A/N: Still working, still recreating, still plotting mayhem. Not even computer crashes can stop the madness. Bwahahahaha!

Chapter Summary: It seems as though Cloud is slipping through their grasp, even as Zack continues to improve. But Cloud will not longer respond to the man that risked his life to free them from ShinRa's imprisonment. Their only hope now is Tifa, and the fact that she alone can get any kind of response from Cloud. But Zack begins to put everything together, and finds there may be hope for his recovery after all...

The Patient, Part 3

By Ivy Elise Tanté

"He's doing it again," Marlene Lockhart warned her adoptive mother, Tifa Lockhart. She had come down the stairs from the living quarters, her little face grim, lips pressed together with worry.

Taking the time to glance over at her newest -and mostly unexpected- employee, Tifa told Marlene quietly, "You keep an eye on Zack, and call Aerith if anything seems off, okay? I'll be back in a little while."

Marlene nodded, stationing herself at the end of the bar to better keep the head of spiky black hair in sight.

It was a relief to know that she could reply on her family to help take care of the two SOLDIERs basically dropped into her lap nearly a week ago. Drying her hands on a dishtowel, she quickly headed up the steps and into the small room that Barret Wallace -whom she considered her surrogate father- used when he was in town. Now it held two sets of bunk beds for her impromptu guests.

And one of them, Cloud Strife, was sitting in a chair facing the corner. The despair that filled her at the sight of his slumped shoulders and empty eyes caused such pain it made her throat close up.

They were losing him. Tifa could literally feel Cloud slipping through her fingers as though he were a handful of sand.

She knelt beside him, one hand on his shoulder, the other on his thigh. Keeping her voice as calm and gentle as possible, she said his name quietly, "Cloud."

The vacant stare didn't sharpen, though he did turn his head slightly towards her. That was her only encouragement; for some reason Cloud would only respond to her touch, her words. Not even Zack Fair could get a reaction from him anymore.

A peek at the breakfast tray sitting on the small table beside him showed it to be untouched. "Not hungry this morning?" she questioned. The slight shake of his head barely stirred the blonde spikes of his hair.

Tifa made herself look at him closely. The food and supplements had filled out his face just a bit so he didn't look quite so gaunt. The improved nutrition had also given his skin and eyes better color, and his hair was beginning to take on a silky sheen. It was the blankness of his gaze that was the most wrenching - there was no expression at all in that tropic ocean blue.

Cloud was so far away from them, and nothing they were doing seemed to reach him.

The sudden hopelessness swamped her, causing her to lean against his arm as tears began to track down her face. "Cloud," she whispered brokenly. Somehow it no longer mattered that he had been a complete stranger when her adopted son, Denzel, had helped to pull him from the ruins of Midgar. Tifa longed to bring him back from wherever he had chosen to hide to escape the horrible imprisonment inflicted upon him and Zack by ShinRa.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Tifa struggled to pull herself together. But before she could say anything it opened slowly. A head wreathed in haphazard black spikes just as unruly as Cloud's poked into the room. Violet-blue eyes glimmering faintly in the dim light mirrored her concern as Zack slipped inside.

"Hey Tifa, Cloud," he greeted with his usual charming smile.

There was no movement or response from his fellow SOLDIER, and tears pricked the mako-stained eyes. Zack took a deep breath and told Tifa, "Denzel is back from the deliveries for Aerith." He sank onto the bottom bunk nearest Cloud and sighed. "I waited too long," he muttered, clearly blaming himself for his friend's condition.

"You did what you could, Zack," Tifa told him gently, reaching out a hand and laying it on his wrist.

He had to turn his face away so she couldn't see the tears. "Still not enough," he insisted, voice raspy with emotion.

And Tifa made herself study him as well. Zack no longer looked wasted, and was beginning to exhibit that exuberant nature Aerith loved so much. But he was still experiencing tremors and sudden splitting headaches without warning. They were the side effects, Dr. Rayleigh had informed them, of the extreme measures Zack had taken to blast out the wall where they were confined.

Rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb, Tifa said, "Aerith suggested that taking him out to the garden and letting him get some sun might help, but I don't really want him out there alone right now. Do you feel up to working the tables a little while longer?"

She had to smile at the thought. Her clientele used to be mostly male until Zack started waiting on tables out of sheer boredom and an innate need to be around people. Now his handsome face and affable charm had the women coming to the bar in droves. None were put off by the slightly-glowing eyes, which did much for his attitude and self-esteem.

And all the attention given to him by Aerith didn't hurt one bit, either.

"Sure," he answered, then grinned. "Several med students were wandering in when I came up here. Guess it's time to turn on the old charm and see what kind of drinks and appetizers I can convince them to try." The smile faded completely when he turned back to Cloud. "I'll be back up to chat a little later, okay? Try to stay out of trouble until then." He ran a hand through the disorderly blonde spikes, then impulsively leaned in close enough to rest his forehead against Cloud's temple. "Come back to us, Cloud. You've wandered long enough."

It was all Tifa could do not to start bawling right there. Somehow she managed to hold it down until Zack left the room, shutting the door silently behind him. Scooting closer, Tifa encircled Cloud's broad shoulders with her arms, laid her head against his neck and just let the tears come.

