War of the Hearts

Title: War of the Hearts
Author: Tsuzukicream
Beta: Tieo
Warning: Strong Language, Violence, Character Death, and more.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7, or any of it's characters. All of that belongs to it's owners Square-Enix.
Chapter Three

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

In time, they made it back to the Shinra building. This time without a hitch, Rude had sent word ahead and a second helicopter came and collected them from their position at Kalm. Cloud couldn't remember ever being so grateful to see all his old chums and bullies, there being more bullies then friends. He settled right back into his shared room, casting a happy look at his roommate's empty bed. They had arrived late morning, in fact it was nearly time for lunch call in the mess hall. Cloud would have himself a well-deserved meal, one he was sure he'd never be ungrateful for again, and then he would report in for debriefing. Nervous butterflies were fluttering in his belly; he wasn't entirely sure what he would report. They never did have a clear conversation the Turks, SOLDIER, and him on what they would include and what they wouldn't. He hoped that he wouldn't be thrown out for impeding a mission.

He started as he heard the door buzz, the locks releasing letting someone in with the right key card. In marched his roommate, someone he lived with but barely knew. A youth by the name Polaris. Poe had never been unkind toward Cloud but he never went out of his way to help the boy either. Cloud was less then overjoyed at seeing his return, and any semblance of a good mood quickly vanished.

“Hey Cloud, you're finally back.” He observed, smiling briefly. Clouds sour mood sucking any happiness out of the air.

“Yeah I guess.”

“So how was the punishment?” Polaris certainly was trying his best to keep up a happy attitude.

“It sucked.” Cloud turned his back to his roommate, not really wanting to carry out a conversation now.

Yet he still heard the other boys gloomy response. “That sucks then I guess.”

Cloud had already unpacked his bags and reset his photo's on the lone shelf by his bed. That was where he usually kept them and usually looking into the two smiling faces of the only women in his life he had ever considered himself close with did nothing to alleviate his mood. After all, even though he had brought the photos with him they had done nothing to improve any of the situations he had been placed in. They had let him down. No he was just being stupid they were just pictures they couldn't help him, there wasn't anything Tifa or his mother could do for him. Both were too far away to even talk to him. He had tried sending Tifa letters but he had never received a response, his mother wrote seldom and neither of them understood how much suffering he was going through in the city. Scowling with disgust and their inability to help and his own stupidity on putting so much emotion and trust in a couple scraps of paper. He took the pictures off the shelf and hid them in the bottom most drawer on his chest of drawers, Shinra issue of course.

His perfect moment he had always dreamed of with Tifa was gone, stolen by a SOLDIER male. He hated himself for it. He had always wanted, longed for that perfect moment with Tifa the most beautiful girl in Nibelheim. Never a flawed version with an older male. He grew angry with himself, hating Zack at the same time. Why hadn't he pulled away? Why had he let it happen? What was wrong with him? He wasn't sure, when Polaris had started to try to get his attention but a firm hand on his shoulder made him jump. He spun around and scowled his displeasure at his roommate.

“What?” He demanded.

“I was just wondering if you were going to head down to the mess hall.”
“O-oh.” Cloud tried his best to calm down his beating heart, he had forgotten the time. “Right, I'll be right down.”

“Okay see you there.”

Finally, Cloud was alone in his room again. He sat on his bed, low to the ground with only a mattress suspended on a spring coil cot. It was silent and he wasn't very fond of that, part of him wished that the red headed Turk was here to fill that silence. If there was one thing that the Turk was good at was filling silence, he certainly wasn't a very good pilot. His stomach was what brought his attention back to the present, reminding him that he had an appointment to keep at a meal to eat. He gave one last irritable look at the drawer now hiding the photos and left the room.

In the mess hall, he had gotten his usual helping of the junk they called food there and looking for a place suitable to sit. He avoided those who he fought with in the hallways, the last thing he needed right now was another fight; he walked past the table Polaris was sitting at ignoring the waves the boy was sending him. Instead he chose a table along the far wall, it was nearly empty with only a few other lonely occupants. The last thing he needed right now was a conversation.

The slop that they called food here was certainly better then nothing, but didn't nearly stand a chance to the meal he had in Kalm. As he ate, he pretended that it was another Kalm steak he was digging into. That did little to improve the taste. In his mind, he was running over the story that he would tell Captain Williams. He and Zack got lost in the forest, looking for anything that would give them a further idea on what the object could be when they wandered in too far and couldn't find their way out again. The Turks had waited just long enough for them to find there way out and that was the initial reason for being late. Luckily, he didn't really need to obscure any facts about the helicopter crash and that would further explain why they were so late returning.

