The dull glow of morning woke you, as your eyes fluttered open you saw Cloud's peaceful face, he had one arm wrapped around you under your shirt with his hand resting on your breast and the other was supporting your head. His pale skin seemed to glow in the sunlight, sometimes he looks almost otherworldly, it seems to be a side effect of the mako energy he was infused with, you remembered that Jace and Zack both had that strange glow in a certain light. You couldn't help but smile as you remembered the events of the previous day, the complete array of emotions you endured and Cloud's reaction as well as the tender kisses and touches you shared.

"Isn't it rude to stare" Cloud mumbled sleepily without opening his eyes.

"Its also rude to be a little handsy" you pointed out. Cloud's eyes snapped opened as he came to his senses and realized where his hand was. You couldn't help but laugh while he went into a panic, he tried to get his hand away from your breast but couldn't figure out a good way to. "Cloud, relax" you told him as you placed a hand on his face. He calmed down and moved his hand so its now resting on your ribs. You kissed him for a moment before pulling away. "As amusing as it was to see you lose your cool, its alright."

"We could continue where we left off last night." Cloud suggested as he carefully began to lift your shirt

"Nice try but I didn't let you last night either" you told him,

He just gave you a look and mumbled, "It was worth a try."

You absently rolled your eyes "Besides, as much as I would like to, we should get up. You have deliveries and I'm suppose to get lunch with Dr. Winters" you told him.

After a few kisses and some convincing Cloud got up to shower, you opted to just get ready after all you did shower last night. You dressed in dark skinny jeans and a black sweater and a pair of boots. As you were finishing up you actually heard your cell phone ringing. You had no idea where it was but at least you recognized that it was ringing. It actually stopped ringing for a few moments but then it started ringing again and you finally located it under the bed.

"Hello" you answered just before it was going to go to voicemail.

"Im surprised you answered on the second attempt" Tifa laughed.

"To be fair I couldn't find my phone or I would have answered sooner." you replied. "But whats up, hows your alone time?" you asked.

"It was great for about half a day, then I started going stir crazy, when are you guys coming home?" She asked but her tone was a bit uneasy.

"Is everything alright?" you asked.

"I think so" she replied.

"But" you prompted.

"But.. Vincent showed up yesterday and he's acting weird, he's I think investigating something but he wont tell me what."

"But thats pretty normal for him" you commented, "I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready." you added.

"I know, its just he barged into the bar last night, scared all of my customers and was looking for someone, he keeps looking over his shoulder" She sighed, "He said theirs nothing to worry about but thats so unlike Vincent"

Your eyebrows knit together in confusion, that was really strange behavior, even for Vincent. "I'll talk to Cloud, he still has some deliveries so we can't come right away." you told her.

"Keep me posted." she told you before you both said goodbye.

Shortly after Cloud emerged from the bathroom wearing his usual pants but no shirt.

"Showing off your muscles?" you questioned. Cloud just shrugged. You rolled your eyes, "So Tifa called." you told him, he glanced at you, "She said Vincent came back and he's acting strange."

"Vincent is always acting strange" Cloud commented.

"I know but Tifa seems pretty rattled, she wants us to come home as soon as we can."

Cloud thought for a moment, knowing its not normal for Tifa to be rattled. "If I leave now, I can get my deliveries and pick up's done in a few hours, if we leave after your lunch was Dr. Winter, we can head home, its still gong to take us a few days but we'll ride for as long as we can." Cloud said.

"But you would be riding all night"

"I've done it before, when I get tired, we'll just stop." he shrugged.

You bit your lip as you thought, "Alright I'll let Tifa know."

Cloud dropped you off at the the cafe, after you dismounted Fenrir you kissed Cloud before heading into the cafe as he rode away. As you entered the cafe the bell rang and you saw Dr. Winters sitting by the window.

"Good to see you again" Dr. Winters greeted.

"You as well" you replied as you hugged her.

