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Chapter 10 - Through Her Eyes
Through rough times, I just want to laugh at every moment. But you know, sometimes I really can't... Alyssa...
Garrett was called back to Seventh Heaven in a sort of panic, but he was very redundant... He eventually gave in to go back, seeing there was nothing better to do at the time.
As Garrett had arrived, he heard Tifa on the phone. "I don't know if Cloud will have time to speak or see you at the moment." Tifa speaks quickly over the phone. "He looked panicked, bringing Alyssa to a doctor. I'll call you later, we have company."
Garrett had headed over to the bar area by the time Tifa was off the phone and walking down the stairs. "What's going on? What's wrong?" Avidan interrupts, joining in as he brought dishes. "Alyssa should be fine. I talked to her at night when she was up for a little while."
"That's what I would think too. Alyssa seemed fine and yet tired when she came back. It was like when one of us would come back from a long trip." Tifa agrees.
Garrett shrugs. "I would think she would be fine as well. Have you tried calling Cloud to even figure out what's going on?"
"Yeah." Tifa answers. "He's not answering his phone though."
Right then, the phone rang again. Tifa ran up the stairs to the office. Avidan gave a questionable look to Garrett. He examined him and noticed that Garrett was going to be leaving as soon as he arrived. Garrett gave him a glare, as if to say 'None of your business. Stay out of it.' Avidan looks away taking his gun out and checking it. Not many bullets remained, he needed to rather make some soon or buy a good deal. Two boxes of regular ammo and a few left of the magic bullets he made.
"Avidan! Garrett!" Tifa's voice yells in an unimaginable voice. "We need to head down to the hospital. The doctors claim that Alyssa's dying!"
Tifa's words made Avidan's eyes grew rather concerned or disturbed. He put his gun away swiftly and looks over at Garrett. Garrett looked shocked as well, now focusing on thought. Tifa ran down the stairs, meeting up with them. Silence closed out words, only a nod had acknowledged that they would go as a group. The three of them ran out the door, heading to the hospital as quickly as possible. All they could think of was Alyssa.
All of them were together. They put aside their most important goal they could possibly think of was being focused on a life. A life that started of little importance, but death was something that no one can ignore.
"We cannot identify what's causing this." The doctor says. "She doesn't have much time left anymore, Cloud."
Cloud sat with Alyssa, seeing her eyes grow with confusion, hurt, desperate and even hate. All she didn't so was cry. She leans against Cloud, holding on to wrap his arms for support. He responds by hugging her frightened and asking body. His hand gently clawed at her hair, as a cat clawing at hair. Alyssa was crying softly and wanted his support. Cloud was doing his best, hushing her and holding her.
"We'll need to do tests. If you may, we'll need to keep her here and check her."
Cloud looks at the doctor, turning his head. "Would it be all right if I stay with her?"
"Yes, that will be fine." The doctor says. "Follow me, if you will."
Cloud helps Alyssa to her feet, following the doctor through the small hospital. He kept his eye on Alyssa, seeing she was having difficulty walking. With every step, Cloud saw pain in her eyes. Her body ached and she was at least trying to be strong not to cry. He didn't know what Alyssa really felt and how many feelings she was thinking, taking in. Now the doctor says that the paralyzing was caused by a slow death. That couldn't be possible, at least it couldn't... could it? Cloud was debating in his head what was possible and what was not. Nothing is the same anymore.
Alyssa was settled in after a little while, sitting in a hospital bed. Silence filled the tense air. The only sound was of their breathing. Cloud left, knowing he had to get papers to sign for her. He didn't leave her alone for long though, not wanting her to be alone. She was lost in thought and thinking about two things. Her father and death or drawing near death.
"Can you tell me what happened that day about hearing about your dad? Or don't you want to talk about it?"
Alyssa snaps her train of thought, looking over at Cloud. "I don't know if I really want to, but maybe it'll help to explain how I'm feeling."
"When did it start?" Cloud questions with a bit of curiosity.
"Well, it was like a normal day. I was in school, just enjoying my day, or at least trying to. My mom and dad had been in argument for days. I had no clue what they were arguing about, but it worried me if it was turning into a family issue. The day finally came when the principal called me, he wanted me to stay in an orphanage, but I refused. That's when you came to mind."
"The news must have been shocking, but you should have stayed there, I would have came, you know that Alyssa. Why didn't you call me at least?"
"Because Cloud, I wasn't really thinking at all and I wanted to do was run." Alyssa was starting to go up in tears and her voice was starting to squeak. "I didn't want to go home and I didn't trust those people who wanted to take me away. They reminded me of... Shinra."
"... Well at least you're safe, but when you get better you're going back with me and explain to them what's going on and what happened. They're probably worried sick." Cloud's voice sounded as a command.
"All right, Cloud. As long as you're with me I know everything will be ok." Alyssa takes in the order shyly.
Cloud looks over at her worried expression and gave a sigh. "I'm sorry, Alyssa. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."
"It's ok. I know you're worried right now."
"Alyssa." Cloud's voice whispers hurting and holding back his emotions. "You can pull through this. I know you can."
"If something does happen... Don't blame yourself or Sephiroth. I will still love you no matter how much we'll be both be hurt."
Cloud's focus was interrupted what a doctor walks in, carrying a folder of papers. He gives a nod to Cloud. Cloud returns a nod back, leaving the room and looking back at Alyssa's shy, puppy dog eyes. He then looked back at the doctor, seeing him ask questions as Alyssa answered. Cloud then carefully shuts the door behind him.
A hurtful, worried sigh flushed out Cloud's emotions and current thoughts. He felt himself falling apart like everything dropping onto sharp metal. His emotions were shattering like glass. Cloud felt his eyes burning. He closed them and tried to be strong. Something made him look back through the small long window of the door. With a last look, he sat down in the lobby, trying to relax.
