Cloud felt like he was wrapped in a warm blanket. He felt the familiar feeling of his bed underneath him. Cloud opened his eyes and found himself back in his room. He breathed a sigh of relief. He did it, he woke up. Wait, what did he do? What was his dream about? He fought Sephiroth? He was chased by some robed guys? He couldn't remember it clearly. It was really weird though.

Beep...beep...beep...beep.

Cloud heard a new sound he didn't recognise in his room. He looked over to his bedside and saw a heart monitor and an IV bag. Why are those here? Cloud tried to move around but it felt like he had to put way more effort into it then before. He felt incredibly sore. It was like he hadn't moved in a while. Wait how long was he out? And what happened to Tifa? Was she okay?

"Mom!" Cloud tried to call out, his voice being rather rough. Yeah he was definately out for a while. Cloud struggled to lift himself up into a sitting position and slowly but surely he managed it. Cloud sat on the side of his bed and noticed he looked different. He looked a little thinner then he remembered he was. Cloud saw on his bed side table was a glass of water. Cloud grabbed the glass quickly and drank it all.

" Cough cough" Unsurprisingly however Cloud drank it a little too fast and began to cough a bit. Suddenly the bedroom door opened. Cloud looked up and saw his mother. In the span of a second Claudia had a look of absolute confusion on her face, then shock, before shifting to happiness, and then relief.

" CLOUD!" Claudia yelled in joy as she rushed to her son and wrapped her arms around her boy. Cloud tried to wrap his arms around her as well but he felt a little too weak for that.

" Hi Mom." Cloud greeted.

" Oh you, stupid, reckless, insane, brave, brave boy. I thought I lost you." Claudia said as she began to cry.

" Mom...im okay!" Cloud said. He couldn't help but smile as his mother held him. It felt like it was something he wanted to do for a while now. Speaking of, how long was he out?

" Mom, how long have I been asleep?" Cloud asked. Claudia regained control of herself and let her son go to take a look at him. She looked a little apprehensive for a second but answered.

" I'm not sure exactly how to tell you this gently, but here goes. Honey, you have been out for just over a month." Claudia said sympathetically. Cloud took a moment to register exactly what his mother said. A month! Why was he out for so long? Was he hurt that badly? What about Tifa? Was she injured? Where was she? Cloud was about to ask about Tifa but him other beat him to the punch.

" Before you ask, yes. Tifa is alright. She feels absolutely terrible for what happened." Claudia explains.

" She shouldn't feel bad...she was hurting...and sad." Cloud said. He didn't want Tifa feeling bad for what happened. It was beyond there control. She couldn't have known would would happen. He needed to talk to her.

" Can I see her?" Cloud asked. Claudia gave her son a smile and hugged him once more.

" Of course sweety. I'll talk with Brian about her coming over later." Claudia said, referring to Mr Lockhart. Cloud took note of his mother. She was dressed a little differently. She was dressed up in something a bit more classy then what she normally wears. She had her hair done as well. Instead of the typical pony tail she usually went for, her hair was down and flowing down her shoulders. Cloud's mind went to the job she had. How expensive was this heart beat monitor? And the IV bags? This stuff wouldn't come cheap. And he had been out for a whole month. His mother must have had to work more just to afford it. She suffered doing humiliating things for him. She suffered because of him.

" Mom... I'm so sorry." Cloud apologised even though he knows it wouldn't be enough.

" You have nothing to apologies for. You did something very brave." Claudia said trying to reassure him.

" No...because I was hurt, you had to work more. Doing that...job." Cloud said making it obvious to Claudia. Claudia however only smiled again.

" You selfless boy. Thank you of thinking about me, but you don't need to worry. I'm not working in that horrible place ever again." Claudia explained.

Wait what? Then why was she wearing the fancy clothes? If she wasn't working at that bar, then where was she working? Claudia could see the gears turning in Cloud's brain. It was like he was trying to solve a puzzle he didn't have all the pieces too. Claudia couldn't help but laugh. She was just so happy her little boy was okay. Cloud looked to his mother who was laughing to herself.

" What's so funny?" Cloud asked.

" You. You silly goose." Claudia said as she once again wrapped her son in a hug. Cloud would normally squirm a bit at all the motherly affection but right now he loved it.

" So...what's happened? You know with you and everyone?" Cloud asked.

" Well, After you kids ran off from the memorial. I knew something was odd."

Flashback

Claudia saw Cloud run out of the memorial. He looked like he was on a mission. What could he and the other kids be leaving to do? Maybe she should talk with Brian about it. Tifa looked quite upset after all. Claudia approached Brian who was talking with some other townsfolk.

" Brian, I hate to interrupt, but Tifa, and the other kids just rushed out of house. Should we be worried?" Claudia asked not sure if this was something that Brian would condone, especially right now.

" I'm sure it's fine. Tifa I think just needs to get some air. It's been hard on her most of all I think." Brian said.

" Of course...Well let me know if you need anything." Claudia said as she walked away. She couldn't shake the feeling that the kids were going to get into some sort of trouble, but thought better on going after them. They know not to do anything too reckless. And her Cloud was with them, he would keep them on the strait and narrow.

But then...

The door to the Lockhart residence crashed open and the boy Gin ran in. Gin ran to his parents who hovered over him worried. Claudia couldn't hear exactly what they were saying so she approached to listen in.

" I thought we were going to play somewhere fun but instead that Cloud kid started leading us to the mountain. So I said no way I'm going there and ran back." Gin said. Claudia couldn't believe what this boy was saying. The mountain? Cloud would never go there. She had told him many times how dangerous it was out there. Cloud was to smart to go out there. But was this boy lying then? This was one of the kids who lied about the wolf incident. Maybe he isn't telling the whole truth.

" Are you sure that it was Cloud's idea?" Claudia asked. Gin looked over and saw Claudia give him a look that looked all to familiar to when Cloud got angry. Needless to say, Gin got scared.

" Umm...I mean..." Gin started before his mother stepped in.

" Now hold on there Strife, Are you saying that my Gin is a lier?" Gin's mother said in a not so nice tone.

" No, no, I just want to know why he thinks it was Cloud's idea. My boy knows better then to go out to the mountains, because of how dangerous it is." Claudia explained, hoping to not start any trouble with this woman.

" Well maybe your son isn't as honest with you as my boy is with me. Were you aware that your son trained a wolf to attack my boy. He could have been killed last week because of your son." Gin's mother said accusing Cloud. She had heard those rumors from Cloud before. She knew they weren't true. It astounded her how this woman believed everything her son told him.

" Oh, you mean the wolf that him and his friends threw rocks at? The same wolf that my son saved them from?" Claudia said.

" Those are all lies. My boy wouldn't throw rocks at an animal" Gin's mother said. It was clear they were getting nowhere.

" Okay ladies what is the issue here?" Brian said with very little enthusiasm. Claudia couldn't help but feel bad for the man, it was clear he didn't want to be dealing with any sort of petty squabbles. But this issue may be more then a squabble.

" I'm so sorry Brian, but I think our kids may be in danger." Claudia said. This seemed to wake Brian up a bit as he became fully alert.

" What? why? Where are they?" Brian asked.

" My little Gin knows. Tell the mayor dear." Gin's mother said. Gin was now the center of attention in the room and he really regretted lying before now.

" Umm, we went to the mountain...I turned around because I didn't want to get hurt you know. It was..." Gin stopped as he looked as his mother. She was nodding as if she were saying for him to blame Cloud. Claudia looked at the boy and just pleaded for the truth. Brian have the boy an intense stare that he didn't want to continue.

" It was...Tifa's idea... she said something about seeing her mom again. I got scared and turned back..." Gin confessed. His mother didn't look to pleased. Claudia however didn't really care about that and knew for fact now that Cloud was going to the mountain and would follow Tifa as far as she went. Brian looked as though he was trying to think of what to do, he pased back and forth a few times before talking.

" We need too...we need too..." Brian was trying to say something but his hands were shaking, his daughter was at the mountain. She was going to die. Just like his wife. He would be alone, he would be alone. Brains brain went in a loop like this for a moment before Claudia grabbed his hands.

" Brian we need to mount a search party. We need to find the kids before they get hurt." Claudia said quietly to Brian. The man took a few deep breaths before speaking.

" I want the men with me on a search party. Were going to the mountain to look for the kids. Let's bring them back safely." Brain said. Many of the men then began following Brian out the door, leaving Claudia and the other wife's behind

The next few hours were terrible. Claudia went home to wait for Cloud to return but he never did. After a little while someone came by to tell her that Cloud was in the infirmary. Claudia had never moved so fast in her life. She rushed over to the doctors and demanded to see her son. Brian Lockhart was there with little Tifa, when he heard Claudia yelling about her son he quickly jumped to calm her down. Claudia demanded to see her son. Why was he in surgery? Why did he get hurt. She had no answers and no patience for anyone right now. She moved to go back into the surgical room to see her son. Brian had to hold her back from barging into the operating room.

" Let go of me Brian, let me see my son!" Claudia raged.

" He isnt up yet, the Doctors need to finish patching him up." Brian said.

" I need to be in there, he needs me!" Claudia yelled out.

