Chapter Text
Chapter 07
The small, cluttered house Merlin called home was uncharacteristically calm when Zack walked through the front door. Potions weren't boiling over, new spells weren't exploding in the old wizard's face, and the first aid kit was still in the bookshelf. Glancing between the two figures seated at different tables on opposite ends of the room, he raised an eyebrow while heaving a mental sigh of relief. For once he wouldn't have to yell at the crazy old coot for putting his wife in danger – despite the fact that Aerith was fully capable of taking care of herself. "You finally decided to take a day off from blowing yourself up, old man?" he asked, his voice breaking the silence.
In the far corner, Merlin huffed. Zack's unconventional greeting, loud and exuberant as always, had not startled him, but it touched upon two things Merlin was sensitive about: his age and his tendency to turn his house into a pyrotechnician's worst nightmare. Glaring at Zack over his massive encyclopedia, he puffed up in annoyance. "Did your mother ever teach you manners, Zachary?" he grumbled.
Zack grinned brightly, his amusement shining in his eyes. "She tried. She failed."
In the chair by the window, a copy of The Mists of Avalon in her hands, Aerith giggled. "I think you choose to conveniently forget, sweetheart," she said.
"Hey!" he protested, "just whose side are you on, anyway?"
His wife rolled her eyes as her giggling turned into laughter. She shook her head after a while to clear the near-overdose of euphoria away. Zack took this as a sign that today was a good day, which sent waves of relief through his person. If today had been a bad day, there would've been hell to pay for his teasing. Another sign that today was one of her good days came when she held her hand out, and Zack was at her side in an instant, ready to help her to her feet. His dutiful attention encouraged another round of giggles, causing the smile on his face to broaden into a grin. "Sora is coming to visit," she informed him when her laughter was finally under control. "I'm going to open a Gate for him in an hour."
He paused, furrowing his brow in a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Okay…?" There was an edge to his voice that he'd never been able to hide whenever anything concerned Aerith. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of her opening a Gate for the third time today. It bothered him enough that she was allowed to open Gates at all right now. The way he saw it, Merlin should be the one opening Gates in Radiant Garden, not Aerith. Donald opened all the rest; it wouldn't kill Merlin to open a couple every day.
"A good host always escorts his guests to and from his house, Zachary," Merlin said blandly, voice slightly muffled by the wall of a book behind which he'd hidden himself to give Zack and Aerith some semblance of privacy. His face wasn't visible, but Zack was positive the wizard had x-ray vision; he could feel Merlin's spectacled gaze on him through the pages and cover of the book.
A good host always escorts his guests? Who the hell does that these days? Zack quirked his eyebrow again, curiosity and concern giving way to utter confusion while he entertained the idea that maybe Merlin had finally fallen off his rocker, gone senile, or both. Given Merlin's supposed age – Just how old is that old guy anyway? – any of the three scenarios were entirely possible. "Uh, Merlin," he said, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly and turning away from Aerith for a moment, "we're about a thousand years ahead of when you were teaching Arthur. Besides, the kid can take care of himself, can't he?"
His wife decided the moment was perfect to step in and side with Merlin. "Be that as it may, Zachary, you should still meet him at the Gate when I open it. Sora doesn't know where we live."
Conceding defeat was always a smart decision when one's wife has a habit of pointing out the obvious – and that which he hadn't thought of. Zack waved the proverbial white flag by way of smiling in resignation. "Okay, okay, I'll pick him up. But first," he added, grasping her small, bare hands in his larger, gloved ones and he pulled her to her feet as carefully as he could, "I'm walking you home, Aerith."
In the corner, still hiding behind the ancient tome in which he'd buried his nose, Merlin pretended to cough. "I thought you believed such behavior to be backward, Zachary."
Zack laughed outright. "I said that escorting guests to one's home is backward, especially when the guests already know their way around town. Walking one's wife home is something every man should do, without question."
"You have a strange sense of honor and chivalry, my boy."
This time, Aerith came to Zack's rescue. "I think the world needs more men like Zack," she said with conviction. "We'd all be better for it."
Zack fought the urge to laugh again while Merlin sputtered behind his book. Instead, he chose to grin like a fool as he followed Aerith out of the house. Only when they were in the Market Square did he finally allow himself to laugh. "I have never seen him so flustered!" Zack crowed, nearly walking into the green grocer's stall. He was laughing so hard that tears rolled down his face, and he found it hard to breathe properly. He allowed Aerith to stop him so he could get hold of himself before he asphyxiated or found another way to kill himself.
When Aerith ceased rubbing his back after a few minutes, Zack coughed a couple times to clear his throat and stood upright. "That's the best laugh I've ever had at that old coot's expense," he snickered as they resumed their journey home. He felt good today, better than usual, though he wondered how that was possible because he felt good about eighty percent of the time. He shrugged it off almost as soon as he thought about it. There were a lot of good things in his life right now. Of course he'd feel good!
Beside him, Aerith laughed a little. "He wouldn't have left you alone if I hadn't said anything."
Zack gaped at her in feigned disbelief. "You mean you didn't mean what you said?" He slipped in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders. Then, trying his best to ignore his wife's laughter, he looked at her in mock sternness. "Mrs. Fair, it is imperative that you always speak highly of your wonderful, handsome, and most honorable husband, and therefore protect him from the Wizard Merlin's scathing commentary." He cracked a lopsided grin for good measure.
His jesting had its intended effect, and Aerith began to laugh as uncontrollably as he had just a moment ago. "Oh you!" she gasped and swatted Zack's arm. "You are such a goof!"
He grinned brightly. "I try," he laughed before he leaned down to softly kiss her forehead. Pulling away, Zack wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and they continued on their way. "So what's this kid like?"
Aerith glanced at him with a sly smile. "He reminds me a lot of his parents. He also reminds me of someone else."
Zack pretended to ignore the pointed look she sent him, but a furious blush rose in his cheeks. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he asserted too quickly. When she began to giggle again, his blush darkened even more. "What? How could he be like me? He's not ours, and I've never met him. Besides, according to that freaky parallel universe stuff you and Merlin are on about, technically, this Sora's parents aren't the Cloud and Tifa we – "
She cut him off with a quick kiss. "You'll see when you meet him."
