HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOO AAAAAAGGGGAAAAAAIIIIIINNNNNN!
Okay, the next few chaps might be shorter than usualcause i never expected this fic to go so far and i've hit a major writer's block. But i'll keep going somehow! Thanx for reviews!
(CHAAAAAAARGE! >leds an army off to destroy writer's block )
Chapter 7: - Truth be told
A couple of hours later, Avalanche had returned to the Sierra. Cid had started the Sierra seconds after they had boarded and now they were soaring across the sky, hurriedly heading for Midgar. Only problem was it was going to take at least all night to get there and Vincent couldn't survive on potions alone. Cloud sighed at this thought as he gently laid the limp form in his arms on a bed. Tifa came in soon after with their medical kit and an oxygen tank and mask.
"How's he doing?" She asked, quietly shutting the door behind her.
"Not good," Cloud answered, "He lost conscious on the way here. The most we can do for him is control the blood flow. He'll need to get professional treatment soon though; otherwise his wounds will become infected and he's already got a high enough fever."
Tifa looked down sadly. Cloud knew what she was thinking and it was not going to happen.
"He'll be okay, Tifa We just need to give him some time to recover." He reassured, making Tifa's expression brighten slightly. She handed him the tank and mask that she held and while Cloud rigged the two objects together, Tifa pressed a damp cloth to Vincent's wounds. With the two objects now fitted together, Cloud placed the mask over Vincent's mouth and nose and turned the valve on the tank, allowing oxygen to pass through a tube connecting the tank and mask together and into Vincent's lungs. It took a few minutes for the Oxygen to take effect but when it did Vincent could breathe easy and seemed more relaxed.
"That should keep him going for a while." Cloud said. But he saw Vincent's body tense up again. His claw moved to his right side gripped it weakly. Cloud frowned.
"Tifa?" Cloud asked, she turned to face him, "Do you remember me saying 'Vincent may be sick'?" Tifa nodded slowly as Cloud moved to the other side of Vincent's bed, "It's time to find out if he is!"
He pulled off Vincent's glove carefully so as not to awaken him.
Cloud frowned again, "I knew it."
"Oh my god…"Tifa hasped.
-----------------
"Oh man…" Barret moaned, hitting his head repeatedly on the table, "I'm a bloody moron!"
"You're a moron? I'm the one who cut him with my shuriken," Yuffie argued, edging away from the bloodstained shuriken as if some evil surrounded it, "At least your bullets didn't hurt him."
"But I'm the on who stabbed him…twice," Cid grimaced, "And I was torturing him the first time." He whined, remembering how he continued to jab his spear further into Vincent's body even though his cries rang in Cid's ears. His hands began shaking as he switched the Sierra to autopilot.
"I shoulda stopped…" He joined Barret in repeatedly hitting his head. Reeve glanced at them and frowned.
"It's bad enough that you've Vincent in hospital, don't put yourselves in there." He said. They continued despite Reeve's warning, making him rather annoyed.
"Cut it out or your gonna give yourselves a concussion!" He yelled. They stopped. Barret kept his head on the table while Cid let out a string of curses. The wolf cub, which Nanaki was taking care of, yelped and growled at Cid. It had a strong disliking to the pilot after what he did. Yuffie came up to it and picked it up, much to the cub's disliking. It didn't trust her either.
"What's wrong?" she asked kindly. The cub flailed about, trying to break free.
"I think it would be best to put him down, Yuffie." Nanaki said calmly.
"He?" Yuffie stared awkwardly at the cub, "hoe can you tell?"
"Instinct." Nanaki answered simply.
"So you're a little boy." She said playfully. She wasn't so nice when the cub bit her hand. She let out a loud curse and let go of him. The cub scurried away from them and down the corridor.
"&#$! Cloud said to look after the damn thing! We gotta find him!" Cid exclaimed, knowing that if they lost the cub Cloud would surely have their head on a pedestal. He jumped off the pilot's seat and ran after it. The cub could run fast, even with a broken leg. But it didn't take long to find him scratching at the door to the Vincent's room. As Cid bent down to pick him up, the door opened, allowing the cub to rush in past a pair of feet. Cid stood only to meet Cloud's menacing stare.
"And you want…?" He asked coldly.
Cid gulped, "We were…uh…" He couldn't find an excuse. Instead his gaze drifted to the whimpering cub. He was on the bed next to Vincent's bloodied form. Cid grimaced and made a small noise when he saw the state Vincent was in. Cloud raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean…'we?'" The tone of Cloud's voice told Cid that his patience was wearing thin. Cid glanced behind him to find everyone else had deserted him.
"Little #$&$ers!" He cursed under his breath.
"What do you want Cid!"
Cid turned back to Cloud, "Uh…I…uh…h-hows Vinnie doin'?"
Cloud's eyes narrowed, "Why do you care!" and he slammed the door in Cid's face. It was more than obvious that Cloud was still pissed at him. His mind told him to return back to the control room but his conscience told him otherwise. He knocked on the door with a shaky hand, sweat dripping off his face. Cloud once again opened the door, looking as imposing as ever.
"I get the point! I screwed up! Can you forgive me!" Cid said as quickly as possible so Cloud wouldn't shut the door on him. An awkward silence. Oh how Cid hated awkward silences. Cloud looked suspiciously at Cid it was not like him to ask for forgiveness. Then again this was a serious matter.
"You'll have to ask Vincent that…if he lives." Cloud growled. Cid somehow gained the courage to ask a very deadly question even though he knew the answer would be "Get the hell outta her!" or something like that.
"C-can I…see him…?"
Yet another awkward silence. The minutes ticked by, each as tormenting as the last. Cloud glanced at Tifa, who nodded. Then he moved out of the way to let Cid pass. Cid crept in cautiously, edging his way towards Vincent. He was only halfway across the room but he decided that it was close enough. He jumped when Cloud's hand pressed against his shoulder.
"Do not tell any of the others of this." Cloud said.
"Of what?" Cid asked, not taking his eyes off Vincent.
"We know what's wrong with Vincent." Tifa explained.
"Wasn't it his past?" Cid asked, slightly confused.
"Yes," She said, "…and no." Cid's attention was drawn to Tifa now. She looked pale.
"Take a look at Vincent's right arm." She explained. He hesitated and debated whether to look or not. Eventually his curiosity overwhelmed him and he slowly moved his gaze toward the said area.
"HOLY 7$!&&$#)49&)!" Cid shrieked, his habit of swearing getting the better of him. He glanced at Cloud and Tifa, trying to figure out whether this was some kind of trick, but neither of them were showing any signs of amusement. His gaze returned back to Vincent's arm. It was covered in grotesque markings, a sickening greenish-black in colour. It curled around his fingers and travelled up his arm, leaving miniscule amounts of skin showing from underneath. It seemed to go further up his arm and maybe to his shoulder but the sleeve of his shirt cut off the sight.
"I-it's not…It c-can't be…" Cid stuttered, trying and failing to form a straight sentence.
"Geostigma." Cloud answered, moving to the bedside, "It hurts…a lot!"" He grimaced as he remembered his own encounter with the disease, "It's been driving him mad with agony."
Silence followed. Questions buzzed in Cid's head. Why hadn't Vincent told them? Wasn't the disease wiped out when Kadaj disappeared? When and how did Vincent get geostigma? It's no wonder Vincent had lashed out a Cloud. It was all making sense now………….most of it anyway. But the more Cid knew the more he felt guilty.
"We're guessing he caught the stigma after everyone else was cured," Cloud answered as if reading Cid's thoughts, "Problem is we don't know to cure him, and his stigma is a lot worse than any I've sever seen. Before long…we could lose him."