Chapter One: Blood On His Hands

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII in any way, shape, or form. The characters and places belong to Square, but the plot is my own. This fiction takes place after Advent Children, disregarding Dirge of Cerberus.

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Cloud turned over in his sleep, the sheets sticking to his sweating form. Though he lay on a bed in the infirmary of Tifa's Seventh Heaven Bar, his mind wandered through the City of the Ancients.

The ghostly white trees seemed to hum with the life of the Planet as he passed among them; in time he found himself being drawn to a poll of shining water, seemingly depthless.

Almost reluctantly, he stepped close enough to the water's edge so that the small ripples lapped against his boots, peering down into the cold water. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he heard a silvery voice ring out from the shadowy depths of the lake.

"Cloud…please, help me…" called the voice, so distant yet familiar. He attempted to call out, but like the last time, and the time before, no sound came from his voice. He tried to say something, anything; he tried to call her name.

"Cloud…," the she called. The sound of her voice was painful. He buckled to his knees, holding his head in his hands. A terrible burning sped up into his chest, causing him to cough up a thick, crimson substance. The blood stained the white marble sand beneath him.

Her voice was everywhere now, calling him. His head spun, causing him to feel nauseous. His hands were now covered in blood. A wave of cold rushed over him along with the sudden feeling that he had to get the red substance off of his hands. He must to get it off. If he did, then maybe, just maybe, the voice would quiet.

Cloud knelt beside the pool and let the water envelop his hands. Despite this, the blood would not come off. He rubbed his hands together, but in vain. He began to scrub harder and then stopped. A dark form moved under the face of the water, moving toward him. He tried to look away, but his face was seemingly plastered to the figure. It drew closer until it was almost right below him. A pair of water-logged arms reached out of the water to grab his blood stained hands. His azure eyes widened as he saw her face…

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Tifa sat upright in her bed, jolting out of a dream. Whether the dream was pleasant or no, she could not recall. All she knew now was that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

'Could it be the kids? No, they're staying over with Cid and Shera…'

She swung her legs over the side of the mattress, pushing herself up into a standing position. Tifa stood still, trying to see if she could hear anything. After listening for a full minute, a wave of fear spread over her. 'Cloud,' her mind screamed. Something was wrong with Cloud.

She wrapped her night robe around herself, throwing the door to her room open. She didn't know why she was so worried. Cloud was only right down the hall, but she had been concerned about his health for about a year after he had fought Sephiroth for a second time. He had always had nightmares, but after that battle, he had begun to weaken. For a while, she was worried that it was Geostigma again, but that wasn't it. It was something else.

Yesterday, he had come home from a delivering a package to Icicle Town. He had only just made it in the door before he collapsed, Yuffie had reported. The young ninja was staying for a week or two, trying to get away from the Wutaian duties that her father had pressed so harshly on her.

Tifa quickened her pace as she neared the infirmary. She opened the door slowly, half expecting the whole world to awaken at the creak of a floorboard or squeak of a hinge. The woman froze with fear as she stepped into the room.

Cloud lay there on his side, clutching his head. The sheets were wet with sweat and blood as were his hands. Tifa, unconsciously holding her breath, hurried over to his side. The man looked as if he was trying to call out, but couldn't. She tried to shake him out of sleep but to no avail. Tifa sat on the edge of the mattress and felt his forehead. He was burning up.

'Why didn't I notice he was sick? I'm supposed to take care of him,' the woman thought, blaming herself for the man's condition. He had saved her on many occasions; twice in her youth and countess turning the past two years. Now, she sat here, a nervous wreck, unable to do a thing. Maybe this is how Cloud had felt, how he felt now, about the others that he couldn't help. Footsteps and an 'Oh my god' behind her pulled her out of her reverie. Yuffie stood behind her with her hands over her mouth, eyes the size of dinner plates.

"Teef, what's wrong with Cloud?"

The woman shook her head.

"I…don't know..."

The sleeping man furrowed his brows and whispered a name. Her name…Aeris; he was dreaming-no, he was having a nightmare about the dead Ancient.

"How long has he been…sick?"

Tifa held her head in her hands.

"I didn't even know he was sick...he's been tired because of nightmares, but I didn't…"

The woman harshly scolded herself. Was that all she could say was 'I don't know'? Why didn't she know? They had been living side by side for three years now…

"Yuffie, can you think of anyone to call?"

The girl shook her head.

"How about calling Cid?"

"We can't call Cid 'cause the kids are staying with 'em and they'll worry."

Yuffie put her hands on her hips, trying to remember her comrades' phone-numbers. Only one came to mind.

"I know just who to call! May I use yours? I ran out of minutes…"

Tifa nodded. The young ninja sped out of the door into the room where Cloud kept all his delivery supplies. The phone sat on the desk next to several pictures of AVALANCHE. Picking up the phone, she dialed the number with feverish fingers. She had called him several times before just to annoy him, but this time, she really needed him. The phone rang four times before she heard a click.

"Hello…?"

She let out a relieved sigh. She didn't really think he'd answer.

"Vincent! Cloud is really, really, sick. He's coughing up blood and it's pretty gross…but anyway, Tifa doesn't know what to do and we were going to call Cid but he has the kids so I decided to call you! Will you please get over here quick?!"

It was silent on his side of the phone for a moment.

"…the stigma?"

"No…I don't think so. There's no creepy rash or anything, but he's having a really bad nightmare. Tifa said he's been having them for a while... Could you please get down here?"

Vincent exhaled suddenly.

"Yuffie…"

Yuffie stomped her foot. She was getting agitated.

"Don't even say that you can't come! Tifa is upstairs trying to figure out what's wrong and I'm worried as heck! Cloud called her name…Aeris."

She lowered her voice to barely a whisper.

"He's been mumbling it in her sleep since I found him on the doorstep yesterday. It's…sad. He's been having nightmares about her…and now…we don't know what to do…"

Everything was quiet for a moment, until Vincent spoke.

"I'm in Kalm at the moment. I'll be there within the hour."

Yuffie hung up and sighed. He had hung up.

'Well, at least he'll be here. I guess I'll go tell Tifa…' she thought as she ran down the hall into the infirmary.

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Author's Note: Hey, this is Casseh. Gawd, it's about time I started another fiction. This plot has been buzzing about in my brain for the longest time. I swear, this one won't be as short as Misery Loves Company or as delayed. Remember to review! By the way, this IS a CloTi and Yuffentine. No Tifa and Vincent or Cloud and Yuffie. Sorry peoples. –smiles-