Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Alliance ❯ Chapter 4

“Alliance”

Chapter 4

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(Warning: Possible spoilers for all FF7 game/movie titles)

*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can't get enough of this world and the characters.*

~***********************************************~

 

 

“You're SURE it's really him?” Tifa asked for the third time that morning. Cloud had woken her up with a phone call almost as soon as the sun rose and she met him on the research floor. The two of them now stood over Zack's sleeping form and she stared at the dark-haired man with wide eyes.

 

“I told you,” Cloud insisted softly. “I'm positive. If you don't believe me now, just wait until he wakes up and gets his bearings.”

 

“How can you be sure he'll wake up at all?” She asked reluctantly. She missed Zack as much as Cloud but she was trying to be practical. It just seemed so surreal that the spirit of Zack could have made it into this body, even with Aerith's help.

 

“He's not in a coma,” Cloud said. “The doctors have told me he's just sleeping heavily. He's exhausted. It took a lot of energy for him to get back into his body so he just needs rest.”

 

She reached out and stroked some wild raven strands of hair away from Zack's forehead. “So, how will this affect your relationship with Reno?”

 

Cloud groaned. “Why is everyone worried about that all the sudden? Zack was my best friend and you know first-hand that he was into girls. He and I were never together like that.”

 

“We had a little fling,” Tifa admitted, “but you know, he never even kissed me? I even started to wonder if he just liked to be around girls and flirted a lot. I saw some of your memories once, Cloud…when we fell into the Lifestream and had to piece them back together, remember? His devotion to you was a lot deeper than friendship and stronger than flirtation.”

 

Cloud stared down at Zack's passive, handsome face and he began to wonder if there was something to Reno's concerns and Tifa's observations. “Say you're right,” he murmured. “Why wouldn't he have made a move on me at some point? He flirted with me too now and then but that's as far as it ever went. I just figured he liked to kid around.”

 

“I don't know,” she shrugged. “Maybe he respected you too much or maybe he was afraid you'd reject him. If he wakes up you can ask him yourself.”

 

“He WILL wake up,” Cloud said. “He has to.”

 

~**************************************~

 

All that Denzel and Marlene knew was that Cloud's friend was in recovery and they were waiting for him to wake up. They didn't have time to see the man themselves because it was their first day at the new school. Rude took them and neither of the kids could say they were unhappy with the arrangement. All of the usual trials and tribulations that came with being the new kids in class were going to be fewer and further between, because when he pulled up at the drop-off zone in his sleek black car and got out to open the doors for them, all of the kids, parents and faculty members stared openly.

 

It made Denzel feel like a celebrity or some other kind of VIP. He and Marlene went into the building with Rude and to the administrative office, where he spoke with the principle and signed them in. Once that was accomplished, he told them he'd pick them up at the same drop-off zone he'd temporarily parked at to sign them in and he left them to be guided to their classes by faculty.

 

Denzel flushed when he entered his classroom and took a seat. As he'd expected of his first day and late entry, everyone was staring at him. The teacher greeted him and introduced him to the class before beginning the history lesson she'd chosen for the day. While she was writing on the black board, a boy sitting next to Denzel leaned over toward him.

 

“Hey, I saw you and your sister outside,” the teen whispered to him. “Is your Dad a Turk?”

 

Denzel smiled a little. “Yeah, he's a Turk but he's not our Dad.” Denzel decided to fabricate a little. “That was our uncle Rude.”

 

“'Rude'?” The other boy repeated, sharing a look with the other teens around him. “That's kind of a weird name.”

 

“You can ask him about it if you want to know how he got it,” Denzel shrugged.

 

The boy paled. “Nah…it's cool. Rude's a great name!”

 

The other kids nodded enthusiastically and Denzel was hard-pressed not to laugh.

 

“So when did you move here?” one of the girls asked.

 

“We didn't actually `move' here,” explained Denzel. “We're just staying for a while and our parents signed us up to go to school here until we go back home.” Normally he'd refer to Tifa and Cloud as his Guardians but he knew that would just raise more questions and he'd already attracted enough attention as it was.

 

“Bummer,” the boy next to him said. “How long are you staying?”

