Through Life

"We're-what?"



Zack's lip curved downwards. "You've done this before?"



Tifa shifted and Cloud murmured to Zack. "Why do you think she's so nervous?"



"We need your help." Tifa urged. "We don't have enough people."



Zack tilted his hand to look at Cloud. "We're going to help, aren't we?"



"What? Do you not want to turn on Shinra? Scared, maybe?" Barret sneered.



Zack glared at him. "We're in."



Cloud hid a smile. Tifa saw this and, miffed, told him of their plans to get into the reactor. Cloud shrugged.



"Zack would know better." was all he said.



Zack listened more carefully this time. "It sounds like it should work."



Only Cloud saw the frown in Zack's eyes. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but Zack shot him a "Be-quiet-I'll-Explain-it-all-later" look. Cloud looked back to Tifa. She didn't notice a thing.



After twenty-five minutes and fourteen seconds of grueling talk, the bar was opened and in came customers. Tifa went to help them, Barret left, and so Zack and Cloud were left alone. They walked into the slums.



"You know, the first time I was down here, I was here to eliminate rebel forces." Zack laughed. "Now look at us..."



He left off, and Cloud looked over at him in worry. Zack was smiling, but it seemed forced.



"Zack..."



"I'm so sorry, Chocobo-Head." Zack's brilliant violet-blue eyes turned to him. "In...in Nibelhiem, that's not how it was supposed to go. When Sephiroth-"



"Shh. He's dead now. We're here. It's okay, Zack." Cloud whispered.



Zack blinked. "Yeah." He looked up to the plate. "I once thought the slums were crowded. Now they just..."



He shook his head and smiled to Cloud. "Eh. We should get ready for our mission tomorrow. Don't want to disappoint your friend in there."



Cloud smiled gently. "Okay, then."



Tifa watched through the open bar door as Zack took Cloud's hand and bounced his way to the armor shop.



-T.B.C.-

Hey look! It took 24 chapters, but here we are. Heading off to the reactor at the beginning of FF7.