Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.

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 beta Queen of Jokers and my after posting beta SubZeroChimera!

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination." –Oscar Wilde

Chapter 59

That morning was just a bad morning and Cloud needed to get out of the room. He stormed out of the Inn with flustered breathlessness. Once the cool outside air entered his lungs he breathed deeply. His eyes hit the house that looked like the one he grew up in and a pain struck his heart. He tried to picture his mother, but he couldn't remember what she looked like any longer. Realizing that, just upset him more, he didn't have anything of his mother left, he had to look elsewhere. Taking a few steps, he walked with purpose, no particular destination, down the street until he heard someone coming up behind him, "Cloud! Wait up." Tifa caught up and stepped in stride beside him.

He tried to not sound annoyed but it didn't work, "What is it Tifa?"

She stopped and grabbed his arm and he stopped sharply, "Hey, are you still mad about last night?"

He yanked his arm from her grasp and started walking again, "No, it's not that. I just… I need some time alone, okay."

"Cloud?" She questioned as she watched him quicken his pace.

The briskness of his strides increased as he took on the hill in front of him. The tap of his sword and harness against his back kept in time to the beat of his boots hitting the dirt. His heart beat and forced breaths joined in the music that his body was unconsciously making. Before he knew it, he'd made his way to the place that Tifa had dragged him to see the view of the valley. He stopped and dropped his hands down to his sides and breathed out hard steady breaths. He watched the sun make shadows of him and everything else as it rose behind him.

He didn't know how long he stood there, but he felt something directly behind him. His right hand slowly rose to his sword and he turned as he drew his sword.

"I could have killed you," Crimson eyes peered from behind the collar of his cape.

Cloud huffed and sheathed his sword and turned back around, "What do you want Vincent?"

Vincent stepped up beside him and looked out at the view, "It has been almost a week since we met, but we have yet to really talk."

"In case you haven't heard, I'm not one for talking much anymore," Cloud sighed.

"I understand your pain. Hojo took a great deal from me as well," Vincent walked around in front of Cloud, "The answer is there, you just have to look in the proper places. You are too close to the problem so you do not see it."

Cloud furrowed his eyebrows and followed him as he walked to his other side, "What do you mean?"

Vincent stopped and looked out the view again, "Sephiroth had a flashback of something painful down in the lab, did he not?" Cloud nodded, "Then when Zack revealed it to you, how did you and Sephiroth feel after that?"

Cloud thought for a moment. He did feel better, like the most painful parts just washed away. Cloud looked over to answer and Vincent had left while he was deep in thought. What was he meaning? Cloud closed his eyes and felt the morning sun on his shoulders and the cool winds whip around him and seemingly cleanse him of the pain temporarily.

The next morning after gathering enough equipment and supplies, they loaded the truck and got ready to depart Nibelheim. Cloud went upstairs to get Zack and Sephiroth was already in there, "Hey Seph."

Sephiroth looked up and finished putting Zack's clean shirt on him, "Could you help me with his shorts? He is not very cooperative today."

Cloud got his shorts and Sephiroth pulled him to his feet, "Here Zack, step into the shorts." Zack didn't move. He just stared straight ahead at the view through the window, "Zack? Come on. You can't run around in just your boxers." Cloud looked up at Sephiroth then gently grabbed one of Zack's ankles and lifted his foot in the leg of the shorts. Once they had the task done with both legs, Cloud pulled them up over his hips.

Sephiroth sat him back down and Cloud came back in with a hair brush and got on his knees on the bed right behind Zack and pulled the brush through the thick black mess of spikes and tangles. Cloud asked, "Did you spin around on your head in your sleep or something?" Sephiroth got some socks and put them on Zack's feet while Cloud finished brushing his hair. Zack continued to stare blankly out the window, seemingly oblivious to what was happening around him.

Vincent stood outside the slightly open door and watched. Wondering if Cloud remembered what he talked to him about yesterday morning and if he should bring it up again. He did have to admit that it was sweet the way that Sephiroth and Cloud took care of Zack. They all were obviously very close, his feeling of uneasiness relaxed until he felt comfortable going back downstairs.