He huffed, and Aerith continued to laugh at him. "You're adorable when you're impatient," she quipped as they rounded the corner and began walking up their street.
The burning in his cheeks dissipated as he gently pulled her closer. "And you are radiant," he murmured to her meaningfully, placing extra emphasis on "radiant." Zack leaned his head away just enough so as to catch a glimpse of her face. Just as he suspected, a very attractive shade of pink had risen in his wife's cheeks, and he grinned at her just as they reached the white picket fence bordering their yard. Aerith was having a hard time believing him when he said things like that lately, but he knew it pleased and reassured her when he did. The blushes and shy smiles he received, reminiscent of the girl she'd been when they first met, were so out of character for the woman she'd become. However, he considered them signs he was doing something right.
From what he'd heard over the years, one could never have too many brownie points.
Stepping in front of her, he opened the gate, allowing her to pass before he rushed ahead to unlock and open the front door for her. Once inside the quiet and comfort of their house, Zack breathed deeply. It felt so good to be home, even if for a few minutes before he had to leave again.
He looked down when something pressed against his lower leg. "Hey Pest," he said lightly, bending down to scoop the cat into his arms. The little animal, a grey shorthair with a white blaze, bib, and mittens, purred loudly and nuzzled Zack's face happily. "I missed you too," he laughed. "Where's your brother?"
"Sterling's in here," Aerith called from the den. "Would you mind feeding them, Zack?"
"Sure." Zack carried Pest into the den, where he found Aerith relaxing on the couch, a blue-cream tabby snuggled contentedly in her arms. Setting Pest down on the couch next to her, Zack watched the way the cat interacted with her before moving on to sniff noses with Sterling. Despite being littermates, the two cats looked astonishingly different. They even behaved differently from one another. Without question, exuberant Pest was Zack's cat, whereas the quieter Sterling preferred Aerith's company. It was something that Zack always found interesting, and it made him wonder about a lot of things.
Leaving the cats with Aerith, Zack went to the pantry and removed a can of Friskies. "Come on boys," he called, opening the can as he went. "Dinner!"
He and Aerith laughed when both cats shot away from her in a mad dash to the kitchen. "They must be hungry," she observed.
"I guess," he replied after setting two food dishes, each containing half of the can, in front of each cat. When certain Pest wouldn't live up to his name and torment Sterling, Zack retreated to the den for a few minutes' relaxation. "I'm getting the next few months off, starting right now," he sighed as he took his place next to Aerith on the couch. "The King says I should be with you and the boys for the time being, not that I'm complaining."
She rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. "I certainly don't object," she murmured. Her voice betrayed how tired she was, which was normal, but it still caused him to worry. Was Merlin working her too hard? Was she resting enough?
She seemed to sense his concern. "I'm fine, Zack."
Zack tightened his left arm around her shoulders as he rested his cheek against the top of her head. "I know. I'm still going to worry." He chuckled. "Something tells me this is just the beginning, though."
Aerith laughed with him. "Something tells me you're right." She fell silent, and after a few minutes, Zack wondered if she was beginning to fall asleep. "What would you say if I told you I'm scared?"
He leaned back a little to study her, and sure enough, he could see the fear in her eyes. Seeing that fear reminded him of that first time they'd laid eyes on each other's bared skin so many years ago, before everything went to hell in Nibelheim. They'd been young, inexperienced teenagers when it happened, not the older, wiser, more responsible adults they were now. She'd been scared for other reasons back then, he remembered, fears he'd also shared. Would it hurt? What if her mother or Shinra found out? What if...?
Those were the fears of two children on the cusp of adulthood. In the end, it had hurt, yet that didn't make it any less wonderful. It hadn't been spectacular, but he remembered that it hadn't been terrible, either. Their other fears proved unfounded, much to their relief. Her mother probably suspected they'd been intimate even though she never said a word to either of them, Shinra was largely clueless – if Tseng and the other Turks knew anything, they didn't report it – and nothing happened that they would've regretted later.
What scared her now was so similar, yet so very, very different.
Though he hated it when things like this frightened her, as it made him feel helpless even though he understood why, he felt a surge of male pride in knowing that she was turning to him for reassurance and comfort. As strong as she was, she wanted him to chase the monsters away. He couldn't cut these monsters down or hit them with magic. They were too strong for that. However, in the face of honesty and an optimistic, loving heart, the monsters could be shut away until the next time they returned.
A reassuring smile spread across his face. "I'd say it's okay." He kissed her hair before returning to his earlier position. "I'm scared too, but everything will be okay, alright? Nothing's going to go wrong."
She snuggled closer, or at least as close as circumstances would allow. "Promise?"
Zack laughed. "Yeah, I promise."
He stayed on the couch with her for a few more minutes until she told him he needed to pick Sora up in the Market Square. He was loathe to get up, to leave her, but it had to be done. "I'll open the gate next to Scrooge's creamery," she said when he was on his feet.
"I'll keep an eye out," he assured her as he leaned down to gently capture her lips with his. "You take it easy, Aerith, okay?"
She reached up to trace the scar on his jaw, a content smile upon her lips. "I'll be here when you get back with Sora."
He returned for a quick kiss. When he leaned away, he regarded her firmly. "I'm holding you to that," he told her. Turning around, he headed to the kitchen and then into the front hallway. "Be back soon! I'll take the boys with me if they want to go!" he called as he opened the door. She reminded him to be careful just before he shut the door on his way out. Be careful indeed, he thought, his right hand going to the sword at his hip. Though Heartless and Nobodies no longer ran rampant in Radiant Garden, it never hurt to be prepared. Sighing, Zack stepped off the front porch and made his way through the gate.
The trip back to the Market Square was boring, given that he had to pass so many houses that were different variations on the same design. The monotony was broken only by those yards whose boundaries were unmarked by any sort of fencing and the children who played kickball in the street every evening since school let out for the summer. Zack was grateful that it was a short walk, and an even shorter run, yet he took his time, watching the neighborhood children as they played. He smiled when he spied three familiar heads of silver hair and waved when they called to him.
"Daddy! Daddy! Come play with us!" the youngest of the three cried excitedly when Zack stopped to let a car pass before he crossed the street. His short, somewhat shaggy silver hair was mussed from racing around with his friends.
