Newbie
For: KaleidoscopeLight
Prompt: Biological parents of toddler w/ fluffy convo
Summary: Why should a doctor be afraid of children? Especially when said doctor had a child.

Cloud sighed glancing around the noisy room. There were children everywhere. They scrambled across the room with plastic dinosaurs and bouncy balls with frightening speed. Three of them were playing a game of tag while two girls sat in a corner playing hopscotch with bean bags and string. There was a finger painting station with three kids in plastic jackets and multi-colored fingers and noses. Six children making macaroni pictures and three children were dressed up as pirates; one of them was holding a baby doll. Cloud still hadn't figured that one out.

There was a neglected bookshelf, and a few broken crayons strewn across the floor beside the tiny, itty bitty yellow plastic chair in which Cloud was sitting. He leaned nervously forward on his elbows clasping his hands before him.

He was trying to keep an eye out for his daughter, often referred to as 'mini Cloud' by her great grandmother.

Usually his wife or his father-in-law (Explicit in law was more like it but that was beside the point) picked up Robin from her daycare. Unfortunately said father/demon in law was at a doctor's appointment with said wife.

Cloud loved his daughter, there was no denying that, but...

Other children were a different story. They made a lot of noise, and carried a lot of germs and if there was one thing Dr. Cloud Strife was aware of, it was the amount of germs that a three year old carried on its pinky toe alone.

It was more than germs (though his wife had a tendency to tease him constantly about his mild germaphobia) it was the noise and the outright–

"What's wrong with your hair?"

-bluntness adorable children seem to posses.

Cloud wished he was good at blending in with his surroundings (of course subconsciously he had been attempting to blend in, thus the yellow chair; too bad he was encompassing it with his mass).

A four year old was staring up at him with lavender eyes. He had black, curly hair and a bit of cookie crumb was still on the corner of his mouth from snack time.

What do you say to a child that asks what's wrong with your hair? Nothing was wrong with his hair. He couldn't help it that his genetics were slightly askew from the norm.

He was born with it. And it was certainly better than being bald (he tried that once in a teenage bout of rebellion ((and hopes of destroying the dreaded nickname)) finding out much to his misfortune that his head was shaped like a peanut with a quarter size dimple in the back of his head).

"Well?"

Well what?

"It looks like a chocobo..."

There it was...that stupid nickname. Cloud winced as the child walked away.

Of course it looked like a freaking chocobo. It always looked like a chocobo. He supposed it was better than the nickname his father-in-law had dubbed him.

Of course that name required a language he wasn't aloud to even think around humans (and some animals) under the age of eighteen. If even then.

His chair suddenly squeaked violently as a figure sat down on the pink chair next to him.

Cloud glanced to the side at the woman; she was attractive, nearing her thirties if not there already. She had brown, curly hair, and green eyes that were searching like his for a child undoubtedly. She looked very familiar.

"You don't usually pick up your child, do you?" she asked, not even looking at him.

Cloud cleared his throat, shifting dangerously on the tiny seat. "...no."

The woman turned, smiling brightly. "I can tell."

Cloud pulled at the collar of his shirt; curse him and his inability to sit still. He looked as fidgety as the kid waiting his turn for the finger painting.

"That bad, huh?"

"No," she shook her head. "I'm a usual, so I didn't recognize you. Unless," she drew out the word as she eyed the children. "You're a newbie...but I don't see any new kids."

Cloud blinked, startled. She looked over, grinning.

"You're Tifa's husband, aren't you?"

She was a psychic.

No wait...she knew the other parents.

Calm down Cloud.

"...yes..."

She grinned knowingly. "I've heard a bit about you... I've heard even more from Mr. Lockhart."

Well that was great. He was surprised she hadn't already called the police if she had been talking to that dam

Err...damaging Mr. Lockas–

Lockhart.

Lockhart...yes that's what it was.

"Don't worry." She must've seen the panic on his face. "My father was the same with my husband, and I know your fear of germs–

Tifa. That was her work.

"– You shouldn't have to wait for Robin too much longer..." The woman stretched her neck out searching around.

It was strange to hear a complete stranger talk about his child.

Very strange.

She didn't look at him again as she spoke. She had a habit of doing that apparently or maybe there was something on his face...

"How old is Robin again? I've forgotten."

"Two and a half."

"Ahh," she grinned. "Mine is getting almost to the point of preschool. He dreads it so." The woman glanced at him. "You know he'll be sad to not see Robin anymore."

Great...not only did this woman know his daughter's habit, but apparently their children were friends.

And also his wife and father-in-law had practically screwed up any first impressions he had on anyone in this place. Now he had even more reasons to hate this place.

"I'm sure Tifa could work something out."

The woman grinned wide. "Tifa's a sweetheart."

Cloud smirked, staring forward. "Yeah...she is."

The woman glanced at him again, lowering her voice. "And I won't even believe a quarter of the things Mr. Lockhart says about you just for the sake of your pride."

Cloud didn't know whether or not to say thank you.

"Ah, there he is!" The woman exclaimed suddenly as a small boy ran up to her.

It was the curly haired one. He obviously got his curly locks from his mother.

But the eyes...they were familiar.

The woman stood quickly, swinging up the boy easily.

"Hey buddy."

"Hey mommy...were you talking to chocobo head?"

The woman laughed. "Yes, I was."

The boy proceeded to whisper to her (in a not so whispered tone) "He's funny looking."

"Shush Zack...that's not nice," she reprimanded, turning to leave.

Cloud's eyes widened.

Zack...

"Um..." Cloud stood hesitantly. "I didn't get your name."

The woman hesitated, turning slightly. "Uh..."

About that time Robin ran up, flinging herself around his leg. Cloud lifted her up easily.

Robin wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and he found himself completely focused on his daughter.

"Hey daddy..." Robin said in her soft voice.

"Hey sweetie."

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Were...you talkin to Ms. Fair?"

Cloud blinked rapidly, trying to catch up with what his daughter said. He glanced to the side; the woman and her son was gone.

So...that was how he knew her.

Aeris Fair...widow of Zack Fair...the first patient he lost...

How could he have forgotten that was her?

Of course it made sense now... her son; black hair, lavender eyes...Zack.

Things would always be bad when it came to Zack...but it wasn't as bad as he had thought they had been... He knew the joy of having a child now, and he was about to experience that joy over again.

He would have to talk to her again sometime.

"Let's go home, daddy...I wanna see momma."

About that time a child hurled at the finger painting station setting off a chain reaction with the other children of...well...you know.

"Yeah... me too."

A/N: Okay...so that prolly wasn't what you were expecting...but, I hoped you enjoyed it! And yes! Yet another trip into the Doc's universe. I'm going to start calling it Docverse. SWEET. Yeah I'm tired. And I've got to work tomorrow... and I'm stuck in my dorm ALL BY MYSELF. It sucks. I thought I'd get a lot of writing done, but that went down the drain. I want to write but I have no motivation. I wrote about four chapters to a new story this past week, but I've hit the brick wall. I've pretty much hit the brick wall everywhere. UGH. Whatever. And so ends this pointless Author's note. Yeah...I'm lonely.

BUT THANKS FOR REVIEWS LOVES! XD!!!!!