Lost and Found

“Lost and Found”
Chapter 8: The many uses of dumbapples
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(Warning: Possible spoilers for all FF7 game/movie titles)
*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.*
~***********************************************~

The next day, Zack started making his plans to turn himself in and help out with the terrorist problem. Cloud insisted that Reeve wouldn’t have him arrested but Aerith didn’t seem too confident about that and Zack shared her feelings. Commissioner Tuesti was a fair and decent man from what Zack understood, but he was in a position of authority and protocol might demand that he arrest Zack for appearances, if nothing else. Zack was prepared for that and he decided that he wouldn’t resist if it came to incarceration. The safety of his friends, his fiancé and his unborn child was more important to him than his freedom and if the things he knew about Scarlet and her group could help end the threat, it was worth spending a little time behind bars to him.

Aerith and Tifa were out for the day. The doctor’s office called in the morning and confirmed a positive pregnancy test, so Aerith made an appointment to get a checkup and get started on prenatal care. The two women were going to be away for most of the day, having made plans to shop for maternity wear and possibly some baby clothing and gear. While they were occupied with that, Cloud called up Reeve and explained the situation with Zack to him. The Commissioner was understanding about it and he seemed pleased to hear that Zack was willing to cooperate.

“We already knew he was living there in Edge with you,” Reeve admitted. “Reno and Rude reported on that. I’ve been hoping that Zack would consider doing this, because the last thing I wanted to do was send people to arrest him.”

Cloud grimaced, hoping his hunch about Reeve was correct. “You aren’t going to imprison him, are you? He’s offering information of his own free will when he could be hiding out somewhere, you know.”

“I’m aware of that,” agreed Reeve. His tone sounded slightly uncomfortable. “Cloud, I’ll do what I can to see to it that your friend is treated fairly. I think you know that, or I doubt we’d be having this conversation now.”

“I know,” Cloud said, “but I also know you’ve got a job to do. I just don’t want to see him stuck behind bars for something that wasn’t his fault. He didn’t know what he was doing when he was working with Scarlet and now he wants to put a stop to her.”

“I understand that and I think it’s admirable that he’s stepping up this way, when he doesn’t have to,” Reeve assured him. “Zack is also somewhat of a veteran. Now that the company is being run differently, his actions against ShinRa in the past won’t be held against him. Everyone knows that Hojo instigated the entire affair and it may work in his favor that Zack is a former member of SOLDIER. As I said, I’ll do what I can.”

“He’s expecting his first kid,” Cloud added for incentive. “He and Aerith are getting married soon and they can’t do that if he’s in jail.”

“I…see.” Reeve sighed heavily. “And you know I have a weakness for families. Bravo Cloud…you’ve made an already difficult job even harder.”

“Sorry,” Cloud apologized insincerely. Zack’s freedom was more important to him than how difficult it was going to be for Reeve to keep him out of prison. “Zack’s had it hard enough already. The government he was working for betrayed him and killed him, he got caught up with the wrong crowd when he got his second chance and now he could lose his freedom again for doing the right thing. Does that sound fair to you?”

“Of course not,” admitted Reeve with another sigh. “Believe me Cloud, I’m going to do what I can to see that he gets the best treatment possible, but I can’t guarantee that he won’t have to do a little time. Has it occurred to you that protective custody might be required in a situation like this? If Scarlet finds out he’s tattling on her, do you think she won’t come after him?”

Cloud winced and glanced over his shoulder through the archway leading into the kitchen. Zack was in there making pancakes, whistling cheerfully as he flipped them in the pan. “I didn’t think of that,” Cloud said softly. “But if you’ve ever seen Zack in action, you’d know he doesn’t really need protective custody. Besides, he’s living with Tifa and I. We’re not too bad in a fight, either.” He smirked dryly.

“Yes, and he’s also living with those two children under your care,” reminded the older man firmly, “and a pregnant woman. Any one of them would make excellent hostages to be used against him.”

