Hi! Here's the next chapter. I'd really enjoy hearing from you all!
-B
The emotions that she experienced within the first months of having Marlene home were erratic and monumental. Tifa had been filled with joy, terror, sorrow, stress, helplessness, and once more-joy. She had finally gotten the swing of things. Marlene was now three months old. It was going by fast to say the least. During the days Tifa worked Marlene was looked after by a nanny she had hired named Cissnei.
Cissnei was a sweet and reserved young woman with extensive experience and great references. Tifa spent a lot of time finding the perfect person to watch after Marlene and so far, Cissnei was doing a fabulous job. It helped that Marlene was shaping out to be a very good baby.
"Have a nice day at work, Miss Lockhart." Cissnei bid Tifa and smiled warmly as she cradled the happy child in her arms.
Tifa kissed Marlene's forehead softly. "Thank you Cissnei, have a good day and don't hesitate to call me if you need." And with that Tifa was off to work like normal, though a part of her ached to leave Marlene. The bond between herself and Marlene was undeniable. And Tifa found herself bonded with Barret as well, who would take Marlene every two weeks for a period of four days. Which proved to be much needed time for Tifa to recover, and work overnight shifts as well. It also gave her much needed alone time with Sephiroth.
She reflected upon these things on her drive to work, smiling to herself. Life was good. She was quite thankful for everything that had taken place and nothing seemed to be able to take her out of her happy place.
She pulled up to the hospital, right after an ambulance had. This was a normal occurrence, seeing as how it was a hospital after all. But when she stepped out of her car, her heart dropped when she saw her father being wheeled in on a gurney, paramedics rushing swiftly through the doors of the emergency wing.
Police officers followed suit, a standard procedure for inmates.
"Daddy?" She whispered to herself as she unknowingly lurched forward. "Daddy!" She suddenly began to run away from the main entrance and headed straight for the emergency wing, dropping her purse, keys and phone in the shallow snow beside the tires of her vehicle.
Her lungs burned from the crisp air, but that did not stop her. Within moments she was through the doors and close to catching up to the paramedics and her father. "Daddy!"
One paramedic glanced back briefly and looked her over. He recognized her immediately. "Doctor."
"What happened?" Tifa had finally caught up with them, and had taken her father's clammy hand. His skin was pale, and he looked so fragile. He was like a shell of what he had once been, such a contrast from the hearty man she had known growing up.
"He suffered a heart attack. Luckily for him the guard was nearby and performed CPR."
The head nurse directed them to a room and her father was removed from the gurney and placed on a proper bed. Angeal was first to the scene. "Nagano, why are you giving us such a scare, hm?" He did his best to lighten the mood, but judging by Nagano's charts things were looking quite grim. "I'm gonna order some tests, okay? You know the drill. Just try and take it easy. Tifa's right here with ya." His blue eyes locked onto Tifa's for a moment, and he gave her a knowing nod before exiting the room and leaving it to the nurses and Tifa.
"Was that Tifa?" Yuffie looked at Vincent from the passenger's side of his car as they pulled into the parking lot that morning. They had noticed her suddenly run into the emergency wing, right after getting out of her car.
Vincent nodded and secured his crimson scarf around his neck for warmth, glancing at Yuffie in the process. "It seems so."
Yuffie zipped up her jacket and exited the car. That's when she noticed Tifa's things scattered on the ground beside her car. She walked over and collected them thoughtfully. "What do you think happened?"
Vincent stooped beside her and helped her with the contents of Tifa's purse. "Someone she knew must've been rushed in. Judging by the police cars I would say it must be her father."
"You're right." Yuffie frowned and stood to her feet. "Well, let's give her time. I'm sure I'll need to cover for her upstairs."
Throughout the last two months, Vincent had formally invited Yuffie to move in with him. She was about to do so, since her lease to her apartment was finally up. The fact that Vincent asked her to move in was a slight surprise to Yuffie, but she didn't mind so much because she loved his home. And she also loved him.
Things in the maternity ward had not since cooled down, though. Doctor Raphsodos was still quite persistent. Continuously teasing her with playful banter much like the way Zack did Tifa. But Yuffie didn't quite appreciate it in the same way. Simply because to Genesis, it seemed as though there was not a clear boundary.
She hesitated to tell Vincent about it, since he didn't seem to be too bothered by it the first time she had mentioned his behavior.
"I'll see you at lunch?" Yuffie asked, pulling herself from her thoughts and putting Tifa's purse over her shoulder.
"Yes. And I'll look into what's going on with Tifa." Vincent placed a soft kiss on her cheek before the two of them walked into the hospital and went their separate directions.
When she arrived to labor and delivery, it was chaotic. Tifa had two patients waiting for a routine prenatal checkup, and one mother on the way who's water had broken.
"Yuffie! Have you seen Doctor Lockhart?!" Jessie frantically rushed up to Yuffie, her warm hair in a frizzy messy bun, likely from rushing around like a lunatic. "No one can find her or get ahold of her."
