up, he must be allowing the brunet to recover a little and checking things out. Maybe he was in the house getting supplies.
Finally he was able to move a little and he rolled on his side and his breath stilled at what he saw. Cloud was about 5 feet away from where he had been when brown pants stripped him. Zack tried forming words again, "Cloud, hey Spike." Still nothing. Once he was able to, he crawled over to him. Nudging him, Cloud slowly opened his eyes. He looked around but not really seeing anything. Zack sighed and got himself in a sitting position, he had hoped that he was just sleeping. Looking down at his face, his pale white skin moved under the power of his facial muscles. Cloud closed his eyes just as slowly as he had opened them and a small crooked smile crossed his lips and then disappeared quickly.
The brunet couldn't understand what happened. Cloud was wake, or was he? Zack didn't think that he'd hallucinated his friend, but if it wasn't a hallucination, why was Cloud comatose again? It had to be something with Jenova, Cloud had mentioned it before. Jenova was always there when he slept. Zack was going to question him about it as soon as he woke up for more than just a few minutes.
"Thank you," Zack brushed some of the blond spikes out of his eyes, "Remind me never to complain about having to help you pee again." Zack smiled as he rustled Cloud's hair, "I am gonna go check out the house, you stay put okay." The clothes that Cloud had gotten him had belonged to Charles and they did not fit at all. The legs were to short and he had to hold the waist band to keep them from falling down.
Entering the house cautiously, he quickly determined that it was empty. Upstairs, one of the bedrooms had clothes strewn across the floor that Cloud most likely had made the mess looking for clothes for him, but there was another door that was shut. Trying the door, it was locked. Zack kicked at the door a couple of times until it finally opened, "I'll be happy when I get all my strength back," he mumbled to himself.
Flipping the light on, it was a bedroom that was full of boxes and a closet full of clothes. Going through the closet, he picked some black pants that were old military style. They had a few pockets down the legs like cargo pants. Holding them up, they looked like they may fit, they were at least long enough.
Trading pants, the new pants were still a little big in the waist, but a belt would fix that problem. Flipping through more clothes, he found a couple of shirts and two more pairs of pants that would fit him. He picked out some clothes that Cloud could wear, they would be big, but he figured Cloud wouldn't mind. A light blue shirt would be too noticeable out in the woods, but the black one would do fine. He went ahead and grabbed the blue one and a few more to take with them just in case. He went through the rest of the house and began to think that since the house was empty that they could stay there for the night. Going back out to the workshop, he went to get Cloud.
Charles and gray pants were naked from the waist down. All three were dead. He went through their pants for useful items. He moved the bodies to a small corner behind a wood pile on the same wall that Cloud was chained to. He gathered up the armor, bags, his sword and Cloud. There was no other reason to have to go back in there so he shut the door and latched it.
Heading back to the house he took Cloud upstairs and put him in one of the beds, "If you don't mind I am going to get in the shower." He covered Cloud with a blanket and just before he shut the door he glanced at the blond.
Zack stood in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He had dried blood matted in his hair around the spot where Charles had hit him with what Zack figured was probably a wrench or something equally deadly. A bruise was forming on his cheek bone. Just standing there, he stared at himself in the mirror and almost didn't recognize himself. Stress, Hojo's torture and exhaustion had taken a serious toll on him. He took a deep breath and his hands firmly held the sink as he tried to calm himself.
Looking at himself again, he needed a haircut badly. His hair had gotten past his shoulder blades so he dug around for some scissors and started cutting.
After his hair cut and getting in the shower, he stood under the water for a while, just letting the hot water run down his back. He wondered 'What had happened that Cloud would wake up for just those few minutes? Would he do it again? I know he saw me and he actually looked into my eyes. Why didn't that shot seem to affect him?'
