Never
Tear Us Apart
by
tir-synni
Chapter
V: Almost Home
"Bye!" Zack called,
supporting Cloud with one hand and waving with the other. The old man honked the horn of his truck in a
final good-bye even as he drove away.
Zack watched him go, a puff of dust fading in the distance, heading
towards Kalm. Then the dark-haired young
man steadied Cloud's limp body and headed towards Midgar.
"It was nice of him to drop us
off here, eh, Cloud?" Zack resumed his incessant chatter. "I wonder if we'll ever see him
again. Who knows, right? Maybe he'll come to Midgar someday. For right now, I have to introduce you to
Aeris. You'll like her."
Cloud lolled senselessly against
him. Zack swallowed hard and plunged
on. His mouth moved constantly,
commenting on the beauty of Cloud's pale spikes even as he led Cloud's body
into the forest.
Just through the woods, Zack
thought, even as he informed his baby of how the rising sun glittered on his
golden locks. Midgar's just through
these woods. I can get him to Aeris, and
she can heal him. We're almost there,
baby!
"As beautiful as your hair is,
love," Zack continued aloud, "your eyes are far lovelier. I would love to see your gorgeous blue
eyes."
The darkness of the forest enveloped
the pair...or is it the darkness of the approaching city? Zack wondered. The young man gritted his teeth. But in that shadowed city, there existed a
beam of light, and he needed to light to save Cloud's life.
With easy grace, Zack grabbed
Cloud's limp legs and swung them over a dark, dead log. Cloud's body flowed with the motion like a
boneless doll. Cloud's lovely,
expressionless face resembled a puppet's.
A chill raced up Zack's spine.
"We'll be the best mercenaries,
Cloud," Zack assured his lover, switching topics. The deepening darkness seemed to completely
swallow the ex-SOLDIERs. Zack paused in his
dialogue, fighting back claustrophobia before continuing. "I bet no other
mercenaries have our experience. Do any
job for money. We'll be rich,
and..."
Again, Zack's lips moved
independently of his mind. Zack was
thinking of something else entirely.
Cloud's far too still, Zack thought
worriedly, balancing Cloud's lifeless body.
He hasn't really moved since the truck.
He hasn't moved at all since the road.
Soft, golden spikes tickled Zack's
cheek as Cloud's head lolled senselessly against his shoulder. Zack sneaked a peek at the blonde's face, but
the heavy overhang of trees hid Cloud's
features. Fighting against his growing
fear, Zack continued chatting.
"It shouldn't take long for two
1st Class ex-SOLDIERs to gain a reputation," Zack went on. "We won't take any jobs for ShinRa,
though. We'll be totally
anti-SOLDIER. Another thing to make a
reputation of. Heh. Maybe we'll even get hired by some rebel
groups."
Above the pair, the heavy leaves
slowly thinned out. Zack dragged Cloud's
limp body a little further. Carrying him
to a spot lit by the sun, Zack gently eased his unconscious lover to the mossy
floor. He placed two fingers on Cloud's
neck to check for his pulse.
Cloud's strangled shriek and surge
of motion threw Zack backwards. Choking
and sobbing, Cloud writhed on the cold soil.
As Zack finally regained his wits, Cloud rolled over to the side and
began to vomit.
"Cloud!" Zack
shrieked. Mako-dyed blood flowed from
his lover's lips. "Cloud!"
Vicious shudders wracked Cloud's slender
body. His lithe chest heaved as he threw
up. More Mako-splattered blood splashed
on the ground. The color drained from
Cloud's pale face, only two bright red spots remaining.
"Baby!" Zack gasped,
carefully easing Cloud off the ground.
Cloud's vomiting slowed, then stopped, but his shivering grew
worse. Zack placed a hand on the
blonde's forehead, flinching at the rapidly rising temperature.
"Shit!" Zack cursed. "Where by Holy did this come from?"
Cloud shifted restlessly in Zack's
grip, a constant, pitiful moan emerging from stained lips. Too scared to move him, Zack simply clung to
his lover, using a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe off Cloud's face. Soothing whispers and words of love were
murmured into Cloud's ear. Zack stroked
his sweaty locks, his burning forehead, his flushed cheeks. Nestling Cloud against him, Zack sat on the
cold, hard ground, rocking his feverish lover.