"Her dad is in the ER, I don't know anything more than that. Let's just try to get by without her right now. Let's forward the patients to Doctor Fair and Doctor Raphsodos." Yuffie tried to use her most sincere and calm tone, though inwardly she was panicking.
"Doctor Fair is delivering a baby right now, Doctor Raphsodos is booked with patients." Jessie's hands seemed to be shaking.
"Calm down. I know Tifa won't mind if I see her patients myself. I know what I'm doing. Let me get a room ready and you can send me her first one. As for the delivery, hopefully Zack will be done in time." Yuffie rushed to Tifa's office and set her things on the desk. She drew a deep breath to collect herself. You can do this! She knew that it was against protocol but she had to do it, it would be fine. Tifa would always cover her back and protect her, just like Yuffie was doing for Tifa now.
She made her way to an examination room and got things set up before the first expectant mother walked in.
Tifa had waited around thirty minutes by her father's side, agitated that the police officer insisted he be hand cuffed to the bed. She decided now would be a good time to call upstairs and let them know what was going on. "Can you watch him?" She whispered across her sleeping father to the nurse who was replacing his IV fluids. The nurse gave a kind nod before Tifa exited the room and walked to the nurses station.
"Things are covered right now Tifa. Yuffie has seen your first patient and is with he second right now. Mrs. Meyer is on her way, her water broke this morning." Jessie explained as calmly as she could.
"I'll be up as soon as I hear from Doctor Hewley." Tifa said breathily. She found herself continuously glancing in the direction of her father's room. Time had seemed to slow down, but her body was rushing to catch up. She felt anxious, shaky and worn down all at once. Something in her gut told her that this was not good.
"You don't worry Tifa, we'll take care of things." Jessie said before promptly hanging up the phone and continuing in her inward panic.
Tifa placed the phone back onto the receiver and headed back to her father's room before stopping when she saw Angeal walking toward her. The look on his face confirmed the feeling she had experienced in her gut.
"Well?" She managed to whisper despite the lump in her throat that grew increasingly uncomfortable with every passing moment.
"Tifa he's got congestive heart failure. He needs a transplant immediately." Angeal looked at her with a sympathetic gaze. "But because of his drug history.."
"There has to be something that we can do!" Tifa's voice cracked with desperation. This could not be happening, not her father. He might have made mistakes but he was still her father.
"Look, I found a match, there is a long waiting list but we can get this done. We just need Mr. Shinra to sign off on it." Angeal had been a lifelong friend of the family, and he wanted to help as much as he could but he wouldn't risk his job. If Rufus would approve, then surgery could be a go as soon as today.
"I'll talk to him. And Sephiroth is in, he could perform the surgery." Tifa was beginning to regain hope. "I'll be back!" She said before making her way across the lengthy building toward Mr. Shinra' office.
Rufus had become the permanent Chief of Medicine, despite the division of support amongst hospital staff. Tifa didn't mind him, in fact he had been behind the speediness of Marlene's adoption. She knew that it might be a stretch to ask him for something like this, but she had to try.
Tifa had arrived in his doorway and took a moment to catch her breath before walking in. "Mr. Shinra, do you have a moment?"
"I always have a moment for you, Doctor Lockhart. Is everything alright?" Rufus had stood from behind his desk the moment she had graced him with her presence. Tifa always made his heart race, and he always wanted to be at his best in front of her. Today, something seemed off about her. Her crimson eyes were red and puffy from tears, and she seemed winded and distraught.
He motioned for her to sit down in the seat across from his while urging Tseng to fetch her a cup of tea immediately. He then sat and listened as the beauty before him explained in detail what had happened to her today, and how her father was in desperate need of a heart transplant. Luckily enough, Angeal had located a match for Nagano right here in the hospital, the only thing that was left to put their plan into motion was the approval of the Chief.
"Baby's heart sounds great, Mrs. Young." Yuffie removed the doppler from her patient's belly and helped her sit up. "I'm sorry Doctor Lockhart can't see you this visit."
"Is everything okay?" The young woman asked as she delicately placed a hand upon her perfectly round baby bump.
"Oh yes. And it looks like you're measuring right on track, we'll make an appointment to see you in two weeks." Yuffie had to admit, being able to care for the patients as if they were her own, felt empowering. She was confident in herself, and her abilities. Both women that she had seen so far were in the middle stages of pregnancy, and neither of them showed any signs for concern. This made things easy.
And things were easy. Until Mrs. Meyer and her husband showed up and Tifa still had yet to be seen. Zack was still preoccupied with a labor that had proven to be quite lengthy and complicated, and now Yuffie was about to ask the person she wanted to talk with the least.
"Somebody help me! I'm about to have this damn baby!" The mother screamed as she clutched her stomach, riding out a painful contraction. Her frantic husband looked around helplessly.
"Come with me!" Yuffie made quick work of getting the poor woman into a room while asking Jessie to call for Doctor Raphsodos right away.
"Deep breaths Mrs. Meyer." Yuffie soothingly stroked the woman's hair while a second nurse hooked her up to IV fluids. "Let's check dilation."
Shit. Yuffie thought to herself when she realized that this woman was not going to wait any longer for the babies arrival. Completely dilated and screaming in agony, the woman was ready to give birth immediately.
Without a second thought, Yuffie placed the woman's legs in the stirrups and positioned herself between them. She was going to have to deliver his baby on her own.
"Drugs! I need drugs!" The woman panted and sweated, while her husband cringed in pain as his hand was being wrung to death.
"I'm sorry love, it's too late for that. Now is the time to push!" Yuffie encouraged.
"You have my approval." Rufus said without hesitation. He watched relief wash over Tifa's face before he felt the shock of her body suddenly against his in a grateful and warm embrace.
"Thank you sir." Tifa pulled away quickly. "I'm sorry, you just have no idea how thankful I am for this." She gushed and tucked a stray piece of raven hair behind her dainty ear.
Rufus felt his cheeks flush with color and a smile crept onto his face. "You are very welcome." He replied. He know he was swayed very easily by anything Tifa said or asked. And he also knew that he should not have approved the procedure but he could not say no to her. "Tseng call up to surgery. Let's get this arranged."
Tifa made her way up to the surgical wing, she wanted to personally thank Sephiroth before the actual surgery took place. She knew her father wasn't out of the water just yet.
Sephiroth was seated behind the nurses station looking over a chart thoroughly, deeply embedded in his own thoughts when he saw Tifa walk up. A smile graced his face and he stood to his feet. "I've heard about what happened."
"So you know that he needs the transplant right away." Tifa reached over the counter and took his hands in her own. They felt cold, like usual. The expression on his face suddenly dropped. He was serious, looking at her as though she were just a family member waiting to receive news about a patient of his.
"I can't do the surgery Tifa." He announced quietly. "It's just against my principle's as a doctor. You know the rules, there are many other people who need that heart, it should not go to an addict."
Tifa stood there in shock, staring at the man that claimed to love and care for her. Right now, he was being a doctor. A typical surgeon being lead by his mind and intellect instead of his heart and emotion. "S-Sephiroth he needs the surgery, he'll die. You're going to be responsible for his death if you refuse this!"
"Don't you dare say that Tifa." Oh he was angry now. He dropped her hands and crossed his arms over his chest. "His habits have destroyed his heart, that is on him. I have my integrity to keep Tifa you are asking me to risk my job!"
Tifa clenched her fists tightly and narrowed her eyes. "This surgery has been approved by the Cheif of Medicine, your job is not in jeopardy!"
Now crowds were forming, watching the two go at it like they did when they first met. Neither seemed to care at this point.
"And why do you think he approved it
Tifa? Surely not because he's a man with morals."
"You're saying he only approved the surgery because he likes me?" Tifa blinked in disgust. Surely Sephiroth didn't mean what he was saying. Surely he would come around, and do the surgery.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. He's infatuated with you, everyone knows that. You're obviously too blind to see it. And you are also blinded by your emotions. Tifa, I'm not risking my credibility as a surgeon. There are too many deserving patients who are dying that could use that heart. There's no way in hell I'll let it go to an addict."
Yuffie took off her gloves and mask and watched in awe as the new parents stared adoringly down at their newborn baby. She had done it. She had just delivered a baby on her own.
"Looks like I'm late to the party." Came that smooth and peskily charming voice from the doorway.
"Doctor Raphsodos." Yuffie huffed. "I had no choice."
"No, you didn't. And you did a fantastic job." Genesis looked at her with only admiration. It had been incredibly brave of her to do what she did. Yuffie had a way about her. An attitude and an air and presence that he was simply intoxicated by. Today's events only made him feel that much more strongly.
"Thank you Doctor." Yuffie's cheeks flushed with color, not because she received a compliment from him, but because she was genuinely proud of herself for it.
Genesis proceeded to look over the patient and check for hemorrhaging. Everything looked great. Once he was sure of this, he took Yuffie aside. "You did such an amazing job. Really everything looked perfect."
"Thank you, again." Yuffie rubbed her arm uncomfortably and shifted.
"Listen, I'd like to take you to dinner. What do you say?" Genesis leaned against the wall casually, putting on his smoothest moves and demeanor.
"I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I have a boyfriend." Yuffie let out a sigh. "Genesis I'm flattered, really." Not really, she thought to herself. "But like I said, I'm taken." Yuffie turned to walk away, but was stopped by a hand on her wrist.
"That doesn't matter to me." He cooed seductively in her ear."
Yuffie shuddered under his touch, the warmth of his breath just on the back of her neck and she noticed she was completely alone in the hallway with him. How was that possible? "Are you suggesting I cheat on him?" She spat bitterly as she yanked her arm away from his grip.
"That's up to you." Genesis smirked and looked at her disgruntled expression.
"No thank you." Yuffie thanked her lucky stars that Vincent just so happened to step out of the elevators at that exact moment.
"Is there a problem here, Doctor?"
