The Measure of a Man: Chapter 11

The next several hours rushed by like a chaotic whirlwind, blurring together so fast that everyone could barely keep up with what was happening. As soon as Tseng had landed the helicopter on the roof of the Shin-Ra Building, a group of medical personnel had rushed out to meet them, laying Zack and Cloud on stretchers and rushing them down toward the infirmary on the SOLDIER Floor, which was nearly thirty stories below. Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth followed behind, refusing to be carried down to the infirmary when they knew they were uninjured and at most a little fatigued.

After taking an hour to check him over and treating him for mild dehydration, the doctor released Cloud and ordered him to take a day or two away from training to rest. Angeal, Sephiroth, and Genesis received the same orders, although they required no further care than a cursory checkup performed by Dr. Hollander. The first thing Cloud did when he got out was call Aerith; he knew she would want to come and see Zack, and as a matter of fact so did he. The raven-haired SOLDIER had been wheeled away to the ICU to be examined several hours ago, and none of them had seen him since. It took a lot of pestering and a few barely-disguised threats from a very worried Angeal before anyone would tell them what was going on.

It turned out that Zack did indeed have pneumonia, but it was of a severity much worse than anyone had thought at first. When he had fallen into the water, Zack had aspirated a lot of fluid, which turned out to contain a type of water-dwelling bacteria that, while harmless if swallowed, was very dangerous if inhaled. To make matters worse, when the bacteria had been exposed to the mako in his body, it mutated into a new strain that reproduced twice as fast. This had been why the entirety of both lungs were affected, as well as why he was so feverish and had started coughing up blood. Cloud's face paled when they told him that Zack wouldn't have lasted another two days out there, but he was relieved to learn that they were already treating him with strong antibiotics and oxygen and that he would make a full recovery in a few weeks.

Aerith somehow managed to convince the nurses to let her stay with Zack throughout the night, a few not-so-fake tears having worked to her advantage. Zack looked pitiful compared to the last time she had seen him; there was a cannula in his nose, giving him oxygen to help him breathe better, a multitude of monitors and sensors on his chest, and several different IV's in his arms, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered to her. He was still slightly feverish and totally exhausted, but when she entered the room he began to stir, stretching and yawning before he turned his head toward her and blinked lazily.

"Hey, Aer. How's it goin'?" he asked with a tired slur in his voice.

"Better now that I know you're okay. You really had me worried, you big jerk," she said almost angrily, although there was a smile on her lips and happy tears in her eyes. "If something had happened to you I don't know what I'd have done."

"Oh, Aerith, I'm sorry…" he rasped, reaching out to pull her toward him while being careful not to pull his IV's loose. "I didn't want you to worry about me. I knew I'd be fine with Cloud and Angeal there." He paused for a moment, yawning again and stroking her hair while she hugged him tightly and laid her face on his chest. "Speaking of which, where is Cloud? Did they check him in, too?"

"No, they released him two hours ago. He went with the three other Firsts to report on the mission."

"Kid's a workaholic," Zack muttered, perfectly content not to move at all for the moment. "I'm too *yaaaawn…* tired to go report to them, though, so I'm glad he's got it covered." Aerith smiled at him, standing up and tucking the blanket around him as snugly as she could when he started to shiver again.

"Why don't you get some sleep, Zack? I'll be right here when you wake up."

"You're the best, Aerith. I love you." Aerith smiled and sat down in a chair beside his bed, holding his hand until his breathing slowed and his eyes drifted shut again. When she was sure he was asleep, she leaned down and whispered her next words into his ear, too quietly to be overheard.

"I love you too, my big puppy."
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"So, Cloud," Director Lazard said as he began typing the mission report into his computer's database. "It seems the mission was a success thanks to you and Zack."

"Me and Zack? But what about Angeal?" Cloud asked, not understanding that statement.

"The reactor site they gave us originally was useless," Angeal answered instead. "The ground there is extremely unstable, and most of the mako pools are contaminated. The few materia fragments we gathered from the rocks crumbled into dust almost as soon as we harvested them, too."

"But the site you two stumbled upon is the perfect place to build," Lazard continued, still typing furiously. "So I guess something good came out of this disaster. Regardless, though, I am still going to be having some very strong words with the people in the Mako Research Department about deploying my SOLDIERs to such places again. If it weren't for you, we'd have lost one of our Firsts today. That is absolutely unacceptable."

"Oh, no Sir. It isn't me who deserves the credit," Cloud said earnestly, remembering how much Cid had helped them.

"Oh? Then who does?"

"Ah…" Cloud's face paled as he remembered, too late, that Cid had asked him not to say anything. "H-he… I never learned his name," he said hurriedly, hoping Lazard couldn't hear that he was obviously lying.

"Well did you see what he looked like? I'd like to get in touch with the man who helped save two of my employees."

"He had dark skin and eyes, and a really thick, curly black beard. He was in his forties, wore goggles all the time and carried a hammer around with him, too. He said he was from some place called Baron." Cloud had no idea where any of this was coming from, but at least it sounded nothing like Cid.

"Hmm… Well I don't personally know of anyone like that, but I'll jot it down anyway. Regardless, Cloud, you've done a very good job today. You should be proud of yourself. Now, go get some rest; you look exhausted."

"Thank you, Sir."

As soon as Cloud had stepped out of the room with Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth, Angeal put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from going any further toward the barracks.

"Why didn't you tell him about that man who helped Zack?" Sephiroth asked suspiciously, crossing his arms and giving Cloud a hard look when Angeal had let go of him.