Heading out of town, Cloud and Tifa rode in the lead. They knew the terrain and Sephiroth and the truck followed closely behind them. Tifa had suggested the long way around so that the truck would be able to get through. Much to Sephiroth's dismay, it would take them past the reactor. Seeing the place where it essentially all started for him, gave him a chill in his bones.

Aerith stayed in the back of the truck with Zack. Vincent and Yuffie kept her company, "Weren't you two an item at one time?" Yuffie's question stabbed Aerith right in the heart.

She looked down at the man's face. His head rested in her lap, his shakes and eye flitters let her know he was still there. It was true that she still loved him, but was she still in love with him? Her hands brushed at his hair on the side of his head and he slept a lot since they had found him. Seeing him in this condition and remembering the lively and fun loving man he used to be was one of the most difficult things she had to endure. Thinking of Sephiroth, she wondered how she could have given up on Zack. She had 'felt' him from time to time and the thought of what the three of them went through, it stabbed at her heart again. All the thoughts, feelings for him she still harbored a great deal of love for him. He had changed, yet still stayed the same. She smiled at her memories of him, "Yes. A long time ago, he was my first love."

"I think that there is something still there," Yuffie crossed her arms, "You can't really love both of them you know."

Vincent raised his hand to Yuffie's arm, "Yuffie, I think that you are commenting on something that has already been settled." He looked at Aerith and focused his eyes hard at her, "Isn't that correct?"

Aerith lowered her gaze back to Zack, "Yes." She paused, "Yes, I suppose so."

Aerith took his head and lowered it down to the makeshift pillow and curled her knees up to her chest. The thought of Sephiroth, the thought of Zack, she didn't know what she felt anymore. Zack pulled her from her thoughts when he sat up and looked around nervously. He grabbed her hands and yanked her toward him, "Why? The tests didn't show it! Hojo said I was next! Am I next? I don't want to… please don't make me go!" He lowered his forehead to the bed of the truck and rolled himself into a ball. Before any of them could do anything, Zack started screaming as if he were in excruciating pain.

Aerith put her hand on his back and rubbed it softly, getting her mouth close to his ear, "Shhh Zack, its okay. Hojo isn't here. It's just us, shhh."

His screaming lowered in volume gradually until it stopped all together. Finally raising his face to her, "I know you… why did you do it?" On his knees and legs, he wrapped his arms around himself and began rocking back and forth rapidly. Tears and cries followed, "It hurts, it hurts… Oh gods, it hurts. I c… can't take it, it hurts so much."

She reached out and put her arm around him, "What hurts Zack? Let me help you."

His rocking stopped and he peered deep into her and anger replaced the sadness, "You…" He skittered over as far away from her as he could get, "Stay away! It hurts… it hurts too much." Somewhat hiding behind Vincent, he began crying out again.

Vincent leaned over and hid him farther from view so he might calm down. Yuffie went to her and put an arm around her as she began crying, "I'm sorry Zack, please." Zack curled in behind Vincent and took two handfuls of his cape and shirt.

"Perhaps we should change our seating for a little while," Vincent nodded to Yuffie who knocked on the back window of the truck.

Harding opened it up and Red was the only one that could turn around to see, "What is the matter?"

Vincent spoke for Yuffie, "I believe a change in scenery is in order."

Barret's yelling from the driver's seat was louder than expected, "Why? We're makin' good time."

Red turned to Barret, "Aerith is crying and Zack is screaming. Please, I think Vincent is right."

A loud sigh from Barret as he pulled out his phone, he dialed Cloud's phone.

Tifa had a firm hold on Cloud's waist as he twisted and turned along the road that lead through the mountains. She remembered walking these roads and side paths her whole childhood. It brought back bitter sweet memories, her friends, Cloud and her father. When they had passed the trail to the right that lead to the point that overlooked the valley where she enjoyed going since her mother died. She noticed that Cloud didn't give it a second look at all, it surprised her a little. She wasn't going to worry about it now. She had what she needed at that moment. The side of her head found its way to his back and she squeezed his waist a little harder. With one of his hands, he reached down and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

The sound of a phone ringing broke them from their thoughts. Tifa reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved the phone. When she answered the phone, it was difficult to hear because of the wind. She ducked down behind his back and tried again, "What? What's happened to Aerith? Zack too? I'll let him know." She replaced the phone and leaned up to his ear, "Something is wrong with Zack and Aerith. We need to pull over." She hadn't gotten the whole last sentence out before he was already slowing down. He looked back at Sephiroth and singled him to stop.