He poked at his tray, wishing absently that he was in class right now rather then waiting to make his statement. The clock on the other side of the mess hall ticked away, it currently said quarter to one in the afternoon. He only had a few minutes before he had to be at Captain Williams’s office. He gave up on the last of his daily gruel and deposited his tray back at the front of the large hall and left to face the Captain.

Captain Williams held a certain dislike for Cloud and the private was sure that he would be further punished for the delay of the mission. He was sure that Williams would find some way to blame it on Cloud, and honestly, Cloud felt that it was his fault anyway. He just didn't want to have to scrub every latrine in the building, that being his least favourite assignment he had ever been given. He made his way through the hallways easily, having made the trek to the Captains office several times before. His roommate often joked that Cloud spent more time there then he did in his own room. The brass nameplate attached to the wall was aged having been graffiti overed and cleaned many times before still boasted the name Williams. Cloud gave it a dirty look wishing that it was instead the Captain himself, and knocked on the door.

The door opened at the Captain was standing there looking down at Cloud with a contemptuous look on his face. “You're late Private Strife.”

“I'm not!” Cloud wasn't sure why he retorted as such, knowing that there would be a consequence for that.

“I assure you private that it is two minutes past by my watch.” Williams sneered down at him.

Cloud figured that he was already off to a bad start why not roll with it. “And I assure you Captain that I'm early by every other clock in this building, how you set your watch is of no concern to me.”

“I hope you don't think you'll get away with such words. Once we're done with your statement I'll talk to you about what I expect done.”

Cloud wondered that if he were to write the truth about the forest if they would throw him out on the pretences of him being mentally unstable.

“Have a seat.” The Captain gestured to a plastic chair on the other side of the desk that Williams had just sat down at.

Cloud noticed that the usual leather chair that sat there and in every other officers office was replaced with a plastic excuse for a seat. Never the less Cloud sat without a word.

The Captain slid a piece of empty paper toward Cloud across the desk and placed a ballpoint pen on top of the paper. “Well get to it.” He said to Cloud then leaned back in his seat.

“Yes sir.” Cloud gritted out through clenched teeth.

He barely had time to set the pen to the paper when the door was thrown open. It struck the wall, most likely leaving a dent, Cloud jumped violently and succeeded in leaving a line of ink across the page.

Standing there panting slightly, leaning heavily on a pair of crutches was Reno the Turk.

“Reno, what the hell are you doing?” Williams said as he stood angrily behind his desk.

“The General sent me to retrieve Private Strife.” Reno said after stopping to catch his breath, he sounded like he had ran the whole way here, most likely encumbered by
his crutches.

“Strife has an appointment with me right now; the General will have to wait.”

Could the Captain be serious? Didn't the General's orders overrule anyone else’s?

“Sorry he's requested to see him immediately.” Reno said, crossing the room and lifting Cloud from his seat by one arm. “What happened to your chair?” Reno asked curiously once he had Cloud up off it.

“None of your business. Strife has a statement to make and I expect him back here as soon as the General is done with him.” Williams said as he leaned over his desk, grabbing the ink stained paper that Cloud was supposed to fill out.

“You don't have to worry about that Major Fair has already filled one out and that will do.” Reno explained as he led Cloud out of the room and slammed the door closed behind him.

“Reno? What's going on?” Cloud asked, when Reno finally let go of his arm.

“I'm breaking you out.” Reno explained hobbling down the hallway in the opposite direction of the Generals office.

“B-but you said that General Sephiroth wanted to see me.” Cloud stammered.

“Well I had to say something to get you out of there.”

“B-but what about my statement?”

“Don't worry about it, Zack wrote one and that'll be enough. We want to have as little variation in the story as possible. Just to make sure.” Reno explained as he led Cloud down unfamiliar hallways

“Where are we going anyway?” Cloud questioned, still relentlessly following Reno.

“Into Turk Head Quarters.”

True enough one elevator ride and several turns later the usual metal walls suddenly were lined with wood, giving it a rich lived in look. Cloud had never been in this area of the building and never up this high, with the exception of the time he had to meet the General. “This is the Turks area?”

“Yep. We're going past some offices right now, that one's Tsengs.” He pointed at a wooden door as they walked past. “I report to him.”

“What are we doing here?”

“Just going to pick up Rude, he should be done with his duties today.” Reno stopped at another wooden door. Cloud couldn't figure out why this area was made with wood rather then the metal that every other hallway and room was made out of. He was glad he was going to see Rude again as well. He looked at the Turks as friends now, whether the feelings were returned he wasn't sure.

Reno knocked firmly upon the door, Cloud was surprised to hear a metallic ring rather then a deep rap. Apparently, the walls were only made to look like wood. The door slid open on its own accord and Cloud followed Reno in. Inside the surprisingly small room was a fair sized table with six chairs even spaced around it. Rude was standing at the far end of the room next to another Turk, who left when he saw Reno enter the room. He also gave Cloud a confused look as he walked past him and out into the hallway. Obviously, this was not a place cadet’s usually spent time in.

“Hey.” Reno greeted casually. “Wanna get some lunch?”

Rude nodded his agreement and moved to follow them out of the room.

“Cloud your coming with right?” Reno asked as he looked down at the shorter cadet.

“Well... I just ate in the mess hall.” Cloud reasoned, he really had after all.

“You can't call that junk lunch. Particularly after that feast at Kalm, I'm thinking that if it were possible I'd go back every day.” Reno laughed out.

Rude shook his head at his partners antics. “I think a restaurant in the city will be fine Reno.”

Cloud followed along silently, as they climbed into another elevator and took that to the bottom floor to exit out the main lobby as they had done days previous. They didn't make it very far however as they were interrupted by a strong voice.

“Turks!”

Cloud paused and looked over his shoulder and saw another figure that was well known around the Shinra building. Colonel Cormick, a tall imposing man with a receding hairline.

“Yo Colonel what's up?” Reno asked casually as he leaned against one of his crutches.

Rude said nothing and Cloud remained there unmoving, The Colonel wasn't nearly as intimidating as the General was but he was still a man in a much higher position then Cloud, he still looked as if he could crush Cloud with minimal effort.

“I was wishing to speak to you two about the mission you just returned from.” The Colonel explained as he crossed the distance between the doorway he had been standing in and the spot where Cloud and the Turks stood. “I wish to speak to you as well as the Private and SOLDIER who accompanied you in my office.”

“Well that's handy.” Rude said softly.

“We just happen to have that cadet with us right now.” Reno said placing a hand on Clouds shoulder.

The Colonel looked down at Cloud as if he had just realised that he was standing there. “So then you're Private Strife?”

“Y-yes Sir.” Cloud stammered out. He may be defiant of the Captain and lesser non-commissioned officers but he always seemed to freeze when the higher ups spoke to him.

“Good then we just need Major Fair. I've already sent word for him. Please follow me.” The Colonel said turning on his heal in a practised military march.

Cloud followed behind walking between Reno and Rude a head shorter then both of them.

Reno must have noticed how stiff Cloud was he leaned over as best he could to comfort the boy. “Ah, don't worry about it Cloud, I'm sure he just wants to ask about what happened.”

Cloud nodded stiffly, he didn't want to risk saying anything and attracting the Colonel's attention. The were lead into another elevator, which only went up to a certain floor, the Colonel instructed them off of that elevator and onto a second one that they followed all the way up to another floor Cloud had never set foot on before. Down more spiralling hallways and finally to a large door with seat on either side of it, not dissimilar to General Sephiroth's office. Sitting waiting on one chair already was Zack.

“Ah, Major Fair I see you made it here already.” The Colonel said as he greeted Zack.

Zack stood and fell into a chest salute, which the Colonel returned only then did Zack visibly relax. “What is you were needing to speak to me sir? I was pulled out of watch duty.”

“I was just hoping to discuss the object from your mission.” The Colonel explained as he pulled out a key card to allow them into his office.

Cloud was the last to enter. The inside was neat and organised and was smaller then the Generals office, but much larger then the Captains obviously offices reflected their position in the military. The Colonel moved two extra chairs from outside his office to in front of his desk so that they could all have a seat. Zack indicated to sit next to him and gave him a warm smile; he must have known how uncomfortable Cloud felt. He was surprised to find that Zacks actions did calm his beating heart just a little and made his presence in the office feel like one that was welcomed there.

“Alright boys get comfortable I just need to ask you a few questions.” The Colonel started. “I understand you were a few days late reporting back in for debriefing.”

“Yes Sir.” Zack answered. “I already made a statement about it with the General.”

“Yes I have a copy here.” He indicated a manila folder sitting innocently on his desk. “Hard to believe such an--- accomplished SOLDIER such as yourself getting lost.” He had paused to think of an appropriate word.

“It was my fault Sir.” Cloud piped up, as much as he didn't want the Colonel to focus on him.

“Oh?” The Colonel opened the folder and pulled out Zack's statement. “That seems to differ from what the Major has written here.”

Cloud didn't miss the look from Reno. He thought quickly to remedy his mistake. “I'm sorry sir. I asked the Major to write that. I was afraid of receiving more punishment for delaying us.”

“Is that so?” The Colonel looked at Zack waiting for an answer.

Luckily, Zack quickly went along with it. “Yes Sir, I felt that it was unfair for him to be disciplined. He was only trying to help.”

The Colonel nodded as if he saw this was fair. “I don't see it necessary to change anything then.” Truly, the Colonel was a fair man.

“Thank you Sir.” Zack added.

“Now the object that was dug from the ground.” The Colonel said addressing the next part he wanted to discuss.

