It has been far to long since I last sat down at my computer to type. However, the story is never very far from my thoughts, and I will continue with the story and see it through to completion :)
Cloud awoke to a world of white with a soft cry of panic and tried to sit up, only to have the action result in pain racing through his body and the sickening feeling of the room spinning around him. Cloud fell back to the bed and focused on his breathing as he fought the panic away. After a few long minutes he came to recognise the infirmary and let out a sigh of relief to find it void of any of the ghastly figures from his dream, and the room was thankfully empty of anyone at all; sparing him from others seeing his moment of delirium.
Focusing on his body next, Cloud took careful inventory of his health; his entire body sang with aches and cramps from his over-exertion when escaping, and there were some other areas such as his left side and ribs that still radiated pain from his treatment at the hands of Hojo and Razor. Aside from that and a splitting headache, the blond was fairly sure that if the moment called for it he would be able to move enough to act.
Looking up sharply at the sound of the door clicking open, Cloud was relieved to see an exhausted looking Zack walk through with two steaming cups of coffee in hand. Tired mako eyes brightened immediately upon seeing Cloud was awake and Zack was next to the bed in seconds with coffee quickly placed on the bed-side table and forgotten.
Despite a slight hesitancy to cause more pain, Zack wasted no time in bundling what he could reach of the blond into his arms and placing kisses all over Cloud's face and hair. Zack had been waiting for too long to have the other man in his arms again to care if it was too much or over-bearing, as far as the raven-haired man was concerned, Gaia herself could not take Cloud from him in that moment.
Cloud managed to hold in the hiss of pain that wanted to escape his lips as Zack grabbed him, and all to soon he was sinking once more into the warm and safe embrace of the other and feeling the emotion and love in every small kiss and touch that Zack gave him. To the blond, it was like heaven on Gaia compared to the hell he had just gone through.
"You're finally awake." Zack muttered after a long moment of silence.
"Yeah." Cloud confirmed, his voice soft and melodious to Zack.
"I've been worried." Zack said as he tightened his hold slightly, conveying more in the gesture than any words could hope to carry across.
"I know..." Cloud whispered, burying his head in the crook of Zack's neck.
The two men sat like that for quite a long time until Cloud finally had to shift his aching muscles, prompting Zack to finally let the blonde go for a little while and sit back on the chair next to the bed as Cloud relaxed against the pillows.
Zack's hand never left Cloud's after that.
"How long was I out?" Cloud asked, trying to remember how long it must have been that he was with Hojo and Razor; it must have surely been weeks.
"You've been asleep for two days. And you were missing for two as well."
Cloud stared ahead in shock at the news. It had only been four days since he had entered the Science department? Everything that had happened had occurred in days and not the weeks it had felt like.
"Any news on Razor?" Cloud asked, a small part of him wishing that the deranged man had been found and at very least detained; even though he knew that the chances of such were practically non-existent.
"Nope. Not a thing since he disappeared..." Zack replied. "Angeal has been trying to find some kind of clue as to where he would go, but between questions from the Turks, the President, and Sephiroth, he hasn't had any spare time. I don't even think he's slept at all either."
Cloud sighed and ran a hand through his hair, wincing slightly at the gritty feeling of dirt and grime under his fingers. There was no doubt that some major questions would have been raised by the incident, and he would be hard pressed to come up with a decent cover story this time to satisfy the higher-ups. And he had Reno to consider; in the rush of the moment, the red-headed Turk had seen far too much, and though he did not regret it, Cloud also knew that if Reno reported anything at all out of the ordinary it would endanger his already shaky standing with Shinra.
"I can't stay here any longer..." Cloud said after a long moment of silence. "There are going to be too many people watching me to be able to do anything. We will all be nothing but targets."
"I know." Zack replied calmly, "I've already packed travelling supplies for the both of us. Angeal said that he will stay here and try to ensure any search parties head in the wrong direction."
Cloud looked to Zack in amazement; they had all spoken about the chance of needing to leave Shinra before, and how they should go about it, and Zack had said on more than one occasion that he would follow Cloud no matter what. Yet it still amazed the blond to see just how willing and ready Zack was to leave with him now that the time had come; he was willing to leave all his dreams of being a 'hero' behind, willing to throw away everything that he had achieved in Shinra even though it was highly likely that they would both be branded as deserters and hunted.
"What?" Zack asked, tilting his head slightly to the side and smiling slightly as Cloud stared at him. The words finally made the blond snap out of his thoughts, and he smiled gently back at Zack.
"Nothing, just thinking how... Incredible you are." The blond replied sheepishly. He doubted he would ever get used to trying to share such thoughts openly with other people.
Zack's laughter filled the small room, and for a few moments the daunting aspects of fighting both the Darkness and Shinra at once were pushed aside, and it was just the two of them and more comforting thoughts.
Finally Zack's laughter died down and he smiled at the blond, one of his breathtaking smiles that lit up not only his whole face, but the entire room around him.
"Says the man that travelled through time to fight off the evil that will threaten our world."
"That does not count." Cloud replied, running his hand though his hair again and scowling at the tangled spikes. "I really need a shower before we go..." He muttered, "Who knows what substances are on me after Hojo and Razor."
