Hey, everyone! This was something that I wanted to write for a long time now. It really hits home since Cloud represents myself to a certain degree in here. It's a weird thing to write about my life in a fictitious manner, but I just wanted to write it out and pour my feelings over the past five years into this.

Another close representation will be with Vincent and a best friend of mine who passed away on July 6th, 2010. She and I were very much alike, and I doubt I'll ever be close friends with someone like her for a long time, if ever again.

Downward Spiral into Abyss

Chapter One…

Cloud never expected to be with a single employer for more than two years. Yet, here he was at nineteen and an Assistant Manager at Galileo's. His team enjoyed working with and for him and even pushed him to try and become the store manager. It seemed that he had the ideal job with everyone preferring him over the actual general manager.

Then again, Cloud had dreams that he wanted to live out; traveling the world, going to college, and eventually leaving his current employer to find a job that'll possibly help set him the direction of his dream career of being an artist.

Unfortunately, that dream had to be put on hold just when the opportunity was right there for Cloud.

*()*)(*()*)(

Never the one to have a lot of friends as he preferred, Cloud wouldn't allow anyone into his home, especially his bedroom. He was always asked if he played sports in high school due to his physique, and his response was a light chuckle followed by a shake of his head no. He despised jocks and sports altogether and was more into theatre and art classes. Inside his home were framed pieces of his that won competitions between high schools and even received appraisal from the town of Nibelheim's mayor who granted him with a scholarship that would take care of his schooling if Cloud decided to pursue down the road of art.

Everything had been arranged for Cloud's schooling. He decided to attend a highly appraised school located in Sagewick, which was quite the distance away from home. His parents wanted their son to be happy, and, as heart breaking as it was to see their only child part from them for so long and only visiting during holidays and vacation, they knew it would benefit Cloud in the end to pursue his dream.

A couple of weeks before Cloud's graduation from high school, he overheard his parents talking in their bedroom one night regarding his father's health. They made plans for him to go into heart bypass surgery. Cloud remembered his father hunching over the kitchen sink a couple of times, and, when he asked his father if he was alright, he would turn his head to Cloud and give him a reassuring smile, never saying a word. The pausing whatever he was doing and hunching over the sink routine happened more frequently, but Cloud's father never ignored his son's question and never alarmed him of his health.

To hear what was being said made Cloud's heart drop as he allowed himself into his parents' bedroom, rushing over to his father and hugging him for dear life as tears gushed down his face.

"I can understand why you didn't want to tell me about this, Dad. I'd rather be with you at the hospital than to walk upstage and receive my diploma. They can mail that to me - it's just a piece of paper. If you were to leave us without us saying goodbye, I don't think I could handle it."

Cloud's father hugged him tight, reassuring him that everything was going to be alright.

Pulling back, he placed his arms on Cloud's shoulders and softly looked into his bloodshot baby blues.

"Son, I just wanted to let you know that you mean the world to your mother and myself. It pains me to see you like this, and I just wanted to let you know that I wouldn't miss your graduation for the world. I'm going into surgery tomorrow and should be back on my feet right around graduation time. If not, your mother is pretty guide with helping people in wheelchairs. Either that, or she'll carry me to the stadium, won't you dear?"

His father flashed a cheesy smile as Cloud's mother rolled her eyes in a humorous manner.

Cloud couldn't help but to allow a quick laugh to escape. He felt better knowing both his parents were going to see him graduate and progress to the next level of schooling.

*()*)(*()*)(

Cloud was by his father's side since he came back by helping him get in and out of bed and driving him to get some food. His father wanted to try and maintain some level of independence, so he tried to get out of bed by himself to go use the bathroom. When Cloud heard his name being called from his parent's bedroom, he immediately rushed to their room, and when he opened the door, he was caught off guard by his father crouched next to the bed with his pants down and sporting tight stockings the hospital issued him since the doctor used some veins from his leg to replace the bad arteries in his heart.

"What the…?"

"Cloud, don't tell your mother. I made it to the bathroom, but my legs gave out when I got to the bed. Can you … help me put my pants back on?"

"Um, I guess. Though, I'll admit, it's a little weird to see my own father like this."

"For goodness sakes, Cloud. I've seen you naked!"

Cloud sighed as he crouched down next to his dad, careful to not touch anything as he pulled his father's pants past his knees and up his upper legs.

"That's different! I am your kid, and I really didn't have time to doll myself up when mom brought me into this world!"