 

“I don't know. Our parents have some…work…to do here before we go back home. It could take a few weeks or we could be here for months before they're finished.” There was a downside to having such interesting and varied adults watching over him; he couldn't be straight with any potential new friends and tell them the truth. People would think he was making it up to get attention if he told them he was there because remnants of a secret military organization attacked his Dad while he was trying to deliver a package. No, some things were just better left unsaid.

 

~*******************************************~

 

Cloud did his best to stay occupied while he waited for changes in Zack's condition, but he didn't really have anyone around to help keep his mind off of it. Reno was out on a scouting assignment and so were Tseng and Elena. They were searching for any signs of Deepground, both in and around Midgar—as well as surrounding territories. Since there was no way to be certain how many Deepground operatives were left or how many new additions they had acquired since the Omega incident, there was no telling how many people they'd had to move when they abandoned their old base.

 

Rufus and Reeve were going over the data procured from the compound, trying to make sense of it all and decide if it was worth keeping it around for further research. Tifa was making use of the company gym and nobody was sure where Vincent or Rude were. Cloud worked out a little, both in the sparring area and on the exercise machines with Tifa. The two of them made small talk as they exercised, but it was awkward because they both had their mind on Zack.

 

Reno's call came as a relief to Cloud. He sat up on the bench press he was using and put the phone to his ear.

 

“Hey Reno. Have you found anything yet?”

 

“Nah,” answered the redhead, “we've got nothing so far. It's like the bastards just vanished or something. I don't know how many of `em there were but there should have been a trail to follow. How are ya feeling, Blondie?” The last was said with a touch of concern. Everyone had heard about Cloud's wild stunt the night before but Reno hadn't gotten a chance to talk to him about it before he'd had to go out.

 

“I'm okay I guess,” Cloud answered with a shrug. “Tifa and I keep checking on Zack but he hasn't woken up yet. The doctors say he's in stable condition and they're keeping him hydrated. I guess all we can do is wait.”

 

“See, I told ya there was a chance you'd get your bud back,” Reno sounded smug. “One of these days, maybe you'll listen to me.”

 

“Okay, so your hunch was right,” conceded the blonde. “I'm a little surprised you're not asking what convinced me it was really him, though.”

 

“Baby, after the things I saw in the Forgotten City I didn't need to ask. So, if he doesn't wake up tonight are you up for some company?” Reno's voice was almost uncertain on the last part.

 

“I'd like that,” Cloud assured him. His pulse quickened predictably at the thought. He hadn't gotten the chance to spend hardly any time with his Turk lover and he was starting to miss him. “I'm sorry I've been so out of it.”

 

Reno chuckled. “Who wouldn't be out of it after all that? It's okay, hot stuff…as long as ya book me in for a little loving we're good.”

 

A soft smile spread over Cloud's lips. Really, he should have been the one worried about being neglected, since of the two of them Reno had far more to occupy his time than Cloud did. It made him feel pretty good that even with three other partners to choose from, Reno's desire for him wasn't compromised.

 

“I'm looking forward to it,” Cloud said truthfully.

 

“Hey, we could go to my apartment after I get back if you want,” offered the Turk. “It'll give you a chance to get out of that building for a night and we could order a pizza or something.”

 

Cloud almost refused, preferring to stay at Headquarters in case Zack regained consciousness. However, he didn't want to give the impression that he was obsessed and he certainly didn't want to hurt Reno's feelings. He wasn't sure why but he was getting the feeling that Reno was more vulnerable to rejection than usual, lately.

 

“Okay, that sounds like a plan,” Cloud agreed.

 

~*************************************~

 

The kids returned later that afternoon from their first day at the new school and Cloud heard their noisy charge as they ran through the hallway to their suite. He opened his door in time to see Denzel get the door open and pick up his book bag. Marlene was waiting patiently, holding her own backpack. Both bags looked rather heavy to Cloud.

 

“Hey, need a hand?” offered the blonde with a smile as he crossed the hallway.

 

“We've got it,” Denzel answered as he pushed the door open. “First day and we've already got homework! It sucks!”

 

“How was it otherwise?” Cloud hid his amusement as he studied the two of them.

 

“I made some new friends,” Marlene informed. “Everyone's curious about Mister Rude.”