"
"
Indistinguishable murmurs emerged
from Cloud's tortured throat. Zack held
Cloud close and strained to hear what his beloved was saying. A cold hand gripped Zack's heart as he grimly
realized that Cloud was speaking with someone, and it wasn't him. And whoever he was talking to was probably
talking back.
"...reunion..." Cloud's
thick murmur grew unintelligible for a moment.
"...clone...nononono..."
Cloud's voice faded out.
"...reunion...children..."
As Zack listened in horrified
fascination, Cloud's voice moaned into a constant mumble. Occasionally, an excited cry would arise,
Cloud calling, "
Forcing himself to stay calm, Zack
tightened his grip on Cloud. Mako-tinged
sweat stood out on Cloud's brow.
Blood-flecked lips parted in a desperate gasp for breath. The heartbeat against Zack's forearm pounded
erratically, and Cloud's temperature kept rising. The fever was eating Cloud
alive.
Cloud's frantic murmurs subsided
with a pained groan. As Zack continued
to watch over his sick lover worriedly, the blonde began to toss and turn. His long, golden locks smacked Zack's skin,
but Zack didn't notice.
"It's okay, baby," Zack
whispered, uncaring of the tears running down his cheeks. He hadn't even felt them well up. "Hang on. It's okay, it's okay...."
With a low sob, Zack clumsily kissed
Cloud's burning cheek. This couldn't be
happening now. They were so close! Freedom, Aeris...They were almost there!
Cloud threw his head back, his voice
rising in another cry. The youth
struggled wildly against Zack's grip, but the fever had weakened him. Zack could feel the heat radiating from
Cloud's flesh.
"Cetra!" Cloud choked
out. "Last...last one! Cetra!
She's...she's out there! Cetra!"
Cloud writhed in Zack's embrace,
panting. Zack's fear grew. Whatever meager strength Cloud had was being
wasted. Cloud wouldn't have enough
strength to survive.
"...plan...Planet!" Cloud
rasped.
"...mmm...plan...Cetra!...mmm...mmm...last..."
"Cetra?" Zack whispered,
tasting his tears. "Cloud, I...I
don't understand...."
Cloud surged forward at Zack's
voice. "Cetra! Cetra!" he cried. "...she...she..." Weakness shattered Cloud's pained voice, and
he shuddered.
"...the...Planet..." he croaked. His voice died down again into heated
murmurs. Zack recognized the sounds of
an argument when he heard one.
Zack's tears soaked his white cheeks
as he heard the pain and exhaustion clear in Cloud mumbled words. Haunted words, agonized words. These were not the words Zack wanted so
desperately to hear. He had so badly
wanted to hear his beloved Cloud speak again, but never like this.
"...all...ni...Nibelhelm..."
Cloud whispered hoarsely. The blonde's
tossing slowly. Zack paled further as he
realized it wasn't because Cloud was calming.
It was because he was too weak to keep fighting.
"...all...all...Nibelhelm...see...cet...jen...et...all...elm...Lifestream...see...."
No!
No! Zack's mind screamed in denial.
It won't end like this! We've come
too far!
"Don't leave me, baby!"
Zack choked out, hugging Cloud fiercely.
"I love you, I love you.
Don't leave me! I...I can't do this
without you! I love you too much. Don't leave me behind, baby. I love you."
Cloud's frantic dialogue
stopped. His slim body relaxed, his
kicking legs stilling. Cloud sucked in a
deep breath before collapsing against Zack.
Beneath Zack's arm, the blonde's desperate heartbeat gentled.
"Baby!" Zack wheezed. "Babybabybaby...Hang on, please. We're almost home!" Scooping Cloud's limp body into his arms,
Zack leaped to his feet and jogged towards Midgar. Ignoring his heavy limbs and exhaustion, Zack
hurried his steps. He would get there in
time!
Through the sparse trees and over
the steep ledge, the dark towers of Midgar rose ominously. Black, shadowed, to Zack's weary eyes,
appeared to be a bright, glistening light.
The sight of that brilliant light
gave Zack's tired legs new strength.
Quickly, Zack glanced at the pale figure hanging at his side. After several hours of carrying Cloud, Zack
had gently lowered his lover and supported him with an arm wrapped around his
back. Cloud's feet dragged but there was
no help for it. Zack wouldn't have the
strength to sneak them into Midgar unless he gave himself a small break now.
