Hey everyone! Here's another chapter for you. Hope you all enjoy and please review! Love hearing from you! :) friendly reminder, this is a drama.. Even though there hasn't been anything too intense. Thank you all!
-B.
"So, is everything okay?" Yuffie asked Tifa frantically as she watched Tifa walk back into the office after chatting with police. Yuffie had just gotten off the phone with Cloud and she needed Tifa, STAT. However, she needed to make sure Tifa was okay. She had just been to speak with the police and Yuffie was hoping everything was alright.
Tifa shook her head, holding the folder that held the results of Aerith's test close to her chest. "It's a long story, I'll explain it later. Right now we need to tell Zack and Aerith the results of the amnio." She said briefly before turning to walk toward their room.
"Tifa wait! I... I really need your help." Yuffie reached out and took her friend by the arm. She hadn't really said anything more to Cloud, just her condolences and then goodbye. But she was still confused and uncertain.
When Tifa turned around she could see the desperation in Yuffie's eyes. With the day Tifa was having, the last thing she needed was a big crisis with Yuffie. But suddenly, Yuffie took Tifa by surprise and the girl hugged her tightly. "Cloud, he told me what happened between you two. I'm so sorry! And now I'm just.. Confused.."
"Confused?!" Tifa suddenly pushed away from Yuffie and looked at her in shock. "Okay, here's the Cloud I know. He leaves any time things get hard. He can't handle emotional stress and he goes and does something stupid! Like cheats! Or leaves you in your biggest time of need!" Her face was red and flustered and her expression was stern.
Yuffie hadn't ever seen this side of Tifa, in fact Tifa looked like she was about to cry. Or had possibly already been crying. "If you pass Vincent up, you'll regret it. Look." She said, sighing heavily. "Do whatever the hell you want with Cloud, but I warned you."
Tifa turned around again and walked into Aerith's room, leaving Yuffie flabbergasted in the hallway. The couple seemed to be a bit anxious. Zack was seated beside her bed, and like a good husband, he held her hand and comforted her with kind and reassuring words. It seemed as though they had worked things out, yet again. Tifa felt for them, she really did. And hopefully it would stay that way.
Zack stood to his feet and looked at Tifa, hoping for the best his heart rate started to accelerate. "Well?" He couldn't get a good read on Tifa's expression. She was a good doctor, that was for sure.
"Your baby is looking great, Zack." Tifa said with a warm smile. She directed the statement at him, letting him know that the baby was his in so many words.
"So it's Zack's?" Aerith asked, eyes lighting up with hope. She knew that this was really their last chance to make things work, it wasn't likely for him to stay with her if it was Cloud's. Maybe, because he was just an all around good guy. That's what made it so difficult for her in the first place.
"Yes, the baby is Zack's." Tifa stated, giving Zack a reassuring nod.
"Thank you, Tifa." Aerith said with a sigh of relief and a smile as she reached for her husbands hand.
"Remember, only get up to go to the bathroom and that's it. Zack, keep an eye on that, got it?" Tifa instructed, looking Zack who was seemingly gleaming with excitement.
"I will. Thank you, Teef." Zack smiled and turned to his wife. "Things are going to be okay, babe."
"Page me if you need me." Tifa gave them a swift goodbye, and walked out of the room.
Now she had to deal with her patients with the day while suppressing the reeling thoughts about her father, the alleged drug addict and Yuffie trying to decide whether or not to get back together with Cloud. She would be so thankful when this day was over.
Yuffie was on her lunch break, contemplating all the things she loved about Cloud and their relationship before he screwed everything up. Perhaps she was just feeling guilty about his emotional response to his traumatic past with Tifa.
She knew that Tifa would never forgive her if she did get back together with Cloud. It could be compared to choosing McDonald's over a steak dinner. And deep down, Yuffie knew that. But when you care about someone, even for a short amount of time, it isn't always easy to put feelings aside, even if they hurt you. However, bad behavior is sometimes inexcusable.
But that's when Vincent walked into the cafe with a tall man with pale blonde hair. Both looked extremely dapper, wearing suits that looked too pricy to even think about. And she realized that Tifa had been right, if she let a man like Vincent slip through her fingers, she would regret it forever.
"Well fancy seeing you, here." Yuffie said as she walked up to the pair of business men. "Who's this?"
Vincent smiled, happy to see his favorite nurse. He was about to introduce the new interim chief to her, but the man spoke for himself.
"My name is Rufus Shinra." The man standing next to Vincent said, extending his hand toward Yuffie. "I'm the interim Chief of Medicine."
In all of her life, Yuffie had never seen a pair of eyes quite like his. They were a light-lavender color and full of curiosity. Regardless, she took his hand and shook it. "Hi I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, I'm the head nurse of the labor and delivery unit."