 

“I'll bet they are,” the fighter said dryly. He wondered if any of their classmates knew the sort of business Turks commonly got up to. “How about you, Denzel? Think you can handle going to school here for a while?”

 

He shrugged, downplaying any excitement he felt with typical, teenaged cool. “I'll deal. Nobody gave me any trouble and the teachers are okay. The whole school thinks I've got a Turk for an Uncle now.”

 

That made Cloud smirk. “Well, I guess that means you won't have to worry about bullies. Do either of you need help with your homework?”

 

Both kids shook their heads.

 

“Okay then. If you have any trouble just knock on my door or give Tifa a call. I'll be going out for the night when Reno gets back so if I don't answer the door, that's why.”

 

Denzel and Marlene shared a knowing look between them and Cloud felt his face go red. The fighter abruptly turned on his heel and retreated back into his room. It wasn't so bad for Denzel to know he and Reno had a romantic relationship…the boy was old enough to understand it now. He wasn't sure he liked the thought of Marlene catching on, though. How would he explain to her that sometimes men like other men and vice-versa with women? Worse yet, what if she found out that his affections didn't just extend to Reno?

 

“How do people do it?” Cloud muttered to himself as he closed the door behind him. One day or another, someone was going to have to give Marlene “The Talk” and he'd be damned if it was going to be him. She was Barret's daughter, after all.

 

~**********************************~

 

When Reno returned from his scouting mission, he went with Cloud to Zack's recovery room. Cloud wanted to check on him before they left and Reno was curious to see him too.

 

“So, here he is in all his manly glory,” Reno said with a grin as he looked down at Zack's sleeping form. “How does a guy come back from the dead and manage to look so hot?”

 

Cloud stood beside the Turk and he smirked at Reno's observation. Tifa had trimmed up Zack's hair, brushed it and styled it a little. He looked almost exactly as Cloud remembered him the first time he'd laid eyes on him and he had to agree with Reno—he looked great. He hadn't grown any stubble yet and Cloud thought he knew why.

 

“The doctors say that Deepground gave him Mako enhancements and G-cell injections when they had him.” A frown grew on Cloud's lips as he worried over what this would mean for his friend. “So far there's no sign of deterioration and the notes said that he was their `perfect specimen'. Reeve told me that the files also said they couldn't get him to respond to anything, so they were just going to…use him. I guess they were going to use his cells to enhance their own people or something.”

 

Reno looked at him and patted him on the back. “You ain't gonna be sick, are ya? Hey Cloud, I understand how you feel but it's over with now. We got him away from those freaks and you don't have to worry about anyone carving him up, okay?”

 

Cloud nodded and swallowed. He just kept imagining what would have happened if they hadn't gotten there on time.

 

~Hell, forget about them carving him up…they set up a bomb in that room and if it wasn't for Reeve, Zack would be in pieces right now along with the rest of us.~

 

“You're right, there's no point in me dwelling on it now.” Cloud smiled at Reno and squeezed his hand in a sweet, boyish manner. “Let's get going.”

 

Reno stood dumbfounded for a moment, enamored by the gesture. He wasn't a cuddly sort of guy and he never thought Cloud was either, but something about the way the blonde had squeezed his hand made him want to crush him in a hug and never let go.

 

“Damn, you're cute,” Reno grinned.

 

~**********************************~

 

“Pizza's here,” Cloud murmured against Reno's lips as the doorbell rang. The caress of the redhead's mouth was sensual and unhurried and the slow rub of his hand up and down his leg had already made Cloud harden in his pants. He broke away from Reno and looked down at himself with a rueful grimace. “Maybe you'd better answer it.”

 

Reno's eyes dropped to his lover's crotch and he snickered softly. “Doesn't take much, does it Blondie?” He winked at the blushing fighter and got off the couch, whistling softly as he went to answer the door.

 

Cloud shifted in his seat and came close to smacking himself in the face when he caught himself staring at Reno's ass. The tailored dress pants of the Turk uniform outlined the firm bottom just right and though Reno's un-tucked shirt covered the top half, the view was tantalizing enough to make Cloud's condition worse.