Once he got stopped Sephiroth was pulling up beside him, "What is wrong?"

Cloud took his eye protection off and got off his bike, "Something is wrong with Zack and Aerith. I don't know what though." They stood impatiently while waiting for the truck to come to a stop. As the truck came into sight, they heard the screaming so they ran to the back of the truck. Once it came to a stop, Aerith jumped out and hit the ground hard, Sephiroth helped her to her feet.

"What happened?" Putting an arm around her, Sephiroth walked closer to the back, she reluctantly went with him.

Cloud had gotten in and he was already at Zack's side trying to calm him, "Zack! What's the matter?" He looked over at Yuffie and Vincent.

Yuffie spoke first, "I don't know, he started yelling that he didn't want to go, the tests not showing something and then hurting. Then he hid behind Vincent." Vincent nodded his agreement.

Zack finally looked at Cloud and grabbed his collar and buried his face in his shoulder, "Don't take me! Jade wants us to-" His sentence abruptly stopped and he began shaking and his eyes closed. He went limp and fell to the bed of the truck.

Sephiroth got up in the truck and they both laid him out and took an assessment. Harding came around with his kit and took his vitals and he indicated that they were normal, "I don't know what to tell you. It appears that he just passed out."

Looking over at Sephiroth, Cloud had the burden written across his face, "We still have about another two days drive until we get through the mountains. What do you suggest?"

Rubbing his forehead, the former General was visibly upset at the situation and anger came out in his voice, "I would have to say that we are going to have to get going. We are just going to have to keep a closer eye on him," Sephiroth jumped out of the truck and punched at the fender of the truck, "Damn it."

Cloud jumped out, followed closely by Harding, who offered, "I can stay back in the back with him and keep an eye on his vitals. We have the phones, so it won't be like we can't talk at all."

Cloud put his hands on his hips and walked a few angry steps, then rubbed his hands through his hair in frustration. After a long pause, "All right, listen up, this is what we are going to do. We are going to continue driving, but Tifa, Harding and Vincent, could you sit with him?"

They all nodded and Tifa asked, "What about Aerith?" Aerith had made her way up by the hood of the truck with Yuffie and Red.

Cloud looked over to Sephiroth, "She can ride in the cab of the truck. Does that sound okay to you?"

Sephiroth nodded, "Yes. We need to get a move on though. This part of the road is covered in monsters come nightfall and we only have a couple of hours left until dark."

They parted and Cloud checked on Zack one more time before he went back and got back on his bike.

Reno couldn't understand why Tseng sent him to do such a simple task. He could have sent one of the newbies. He limped into the elevator and watched Rude stare at him as the doors closed. His limp had gone away for the most part, but he still had some pains every so often, but he guessed that is what he got for loyal service to that fat bastard.

Hitting the button for the floor holding what Reno considered the world's creepiest people. The elevator started moving and his thoughts went to Shinra and his freaky orders. He hated thinking about it, but he had been in worse physical condition than this, so why did this bother him so much? Well one thing was for sure, getting hit with large objects in the throes of what he could only describe as a temper tantrum wasn't his idea of a meeting. He guessed it was because it was the big guy and Tseng had taken it for so many years. Reno felt that he hadn't seen the worst of it and Tseng still kept a lot of it to himself.

Shaking it off, he remembered that he had work to do. Pocketing the picture he held, he waited for the elevator to stop on the floor with Hojo's labs and office. Walking down the hall he diligently worked at not limping when he noticed a young woman walking toward him. The lab chick's shoulder length dark brown hair flowed effortlessly over her collar to her lab jacket. The brown eyes that glittered in the harsh hallway lighting from behind the cute wire rimmed glasses, glanced at his face. She smiled shyly at him and he just had to try his luck, after all, it had been awhile.