"Cloud!" A voice calls out.
Cloud's expression changed, seeing Avidan, Garrett and Tifa. "How is she, what's going on?" Tifa asks in concern.
Cloud didn't respond, he need to tell them the truth. "Not good. The doctors said something's going on in her body. The doctor's in there right now doing tests or questioning."
The three sat down, huddling around Cloud, seeing the many thoughts and expressions. Garrett was just listening, but Avidan and Tifa gave an expression. Their faces were even giving away what they were thinking. Cloud gave another sigh, still trying not to show any signs of hurt.
"Cloud, she's going to make it, right?" Avidan asks.
Garrett stood up, hearing the question made him smirk. His face turned into a laugh they never seen before. "What do you think?"
Cloud looked over at Garrett as Avidan shot him a glare, but a quick "no expression" overtook his thoughts. Their faces made Garrett's smirk fade quickly. He felt a sense of fear or worry. "You're not kidding. What's her chance of living?"
Cloud stood up, looking Garrett straight into the eye. "It's going both ways at the moment. The bad news is that they claim she's leaning in more towards death, but they can't be sure. That's why they're doing the best they can."
Silence filled the air, no more words were coming to anyone. A sound of a chain came from Cloud. It was Alyssa's necklace. It was the only thing he had from her. Cloud stares at the necklace and continued to stare. Out of all things, he had something of hers that wasn't returned. Garrett approaches him, examining the key. Cloud looks up at him, holding up the key for Garrett to see more.
"Where did you get that?" Garrett asks.
"Well, I found it in the room where Alyssa's staying." Cloud responds.
Garrett snatches the key out of Cloud's hand before the eye could catch what happened. "This represents the Keeper Council. Are you sure you found this?"
"You're saying that I'm lying?" Cloud snaps with attitude.
"No, what I'm trying to say is that no one is assigned THESE keys unless they are part of our group. I know for a fact-"
"Think again." Avidan broke up what seemed to be a start of a 'fight'. "Not only did her father work for Shinra, but I heard he worked for another clan."
"What is her father's name?" Garrett asks immediately.
"David." Avidan responds.
"I heard he disappeared a while ago. Rumors are flying around that he wa-"
"Garrett." Avidan stops him from saying anything else. "David was her adoptive father. He may have gave her the key before anything happened."
"So you're saying David is a Keeper and worked for Shinra along side her real father?"
"David WAS a Keeper. David had committed suicide after the fact Sephiroth convinced him."
"Well that would explain why Cloud has the key, now that Alyssa has it." Garrett guesses. "Well, had it because Cloud has the key- ahh... forget it... you get my point."
All their heads turned as the doctor walked out into the lobby. "Who is responsible for Alyssa at the moment?"
"I am." Cloud responds, stopping Avidan. "But would it be all right if we all hear? We're her "family" after all."
"The doctor looks around, shrugs, then nods. "Very well."
Garrett shot a quick glare at Cloud. He shrugged, walking away. Cloud watched for a bit. Garrett stops, it was as if he felt his dark blue eyes burning down his neck. He gave him a short look, a gesture, not saying a word. Garrett left, showing no interest in the situation.
"Garrett." Tifa calls out.
"Let him go Tifa. He's like that." Avidan assures.
"You're not really like that." A voice calls out to Garrett.
Hearing the voice, Garrett grunted. "What is it you want, Nornaz? I thought you were back at the Compound."
"Garrett, I was at the Compound until the glyphs said something terrible was happening." Nornaz responds.
"It's already happened. You have to be quicker at receiving messages. Don't just read the glyphs."
"Cut the thought Garrett. Why are you here?" Nornaz was demanding an answer.
"Nornaz, Alyssa's here. Apparently something went wrong and Cloud rushed her here." Garrett takes in a long calm breath. "Alyssa is dying. I'm checking into what Sephiroth did to her."
Garrett starts walking away, feeling his own cold, heartless words, but he didn't care. Something inside him told him that Sephioth was behind all this. For if Avidan had and was telling the truth or not, she was already in the prophecy and nothing was making sense at all. Garrett just wanted to get to the bottom of this once and for all.
Feeling alert, breaking his dreamy daze, Garrett noticed Nornaz following him. He said nothing to him, continuing to walk in an even pace. Nornaz seemed to keep him distance, to show a type of 'respect' to Garrett. He paid close attention to Garrett's expressions, seeing that something was on his mind. What was on his mind, he didn't know, but it was nonetheless what was taking place.
The sound of the theme "Linkin Park: Breaking the Habit" caught Garrett's attention. It was his cell phone. He searched for it in his pocket, flipping it open and hearing a familiar voice babbling feverously. "Calm down Deyxem. What are you trying to say?" Garrett was listening and understanding every word even though he seemed annoyed on how fast Deyxem was speaking. "We'll be right over." He hung up, looking back at Nornaz.
"What's going on?" Nornaz asks.
"Let's get this over with Nornaz, it seems as though the glyphs are not clear."
Alyssa was startled upon Cloud's entry. He gave a light calming smile. "What? Let me guess... MORE bad news?"
"No, I came to support you." Cloud says.
"I don't deserve you, I don't deserve anyone! I put everyone through this! Especially you! I shouldn't h-have-" Alyssa burst into tears. "I shouldn't have involved you."
"Alyssa, please don't blame yourself for something you didn't start. I'll help you pull through this. I promise. The doctor should be in here soon to put you under. I'm with you every step of the way."
"Thanks Cloud... I don't know how else to thank you and appreciate how much you've done for me."