Zack chuckled once again, and tightened his grip on Cloud's other hand before letting go and standing up.
"Well, you go clean up, and I'll go get you some fresh clothes and something to eat." Zack said, pointing to the small bathroom connected to the room. Cloud nodded and focused on gingerly getting out of the bed and into the small bathroom without causing his aching body too much pain. He was going to have a nice long shower while he had the chance; who knew how long it would be before he would have the chance for another one once they were on the run. He had been in that situation far to many times to not appreciate the small blessing of hot running water.
XxXxX
A few hours later found Zack and Cloud leaving the medical ward and heading quickly towards Cloud's room where they planned to meet Angeal. It had been slightly difficult to convince the medical staff to allow them to leave, and at the moment they were under the assumption that Cloud simply wished to get a few personal items from his room before coming back, something they they had only agreed to because Zack had offered to go with him to make sure he would be ok.
There was probably going to he hell to pay later when they realised that neither of them planned on going anywhere near the medical ward again; they had both agreed that it would be better to leave Shinra grounds as quickly as possible so as to avoid questioning from any of the higher-ups that were thankfully still to busy to have paid much attention to the blond. So Zack had used his PHS to send Angeal a quick message asking to meet at Cloud's room so that they could all discuss the short-term plan and to say good bye.
Everything seemed surreal to Zack as they made their way through halls that were as familiar to him as the back of his hand. He had never thought that this would be the way he was leaving Shinra; he had pictured that he would work his way up to the top, be a First Class SOLDIER and a great hero that would be out there saving people until the day that he died. The idea of leaving Angeal behind was a hard one, but they had both agreed that it would be better for them all if there was someone on the inside to keep an eye on things and Angeal had been the best choice because of his position within SOLDIER and the level of respect that everyone already had for him. No one would expect that he would be willing to help people branded as traitors.
Zack looked over at Cloud as they were walking, and he found that he did not regret any of his choices; the wave of protectiveness that rose up whenever he thought of the blond in danger was vast and powerful. No matter how amazingly strong Cloud was, Zack still felt as though he should be watching over him and protecting him from anyone or anything that would otherwise bring harm to the one that he loved.
Love.
The word rang through Zack's mind like the toll of a sweet bell. He doubted that he would have been able to completely come to terms with how deep his feelings ran without Razor's actions, and he had already decided that he would hold nothing back, and that he would share his love for Cloud just as vibrantly as he shared his happiness or sorrow with the world around him on any given day. He was a straightforward and honest person in that regard, and it almost brought a grin to Zack's face as he tried to picture the quiet and personal blond reacting to bold statements of affection. It was definitely bound to be interesting.
Cloud's own thoughts were focused on where on Gaia they were going to go first. Leaving Shinra meant that they would have to lose any and all attempts at pursuit before going too far; that in itself wouldn't be too hard, Cloud knew his way around better than many of the most seasoned explorers. Perhaps the Forgotten City would be a good place to start, it would be easy to cover their trail there, and it would work as a good point to travel onwards from there as they worked out their next move.
The thoughts of both men were interrupted when they finally reached the door to Cloud's room. The blond found himself thinking that it felt more like one of the many hotel rooms he had once used while on the hunt for Sephiroth; a room that he had spent such little time in that it was difficult to classify it as 'his' at all. It was just another stop along the way.
Angeal was already waiting in the room when Zack and Cloud entered, leaning against the wall by the window and watching the world outside go by. Angeal looked tired and worn down, but he was quick to smile at them both when they walked in and relief was clear in his eyes as he took in the blond man.
"It is good to see you up and moving Cloud." Angeal said by way of greeting, pushing himself away from the wall and moving to meet the other two in the middle of the room.
"It's good to be moving." Cloud admitted. He was still very sore and stiff, but the shower had done wonders in helping him loosen up, and simply being out of the medical bay had done his mood and thoughts wonders; he still couldn't stand hospitals or medical wards after his first length of time in one of Hojo's labs...
"How's it going with the investigation?" Zack asked, moving to flop down on one of the seats with a dramatic sigh.
"It is not going anywhere," Angeal said with a frown, "Nothing can be found of Razor's presence, and despite reports from Reno, there has been no evidence to tie Hojo to any of the events at all. Making a move against the scientist is impossible to do without some way of connecting him to Razor."
Cloud frowned, he didn't like the idea that they weren't even able to prove anything against Hojo.
"At least several of the Turks must have seen Razor during the attack." Cloud said, trying to remember what he could of the fight with Razor in the hallways.
"Yes, but it seems that they, and many of the higher-ups, are more interested in your involvement at he moment." Angeal admitted, "There were some... concerning things that Reno placed in his report that have captured the attention of some people, and at the moment they are more interested in you than the threat that has now managed to land two serious blows to the company."
"Oh come on!" Zack growled, "They must see that Cloud isn't the one posing a threat right now; in both attacks it was him who was targeted!"
"They do realise that," Cloud muttered, just loud enough for the other two to hear, "Otherwise I would have woken up in a cage, and not the infirmary. For now, they will be trying to get every bit of detail they can from Reno, and trying to dig up any information they can about me."