I'm only twenty-six, and I've already got three kids, none of which are actually the result of being with Aerith, he thought in amusement while the three silver-haired children raced up to him, abandoning their friends and their game. "I can't right now, Kadaj," he said, kneeling down to let the youngest child clamber onto his back. "Mom wants me to pick someone up at the market."
"Can I come too?" Kadaj asked, unable to conceal his eagerness.
Zack laughed and began walking. "I suppose. Yazoo, Loz, you coming?"
Yazoo, whose hair was even shaggier than his little brother's, nodded, his eyes shining as brightly with excitement as Kadaj's, and he jogged after them. Loz, the oldest of the trio and the only one whose hair was kept in a buzz cut, shook his head and started walking back to the other kids. "I wanna stay and play with Kyle and the others."
"Okay," Zack conceded. "I want you to head home in twenty minutes. Keep an eye on your watch."
"Yes sir."
They parted ways, and Zack spent the rest of the walk in a deep discussion about kickball with the younger boys until they reached their destination. After he set Kadaj down, he immediately handed Yazoo a wad of money. Understanding filled the seven-year-old's eyes, and he grabbed his little brother's hand, dragging him off in the direction of the candy shoppe. Zack laughed to himself; he would see his boys soon enough, but not until they'd purchased enough candy to send the mighty Hercules into diabetic shock. That would give him plenty of time to watch for Sora.
Leaning against the stucco wall of Scrooge McDuck's ice cream shop, Zack became lost in his thoughts regarding his wife's young friend – their best friend's son – and the probability that the Gate would open close to the creamery just as she claimed. Aerith was usually accurate when it came to opening Gates, but there had been some slip-ups lately. Zack never placed the blame on her if he wound up on the other side of town instead of in Market Square or near Merlin's house. He understood the reason for the mistakes and took care to never mention them. This was a concept Merlin had not yet learned.
Zack one, wizard zero.
Smirking with just a hint of arrogance, Zack returned his thoughts to the kid he was waiting for. He'd caught glimpses of Sora in the past, but he'd been so busy chasing the Heartless, then the Nobodies, and finally, Deepground, away from Gaia and his wife's church, in addition to his other work, that he hadn't had an opportunity to really watch Cloud's son and study him. Glimpses only told him that Sora looked like his parents. They couldn't tell him just how much Sora truly resembled his father, nor did they indicate how similar Sora was to his mother. What was Sora's personality like? Was he more like Tifa, or did they have a brooding mini-Cloud on their hands?
"Ancients help us if he is," Zack muttered. "I just might hit him if he pulls a Cloud on us." Teenager or not, Zack felt he had no patience left for brooders after watching the Cloud he had known beat himself up for two years. He was not going to put up with the same garbage from some kid he didn't know, even if that kid technically was his best friend's son. Privately, Zack hoped Sora was more like Tifa. Tifa could mope around and worry with the best of them, but she always did her best to focus on something else. Still, he reminded himself that this Sora's parents weren't the Cloud and Tifa he and Aerith had known. None of the people this Sora knew – Tseng, Reno, Rude, and Cissnei – were like the people he'd known when he was still "alive" by the rules that governed life on Gaia. As Merlin explained once, the timeline Sora came from was an experiment of sorts; a giant "what-if" scenario. What happened to Cloud in that timeline most likely would not happen if he heeded Sora's warning. Though he hadn't been there to hear it himself, Zack learned of it from Aerith and Squall after Cloud, Tifa, and the others returned home.
The concept was disgusting. It was something Zack found unacceptable and dishonorable. No one, not even a higher being, had any right to play around with a person's life like that. Despite his conviction, he sometimes wondered how different things might've been if he and Aerith hadn't died. How would that final battle have turned out? What sort of life would he and Aerith be living? Would Cloud have attempted to protect his family by way of isolating himself from them?
It was impossible to tell.
A bright flash of white directly beside the creamery caught Zack's attention just as his sons returned from their adventures in the candy shoppe. Everything he'd been thinking about was forgotten in an instant. He watched in anticipation as Sora emerged from the portal, legs bent at the knees and toes pointing downward as if he was somehow suspended in midair. The light faded, and Sora's feet touched the concrete of the sidewalk, but Zack didn't approach him straight away, nor did he allow his sons to leave his side. He wanted to let Sora get his bearings first. He also wanted to avoid getting a Keyblade in his gut. Masamune and her master were a deadly duo, but Zack felt he would much rather be disemboweled by a blade that would slice through bodily tissues as opposed to tearing through them.
Zack almost pitied the Heartless and the Nobodies who had been cut down by the Keyblade. Almost.
Narrowing his eyes, Zack gave Sora a quick once-over, making mental notes which he filed away for later. Though he wasn't a true carbon-copy of Cloud, Sora did have his father's look. He was lankier than his father, Zack thought, with a musculature that was more cordlike than bulky from a life that did not involve the army, and by default, SOLDIER. He also appeared to be taller than Cloud, but as he'd never had contact with Sora until now, Zack knew his judgment would be inaccurate until Aerith saw him. Given time, exercise, and plenty of food, Sora would fill out. Right now, though, he was just an ordinary kid who did the things ordinary kids do – he went to school, he had homework, he hung out with his friends, and he had a crush. Despite the extraordinary things he had done already in his young life, Sora was experiencing the things and living the life Zack and Cloud had given up.
Zack laughed to himself as he continued to watch Sora. I have to admit, I'm kinda jealous of this kid.
Somehow, he felt that Sora wouldn't find his jealousy all that amusing. The look on the kid's face was relaxed and happy as he opened his eyes, but Zack thought he saw a trace of anger – Or is that sadness? – in Sora's otherwise bright and eager face.
Deciding that he would worry about it later, Zack shrugged everything he'd been thinking of away as though it were water. Sora was looking around. Unless he wanted to chase Cloud's kid all over town, now was the best time to make his presence known. Of course, he would keep his distance all the same. It all boiled down to his desire to keep his innards where they belonged. He wanted Kadaj and Yazoo to remain in one piece as well. "You two stay here," he said firmly, keeping his voice low. Only when he heard them both agree to do as they were told did he turn toward Sora.