 

Reno checked the pizza and the chicken wings he'd ordered to go with it before paying the deliveryman and giving him a generous tip. Oddly enough, neither he nor Cloud was in the mood for drinking tonight so he'd ordered a bottle of cola to go with the meal. When Cloud saw how he was struggling to hold onto everything, he got up and took the box of wings and the drink from him.

 

“Sorry, I just didn't want to come to the door like this,” the blonde explained bashfully as he followed Reno into the kitchen.

 

“No problem,” Reno smirked over his shoulder at him and set the pizza on the counter before opening an overhead cabinet and selecting a couple of plates. “I know I say it all the time but I love how shy you are when you're not screwing my brains out.”

 

Cloud cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. So they got the order right, didn't they?” He set the wings on the counter next to the pizza and followed up with the bottle of cola.

 

Reno's smirk grew. “Yeah, they got it right. What's the matter, Cloud? There's nobody to hear my dirty talk but you and me.” He set the plates down side by side and came up behind the blond as he began to open the pizza box. He embraced him sensually and brushed his lips against the back of his neck and his ear. He didn't miss the soft, swift intake of breath that Cloud responded with and he decided to play a little more, burrowing one hand up under the fighter's t-shirt to caress the tight muscles of his stomach.

 

“Keep doing that and the food's going to end up cold,” Cloud warned huskily, pressing back against the Turk.

 

“It's tempting to let it, man,” Reno purred. He was now in the same condition as Cloud and he let the blonde know it, rubbing his bulging crotch against his backside.

 

Cloud turned around in the Turk's arms and pushed his fingers into his spiked, vivid hair as he kissed him. Before he met Reno, a few days without sex never bothered him. Hell, he'd been close to reaching the celibate stage before Reno jumped him that night. Now he felt like a starved man with a buffet spread out before him. He stroked Reno's lips with his tongue, silently asking for entry and when the redhead obliged and parted his lips, Cloud thrust in eagerly and explored his hot mouth. Reno moaned into the kiss and that was the end of Cloud's self-control.

 

~Forget the food…we can heat it up again and eat it later.~

 

Cloud slid his hands out of the Turk's hair and down his shoulders and back as he pressed closer to him and backed him up. He cupped Reno's ass when he had him backed up against the kitchen island and he lifted him, his mouth insistent and urgent against his. Reno didn't seem to mind being plopped on the island counter. On the contrary, he returned the kiss with greater enthusiasm and wrapped his legs around Cloud's waist.

 

“Do me right here, right now Blondie,” the redhead gasped as he broke the kiss and licked Cloud's chin.

 

Cloud wasn't inclined to argue. “You asked for it.” He moved his hands around to Reno's front and grabbed his shirt in both fists.

 

The redhead made a startled sound as Cloud ripped the material open and buttons flew, but he followed up with a delighted laugh. He had plenty of uniform shirts, after all. Cloud sucked and nipped at his throat as he ran his hands over his torso. Reno pulled at the bottom of Cloud's shirt, trying to yank it up. The blonde paused in his own explorations for a moment to assist him, lifting his arms up over his head so that Reno could get his shirt off. A moment later the garment dropped to the kitchen floor.

 

Cloud worked at getting Reno's pants down next, his fingers tugging the zipper down quickly. He lowered his head to capture one of the Turk's pebbled nipples between his lips and he flicked his tongue over it as he undid the button on his trousers and parted the material. Reno's low groan of arousal and pleasure rewarded him and Cloud reached into his pants and fondled his rigid cock for a few moments, drawing further sounds of need and bliss from him. He tugged at the pants and huffed with frustration when he couldn't yank them down fast enough to suit him. Reno lifted his hips obligingly, smirking craftily at him. Cloud yanked the garment down, not bothering to pull it completely off when one leg remained clinging to the Turk's foot.

 

“We need protection,” Cloud reminded as Reno's hands began to frantically work to undo his pants.

 

Reno's kisses were distracting and intoxicating against his throat and jaw. “Damn, it's in my blazer in the living room,” he muttered sloppily. He sighed and released the blonde. “Hurry it up, Strife. I'm burning for ya.”

