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: Bold italicized words are song lyrics of "It's Not My Time" by Three Doors Down. Regular italicized words are flashbacks. Yet again, this chapter has a lot of melodrama in it, pfft.

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!

"Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom." –Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Chapter 79

Three days later, in the waiting room, most everyone met and drank coffee while a quiet rustle blanketed the room and it's occupants. The only ones that weren't there were Rude, Cid and Sephiroth. The silence was almost deafening until it Red broke the verbal barrier, "Vincent, do you remember when Zack held on to Cloud all night like he was his blankey or favorite stuffed animal?"

Tentative snickering gently rose up and then Barret spoke, "Yeah, it was funny the way his ass bounced up and down trying to get loose of Zack's iron grip."

Zack sat forward in his seat, "Yeah, oddly enough, I kind of remember that. I just couldn't resist, he was so freakin cute, with that hair, just like a chocobo's ass." Small nervous laughs increased.

Tifa sat in her seat across the room from Zack and listened, her arms crossed, gazing out the large window. Reno laughed and said, "Yeah I caught him and Tifa out in the back of the truck late one night. Scared the shit right out of him as he fell out of the back and hit the ground." Everyone's laughter became slightly louder. Still staring out the window, Tifa had a blush color her cheeks.

Yuffie added, "I remember the time in Casa Del Sol, when Barret and Harding got into it and Cloud got punched on accident. I thought he was going to kick his ass down that street."

Barret set his coffee on the center coffee table, "Not too long before Zack showed back up out of nowhere, it was the funniest thing when I met him for the first time. Tifa was after him for eating most of the cake that she had made for Aerith's birthday. I heard a loud smack and then he yelped and yelled, 'I didn't know it was for her birthday!' Then next thing I know she was chasing him out of the kitchen with a wooden spoon and he ran right into me. The look of surprise on his face when he looked up at me was classic."

Tifa dipped her head as she lightly smiled at the looks that everyone gave her as they laughed. Zack added, "He has always had a sweet tooth, so no surprise there." Laughter was slowly getting louder and more relaxed, relieving some of the tension and stress.

In a laughing huff, Kunsel grinned, "Yeah he ate all my popcorn too." Kunsel looked at the side of Zack's face from his wheelchair, "Zack, you remember the look on his face when I called him on it? His mouth was still full of the popcorn as he apologized," Zack nodded and laughed at the picture he held in his mind of his friend.

Zack again laughed to himself then added to the growing list of Cloud stories, "One time in the lab, we were sitting in our cell, bored. He started a game of I spy. The entire cell was one color, nothing in it, but he still managed to win. To this day, I don't know how. I think he cheated," Zack's renewed laugh carried around the room.

Vincent said in his usual low voice, "A couple of days after you met me in the basement, Cloud wouldn't go anywhere by himself with me. I asked him why and he told me not to drink his blood or he would decapitate me. I guess that is where Yuffie got that idea that I was one of the undead."

A strong silence followed the laughter of the recalled memory.

Aerith giggled, "Do you remember that Marlboro that attacked us up in the mountains after we left Nibelheim? Cloud was holding it off and Vincent shot it and when he did, it exploded. All the guts and stuff covered only Cloud. The look of shock on his face was so adorable." A burst of laughter filled the room.

Vincent added, "He was not happy with me for a while after that." Everyone laughed and looked around at one another. Zack looked at Tifa and she sat still, listening.

"When Cloud disappeared for those two weeks back in Midgar, he was all drugged up. When we mounted a rescue, I was distracting everyone by… well that's not important," Zack grinned, "Seph was sneaking Cloud to the door when a bouncer the size of a behemoth stopped them. This guy was easily taller than me and Seph, but Cloud craned his neck to looked up at him with his big baby blues and said as straight-faced as you please, 'You're a big mother fucker aren't ya.'" Zack cleared his throat and chuckled, "I started laughing so hard when I heard him, I tripped on a step and ended up sprawled out in some guy's lap."

Aerith giggled and finished where Zack left off, "Zack don't forget to tell everyone that you were stark naked." Zack turned a deep shade of red and boisterous laughing rounded the room.

When Tifa smiled, she spoke quietly, "I remember one time I went to wake Cloud and Zack and it seemed that they had used each other as their own squeeze pillows or something. I went downstairs and got Aerith and Sephiroth while they were having coffee. Zack and Cloud were both utterly surprised and the fight to untangle themselves from one another was one of the funniest things I've ever seen."

Zack added, "Hey, I will have you know, that Cloud is very easy to cuddle with," Everyone giggled.

A deep, solemn voice interrupted from the doorway, "I remember asking to dance with him while he was in drag."

Everyone turned and Sephiroth stood with his arms down at his sides and his shoulders slouched. His wings tucked behind him, ruddy cheeks and sunk in eyes, it looked as if he hadn't slept for days. Zack stood, not knowing what to expect.