"Sora, right?" he asked when he was close enough to catch Sora's attention without attracting the attention of everyone else around them, yet far enough away to avoid injury if Sora swung at him with the oddly-shaped weapon he carried.
Sora's head snapped in his direction and Zack watched him move into a defensive position. Behind him, Zack heard Yazoo yell in alarm while Kadaj started crying. Rather than reach for the Claymore hanging from his belt, as it would probably scare Kadaj and Yazoo more than they already were, Zack held one of his hands out in front of him like a police officer stopping traffic. "Whoa, kiddo, chill." He kept his voice calm and steady, hoping that he could ease his sons' shared fear and placate Sora at the same time. He didn't want to use Aerith's name as a shield, but if push came to shove, he would. He did not want to get into a fight in front of his boys. It would scar them for life if they had to watch him either get hurt or hurt someone else.
Much to Zack's immense relief, Sora lowered the Keyblade, though he was still on his guard.
I suppose I can't fault him for it, Zack reminded himself. I don't think that ever goes away. Giving a mental shrug, he cracked a lopsided smile while motioning for Kadaj and Yazoo to come to him. "The name's Zack Fair. This is Kadaj, and this is his big brother Yazoo." His lopsided smile morphed into a broad, happy grin when recognition and shock flickered across Sora's face. "Why don't you come with us? Aerith said you're here to talk."
"Yeah, sure." Sora twirled the Keyblade twice in a fashion very familiar to Zack before finally sending it away. "So you're Dad's friend and Aerith's boyfriend, right?" Sora asked him when he closed the distance Zack had kept between them. Zack noticed that Sora was ignoring the boys, who were keeping their distance from the scary person who'd held a sword up to their father. He wondered if the boys were wrong to fear Sora for having a natural warrior's reaction to a potentially life-threatening situation. Ultimately, he decided they weren't wrong to be afraid.
All the same, they needed to see that there was nothing to fear. He still had to try to get to know this kid while he still had his attention.
"Well," he began, chuckling as he turned and led the way to his home, his boys clinging to him like Velcro, "you're partially right about my relationship with Aerith. We've been married for just about two years, actually." Zack's nervous chuckling dissolved into full-blown laughter when he looked over at Sora and saw that the kid's eyes were practically bugging out of his head. At his hips, Kadaj and Yazoo stared at him in confusion. Neither understood what was so funny.
Sora recovered quickly, and he wasn't amused that he was being laughed at. "How come I never saw you when I was here?"
Zack shrugged after he managed to regain his composure. "It's the nature of my work," he answered cryptically. Only Aerith, Merlin, and King Mickey knew what his job responsibilities were, and it was to remain a secret at all costs. Zack didn't particularly enjoy keeping secrets, but if it meant what the king and the old wizard had been hinting at ever since his arrival in Radiant Garden, he was going to keep his mouth shut. Rather than elaborate, Zack flashed an easy-going grin. "But I don't have to work right now. I get to be lazy for a few months, just like you."
Beside him, Sora snorted derisively. "Must be nice," he said, sarcasm dripping from his words like venom.
Zack dropped the grin as he raised an eyebrow. "It is, actually. I get to stay home with my wife and kids and be a normal guy, which I wasn't able to do before I died and for a while after. I take it you think you have some unfinished business?"
"That what I want to talk to Aerith about."
Ancients help me, and Cloud, I'm sorry. I think I'm going to hit your kid after all. As soon as he finished the thought, Zack shook his head. It was unlike him to feel so…hostile? Defensive? He felt it, whichever word fit best, because of being so protective of Aerith. Granted, he was being a bit over-protective, which annoyed Aerith to no end, but he couldn't help it. He wanted her to be safe and happy, not in danger and upset. Any man in his position would act as he did, wouldn't they?
As insurance, for Sora's sake as much as his own, Zack changed the subject. "You know the Turks, right?"
From the corner of his eye, he saw Sora blink in surprise. "Uh, yeah. Tseng, Reno, Rude, Elena, and Cissnei, right?"
"They're the ones."
"What about them?"
Zack sighed dramatically when he stopped in front of the white picket fence surrounding his yard. "Boys, go inside and tell your mother we're home, and make sure Loz is in the house." He watched Kadaj and Yazoo take off toward the front door, then stared at the gate. Silently, he prayed for strength and patience. It was growing increasingly difficult to refrain from decking Sora squarely in the jaw. "They're still my friends, especially Tseng and Cissnei." He turned to look at Sora, who had been looking around the residential area, a nice area on the outskirts of town. When Sora faced him, Zack's eyes softened as his memories took him back to the times he'd spent in the company of the Turks. He just had to know. "How are they doing?"
Sora shrugged, the gesture either noncommittal or one expressing relative disinterest. "They're doing good."
An answer typical of a teenager. I really hope I wasn't that bad when I was his age. Zack shook his head. "Did any of them start families?"
For a moment, Zack thought Sora wasn't going to answer him, until the kid shrugged again. "Yeah. Reno and Cissnei got married right after Meteor. They have a son named Carson. He's three years older than me, and he looks like Reno. Their daughter, Carlin, is my age, but she looks more like Cissnei." Sora finally cracked a smile, a sign that he was very attached to Reno, Cissnei, and their family. The smile remained as Sora continued speaking. "Tseng married Elena after Deepground, like Mom and Dad, and they've got two kids, fraternal twins. The son's name is Ken, and their daughter's name is Faina."
The news brought a genuinely happy smile to Zack's face. Looks like the Tseng and Ciss this Sora knows took the advice the other me gave them after all, he thought delightedly, albeit with a pang of bitterness. All this stuff about parallel timelines that had Aerith and Merlin so worked up, combined with this new information Sora revealed, made him feel cheated. He wanted to see his other two best friends' kids. He also wondered if the Turks he'd known were leading different lives than the Turks Sora knew. For years, he'd been convinced that if Tseng found the right woman and had kids, he'd be a great father, not to mention his kids would be beautiful. As Zack recalled, Tseng had been rather embarrassed when he'd been informed of this. He couldn't remember the words they'd exchanged that evening at the local watering hole in Costa Del Sol while they were on vacation. He just remembered his own voice saying something about kids and Tseng's face turning an interesting shade of pink. Perhaps this Elena had been just what the doctor ordered.
