Final Fantasy VII Walking with Ghosts

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my insanity.

A/N: Personally, I love this pairing that is hinted at out of all the M/F pairings in the compilation. I may eventually expand on this and see where it goes, but for now I just needed to get this out of my system. Enjoy.

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It had been several years since she last been back in this area. The thought of being near the Midgar area made her skin crawl and it was an effort to keep the nausea at bay. She avoided coming back here time and time again but she couldn't avoid it any longer. Tseng had called the final Turk home.

Driving up above the barren area leading towards Midgar she noticed something glinting in the bright sunlight. She drove as fast as she could. She saw the object getting larger as it came into view. The female slammed on her brakes when she recognized what it was.

Quickly shutting down the car, she got out of the car and stood on shaky legs. She couldn't believe that this was here, of all places. Closing her eyes, she tried to fight back the tears that still came after all these years. Those people lied to her, the counselors, the doctors, Tseng. The pain didn't ease. You didn't become numb. The wound never healed, just bled slower on some days.

Tentatively, she walked forward and ran a light touch across the top of the massive sword.

"Z-Zack. Oh Gaia, why" she keened as she collapsed to her knees in front of the Buster Sword. "Stupid SOLDIER, why didn't you wait for us?"

She was only sixteen when she met the SOLDIER. She fell head over heels for her hero. Though in the years of their acquaintance, she saved him more often than not.

She didn't hear anyone approach, something that if Tseng found out he would be lecturing her for hours about. He would say that a Turk should never let their guard down that she could have been killed. She didn't care though, she gave up on living when one of her reasons for living died at this very spot all those years ago.

Cloud noticed the car and stopped Fenrir several hundred yards away. Using as much stealth as possible in broad daylight he headed towards the car. Why anyone would stop here, he thought. He was the only one that came up here. Tifa had come with him once or twice but never on her own.

Rounding the car he saw a small woman dressed in dark colored jeans and a light t-shirt. Her russet colored hair shimmered in the sun. Her appearance didn't spark any memory immediately but her reaction at Zack's makeshift memorial gave him pause. Was this someone from Zack's past? Or just someone curious about the old and rusted sword?

"Idiot. I never even got to tell you my real name and you had to go and die on me," she said to the sword.

A memory snapped in place. One of Zack's memories. The Turk that was always there, that helped them.

"Cissnei," Cloud said softly.

She was startled by the intrusion and jumped up to stand in front of the sword, as if to protect it. The irony that she could protect Zack's sword now but not him then wasn't lost on her. As she got up she pulled her side arm out and took aim at the intruder.

"Strife."

Cognac colored eyes met Mako enhanced blue ones. Cloud just nodded the acknowledgement to her. They stood there staring at each other for several moments. Cissnei was trying to reign in her emotions once again. Cloud just wasn't the social type.

"So," she started. "I see that the Remnants didn't kill you nor the second coming of Sephiroth. Pity."

"Third coming," he muttered.

"Still a pity," she said as she moved towards her car.

Cloud moved to block her entrance and placed a gentle hand on her arm.

"He thought about you," he said. "Often."

Cissnei clenched her teeth and fought the fresh tears from spilling. Anger was better than hurt.

"Get your schizophrenic hands off of me," she growled and she shoved the blonde away.

She flung herself into the driver's seat and violently tore at the seat belt to place it across her chest. Starting the car and revving the engine she threw the car in reverse. She had to get out of there as quickly as possible. Bad enough she still dealt with those inner demons but face to face with Strife of all people. He survived and Zack didn't.

Cissnei punched the steering wheel several times to get out the anger that was bubbling up. It wasn't enough. She looked out the windshield and saw that Strife was now approaching Zack's memorial. Flushing with a momentary feeling of guilt, she remembered that Cloud lost a lot more than her. He lost years of his life. To HoJo, to insanity, to Shin-Ra.

The feeling of an almost common bond was too much. She wanted to hate Strife, not feel for him. Looking in her rearview she smirked a little. Looking down at the gear shift, she made sure she was still in reverse. Pressing her feet on both the accelerator and brake she caused the tires to screech and smoke in protest.

Cloud snapped his head up to watch with the woman was doing.

"What the hell," he said just as she let go of the brakes and slammed the car into Fenrir, causing the bike to fall over.

Cloud started running towards the bike as she threw the car in first and drove off. But not before she rolled down the passenger window and gave him the finger.


End file.

Final Fantasy VII, Friendship, Hurt-Comfort