"He asked me not to, Sir," Cloud answered honestly, hoping this wasn't somehow breaking his promise. "He didn't want anyone here to know he helped us, and I promised I wouldn't say anything." He hung his head a little, expecting to be given some kind of punishment then and there. "I want him to get credit, since he's the one who pulled us out of the river, too, but…"

"It's okay," Angeal said gently, glancing back at Sephiroth and Genesis, who nodded in agreement. "If he doesn't want Shin-Ra contacting him, that's his business. The important part is we succeeded in the mission and everyone made it out okay. I'm going down to the infirmary to see Zack for a bit. Is anyone else coming?" Sephiroth and Genesis nodded, falling into step behind Angeal with Cloud trailing behind.

"I wonder if he's been behaving himself," Genesis said under his breath. "You know how puppies can be for the vet." Angeal just sighed and rolled his eyes.
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"So you're sure that you're feeling better?" Aerith asked as the doctors removed all of the sensors and tubes from Zack's arms and chest. It had been nearly a week, and the SOLDIER was very nearly climbing the walls in an effort to get away from his forced bed rest. A day or two, he could handle. A week – that was just cruel. Everyone had come down to his room today, trying to keep him entertained enough not to chew out the IV's himself until the doctor got there. "I don't want to be responsible for you getting sick again just because you want to take me on a date."

"For the hundredth time, Aer, I'm fine," Zack said in mock exasperation, stretching his arms up above his head and testing out the muscles in his legs when they finally let him stand. "I've still got a little cough, but everything else is great. I never doubted I'd be just fine; Cloud was with me, remember?"

"Never, Zack?" Cloud asked amusedly from his seat in the corner of the room. "Not even when you started coughing up blood?"

"Okay, so I might have doubted it a little. Anyway, I'm all good now. SOLDIERs are just cool like that, right Genesis?" The Crimson General smirked, keeping his eyes on his current page of LOVELESS while he answered.

"Whatever you say, Zackary."

"See? I told you. Anyway, can we go now? I'm so sick of these white walls it makes me want to go tie-dye my eyes just to get the image out of 'em!"

"Alright, alright," Aerith said with a smile. "The doctor said you're good to go as long as you take it easy for another two weeks."

"So I'll just train with Cloud instead of Angeal, then," Zack said nonchalantly, taking Aerith's arm in his and walking her toward the door. "But first, we need sustenance! Hospital food is not the kind of stuff I want to be feeding you, Aerith."

"Okay, but I'll pay for myself this t –"

"No, you won't. What kind of gentleman wouldn't at least buy you lunch after making you worry so much?"

"But you don't have to –"

"Yes I do, and that's final."

"But –"

"Come on, come on, come on! I'm starving!" Before Aerith could protest further, Zack was already dragging her along behind him, laughing the whole way and leaving her giggling as well. Cloud stood and adjusted his uniform jacket, ready to head to the Simulation Rooms and do a little training himself. Before he could leave, though, Genesis stopped him, motioning for him to step out into the hall. He did so, a little confused, and was surprised when Genesis gave him a somewhat warm smile and patted him on the shoulder.

"You did really well on that mission, Strife," he said before the cadet could say anything. "I know you say it was that pilot who did a lot of it, but that's not really true. From what I've gathered, it was you who ultimately ended up saving Zack's life, not him. If you hadn't decided to brave that storm, you would never have run into that man at all, right? That's something I wouldn't expect even our top-ranking cadets to attempt, let alone survive. So why aren't you in SOLDIER yet? You've already proven yourself to be completely competent in the field."

"I… My test scores in tactics and strategies were too low, Sir."

"Psh! Tactics and strategies, what a bunch of – I mean, it's all important, but one course shouldn't be able to hold you back so much."

"Well, I… was really below the mark." Genesis's eyes widened a fraction of an inch.

"How low?"

"I scored a fifty percent. I needed a ninety to pass." The redhead seemed to consider this a moment, and then he sighed, waving his hand dismissively at nothing in particular.

"Well, none of that matters. I'm sure if I pulled a few strings I could get you exempted from that part of the exam."

"Sir, do you mean –"

"Yes. I could get you moved up to SOLDIER Third Class right now, if that's what you wanted. After what you just did for Zack I'm sure no one would complain." Cloud's eyes brightened for a moment, his gratitude plain on his face, but to Genesis's amazement he shook his head.

"Thank you, Sir, but I think I'll have to pass this time."

"Are you serious?! Why would you want to do that? You want to be in SOLDIER, don't you?"

"I do, more than anything. But if I'm going to become one of the best, I want to do it on my own merits. If I still can't pass the test, I'm not ready yet. And I wouldn't want anyone to accuse you of favoritism, Sir."

"As if anyone would dare," Genesis said with a derisive snort. When Cloud didn't take back his earlier statement, Genesis nodded, clapping him on the shoulder again and smiling briefly. "Well, I respect your decision. Keep studying hard, Strife, and maybe ask Zack to help you with your tactics and strategies course while he's 'taking it easy' for the next two weeks. When you finally do make it into SOLDIER, come talk to me. I've always wanted to be a mentor, after all, and I think you've got what it takes to live up to my expectations."

"Do you mean it, Sir?!"

"I do. So keep studying, Strife! I expect to see you in the ranks after the next exam!"

"Sir, yes Sir!"

As Genesis turned on his heel and strode away, Cloud took off for the barracks, ready to begin studying until he could pass the next exam with flying colors. He couldn't slack off if he wanted to become a man who could measure up to the four SOLDIER Firsts he admired, after all. What he didn't realize, and likely never would, was that in many ways he already had. No matter what anyone else might say, Cloud Strife had done what most would consider impossible for a mere cadet. Without inhuman strength, genetically-engineered talent, or the help of mako infusions, Cloud had saved someone much more capable of the task than himself.

That, more than anything, was what so impressed those who ranked above him. And that, above all else, was also what made him a hero.