Okay, I've been away for awhile, terribly sorry but here I am.

This is a bit of a filler chapter- okay ALOT of a filler chapter, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless. (Sorry about the fast paced-ness) Thanks, and enjoy.

The paper slipped from trembling fingers, drifting gently to the floor.

Shinra- was out to get them? Tifa sat dazedly on a barstool. Imprisonment? What was he talking about? How long has Cloud been like his?

She bent down, retrieving the paper and rereading it once more.

She shook her head, carefully folding it and slipping it back into the envelope. She rubbed her eyes with her hand, sighing and straightening her back, a familiar ache settling in from

sleeping on the floor beside Cloud yet again.

"I need to remember to take care of myself too." She murmured, locking the door and making sure all the lights had been shut off.

She stood for a moment in the quiet, listening to the sounds of the night.

The rain pattering down on the roof and against the windows, the quiet hum of the basement's generator, the gentle creaks from the well used house- a building that never really slept.

She quietly made her way upstairs to the den where Cloud slept.

She entered the room, going to Cloud and kneeling by his side.

His breathing had elevated and his porcelain cheeks had a tint of pink to them, a sign he was getting a fever. She pressed her hand against his burning forehead, where beads of sweat

had begun to accumulate. She had to do it- she couldn't risk avoiding it.

She bit her lip, her gaze trailing over to the black case on the side table.

The mako injection is extremely painful. He will scream and cry and plead for death, but whatever you do, you have to give it to him, even if you've got to tie him down.

It's absolutely crucial.

She shivered, remembering Natsume's gently spoken words.

She made her way over to the case. It was a black rectangular box, much like the kind someone would store an instrument in.

Just looking at it gave her an unsettling feeling.

Hesitantly, she undid the brass clasps, finding four vials of mako and four syringes wrapped in plastic, as well as a clear bottle of disinfectant.

She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket where the doctor had written instructions.

She filled one of the syringes as instructed and gently wiped Cloud's inner elbow with a cotton ball, the disinfectant making her nose sting.

She held the tip of the needle to his inner elbow, and he gave a slight turn of his head, a frown on his once stoic lips.

"I'm sorry Cloud- but I'm doing this for you. I promise, if it wasn't keeping you alive right now- I would never hurt you like this."

She bit her lip, the tip of the needle sinking into his soft flesh. He nearly knocked it out of her hand as on arm shot up, gripping the edge of the couch he lay on.

He let out panicked breaths, his moans turning into full fledged screams as she pushed the needle in farther, tears running down her cheeks.

"St-stop please-" he whimpered through heavy breaths- "I don't- w-want to d-ie." Cloud's eyes flickered open for a moment, his gaze raking the room blindly, and closed, his arm falling

against the couch.

Tifa pulled the needle out as soon as the rest of the liquid had left the tube.

She threw it to the floor, sobs wracking her body.

She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'll take it from here." Natsume said gently, as Tifa nodded turning and burying her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry- I can't do it again."

"It's okay, I shouldn't have asked you to do something like that."

Natsume looked into Tifa's red eyes. "Tifa, you need to rest okay? Go, I'll watch over Cloud tonight."

"I shouldn't-"

"Tifa." He said sternly, his features reminding her somewhat of her father, making even more tears run down her cheeks.

"Thank you Natsume."

She gently took Cloud's limp hand, kneeling down to whisper in his ear.

"Natsume's going to watch over you tonight alright Cloud? I'll see you tomorrow. I promise."

She whispered shakily. She carefully lay a kiss on his cheek and stood, blushing when Natsume smiled knowingly.

"Have a good sleep Tifa."

She nodded and exited the room, walking down the hall to where her bed sat unused, LOVELESS still sitting on top of the small TV.

She flicked off the lights, sliding under her covers, not bothering to get changed. She let her heavy eyelids drift closed, thoughts of Cloud still swirling in her head.

________

Tifa woke sleepily.

Something cold was pressed to her forehead. She opened her eyes, only to look right down the gaping mouth of a gun's barrel. She backed up against her headboard, feeling like a deer caught in

the headlights.

"Who- who are you?"

A man with a deep voice spoke, his features covered in shadows. "We have come for Cloud." He said, pressing the gun barrel hard against her flesh.

"Surrender him or we will kill every single one of you."

"I-I don't know who you're talking about." She muttered, her words seeming strangely slurred.

"We know you have him Mrs. Strife."

"Mrs. Strife?"

"Yes, surrender Cloud. He belongs to us"

"He's not yours- you can't have him."

The man's hand went back, and Tifa shielded herself for a blow, but nothing came. The tantalizing smell of bacon filled her nostrils, and her mouth began to water. Her eyes wrenched

open, and a blinding light forced its way into the room.

She leaned forward, her covers sliding off.

She was in her room, alone. No one was pressing the barrel of a rifle to her forehead, nor about to give her a hard smack. The sun was shining through the clouds, bathing her room in

light before submerging it in darkness once more as it was hidden.

Only a dream...

She sighed, stretching and yawning. She turned lazily towards the clock. She gasped when she read the time.

11:00 am blinked in green.

She jumped out of bed, still in the previous day's clothing. She ran a brush through her hair hurriedly and ran down the stairs, the sizzle of bacon awaiting her.

"I hope you don't mind, but I was getting a little hungry and you didn't seem to be waking up."

The doctor was sitting at a booth, two plates of bacon and eggs and two coffees awaiting her.

"I'm sorry, I haven't slept that long in a long time." She sat down with Natsume at the table, breathing in the warm scents of bacon and coffee.

"After what you've done for Cloud, I can't thank you enough." She smiled gratefully.

He nodded dutifully. "It's my job." He finished chewing and began cutting a second piece.

"I know it's only been a few days, but I've removed some of the stitches. He's healing at a miraculous pace, put it will still take time- whatever gave him those scars probably left some

mental ones too. Don't pressure him into telling you anything. Give him time."

She nodded, thanking him. After they'd finished breakfast, he took his supplies, leaving clean bandages for Cloud and left, leaving the bar once again in silence.

She cleaned the dishes hurriedly and went back upstairs. Cloud was sleeping peacefully on the couch. The doctor, it appeared had fed him all he could, as a half bowl of cold soup lay

lonely on the table.

She gently lay a hand on his cheek, and he leaned into her touch, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He was still quite warm, but the fever had lessened.

She smiled as he yawned in a most cat-like fashion, his head burying deeper into the pillows, seemingly thankful for a peaceful sleep.

"I missed you Tifa." He mumbled, and she shot up, blinking confusedly. "C-Cloud?"

But Cloud's face was still one of contentment, his breaths coming from slightly parted lips.

"So I was right."

Tifa blinked. Cloud's eyes slowly opened, revealing a calm blue.

"You are an angel."

She smiled, feeling a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. His eyes closed once more; sleep hanging onto them like sandbags on an air balloon. She leaned over, gently kissing his cheek.

"I missed you too Cloud."

AHH THE FLUFFINESS! Sorry, I know this chapter was mostly fluffy filler- if not all. I don't mean to drag it out, but I'm pretty sure I'll be writing a sequel. As I've said in the last few chapters, THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!!! So stay tuned. I apologize for the droning of this chapter- I haven't written in awhile so I'm a little rusty. Awhile means... a couple weeks :)

Anywho, thanks for reading:D

Lucifer