((A/N: Another short chapter, and not that great either, but it'll get better. byez 4 now!))


"Tifa...I really hate to say this, but you need to get over it...." Yuffie said gently, as Tifa stood outside Cloud's hospital room, the same way she had for the past two weeks. Cloud was stuck in isolation, extremely ill from venom on the wolf's fangs.

"Get over it!? He isn't dead yet, Yuff...why should I get over it?" Tifa snapped angrily. Yuffie sighed. Cid, Shera, and Vincent were the only three she'd willingly have a civilized conversation with, along with Nanaki at some times.

"He's not gonna wake up. He's been in isolation for two weeks, and comatose for even longer...." Yuffie argued. Tifa looked away from her, mostly to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"...I'm not giving up on him. It's my fault he's in here in the first place, which gives me even more of a reason to stand true to him. I won't leave him here alone..." Tifa said, trying her hardest not to just throw a few punches at the young ninja girl.

"But he is alone. He's in isolation. The only people who can have any kind of contact with him are the doctors....and even they have to disinfect specially first..." Tifa looked at Yuffie with tears in her eyes.

"If there's no chance that he'll wake up...why would they take the precautions?" Tifa reasoned, mostly with herself. Yuffie sighed.

"I never said there's no chance...but he's most likely not coming out of this..."

"...but if there is a chance...no matter how small...it's still there, right? A chance...it's all that he needs, really Yuff. As long as there's a chance, I'm not gonna give up hope. I have faith in Cloud...I know he's not gonna give up without a fight." Tifa said, turning to the glass window to Cloud's room in the Intensive Care unit.

He didn't look good at all. Bandages had been removed from his body, but his skin kept an unnatural paleness. More monitors and machines were hooked up to him than before, as well. Everything in the room scared Tifa. He needed most of those things to stay alive. It was ironic to her that after all he'd done without the aid of any real technology, saving millions with his own strength, he was now too weak to live without some machines helping.

"Tif...I'm not asking you to give up hope. I'm asking you to be a bit more realistic. Those machines are doing more living than he is. You know, eventually the doctor's are gonna have you make a decision..." Yuffie's direction with this conversation suddenly became clear. Tifa didn't want to hear it...to even think about it.

"...they're gonna ask you if you want him to be living like this any more. If you'd rather just let him be at peace..." Yuffie said quietly.

"I don't want to be the one to make that decission, Yuff..." Tifa whispered, her voice choked with tears. Yuffie came closer to Tifa, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"But you'll have to, not yet, but eventually. We can't figure this one out. You were closest to him, by far...he trusted you the most..."

"...were? I'm not close to him any more...? No....nevermind. You're right. There isn't any point in holding onto hope when there's nothing left to hope for..." Tifa said, looking down.

"Tifa, no...you're taking this the wrong way! What I meant, is that you should be ready. I'm just trying to prepare you for the worst...that way it won't hurt as bad...." Yuffie said. Tifa sighed. Her logic made sense, but it just didn't seem to work. She couldn't immagine how the pain could be lessened by expecting it. She just felt that it would be more spread out in it's hurting.

"I just don't know any more, Yuffie...I really don't know...." Tifa whispered. Yuffie sighed, and looked over at the chairs in the hall. There were a few empty here and there, but Vincent, Cid, and Shera occupied three that were together.

"Could you guys move so Tifa can lay down?" She asked. Shera moved to after Cid, and Vincent scooted down a seat, leaving four empty chairs.

"Get some rest Tif...you need it." Tifa nodded, and lay down on the empty chairs. It took her only moments to fall asleep.


'You look so worried, dear...what's wrong?' Tifa's eyes widened as she saw the woman sitting across from her. She was sitting at a round oak table, porcelin mugs in front of both of the women. The woman had turquoise blue eyes that sparkeled in the light. Her long blonde hair was tied in back with a rubber band. She wore a simple white blouse with a long pink skirt.

