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: There is a little bit of psuedo-science and far-fetched-ness in this chapter, so just go with the flow as if it were real stuff B-)

Reviews, critiques and flames are welcome. I absolutely love all reviews about the story as it gives me motivation, I use good constructive criticism to help my writing improve and I feed the flames to the fires of my imagination.

Thanks to my before posting betaQueen of Jokers and my after posting beta SubZeroChimera!

"Kind words are the music of the world." –F.W. Faber

Chapter 48

The quiet knock on the door got Cloud's attention, "Hello Cloud, it is good to see you well. May I come in?" Cloud stepped aside and he entered with a presence that he belonged anywhere he was. Sephiroth walked around the corner into the hallway and Tseng took his hand into a handshake, "Sephiroth, I am glad to see you alive as well." The Turk leader, being the forever professional, kept his smile just under his naturally stoic features.

Sephiroth nodded his head, "It's good to see you again. Thank you for coming." Sephiroth swept his hand out in a gesture to enter further into the house.

They all sat down and Tseng began, "I'll make this quick," Pulling some papers from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, he continued, "These are the most recent codes, key cards and security protocols. I will be working late tonight so you know what you have to do." He looked at Sephiroth intently and the former General nodded slowly and Tseng finished, "The armory still holds several prototypes and these will give you access to them all."

He rose to his feet and Sephiroth rose as well and held his hand out. Tseng took his hand, "Thank you so much Tseng, I know what this means for you." After the handshake with the silver-haired man, Tseng held his hand out to Cloud.

Cloud took his hand firmly, "Cloud, good luck to you. Both of you."

When he was gone, Tifa and everyone came back downstairs, "Ready?" Tifa raised her eyebrows as she looked at them.

Cloud nodded and Sephiroth said, "Yes."

Barret added, "Then let's get this train movin!"

Cloud quickly raised his hand up, "Oh, no… We can't have a hot-head in there while we are just sneaking in. If we were busting up the place, maybe I'd take you with us." Cloud stepped closer to the larger man, "I have a more important task for you. I need you to stay here with Tifa and Aerith to get everything else ready to go and meet me and Seph at the gates." Barret huffed and went into the kitchen and got more cake out of the fridge and began scarfing it down.

Cloud leaned over closer to the martial artist, "Tifa, you know what we are going to need for the trip?" She nodded her head. "We will be back later." He turned and grabbed the door knob and stopped short of opening the door, instead, he turned and one of his hands went to the back of her neck, pulling her into a long passion-filled kiss. When he finally released her, his head spun and she smiled at him. With a wink, he said, "See you in a bit."

Cloud and Sephiroth found themselves hesitantly standing not far from the doors to the Shinra Empire. A few steps and they were inside the animal that they had come to despise. Sephiroth wearing his wig and Cloud walking several feet behind him, they approached the elevators.

Once in the elevator, Sephiroth hit the button for the Soldier floor. The armory that was exclusively for Soldier operatives was sure to be guarded. There hadn't been as many Soldiers as there had been before and Sephiroth felt that it had a lot to do with Hojo. However, he was sure that there were still enough of them around to cause a serious problem.

Since it was after hours, although the halls were deserted, they still had security to deal with. Tseng had set the cameras on a loop to show nothing in the halls, Sephiroth spotted two guards standing in front of the armory. Cloud sighed in relief that they weren't Soldiers, just lesser trained night watchmen. Sephiroth turned to Cloud and whispered, "I'll lure one of them down the hall and you get the other." Cloud nodded in agreement. Cloud stepped just inside the training room door. Sephiroth stepped out from around the corner, "Excuse me, I am having trouble with my card. Could you help me please?"

One of the guards started walking toward him as he spoke in a pleasant tone, "Everyone left. Are you working late?"

"Yes, I have to get done before the boss has an aneurysm," Sephiroth and the guard walked past the door to the training room and Cloud made his way back out, toward the other guard.

The guard just so happened to be looking in the other direction when he tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey there!" Cloud grabbed his face and smacked the back of his head on the wall. He fell to the floor but wasn't out. Cloud reached down and hit one of his pressure points, knocking him out cold and Cloud waited for Sephiroth next to the door.

