Authors Note: Hope I made this one a little bit longe. Sorry for the huge delay. During my time of absence I came back from the old country and just started my first year of college. I hope you can for give me and read this chapter. I hope to write you all the 5th chapter pretty soon. Thanks.


Sick

His head pounded with a sharp intense pain,

He slowly slipped his eyes open, groaning from the seriousness of the concussion. He found himself on a carpeted floor with a thin blanket looming over him. The blonde raises his head to survey his surroundings. Nothing looks familiar, until he turned towards a young woman sitting on a warned down bean bag chair. She had herself covered with a similar blanket, her eyes closed followed by steady breathing.

Slowly getting onto his feet he clenched his pounding head with his right hand. The steady movement triggered unfortunate events, where he grew too dizzy that he almost fell face first. If not for the young woman in front of him he would be lying on the floor already. With nothing else to hold on to, his left hand quickly balanced himself on top of her. Touching the side of the bean bag chair made a steer clear of the girl.

His watery red eyes fixed themselves onto the brunette's image. Eye lashes worn thick with heavy mascara, nose cute and buttoned, lips severely chapped from the still breathing she must've had over night. He wanted to touch her, with his right hand he lets go of his head and tries to graze his finger tips on her face.

He could scarcely (yes that's the right word) remember her name, but alas the left hand which was holding him up gave in, forcefully landing his lean body over the sleeping beauty. The sudden weight woke her from her slumber. Her eye trail to find the reason for this sudden interaction and finds the sickly man's face plastered in between her breasts.

She screams out the words "pervert!" as she connects her hand across his face, causing the filth blond to fall two steps away from her. Giving her ample amount of space to stand on her own two feet.

She watches Cloud roll on the floor from pain. His hands touch not the stinging surface of his cheek but at the base of his crown (head). He groans something distasteful; a sharp pain grows increasingly in his head.

Quickly his body started to reject the condiments of the fluid he has so been drinking with such lust last night that he felt his stomach jerk in an unpleasant state. His eyes squint shut as his mouth released the coagulated fluid from his insides.

"Cloud!" The dark woman hastily stepped over to him, pulling him away from the mess he has made. He groaned as she sets him on his back. His spine relapses onto the firm feel of her thighs. He felt the cool touch of her fingers on his temple, his face relaxed, yet deep inside he couldn't bare the pain in his stomach.

"Oh, Cloud," She spoke softly, "You're sick . . ."

Brown eyes watch as the man she held breaths in an uneven manner. Her fingers forage through the males locks. They where roughed up and stiff from the two nights that followed without him having a decent wash. Her hand then travels not far from his hair, thus his forehead. Surprised from her new discovery, she talks to him in a hush tone.

"Cloud, it's worse than I thought. You have a fever."

Briskly she gets him to stand on his feet. "Come on Cloud." She had his right arm over her shoulders and with slow small steps she ushers him to the sanctuary of her room. The bed stood clean and white with pink roses for decoration; it creaked with the weighed presented by Clouds body. He grunts in his chest as the soft and plush surface gave him the relaxation he needed.

His legs dangled on the side of the furniture however, it was until then that Tifa started to remove his Florsheim shoes and socks so that he would be more comfortable and fitting on the bed. With that she also removed his jacket and tie. She places all items that were removed on a chair that was set on the other side of the room.

"I'll be right back," She mentions him and with that she leaves the room. Minutes pass and she returns with a soaked rag in hand. She pulls the sickly man towards her as he turned to the other side as she left. With the rag she gingerly brushes the wet cloth over his lips, removing all the yucky residue of the vomit. After that she folds the cloth evenly until the cleanest part of it was shown and wipes away the dry sweat and tears from the man's face.

"There you're clean enough," She states. Her fingers snatch the upper buttons of his collared shirt. Her plan was to give him a more comfortable experience, until she found something peculiar strapped around his neck.

She pulled it out of his form. It was a small beaded necklace that soon shocked her when she found two rectangular pieces of metal strapped onto it.

"Why are you wearing a dog tag Cloud?"

She read the inscription on the pieces of metal.

