Zack woke suddenly to a noise outside the cell he turned to see Hojo and an Infantryman standing there with smoke coming from the barrel of the gun he had just shot to wake Zack. Hojo walked up to the cell door, holding a rusty steel key. He stopped at the door, then looked at Zack
"Ah awake are you" his dead eyes stared straight at Zack,
"Where's Cloud? You took him several days ago, what have you do with him?"
"If you mean Specimen Z? He was a failure, I had to dispose of him. it's your turn to take his place" Zack felt his anger raise, while listening to Hojo's response, as Hojo finished speaking Zack jumped up from his slab and charged the cell door hoping Hojo would drop the key, and he could grab it and use it to get free, however, as he collided with the bars of the door he felt a sharp pain in his arm, as the door stood firmly in place, Hojo just took took a step back the key still in his hand, he watched as Zack shook the bars, demanding to be released.
"hmm, interesting, after 2 years, you still have fight in you, that's good" Hojo handed the key to the guard, "restrain him, I want him in room 4, in 5 minutes" the infantryman saluted, aimed his gun at Zack and fired. As the world turned blank, Zack thought of Aerith, thinking how he failed to return to her.
He woke and found he was sat in the back seat of a car, his head resting on a woman's shoulder, he was staring down at her ample cleavage that was bnarely contained by her top, he let out a groan, as he did he felt her move in surprise,
"You're awake. How are you feeling?"
"Not good, where am I?"
"You're in my friend's car", Zack, lifted his head finding it did not hurt so much to move now, and saw a guy with spiky blonde hair in the driver's seat, he smiled and turned his head back to look to the woman sat next to him.
"So who are you guys?"
"You don't remember him?" Zack shook his head, the woman sighed and explained the situation as she knew it
"The guy driving is Cloud he told me you guys were best friends? you were held captive, he was left for dead in a alley, but after I found him, he risked his life breaking into the mansion to get you. I am Tifa we met briefly when you and Sephiroth came to my hometown to get rid of those monsters, I was the tour guide hired to lead you to the reactor. but Sephiroth went insane and burned down the town, killing my father in the process." Zack felt a headache coming, as he felt a rush of memories starting to return. He looked at Cloud, he was not dead? He felt a headache starting as he fell sideways landing in Tifa's lap.
He woke to find himself laying on a soft comfortable bed, a woman with light brown hair, with a familiar pink ribbon in it was sitting next to him.
"Please, I can't be dead". She looked at him confused
"What do you mean dead?"
"Well, angels like you only exist in heaven right? So I must be dead.." the woman giggled, suddenly Zack remembered who she was, so he leapt up and planted a kiss on her lips. "Aerith, It's me! Zack.." he was fighting back tears as he broke the kiss. Aerith took a step back from him
"Zack.. I want you to know I will always love you, but.." she was interrupted as the door opened, and Cloud walked in.
"Aerith, you ready for our date?" Cloud casually asked, walking over to her, pulling her close to him and planting a kiss on her lips, which she returned, before pushing him away, looking over Clouds shoulder at Zack, she then ran out of the room sobbing. Cloud watched her leave in shock staring at the door.
"Aerith, What's wrong?" he called after her, he tried to follow her, but was stopped by Zacks hand on his shoulder. "Zack?" Cloud turned to see if it really was him, or he was imagining things.
"Yeah, It's me buddy. I'm awake" he dropped his hand from Clouds shoulder, his hand balling into a fist, ready to punch Cloud for stealing his girlfriend. "Just tell me how it happened, Hojo told me you were dead." Cloud dropped his head, and took a seat, then explained
- how he woke and found himself wearing a black cloak with nothing underneath,
- how he had no memories,
- how he had nightmares, over the next couple weeks which caused his memories to slowly return,
- how he was found by Tifa who was about ready to leave Zangans home to make a new life for herself in Midgar,
- how he risked his life to break into the mansion alone, and found him on a operating table unconscious,
- how when they got to Midgar, they found an abandoned church and planned to leave Zack there each taking turns to stay with him, while he recovered,
- how as Cloud was set to leave Tifa watching Zack, Aerith came in, and recognised Zack,
- how, Aerith took them to her home, saying it would be safer to leave Zack there,
Zack took in all that Cloud told him, then said, "Cloud, I woke up, in a car sat next to this woman Tifa" Cloud nodded, remembering, the drive, making a note to ask Tifa how come she hadn't mentioned Zack waking up. "Tell me how you and Aerith started dating? Cloud sighed
"Ok, you had been resting in Aetihs room for a couple weeks, she hardly left your side, sometimes you'd get a fever and was voilently sick, then she decided one day that she couldn't wait forever for you to get better, she told me she would always love you, and would always take care of you, but she had to live her life too, so I built up my nerve and asked her out, and she agreed. That was nearly 4 months ago now. Zack, I don't know how to tell you this" he pulled a case out of his pocket, and opened it showing Zack an engagement ring then continued talking "but during our date tonight, I planned to ask her to be my wife". Zack felt his anger rise up again, but he took a deep breath and whispered softly, Cloud barely heard him
"I was planning to ask her to be my wife when I returned from Nibleheim".. Cloud stood and started to pace. Then stopped and faced Zack again
"Tell you what Zack, we both love Aerith, but you knew her long before I did, its not your fault you left her alone for so long, so I'll back off, let her decide, if she decides to return to you I'll accept her decision." They turned as the door opened and Aerith walked in
"Cloud, there's nothing for me to think about, I made my decision a few months ago, to move on from Zack. It was on that day I decided to go on that wonderful first date with you, and that time last weekend when we made love for the first time, I decided you were the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, so please Cloud, don't wait for our date, please ask me now" Cloud looked at Zack, who was now sat on the bed his head in his hands..
"Aerith, I promised to come back to you, I love you, I want to make you my wife.. How could you move on like this?" Aerith walked over to Zack as he stood up from the bed she allowed him to sob into her shoulder as they hugged each other.
"I'm sorry Zack, I'm so sorry.." she started to sob too, as Cloud stood there watching them. Zack broke the hug.
"Please just leave me, both of you. I need to think this over. Cloud, I am trying very hard not to hate you for this, Aerith I will always love you, please give me a chance let me take you on a date." Aerith, looked to Zack then back over to Cloud
"Ok Zack, I'll give you chance" she walked away and grabbed clouds arm "sorry Cloud, Raincheck on the marriage proposal?" she then pulled him out of the room. Zack took a seat on the bed and watched them leave, he then lay back on the bed sobbing as sleep took him.
He woke, and found he was no longer in Aeriths house. He was back in the Cell on the slab, Cloud was laying there on the other slab. He sat up, and starting doing squats, wondering why his mind was torturing him like this.