Cloud’s smirk faded as he considered that possibility. It certainly wasn’t beneath Scarlet to target women and children to get what she wanted and the thought of Denzel or Marlene in danger made his stomach knot up. Still, he couldn’t justify seeing his friend locked up. “I don’t want to see an innocent man punished—especially not my best friend.”

“Let’s just cross that bridge when we get to it,” Reeve soothed. “Security around here’s been tripled, so you two are going to have to go through a weapons screening when you arrive. Trust me, Cloud. No matter what happens, I’ll personally see to it that Zack gets treated well.”

Cloud sighed and nodded. “Okay. We’ll see you tomorrow, then. Goodbye, Reeve.”

He hung up the phone and started for the front door. Zack spotted him going and he called after him. “You want some pancakes before you go, Cloud?”

“I’m not hungry yet,” the blond said over his shoulder with a forced smile. In truth, his stomach was so knotted up he thought he’d throw up anything he tried to eat right now. He wondered if this was what morning sickness felt like and he admired Aerith for putting up with it so stoically. “I might have something when I get back. Do you need anything from the market?”

“No, but if you happen to see one of those parenting books while you’re out, maybe you could pick up a couple?” Zack’s expression was half elated and half wary as he made the suggestion.

“Why do you need two?” Cloud puzzled.

“Grab one for you and Tifa,” explained the other man with a blue-violet wink. “Some day you’re going to need it.”

Cloud shrugged. “If you say so. Be back in an hour or so.”

~************************************~

Cloud spotted a few different sorts of baby books in the book and magazine isle and he stared in confusion at them and tried to decide which one to get. One was just a naming book and the other two offered instructions for new parents. He flipped through them both and decided that the second one offered more information. He was only going to grab one but he thought of the look on Tifa’s face every time a diaper commercial came on TV. Biting his lip, he took a second copy off the shelf and snatched the book of baby names while he was at it. Feeling foolish for nurturing a hope that might prove impossible to fulfill, Cloud went to the fresh produce isle next.

His sapphire eyes slid over the various fruits and vegetables as he walked the isles, searching for a specific item. He’d been doing some research about problems conceiving and as stupid and unlikely as it seemed, one of the home remedies he’d looked up involved the use of an uncommon fruit. After searching the lines of produce for a while he finally found what he was looking for at the end. Cloud examined the price of the fruit and hissed through his teeth. Looking around self-consciously with the irrational notion that other people could read his mind, he took a plastic baggy from the reel and started stuffing the fruit into it.

~If Tifa finds out about this, I’ll never hear the end of it.~

~**********************************~

Zack smiled when Cloud returned home and handed the parenting and naming books over to him. “Thanks, Spike. You didn’t have to get the naming book though…Aerith and I already decided we’re going to name the kid Angeal if it’s a boy and Ifalna if it’s a girl. Keep hold of that one for yourself.”

Cloud shrugged. “Good names. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to keep the book around. I’m going to have a bath before my hockey game comes on.”

Zack nodded and Cloud tried not to notice the sympathy in his eyes as he turned away and headed for the bathroom. He’d left one of his grocery bags in the hallway to avoid questions and he picked it up before going into the room for his bath. With a sigh, he reached into his pants for his pocketknife and lifted one of the fruits out of the bag to begin cutting it. He sliced it into quarters and started running the water in the tub. He squeezed each slice to get the juice out before dropping it into the water and before long, he had an exotic fruit punch to soak his body in. When he was finished mangling the fruit he undressed and stepped into the tub, sinking down gingerly with a grimace.

“I feel so dumb,” Cloud muttered as he submerged his lower half completely and lay back. Now that he was actually doing it, the stupidity of the so-called “remedy” was even more obvious to him. If all it took to cure a low sperm count was a soak in some apples, no man would ever have trouble impregnating his partner.