Cloud Strife

Rainy St

Midgar

82245

1-222-234-5506 (Don't call it doesn't exist)

She sighs in utter confusion; here she thought she knew him. Well most of him.

She thought he was just a hot, cranky, alcoholic, editor who's down on his luck, but the dog tags represent something else. He can't be just a lonely editor he has to be someone far more valuable.

The blonde suddenly took a deep uneasy breath; he stirred opening his eyes in a dream like state. He finds the woman standing next to him with a shocked expression.

He remembered her name at last. "Tifa . . . ?" He spoke in a hush and raspy tone.

"Cloud."

The blonde man notices what was in her hands and takes it away from her as he sits up on the mattress. The dog tag rattles as it's placed over his chest and under the white cloth.

"Cloud are you okay?"

He tries to clear his throat, when he talks, the acidity making it difficult to converse. "I've been better." He looks around at his surroundings. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

Tifa crosses her arms behind her hour glass body. "I took you in . . ."

His face wore a confused look, "What?"

She smiles, something he's never seen before. "You got drunk in the bar. My bar actually, well I am working part time there. You got too drunk so I took you into my apartment . . . I was taking care of you."

"Oh," He held on to his head. "How did you do it?"

"It wasn't easy." She gestures.

Cloud thought for a while his eyes closes and reopens with slow movements. "I didn't do . . . anything bad. Did I?"

Tifa instinctively remembers the night before. The harassments in the bar with her and the other woman. His cursing, insults, temper tantrums and his perverted instincts to get her into bed. The fact that he almost battered her door to the ground to possibly rape her. Including the after math, his cries like an injured child. Yes, she remembered it all and yet for some reason she lied.

"No. You where just like any other drunk I've seen. You've slept on the floor all night."

Cloud gave a surprised look upon his face," Really? I must be getting better then."

His words confused Tifa.

"Getting better"? What does he mean?

A loud grumbling noise was heard between the both of them. Apologetically Cloud shrugs and laughs something totally out of whack for Tifa. She smiles however, "Hungry?"

"Umm yeah," He tries to remove himself from the bed only to be brought to a stop from Tifa's hands.

"What are you doing?"

He stands now, but barely. The pain in his head slowly forms itself again with intensity.

"I've got to go home now. Thank you for taking care of me I—"

Tifa quickly holds on to his form as his body eradicates itself back on the mattress, "Oh no you don't. You're sick so you can't leave."

He groans and curses under his breath. His hand clenches his head as she slowly drives it away with hers.

Blue eyes questioned the brunette and for what seemed like an eternity they gaze upon each other. It was quiet nothing was bustling outside that could make a sound, yet Tifa broke away.

"Stay . . . I'll take care of you."

Cloud didn't say a word; instead he watched the young woman leave the room. He watches her movements; her thighs and rump squeeze each other as she takes those fine steps.

He sighs in the ideas and thoughts of this perplexed situation. He's never had anyone, except his own mother; take care of him this way before. She already helped him with his stress levels before and now she's cooking for him.

I should pay her back somehow.

The bed creaks as he gently sets himself on the bed. Suddenly vibrations startled him to frenzy.

"Ah . . . fuck."

He apprehended that it was his phone that was making that entire ruckus so he pulled it out of his pocket. The phone allows itself to activate showing what he has missed.

There were three messages. One from his superior in Shin Ra and two from Zack. He'd opened the first mail from his superior reading the message.


"Why didn't you come to work today? Meet me in my office Monday."

It seemed to be something of importance; he'd make up for it when he arrives early that morning.

It has to be about the lame as work I've been doing. Fuck I'm going to get canned.

Cloud was about to open Zack's messages when a phone rings. It appeared to be coming from the small kitchen. Tifa answers with a,

"Good morning Aerith!"

The name sparks something inside of Cloud. The revelation of last night was still fresh to him. Zack was kind, but he made his point clear. No more goofing up with a married couple.

Cloud felt restless and without ease. If Tifa was to take care of him then so be it. He turns off his phone and replaces it in his pocket. The blanket that was set under him was soon placed over his head, covering any sort of light that could be harmful to his sickness. His eyes closed and in an instant he drifts off to a sleeping state.