The silence once again became deafening, until Reno loudly asked, "Cloud in drag huh? That had to have been a sight."

Without taking his eyes off Zack, Sephiroth answered Reno, "He actually was attractive as a girl." A very small smile of remembrance crossed his face and a tear fell down his pale cheek. Zack traversed the room and made his way to Sephiroth and embraced him. Both of them held each other tightly while they silently cried. All the memories with Cloud, starting from the beginning of their journey from the lab until now, they shared with each other without saying a word.

Tifa took the seat on the left of his bed. She took his hand and held it tightly, a kiss upon his warm forehead, the color of alabaster. Yuffie held on to Vincent, while Aerith was held by Barret. Red, Reno and Rick watched from the back and when Reno wiped at his own tears, Kunsel put his arm around him and his other hand went to one of Zack's shoulders. Sephiroth stood close to Zack and he tried not to look at Tifa.

It was then that Cloud's favorite song came to mind. Sephiroth squeezed Zack's shoulder and whispered, "It's not my time."

Both winged men, remembered the lyrics and played them over in their mind. It seemed sort of prophetic as it reminded them of his fight and wish for life, his love and always being there for his friends. Now here he was, on the edge of life, because he had defended one friend from another.

Looking back at the beginning of this
And how life was

Zack could see the memories as if it had happened just a few hours ago. When they had tried to escape the first time, Cloud could have easily made it out while the guards were busy restraining Zack. Instead though, he stayed, not wanting to leave him alone. Zack didn't think that he could have been mad and happy at the same time, but apparently, it was possible.

Just you and me and love and all of our friends
Living life like an ocean

Then there was the memory that he hadn't shared with anyone. It was personal, private and heart wrenching.

The way Cloud rested against the shaded side of the boulder that fateful day on the cliff, just as if he were sleeping. He had talked to him a lot, hoping that it would spur the blond into waking and telling him to shut up. Zack hated the silence because it meant that he would start thinking too much. Asking Cloud what he wanted to do when they got to Midgar, the thoughts of the three of them living together and eventually finding their way out, they're way to freedom. Zack had mentioned before to both Sephiroth and Cloud about them going to a smaller town and living out the rest of their lives. That's what he was striving for, but just fell short.

But now the current's slowly pulling me down
It's getting harder to breath

He wasn't ready to die, but for their shared dream, he would. Facing all those soldiers, their rifles pointed at him and rocket launchers trained on his position was all he saw. Fighting was all he ever knew anymore. However all he could think about was Cloud. The poor kid hadn't been given a chance. Giving him the gift of saving his life was all he was capable of anymore. Zack would fight, and he would fall, but he did it for Cloud, his brother, his best friend.

It won't be too long and I'll be going under
Can you save me from this?

Rain drops fell, but his focus was elsewhere. White wings, a light breeze and wanting to fly away from the pain, the torture and the things that grew cold with time. His grip on his sword loosened, as he didn't feel it anymore. The cold ground below, the cold rain above wrapped him up in an icy embrace.

Then there was a voice saying his name, "Zack?"

Who would be out in the rain? Some feeling flashed back through his body but the fire in his chest caused his breath to hitch. Bringing his focus down toward the voice, he saw his friend, blond spikes proudly standing, even against the rain. Oh, Gaia, he forgot. Cloud… he was alive they thankfully hadn't killed him. The kid just needed a chance and he would make it happen.

'Cause it's not my time,
I'm not going
There's a fear in me
It's not showing
This could be the end of me

And everything I know
Oh, I won't go.

Telling him not to be sad was useless. Cloud wouldn't listen, he was stubborn that way, one of his more annoying traits. What was he going to do now that Zack wouldn't be there to protect him anymore?

Cloud interrupted his thoughts when he said, "You can't die Zack, please."

It was time, he was going to have to stand on his own, without him to hold him up. He'd wanted so much to stay with him and raise their families together, "Cloud, go find your path," Even without him, he had to go on, live, be happy and forget the past.

"Please Zack. I need you."

I look ahead to all the plans that we made
And the dreams that we had

Looking into those blue eyes, so full of hurt, pain and tragedy, he remembered how strong Cloud actually was. He was probably the strongest out of the three of them. The things that he had gone through up until he'd gone comatose, he survived and was still holding on. Only the strongest survive is how the saying goes and here he was right in front of him, "I knew you were strong. I never gave up on you." Zack knew he would be okay eventually.

Zack wanted one more hug, one hug for him to remember and to take with him to the life stream. Reaching up, he took his friend by the back of his neck and pulled him down to his chest and painfully said, "Live… free." Slowly releasing his hold, Cloud sat back up and the sight of his own blood marking Cloud's almost flawless face sent a shiver of revulsion and sadness through him.