“Sir?” Rude asked interrupting the Military officer. After all the Turks didn't fall into the Military column, the simple fact that Rude was even addressing the Colonel as Sir was out of respect.

“Yes?” The Colonel didn't look impressed that he was interrupted.

“Strife wasn't actually part of the collection of the object.” Rude informed.

“Never the less he was present. Even if he never set eyes on it.”

Reno sat forward finally speaking up after remaining quiet for so long. “We were told that he wasn't supposed to be told any of it. He was just there to run errands, he shouldn't be present here.”

Cloud wished that he could melt into the back of his chair, that cold feeling that he wasn't supposed to be there returned full force.

“The General requested his presence here. He will remain.” Colonel Cormick shot back.

“We were sent there under the Presidents orders-” Reno continued.

“Shut your mouth now.” The Colonel gritted out obviously unhappy that he was being interjected by the Turk. “Now as I was saying. We received an analysis from the scientists already. And-”

Reno butt in again. “Already but they just received it this morning.”

The Colonel didn't directly acknowledge Reno instead continued with what he was saying before. “After a few simple tests the determined that it was an unusually large piece of Materia, naturally formed by the planet. It's virtually unusable by human hands.”

“Materia?” Cloud pondered remembering seeing the materia in the forest; maybe it was the same thing.

“As well, I was informed that the four of you will be moved into a protection program.” The Colonel continued.

“A what?” Zack sounded startled, in fact they all were.

“It seems that your presence in Bone Village somehow leaked out. One of the workers arrived just minutes ago, and told us of Wutai officials in the village. They were inquiring about the large Materia.”

Cloud sat there in that uncomfortable Shinra issue chair, Wutai had found out about the object and must have wanted to get their hands on it after someone told them that Shinra held some sort of interest in it. But they did they know what it was already?

“The four of you will be moved to another area of Head Quarters, your duties and classes.” The Colonel said with a nod of his head toward Cloud. “Will be suspended until the threat has passed.”

“Threat?” Reno questioned.

“Yes, it seems that the Wutei government has taken an interest in you four and your knowledge on the object and the forest.”

“Why would they want to know about the forest?” Zack asked, suddenly looking at the Colonel with a suspicious light in his eye.

“I don't really know, that forest has befuddled many for generations. It may have something to do with your trek into the forest. To our knowledge you two are the first two to ever come back out again.”

Clouds head reeled on his shoulders, how could the Government find out about them so quickly? Who had told them? Could it have been someone he had put his trust in. Images of Cook's and Marshes friendly faces waved through his head. No it couldn't be.

The Colonel stood and gestured to the door. “I will take you to your new quarters personally.”

The Turks and Zack stood and exited the room, Cloud however felt frozen to his seat. He had no proof nothing had been said to him to make him feel so uncomfortable, like the looming dread he felt had crept into his bones. A large hand on his shoulder shook him out of his thoughts. Cloud looked up at the figure how had grasped him and saw into the deep brown irises of Colonel Cormick. He saw nothing there to alarm him. He had always heard that the Colonel could be a soft man, but his rough exterior always had Cloud doubting those stories. Yet now, now that the Colonel had gone out of his way to welcome Cloud and to ease his worries with a simple gesture he could see the truth behind those stories. Silently he nodded his understanding and shakily got out of his chair and moved out into the hallway the Colonel at his side.

For the third time that day Cloud was lead through parts of the Shinra building he had never been to (some parts he had never even heard of before) He marvelled at how big the building actually was. They headed down this time, moving under the lobby and into the buildings basement. The stopped only a few floors underground, and Cloud was lead to wonder how far down the building went.

The hallways in this new area were dark, having been lit by flicking fluorescent tubes suspended from the ceiling. Moving shadows startled Cloud and he jumped pulling Zacks hand toward him to comfort himself in a part of the building that was accompanied by tales of torture and experiments. Cloud caught Zacks eye, and the SOLDIER gave the smaller boy a weak smile to try to reassure him. It didn't work.

The Colonel stopped at a metal door, much like the doors in the above ground floors of the building. Only these doors looked thicker more durable then their counterparts. “Alright boys, this will be you're new home for now.” He said as he pulled out a key card to unlock the doors. “I'll ask you not to leave threw these doors unless you're being accompanied. Otherwise you may not be able to return.”

He made a motion for them to go into the room, it was dark Cloud noted. They all stood there looking into the basement room, each of the equally unsure of the situation Turks, SOLDIER, and young cadet alike. Zack was the first one to build up the nerve to enter; he pulled Cloud along with him, still grasping his hand warmly.

Zack flipped on the lights and the Turks followed after. Cloud turned to ask the Colonel a question but was faced with the door sliding shut instead. “Colonel?” He tried weakly anyway.