They ran into an empty building.

Rays of light seeped through the various bullet holes scattered around the wall. Sand was replaced by dirt for footing and the air was musky and dry.

His savior pushed him beside the wall; he looks out in to the day light, fully concentrated and fully unaware of the traumatic man next to him.

Cloud shakes, his fingers wouldn't stop trembling and his feet felt like a thousand ton bricks. His mind then takes him moments later where his comrades where savagely murdered in front of him.

"I . . . I couldn't . . . save them."

The young commander known as Fair heard a muffled voice; his eyes stare straight at the man hyperventilating.

"I couldn't save them! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

"Hey!" Quickly the commander took him by the shoulder, shaking him gently with a tightened grip.

Before long they heard distant sounds of footsteps, their eyes intentionally stare at the buildings only opening. The footsteps stopped completely; a voice from the outside was heard very clearly.

"Anyone home?" It was a male.

The Commander briskly responded to the strangers words.

"Welcomed!"

Suddenly four soldiers appear through the opening and entered. They wore allied uniforms and helmets.

A young lad before them saluted the Commander with a quick gesture of respect.

"Commander Fair!"

The Commander then saluted as well.

"Report of the enemy, sir!"

"What is it?"

"They are hostiles. Eight of them, all armed. They seemed to be headed this way sir!"

"Alright. Good idea of moving ahead then. If it wasn't for you we wouldn't know about this. "

He turns towards the shaken male that he saved just a few moments ago. He places a gloved hand over his hair ruffling it with tolerable force. The blond felt grunts in irritation, the commander grins.

"Who's this?"

It was a high and feminine voice, Cloud looks up to the uniformed ally and realizes that armed human was a woman. The heat over took her, she removed her helmet, taking in deep breaths of the thick air. She was blonde with a short haircut; woman or not she could pass off to be a teenager, she looks far too young.

The Commander grew bitter as he scolded the young woman. "Elena! Don't be stupid! Put your helmet back on!"

His voice spooked her causing the helmet to fall onto the ground. As the rim of the protective gear touched the dry soil, a shock wave of mass energy blew the cement wall before them. Debris, sand, and dirt covered the air around them. As the fort cascade around them, screams of each other broke through the plummeted building. Cloud heard the distinctive yell of the young woman, then, the booming sound of the blast.

Moments later. . .

The heating rays of the sun broke through the cracks of shattered building. It was at that moment when Cloud awoke. He groaned as he tried to lift himself up, he hissed in pain as his arm bulged with an unpleasant sensation. It was broken.

With an arm over his broken extension he rolls over to his sides. He didn't get too far, however, cement blocks where scattered all across the room, making it harder to move about. He then heard the scream of a familiar voice.

He pinned pointed the shriveling sound to an enclosed area of the down building. With his knees and unbroken arm he heaved himself over to the alarming voice.

Passing through the rocks he finds a tiny extent, walled by the broken stones. There he finds another shock of the day.

It was the blonde woman, Elena, bleeding from her head, caressing the Commanders pained retching face. He coughed and sucked in breaths of hot air. Both his hands touch his thighs in a disorderly manner. Cloud follows the male's frantic senses and notices the state he's in. Both legs lay pinned down against the immense weight of the broken wall.

"Fuck!" he curses loudly. The young woman cries for her commander in fear and shock.

Suddenly voices came to play outside. The three panicked and listened.

"What are they saying?" Elena whispered as she looked at the rocky wall in front of her. She then notices the blonde Lieutenant crawling his way over to them.

"Lieutenant -!"

Loud rumbling sounds grew in the outside world. The commanders breathe hitches as he says one word.

"Tank."

The broken walls rumbled as the machine passes by them. Creating flows of dirt raining over them, any second the walls could come crashing down killing them all. The young woman began to cry, and then more voices began to play. The voices of the other men who where fallen from the unknown blast.

"Commander!" One of them yells out.

"Quiet, Johnny!" The raven haired man responded.

The rumbling of the war machine intensified, causing more rocks to pile onto them, slowly diminishing the little space they had. The Commander yells in pain, the pressure of the rocks increased, producing a cracking sound come forth through his legs.