I'm in a world that tries to take 'em away
Oh, but I'm taking 'em back

Just as Angeal had done, he was going to give the buster sword to his best friend to wield. One last time he talked to him, one last breath, "Live for the both of us."

"For the both of us. I promise."

He was getting tired now, he just wanted to shut his eyes and rest a bit. Knowing that Cloud would take care of the sword and do what he promised, it made him smile…

…A scream jarred him, scared him again; however the life stream called to him, it sang a song that he knew. It was one that calmed him…

He was going to miss his friend, but he would keep watch over him, make sure he was doing what he promised, it was the least he could do for his friend.

All this time I've just been too blind to understand
What should matter to me

Guilt engulfed his heart, swallowing it whole. Sephiroth stood behind Zack, their wings tucked back, standing at his blond friend's side in his last moments. His sword had pierced the blonde's chest yet again, even after promising that the pain from his sword was never to happen again. The first time, in the reactor, Jenova had played with him and didn't go in for the kill right away. This time it was Sephiroth that went straight for the kill.

My friend, this life we live
Is not what we have, it's what we believe

In his anger, his rage at the betrayal, he'd acted out like a spoiled child. Deep down, Sephiroth had known what was going on with Zack and Aerith, but chose to ignore it. He knew full well that once Aerith had chosen one of them, it would be the end of it. Now, Cloud was paying the price for his weakness, his blindness that kept him from seeing that Aerith had already chosen, and she had chosen Sephiroth. He couldn't blame Zack, Tifa, Vincent or any one of the other people who were here, wishing that it had never happened; it was his fault entirely.

His thoughts went to his friend that lay in the bed, on life support. Even after his heart received the steel sword, it still beat erratically, he thought it odd, but then again, Cloud had always been the stubborn type. His beautiful deep cobalt colored eyes closed, his hands lay limp at his sides, his chest rose and fell, but he would never again talk to him.

'Cause it's not my time,
I'm not going
There's a fear in me
It's not showing
This could be the end of me
And everything I know

When he grabbed Cloud's hand, Sephiroth had asked out of desperation, "Could you stay here with me for a little while?"

With a small confused smile then an understanding grin, Cloud spoke, "Sure. Scoot over." The feel of Cloud's body close and touching his, feeling his breaths, the sound of it as it steadied into a rhythm as he fell asleep. Sephiroth finally fell asleep knowing that while Cloud was there, he would be okay. He would gladly take whatever Master threw at him for the men he now knew were just as invested in a friendship as he was. His friend, the man he loved as he thought he would for a brother, had stayed and had been the comfort that he needed after his foray into the darkness that lay in people's hearts.

But it's not my time
I'm not going
There's a wield in me
Now I know that
This could be the end of me
And everything I know
Oh, but I won't go

While they had been on the run and Zack was ill as they crossed the ocean, his responsibilities of caring for Cloud increased. One day, even though they pretty much kept him in boxers and a shirt, he decided to take a walk and wanted to take Cloud with him, get him out of the stuffy cabin. Dressing him in some pants and getting his boots on, they walked to the bow of the ship. Sephiroth's arm wrapped around his waist and he had Cloud's arm over his shoulders holding him upright. Cloud's chin was resting on his chest and the wind blew through their hair. Sephiroth closed his eyes and smelled the ocean, the moist breeze and the taste of freedom as they had taken it.

"Cloud, do you like the feel of the wind, the smell of the ocean? True freedom is just a footfall away now. We will be free, I promise."

When he opened his eyes again and looked at the man hanging from his side, Cloud was holding his head upright. His eyes closed, the wind whipped through his unruly spikes and he inhaled deeply. Tears formed in Sephiroth's eyes when a smile crossed the blonde's lips. That sight, Cloud leaning against him, eyes closed and actually smelling the ocean air, actually feeling the twisting breezes and actually smiling at the thought of happiness was more than he'd seen from him in too long. It was something that he'd missed from him. Ending his display, Cloud leaned his head on Sephiroth's shoulder, exhaled and relaxed.

It was all surreal, looking down at Cloud in his hospital bed, attached to machines to keep him alive. Then Sephiroth unconsciously squeezed Zack's shoulder again. Now he was watching his unfortunate unmatched fighting skill as it killed someone who he never wanted to die.

Zack lay his forehead down on the back of Cloud's hand and softly said, "I love you Spiky," Zack didn't try to hide the fact that he was crying, "Good bye buddy." Somehow he knew that Cloud would be hanging around watching after him and all the rest of his friends, he knew that the song the Life Stream sang was difficult to ignore.

Vincent nodded to the doctor who squeezed in the corner and he turned the machine off and then disconnected the tube right by Cloud's pale pink lips. The heart monitor beeped with every heartbeat as they slowed in tandem with the one that monitored his breathing. Everyone stayed there by his side, with him in his death just as he had been with them throughout his life.

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."

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