Just as he was beginning to convince himself that he wasn’t a complete jackass for trying this, there was a knock at the door and Zack poked his head in before Cloud could even say anything. The blond quickly covered his groin with his hands and stared up at his friend with alarm.

“Sorry man, I just need to get something out of here,” Zack informed him casually. He seemed totally at ease with Cloud’s nudity and he only spared him a glance before coming in and opening the medicine cabinet. “I nicked my finger working on the crib I’m trying to make,” Zack explained, holding out the bloodied middle finger of his left hand as he dug through the cabinet. “I just need some antiseptic and a bandaid.”

“Uh, okay.” Cloud felt his face burning up with embarrassment. While he’d gotten used to showering in front of other men in his cadet days, it had been a while since anyone other than Tifa had seen him nude and there was the additional embarrassment of the fruit pulp floating in the bathtub with him.

Zack found the box of bandaids and the bottle of peroxide and he gathered the items and shut the cabinet. He frowned before turning to leave, as if realizing for the first time that something wasn’t quite right. His eyes shot to Cloud again, who had slowly sunk lower in the tub until he was submerged to the chin. Cloud’s jaw clenched as the other man looked him up and down and studied the floating apple bits in the water. One of Zack’s dark brows lifted and his lips twisted in confusion.

“Uh…you’ve got a bunch of dumbapples in the tub with you,” Zack observed.

“Yeah,” Cloud agreed softly, averting his gaze.

“Mind if I ask why?”

Cloud looked up at him and shrugged as casually as he could, still keeping his groin hidden under his hands. “I…I read something online about healing properties.”

“Healing properties…really?” Zack looked interested. “What’s the matter, do you have a rash or…something?” It suddenly seemed to dawn on him and he began to look as embarrassed as Cloud felt. “Know what? Never mind…it’s not my business. Uh, have a good bath, kiddo.” Zack retreated quickly and Cloud submerged completely under the water.

~*********************************~

“Look, about those dumbapples,” Cloud said awkwardly after he finished soaking and got dressed. Zack was sitting in the living room when he came out and the TV was already tuned into the channel that would be broadcasting the hockey game.

“You don’t have to explain to me,” Zack said with a friendly, understanding smile. “I think I get what’s going on. Cloud, maybe it’s time for you to swallow your pride and go see a doctor.” He had a bowl of freshly popped corn and he held it out in offering as Cloud took a seat on the couch beside him.

Cloud took a handful, simply because he didn’t know what else to do with himself. “I don’t know what you think is going on, but—“

“What I think is going on,” Zack interrupted, “is I just walked in on my best friend soaking in an expensive fruit cocktail because he’s too proud to get his sperm count checked by a professional and get medical advice.” He looked Cloud in the eye with an authoritative expression on his handsome features. “If you’re willing to try crack homeopathic remedies like that, why not swallow your pride and take one little trip to the doctor’s office?”

Cloud opened his mouth to argue that he was fine and it was just something he was trying out, but he knew Zack would see right through him. He sighed and shrugged, lowering his bright eyes. “I just thought maybe I could take care of it myself. It’s…humiliating, knowing I’m broken like this.”

Zack smiled at him. “You’re not ‘broken’. There’s all kinds of things you could try but you won’t know what your options are until you see somebody about it. Anyway, how do you know Tifa’s not the problem?”

Cloud raised his eyes to his friend and instinctively went defensive. “Tifa’s fine. This isn’t her fault.”

Zack sighed and patted him on the shoulder. “It’s not anybody’s fault, Cloud. I’m just saying maybe the problem you’re having isn’t all because of your plumbing. She could have a hostile womb or something and you’ll never know unless at least one of you gets checked out. Somebody’s got to bend and since you’re convinced you’re the one with the problem, maybe it should be you.”

“I’ll think about it,” Cloud sighed. He really didn’t want to go to the doctor and deal with the chance of a scene happening. He pictured the nurse speaking his problem out loud in a room full of waiting patients and the mere thought of it made him blush.