Cloud began thinking to himself, 'How do I know pressure points? Zack hadn't shown me all of that yet. He was just starting to get to that when I went into the tank before the escape.' Breaking him from his thoughts, Sephiroth came jogging around the corner and entered the code.

When the door unlocked and they went in, Cloud looked and marveled at the wide array of swords, maces and variety of armor. This had been his dream when he first showed up at Midgar, full of ideals, wanting nothing more than to become a Soldier. Now he was on the very floor that'd been off-limits while he'd been there. Many times he found himself standing on the infantry barracks floor just looking at the little back-lit number on the panel to the elevator. The desires of a small-town boy, hoping that one day he would be able to go there after being promoted and finally meeting Sephiroth seemed like a lifetime ago.

Going to the back of the large storeroom, Sephiroth found what he was looking for, Masamune. Obviously, they had recovered it from the reactor and brought it here because there were no others like it made. The grip was just like he'd remembered, the small nick in the tip of the hilt that his thumb covered, the worn part of the leather roping that wrapped the grip was perfectly fitting to his hand, it was comforting to him, a part of his past that was still intact.

Cloud watched Sephiroth take the sword off of the display pedestals and he flinched subconsciously. He touched the scar where the sword had run him through.

Thinking for a moment, Sephiroth glanced at his blond friend, and the symbol that this sword held for him. Cloud had forgiven him for what happened, but the symbol was still just as powerful as the memory.

Trying his best to stop the flood of memories in the blonde's eyes, Sephiroth spoke lowly, "Cloud, I am so sorry that this gives you such terrible memories, but hopefully, we can make better ones." Cloud raised his troubled gaze to the swordsman's face when Sephiroth put a hand on his shoulder, "Let's get you a sword, shall we?" They walked back toward the front, "There is a sword that I think would suit you. This one is the only one similar to the one Angeal carried." Cloud looked over the sword that Sephiroth indicated. It looked very similar to Zack's buster sword, but it was shimmering blade with a red handle and golden hilt, "It's name is Heaven's Cloud. It is almost as long as Zack's sword, and still as heavy though. Do you think you can handle it?"

Cloud looked at him, "Yeah." He grew a very large smile, "Yeah, I do."

"Let's get the rest of the stuff and get out of here," Sephiroth handed him some more equipment and headed out the door.

As Cloud flung the sword over his head and on to his back, he smiled to himself as it clicked home in the magnetic harness. It was all new to him, but at the same time, it fit like a glove. With slow cautious evading maneuvers they made their way down the hallway back to the elevator and waited just to the sides of it as the doors opened. Comfortable with the fact that it was empty, they got in and Sephiroth pushed the button for two floors up. The elevator made a buzzing noise and a key code panel flipped out. Sephiroth punched in the code and swiped the card and Cloud got a puzzled look. Sephiroth raised his hand up to him, "There are a few other things we need while we are here. Harding gave me a list."

The doors opened and Tseng stood there, "Come this way."

Cloud stopped short, an illness, a nauseous feeling took him over. With his stomach in a tight knot, his spine tingled from the impending panicked breakdown and the elevator doors almost closed on him. Sephiroth grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him forward, "Cloud! Look at me! Focus." Cloud's face flickered and he snapped out of his detachment, "Come on, we must to hurry." He followed Sephiroth through the maze of pods, tanks and cold steel tables. As they weaved between them, Cloud caught glimpses of what used to be human beings. If they hadn't escaped, would he have ended up as one of the things in a tank?

Tseng finally got to the back offices and labs. Entering a hallway with several doors, Tseng punched in a code, swiped a card and put his hand to the scanning panel. The door clicked and they stepped in.

Tseng tossed a small bag to Cloud, "Could you hold this please?" Cloud held the bag out and Sephiroth and Tseng took several vials of liquid of all different colors and consistencies. Tseng reached over and grabbed several boxes of syringes and placed them in the quickly filling bag. Sephiroth picked up a few large plastic bags, a large jar with thick liquid in it and put them all on the top of the contents in the bag. Cloud's confusion didn't lift in the least, in fact it increased. He knew that Harding was going to make a mix of something that was supposed to help, but some of the things that he saw, didn't make sense.