Tifa recognized her at once. Rebecca Strife. She was like a mother to her after her own mom had died. Tifa looked confused at first.

'I..I thought you were....'

'dead? Yes, I am...but I'm contacting you through a dream. I haven't been keeping a close eye on you lately, and you just seem to be so depressed now...' She explained. Tifa sighed, looking down at the deep oak wood table.

'it's nothing really...just worried....that's all...' Tifa sighed. She felt at ease, even though she was talking to a woman who had died over eight years before.

'...whatever about, dear?' Tifa looked up at her for a second, somewhat confused.

'don't you know?' she asked quietly. Rebecca gave her a look saying she didn't.

'we don't often get the chance to look down on the world of the living. The lifestream is a busy place, and we try not to involve ourselves too much...' Tifa felt a tinge of fear creep up on her. What was she gonna say, I'm sorry...your son's gonna die and it's my fault,? Tifa shook her head, and traced some scratches on the table with her finger.

'it's...Cloud......' Rebecca looked at her.

'he loves you...if that's what you're worried about...but I don't think it is...' Rebecca's eyes shimmered the same way when she was concerned as when she was happy.

'he's hurt...bad....really bad...and it's my fault.....' Tifa said quietly. Rebecca's expression didn't waver.

'does he say it's you're fault?' she asked. Tifa felt a tear slide down her cheek.

'he doesn't say anything. He's in a coma.....' Rebecca gasped slightly.

'but I'm sure it's not your fault...' she said quietly. Tifa shook her head.

'he went out to Mount Nibel because I drove him away. I was mad at him for not wanting to fight Jenova again. Actually, he'd said that he didn't care about me, and I got really upset. Then Cid took me and him to Nibelheim to work things out. He came to my house to appologize but I was still upset, and I wouldn't talk to him. So he went to the mountains...he only took his weakest weapon, and some paper that he used to write me notes. I went up there as soon as I found out he'd went...when I found him he was already injured, and a wolf was attacking him....' Tifa explained. Rebecca nodded.

'Cloud's a tough boy...he'll be fine. After what all the townspeople did to him when he was young....I'm sure he won't get knocked out by some dog. Anyways, that's not your fault. Cloud's emotional even if he doesn't show it.' Tifa looked at Rebecca, confused slightly.

'what did the townspeople do to him?' she asked. Never had Cloud mentioned being hurt by the residents of the town.

'if Cloud didn't say anything to you, I'm sure he doesn't want you to know....' Rebecca said. Tifa sighed. She knew that Cloud's mom wouldn't go around telling his secrets to others, even if it was Tifa, who loved him dearly.

'the fangs from the wolf were venomous...he's poisoned....' Tifa explained, breaking the silence.

'Is it a strong venom?' Rebecca asked. Tifa nodded, then looked down at the table.

'He's being given antidotes, but they don't seem to be working. The hospital has to call in the medicine to treat the poison...only, by the time it gets to the hospital...it'll most likely be too late...' Tifa paused. Rebecca looked at Tifa, confused.

'...the poison is attacking and shutting down his vital organs...he'll be dead before he can be cured...' Tifa's voice cracked, and more tears streamed down her face. Rebecca looked troubled by the news as well.

'his body's already begining to go. He can't breathe well on his own, so machines do it for him...' Tifa said quietly. Rebecca took a sip from her mug and stood.

'The medicine will come on time.' She said. She didn't sound encouraging, she sounded as if it was a fact, already known to all.

'...but...'

'...I said we don't like to involve ourselves too much, but we do involve ourselves to some extent. I promise you, Tifa. He'll get the antidote...' Tifa seemed somehow comforted by her words. Even if this was a dream, Rebecca had comforted her deeply.

'I wish I could go on, but I need to get to work on that now, and you need to be back awake for everyone else. stay strong, Tifa. You're like a daughter to me, and I'll be listening if you need to talk.' and with those words, Rebecca and the dream world were gone.