"Look, Cloud!" Zack
breathed, helping his unconscious lover closer to the ledge. "Midgar.
Just a little farther, and we'll be truly free. We'll reach our Promised Land. Just you watch, Cloud!"
Cloud made no response. Since the fit, the youth had gone deathly
still. His abrupt fever was fading, but
Cloud showed no signs of recovery. He
seemed worse now than he had before the attack.
A lifeless little doll, slumping against him.
Zack forced a smile despite his
growing despair. He feared Cloud was
growing beyond even Aeris's help.
"There's someone I want you to
meet, Cloud," Zack said.
"She's a healer. Whatever
sickness Hojo's inflicted on you, she'll--"
Zack froze. Was that a rustle he had heard behind
him? He had not felt a breeze...
"I'm going to have to leave you
for a moment, Cloud," Zack whispered as he gently laid Cloud on the
dirt. "I'll be right back."
With a flash of steel, Zack pulled
out his Buster Sword. His weariness
vanished, replaced by a hyper alertness.
He ducked through dying bushes and behind thick trees, hiding his
muscled frame with practiced ease.
There. Two troopers off to the
right, two others scattered to the left.
Hojo's goons. Probably patrolling
the area, knowing that Zack and Cloud would head to Midgar. Heh.
Hojo might be out of reach, but his hands were in the perfect position
to be slapped.
A couple of creeps, Zack mused. Surely I can't be so out of practice that I
can't handle them! I'll take 'em out,
then head back to Cloud. Should be a
piece of cake.
A thrust of strong legs sent Zack
flying forward. The first trooper didn't
have time to turn around. Like lightning
rebounding from the Planet, Zack swung the Buster Sword up, neatly slicing off
his head. Zack swung around, a glistening
path of silver following, and the trooper's companion quickly followed.
Yep! Zack gloated silently. I haven't lost my touch.
The last two guards were looking
around curiously for their companions but weren't visibly worried yet. Zack's large feet glided through the thick
weeds as quietly as a small mouse's in their direction.
Unlike their counterparts, one of
the pair turned around. Dark brown eyes
widened in shock, but the trooper ha no time to yell before Zack cut him in
half. The fourth trooper whirled around
and brought up his gun, but a stab through the heart stopped him.
Easy! Zack gloated inwardly, jogging
back to Cloud. Home free!
Zack returned to his still lover and
kneeled beside him. He stabbed his sword
in the sand so he would have two free hands to scoop Cloud up with. "Almost there," Zack breathed. "Almost--"
Pain lanced through Zack's lower leg
as something hard struck his ankle.
Unable to support himself, Zack fell hard beside Cloud's prone
body. At the same time, explosions
sounded from the woods, and bullets whistled over Zack's head.
"Shit!" Zack cursed,
twisting on the ground. Stones and rough
dirt bit into his side, but he didn't notice.
He grabbed his Buster Sword, the green orb in the hilt glowing as he
shouted, "Bolt 2!"
Lightning blazed into the forest,
striking three hidden troopers. It
electrocuted them, ricocheting off the steel of their guns to sear their
flesh. Three strangled cries reached
Zack, and he watched silently as they fried.
It was only when the area was quiet
again that Zack remembered the kick.
Eyes widening, Zack whipped around to face his beloved.
Glowing blue eyes met him. "I saw them in your sword," Cloud
whispered, his soft lips parted in a weak smile.
Tears burned Zack's eyes. "Cloud?" he whispered
hoarsely. "Baby..."
Cloud's smile trembled but still
remained. "I've missed your
face."
At his faint words, Zack choked back
a sob. "And I've missed your
beautiful eyes, Baby...Oh, by Holy, I love you..."
For so long, Zack had wanted to say
those words, to have Cloud hear them.
The light in Cloud's eyes rewarded Zack's long wait.
"I love you, too," Cloud
whispered.
And those words helped ease the pain
of those agonizing five years.
"I love you," Zack
repeated, lowering his head....
Note: In the start of the game, when Cloud had Zack's Buster Sword, it came equipped with Lightning materia. Since Cloud probably never bought any, Zack probably had the materia in the sword.