Okay time for another chapter and a bit of a notice! This will be the last chapter for a short while. I will be going on vacation for a bit so we will not have anything for that time. But we hope that you enjoy this chapter! Thank you all so so much for your support!

Ch.32

"Cloud? Cloud…"

A soft voice seemed to echo in his ear. Someone was calling out his name? But who was it?

"Cloud!"

He snapped his eyes open at the sudden raising of the voice. His eyes darted around the room looking for the source of the voice in question when he finally laid eyes on the short, black-suited redhead to which the voice belonged. "Uh… Cissnei? That you?"

"Took you long enough. What happened with you?" she replied with what almost seemed like concern.

Cloud stared ahead blankly as he looked at her, trying to figure out exactly what she was talking about. He started to become more aware of his surroundings, until he finally realized he was not in the training room anymore.

Upon looking, everything that surrounded him with white, including the walls, the floors, even the ceiling. He noticed that he was in a bed, which also consisted of sheets that were white. He could probably guess where he was at, but he still felt the need to ask anyways.

"Where am I exactly?"

"The infirmary, where else?" Cissnei asked with a" slight huff, as if it was foolish for Cloud to even ask the question.

"Really? But how did I even get here? The last thing I remember is… I think I had seen you maybe. After that just nothing," Cloud spoke slowly while trying to recall his lost time.

"Just how out of it are you? You passed out and I had you brought here. You haven't missed a whole lot. You've only been out for a hour or so," Cissnei replied.

"Oh, okay then. I'm starting, to feel better now that I am up… I just had a severe head pain earlier after training. I guess it was too much maybe," he trailed off in thought as he finally sat up in the bed.

"What could have caused me to have that pain this time? I mean, I thought most of that was over with. It's been so long since it happened. Maybe I was just stressed from all the training from earlier. I mean, Sephiroth did kinda put me through it. Am I forgetting something maybe? It almost felt like that, but I'm not really sure what."

"Training with Sephiroth more than what you expected it to be?" Cissnei asked, the slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Cloud's thought bubble popped quickly as he pivoted his head to face the redhead. "Uh, um… well, it was tough. Tougher than even the real missions I've done… but, for some reason it's not that. It's… after it was over and I started to have the head pain… it almost felt like I was forgetting something. Or, like something I couldn't remember. But I don't know what it could be," he admitted, letting his inner thoughts break through to the outside, which is something that did not happen very often.

"Another case of possible suppressed memories?" Cissnei asked before humming to herself slightly. "You seem to be quite the curious case Cloud."

"I guess." Cloud really did not know what to make of the situation or what was causing the lapses he was having. As much as he wanted to figure it out, he also wanted to just forget about all of those things and just do something worthwhile for the moment. Though, Cissnei's latter response to him almost made him become flustered as he could tell there was a playful tone in her voice. He tried to look past it though and not show it.

He turned to Cissnei. "So, you've been with me the whole time then?"

Cissnei looked at him before giving a slow nod. "I was the one who brought you here. And…" She turned her head away from Cloud, sighing slightly. "I wanted to make sure that you were going to be okay."

Cloud could feel his cheeks start to get warm, and knew they were probably red. He didn't know if it was that he was still disoriented, or if it was from being tired, but he wasn't freaking out at the moment about her comment. He simply looked at her before trying to get her attention. "Cissnei."

She turned her head towards the blond spiky teen and met his eyes that were staring directly at her. "Hmm?"

A smile came across Cloud's face. "Thank you. It's... nice to know there is someone else that cares."

Cissnei continued to look at him, her eyes widened slightly. A moment passed before Cloud noticed the faint redness showing up on her cheeks. She once again looked away from him, now trying to hide her face. "No problem…"

The two of them sat there for a bit in silence, Cissnei looking away from him as he just continued to stare at her. He then figured he might have been looking too long and did not want a repeat of one of their first meetings, so he averted his eyes. Though there was something that he wanted to ask.

"Hey, um… would you, uh… I don't quite know how to phrase this…" Cloud trailed off, stammering through his words.

"Huh?" Cissnei turned her head to look back at Cloud, now looking a little confused by the start of his sentence. "What is it? Is there something else you wanted to ask?"

Now Cloud began to be the one that blushed as he tried to think out his next words carefully. "W-Well… you've always been helpful to me here. And, uh, you're a pretty cool person too…" he paused as he breathed in heavily. "So, I wa-"

He wasn't able to finish his line as the door to the infirmary suddenly burst open. "Cloud?! Are you in here?" the familiar voice of his brother shouted. "Where are you?"

In that moment, Cloud snapped his attention to the direction of the sound, waiting on Zack to come barging in any second. He also noticed that Cissnei had moved moderately backwards away from the direction of the sound. Cloud wanted to continue what he was trying to say to Cissnei, but he knew there would be no time. He usually always enjoyed seeing his brother, but that was one moment that he wished Zack would have waited.

In the next few seconds, the curtain in front of Cloud's area flung open, revealing Zack standing there. "Oh there you are. I heard you were in here and just had to find you. Are you okay? What happened? They only told me that you were here, not what happened."

"I'm fine Zack… it wasn't much. Just a bit too exhausted from training that I had today," Cloud replied.

Zack looked curiously as he cocked his head. "Are you sure? I mean, you've been exhausted before, but not enough that you ended up in here."

"It seems that he had some sort of head pain," Cissnei spoke up suddenly, while still averting her eyes away from Cloud, and now from Zack.