Cloud heard the young woman cry again, this time she was not alone. The rest of the company screamed in agony. There was one in particular who cried the loudest, it was him.


She walked towards her bedroom door, slowly she peeps her eyes into the room.

The corners of her mouth formed a slight grin. Her heart melted as she saw her crush lay on her bed with his body covered with the blanket. She could see blond locks of hair sticking out from the blanket. His feet were shown as well pale and massive. She smiled again and with that she continued her cooking.


Air was slim, he could hardly breathe.

It was quiet he heard nothing but the pitter patter of pebbles falling from the rocks. It was too quiet, so he desperately called out for help, or any form of comfort for this matter.

"Calm . . . down . . . lieutenant."

A familiar voice, the Commanders, rang through Clouds ears.

"Commander . . ."

It was even hard to talk for the pressure of the rocks endured their breathing.

"Its . . . okay . . . kiddo . . . everything . . . is going . . . to be . . . alright."

The blonds lip quivered, breathing labored, body in pain. He felt fear; he felt that death was coming to him. But he never came . . .

It was lonely, there were no more cries. No one yelling out in pain, no war machines, anything. There were only two men and their breathing. It was dark, too dark.

Cloud heard the commander curse, this time he felt a tremendous amount of pain in his legs.

"Aah . . . shit . . . fuck!"

Cloud felt hot liquid on his cheeks his breathing became to labor and the dark became way too dark. Soon it became harder for him to breathe that in the end he gasps for any air he can get.

The Commander noticed his only friend's actions, mustering to close the pain away and to comfort the lad.

"Lieute- Ah! Fuck!"

Cloud couldn't breathe; he couldn't control himself any further. His body became too numb that he couldn't move. Hot tears ran down his cheeks, his voice pitched in result.

The commander stared and the blank darkness. Eyes closing a tear cascaded down his cheeks,

"I'm sorry. . . I wanted to see you one last time . . . but . . ."

The rocks before them began to move, crushing the remaining two there. Cloud hisses in pain and so does Zack. The ravens eyes flinch away as a beam of light touched his skin. He opened them having to realize that with that beam of light fresh air flowed its way in the small crevice.

He heard voices, forming into a dialect that he knows very well.

"We've found them!" Cried a booming voice from the surface.

Zack took in the air that welcomed him. The pain on his legs soon diminished, leaving a numb yet noticeable ache.

The imagery around him became to focus; he found that the people who saved them were Banora Company and their Commander Hewley.

He has to thank them one day.

"Get him to the Emergency Unit!" Called the Commander to his subordinates. Before then four men came in and picked up the injured leader with their bare arms. It was uncomfortable to be man handled like that; the pain in his broken legs seemed to increase as they moved him. At the corner of his eye he saw the familiar blond being gestured to stand on his own two feet, but he wouldn't dare to move.

One of the soldiers touched him by the shoulder, in response Cloud wailed something foul and blood churning. It stabbed Zack's ears and punctured his brain, giving him a sharp migraine. The pain in his legs and head caused him to sleep. Closing his eyes, not being able to see the blond or anybody for a long time.


She came into the room with no sound except her feet on the carpet.

Cloud was still covered by the blanket, he faced away from the woman, and his eyes were glued shut. His breathing was not as heavy as before, but light and with a beat. It hurt her to stop his lovely nap time, but the lunch is ready.

She gently nudged him on his covered shoulder. He didn't wake up from his slumber, instead he got more comfortable.

Tifa giggled. Like a baby . . .

She tried a new approach, nudging him again with her hand and voice did the trick. Cloud stirred under the sheets, resembling as a child. Slowly he opened his blue eyes greeted by the fair maiden.

"Foods done," she smiled.

Quickly Cloud sat up, feeling the urge of over staying his welcome.

"Ah, thank you, but . . . I'm feeling better to go on home already, so . . ."

With an "oh" Tifa sighed looking down at the floor under her feet. Cloud felt bad after wards and found it better to just go along with it.

" . . .But I am kind of hungry. . ."