"I've heard good things about you, it's a pleasure to meet you." The man spoke with a prominent dialect, and his demeanor was almost intimidating.
She had felt as though she knew him, she had heard the name before. And the. Suddenly she realized that this was the man Cloud said he worked for. Probably not any more, seeing as how this man was now the interim chief. "So where is Chief Lockhart?" Yuffie asked, pushing aside the fact that this man was connected in some way to Cloud.
Yuffie remembered Vincent mentioning something about the Chief not being there much longer last night on their date, but she didn't think he meant immediately.
"Something has come up with Chief Lockhart. He will no longer be working at Midgar Regional Medical Center." Vincent replied.
"Oh.." Yuffie looked at Vincent curiously, wondering just what in the world was going on. Maybe that's why the police wanted to speak with Tifa, her father had done something bad. "Is he in trouble?"
"I can't discuss it right now, but we'll let everyone know what's going on when we have more information." Vincent stated.
"Okay..." Yuffie looked at him and gave him a slight smile. "Are we still on for tonight?" She was referring to the dinner date they had planned, he would be cooking her dinner at his place. And the more she thought about it, the more excited she became.
"Absolutely." Vincent assured her. "I'll see you after a bit, I'll be giving Mr. Shinra the tour, we'll be stopping by to meet Tifa and the others."
"Sounds good, see you soon. Nice to meet you, Mr. Shinra."
Yuffie turned herself around and shook her head, making her way back up to the fifth floor. She was glad that she had inwardly settled the dispute within her heart, but while she was experiencing those issues, she had failed to see a friend in need. How could she have been so ignorant? She decided she would have to make it up to her.
Aerith had sucked her into a world of uncertainty, with her charismatic personality and those sorrowful green eyes. Maybe she just felt guilty herself for leaving Cloud in the dust and perhaps she would feel better about herself if Yuffie came in and scooped him up off the floor.
She didn't really know for sure, but she had decided that she wouldn't get sucked into her ploy to get back together with Cloud. Now he was in the past. She did feel a little better, and felt as though things were resolved in a more civilized way rather than the way they left things in the parking lot that day. And she would leave it be now that they were. He was probably not one to change his ways, she knew that now.
Now she had to find Tifa to apologize for giving her a mini heart attack and find out what was going on with her dad. She looked around the labor and delivery unit when she didn't see her friend in her office.
She wasn't in any of the exam rooms or break rooms, and she wasn't in the NICU either. Yuffie thought perhaps she was visiting with Sephiroth, but she figured the nurses at the station would know something.
"Have you seen Doctor Lockhart?" Yuffie asked the nurse on the other side of the counter.
"She's in surgery. Apparently there was a teen girl who gave birth in the city, she didn't make it to the hospital in time. She was bleeding out." The woman replied, looking at Yuffie sadly.
"What? It was a teenager? Is the baby okay?" Yuffie asked, suddenly feeling rather nervous for the girl. She hated it when situations like this arose, sometimes patients didn't make it.
"The baby is in NICU, but stable. The girl has to have an emergency hysterectomy. A teenager, has to have a hysterectomy." The woman said, shaking her grey head. "It's so sad."
"Wow. So this baby is the only one she will ever have." Yuffie said as she turned her gaze toward the NICU. Had Yuffie not been on her lunch, she probably would've been assisting Tifa in the surgery, but it was too late now.
"Where is my baby?" The dazed and confused young woman asked as she was finally coming to. The anesthesia had begun to wear off and she was responding well to the pain medication. She looked around frantically, desperate for any information about her child. Her traumatic delivery left her wondering if her baby had survived.
"Hi there, Amanda. My name is Doctor Lockhart. Your baby is fine, he's in the NICU right now. The nurses there are taking great carse of him." Tifa spoke softly to the teenage girl, and when she looked down at her, she almost felt like she was looking down at a younger version of herself.
She too had gotten pregnant at a young age, and tragedy had struck as well. But this girl was lucky, in the sense that she would be able to hold and keep her child close to her. She would get to raise him and surprise herself at how good a mother she could really be.
"Can I see him?" The girl asked with uncertain eyes and a shaky voice that cracked. "Please?"
"Amanda, you just underwent a major surgery, we can't let you go anywhere until you're stable, and the same goes for your son. But you both are going to be just fine." Tifa assured as she took the young girl's hand.
"I had a surgery?" She asked, obviously confused about the situation.
"You had to have an emergency hysterectomy, you were bleeding out and hemorrhaging. We had to remove your uterus in order to save your life." Tifa explained. Giving bad news was the hardest part of being a doctor, but to Tifa, this was actually a victory.
"My uterus? You mean I can't have any more babies?" The girl's eyes stung with tears until she couldn't hold them back any more. "I wasn't planning on starting a family until later but my son, he was a surprise. And I had hoped to have more kids as I got a little older, and more settled in my life, you know?"