The exchange with Cissnei was easier to remember, as it occurred when they were leaving the Shinra building. Zack had been sober then, as opposed to being exceptionally drunk during his conversation with Tseng. One of the things he remembered most about talking with Cissnei was the way she laughed him off. "Ciss, I'm serious," Zack remembered telling her. "You and Reno have something going between you. You should act on it and tell him, or I'll tell him for you."
His petite friend had stared at him pointedly. "And do what, Zack? 'Once a Turk, always a Turk,' remember? I couldn't leave even if I wanted to."
"That may be the case, but I still think you should tell him." He'd given Cissnei his most charming grin, the one he only used with her, the girl he had come to love as the sister he'd never had in the time he'd known her. "You and Reno would have beautiful kids, by the way, if you ever got together."
"Zack!" she'd hissed, either horribly embarrassed or very annoyed. It was hard to tell with her. Zack laughed and waved her off as he headed for the train station so that he could catch a train to Sector 5 and visit Aerith.
Though he knew the Tseng and Cissnei that Sora knew were different from the people he'd known, Zack couldn't bear to smother the feelings of happiness he was feeling. There were no guarantees, but if the Tseng and Cissnei from this Sora's life had found love and happiness with their colleagues, the same was possible for the ones he'd known. I'll have to ask Cloud about them next time he visits the church, he told himself. He wouldn't explain the true motivation for his questions; he would use his interest in knowing how his other friends were as an excuse. He could only hope that Cloud would buy it, or, at the very least, humor his request.
A thought occurred to him. "What about Rude?" he asked as he stepped inside the gate. Once Sora was through, he closed the gate and led the way to the backyard.
"Rude married one of the women working at Rufus and Reeve's research company, Mariah, the PR director." Sora replied behind him. Zack could hear the awe in his voice and knew he was looking around at the landscaping. Having had a hand in the way the gardens were laid out and arranged, Zack didn't pay his property any mind unless he out working on it with Aerith or playing with the boys. It didn't interest him as much as it did Sora, even if the kid's interest did give his ego a boost. He had other things that interested him on his mind.
"Any kids?" he pressed.
"They have a couple foster kids, but none of their own."
Zack only continued to smile. "Always knew Rude could be a softie if he had the chance."
Sora made a strange noise, somewhere between a snort, a huff, and a laugh. "He's so strict, he makes Tseng and Vincent look like Reno, Barret and Cid."
Despite his not knowing Vincent Valentine, Barret Wallace, or Cid Highwind, only having seen the three men a few times when they'd been in Aerith's church, Zack did know Tseng. The mental image of his stern friend acting like his wild man of a subordinate was entertaining to say the least. One simply did not expect Tseng to act so…relaxed.
Zack led Sora inside the screened-in porch and looked around the yard for his wife. When he didn't see her, he went to the back door and poked his head inside the house. "Back, Pest," he growled as he shooed the little animal away from the door. "Aerith?"
"In the kitchen!" she called back. "Could you give the boys a hand, Zack?"
Glancing at Sora for the briefest of seconds, Zack nodded. "You bet." He slipped inside and immediately took the pitcher of lemonade Yazoo was struggling with, handing him three tall glasses instead. As he did this, he kept a watchful eye on little Kadaj, who carried a small tray of sandwiches and fruit salad. Loz took the pitcher without complaint and followed his younger brothers to the back door. "You need to take it easy," he reprimanded her when the boys had gone outside with their loads, placing a quick kiss on her mouth.
Aerith giggled against his lips, and when he pulled away, she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Making lemonade is hardly stressful, Zachary. I had plenty of help," she added, referring to the boys. Zack sighed in defeat and decided against arguing with her. Aerith was a stubborn woman. Once her mind was set on something, it was nearly impossible to divert her attentions elsewhere. Instead, he chose to emasculate himself and beg; Aerith was unable to resist the puppy eyes whenever he turned them on her.
Before he let her through the door, he gazed at her pleadingly. "Aerith, please, take it easy. Let me and the boys take over."
Aerith frowned a little, as she hated being treated like an invalid. Privately, Zack hoped he'd already scored enough brownie points to enable himself to get away with it. All the same, he carefully schooled his features into a pout he knew Aerith thought was irresistibly cute. With any luck, she would cave.
The pout worked. With a reluctant sigh, Aerith lowered her gaze and nodded. "Okay, Zack. If it will keep you from worrying, I will."
He carefully leaned forward to kiss her temple to both reassure and apologize to her. "I won't ever stop worrying. I'd be a bad husband if I didn't care enough to worry about my wife." He balanced the tray of drinks on his left arm while he held the door for her, shooing the cats away in the process. "You should just let me pamper you like a princess. I think you'd enjoy it."
She shook her head with a laugh, her displeasure over having to do less than what she was used to quickly forgotten. "You pamper me enough as it is! You've even got the boys in on it!"
From the corner of his eye, Zack saw Sora perk up when he heard Aerith chastise him. "What happened to the world needing more guys like me?"
"I still think the world needs more men like you, but sometimes I think you overdo it." She smiled up at him as she stepped through the door, and he couldn't help leaning forward for a soft, lingering kiss once he'd pulled the door shut. When he backed away, Aerith chuckled. "You're not forgiven," she teased him. She turned around to face Sora, who stood up from his seat at the table to help the three boys with the refreshments. "Hello, Sora. It's good to see you again."
Sora could only stammer in a mix of nervousness and surprise. "C-congratulations," the kid finally blurted, his wide eyes locked on Aerith. Despite finding it hard to hold back on the laughter threatening to escape him, Zack restrained himself. The stories about Sora not being as quick to pick up on things as his friend Riku were true, after all. Merlin hadn't been lying. To avoid giving into his mirth, he averted his eyes for a moment, watching his boys as they played tag in the yard. Satisfied that they weren't getting into some form of trouble, he returned his attention to his wife and their guest.
