This is dedicated to my good friend char2happy! THANKS HAPPY FOR INTRODUCING ME TO THIS AWESOMELY SWEET PAIRING! 8D Enjoy~

Faded Photographs

Elli didn't ever really take a break in between her work hours in the Clinic (she felt that the time off could possibly be the time when a patient might need her), but today the doctor was truly adamant on her taking a short walk. And in the freezing snow, for Goddess' sake.

"You'll enjoy it, Elli." Dr. Trent had said. "And you work so hard; I don't need you collapsing of exhaustion."

Now, Elli couldn't help but think of the obvious: What a hypocrite. He works his arse off, losing sleep in the night to work on medicines, coming in early for better hours to patients, and he tells her that she might faint from sleep deprivation? But Elli wasn't a fool; she knew darn well that the doctor had been seeing a certain redhead on closed Clinic days and was probably looking for more time to spend with her, so Elli took the excuse for his sake. Besides, she heard enough from Karen who heard enough from Ann about her wanting to see the good doctor (and not for just doctor-patient privileges).

So Elli left, sporting a woolly, blue coat and a cheery yellow scarf over her usual attire and headed out the door. And just as the innkeeper's daughter began to round the corner to the Clinic. Elli smiled to herself, wondering just how the pair had ever become.

Elli made her way to the Rose Square (deciding it must have been Ann's cooking or cleanliness that had drawn Trent to her), and found that the snow was getting the better of the plaza. A thick layer of snow covered every inch of the area. But her eyes didn't enjoy the landscape, rather, the young man walking into it.

Cliff staggered in the cold, his whole body shaking violently and bare flesh reddened from the bitter winds. He took a few more steps into the square, and then looked up to see Elli staring at him with the most incredulous look on her face. "Cliff!" She began to scold, running over to him. "Cliff, get out of the cold!"

He didn't say a word as she dashed to his side, gently wrapping a protective arm around his back and beginning to lead him to the Clinic. He sadly smiled at her, his cheeks and nose tinged a cherry. "…It was snowing…"

Elli shook her head. "Cliff, it still is snowing. That's why you don't go outside unless wearing a coat and gloves!"

He chuckled. "…No… It was snowing… when I ran away."

Elli shrieked as Cliff fell limp, dropping down into the snow with a thud.

"Cliff!" She cried, rolling him over so that his face was free of the snow mound. "Oh… Oh…" Elli fretted, getting up and running to the Clinic as fast as she could. It didn't take long to get there, nor for the doctor and Ann to get untangled from each other to come help.

"Holy Harvest Sprites, Cliff!" Ann screeched as the limp body of Cliff came into view. The trio ran to Cliff's side, Trent immediately checking for breathing.

"He's still breathing… and I'm getting a pulse." The doctor finally announced after also holding onto the young man's wrist for a short amount of time. He looked up at Elli. "We need to get him back now."

Trent picked Cliff up, bridal-style, and began to rush back to the Clinic, Ann at his heels with a colorless face and an unusual quietness. Elli was about to run behind, but a sudden color in the whiteness caught her eye.

A tiny piece of paper flapped in the wind, as though drowning in the sea of snow. Picking it up, Elli tucked it into her pocket before running to catch up.

Ann waited in the lobby as Dr. Trent and Elli checked his heart rate, his breathing, his temperature, and recorded other medical data. Taking his stethoscope off of Cliff's chest (which was bare since they had taken off his shirt to check for wounds), Dr. Trent sighed. "Thank the Goddess you were there, Elli… Cliff seems to have a pretty high fever, but that's all. I'm going to have to assume that the most probable reason Cliff was out in the cold was from delirium." He smoothed his wrinkled, white coat. Elli noted that it wasn't wrinkled before she left (and probably a little before Ann showed up).

She'd giggle about that later.

But she didn't feel like giggling now.

"Delirium from a high… fever…" Elli spoke slowly as she recorded the doctor's words. "Got it, Doctor."