"That was quiet a kiss I saw, did he relieve your stress last night like I prescribed?" she asked casually. You could feel your ears burning in embarrassment as you took a sat across form Dr. Winters. "Judging by your idiopathic craniofacial erythema, he did, didn't he?" she questioned.

"Can we not talk about that" you asked clearly uncomfortable, it was one thing when Alyssa bothered you about how Cloud is in bed but an entirely different then when you mentor who is entering her her mid sixties asks you.

"of course, I meant no harm, just poking a little fun at you," Dr. Winters admitted. "You look so much like your mother, she always reacted like you do whenever I teased her about Zander."

At the mention of your mother and Zander you perked up, sometimes you forget that Dr. Winters knew them both very well. "I miss them" you said absently.

Dr. Winters nodded, "I do too, they were both extradorinaiy people." she mused. "Your mother like you so bright, top of class, got her phd right around the same age you did all while raising you on her own. And Zander not the brightest but he had a good heart, treated you like his own and he was always so good to your mother."

You smiled as Dr. Winters reminisced about your mother, you had so many memories of her but it was nice to hear that someone else remembers her so fondly. As she spoke you realized you didn't know much about your mother's life before she came to Hazeltown. You remembering asking her about her life in Nibleheim and if you had grandparents, or cousins, any sort of extended family but she would always be so cryptic about it. You never thought much of it, after all your mom always made sure that your life was full of love but you couldn't help but wonder about her life before you. Come to think of it you don't know why she left Nibleheim in the first place, all you really knew is that it had something to do with your biological father but maybe it was more than that.

"Thats a unique look on your face" Dr. Winters commented.

"I was just thinking, I really don't know much about my mother's life before she had me" you replied.

"She didn't like talking about it"

"Do you know why she left Nibleheim?" you asked.

Dr. Winters shook her head, "I've asked, but she never wanted to talk about it, Adiline always knew she could talk to me about anything but her past was one thing she refused to talk about." you couldn't help but frown, you had no idea who your mother even knew in Nibleheim and most of them are either too young to remember her or dead. You were sure that Zander must have known, maybe even Jace's mom but anyone who could have told you something is gone. "For what its worth, I don't think she kept her past from you out of malice, I think it was painful for her and she wanted to move on."

"I think you're right" you finally said.

"I know that look, its your mother's curious look, you still want to know."

You sighed. "I can't help it, what if I have cousins or I must have had grandparents…"

"Well I could run you and your mother's dna in the database, if you have any family members on your mother's side as long as they've seen a doctor we should be able to identify them."

"You would do that for me?" you asked.

Dr Winters smiled. "Of course."

As the conversation turned to other topics, you enjoyed catching up with your old mentor and telling her all about your friends and your plans for the future. The food at the cafe was just as good as you remembered it. Though you once again lost track of time.

"I see your arm-candy is looking for you." Dr. Winters said, which nearly caused you to spit out your drink, instead you just choked a little.

"arm what?!" you coughed.

"Arm candy?" Cloud questioned awkwardly. "I think thats worse than being a pressing matter or a stress reliever."

"And heres the part where I may die of embarrassment." you mumbled as Cloud grabbed your hand in an attempt to comfort you.

"I finished my work and Tifa called again" Cloud said catching your attention, "we should probably head home"

You nodded. "Dr Winters, I'm so glad we had time to catch up" you told her as you stood up.

She stood up as well. "So am I, you know you're always welcome here." She told you.

"I know" You told her with a smile as you hugged.

When you pulled away Dr. Winters addressed Cloud, "Mr. Strife, I trust you'll take good care of Dr. Knight."

"I will for the rest of my life" Cloud replied quietly as he gently squeezed your hand. You glanced up at him with a smile.

You said your goodbyes to Dr. Winters then headed out to Fenrir. As the two of you headed back to Edge, you told Cloud all about your idea to try to find out about your mother's past. He fully supports you and said he'd have Reno and Rude see what they could dig up. After a few hours of riding you ran out of things to fill Cloud in on, so you just held onto him and listened to his steady heartbeat.