" He is going to be fine Claudia please just calm down." Brian pleaded. Claudia was about to yell bloody murder yet again but she noticed the faintest of whimpers coming from the waiting area. Claudia saw little Tifa there curled up in a ball crying her eyes out. Claudia calmed down and took in the scene she was in. Brian had looked to be talking with his daughter when she had barged in. Her yelling probably didn't do much to help the little girls condition. Claudia saw Brian was also not doing too great. He had bags under his eyes and it looked like the stress of the day was weighing in him.

" Sorry. You should check on Tifa." Claudia said calmly.

" Ive been trying to get her to talk with me but she just won't talk. If only her mother were here..." Brian said.

" I'm sorry." Claudia once again offered her condolences. There was a moment of silence before Brian spoke again.

" We found them in a ravine. Tifa was crying her eyes out and Cloud was just lying there." Brian explained. Claudia shuddered at the thought of Cloud being motionless like that.

" We saw he was bleeding and rushed back to town. Tifa wouldn't leave his side. She kept saying it was her fault and then when we reached town she just shut up." Brian said. Claudia took a moment to think of how to approach this. Tifa clearly knew what happened up on the mountain. But she wouldn't talk with her father.

" Can I try to talk with her? Maybe she will be more responsive." Claudia asked. Brian simply nodded and went to take a seat. Claudia kneeled down in front of Tifa.

" Tifa...can you tell me what happened?" Claudia asked. Tifa was breathing heavy as she tried to calm herself down but it was all too much.

" I...I just..." Tifa struggled to say as more tears came. Claudia quickly wrapped the young girl in a hug. It looked like she needed it.

" It's okay Tifa. Whatever happened, it's not your fault. Cloud is strong, he will get through this." Claudia said. It seemed to calm Tifa ever so slightly but those words were more ment for herself. She couldn't even begin to think of Cloud's condition or she may spiral again.

" Okay, now I need you to focus. Can you tell me what happened?" Claudia tried again. Tifa took a few more breaths before responding.

1" I wanted to see my mom... She used to say when we died our spirits go up the mountain... So I thought..." Tifa stopped as the tears came back for Tifa. Claudia didn't need much more to put the pieces together from there. She knew her son better than anyone.

" Cloud went after you didn't he? Because he knew you were going to the mountain?" Claudia asks. Tifa just nods as she continues to cry.

" He...he stopped me...from going farther. He...he was there...when everyone else...left. He was there...to save me..." Tifa sobbed. Claudia couldn't stop her own tears. Her boy was so brave. Stupid but brave. Claudia wrapped Tifa in a hug once again.

" We were attacked...and then the bridge...it broke. And then he saved me... again. He caught me..." Tifa stopped. Claudia figured that this was the end of the story. She wanted to be furious about what happened but she couldn't. Cloud was a hero today. He saved Tifa when she needed someone most. Claudia couldn't help. bust swell with pride. But then she remembered that he was in the operating room. And here she was, waiting for him to come out.

" Thank you Tifa. Cloud will get through this okay, and I know for a fact. he doesn't blame you." Claudia said. Tifa just nods. Claudia let's go of the girl and looks to Brian who gave her a thankful nod.

It didn't take much longer before the doctor exited the surgical room. Claudia stood up faster then anyone could see and she rushed to the doctor.

" Is Cloud okay? Can I see him?" Claudia asked.

" Yes you can see him but the situation is a little more complicated then I originally thought." The doctor said. Claudia's mind rushed with scenarios. Was he dieing? Did he get brain damage? Claudia didn't want to think of these things and allowed the doctor to continue.

" What's wrong with him?" Claudia asked." Well, he is fine physically speaking. He hit his head and needed stitches but that will heal with time." The doctor said. Claudia sighed with relief.

"But I noticed something when I examined his blood. The Mako. levels in his blood had sky rocketed from his previous samples." The Doctor explained.

" Mako levels?" Claudia asked.

" Yes. If I had to guess, since Cloud got his wound around the Mako reactor some residual mako that had seeped into the ground may have entered Cloud's wound." The Doctor explained.

" So what does that mean?" Claudia asked.

" Well as far as I can tell from what I have seen. Cloud has a moderate case of Mako poisoning." The doctor explained. Claudia didn't need to hear anymore and rushed into surgical room to see her son. Mako Poisoning. She had heard of it of course but didn't know of anyone who got it. It was something that could happen when you are exposed to too much mako. Usually the person would go into a coma. She had heard rumors that some people would get a high off of the stuff. But her baby boy had this poisoning now. How could she help him?

Claudia saw Cloud laying in bed peacefully. His head had been bandaged up but other wise he looked completely fine. He looked like he was simply sleeping. Claudia grabbed hold of his hand and just sat at his bed side. Waiting for him to wake up.