"I'm so sorry. But you need to cherish your son now. And there are other options out there if you decide in the future you want to be a mom again. I'm about to adopt a little girl myself." Tifa gently patted the girl's hand and gave her a soft smile.
"Really?" The girl smiled back, even though tears were rolling down her cheeks. "I think a girl would be lucky to have you as a mom."
It was days like this that Tifa really loved her job. She always did, but when she connected with patients on a level like this, well frankly it made everything chaotic that was swirling around in her personal life seem to disappear.
Once she was sure her patient was stable, she had her transferred to a recovery room and Tifa herself made her way back to her office. She needed to see Marlene, but first she had to check on the list of patients, hopefully she was done for the day as it was getting fairly late.
Yuffie was waiting for her in the office, pacing back and forth anxiously. She saw Tifa walk in and sighed relieved. "How did it go?"
"Good. Mom and baby are doing really well." Tifa replied, looking at Yuffie curiously while wondering what would come out of her mouth next.
"I'm sorry about earlier. Aerith had told me this story about how their kiss was an accident and suddenly I was the one who was feeling guilty." Yuffie explained. "It's sorted out now, I just had a momentary lapse of judgment, but it's good now."
"So, you're not going to get back together with Cloud?" Tifa quirked a curious brow, looking at Yuffie as if to tell her she had better say the right thing or else she'd be getting another earful.
"No, I really like Vincent, Tifa. He's a wonderful man." Yuffie gushed, smiling at the thought of her tall, dark and handsome man. "So what's up with your dad? Why do we have an interim chief?"
"So Vincent already hired someone? That was pretty fast.." Tifa wondered what was really going on, but who could really say. The chaos had returned. "He's been arrested for stealing drugs from the pharmacy. I don't know what to believe right now."
"What?!" Yuffie exclaimed. Her eyes grew wide with shock, and she suddenly felt pretty stupid for bringing up her small dilemma earlier. "Oh Tifa I'm-"
"Don't worry about it. If he really was stealing and abusing drugs, he deserves to lose his job. But the police asked if I helped supply him with drugs. I never did, I don't ever go to the pharmacy." Tifa said, crossing her arms in exasperation.
"Tifa, they can't get you too. Don't worry." Yuffie assured, rubbing her friend's arm.
"Knock, knock." Vincent's voice came from Tifa's doorway. "May we come in?"
Tifa looked over at her cousin and the mysterious man standing beside him. He seemed eerily familiar, but Tifa couldn't put her finger on it. He was a good looking man, he looked dapper in his attire. He matched Vincent in hight but was a bit more slender. His hair was a blend between Sephiroth's and Cloud's and his eyes were a pastel color she had never seen before. "You must be the new Chief of Medicine." Tifa stated, looking him up and down as if to size him up.
Rufus looked at her with the same expression, and he liked what he saw. "My name is-"
"Can I ask you something? Do you even practice medicine? Because if you don't understand the context of what we are dealing with, how do you expect to be chief." Tifa inquired, looking at him firmly.
"Tifa, don't question my judgment on hiring him." Vincent warned, coolly.
Yuffie couldn't help but wonder if this was going to turn into some family feud. And she also didn't like the way that Mr. Shinra was eyeing Tifa.
"Well you asking that question, Vincent, gives me my answer. You don't know anything about medicine at all, Sir?" Tifa asked.
Rufus was very certain now that he liked this woman. She was obviously not afraid to express her opinions. He certainly enjoyed a challenge as well. Though inwardly he did feel a little guilty for putting her father out of a job. "I'm in pharmaceuticals." He corrected. "And my name is Rufus Shinra, pleasure to meet you Doctor."
"Well, my mistake. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Shinra." Tifa took the man's hand and shook it. "I'm doctor Lockhart."
"I look forward to working with you, Doctor Lockhart." Rufus said with a smile.
"I'm going to go see Marlene." Tifa stepped past Vincent and the new chief, desperate to get away from the awkward situation. Maybe she was crazy, but it felt as though Mr. Shinra was checking her out.
"I'll go with you. I'll see you in a few, Vincent." Yuffie smiled and waved before following after Tifa to the NICU.
Rufus looked after the pair of females curiously. He decided that he would probably enjoy this new position very much. And even though she had already gone from his sight, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
"Don't give me that look, Rufus. She's got a boyfriend." Vincent could see right through Rufus and his smug little smile. Though he wasn't crazy about her choice to date Sephiroth, he was a decent doctor.
"What are you talking about?" Rufus smirked to himself and walked toward the elevator. It was high time he set up his new office.