He nodded to her and began to leave. "Oh, before I tell Ann about Cliff's condition…" Trent turned around. "Could you just stay with him? He most likely won't awake, but it'd be best if someone were watching over his state-"

"No need to say any more, Doctor. I'll be fine. You go on." Elli smiled. "And she might need someone to walk her home~"

Trent smiled gratefully and walked out of the room, leaving Elli alone with the comatose Cliff. She sighed once realizing it would be quite some time before another conscious person would ever be in the Clinic again, and watched the floor with bored eyes. It wasn't before long her eyes shut and a light slumber settled over her.

Her nap was short lived, for she awoke to hear the sounds of mumbling. With half-lidded eyes, Elli found herself watching a half-conscious Cliff moan and squirm in the cot. "Cliff?" She asked with hopeful eyes that he would wake.

"…No, Ma… Ma? … Wait… No…" Cliff whispered between writhing. His face was hot with fever and his cheeks red with discomfort.

Elli pursed her lips and ran to find him a dampened cloth to put on his head. It was just seconds after she left the room did she hear footsteps in the floor. She darted back to find Cliff standing, his knees shaking from under him. He was moaning, "…is it? …Where is it?"

"Cliff!" Elli scurried to his side, catching him as he fell. They both lay on the cold floor as Cliff weakly grabbed Elli's arms.

"Where… where is it?" He asked, his eyes half-lidded but worried.

"Where is what?" Elli asked. "Cliff, you can't be up. You'll get hurt this way! You have a fever, so I think you should just get back into the cot-"

"I need it!" He whimpered. "I need it!"

"Listen to me, you're delirious, Cliff… You need to rest." Elli said.

"My photograph…" Cliff's eyes seemed to mist. "Please, have you seen it, Elli? Please tell me you've seen it…"

Elli was taken aback. "A photo?" Cliff nodded. "Well, yes, I think I have…"

"Please, I need it!" Cliff cried, shaking her lightly.

Elli nodded to him and escaped his grasp, dashing to her coat where the photo was hidden away in its pocket. Taking it out, she looked at it.

A small boy grinned from under a young woman's loving gaze, and a young girl smiled at his side. The boy's front teeth were missing. The picture was in sepia, but even in the brown hues, Elli recognized the boy's russet ponytail.

She walked into the room, where Cliff was leaning on the cot waiting. He met her in the middle, a grateful look in his eyes when she handed him the photo. "Ah, thank you, Elli… thank you!" He wrapped his arms around her for a moment, hugging her. She giggled and returned the hug.

"You're very welcome, Cliff." She laughed. Color rose to her cheeks when she realized that she was pressed against his bare chest. She didn't say a word, mentally scolding herself. She was smiling when they parted.

"That picture… it's you as a child, isn't it?" She noted.

Cliff smiled sadly and nodded. "This was when I was little… That's my older sister… and that's my Ma." He looked down at the picture and frowned. "…She died. Not long after I ran away from home. No one knows where my sister is."

"Oh, Cliff… I'm so sorry… Your father?"

"He died before I ran away."

"I'm so sorry…" Elli placed her hand on his forearm. Cliff flinched at the touch. She pulled her hand back. Her mind suddenly clicked. "Oh! Wait here!"

She ran out of the room, leaving a stunned Cliff. Elli returned with her own photograph in her hand. She gave it to Cliff, who didn't know what to make of it. "It's my parents." She explained. "That's me, in between them. My mother hadn't had Stu yet. We were at a Fireworks Festival." Elli smiled sympathetically to Cliff. "They passed away in a car accident not long after Stu was born."

Cliff pursed his lips. "I guess we have something in common, huh?"

She smiled at him. "I guess so."

He nodded, turning around and sitting on the cot. Elli followed behind and sat next to him. They were silent for a few moments before Cliff spoke. "Elli?"

"Yes?"

He smiled at her, looking at her at the side of his eyes. He was blushing furiously. "Thanks."

She smiled shyly, a blush of her own forming across her cheeks. "Anytime, Cliff. It's what I'm here to do."

Miss Rouge Apple~ Weeeell? Didja like it? I thought this was a totally adorable pairing, so if you think so, too... PLEASE REVIEW! C: