Cloud was where Zack had left him; eyes open but vacant, slumped against a tree and out of sight of the road. "Hey buddy." Zack called out, pulse settling. Always nerve-wracking leaving him anywhere. But they had to eat; he could get Cloud to stumble along beside him out in the wilderness, but taking him anywhere populated was only going to attract attention. Had Shinra figured out they were loose yet? The tech; he'd never wanted to kill the guy, not matter how involved he was in the last who knew how long of torment. The man might have survived. But if not him, someone would check eventually – and find two test subjects missing.

Still no real plan, weeks later. The immediate impulse was to keep moving, to avoid detection. And at some point figure out what to do next. Midgar would be a good starting point. Absurd. Midgar; Shinra's capital, the domain of Hojo's handlers? They should flee far away; go to the extreme North or extreme South. Anywhere but Midgar. But Midgar was the best opportunity. The city was vast and they could hide in the shadows of the slums if they were careful.

Would Aeris still be there? Difficult to say; no opportunity to disrupt or hide the reports on her flowing into the Shinra building. What did Shinra want with a girl from the slums? Outside of the flowers. That had to be part of it but how? Be good to see her again, but should he? That would only serve to draw more attention from Shinra onto her. Did they already know about the two of them? Could Shinra use her to trap him? Could-

Aeris. Somehow he always forgot there were two in the city. A rare name, but not unheard of. The other worked in the lobby of the Shinra building. She was nice too, always smiling and bordering on flirtatious however carefully Zack turned her down. That lobby; a display of Shinra's power. The kind of thing he hated before, but now, somehow he missed it. The lifts had always been one of the only bright spots of duty in the Shinra building. Oh, there was the juvenile delight in shredding the reports on Aeris when he got to them but the lift was amazing. Rising up above the Upper Plate, seeing more and more of the surrounding Sectors as he he lifted up into the sky.

Why the appeal again? Rise up and up. So much of the building above he never had a chance to visit; something else to see when he made it back- Zack shook his head and sat down heavily. Why did his thoughts keep losing focus so? Keep on drifting back to Midgar. Drifting back to Aeris but never lingering there and instead slipped away from him to focus on the Shinra building. Why there and not the more familiar barracks of Junon?

Duty at the Shinra building was by and large cushy; little effort and on breaks the sheer variety of Midgar was on offer. Also a quick train ride would get him down to Sector Five. Maybe it was missing the old days; however bad working for Shinra, however much joining SOLDIER seemed a mistake – it would be better than the present.

Cloud gurgled beside him. Of course; had he never joined SOLDIER Cloud might be far worse off than he was now. There remained a chance – however remote - the Mako poisoning might eventually recede. That Cloud might eventually wake up. Even if not; how could he possibly have left Cloud behind? An unlikely pair the two of them, a bond forged through long years of mutual suffering. At least Cloud could not see the confusing glimpse of Nibelheim reborn when he emerged on the surface.

Another gurgle from Cloud. Thoughts slipping away from Zack once again. "Sorry, buddy. Dinner time." Cloud ate mostly soups and other soft meals, Zack carefully ensuring he swallowed everything. He was losing weight despite his best efforts – he needed a doctor, but try finding one out here. Maybe there was some unregistered hospital in the slums they could use- Again. Thoughts returning to Midgar.

"I got us a treat for dessert." He wiped Cloud's lips and fumbled in the bag. Late night convenient stores and sunglasses were his sole usable protection against drawing attention. Limited food choices too. But this time he had not been able to resist blowing some of their dwindling gil on a treat. "Ice-cream!"

Was there a slight widening of Cloud's eyes? A twitch of his lips in excitement for the food? Or did he hope too much Cloud might at last be coming round? Impossible to tell. "Hope you like the flavor." Ice cream melting in his mouth, his eyes closed on this warm night, Zack could almost believe he was free.