Zack said nothing more about it, evidently knowing there was a limit to how much interrogation Cloud was willing to take on the subject. The game started and both men tried to forget about their problems and enjoy some male bonding, while the kids were at school and the women were out.

~*********************************~

“I’ve talked to my boss about the whole AVALANCHE thing,” Zack informed Aerith that night as they cuddled in the small bed together. “He didn’t believe me at first so I gave him Reeve’s number. I think that did the trick because he told me my job’s still going to be there for me when I get out, if I’ve got to do some time.”

Aerith bit her lip and nodded, snuggling closer to him. “Yes, but…” There was nothing more she could say. Zack’s honor was very important to him and she knew that if she pushed hard enough, he’d bend for her but he’d regret it forever. He had to do what he thought was right and she agreed, Scarlet and her gang needed to be stopped. She just didn’t want him to pay for it and she didn’t want his first sight of their son or daughter to be from behind prison bars.

Zack rubbed her back and kissed her with loving tenderness. “Hey, don’t worry. I’m going to be fine and there’s a chance I won’t even have to go to prison. We won’t know until I talk to Mr. Tuesti tomorrow. He’s Cloud and Tifa’s friend so I know he’ll pull some strings for me.”

“But…” Aerith sighed and automatically dropped a hand to her still-flat tummy, seeking comfort from the life growing inside of her.

Zack noticed the motion and he swallowed as his throat tightened up. “Baby, whatever happens, you and I are getting married.” He cupped her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. “I’m not letting you have our kid without a ring on your finger, okay? Even if we’ve got to have the ceremony in jail—“

Aerith burst into tears then. Horrified by the display of emotion, she tried to stem the tide. The last thing Zack needed right now was for her to put a guilt trip on him. She pictured the two of them saying their vows behind iron bars and for some reason, the image was hysterically funny to her. Giggles mixed in with her weeping and she wasn’t sure whether she was crying or laughing anymore.

Zack held her tighter and gave her a look that reminded her of a whipped dog. “Aw honey, don’t…I’m sorry. It won’t be like that. I was just kidding around okay?”

Aerith sniffed and forcibly regained control of herself. “I…I’m sorry Zack,” she said in a trembling voice. “Lately I’m just so emotional! It’s the hormones. I know everything will be okay, I’m just…ugh…I’m sorry.” She was blushing furiously and she was angry with herself for being so weak.

Zack wiped her tears away with the pad of his thumb and kissed her trembling lips again. “You’ve got nothing to apologize for, Aerith. If anybody here should be sorry, it’s me. It’s all my fault this is happening and I hate having to put you through this. You deserve a nice, stress-free wedding and a supportive husband by your side through the whole pregnancy. I’m so sorry it’s turning out this way.”

Aerith shook her head. “It isn’t your fault,” she insisted. She looked at him with admiring, damp green eyes and sniffled. “You’re a good man and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I just think it’s so unfair that bad things keep happening to you! Why can’t the world just let us be happy, Zack?”

Zack sighed. She kept telling him he was a good man but if it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t be in this situation now. His libido got her in trouble and everything was going wrong because he’d let Sephiroth’s influence direct his actions. He stroked her hair and stared at her delicate, lovely features, memorizing them in case he wouldn’t get the chance to gaze upon them again for a while.

“I love you,” Zack whispered. It was all he had left to say and it was all he felt at the moment. “You know that, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” Aerith replied, looking slightly frustrated. “When this is over—no matter what the outcome is—I want you to stop beating yourself up over what happened between us. It wasn’t how I imagined our first time but it wasn’t horrible, like you seem to think. We’ve created a new life together and you’re trying to protect it. Stop feeling guilty, Zack.”

Zack chuckled and dropped a hand down to lay the palm over her lower abdomen. “I guess you’re right. I just want to make sure this little person makes it safely into the world and both of you are taken care of.”