 

And hurry, Cloud did. He made it to the living room and back in record time, clutching a condom package in one hand and a gel pack in the other. Reno snickered at the sight of the blonde's exposed erection bouncing as he ran back in. Cloud didn't seem to notice or care. The blonde was in front of him again, his mouth lusty and hot against his and his as he dropped the items on the counter and put his hands on Reno's shoulders to push him onto his back.

 

Reno didn't fight him. His brief moment of amusement was gone in a flash, replaced with spicy lust again. He reached down and between their crushing bodies; his lips devouring Cloud's as eagerly as the blonde's were devouring his. With awkward aggression, the Turk pushed his companion's pants down over his hips before reaching out for the lube. He snapped it open and offered it to Cloud, panting heavily as the fighter took it and squeezed some onto two fingers to prepare him.

 

Reno bit his lip on a cry as Cloud's fingers pushed inside of him, thrusting back and forth with needy impatience. The blonde eased up on his aggression when he heard the sound, his kisses gentling as he slowed the thrust of his invading fingers.

 

“You okay?” Cloud stopped kissing him to ask the question, his blue eyes soft on him.

 

Reno nodded and licked his lips, rotating his hips encouragingly. “You've gotta stop worrying like that every time I give a shout, Blondie. I'd tell ya if you were being too rough for me to handle.” His sentence ended with a sharp gasp as Cloud purposely slid his fingers against his prostate.

 

Reno moaned and put his arms around the blonde, pressing kisses all over his naked shoulders and chest. His next lascivious comment came out as a breathless whine. “That's fucking great, baby.”

 

Cloud kept doing it until the redhead was shuddering helplessly and panting like he'd finished running a marathon. Reno's moaning cries were music to his ears and it was difficult to refrain from slipping the condom over his aching cock and sliding into the other man's warmth. He felt Reno's stiff dick twitching against his abdomen and he saw the almost painful look of concentration on the Turk's face. He was trying so hard to hold his orgasm back.

 

“You don't have to hold it.” Cloud smiled down at him and he almost swore with relief when he felt the tight passage around his fingers loosen up more. Reno was probably ready for him.

 

“Want you inside me first,” Reno insisted shakenly.

 

Cloud couldn't wait any longer. He removed his fingers from the welcoming snugness of Reno's body and reached for the condom. After a few moments of cursing and struggling, he got the package open and sheathed his cock in the rubber. He kissed Reno again as he leaned in and entered his body, groaning at the pleasure of it.

 

“R-Reno,” Cloud blurted against the Turk's panting mouth, closing his eyes. He withdrew and thrust again, edging in so that he stroked the gland inside and made Reno's eyes roll.

 

“Oh shit,” Reno whimpered, finally losing the battle to hold back. Several short jets of milky semen expulsed from his cock to smudge against the two men's skin as their bodies slid against one another. “Mmm, baby,” he finished in a sigh of relief, exulting in the intense spasms of pleasure.

 

Cloud made a snarling sound and started taking him with rapid, deep thrusts as soon as the orgasm finished. Reno had barely gotten the chance to catch his breath and he wrapped his legs around the blonde and dug his fingers into his back, leaving crescent grooves with his short-trimmed nails. The Turk swore desperately and matched Cloud's thrusts.

 

“Blondie, you're gonna get me hard again,” Reno predicted with a moan as his recently spent groin began to thicken and lengthen. He threw his head back and shouted as Cloud's next vigorous thrust gave him a jolt of sensation that shot clear to his toes.

 

Cloud's teeth were bared with carnal aggression as he looked down at his lover's flushed face and expression of helpless ecstasy. It felt so good, he could hardly control himself. Reno was sliding a little on the counter with each thrust and Cloud grabbed his hips to hold him still as he drove toward the final explosion of pleasure.

 

Reno's cock was fully awake again and he was already approaching another orgasm. He began to gasp his thanks to the divine powers for designing his body so fantastically for sex. He knew the average guy couldn't get off as many times as he could when taking it up the ass and he was thankful for it.

 

“What are you…talking about?” Cloud panted after a moment.

 

The Turk realized he'd been talking out loud and he blurted a shaken laugh. “Don't worry about it, Blondie. Just…keep giving me…that sweet cock of yours!”

 

Cloud was too overcome with the pleasure and heat of the encounter to query further. He complied with the ragged demand, pumping his heated flesh firmly inside of the passionate redhead. Reno began to toss his head and Cloud knew he was about to come again.

