One Last Moment
By: Raven-Chan

It hadn't been long since he had escaped the jaws of death, and once again, Cloud Strife would have to venture back into the black abyss of death. But this time, he didn't think he could escape.

The small emergency craft that had launched from the Highwind was a sturdy little ship. They had been in the sky for about thirty minutes when they final reached the brim of the energy being thrown off by Meteor. And it had been a mistake to go there.

"Shit!" Cid exclaimed in his usual foul language. "I can't quite break away from the pull of this shit!"

"Well, you better hurry the 'ell up, Foo, before we all get toasted!" Barret practical hollered at Cid, in a rather curt tone.

"Would you two just shut up!" Cloud hollered at the to of them. "If you two don't stop, Cid's gonna lose it, and we're gonna slip right into that stuff!"

They fell silent. Cid went back to flipping switches and working the other controls. No use. They were slowly losing their grip on the sky.

"I think we're losing power!" Cid hollered over the deafening roar of Meteor. "I don't know what it is!"

"Well, I hope you find out pretty damn fast!" Yuffie exclaimed, the fear in her voice obvious.

"It might be the engine," Vincent said, barely audible above the noise.

"No shit, dumb ass!" Cid exclaimed. "Why else would we be losin' energy! I think the Mako batteries are being drained or something!"

"No," Vincent said, looking down the hatch, "It's leaking Mako."

"What!"

"The strain on the engine has broke open one of the gaskets," Vincent replied, "If you don't lay off, it's gonna tear the thing in two. Unless someone can fix it."

"There's no way any of us can get down there with that Mako energy," Nanaki hollered, "It's too hot. And the Mako radiation would kill us before we had the chance to patch it up."

"No," Cloud said, speaking up. "I can do it."

"Cloud, No!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Your crazy, Foo!" Barret hollered at him. "I don't want no one makin' no sacrifice!"

"I can do it," Cloud reassured them. "I have to. Or this whole things gonna tear apart, and all of us are goners!"

There was a silence in the craft as everyone pondered this.

"I've been exposed before," Cloud said, "I can do it."

"Oh, Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him, and rested her head on his chest. She was almost in tears. "Cloud!"

"I have to," He said, more to assure himself then anyone else.

Cid pondered it for a moment.

"Here!" Cid hollered over the roar of energy, and threw a small chip about tow centimeters long, and one wide. "This key will open the outer compartment. Once you've closed that hatch, I'll open the inner compartment from here. You'll have to be fast. As soon as your ready, throw the signal at Vincent." Cid put two fingers in the air. "Vincent, when you see that, tell me. I'll lay of the accelerator for ten seconds. You better have it patched up by then, because I'm kicking it back up. And once you're done, get your white ass back up here, quick! Got it?"

"Yeah," Cloud said, "I got it."

"Vincent?"

"I know what to do," Vincent replied.

"Okay then," Cid said, "Let's rock and roll!"

Cloud quickly leaned over to Vincent, and whispered to him.

"You and I both know I ain't making it out of here alive," Cloud said, "They don't know that. But as far as we're concerned, I'm a walking dead man. Don't you dare tell them, Vincent. And don't you hesitate. As soon as I throw the signal, no matter where I am, you tell him to lay off. I got myself covered. You understand?"

"Yes, my friend," Vincent replied. He grabbed Cloud's upper wrist, and Cloud in turn grabbed Vincent's upper wrist tightly. And for the first time, they shook hands. "It was a pleasure working with you. Take care my friend."

"Same to you," Cloud said, "And take care of Tifa for me."

"I will."

With this, Cloud walked over to Tifa. He wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her close to him.

"I don't know what to say, Tifa."

"Cloud. I... I..."

"I know, Tifa," Cloud said. "I know." He bent his head downward, and gave her a slight kiss. He then turned and walked to the hatch.

"I will see you in a moment, my friends!" He exclaimed.

"Or in Hell!' Cid hollered back. Then he added, "Good luck, my friend!"

Cloud climbed down into the hatch, and closed it behind him. It sealed tight. Air tight.

"He's in," Vincent said. He could see through to the other hatch, and what lie beneath it. He could see the Mako flowing, but he couldn't see the hole, because it was on the opposite side of the reactor. Only he and Cloud knew this. It would be nearly impossible for Cloud to finish the job in ten seconds.

Cid popped the inner hatch. Cloud jumped into the Mako, and before it completely consumed him, he threw the sign. Vincent waited one second, knowing it would help give Cloud and advantage.

"Okay!" Vincent hollered. "Lay off!"

Cid let the accelerator fall to zero. They began to be pulled back into the Meteor.

Cloud fought his way through the Mako. Already, the Mako burned away at his exposed flesh. It began to eat away weak patches off clothing. But Cloud pressed on.

"That cabin is still losing it's pressure!" Cid hollered after six seconds. "He should be done, dammit!"

"He's almost there!" Vincent hollered in reply.

Cloud couldn't breath. The radiation was already affecting his body. He hadn't bothered to tell anyone Shin-Ra didn't use this much Mako. And the Mako Shin-Ra used wasn't this pure.

Cloud reached the tear. He could barely see. But he could see two things. He could see how he was going to fix it. And he saw that they were almost out of fuel.

"I can't wait any longer!" Cid hollered.

"No Cid! Don't! Please!" Tifa pleaded, now crying.

"He's almost got it!" Vincent exclaimed, not even able to see Cloud. "Five more seconds!"

"That's all he's got!" Cid replied.

Cloud jammed his Ultima Blade into the hole. It stopped it for the most part. Then he used his Fire Materia to melt the metals together quickly. He then opened the fuel nacelle, which he knew not to do during a flight. Pure Mako shot out on him. It burnt through his upper body clothing and began to eat into his chest.

"He's gonna get us killed!" Cid exclaimed. "He opened the fuel nacelle!"

"At least now we have fuel!" Vincent hollered back.

Cloud took his Master Magic Materia, and threw it into the fuel compartment. He then staggered, beaten and nearly dead, over to the ladder. He grabbed on tight, and threw the signal.

"Kick it!" Vincent hollered.

Cid hit the accelerator. The tiny ship struggled, and within a minute, made it out of the pull of Meteor.

"Yes!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Da Foo save us," Barret said, surprised. "That boys got guts!"

"Calm down!' Vincent hollered at the all. "Cid, pop open the hatch."

Cid popped open the hatch. Cloud could barely climb in.

"Now, close it! Open the outer hatch! Quickly!"

The hatch flew open. Vincent grabbed Cloud and pulled him out. He was tattered and beaten. Fresh blood and Mako clung to his wounds. His eyes and nose were both bleeding. He moaned in pain.

"Tifa."

"Cloud!" She said, running over to him. She threw herself to her knees beside him. "I love you, Cloud!" She had finally been able to tell him. Then she kissed him. A long, bittersweet kiss.

"I love you, too..." Cloud said, and trailed off into death. This time, he had not escaped.

AVALANCHE made it out alive, but mentally torn, and saddened at the lose of one of their own.