Aerith rested a slender hand on top of his and kissed him. A faint moan could be heard from down the hall and Aerith blushed. She should be used to it by now; Cloud and Tifa were quite active each night and though they did their best to keep it subtle, occasionally one or both of them let loose with a telltale sound that made their activities obvious. She envied them as much as she was sure they envied hers and Zack’s “success”. True, it had only taken one time for her to conceive but her friends were experiencing that heart-thumping, all-consuming intimacy with each other each and every night. Aerith was forced to wait because her husband-to-be refused to make love to her until after they exchanged vows.

Zack heard the noise too and he shut his eyes and clenched his jaw, unconsciously removing his hand from Aerith’s abdomen to put his arm around her again. “Show-offs,” he grumbled.

“It’s your own fault,” Aerith stated peevishly. “I’ve already made it clear where I stand on this issue.”

“Soon,” Zack promised with a kiss. He didn’t allow the kiss to linger out of fear that he’d forget himself and give into his needs.

~******************************~

A few doors down, Cloud and Tifa collapsed against one another in satisfied exhaustion. Tifa brushed her hair over her left shoulder and gave Cloud a slow, sated kiss as she relaxed on top of him. His hands stroked her back and hips leisurely as he returned the kiss and he sighed in contentment as she stretched out on top of him and lay her head against his chest. Now that the urgency was gone, Cloud stared up at the slowly spinning ceiling fan and thought about the kids in the next room and the unborn child growing in Aerith’s body. He frowned, wondering if he was ever going to be able to give Tifa a baby of her own.

“Gil for your thoughts?” Tifa murmured, kissing his sweat-beaded chest as she stroked it with her palm.

Cloud nuzzled her hair and decided he’d procrastinated enough. “I…think I want to see a doctor.”

Tifa raised her head and looked him in the eye. He could see the masked relief in the velvety dark eyes as she blinked at him. “Really?”

Cloud nodded, remembering Zack’s little speech from earlier that day. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to get checked out,” he conceded.

Tifa looked suddenly suspicious. “What made you decide this now?”

Cloud shrugged uncomfortably and lowered his gaze. “I just think we should know.” He wasn’t about to mention Zack’s theory that Tifa could be the problem as well. She’d already said as much before but Cloud refused to believe that a woman with such ample breasts and so much life in her could possibly be infertile.

“I’ll go with you,” Tifa said with a nod.

Cloud was sure he looked faintly horrified. “You don’t need to be there,” he began to argue. It was humiliating enough for him to have his sperm count assessed without his wife being there, possibly giving him pointers on how to fill the sample cup.

“Cloud, I want to go so that I can get checked out, too.” Tifa smiled at him and the hidden pain behind the smile was heartbreaking to him. “If there’s a chance that I’ve got the problem, I think we should know. We need to know what’s setting us back and what we can do about it.”

Cloud grimaced. Her words made sense, even though he had every reason to doubt that she was the problem. If nothing else, it would give her piece of mind and a feeling of accomplishment. “Okay, if you really want to do it, you might as well. Whatever makes you happy, Tifa.”

She smiled at him then and he couldn’t help but smile a little in return.

~*************************************~

The next day, Aerith’s resolve wavered completely as Zack and Cloud prepared to leave. It was the weekend and the kids were playing video games in the living room. Aerith watched her betrothed walking away from her and her willpower snapped.

“Zack, I changed my mind,” Aerith informed her lover as he started following Cloud out the front door. “I don’t want you to do this.”

Zack turned and faced her with a concerned frown. “What?”

Denzel and Marlene overheard the conversation in the hallway and the two of them shared a look and silently agreed to go to their room. Cloud and Tifa had taught them that eavesdropping wasn’t polite and though it was sorely tempting to listen in, they knew they’d catch a bigger earful if they didn’t respect Zack and Aerith’s privacy. They turned off the console and together, they got up and went to their bedroom, excusing themselves to the adults as they passed them in the hallway.