Zack turned to face the direction of the voice and landed his eyes on Cissnei. "Oh, sorry, I didn't notice you there. You are?"

Cissnei crossed her arms as she looked to Zack, giving him a deadpan expression. "Cissnei."

He continued to eye her for a few moments, looking her up and down. He then looked over at Cloud, who seemed to have a slight flustered look about him. A small grin etched across his face as he thought. "Well now Cloud, it seems you've got yourself a looker," he said as he pointed his thumb over towards Cissnei.

Both her and Cloud's faces turned red as the embarrassment started to course through their bodies. Cloud, though he was composed and calm earlier, pulled the covers up more, almost wanting to hide his face from prying eyes.

Cissnei on the other hand had a shocked look on her face at what had just been heard. The shock then turned into some annoyance and then into something else. She eyed Zack with that same deadpan look and stood up swiftly, garnering the attention of the older brother.

Seeing the movement from the corner of his eye, Zack glanced up at Cissnei to see why she had stood up. However, he did not have to wait that long for an answer as a small hand collided with his face as the girl laid one into him. Zack could feel the sting in his face that was now burning hot. "Ow!"

"Don't say things like that. You know, I'm only 14 so that's a little… embarrassing," she trailed off with some tinge of redness still in her face. "But..." Her expression became more serious suddenly as she and Zack locked eyes. "I'll still kick your ass."

Zack held up his hands in front of his face defensively. "Woah woah, no need to get feisty now. I was just teasing."

She narrowed her eyes and just glared at him accusingly.

Afterwards, she sighed mildly and stood up. "I guess I won't get anywhere else then… I'm going to go."

Cloud finally dropped the covers and began to move again, making a motion as if trying to call her back. "But, wait. Why do you, uh, have to go now?"

She turned her head around to lay her eyes on him. "Well, your big brother is here now so I'm not really needed. I… just wanted to make sure you were okay," she rambled off, turning her head slightly in the process to avert her eyes. "Besides, there is work that I need to do anyways."

Cloud wanted to speak, but found himself incapable for a good response as the young girl moved ever closer to the door. Once she was there, she moved her head back around for the shortest of moments. "I'll see you, Cloud."

"O-Okay! Thanks for everything Cissnei!" He hoped that his words reached her as she disappeared through the door.

Cloud looked on after her, staring in that direction and not moving. He wished that she could have stayed longer. He wanted some more time with her, as he was enjoying what was going on earlier. Internally he sighed, hoping that he would get the chance some time to tell her what he had wanted to just a bit ago. He was snapped from his thoughts, however, by a tap on the shoulder.

He turned to see Zack looking at him with a curious look on his face. "So… that's Cissnei then. You scored a good one Cloud," he replied with a loud chuckle.

"Zaaaack…" Cloud whined slightly. "Did you have to go and do that? I think you could have scared her off…"

"What really? She doesn't seem like the type that scares easily. More like the type that can scare others. I thought she really was going to kick my ass for a moment there…" he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"She is a bit tough…" Cloud said as he thought about every encounter he had every had with her. "But I think that is just how she acts around others most the time. Not everyone though… but she seems to have a nicer side. She does seem to care about me a bit… which I guess is a good thing."

"Yeah it is! That means she must like you too," Zack chuckled.

Cloud began to blush slightly again. "Um, yeah, maybe." At least, that is what he hoped.

"Aw come on don't doubt yourself too much. Who knows what could happen."

Cloud did not answer though, and instead stared off into the distance. He already had told Zack before about Cissnei, so he expected it sometimes. But this time was different. He wondered what could have happened had Zack only not showed up then… if only he had a few more minutes earlier.

"We're still only 13 and 14… it still feels a bit young…" Cloud finally muttered out.

"Who knows then, just follow your heart and see where it leads you," Zack said as he smiled.

Cloud couldn't help but give a smile in return. "Thanks Zack…"

"Now," Zack said as he stepped closer to the bed Cloud was laying on. He leaned in a bit as he gave a very serious expression. "Who overworked you? Like they pushed you to exhaustion to where you collapsed. That's just not right. It wasn't your friend Marcus, was it?"

Cloud shook his head. He knew that he should just tell Zack that he was training with Sephiroth now. Zack would no doubt flip out upon hearing that. Sephiroth was always the one in the papers, the one all the children read about and looked up to. He was the number one 1st class SOLDIER of all of Shinra. He was of course one of the inspirations to Zack and Cloud when they were children, and now Cloud was Sephiroth's student. But before Cloud could follow with his answer Zack spoke again.

"Who was it then? 'Cause I don't like to hear that they were working my brother so hard that he passes out. I feel I should talk to them and teach them a lesson," Zack said as he placed his fist in the palm of the other hand.

"Um…" Cloud finally said. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"Why not?" Zack asked, starting to look confused.

"Sephiroth was the one who trained me," Cloud answered simple as he awaited his brother's reaction.

Zack's eyes grew quite wide upon hearing what Cloud had said. In fact, he thought that he might have misheard his brother. "Wait what?! Did… did I hear you right? Maybe I didn't," he said, rubbing his ears slightly as if to adjust them.

Cloud tried to suppress his laughter as he answered again. "I said Sephiroth trained me. He actually wanted to, and now is my mentor."

Zack's mouth hung agape at what he just discovered. Apparently he had not misheard Cloud after all. But he was in shock at it that he was almost speechless.

"WHAT?!"

And of course we are mean and leave on a cliffhanger. But we will try our best to get back to it once I am back from vacation. So thank you for reading and see you then!