 

“Do it for me, Reno,” the blonde demanded hotly.

 

Accustomed to coming on command, Reno obeyed the order and hissed, his body going taut as he again made a mess against Cloud's thrusting torso. This time, the internal spasms caused by the orgasm blew away the last of the blonde's restraint and he gasped Reno's name once more and joined him in release.

 

They panted heavily, pleasantly drained from the encounter. Reno's fingers combed through Cloud's hair as the blonde rested his head on his chest. The Turk thought that he'd never, ever get tired of his golden-haired lover's wild spontaneity.

 

~******************************~

 

After getting cleaned up and dressed, they re-heated the food and ate on the couch together as they watched an old action movie on TV. Cloud almost resisted when Reno made to feed him a bite from his pizza, but he went along with it and enjoyed the redhead's pleased grin. When they finished eating, Reno pressed close to him and laid his head on his shoulder in an uncommonly sweet gesture. Cloud tugged the elastic out of the Turk's hair and combed through the length of it with his fingers, nuzzling his forehead.

 

During a commercial break there was a short news broadcast and both men came out of their lazy cuddle to listen. The reporter announced that five more people had gone missing from the Cosmo Canyon community, all of them ranging in ages between seventeen to twenty-five. She also alluded that there had been similar missing person cases around Icicle recently.

 

The number of people to go missing all at once was odd enough, but then the reporter mentioned Edge and showed footage of the building that Cloud had destroyed.

 

Swordsman and Turk put two and two together, both considering the same possibility.

 

“Think maybe the reason Deepground's so hard to track might be because Midgar ain't the only place they were holing up at?” Reno muttered. “I mean, when they showed up a couple of years ago, didn't they start with kidnapping selected people?”

 

“Yeah,” Cloud attested. “But back then they were snatching up whole towns, herding everyone that wasn't tainted with Geostigma into transports and killing the rest. If they've got anything to do with the missing people now it can't be for the same reason.”

 

“They were doing those experiments,” said Reno. “There's no more Omega for them to try and raise but I'll bet they've got some other plan for world domination and to pull that off, they need to thicken their ranks, yo.”

 

Cloud nodded slowly. “It would make sense for them to pick out young, strong candidates for recruitment…willing or not. But these people are coming up missing in places that are halfway across the world from each other, so that would mean Deepground is scattered all over Gaia.”

 

“That's an ugly thought, man. We could just be barking at shadows,” Reno sighed. “It's probably just a freak coincidence.”

 

“Those Deepground remnants went somewhere,” Cloud reminded firmly. “I don't think we should rule out the possibility. I'll give Reeve a call and tell him about the news report, just in case he'd want to send people to double-check those areas.”

 

Reno shrugged. “Guess it wouldn't hurt.”

 

Cloud got up and went for the jacket he'd left draped over the nearby recliner chair. He got his phone out of one of the pockets and returned to the couch beside Reno as he called up Reeve.

 

“Well, how is this for coincidence?” Reeve's voice said with amusement when he answered the other line. “Cloud, I was just about to call you.”

 

Cloud grunted, not very impressed. “Look Reeve, we just saw a news report that I think you should know about. Apparently some people came up missing around Cosmo Canyon and Icicle…all in the same period of time. They were all young and healthy according to the reports. Maybe it's nothing but if Deepground is trying to rebuild their strength, wouldn't they bring more people in? Those files your people found said they were trying to enhance themselves more, too. If they're scattered it would explain why you're having such a hard time tracking the ones from Midgar. There might not have been many there after all, right?”

 

Reeve didn't answer for a while. When he did, his voice sounded tenser than before. “Damn. Given what we know of their methods, that doesn't sound too far fetched. I'll put people on it in the morning and have a talk with Rufus and Tseng. In the meantime, I thought you'd like to know that your friend is waking up.”

 

“He is?” All thoughts of Deepground and missing people flew out of Cloud's head. His elation was so strong it made his body sing.

 

“He's been moving around in his bed and he's started opening his eyes,” explained the WRO leader, “I was pretty sure you'd want to be here so I was just about to call you when you rang. Tifa is on her way down to see him now.”