Tifa stood behind Aerith and she looked helplessly at Cloud as he turned around to look at their two friends. Aerith crossed the short distance between herself and Zack and she cupped his face and gazed into his eyes earnestly.

“You don’t have to turn yourself in,” Aerith said desperately. “You can send the information Reeve needs through email or something. There’s no need for you to be punished for what Scarlet’s gang did!”

Zack gazed at her levelly. “What about what I did?”

“That…” Aerith stammered, “That wasn’t your fault! We’ve been over this.”

Zack nodded. “Yeah, we’ve been over it. I’m not going to live in a cage of guilt but I am going to make up for it, sweetheart. I thought you supported that.”

She bit her lip and looked pleadingly at Cloud. The blond uncomfortably approached, feeling obligated to add his own input. “Zack,” he said haltingly, “Aerith’s right about it not being your fault. I know how you feel but you’ve got more than your honor to think about, here.”

Zack turned to look at him and the familiar, crooked little grin adorned his lips. “Emotional blackmail, Chocobo? That’s not fair.”

Cloud exchanged a glance with Tifa and shrugged. “It’s not fair for you to get stuck behind bars, either. Look, I support your choice but I just want you to know you aren’t going to be the only one paying for it.”

Zack heaved a sigh and looked at Aerith again. “I wish there was another way. I really do. I just have to see this through before I can be any kind of husband to you or father to our kid. Can you understand that, Aerith? I don’t want my kid being raised by a coward.”

She swallowed and Cloud backed off. “Is that really what you think?” Aerith asked, forcing her voice to come out past the lump in her throat. “That you’ll be a coward if you don’t martyr yourself?”

“No,” Zack corrected with a gentle smile. “I think I’ll be a coward if I don’t step forward and own up to my actions. Reeve’s a good guy, right?” He looked at Tifa, who nodded in conformation. “Maybe he won’t toss me in jail,” Zack continued, “Either way I don’t think Cloud would have agreed with this plan if he didn’t think Tuesti would be fair with me. Come on, Aerith, you know I’ve got to do this. Anyway, how long do you think a prison can hold someone like me if I don’t want to stick around?”

Aerith forced a smile. “Not for long,” she admitted. She sighed and hugged him. “I want you to call me as soon as the meeting with Mr. Tuesti is finished. I want to know exactly what’s happening, okay?”

“It’s a promise,” Zack murmured, hugging her back. He pulled away and caressed her face before planting a soft kiss on her lips. He looked at Tifa and forced lightness into his tone as he spoke to her. “You’ll take care of my girl, won’t you? Make sure she eats right and takes care of herself, Tif.”

Tifa nodded. “You bet. Just take care of yourself, too.”

Zack nodded and winked, giving Aerith one last kiss before heading out the door. Once he and Cloud were in the garage and getting onto Fenrir, Zack sighed and made his true feelings known. “This sucks,” he muttered as he got on behind his friend. He laid his forehead against Cloud’s shoulder.

Cloud frowned and reached backwards impulsively to pat Zack’s dark hair. “We’ll see.”

Zack smirked and put his arms around the smaller man’s waist after securing the riding goggles over his eyes. “Hey Cloud, you’ll come visit me if I end up in the slammer, right?”

Cloud snorted. “Stupid question.” He secured his own goggles and twisted in his seat a little to look at his friend. “Remember though, you just say the word if you change your mind. I won’t let anybody lock you up against your will.”

Zack lifted his head off the blond’s shoulder and smiled at him. “You’ve come a long way from that shy little cadet I used to know, Cloudy.”

The smaller man gave him the barest hint of a smile before turning back around. “I guess so.”

Nothing more needed to be said between the two of them. The easy friendship they shared had endured through trials that would leave most people mad or permanently traumatized. Cloud started Fenrir up and Zack held him a little tighter as they started off. There was something comforting to the blond about the feel of his friend holding onto him. As someone that valued his personal space, Cloud didn’t like such intimate contact unless it was someone he really trusted. As he’d once tried to comfort Denzel after finding him collapsed by his bike outside the church, Cloud found himself reaching down and squeezing one of Zack’s hands as they drove to the WRO headquarters.