"That was one of the best days of my life was when you came into this world and brought more sunshine my way."

Once he pulled his father's pants up all the way, Cloud wrapped his father's arm around his shoulder as he snaked his other arm around his father's waist, slowly hoisting him up from the ground.

"Well, why not name me 'Sunny' instead of 'Cloud?'"

"You were born on a cloudy day. Plus, Sunny's a little too… feminine for my taste."

"I'm not complaining since I'm the only one with my name."

As Cloud help lay his father on the bed, a worried thought entered his mind. His father noticed the look of worry enter and leave Cloud's face, and he knew what went through his head.

"It's like I told you before, Cloud. I will not miss your graduation. If I was bring held hostage on your graduation day, you better believe the son of a bitch who's threatening my life would be knocked out cold as I jumped over buildings to make it to your ceremony."

"C'mon, Dad. I can't even jump over buildings! What makes you think an old man like yourself could?"

"Hey, I have no control over my physical age. Why, I've been told that I have the spirit of a twenty year old!"

"That's because you flatter women that are older than you!"

His father winked. "That's the key - I make them feel pretty, they make me feel young. I'm a babe magnet, what can I say?"

Cloud scoffed. "Oh, great Master of the Babes, teach me your ways!" he said in a chant-like manner, bowing before his father.

*()*)(*()*)(

Cloud was preparing himself for his graduation ceremony from Prominent High School. Fixing the tassel on his hat to the left, he stepped back and gazed at himself in the full length mirror. He was wearing a stunning light blue gown and cap along with a pair of torn up sneakers from four years ago on his feet. Hey, it was his day, he was allowed to wear something comfortable instead of classy and torturous to his feet.

Cloud's mom informed him that she was on her way to the hospital to pick his dad up from post op.

"It's your night to shine, Cloud. You've made it this far, and there's no stopping you now!" Cloud said to his reflection with a huge smile on his face.

It was a couple of hours before the ceremony began, and Cloud was being bum rushed by his friends, teachers, and parents of his friends, congratulating him and wondering if they would stay in touch.

While talking to one girl in particular, Tifa, Cloud's phone vibrated in his pocket. He excused himself from the conversation as he flipped open his phone, making his way outside the stadium from the loud talking.

"Hello?"

All Cloud could hear was someone breathing heavily and nothing more. A couple of choked back cries were also heard.

A puzzled look came on Cloud's face as he took the phone away from his ear and peeked at the name that was showing on his phone.

Mom.

"Mom, are you okay?"

His mother started bawling, causing Cloud's eyes to tear up. Never in his life had he seen nor heard his mother cry, and he feared the worst as the next question came out of his mouth.

"What's wrong with Dad?"

Sniffles can be heard as her words would ring in Cloud's mind for a long time.

"Cloud, there was accident. I was at the bank longer than I thought. When I was within five minutes of picking your father up, I received a phone call from one of the nurses at the hospital. Your father attempted to get out of bed and, because his legs were still weak from the surgery, he collapsed and is unconscious right now. It's not looking good, son."

His mother burst into a crying fit, and Cloud was on the verge of having on himself. His best friend, hero, mentor… was now at the crossroads of life or death.

"Mom, are you at the hospital now?"

"Uh-huh. You're not going to miss your graduation, Cloud."

"But, mom, I don't want to graduate if neither of you are going to be here."

"Listen to me. I know this is something you didn't want to hear, especially on your day, but think about it this way. Your father would want you to be there to celebrate a new chapter in life as you complete one that took thirteen years to finish. Don't allow this to ruin it, son. I'll keep you updated, and you can come with me to visit him tomorrow, but don't allow a day of celebration to be a day of grief."

Cloud wanted to tell his mother that it was too late to not think like that, but he obeyed her wishes, told her he loved her, and went back into a mock-happiness mood, composing himself, then proceeding back into the stadium to mingle with the crowds.

*()*)(*()*)(

I figure I'd stop here for now since this is quite the twist of events. I wanted to explain that, minus the recent one, the *()*)(*()*)( means that it's a change of time, past, past-past (going a little more back than the usual), and the present. The first two paragraphs are actually in the present. With Cloud's dad, it goes from a memory with the heart bypass (in which, this actually happened with my dad trying to use the bathroom by himself) to a more recent event with the collapse on Cloud's graduation.

I hope that makes sense. If not, oh well. J 3