Angeal nodded his agreement with the chilling statement.
"And that is why you must leave soon." The tall First said, "Before they do find something, small as it may be, that they can use to take you into custody."
Zack looked like a kicked puppy as he looked between his closest friend and mentor and the man that he had come to love. He just couldn't figure out how the world could be so unjust to the people that were fighting for good.
"I'll go get the bags." Zack said after a moment of silence had passed, he then got up and made his way into Cloud's room where he had left the already packed bags. He just hoped that what he had gotten would be enough to prepare them for everything they might be faced with.
When Zack walked back out into the main room, he found that Cloud had moved over to the window and was staring blankly outside, while Angeal had taken a seat on one of the chairs, obviously also lost in thought.
Placing the bags on the floor near the door, Zack made his way over to Cloud and placed a hand on the blond's shoulder. He put a big grin on his face and when Cloud's breathtaking blue eyes turned to meet his own, he made a big show of presenting First Sword to him.
"Safe and sound. Just like you asked." Zack said, keeping a cheery attitude after the last few minutes of serious bad news.
Cloud allowed a small smile of his own as he closed his hand around the familiar and comforting hilt of his sword and took the sword from Zack. With just this one item in hand, he found the task ahead of them easier to bear.
"Thank you Zack." Cloud said, his eyes meeting Zack's once more and conveying just how much the care of his sword meant to him before moving to grab his sword harness from where it rested with the bags.
"Where will you go first?" Angeal asked.
Zack looked lost for a moment as though the question hadn't occurred to him yet, but he noticed Cloud nod to himself as he was adjusting the sword harness as though he had just decided once and for all on a decision.
"The Forgotten City." The blond said, "It will be a good place to hide in, and will give us the cover we need to rest and sort out our next move."
"The Forgotten... City?" Zack asked, having not heard of such a place before. Angeal himself looked surprised at the blond's words.
"It is past Bone Village." Cloud replied, "It is not the easiest place to reach without knowledge of it, and an even harder place to navigate in and of itself. It was once called the City of the Ancients."
"I have not met anyone who knew the name of that place for quite a few years." Angeal said, "Let alone claimed to have intimate knowledge of it."
"Well, now you have." Cloud replied, "And it is even better if it is a place that few know of."
"Wait, you've been there?" Zack asked. He had heard of the City of the Ancients before; it was something that arose from time to time in history text books and classes when the topic of the Ancients were being discussed. But it was a minor part of the courses; the books and teachers tended to focus more on how the race of Cetra were nearly brought to extinction.
"I have." Cloud replied, and neither man missed the shadow of regret and sadness that passed through Cloud's eyes.
"Sounds good then." Zack said, keeping his voice light and hoping to bring back a more easy going atmosphere.
"We should get moving..." Cloud said, keep his eyes down as the memories of Aerith's death passed through his mind, "The staff at the medical wing will be figuring out soon that something is wrong."
Zack nodded and went to retrieve his own bag while Cloud sheathed his sword.
"One moment Zack." Angeal's voice was surprisingly firm, and when Zack looked over to his mentor and saw the serious look in his eyes he knew something big was coming. Angeal stood from where he had been sitting and moved over to his student and long time friend, studying the still young face that looked up at him with a thinly veiled mix of confusion and intrigue.
"I have one last lesson to give you before you depart." Here Angeal pulled his Buster Sword from his back and held it in both of his hands, gazing down at the well kept blade. "This sword, handed down to me from my family, represents my Honor as SOLDIER. As you would know I do not use it unless I must, because use brings about wear, tear and rust, and that is a waste. However, it is my duty and dream to protect those that I can, and to save the world from monsters like the Darkness. I am now passing it on to you Zack, so that you may protect those you love with it, and live your dreams."
Zack was stunned speechless as Angeal held out the sword to him, and it was only on auto-pilot that he raised his own hands to grasp the offered blade. After a moment of silence though, Zack finally managed to fight through his thoughts and begin shaking his head.
"'Geal... I..." He stammered, trying to get the words out. How could he take something that meant so much?
"Embrace your dreams. If you want to be a hero you need to have dreams... And honor."
With those final words, Angeal stepped back, leaving his sword in the hands of Zack and he allowed a large smile to come forth as Zack looked up at him with tears shining in his eyes.
"'Geal..." Zack said, his voice catching at the lump in his throat.
"Go now Puppy, we will meet again. For now I will keep them off of your trail."
Zack blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision, before looking down at the Buster Sword and resolutely grasping his hand around the hilt and lifting the sword properly.
"Thank you... 'Geal." Zack said, his voice soft but full of pride for his mentor.
Cloud smiled softly from where he stood and felt that he had just witnessed something so special, and perhaps the first important change of the past.
Moments later found Zack and Cloud leaving the room for the last time and walking down the hallways of the Shinra building with a feeling that perhaps the adventure had just begun.
Well, on towards some more adventure~!
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, even after having to wait so long for it.
Please feel free to review and tell me your thoughts so far, positive or (constructive) negative :)