“What the hell?” Reno said turning around sharply when he heard the door shut.

“The door closed.” Rude observed.

“A malfunction?” Zack guessed.

“Whatever it is I want some answers before Cormick leaves.” Reno said reaching out to the control panel.

Cloud stared at the crack where the door met the wall, willing it to open.

“The fucking asshole!” Reno said sharply, as several impeding chimes and beeps from the doors controls met him.

“We're locked in.” Rude observed again.

Cloud wasn't sure of the others reaction. He felt his face drain of any blood and that sense of dread returned ten fold. He panicked, he knew that he panicked but that didn't stop him from throwing himself at the door crying for it to open. It didn't stop him from beating on the cold metal until his hands were sore. It didn't stop him from falling to the ground in a defeated crumple, and no one else stopped him as well. Perhaps that was what they wanted to do it themselves, maybe they were glad Cloud was the one to do it, to show his weakness, to sob like the fifteen-year-old boy he was.

Rude was the one to finally pull Cloud to his feet and to dust him off. The Turk held his shoulders until his shuddering had ceased. Weakly he looked up at Zack and Reno, neither of them looked much better then he felt. Zack's eyes looked shadowed and Reno was leaning heavier on his crutches then he had been earlier.

Rudes soft voice broke the silence. “Let’s see what we have to work with.”

Zack nodded

Reno shook his head. “No way, I'm tired I'm sitting here and staying here for a little while.”

He hobbled over to a worn sofa one of two identical couches that each sat on a wall adjacent to each other. Cloud looked about the room, the lights were brighter in here then in the hallway and thankfully, none of them had that flicker. Everything was a dull grey or brown, and one crooked painting hung on the wall. The smiling face of some foreign girl gracing its canvas. Cloud took to an instant dislike of that painting, the smile he seemed to think was directed at him, that she was amused by their predicament. Cloud followed along after Zack into the small dingy kitchen. They found that there was food in the fridge and boxes of cereals and grains in the small cupboards. Down the only hallway was a small washroom and two bedrooms. The doors faced each other and each identical room held a double bed and a bureau both of them empty. No sign of any windows or other doors. Escape from this strange room seemed very unlikely.

Was Shinra really keeping them down here because of Wutei, or did they want them out of the way for the time being?

Cloud shivered and backed away from on of the bureaus. He felt really uncertain down here away from the sunlight. They were locked away like prisoners.

“Damn they couldn't even give us a TV.” Zack complained from behind Cloud. “Wanna bunk with me Cloud?”

“I guess.” He said as he looked around the empty walls.

“Cool.” How could Zack sound so chipper in these conditions?

They exited the room and sat on the stained sofas. Cloud sat next to Rude and fought the urge to cry for his mother, never had he wanted to go home as much as he did right now.

“I can't believe they're keeping an injured man in conditions like this.” Reno muttered.

“I don't understand any of this.” Zack said next to Rude.

“Do you think that anyone knows we're down here?” Cloud pondered, a sudden wave of panic washing over him again. What if they were forgotten about?

“I just wonder if the president knows about it.” Rude pondered.

“Eh, we won't be down here for too long I bet you.” Zack scoffed.

“What makes you so sure?” Reno said sourly from his seat.

“I just have a feeling, they'll probably make us stay one night and they'll come get us tomorrow morning, we'll talk shit over with whomever from Wutei. Who wants a big piece of Materia that's unusable?”

“The Colonel never said that it was unusable.” Cloud pointed out. “Only that it was virtually unusable by human hands.”

“That's the same think spike.” Zack argued.

“No it's not.” Rude added. “They might find another way of using it, machines...”

“Imagine how much power something like that would have...” Reno mused. “If they found more, Shinra wouldn't stand a chance.”

Cloud feeling of dread only increased from that moment on, and a week later they were still stuck down in that room.”

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Time passed slowly there in the basement; occasionally officers stopping by to resupply them would break the dull nothingness. Clean clothing was brought down as well as some fresh stocks for their small kitchen. A medic would stop in every so often to keep an eye on Reno's leg, every time he reassured him that it was fine and healing well. Yet nothing eased the boredom, they had started off by swapping stories but that had grown dull once everyone started to repeat themselves. It was nighttime, or so they thought it was hard to keep track of time in the dark room. Each retiring to their room.

“I think I may go insane.” Cloud stated staring up at the ceiling. He wasn't really tired.

“How long do you think you'll last?” Zack asked from his spot next to the blonde on the bed.

“Why what does it matter?”

“We're taking bets on who'll crack first.” Zack quipped as he sat up, tired of looking at that ceiling. “How can they keep us down here like criminals?”

“I think you've said that before.”

“Oh I know I have.”

