[ Cloud doesn't really know what's gotten into him. Some of those thoughts have been in the past. Things that he had thought but never spoken out loud all those nights he had spent at the church rather than the room he has at Tifa's bar. Survivor's guilt and his inability to save others. Where he had blamed himself for what had happened to Zack and Aerith both.

And he has grown beyond it. A little. He doesn't beat himself up over it as much now. But it is a process and now that Zack is here. He is HERE and warm and solid. Holding the blonde as tightly as he is latching onto Zack in return...

It's all kind of slipping out. To one of the people that Cloud just can't seem to keep it together around. ]

Two years. I spent two years blaming myself for not being strong enough. Not strong enough to get us out of the reactor. For not being able to help you.

[ And he knows that Zack will probably lecture him a bit for that. Tell him that it's not his fault and that there's no reason for Cloud to hold onto things like that. And he knows. Cloud knows that but he still feels that need to say it - ]

So this time around, I'm going to watch out for you too.