Stepping into her path, he smoothly spoke, "Well, hello there beautiful," He reached out and took a lock of her hair in his fingers and wrapped it around one of them. He slowly released it back down to her shoulder as he smiled and winked, "I didn't know that this floor had such lovely scenery, or I would've come up here sooner." She giggled softly and covered her mouth with her hand, "What time do you get lunch today?"

"In about 30 minutes," Her eyes twinkled and a deep blush rose in her cheeks, "I get off early today."

"You know if things go well," His smile widened as he leaned against the wall with one hand, essentially pinning her to the wall, "we can both get off today."

She got a somewhat shocked look on her face and a giggle escaped her, "Let me just drop these files off and I'll be right back," Her face remained rosy red.

"Hurry back sweetness." He watched after her as she entered one of the offices.

Not taking very long dropping off the files, he caught up to her as she walked toward the elevators and he put his hand on the small of her back and escorted her onto the elevator. She pushed the button for the floor where the food court was, "Did you get those awesome eyes from your fantastically beautiful mother or your devastatingly handsome father?"

Dark brown feminine eyes grew wide, her lashes batted unconsciously, he stepped a little closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders. When the doors opened, the aroma of food wafted through the air. Looked around with a smile, it was almost as if she wanted everyone to see her with the man next to her.

They stepped off the elevator and he led her to a side room, "Turks have private dining." Walking through the door, she surveyed the unoccupied room. A long comfortable looking couch covered one wall and a television was just to the right of it. It looked a little plusher than you're regular every day break room.

Flipping the lock quietly he distracted her with a sweep of his hand for her to enter farther. A counter holding a radio/CD player with some cabinets above it was on one wall. The small cheaply made round table stood in the middle of the room and four equally cheap chairs circled it. The large window over the back of the couch showed a great view of the plate above Sector 4. He went over to the radio and flipped the CD player on and "Lucky Strike" by Maroon 5 played and almost stifled Reno's soft throaty moans of excitement.

Grabbing her, a deep kiss followed with pulling her lab coat off quickly. With his deepening kisses, he pushed them toward the table and his leg ran into it and it skidded a few inches with a loud screech. Guessing that she was a little shy, he yanked his jacket off and tossed it to the side. They kissed furiously as he struggled to get her clothes off.

Several moans and grunts of later, he finally had them both naked and he pulled her to the counter and turned her around. Thinking that maybe he should get paid extra because she was a little less than cooperative in getting undressed, but then wouldn't that make him a whore? She was more than willing, it just seemed to him that she either hadn't done anything before, or it had been a really long time.

Pushing her down until her chest was on the counter; he leaned down and kissed the backs of her shoulders and her neck. Taking his left hand, he slid it up under her left arm across her chest to her right shoulder and held her in a firm hold. As he lightly bit the skin on her shoulder, he thrust forward. A muffled shriek was what he heard, he smiled and a pleasured groan was what she heard. Silently cursing himself as his hip started to hurt, but he could work through the pain…

After he had exhausted her and nearly exhausted himself, they laid there on the couch. She panted trying to catch her breath beside him as his sweat mixed with hers. Pulling his arm out from under her, he sat up, "I think that's the best lunch I've had in a long time." Taking his underwear and pants in hand, he stood, "I hate to cut this short, but I need to get back to work." He dressed and tossed her clothes to her. With a wink and a smile, "Thanks babe." Closing the door behind him, he tossed the keys in his hand up in the air and pocketed them along with the key cards that she had carried, "Not a bad lunch at all."

Heading back to the floor where he had run into the good lookin lab chick, he found the office he was looking for. Sure, he could have gotten the keys quicker, but why not have a little fun while he was at it. After all, she was a lot prettier than her picture that he still had in his pants pocket.

He shrugged and inserted the key into the lock and it opened with a click. Hojo's computer was in an interior office and as he got closer, he pulled the key cards out, "One of these has got to be…" A beep, a flashing green light and a soft click, and the door unlocked. He looked over to the computer and it was already powered up. The screen saver was flashing across the screen. It was that annoying endless pipes one that he thought didn't exist anymore.