His torment from earlier jumped into his thoughts, he started to sob, but fought it. He quickly tried to think about something else. Anything else would be better than that. Stepping out, he toweled himself off and wrapped a towel around his waist. He wiped the mirror and checked his injury, now that it was clean he could see that it wasn't too bad, no stitches were needed. The cut on his thigh wasn't as bad as he thought; he guessed that he lucked out not needing stitches for either wound.
He went back to the bedroom and Cloud was still sleeping. He put on some of the clothes he found earlier and went to wake him up. "You hungry? Let me go look at what we got going on down there. Be right back." He headed into the kitchen, flipped the light on and rummaged through the cabinets. He found part of a cobbler in the fridge, "Yes! Mr. Sweet tooth will love this." He grabbed some water and a spoon.
"Look at what I found! It's a cobbler, but I don't know the flavor. Let me see, mmmm! It tastes like Chocoberry! How lucky is that!" He went over and picked Cloud's head up, he was completely limp and his eyes were closed, "Hey wake up, you need to eat something." Cloud didn't move, just the movement of his breathing was all there was, "Well maybe if I get you in the tub, maybe that will wake you a little. I am going to cut your hair before I get ya in the bath though, don't want people calling you Maria or anything."
Sitting him up, he pulled him down to the foot of the bed and propped him up against the foot board. He got the scissors and cut his hair to the length he knew he liked it, "I may not be a professional, but I think I did a pretty good job." He got the bath water ready and removed the blanket and his boxers, "Okay buddy, here we go." He put him into the tub and Cloud opened his eyes slowly, "Yeah, you like that don't ya. It's nice and warm. A lot better than that freezing creek huh?" Zack grabbed one of his legs, and started soaping up a foot. Cloud recoiled, "Oh, you're ticklish aren't you? Well I still need to wash your stinky feet. Shinra could smell those bad boys 10 miles away!" Zack laughed nervously and lightly punched Cloud's shoulder.
While Cloud soaked in the tub, he took Cloud's clothes and put them in the washer. Once he was back upstairs, he sat down on the floor with his back against the side of the tub. Cloud had his eyes closed again, "I wish you could tell me what happened. How and why did you wake up?" He ran his hands through his hair and tried to keep up a calm exterior for Cloud. He glanced over his shoulder to Cloud's face, "You ready to get out?" He pulled the plug to let the water out. Zack picked him up and his body went back to completely limp. Zack got him dried off and wrapped him up in a blanket.
"Now I have this cobbler, it tastes like Chocoberry cobbler. I know for a fact that you like Chocoberries, so there shouldn't be a taste problem," Putting a small scoop in his mouth he didn't do anything at first. Once he swallowed it, he opened his mouth ready for more. "Yeah, that's what I thought!" He ate all that there was and when there wasn't any more left, he still wanted more, "I'm sorry, you ate all of it." Cloud closed his eyes and turned his face away from Zack, "Don't get mad at me, I'm not the one who ate it all." Zack put the empty pan down and held Cloud in his arms and hugged him. Resting his cheek on the side of his head, he took a deep breath, "I love you Spiky, thank you."
Zack didn't realize that he had fallen asleep. A graphic nightmare about Charles and his pervert buddies woke him. Cloud was still lying in his arms, but the head-board had dug a trench in Zack's back. Moving Cloud, he got up and stretched his back. He looked to see what time it was and the clock said 4:17 in the morning, "Damn, we slept for about six hours."
They spent the day there at the house. Zack needed to rest up as much as he could. The search he'd done of the perverts the night before had yielded him some car keys and some money. Zack loaded up on food, a few clothes and some extra medical supplies. Staying also gave him time to clean up his and Cloud's hair and their bath towels. He siphoned the gas from one of the two cars into the truck they would be taking. There was more gas in the workshop, he wanted to go in there and get it, but he just stood outside the door, not able to will himself to go inside, so he just left it. They would get another night's sleep in beds and leave the next morning.
Once they were on the road, Zack took a dirt road that led east. He hoped that the army would stick to the main roads. The truck got them almost three days drive. 'Aerith, I'm coming. Wait for me.'
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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