"Follow me down to the offices," Tseng punched in his code and the elevator stopped on another floor. Making their way down the halls, Tseng opened an office and stepped through the threshold, "Sephiroth, are you ready?" Tseng reached over and pushed a few buttons on a computer keyboard and waited patiently.

Sephiroth took a deep breath, "I think so. Are you?" Tseng nodded. "Cloud, if you could help him please."

"What is going on? Help him with what?" Cloud moved closer to Tseng as the Turk pulled his tie off and tied it around his upper arm.

Tseng turned to him, "Just keep me from hitting my head." He leaned over the desk and put his arm out.

Cloud's eyes grew large, and his face paled at the sight of Sephiroth raising his sword, "Seph! Don't!" Sephiroth's sword came down with a whoosh of air and the blade sliced through the air and Tseng's lower arm, right between his elbow and wrist. Tseng's legs trembled and Cloud caught him and moved him to a chair, "What the hell!"

Sephiroth picked his arm up, "Cloud, I need one of the plastic bags please." Cloud's hands trembled and pulled one of the larger bags out and handed it to him. "Could you open it please?" Cloud almost passed out, but he fought it and opened the bag and set it on the desk. Sephiroth put Tseng's arm in gently and dug into the bag hanging from Cloud's shoulder. He pulled out the big jar of thick blue liquid and poured it in the clear plastic bag with the arm.

Tseng weakly pulled a drawer open and Sephiroth immediately handed Cloud the arm.

With a fair amount of disgust and surprise mixed together, Cloud juggled it a little and finally got firmer grasp of the upper part of the bag. Sparing a quick and morbid look at it, he gagged. Sephiroth reached into the drawer that Tseng pulled open and took out the first aid kit. Wrapping a bandage around Tseng's wound, he pulled him out of the chair and gently laid him out on the floor. Putting pressure on the open wound, Tseng cried out in pain for the first time since his arm was severed and Cloud was in awe at Tseng's restraint. Sephiroth pulled a phone down from the desk and purposely made a small mess about it. He laid the phone next to Tseng and put his hand on Tseng's forehead, "Thank you."

Tseng nodded his head once and closed his eyes and said through pain filled gritted teeth, "Just make it all worth it. Get out of here before security catches on."

Sephiroth headed for the elevators and stepped in. Cloud realized he was still holding the arm so he handed it to Sephiroth and said in a flat voice, "I guess you want this?"

Sephiroth took it and raised his gaze from the arm, "I didn't tell you because-"

"-That's okay, I understand," He took a deep breath, "So where are we supposed to stash it?"

Sephiroth smiled, "The front desk of course."

Cloud didn't stifle his laugh.

Tifa, Jessie, Harding and Barret returned to the bar and started packing up a few things in some bags and backpacks. She went into Cloud and Zack's room and looked behind the dresser and Zack's sword sat there. It was odd that he would disappear without it. She put her hand around the handle and nothing happened at first. With a grunt and more effort, she moved it out from behind the dresser, "How the hell does he and Cloud swing this around like it's nothing? This thing is freakin heavy," With both hands on the sword, she pulled and made it to the hall.

Barret came upstairs and took the sword, "Damn, this fuckin thing his heavy!"

Tifa looked at him, "I know!"

Barret had a much easier time carrying it, "I guess I'll get the sword, you get the bags." Barret put the sword's harness that conveniently held the magnet that held the sword in place, on and hefted the sword onto his back and put it place. Not taking into account the extra weight, he hadn't braced himself beforehand so he staggered back a couple of steps and caught himself against the wall, "Gotta be careful not to do that again."

After gathering everything up, they loaded the truck up with everything they had. Jessie gave Tifa a hug, "Take care of yourself you hear me!" Jessie finished with a point at her.

Tifa turned and reached for the door when it opened unexpectedly, startling her, "Well, if you want to meet me upstairs, we can go ahead and get this awkwardness out of the way." The red-head pushed past her into the front dining area of the bar/restaurant.

She put her hands on her hips and sighed, "Reno, I don't have time or the patience for this or you right now."

