[RL - PHS call to Tifa]

[the_zackman]

[has left Aeris sleeping while he sits on the end of the bed, dialing Tifa's number on his PHS]

[one ring. two rings.]

Comments

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

[ugh woken up by PHS! hey wait, is that Zack's number? picking up now-!!] H-hello? Zack?

[the_zackman]

Hey, Tifs. [voice is quiet, doesn't want to wake Aeris up] Sorry for calling so late.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

It's fine, is everything okay? Where have you been!? [realizes she's probably being annoying, oops] ...Sorry, I just... I haven't heard from you, or from Cloud, or... anyone! in so long...

[the_zackman]

We're . . . okay. [realizes how much of a lie that is, moving on quickly] Did you get hit by the virus too?

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I--[realizes he's hiding something]...Zack.

[the_zackman]

What?

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

What happened?

[the_zackman]

[big pause]

Rufus was hit. And he got ahold of us.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

...Oh, Zack... I'm so sorry.

[the_zackman]

Aeris is in bad shape. I have to stay with her. But Cloud . . .

[another big pause]

Cloud took off.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

...Of course. Things go wrong, Cloud takes off.

[the_zackman]

C'mon, Tifa. I don't really blame him.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

You never blame him. Ever. No one does.

[the_zackman]

You can't blame him for this. Not after what's happened.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

I don't blame him for this.

[the_zackman]

[even bigger pause]

Are Marlene and Denzel still there?

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

Always are.

[the_zackman]

. . . I can't go out after him until Aeris is okay.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

...I'll leave the kids with Barret?

[the_zackman]

You can leave them here, if you want. They'll probably help keep Aeris' mind off of things.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

Alright, I'll bring them by. ♥

[the_zackman]

Thanks, Tifa. Good luck.

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

...Thanks.

[the_zackman]

Ich werde reden mit Ihnen später, alle rechte?

(("I'll talk to you later, okay?"))

[xfinal-heaven.livejournal.com]

Ja, auf wiederschen.

[the_zackman]

Bis bald.

[hangs up. stares blindly at the phone for a few minutes, then glances at Aeris to make sure she's still asleep before getting up to make the extra room ready for Marlene and Denzel]