~I won’t let anyone hurt you. You traded your life for mine and I’ll never forget that.~

~**********************************~

When they arrived in the lobby of Headquarters and Zack gave his name, they were treated to an unpleasant surprise. The nearby security guards approached and started taking Zack into custody before he could even begin to fill out the paperwork. Cloud tensed and Zack shot him a warning look, calmly putting his hands up and holding them behind his head while the guards patted him down. Reeve had warned that security was high right now but Cloud hadn’t expected to see Zack manhandled the moment they walked in.

Across the lobby, Reno exited the elevator with Rude and when he saw Cloud and Zack getting patted down, he approached and told security to back off.

“Chill man,” the redhead ordered. His dark-skinned partner was a silent but imposing presence at his back as he glared at the security guards. “They’re here for the Commissioner. We’ll escort ‘em ourselves, yo.”

Cloud relaxed as the guards stopped in the middle of cuffing Zack and stepped away. He looked at the two Turks warily, suspicious as always when it came to dealing with them. “Thanks.”

Reno shrugged. “We were told you guys were coming and Reeve figured ya might run into a little trouble when you got here. Looks like we were right on time getting downstairs.”

“This way,” Rude offered calmly.

Cloud and Zack exchanged shrugs and followed the two of them to the glass elevators. “I’m surprised you built glass ones,” commented Cloud as they got in. “After what happened at the old Headquarters, that is.”

Reno smirked at him and slid his keycard into the control panel slot. “First time in the new headquarters, Blondie? It might be a new world we’re living in but ShinRa ain’t afraid of a little luxury. The glass is bullet-proof, yo.”

“Plexiglass,” Rude added softly. “It won’t shatter easily.”

“Good for you,” Cloud muttered. He looked sidelong at his friend and he noticed how tense Zack was. “I suppose you guys know he’s not going anywhere if he doesn’t want to.”

Reno and Rude looked at one another before nodding at the blond. “That’s why we’re here,” answered Reno. “Nobody wants a big scene, you know?”

“Remember, it was the President that enabled you to get to Fair before the strike teams showed up,” reminded Rude.

Cloud thought about that. Rufus had indeed overlooked protocol and helped them in his own unique way. Maybe everything would be okay, after all. They watched the digital numbers silently, waiting to reach their destined floor. When the elevator reached floor thirty-two, it stopped and the glass doors opened. Rude politely waited for the others to exit before joining them and Reno guided them down the corridors to an office wing. The redhead flirted a little with the receptionist and Zack raised a brow at him, confused. He remembered going through Reno’s wallet when they were prisoners of his and he’d found a picture of Reno lip-locked with Rude. His assumptions concerning the redhead’s sexual orientation were now under question as he watched the pretty receptionist blush under Reno’s attentions and buzz them in.

“So are you gay or what?” Zack asked with frustration, once they’d started moving again and were out of hearing range of the receptionist.

Reno smirked over his shoulder at him. “Tactless, yet rude.” He looked at his partner and winked. “No offence, partner.”

Rude shrugged. “None taken.”

“So which is it?” Zack pressed. He didn’t know why it was important to him but it was a distraction from the gut-wrenching feeling that he was about to lose his freedom.

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Reno said with amusement, “but a guy doesn’t have to swing one way or the other. I like chicks and dudes, yo.”

“Oh.” Zack glanced at Cloud when he heard the blond echo his sentiment and he grinned. At least he wasn’t the only one wondering about it.

“Now that we’ve got that out of the way,” Reno said. He produced his keycard and slid it into the security panel beside the set of doors they’d stopped at. The green light came on and the reinforced doors slid open to admit them. Cloud and Zack followed Reno into the office room slowly, each having his reservations about it. Reeve was sitting at the glass top desk in the center of the room, finishing up with some sort of documents. When they entered, he put his reading glasses aside and stood up with a friendly smile.