 

“Thanks, Reeve.” Cloud's mouth was grinning despite his efforts to control the rising happiness he felt. “I'll get over there as soon as possible.”

 

“What's going on?” asked Reno as Cloud hung up the phone and put it back into his jacket. “You look pretty chipper for a guy that was just talking about Deepground.”

 

Cloud shrugged his jacket on and got out the keys to his motorcycle, making Reno frown with curious suspicion. “Yo, what's happening, Blondie?”

 

“Zack's waking up,” the blonde explained as he zipped the jacket up. He looked Reno in the eye and his expression sobered a little. “Are you coming with?”

 

It was on the tip of his tongue to say “no” because he was childishly annoyed that his night with Cloud was being interrupted. Reno chided himself, remembering that this was Zack Fair—who he'd actually liked—and Cloud's dearest friend. Not only would it be good to see the handsome Soldier alive and kicking again but he had a feeling Cloud needed a little support. He could see the fear in the blonde's eyes and he guessed that he was afraid Zack wouldn't wake up with all of his mental facilities intact, or they'd find something wrong with him.

 

“Sure, I'll come alone,” Reno agreed.

 

~************************************~

 

By the time Reno and Cloud arrived at in the research department of headquarters, Zack was fully awake and sitting up in his bed. The staff was asking him questions and Tifa stood outside the room, watching through the open door.

 

“Cloud,” she said when he came up beside her. “Look, he's awake!” She gestured into the room, her expression warring between jubilation and unease.

 

“You haven't said `hello' to him yet?” Cloud asked, his eyes fixed on the sight of his once-deceased friend.

 

“I…I can't move,” Tifa said anxiously. “I want to go in there but I'm afraid he won't recognize me. What if he doesn't remember a thing?”

 

Cloud narrowed his eyes and listened to what the doctors and Zack were saying.

 

“Can you tell us your name and occupation?” a middle-aged doctor queried as he scribbled something down on a clipboard.

 

“Sure,” the black-haired fighter said with a shrug. “The name's Zackary Fair…but I go by Zack. SOLDIER, First Class.” Zack's brows drew together as soon as he rattled off his unit and rank. “No, wait a minute…that's not right,” he said, bringing a hand to his head and running his fingers through his hair. “I used to be in SOLDIER, but now I'm…uh…where am I again?”

 

Cloud started forward, relieved to witness that other than some understandable disorientation, his old friend seemed fine.

 

“You're in the WRO research department of ShinRa headquarters,” answered the doctor blandly, writing more on the document in his hand.

 

Cloud swore at the look of alarm that spread over Zack's face. He moved faster, hoping his friend wouldn't do anything rash before he got the chance to explain.

 

“I don't know what a `WRO' is,” Zack said in a low voice, his eyes narrowing, “but I sure a hell know what ShinRa is. Sorry Doc, but I can't stick around—”

 

“Zack!” Cloud rushed to his friend's side, knowing that Zack could start taking people down at any minute if he didn't explain things to him fast.

 

Zack looked at him and his mouth split into a wide, wolfish smile. “Cloud? I'll be damned, you can talk!”

 

Cloud briefly wondered what he meant by that but then he remembered that the last time Zack had seen him in life, he could barely move or string two words together. Either his memory of the afterlife had been wiped when his spirit merged with his cloned body or he was simply too confused right now to remember it.

 

“Yeah, I can talk,” Cloud said with a smile. “Listen, it's okay. ShinRa's not run by the same people you remember and they're on our side.”

 

Zack's eyes were naturally brown but the glow of the Mako enhancements shone blue behind the irises, causing a blend of pigment that resulted in an amethyst shade. Right now, those piercing eyes were staring at Cloud with suspicion and a little dread.

 

“What did they do to you, Cloud?”

 

“Nothing,” insisted the blonde firmly. “Look, I'm not brainwashed and I'm not lying to you. Rufus Shinra owns the company now and he has for a while. I know you're confused but try to think. What's the last thing you remember?”

 

Zack thought about it pensively. “Someone shoved me through some sort of door and the last thing I heard was a chick's voice wishing me good luck.” He looked bemused by the recollection.

 

“That was Aerith,” informed Cloud without a doubt.