Days slowly turned to weeks however. Claudia had taken Cloud home after a day and let him rest there. Using what little money she had left she bought an IV bag for him that would last a few more days. After setting Cloud up in his room, Claudia never left his side. Waiting patiently for him to wake up. She barely ate. She didn't leave to go to work because right now her son was more important. After a few days of no changes, Claudia finally left to eat what ever they had left in the house. She knew she would need to leave the house soon to acquire more money, but she didn't want to. leave Cloud. What if he woke up? Claudia sat in her dining room contemplating what she should do when she heard a knock on the door. To her surprise Brian Lockhart had come over with Tifa.

" Hi Brian? And Hello to you Tifa. What are you two doing over?" Claudia asked.

" I wanted to come see if Cloud had woken up yet." Tifa said. She seemed to be in a much better mood then when she had last seen her.

" I'm sorry sweety, but he hasn't woken up yet." Claudia said sadly. Tifa seemed to physically deflate from the news.

" Oh...can I still see him though? I heard that people in comas can sometimes hear people talking to them." Tifa asked. Claudia couldn't help but smile.

" Sure sweety. Go on in." Claudia said. Tifa briefly looked to her father for approval which he granted with a nod. Tifa walked inside the Strife home and went to Cloud's room, leaving Claudia with Brian.

" She's been bugging me all week to come over. She misses him." Brian said.

" Yeah...You know I keep telling myself that today is the day, but he doesn't wake up." Claudia said. Brian nodded in understanding.

" The first few days after Stella died, I would reach over when I woke up expecting her to be there but..." Brian trailed off.

" I never had that... My husband died in Midgar. I was already used to him not being here. I'm not so sure if I would count myself lucky for that." Claudia said. The two became quite for a moment, remembering there lost spouses.

" I owe your son a great deal. He saved my little girl. If she had gotten hurt or worse I don't think I could carry on." Brian confessed.

" I'm sure when he wakes up he would love to hear that from you." Claudia said behind a mock smile. She tried to be genuine but in the back of her mind she thought about the possibility that Cloud wouldn't wake up. What would happen to her then? What would she do with herself?

" I owe you as well. The day it happened...I was lost. The second I heard Tifa was in danger I just froze. You helped me. Even though you had the same right to be worried you helped me focus. Thank you." Brian thanked. Claudia didn't know where this was coming from. Brian and her were never really close. Sure they were neighbors but it was usually Stella Lockhart that Claudia would converse with.

" I just gave you the words. Nothing more." Claudia said.

" Maybe..." Brian said. Claudia was beginning to suspect something of Brian Lockhart. He could have sent Tifa over by herself. Why did he come here today?

" Brian why did you come over today?" Claudia asked. Brian chuckled lightly.

" Saw right through me huh. Well I want to offer you a job." Brian said. Claudia was taken back by this. A job? Doing what?

" You see, before Stella died, she was my assistant as well. I may be the mayor but she handled calls, or appointments. She basically planned everything I needed to get done." Brian explained. Claudia's mind raced. An assistant? To the mayor? Is that the job? Yes Yes Yes, she yelled mentally but she wouldn't say it out loud.

" Frankly in the past few weeks since she has been gone I can't seem to tie my shoelaces right. I need an assistant now more then ever. Stella always spoke highly of you. I know your current employment situation isn't exactly ideal and I was hoping you would be my new assistant." Brian asked. Claudia for the first time in quiet a while began to cry tears of joy. She could finally leave that horrible place. She could finally afford food for Cloud, she could get him new clothes.

" I accept..." Claudia said with joy.

" Great! Of course I understand that Cloud is your top priority right now, so you can start when ever you like. And if you would like I can forward your first month's payments to you tomorrow." Brian said. Claudia couldn't contain herself anymore and crushed the man in a bear hug.

" Thank you so much Brian. I don't even know what to say." Claudia said.

" Don't say anything. Just take care of your boy, and yourself. And when your ready to come to work, you just knock on my door." Brian said. Claudia nodded happily. The Lockhart's left soon after leaving Claudia alone with Cloud once again. Claudia couldn't contain how happy she was in that moment. She rushed over to Cloud and sat next to him.

" Cloud were going to be okay...Mr Lockhart gave me a very generous offer. I can finally work a real job again. I can finally be a mom your proud of..." Claudia once again began to cry.

" So you have a real job now? For real?" Cloud asked.

" For real. After Brian gave me the money I quickly bought everything you would need but also some food and clothes for me. I started working the week after that day." Claudia explains.

" Wow...Do you like it?" Cloud asked.

" I do. It feels good to finally do something productive again." Claudia said. Cloud could see how his mother had changed over the month. She glowed more brightly somehow.

" Okay enough sitting down. Let's get you up okay." Claudia said as she stood up. Cloud moved to stand up as well but his legs were very stiff, it was hard to keep balance. His mother was there to help him however.

" I got you." Claudia said. Cloud smiled and the two slowly walked out of the room together.