“Cloud…Zack, have a seat,” Reeve invited, gesturing to the chairs on the other side of his desk. Reno and Rude nodded to one another and left the room to give them privacy. Cloud and Zack approached and took their seats and Reeve sat down again and rested his hands on his desk.

“So, I’m here to give you information about Scarlet’s gang,” Zack said as calmly as he could.

Reeve’s handsome, bearded face was carefully neutral as he nodded. “I want you to know, I appreciate your cooperation with us. You’re aware that we’ll have to take you into protective custody until we can get a lead, aren’t you?”

Cloud tensed and Zack patted him on the shoulder before nodding. “I was ready for something like this, Sir. I’ll cooperate.”

Reeve nodded and rubbed the bridge of his nose, giving away that he was more tired than he let on. “Good man. I really hate to incarcerate you when you’ve acted under a compromised state of mind and are cooperating with us. Tell me, why are you doing this? You could have sent the information anonymously.”

Zack shrugged. “You guys would have traced it back to me.”

“Not if you used snail mail and sent it from a post office,” Reeve corrected with a slight smirk. “Something tells me you were aware of that, however.”

“He’s a noble idiot,” Cloud grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Hey, there’s nothing idiotic about being honorable,” Zack returned with a frown.

“Indeed, there isn’t,” agreed Reeve. He gave both of the younger men a sympathetic look. “What if we postponed your incarceration, Zackary? I understand you’re soon to be a family man, is that right?”

Zack nodded, smiling a little as he thought about his beloved Cetra and the baby she was carrying. “That’s right. We just found out, too.”

“And you’d like to marry her,” Reeve went on.

Zack glanced sidelong at Cloud, guessing the blond had spoken with Reeve about the matter prior to this meeting. Cloud shrugged unapologetically and Zack chuckled. “I guess someone filled you in on the details,” Zack said to the Commissioner.

“You have good friends,” Reeve answered with a smile Cloud’s way. “You should be thankful for that. What do you say to a compromise?”

“He shouldn’t have to compromise,” Cloud interjected with an unhappy frown. “Zack deserves to be left alone, but I’ve already made that clear to you.”

Reeve nodded, undaunted. “I understand how you feel, Cloud. Let me put it this way: Zack won’t be convicted as a criminal. He’s a witness and he would be under protective custody. Do you understand what that means?”

Cloud shrugged, indicating his ignorance.

“It means that he won’t be locked up with felons,” Reeve went on. “True, he’d be in prison of sorts but he would have much greater privileges than men who are convicted of criminal activity.”

“Does that include conjugal visits?” Zack asked with a grimace. He hated the thought of making love to Aerith in some guarded trailer, but he had his needs like any other man.

“Of course,” Reeve ensured with a little grin of amusement. “Better yet, you’d have your own private quarters. I’ve spoken with the president about this and under the circumstances, leniency can be granted.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Zack said thoughtfully. “So I could see Aerith and my friends whenever I want?”

Reeve nodded. “Certainly. Yours is a special case and as Cloud knows, I have a particular soft spot for families.” Reeve gave the blond a dry look as if sharing a private joke with him and Cloud smirked. “I think I can trust you to give yourself over to our authorities in a couple of weeks, Zack. I know it’s short notice but it should give you enough time to have your wedding, at least. Once the situation is resolved, I’ll personally see to it that you’re cleared of all charges and released. What do you say?”

Zack scratched his chin. “I’d say that’s a better deal than I expected.” He looked to his friend, sitting beside him. “What do you think, Spike?”

Cloud regarded Reeve silently for a moment. The man had proven himself trustworthy, despite some unfortunate deceptions in the past. He nodded slowly. “I think that sounds okay.”

~**********************************~

-To be continued