He couldn't see the smile on her face as her hand came up to rest over her stomach, but he could hear it in her voice. "Thank you, Sora." He stepped back a little when she waved Sora over, and when he was close enough, she reached up to hug him affectionately. The last time Aerith had seen Sora, he had been close to her height, but he had grown a lot since then, and he was now a head taller than she was, if not more. "Everyone is fine," she whispered softly when Sora returned the embrace with an obvious degree of awkwardness. "You don't have to worry."
"Thanks," Sora murmured. Zack watched the way his eyes searched Aerith's for something, anything. However, Aerith was rather good at hiding things behind a carefully-constructed mask, and she was hiding whatever answers Sora was looking for. She even refused to show the relief she felt when Sora finally gave up. Like Zack, she had a lot riding on her ability to keep secrets. If Sora noticed anything, if either of them slipped up, everything – their life in Radiant Garden, the boys, their baby, and so much more – would be lost. They would return to the Lifestream, where they would eventually merge with all that came before, then into nothing. They wouldn't get another chance to live and give life again. It weighed upon their minds like a burden on their shoulders.
Releasing the boy she'd come to love as a younger brother, she gestured to the table, an unspoken request that they all sit down. Even if their situation gnawed at the back of her mind, now was not the time to focus her thoughts on it. Sora returned to his seat while Zack pulled one of the chairs out for her before taking the seat across from Sora. Thanking her husband with a soft and secret smile, Aerith stole a glance at Sora from the corner of her eye as he accepted the food Zack passed to him, noting how he had changed in the past year.
She didn't like what she saw.
He was taller, a little broader, and she swore he looked more like his father every time she saw him. How he'd gotten so tall – he was almost as tall as Zack – was a mystery to her, as Cloud and Tifa were of average height. Still, these changes were to be expected. They were natural. If Sora hadn't shown signs of physical growth, Aerith knew he wouldn't be sitting next to her on her back porch. Tifa wouldn't have let him out of the house except to take him to the hospital. Physically, Sora was fine, and Aerith was happy to see that he was in good health.
Mentally and emotionally, however, Sora was little more than an emaciated shell of the boy she once knew. His eyes, which were normally bright and clear, were dulled. The fire that once blazed there was but a candle, a tiny flame that could easily be snuffed out. His face seemed to have been molded into a perpetual scowl. It seemed as though Sora had completely forgotten how wonderful it felt to smile. His posture lacked that air of enthusiasm and confidence that everyone in their group had grown to know so well when they were fighting together.
These were the changes that Aerith never dreamed she'd ever see in Sora. The Sora before her now was the antithesis of the one to whom she'd said good-bye nearly two years ago.
She wished her hormones weren't so out of control, for she suddenly felt like crying, and she couldn't recall a time when something unrelated to losing Zack saddened her this much.
There was something, though, that gave her hope.
Sora's eyes were dulled, but they weren't lifeless. The fire was weakened, yet it still burned, and as she watched, Aerith could see that it was slowly growing. It seemed he'd figured some things out on his own, and without having to fight. However, it also seemed that he'd taken a rather long time to make such realizations, just like someone else they all knew in varying degrees of familiarity.
He really is his father's son, she thought to herself with a tiny smile. I doubt Cloud would be pleased to know just how much Sora acts like him.
"So, uh," Sora began nervously, "when…?"
Aerith chuckled lightly, and she could see Zack's face begin to redden. It never ceased to amuse – and annoy – her just how uncomfortable men were when it came to inquiring about the impending arrival of a baby. Still, she was proud of Sora for initiating conversation, as well as for choosing a relatively safe topic, in this case, her due date. "In around four months, toward the end of December or in early January." She shifted her gaze from Sora to look at Zack fondly. "We're very excited."
She heard Sora laugh nervously, and when she returned her gaze to him, she delighted in seeing a small, genuine smile on his face as he looked between her and Zack. "You'll make good parents," he told them softly. "Is it a boy or a girl?"
"We've decided to wait until it's born," she replied as calmly as possible, but she couldn't completely mask the excitement and anticipation in her voice. She really did want to know, and she knew Zack was anxious to know if he'd fathered a son or a daughter. Part of the fun of having a child, Aerith felt, was in not knowing the sex of the little life developing inside her body until it left her womb. Smiling warmly at Sora, she reached for his hand. His eyes flickered up to meet hers, and she squeezed his hand gently. "It doesn't matter if the baby is a boy or a girl. Zack and I will love him or her with all our hearts."
After a moment, Sora nodded, his eyes shifting to the three boys playing in the yard. "I know you will."
"Now," Aerith said, withdrawing her hand. "It seems you have something to talk about, and I'm very sure it's not about my baby." Her tone was light and carefree, even teasing, and she was smiling, but she added a degree of firmness to her voice so as to let Sora know there would be no more avoiding the real reason he'd returned to Radiant Garden. Though she had an excellent idea just what was bothering her young friend, she wanted to hear it from his own mouth. She knew from experience that a problem was almost always taken care of when someone finally allowed themselves to talk about it.
Sora seemed to have gotten the message. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and his eyes darted left and right, back and forth, over and over for several seconds as he tried to find the right words. Finally, he stilled and looked at Aerith pleadingly. "Should I tell you what I told Vincent?"
Aerith nodded. "What did you tell Vincent?"
Sighing heavily, Sora hesitantly recalled his angry rant. His words lacked the venomous wrath they'd had when Vincent had been his audience, possibly for Aerith's sake, but she could still hear the residual anger, as well as the hurt and bitterness. A quick glance stolen at Zack confirmed her suspicions that he heard it too, and then she returned her focus to their guest. "I saw him in the Coliseum," Sora said, his voice small and helpless, "and I just knew it was him from the pictures Mom and everyone else had shown me since I was a little kid. I told myself, 'He's probably just a ghost.' I told myself that ghosts can't be saved.
"It got harder and harder to keep telling myself that, especially after I woke up and came to Hollow Bastion and met up with you guys again. I found something before I left for Mulan's world that had everyone's ages." He blushed furiously and mumbled a quick apology to Aerith before continuing. "It was in Merlin's papers. Leon – Squall – was twenty-one, Yuffie was eighteen, you were twenty-four, and Dad wasn't even twenty-three yet, which meant Reunion hadn't happened."