They remained there in silence for a while, Cloud staring at the ceiling willing a hole to open. Zack attempting to burn a hole though the wall. 'I'm so fucking tired of this' the same thought was mirrored in all of their heads.

“Next time they stop with supplies I'm going to ask for music, or a board game.” Zack pointed out.

“You think they'll give us them?”

“Who fucking knows, they'll probably find some reason not to. Oh no they're infested with Wutai bugs trying to hack secrets out of us.” Zack fell back onto the bed in frustration pulling Cloud close to him for comfort.

They had asked for forms of entertainment before and each time their request had been brushed off. Cloud was beginning to think that they really were being punished for something. “Do you think we did anything wrong when we were in bone village?”

“Yeah we went.”

“Not funny Zack.”

“I wish we were back in the forest.”

“At least there was more to do there.” Cloud agreed it would be nice to go back there.

“How do you think that the Government found out about us being there?” Zack questioned.

Cloud shrugged. “Someone must have turned us in.”

“Feel tired yet?”

“I don't know anymore.”

Cloud laid there with Zacks arms around him, something he had learned early on that the older man was fond of doing. It had disturbed him at first, but quickly he had learned that it was more of a comfort then anything else. Yet every time he did it, flashes of that kiss in the forest would pass through his vision.

“Did you just hear the door release?” Zack asked, suddenly drawing away from Cloud.

“No.”

“Come on.” Zack pulled Cloud to his feet and they both went to investigate.

The Turks door was shut tight, they must be asleep. Once in the main room they saw that indeed the door had been released and standing there was a Shinra officer and a worn looking figure behind him. The officer made eye contact with the two and motioned the other figure into the room. Cloud was shocked, when he noticed who that other person was.

“Marsh?”

“Heya Cloud.” Marsh said with a weak wave.

The officer stopped Marsh before he could continue. “I will return for you in an hour.”

Marsh nodded and the Officer turned locking the door behind him as he left.

“What are you doing here? What happened to you?” Questions began to pour out of Clouds mouth.

“I'll tell ya bu' first I think all of ya shou' be here.” Marsh said taking a seat on one of the dull sofas.

“I'll go get them Cloud.” Zack said indicating that Cloud should take a seat as well.

Cloud nodded and sat on the other couch, looking Marsh over awkwardly. He looked like he had been through hell. His cheerful smile that was normally plastered to his face was gone, replaced with a worn looking frown. Dark circles lay under his eyes, and the sparkle of life was missing from his eyes. Black and blue bruises scattered across his face arms and it looked like they extended down onto his chest as well. He wore a simple garb, embellished only with the Shinra logo.

“You look awful.” Cloud pointed out.

“A' leas' I feel betta then when I got 'ere. Spent las' week in da medical ward with some o' the other guys who got away.”

“Got away from what?” Reno said coming down the hallway, his leg had improved somewhat and he was only using one crutch now.

“The Government.” Marsh looked down at his hands, dry and cracked.

“How did they find out about the Materia?” Zack asked taking a spot next to Marsh.

“Materia? Was tha' what it was?”

“Yep, just a big hunk that probably was tossed up by the planet.” Reno clarified. “We thought that’s what it was, I'm sure everyone thought the same thing.”

“Large Materia.” Rude added quietly.

“I guess, now tha' ya say it.” Marsh said still looking adamantly at his hands clasped together in his lap.

“So they came looking for it then?” Rude prodded for more information.

“No they knew it was gone, 'e told them ya took it. They came t' find out who took it, they wanted yer names.” Marsh continued.

“Who told them?” Cloud asked, leaning forward in his seat. Had it been someone he knew?

Marsh started to shake in his seat. “They musta threatened him. Such awful things they know. Cook, he- he-”

“Cook told them!” Cloud felt disheartened. It hadn't only been someone he knew, it was someone he trusted, someone he thought was a friend.

“I can' imagine how bad he musta felt.” Marsh muttered to his hands.

“Bull shit.” Reno suddenly burst out. “That fucker knew what he was doing. He never liked us being there.”

“Don't Reno.” Cloud warned, jumping to his feet. Wutei must have weaseled that information from him, they must have he wouldn't believe otherwise. “Don't even start to say such awful things.”

Reno struggled up onto his feet, ignoring his crutch completely. “Don't defend him Cloud; you weren't around him as often as the rest of us. He was there when we were discussing the Materia giving him our theories on it; he knew we took it with us. Believe me Cloud he wasn't happy that it went with us!”

“No Cook was a good man; he showed me nothing but kindness.” Cloud argued back, part of him felt bad for arguing in front of Marsh like this, but it didn't stop him. “He tried his best to explain things to me, he did everything he could to help me fit in better to do my jobs better.” Cook was a good man he had to be.

“You're young Cloud. How do you know he wasn't trying to get you to join over to the Government? I bet you if we had stayed any longer we woulda got knifed in the back and you'd be suddenly offered a wonderful position in the Wutai army.”