The brunette smiled, taking hold of the older man's hand, taking him out of bed. "Well, I've got soup for you, hope you like Chicken broth."

It wasn't too far to take the blond to her kitchen. Few steps and boom they found themselves to a small table and different two chairs. Cloud sat on the plastic foldable chair as he watched Tifa walk to the stove with a bowl in hand. She had her back turn towards him, not having to realize that the blonds blue eyes began to ogle her curves. Her body was keen due to her tight fitting sweats and white top. Cloud could find her torso curved like an hour glass and a luscious ass to go with it too. He stared at her long enough until she came forward with two bowls in her hands.

Her face was red with a subtle shyness; this was her first time giving any man a meal. This man however, is important to her.

"Here you go," she places the bowl before him and hands a spoon to go with it. The blond takes the metal tool in hand, dipping it in the heated water. As he took a reasonable amount of food he then swallows a portion of it through his mouth.

His face was calm, not showing any form of negativity from the food. Instead it was the best thing he has ever tasted in a while. He enjoyed the warm tasteful liquid cascade down his throat, feeling the emptiness in his stomach.

"You like it?" She asks.

Cloud looks at her with honest eyes and grins slightly, "Yeah, its delicious."

Tifa smiles, digging in to her own food, in her head she danced with heightened excitement and happiness.

Later, his bowl was nearly empty, when she offered seconds.

Cloud had no way of saying yes, but she caught up.

"I . . . well . . . if you want me to,"

She got up from her chair, taking his bowl in her hand. Slowly she walked to the stove as she speaks.

"I want you to have some more. I wouldn't have nowhere else to put it."

Cloud paused, "You live here by yourself don't you?"

"Yep,"

Cloud watched as she filled the bowl, well her ass more than the bowl.

"Why don't you invite your family over to finish it then?"

Silence. Tifa took her time looking for an acceptable potato in the soup, then,

"That wouldn't be a reasonable idea,"

"Hmm? Why?"

She walks over to him bowl in hand.

"The only family I ever had is dead."

Cloud looked at her calm, neutral face; nothing has changed as she told him that.

"Oh,"

Silence filled the room; it was getting to be awkward for them both.

"Who was it?" He asked, curious.

"It was my dad."

She told him picking up her spoon and finishing up her own share of the meal.

"Oh . . . "

Cloud thought about her situation having to realize that they are not that different.

"You know what? I don't have a dad either, he ran off when I was born so—"

"My dad was not like that." She responded with a quick gesture.

Stunned Cloud quickly began to correct himself, "Oh well I don't mean it like that, I mean . . ."

Tifa paused, she thought of her sudden abruptness towards her guest. "It's okay. I didn't mean to talk to you like that. It's just my dad was the only family I had so. . ."

She didn't say another word; instead she filled her mouth with rice filled liquid. Cloud was finished with his second serving a long time ago and watched the expression on her face. He saw moisture fill her eyes, slowly welding up into tears. She sniffled and her fist on the table began to shake.

Cloud watched as the woman before him crumbles in her emotions, and somehow that looked familiar. His instinct drove him to an action that surprised the young woman. A larger and firmer hand grasped her quivering fist, irrupting it to a halt. She followed the hand towards its keep; her wine colored eyes met the pair of blue orbs.

"Don't cry," he told her. "You're okay, right?"

She felt a tear emerging itself from her eye and quickly wiped it away from her free hand. She stared at the man before her. She sees something new and perplexing about him. There was a form of kindness and love that was never formed in him before.

Her mind trails off onto his appearance until Cloud brings her back home.

"TIfa? . . . You okay?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah." She sniffs the mucous in her nose. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Okay. . . I'm sorry about that."

"Hmm, You didn't know,"

"Yeah but, I'm also sorry for . . ."

He took his time, finding a way to reword it. " . . .The incident."

". . ."

"At my office," he looks at her with intentionally.

Tifa sighs recollecting the past, "It's okay. It's my fault."

"Don't blame yourself. You didn't really mean to do it right?"

". . ."

"Like you said, you where trying to get my attention."

She stood up from her chair taking both bowls in her hand and walking towards the small sink attached to the wall.