It was hard to imagine just how confused Sora might have been, but Aerith understood and could appreciate how much of a shock this discovery must have delivered to his system. He'd been expecting his father to be twenty-seven, the age he had been upon his death. Instead, the Cloud he'd fought against, trained with, and gotten to know was four years too young, only seven years older than Sora had been at the time of his discovery. This Cloud wasn't married, and he technically wasn't anyone's father.
Meeting Tifa had to have been even more surprising. At home, the Tifa he'd always known was forty-one. Her age would be starting to show, even though Aerith was sure she was just as beautiful as she had been in her early twenties, but she wasn't the one Sora had met with on his quest. The Tifa he'd met in Radiant Garden last year had been nineteen years younger and was quicker and more agile. If the age Merlin had listed in his records for Cloud hadn't convinced Sora that something was amiss, then seeing a younger version of his mother certainly did.
The discovery had to have been just as heartbreaking.
Sora's gaze darted back and forth between Aerith and Zack again. "That wasn't a ghost I met. It really was him, but he was younger, and less scarred. I saved a younger version of my dad, and I know that Dad already got a second chance after…" he trailed off, glancing nervously at the little boy chasing after Loz before lowering his voice, "after Yazoo…shot him three years before I was born, so the chances of getting him back aren't very good. But what about Denzel? Is there a chance Mom and I will ever get him back?" He looked at the boys again, furrowed his brow slightly as though he were trying to wrap his mind around something, then shook his head. It seemed he really was surprised by the boys being in Radiant Garden in spite of his earlier indifference.
Aerith shook her head sadly. She understood Sora's pain, even though she couldn't relate to it; she didn't have any brothers or sisters until she met Cloud, Tifa, and the rest of their party. She had been fortunate enough to have never lost them. Even so, the death of a loved one still hurt, and it was because of this that she understood why Sora felt the way he did. She wished she could tell him something that would bring back the boy he'd been before he went home, but she couldn't. It didn't work that way. "No, Sora. There are rules we must follow. I don't understand why Denzel wasn't given a second chance, but you have to realize that just as there are no third chances, there aren't always second chances." She reached out to touch her young friend's face lovingly, soothingly. Her other hand sought his, and when she found it, she squeezed reassuringly. "I think you've already accepted that you would receive such an answer, haven't you?"
Slowly, he nodded, his eyes lowering until he was staring at the table. "I told myself that I'd be okay with everything, whether I could save Dad and Denzel or not." He raised his eyes to hers again and nodded once. "I mean it."
On her other side, Zack finally spoke up after having been uncharacteristically quiet throughout Sora's monologue. "You look like something else is bothering you, kid."
Aerith glanced at her husband for a lingering moment and looked back at Sora when Zack's firm expression did not dissolve into something more relaxed. Sora fidgeted again, and Aerith noticed that he was watching her with an expression she had never seen on his face. His brow was furrowed in concentration, his mouth set in a grim line. It was an expression Aerith had last seen on Tifa's face, not Cloud's. The look faded when Sora, unable to maintain such a stern mask, returned to his more characteristic look of curiosity. "Riku said you and Merlin have this theory about Radiant Garden. 'Time is irrelevant, yet essential.' Mom, Dad, Yuffie, and Squall didn't move anywhere – backwards or forward – in time, but Riku, Kairi and me went backwards. I've come backward again, haven't I?"
From the corner of her eye, Aerith saw Zack's face break into a grin, and she also couldn't help but smile proudly. Though hardly as clever as Riku, Sora was an intelligent young man capable to putting two and two together. But she would not answer his question just yet. There was still more he wasn't telling her, and she wanted to know everything Sora had thought about in the last year and a half. "Is this something you figured out on your own, or with Riku's help?"
"We all sort of figured it out together. Riku, Kairi and I sat on Riku's front porch and went over his notes that he took while talking to you and Merlin." Sora fixed his gaze on Aerith once more, his eyes determined and full of fire. "Riku said you thought there were exceptions to Merlin's idea that when people came to Radiant Garden after dying, they remained unchanged. He also said that you didn't explain what you meant."
Aerith chuckled now. She just felt so proud of Sora, and she couldn't bear to hide it. "You have the answer, Sora. You discovered it when you returned to us last year." She watched as he seemed to withdraw into himself to think, and when, at long last, realization dawned on him, her smile was as bright and happy as the one that broke out over his face. "Time has not stopped for Zack, nor has it stopped for me." Her gaze flickered down to her belly, and her smile softened. She was happy that time had not stopped for her and Zack. They could live the life that had been stolen from them, they could watch their children grow up, marry, and have children of their own.
Looking at her husband, she knew he felt the same way.
With their more serious discussion topics covered, they were able to move on to happier conversation. It didn't last long, as the boys needed baths and the dishes still had yet to be done. Remembering her promise to Zack, Aerith let the guys take care of the dishes while she sat outside with her thoughts. It was hard to avoid thinking about Sora and how he'd changed. The change was rather similar to the one Zack had undergone following his friend Angeal's death, in that he'd actually talked about how he felt, therefore making it easier to accept what happened and move on. It was also rather like Tifa, who dealt with her grief by going off alone – never too far away for help to arrive, but far enough away that no one could hear her talk. Aerith wished that Tifa was able to see her like Cloud could, but she knew Tifa could feel her in the space beside her, and so her friend kept talking, and Aerith kept listening. It was far better than just holding it in. However, brooding for two years, continuing on a downward spiral, and hoping against hope that something could still be done to change what happened made him far too much like Cloud.
He's come a long way, though, she thought with a look of concentration. I think he will be okay. With a mother like Tifa, an aunt like Yuffie, and uncles like Vincent and Reno, Sora will be able to move on. He's already taken the first steps on his own. Her lips turned upward in a tiny smile. If he needs to, he can always visit us. He and Zack seem to be getting along just fine.
A sharp movement from inside her womb startled her just as Zack and Sora returned from their respective duties giving Kadaj his bath and doing the dishes. It wasn't an emergency, yet she had both of them at her side in an instant. "Baby kicking again?" Zack asked knowingly, resting his palm over her belly.
She laughed a little, having recovered from the surprise. "He knows when Mommy's thinking."
"You mean she." Zack shot back teasingly. The baby kicked again, and he gently tapped a finger against Aerith's stomach. "Hey, settle down in there. Mommy needs you to behave."