“Don't Reno Don't!” Cloud did everything he could to keep his arms down at his sides and not to throw himself at the injured Turk.

Zack released him from that worry. He reached out and pulled him back down on the couch. Holding him down with strong arms. “It's not the time to fight Cloud.”

“He's saying such awful things about Cook!” Cloud defended.

“He has a point Cloud. He acted differently around you.”

Did Zack just agree with Reno?

“Wha? No Zack no he was.”

“He turned ya all in, everyone. He told me 'fore you arrived. He didn't trust Shinra.” Marsh added, further condemning the girthy man Cloud had grown affection for.

“I- I-” He couldn't get the words out; they caught on that lump in his throat. The world around him grew fuzzy and he could feel the tears coming. Instead, he just threw himself into Zacks chest. It couldn't be true. He cried it out, everything. The hurt from the betrayal of his trust, the pent up frustration from being locked in a basement for a week, he missed his mother, and Tifa and he wanted to go home, to see the sun, to have someone else to comfort him then the large SOLDIER male. He cried until there was nothing left to cry and Marsh's hour had passed.

Reno and Rude had left the two alone and returned back into their bedroom. Cloud was still curled up in Zacks arms, now feeling heavy and empty.

“Care to explain what that was all about?” Zack asked quietly. “Surely you didn't care about him that much.”

“Once I started I couldn't stop.” Cloud explained, his voice barely more then a whisper. “I thought about my Mom, and Tifa.”

“You miss them?”

Cloud nodded.

“Yeah I miss some people too.”

Cloud looked up. Curious now Zack hardly ever spoke about the people in his life. “Who?”

“My family, they're in Gongaga. My sorta girlfriend I guess.”

Girlfriend? Cloud wasn't expecting that. “You have a girlfriend?”

“Sorta.” Zack smiled a little, probably thinking about her cute face and her nice smell or something like that Cloud thought. “We went on a couple of dates months ago.”

“Why haven't you seen her recently?”

“Well you know there was that incident where I got lost in a forest and I'm kinda tied up right now.”

Cloud playfully smacked at his arm. “You know what I mean.”

“Honestly... I don't know. She's a nice girl, really pretty, soft spoken. She sells flowers.” Zack went on. Cloud thought she sounded like she deserved better.

“So what's someone like that doing with someone like you? She lower her standards or something?”

“Was that a joke spike?” Zack laughed a bit. “I guess you're feeling better then.”

“Remember when the Colonel told us that if we got out of the room we probably wouldn't be able to get back in?”

“Yeah what about it spike?” Zack suddenly shifted lying across forcing Cloud to balance on top of him uncomfortably.

“What make him think that we would want to come back in?”

Zack laughed whole-heartedly, Cloud bounced along with his chest. “Like we'll get out anytime soon Cloud.”

Cloud smiled and gave up trying to keep some distance between himself and Zack and leaned down onto the SOLDIERs body. “Just wishing I think.”

“Wanna go to bed?” Zack asked as he hugged Cloud into place.

“You know that's it only really early evening.” Cloud pointed out. Marsh had informed them of the time before he had left.

“Does that really matter? Those Turks are already back to bed.”

“Well I guess I'd at least have a little more space on the bed then the couch.” Cloud said indicating the arms wrapped around him.

Part of Clouds mind was probably wondering why he was allowing himself this much contact with the SOLDIER. Their legs were entwined, chests pressed together, and Clouds own arms had managed to find away around Zack's shoulders. The other part of his mind didn't care, and most obviously welcomed the close proximity.

On the bed they ended up crammed together as close as they had been on the couch.
“Okay let me get this straight.” Zack started his arms still wrapped around Cloud. “For some strange reason you placed your trust in Cook. Even though you only knew him for about a week.”

Cloud nodded.

“Now that you learned that he turned us over so quickly, you're emotionally crippled and you'll never be able to trust another human being again.”

Cloud didn't say anything; he just felt a chill pass over him. Like Zacks, words could actually have merit behind them. No, he couldn't start thinking like that. “No, there will always be people to trust.”

“Like who? Me?” Zack asked softly.

Cloud nodded. “People like the President, and the General. If we can't trust them what has the world come to?”

“You've got a point there spike.”

“Thanks.” Yet even though he knew that, there were strong figures out there. People to turn to. Yet he couldn't shake that feeling.

Zack shifted and leaned over Cloud. “You're going to be alright aren’t you?”