" . . . I should apologize for trying to pay you off too."

Tifa turns to face him, "I'm not a prostitute." She added.

Cloud stood up from his own chair, making his way towards her, "I know I'm sorry for that. It's just . . . you made me feel . . . good." He extends his arms towards her, but Tifa quickly steeped back a couple of notches hitting her hip against the sink. Fear that the male could start the bustle once again. Cloud saw her desire to avoid him and quickly he felt a pain in chest. His arms dropped to his sides, slowly he grins the corners of his mouth.

"Sorry, I understand if you don't want to . . ." Tifa didn't move, her eyes fixed on him with a sense of terror, but the blond only places his hands deep within his pockets.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to go now. "

She slowly steps out of her defensive mode, "Y-yeah? O-okay then."

Cloud takes one hand from his pockets and gently rubs the back of his hair.

"So . . . um . . . where are the rest of my things?"

Tifa blinks away her fears suggesting him the annexed room, "In my bed room. You can find everything there."

"Oh, right . . . Thanks."

Cloud trails off to the other room, and slowly Tifa follows. She stops at the doors arch way looking at the different man she sees now. Cloud was desperately trying to put on his formal shoes when he noticed a fine woman watching him. He didn't say anything at first, but Tifa spoke in a manner only to be described as astonishment.

"You are different now than before . . ."

Cloud finally steps in his first shoe, "Oh, well it's because of you—taking care of me."

Tifa smiles then nods. A few moments later Cloud finally buttons his shirt, then he proceeded to tuck in the garment under his formal wear. Tifa walked slowly to a chair next to her bed, snatching the wrinkled tie over it. Cloud searched for the piece of cloth but was then motivated to hold still in order to let Tifa tie it up. She wrapped the cloth around the collar, slowly inner twining the cloth into a fine know. Cloud's image faced the window, but his eyes captured the young woman in the act. She looked dazzling to him. He focused on her wide eyes and her full lips.

The lips of a beauty, so mouth watering he desperately wishes he could kiss her right then and now.

Alas she completes her duties and the tie is fashionably knotted to his liking.

"Thank you," he tells her. His eyes boarding down at her small supple body.

"No problem," she tells him as her eyes stare deep into him. His height out matches hers by eight inches, but she has no problem in that at all.

She soon realizes that his hands rose in slow movements, wanting a grip on her shoulders. Tifa lets herself be taken from him. His hands dive down on her open flesh that was her arm.

"Can I . . . kiss you?"

He asks her in his low but powerful voice. Gently she nods in agreement and waits for his feat. He then hunches his shoulders forward to meet her image. Tifa felt the heat of his breathe so close to her, it was alluring, her lips slowly parted as his was millimeters away.


She stopped her breathing for that moment.

As his dry lips touched hers she felt shivers down her spine. Cloud too felt the warm delightfulness of the kiss. Even though it was dry and just a few seconds long it was still bewildering. His lips pulled back leaving a sort of temptation that he desperately wants to get it over with.

He saw her blush a red tint over her cheeks which controlled his thoughts and desires. He bent over once again, making his lips do more than grazing. He crushed them deep onto her, taking the woman by surprise, almost side stepping backwards. But alas he caught her by her torso with his own arms.

She breathed in deeply as he sucks her bottom lip, tasting a mixture of soup and . . . scotch? She willingly opened her mouth to reject, but that caused Cloud to take hold of her mouth much more profoundly.

His lips dance before her, taking in that sweet skin that he's missed for such a long time.

She tangled her fingers over his shirt, wrinkling his clothing. It was then that he finally realized that he needed to stop. His lips detached themselves from her, creating a lip smacking sound.

They both breathed in the absence of air in their lungs. Cloud intentionally watches the stunned woman, having o regret the whole thing.

"I'm going," he tells her. He finds his coat over the chair by the mattress, taking his leave through the door. She stands in her room with half lidded eyes as she hears the main door shut.

He left.


Authors Note: Thanks for reading. New chapters coming soon. Im also tring to write a new EDITED VERSION OF "HIGHWAY"(ZackxAerith) comming soon!