Aerith and Sora burst out laughing at the semi-serious tone Zack used, and again when the baby continued moving. Calming herself a little, Aerith waved Sora over. "Have you ever felt a baby kick while it was still inside its mother's body, Sora?" she asked when he was close enough that she could reach for his hand. When he nodded, she smiled. "It's okay if you want to."
He was nervous, she could see that. Some of the color drained from his face, and his hands started trembling, but without further encouragement, he tentatively placed his hand on her stomach. Aerith gently rested her hand over his when he seemed ready to jerk away. For a few long minutes, they were still, until a tiny flicker of movement elicited a soft gasp of wonder from Sora. Aerith released his hand in favor of touching his face, then ruffling his hair, but Sora's hand remained. He was like a little child, excited about the birth of a new sibling. Just like the boys, Aerith realized, watching her young friend thoughtfully.
She had always thought he was adorable, but she'd never been stronger in her conviction than now.
The flash from the camera, which startled them both, told her that Zack found the scene just as cute as she did. "Gotta have some pictures for the baby when he or she is old enough, yanno," he said with a grin. He looked at Sora meaningfully, his mako-blue eyes shining, but not with tears. "Don't be a stranger. You can visit us any time."
Sora blinked in surprise. "You mean it?"
Aerith giggled and, as Sora helped her up, she nodded. "Yes, he means it. I think Zack has taken a liking to you, and with good reason." She hugged him, and when his arms reached up to wrap around her with a noticeable degree of hesitation, she stroked his hair soothingly until he relaxed in her embrace. "Everything will be fine. I promise. You've done all you could. Let Cloud and Tifa take care of the rest."
"I know. Could you tell them 'hi' for me?" his voice was almost a whimper, and she knew he was fighting to keep his emotions in check for her sake.
Another pair of arms came to wrap around them both. "Next time Cloud visits the church, with or without Tifa, we'll pass the message on to him. He'll tell her." Zack kept his voice soft, soothing. His tone was fatherly, which Aerith thought was cute – and sweet. She also thought the way he was rubbing Sora's back was sweet. It was something the boy needed, even if her husband was just nine years older than him.
"Thanks," Sora murmured, still trying to hide the emotion that threatened to creep into his voice.
A long, drawn-out moment later, Sora leaned away. The sun was beginning to disappear. "I gotta go," he said with obvious reluctance. "Mom will worry that I drowned or something if I don't get home soon."
Aerith kissed his cheek softly before he backed away completely. "Take care, Sora, and don't worry. Everything will be alright."
He smiled at her words. "I'll try not to worry, but I can't promise not to worry about you." He laughed with Zack as she sighed. Hugging her once again, then giving Zack a hug as well, he backed away and turned to leave the porch. "There's a Gate in Market Square, right?" he asked, stopping at the arbor that served as a gate from the front yard to the backyard.
Aerith nodded. "I will open a Gate where I picked you up if you don't want anyone to know of your trip."
Sora stopped to think about it. "Yeah," he said, laughing. "I don't need the entire town asking questions. And Aerith?"
She tilted her head to the side in question, genuinely curious about what it was that he might say.
The smile he gave her reminded her of the fourteen-year-old boy he'd been when she first met him. "Thanks. For everything."
Aerith shook her head. "No, Sora. Thank you."
He paused, confusion evident in his face as he stared at her. "For what?"
"For not giving up."
She smiled when Sora laughed. "I didn't want to be like Dad, you know? I want Mom to see that I'm just as much her son as I am Dad's. I want everyone to see it." Waving, he disappeared around the side of the house, whistling as he went. Aerith listened to the happy tune, a children's song from Nibelheim she remembered hearing Tifa hum, sometimes even sing, when she was with Cloud. Bringing her right hand up to rest over her growing belly, Aerith wondered if her child would remember the songs she had already begun to sing to it.
"I can see why you say he's like me."
She twisted her head around to look up at Zack, who brought his left hand to rest on her belly over her hand, his right arm reaching around her shoulders to gently pull her close. Smiling, Aerith rested her head against his chest. "He's normally much more like you than this."
"Before or after I changed my hairstyle?"
"Your personality didn't change too much."
Zack snorted, but he did not deny her claim. "He's had a year and a half for those feelings to fester and boil over the way they did. A lot's happened to him. He can't stay the same kid you've always known forever."
Her smile faded a little. "I know. I suppose I'm just surprised by how much like his father he'd become. I know Cloud isn't the optimistic sort, but I never expected his son, who acts so much like you, Tifa and Yuffie, to act like that." She sighed when her husband began to rub her back soothingly. "I know it's part of who Cloud is, but it's still heartbreaking to watch him beat himself up."
"And it hurts just as much to see his son do the same," he finished for her. "If you want the truth of the matter, he was pissing me off a bit while I was walking him here." His statement inspired a faint round of giggles. "I'm not kidding. After watching Chocobo-head nearly kill himself with his guilt and grief, I wasn't going to put up with it from his kid, especially if it was going to upset you."
"Thank you for not hitting him," Aerith said, rolling her eyes.
Zack grunted as he turned her around to face him. "No more worrying, okay?" He pressed his lips to her forehead softly, his hands resting on either side of her belly. "He'll be fine. Chocobo-head and Tifa are fine, and will be fine. Everything is okay for now. Let's just focus on keeping you and the baby healthy so that the boys and I will have both of you, and maybe a sibling for this one if you want another one."
Aerith sighed softly, feeling more like her usual self, as she hugged him close, her arms going around behind his neck. "I'd like that."
27 May 2009
Greetings, all! As promised, here is the seventh chapter. Unfortunately, due to circumstances both within and outside my control, this will be the last update for a while. My muse and I just need a break, then we'll be back and hopefully better than ever. I will not abandon Second Chances for ages like I did before I posted Chapter 05. This story is my baby, and I promise, I will finish it.
This chapter is dedicated with love to Am and Esa, my favoritest Aerith and Zack in the world. Love you guys! 3
As always, many, many thanks to my reviewers. I love you guys so much. You make my world go round. And a big, warm, happy "THANK YOU" to Ritsu-san and Shard, my amazingly awesome betas. This story would suck if not for them.
Until next time!