Sitting down, he began digging through the files and finally found what he was looking for. Putting his computer knowledge to work, he mailed it to the 'secret' computer that Tseng kept in a 'secret' location. A 'deserted' building down in the Sector 4 slums held a small room dedicated to missions such as this one. He came across a single file that was simply titled Sephiroth. With his curiosity piqued, he opened the file. He read through it quickly and his mouth dropped, "Oh… Shit…" Something this serious could not to be ignored. A deep feeling of loyalty had him knowing that he had to pass on the information to the former General. Hitting the print button and waiting for it to finish printing, he quickly folded it and placed it in his pocket.

Once he was finished, he exited out of the files and left the offices. Out in the hall, he made his way to the office that the woman had gone into before he took advantage of her. Dropping the keys and cards on an empty desk he headed back to the elevator and his smile widened. His day had started off kind of shitty, but it got better, much better, "Mission accomplished." He sighed slowly with a grin, "I wonder if Tseng would let me get in a nap."

When the sky began to darken, they stopped for the night. Cloud took his sword, lifted it to his back and joined Sephiroth at the side of the truck. Aerith got out and she seemed to be better, still shaken, but better than before. Sephiroth kissed her and lightly touched her face, but Aerith had a lot of trouble maintaining eye contact with him in such an intimate way anymore. It didn't go unnoticed by him.

Something was going on with her, and the only thing he could think was Zack. Ever since they found him, Sephiroth began to lose hope a little at a time, the worse Zack seemed to get. Just when Zack would take a step forward, his insanity pushed him back three steps. Getting it out of his mind, pushing it back, he could deal with it later. Right now though, they had to get through these Gaia forsaken mountains.

Tifa hopped out of the back of the truck and stretched. Cloud was busy trying to untangle some netting that held some of their gear. She came up behind him and without looking or turning he said, "I'm going to do a perimeter check real quick." He turned, smiled and then raised an eyebrow at her, "What are you smiling about?"

A look of utter amusement covered her face. She rocked back and forth from her toes, to her heels and back, "I didn't know you danced the tango…" Cloud straightened up and Aerith turned with a small smile on her face.

Cloud's face dropped, the corners of his lips pointed toward the ground. Blond eyebrows furrowed and a glowing glint of anger rose in his eyes. The rosy blush that filled in his cheeks caused Tifa to burst out with laughter. Under his breath as he turned back to the netting, "Damn it Zack, I knew it. You just couldn't keep your mouth shut could you?" He continued to talk quietly to himself and curse Zack while he succeeded in getting the netting tangled even more. He threw his hands down with a high level of discontent and as he walked off, his head shook in disbelief. Mumbled curses could still be heard as he stomped around a curve in one of the paths.

Tifa tossed her hands up on her hips and with a mischievous grin when she looked at Sephiroth and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Sephiroth stopped laughing and his serious face showed up, "What?" He just stared without saying a word.

Aerith stepped in front of him with her arms crossed, "Something tells me that your part of this." She tried to hide a smile.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," His denials were just digging him deeper. He started walking backward in the direction Cloud had gone, "I have to go help with a perimeter sweep." Once he got close to the bend in the path, he turned away from their amused eyes.

Aerith called after him, "I knew it!" His shoulders shifted forward as his posture slouched, his pace increased.

Vincent got out of the truck just in time for Sephiroth to hear him say with plenty of amusement, "It was a very entertaining story." The string of curses coming from him continued around the curve.

The two guys were quickly joined by Yuffie, "So guys, this should be fun."

Both of them looked at her and Sephiroth said in a less than nice tone, "Let's keep moving. If you're going to join us in the sweep, keep your mouth shut and your weapon ready."

Yuffie huffed, "Fine…" She rolled her eyes, "You're no fun. Oh well, at least I can kill a few monsters."

A/N 2: 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."

Please send me your reviews if you want. It is really easy. Just click your arrow in the little box, write what you thought or felt about the chapter and then click right down there, just below the box. A little lower… a little to the right… yeah, right there! Click it! *grinning*