"She's getting much stronger, but she still requires oxygen. She still has apnea, so we'll keep her on it for a few more days and see if she can sustain herself." The NICU nurse informed Tifa and Yuffie.
The two looked down at the little girl, both with longing in their eyes. Tifa gently stroked the girl's cheek with her finger. "Has she been totally weened off of the methadone?"
"Almost," the nurse smiled. "Child Protective Services has received your paperwork. They'll be conducting interviews with people close to you to see if you would be a good candidate."
Tifa cringed inwardly, if CPS saw that Tifa's father had been imprisoned for drugs, just like the little girl's biological mother well it didn't look good for Tifa at all. How could her father do something like that?
"You want to hold her?" The words broke Tifa from her worrisome thoughts instantly.
Tifa looked up at the nurse. "Really? I can?" She suddenly felt nervous.
Yuffie squealed softly with excitement for her friend. She hadn't had the chance to hold the baby she hoped to adopt since her birth, it would be a special moment.
Marlene was swaddled in the hospital blanket with teeny little pink foot prints, the wires connected to her feet chest and hand intimidated Tifa even more. The nurses could tell she was nervous.
"Sit down doctor, I'll hand her to you," the NICU nurse instructed. Gently she picked up the baby, careful not to disturb any of her connections.
Tifa sat in the white rocking chair next to her crib, holding her arms out. The nurse delicately placed the infant in Tifa's arm and Tifa cradled her close. Her heart melted, she didn't even notice Yuffie taking pictures.
"Hi Marlene," Tifa smiled at the child and she couldn't describe the amount of love she felt flooding through her. She would have to make sure to do whatever she had to in order to take this baby home with her.
"This is your house?" Yuffie stared out the window of Vincent's car as the two of them rolled up upon what looked like a playboy mansion. It was absolutely gorgeous. It had a long, cobble stone driveway with a beautiful front deck. There was elaborate landscaping with beautiful flowers and tropical plants.
The kicker was the in ground swimming pool with romantic lighting and poolside furniture. She couldn't wait to see the inside of the house.
"It is," Vincent replied before he got out of the vehicle and went around to the passengers side and opened Yuffie's door. He was glad he happened to be at the hospital the time she was finished with her shift. He was able to pick her up and take her to his place afterward.
Yuffie took his hand and smiled, still thankful that she had decided Vincent was so worth it. Just the touch of his hand gave her butterflies. She walked alongside him, feeling giddy and excited that she and Vincent would be able to see his home and spend the evening with him.
"Oh. My. God!" Yuffie was breathless, the home was immaculate. His living room was adorned with black real-leather couches, expensive side tables and a gorgeous marble coffee table. His entertainment center was the focal point, and it was huge! It was perfect for watching movies and snuggling up on the couch together.
The kitchen was spacious and clean, with a sizable island in the middle. A full wine cabinet offsetting it in the corner. The countertops were also marble, dark black with gold flecks within it.
"Vincent, your home is so gorgeous!" Yuffie said excitedly.
"So are you, Yuffie." Vincent chuckled at how ridiculous he sounded, however he did mean it. He gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, taking in how beautiful she was.
"Thank you, Vincent." She said blushing a bit. She put her hands on his chest, looking up at him longingly. Before she knew it, the two were swept up in a passionate kiss. And once again, Yuffie couldn't believe she had second guessed herself, even for a moment.
Tifa was hoping she could spend the evening with Sephiroth, but it turned out that he was on call for the night, so Tifa would have to take a rain check. But she was still riding the high she got from holding the baby she would hopefully be taking home once she recovered.
She was heading out of the hospital when she walked past her father's office. She had to stop, and look inside. She still couldn't believe it. How could she not have seen it.
"Can I help you, Doctor Lockhart?"
Tifa was shaken from her thoughts by Mr. Shinra's voice. She looked up and shook her head "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking."
"Look, I know you're worried that this issue with your father is going to blow back on you and your reputation, but I assure you, Vincent and I are going to do everything in our power to keep that from happening. Don't worry." He said kindly.
Tifa looked at him surprised, she didn't expect him to display such kindness, he didn't even know her. "Sir, thank you so much." Tifa said graciously. "That really means a lot to me."
"Absolutely. I'm going to make sure all my doctors are taken care of. That being said, I have been required by the hospital board to drug test all of the hospital staff." He informed her as he stood from his desk and walked around it. He made his way to the doorway and stood face to face with the beautiful physician.
"Well I assure you that won't be a problem." Tifa said, suddenly feeling not so thankful for him. It felt like he was accusing her. "I don't have anything to hide."
"Good. I didn't think so, Doctor." He stated, offering her a smile.
"Have a good evening, Mr. Shinra." Tifa said before walking away from his office.
Rufus once again found himself looking after her, searching his brain for any way that he could capture her attention. He would somehow find a way. That was his determination.