He nodded, and then Zack leaned forward and brought his lips to Clouds. Cloud had wondered if he would try that again, he had thought about it a lot he knew what he was going to do as well. He would push Zack away, but he didn't. The action and the feeling of Zacks lips moving on his own somehow eased all his worries away. They melted together and he was blissfully unaware of the things that had been haunting him this past week. His brain caught up to him after he had responded. He found himself with his arms wrapped around Zacks neck, his hands buried in his dark locks, and he no longer cared if Zack was a guy or a girl. Lips were lips right? He thought he might mind when Zack moved closer pressing his chest against Clouds, or when he moved one leg between Clouds own but he didn't. He gasped lightly when he felt a knee brush lightly against his groin. Zack took advantage of that and plunged his tongue into the cavity of Clouds mouth.

Part of Clouds mind had to remind him that he had earlier convinced himself that this was wrong and that he shouldn't hold feelings for the SOLDIER. That didn't stop him however; something that felt this good couldn't be wrong, right? If this, what they were doing, was so wrong shouldn't something be pulling them apart, something should stop Zacks hand from trailing his hand across Clouds chest. Yet nothing did.

Zack had started by pushing one hand under the uniform shirt Cloud was clad with, slowly moving it up moulding his palm to the crevices of Clouds boyish chest. Pausing to play with each pink nub before moving his hand back down south. Cloud felt his skin burn, he was sure he was flushed from head to toe as he lay there kissing Zack. He didn't have the courage Zack had; he couldn't bring himself to move his hands away from his mane of hair. Though he was able to push him away when one of Zacks hands strayed too far.

“Zack!” Cloud burst out with affronted that the SOLDIER had gone so far as to actually grope him below the belt.

“Sorry! I got carried away.” At least he had the decency to apologize.

Cloud hurriedly shuffled off the bed, taking a pillow with him. “I'm going to sleep on the couch.” He informed Zack.

“No, please Cloud you don't-” His words were cut off.

“It's okay.”

He hurried out of the room, closing the door securely behind him. His stomach turned flip-flops as he made his way to the nearest sofa and made camp. There were no extra blankets so he would have to do without one. Thankfully, it was warm underground. He stretched out and buried his head into the fluffy pillow. His heart felt like it was trying to free itself from his chest. He had never intended for that to happen, but yet now that it had. He couldn't say that he hated it or Zack for that matter. He wished that the couch would just eat him on the spot he didn't like the confusion that Zack was causing. He thought he knew who he was and what he liked. He sighed as he looked out into the dark empty room, knowing that sleep would not come easily tonight.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Rude was the first one awake the next morning. He spotted Cloud sleeping soundly on the couch and noted that he looked like he needed it, and went about making coffee for the day. Reno shuffled down the hallway half asleep, with dark circles under his eyes. It was probably the smell of the coffee that brought him back to the land of the living.

“What the fuck is Cloud doing on the couch?” He asked as he accepted a steaming mug from his partner.

Rude just looked over his shoulder at the sleeping blonde and shrugged his shoulders. “Beats me.”

“I wonder if Zack talks in his sleep too.” Reno mused padding over and taking a seat on the empty couch.

“Pardon?”

“You heard me. For someone who doesn't say much you sure talk up a storm in your sleep. You’re lucky I haven't smothered you yet.”

“I don't talk in my sleep.” Rude informed.

“Sure you don't. That's why I know every intimate detail of the day your father left your mother.”

Rude didn't respond but shuffled uncomfortably on the spot.

Zack emerging from the hallway broke the uncomfortable silence. “Morning everyone.”

“What's Cloud doing sleeping out here?” Reno immediately asked.

“He just wanted to be alone last night.” Zack said dismissing the subject and reached for a cup of coffee for himself.

Reno wouldn't let it drop so easily though. “I think that we should switch rooms. Obviously you snore or whatever so bad you drove the kid out here.”

“I don't snore!” Zack defended.

“Whatever, you Mr. Snores-a-lot can share with Mr. Talks-to-much and me and the kid will share.” Reno reasoned.

“I don't think so.” Zack said, laughing as if he thought the idea was hilarious.

“I think it's a good idea.” Rude added. “It'll stop everyone from fighting amongst ourselves.”

“You think it'll stop fighting?! There is no fighting this'll just cause more.” Zack argued.

Reno leaned over to the other couch and shook Cloud awake. “You wanna share a room with me?” He asked Cloud as soon as one sleepy eye opened.

“What?”

“See he's going to share with me.” Reno said triumphantly.

Once Cloud was awake enough to realise what was going on he had agreed to the idea and thus Zack was outvoted and spent the next night beside to the bald Turk.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Author Notes: Hey what do you know this chapter is a little shorter then the other ones. I get tired writing all of that you know. Anyway hope you enjoyed it, drop me a line in a review, let me know what you think yada yada yada. Oh and special plug, anyone into Kingdom Hearts you should go check out a new story. A Collaberated story with my Beta. This first chapter was writen by myself. Theres a link in my bio over at ff.net, if your interested you should go check it out.