Descent to Madness
By Pixielit

Chapter Two

"So how long have you been working at the hospital?" Aerith asked Tifa as they walked to the café.

"About a year. Ever since Cloud's . . . accident."

Zack was walking a bit ahead of them, uncharacteristically moody.

"And . . . Zack?" Aerith asked softly.

"He's been working there since it opened. At first it was – what, an internship?" Tifa raised her voice to include Zack. He glanced back and nodded, smiling a little. "And then they wanted to keep him."

"Tifa was at med school with me," Zack said, slowing to walk on Aerith's other side. "She decided not to work, though, since her and Cloud . . ." He trailed off as they reached the café, glancing at Tifa for permission to continue.

"Cloud and I were living together before the accident," Tifa said simply. "He had a job that paid well, and my dad needed help at his bar, so after med school I just worked there."

"And then after the accident," Zack began, sitting down across from Tifa and motioning Aerith to sit next to him. "After the accident, Tifa started volunteering at the hospital. It didn't take long for them to hire her; the psych ward is always low on nurses."

The discussion came to a halt as their waitress appeared.

"What can I get you today?"

She was pretty, with hazel eyes and auburn hair. She wasn't much taller than Aerith. Zack grinned when he saw her. "Cissnei, hey. The usual."

"Same," Tifa chimed in with a smile. Cissnei turned to Aerith with a questioning look.

"I-I'm sorry, I don't know what's on the menu," Aerith said apologetically. Zack grinned again.

"New customer special," he told Cissnei. "Extra sweet."

Cissnei grinned. "Got it. Back in a jiff."

"So . . . can I ask what happened to Cloud?" Aerith asked hesitantly.

Tifa inhaled sharply. Even Zack looked solemn. An uncomfortable silence stretched among the three.

"I-I mean, you don't have to tell me, if you don't . . . want to," Aerith said, her words petering out as Zack and Tifa looked at her.

Tifa looked away again, drumming her fingers on the table. "I . . . made a mistake."

"Teef," Zack said quietly, shaking his head. "It wasn't your fault."

"Shut up, Zack." Tifa took a deep breath and looked up at Aerith. "Cloud and I . . . Cloud has this motorcycle, right? It's his baby. Before . . . the accident . . . he would just go for a long drive whenever he felt like he needed to clear his head. Sometimes, if the bar could be closed for the night, I would go with him. There was no pattern to it, no telling when he would leave. And - it's not like he would never come home. He always came back, so I never worried.

"And then . . ." Tifa frowned. "About a year ago, we had an argument. He left shortly after for a drive. I don't know where he was headed; just that he was in the mountains. I called him, to apologize, and . . . I don't know what happened. He crashed."

Aerith's hand flew up to cover her mouth.

Tifa took a deep breath before finishing, "It was hours before they found him, unconscious, his bike in pieces. When he woke up, he couldn't remember anything. He still can't. He doesn't even know his own name." Her voice broke and she fell silent, her jaw clenched.

"Tifa," Zack said softly, reaching across the table.

"Okay, two of the usual and one new customer special, extra sweet," Cissnei said, reappearing with a smile and a tray of food. Her smile faltered, seeing the solemnity on the three customers' faces.

Zack was the first to recover, flashing the redhead a bright grin. "Hey, thanks, Cissnei," he said enthusiastically. Her smile returned and she set the plates down on the table.

"Anything else, you know where to find me," she said. Zack nodded and she walked away.

"So, I've been helping at the hospital ever since," Tifa said, closing the subject as she helped herself to one of Zack's fries.

"Hey, you've got your own!"

Tifa winked at Aerith, and the rest of lunch was spent in light, teasing conversation.