 

“Aerith?” repeated the dark-haired man. His eyes dilated and the color drained from his face. “Whoa…I'm starting to get something here. Er, Cloud…I've been dead, haven't I?”

 

Cloud swallowed and nodded.

 

Zack blinked, his eyes darting around blankly as memories came rushing back to him. “This is deep, man. How the hell did she do it? Shouldn't I be full of holes?”

 

“You're not in your original body,” explained Cloud. “There was this secret organization called Deepground that the old President Shinra started. I guess they were supposed to replace SOLDIER someday but I'll have Reeve explain more about that to you later. What matters is that they had a clone of you and that's what Aerith used to bring you back. Your old body is…well, it's long gone.”

 

“No wonder I feel so funky,” Zack murmured. He poked himself in the stomach, then on the left arm. “I'm not used to feeling much of anything and now I can feel all of these…sensations against my skin.”

 

The black-haired fighter's stomach growled loudly and he gave a start, looking down at it with accusing blue-violet eyes. “Hmm, I think I'm hungry.” He looked at Cloud with an intrigued expression on his sculpted features. “Hey Chocobo head, is food still tasty?”

 

Cloud choked on a laugh and nodded. “We'll get you something to eat.”

 

“Hamburgers?” asked the other young man hopefully, his eyes lighting up with eager greed.

 

“Whatever you want,” Cloud promised, gulping against another annoying lump in his throat. “I'll rush out and get it myself if I have to.” He looked over his shoulder at Tifa, who was wiping her eyes hastily. “You remember Tifa, don't you?”

 

“Heck yeah, I remember her,” Zack snorted. “I never forget a pretty face.” He reached out and cupped Cloud's chin meaningfully, throwing a suggestive grin at him and making his head swim with confused possibilities.

 

“Uh, Tifa?” Cloud called, gesturing to the brunette. “Come say `hi'.”

 

She walked in hesitantly, her eyes wide on Zack. He saw her coming and he smirked at her. “What's this, have I lost my charm or something?”

 

Tifa smiled and crossed the room faster, taking his outstretched hand as she made it to his bedside. “Hi Zack. How are you feeling?”

 

“With my hands,” he kidded, waggling his eyebrows.

 

She rolled her eyes. “You must be feeling pretty good if you can make silly jokes.”

 

He laughed, his eyes lighting up. “I'm actually feeling pretty shaky but my sense of humor is a-okay. So, how's your bar going?”

 

She looked puzzled and surprised. “It's…it's fine, but how did you know about that?”

 

He shrugged. “Aerith and I kept an eye on everyone whenever we could, cute stuff. Did you think I wouldn't check in on you too?”

 

She looked at Cloud and wanted to kick herself for ever doubting his stories about the little talks he had with Zack and Aerith from time to time. “You're being awfully calm about this,” she said to Zack. “I don't think I'd be so cavalier if I'd been brought back from the dead.”

 

“I'm just happy to be here,” Zack said. “Yeah, if I stop to think about it long enough I might start going mental, but sometimes you've just got to roll with it and adapt, you know?”

 

“You're certainly adapting much faster than we could have hoped,” the doctor cut in as he checked Zack's IV bag and looked down at him with an impressed look on his face.

 

“Give me a chance, Doc,” Zack assured him, “I'm sure I'll freak out a little sooner or later.”

 

“I think I should check you for shock,” the doctor said with a frown.

 

“Just a minute,” Zack insisted. He smirked at Cloud. “Where's your redhead at, buddy? Are things still going good with him?”

 

Cloud nodded toward the door leading out of the room. “He's right there and yes, everything's fine.”

 

Zack leaned over a little to peer around the doctor and he spotted Reno. He waved at him and the Turk gave him a little two-finger salute back.

 

“Are you feeling any unusual discomfort?” the doctor asked Zack.

 

The dark-haired fighter was about to shoo the man away in annoyance, wanting to spend a little time talking to his friends before getting drilled with more questions. The inquiry made him aware of a sensation he hadn't paid attention to before and he grimaced.

 

“Yeah,” Zack confirmed as he squirmed a little in the bed. “I've got some discomfort. I'm pretty sure I have to pee.”

 

~************************************~

 

-To be continued