"Well, we think we know where little Zacky-poo is might be heading," Reno leaned back and put his elbows on the bar. Rude came in and closed the door behind him, "So, is Sephy and Cloud-o-rino, not back yet?"

Barret clumsily made his way downstairs, "No, we are supposed to meet them in 30 minutes."

Reno looked at Tifa and put his face down toward the floor and raised his eyes to see her, "Then, I suppose you will have to wait for me to give ya a little poke and tickle." Tifa rolled her eyes.

"Reno, we need to get going, the phone call is going to be any minute now. Don't forget, we are going to have to pick up Hojo too," Rude turned to leave.

Reno sighed and rolled his eyes as he lifted himself off the bar, "Great… creepy science camel-sucker in the back of the car."

Tifa jumped forward and grabbed his arm, "Wait. Where is Zack?"

Reno turned and put his hand on hers, "Oh, why do we need to talk about him when you've got me?" Tifa pulled her hand out from underneath his. He shifted his weight, "From what we can tell he doesn't have a specific destination in mind. Right now, he is somewhere between here and Junon."

"Junon? What is there that he is going to?" Harding asked as he walked in to grab another bag.

"Do I look like 411? Zack didn't exactly leave a bread crumb trail or a note describing his motives," Reno walked out.

Barret yelled from outside, "Come on Tifa, we need to get going. We still gotta go get Aerith."

They pulled up in front of the house and Barret honked the horn, "Barret!" Tifa growled in exasperation at him as she jumped out and ran up to the door.

Aerith was coming down the stairs putting her jacket on, "I put everything next to the wall there." She pointed to a few bags of clothes, food, money and medical supplies. They grabbed as many bags as they could when Harding and Barret came in and grabbed the heavier bags. As they left to get to the rendezvous point, Tifa had a sinking in her heart. What were they getting into, what trouble was Zack in? It was obvious that it was a big deal to Sephiroth and Cloud, she could tell from the way that they were exchanging looks back at the house. She wanted to know what was happening, but she didn't dare ask because she was afraid that they would answer truthfully.

When the elevator doors opened on the second floor, Cloud slung the bag across his chest and shoulder careful not to slice through the strap of the bag with his new sword. He couldn't help that even though he hadn't made it into Soldier, in all intents and purposes, he was one now. It made a little grin cross his lips at the thought of what the assholes that used to beat him up when he was a kid would think. If they could see him now, next to the great General Sephiroth, side by side, buster sword on his back and mako flowing through his veins. He didn't know where Jason Conners was now, but he wouldn't mind telling him a few things.

Sephiroth took his bag and Tseng's arm and headed to the back area of the lobby laying the bag holding part of the Turk leader in it, gently on the desk. When Cloud and Sephiroth stepped into the vehicle show room, Cloud's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He went straight for the motorcycle, while Sephiroth had gone to the car, "Cloud, we need something more practical."

Cloud turned on him with a huge smile on his face and challenged him, "Tell me you wouldn't like to ride one of these. I dare you to refuse this." He turned back around and ran his hand along the polished chrome exhaust pipe and shiny black back fender.

Sephiroth gazed toward the motorcycles, it was true. He did want to ride one instead of having a boring car. A smile came across his face as well and he briskly walked toward the display of new Shinra prototypes, "I want this one." His hands glided over the large front wheel of the bike that sat next to the one that Cloud was already dreaming about riding.

Cloud stopped looking over the bike in front of him long enough to say to Sephiroth, "Let's go!" Cloud climbed up on the display pedestal and threw a leg over. He settled his rear in the seat and he had a moan/laugh leave his mouth. He raised his eyebrows, with a smile and nodded to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth followed suit and when his rear settled into the leather seat, he looked over at Cloud with an excited yet content smile. They started the engines and the purr excited Cloud. He couldn't wait until Tifa was sitting right behind him, her arms around his waist. The thought of her legs spread over the leather and wrapped next to his legs made his manhood jerk to life. He gassed it and it lurched forward and out the large glass doors that Sephiroth had conveniently left open.

They headed out and down the stairs to the front doors. The automatic doors opened as they eased the bikes through them. Once outside Cloud pushed the gas hard, and Sephiroth could swear he heard Cloud squeal in delight as he hit the open road.

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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