Imagine her surprise when Cloud raised one hand and touched her hair. Startled, she pulled back to look at him with wide eyes but his face was still expressionless. But he had responded to her again!

For the first time in a week she felt hope. Standing up, she gently tugged at his arm until he finally gave in and grudgingly rose from his chair. Denzel was the one that had figured out if you kept nudging at him Cloud would eventually do what you wanted him to, be it moving or whatever. You just had to be pretty determined about it.

With a smile lighting up her face, she rummaged through the nightstand beside his bed until she found a comb to run through his blonde hair. It did nothing to tame the spikes, of course, but it didn't look so matted anymore.

Taking his hand, she insistently pulled him from the room and down the stairs, turning into her office located above the bar's kitchen. Cloud flinched at the bright sunlight streaming through the windows, so Tifa grabbed a pair of sunglasses and maneuvered them onto his face to protect his eyes. Then she opened the door to the terrace and guided him through.

And for the first time since his rescue he actually made a sound. It was part sigh, part sob at the sight of the garden Aerith had planned out and planted for Tifa years ago.

Grass as green as emeralds covered the space, and the potted shrubs and trees swayed in the faint breeze, fanning their soft fragrance through the air. Flowers in a wild riot of colors bloomed everywhere, and the side wall was almost completely obscured by trailing grape vines heavy with ripening bunches of green and red grapes. There was a four-foot tall wrought iron railing around the three open sides of the terrace, but little of it could be seen under the mass of honeysuckle weaving through the pickets. The laced-together branches of Japanese maple and Crepe Myrtle cast dappled shade over the ground, making the benches Cid had given her look cool and inviting where they were tucked in a corner.

Tifa led Cloud to one of those benches and encouraged him to sit down. And he was looking around him in wonder - the first real expression she had ever seen on his face. The too-blue eyes were opened wide, his lips slightly parted as he continued to examine these new surroundings. He was so beautiful, sitting there with sunlight speckled across his pale skin and his blonde hair gleaming.

The impulse to touch him was too great, so Tifa laid her hand on his cheek. The contact made him turn to her. There still wasn't a lot of comprehension in his gaze, but they weren't completely empty anymore. Acting on impulse, Tifa shifted off the bench and pulled him down onto the grass with her. Her gentle nudging and tugging resulted in Cloud lying on his back with Tifa's head nestled on his shoulder, her hand resting on his chest.

The soft whoosh of traffic, the gentle swish of leaves and the warmth of the mid-day sun soon lulled him to sleep. And Tifa could hardly contain her joy, because it was the first time he had done so without the need for a tranquilizer to quiet the nightmares...

-‚¬ƒ-

When Aerith entered the bar, she immediately stopped just inside, giving her eyes time to adjust to the dimmer lighting. The place was a bit more crowded than was usual in the middle of a work day, and the corners of her mouth quirked up as she saw Zack effortlessly charming an entire table of what looked like med students on break. Female med students, she mentally elaborated as her smile broadened, since all of them were in scrubs of various colors.

Chuckling to herself, she headed for the bar. Marlene was perched on a stool towards the end, craning her neck to keep an eye on the SOLDIER. "Don't worry," Aerith told the young girl. "I'm here, and I'll keep him in line. Where is Tifa?"

Marlene hunched her shoulders and said, "Cloud was sitting in a chair facing the corner again. I think she wanted to take him out to the garden like you suggested, so Zack's working a bit longer than we planned since it's so busy."

"And he's one of the reasons you're hosting so many," Aerith pointed out.

"The ladies sure do love him," Marlene muttered under her breath.

Aerith couldn't stop the laugh from escaping, "You do, too, squirt. Now quit being jealous and find me an apron. If I'm working the floor he'll behave himself." She was joking, of course. It was evident even to someone as young as Marlene that Zack was so hopelessly head over heels in love with Aerith that he wasn't about to do anything stupid - or at least in regards to other females. Otherwise, Zack could be incredibly silly on occasion.

But Marlene frowned at her in concern. "But you've worked all day at the Flower Shop. You need to take a break, not work tables."

Aerith put her hands on her hips and asked sternly, "Who is the adult here, kid?"

Eyes narrowed, Marlene gave a soft whistle. It only took a moment for Zack to wind his way through the bar to her side. "Hello, ladies. You called?" he asked the little girl, balancing his tray with ease as he handed the bartender his order book. Then he leaned forward with a smile to collect his kiss from Aerith. "I've missed you, my sweet. You're looking especially lovely today."

Rolling her eyes, Aerith informed him, "You're really good at putting on the charm, aren't you?"

And he just grinned, violet-blue eyes twinkling with mischief. But there was something in the back of his eyes, a darkness that dimmed the brilliance, and it had Aerith jerking in surprise.

Whatever showed on her face had Marlene taking the tray away from Zack. He looked at her in confusion, his brows furrowed, a question on his lips even as she told him, "I think you've worked long enough for today. And if you try to argue with me, I'll just sic Rayleigh on you."

Zack straightened up and accused, "Bully."

"Yep. Aerith, get him out of here." And the little girl aimed a finger at her before she could protest. "And don't give me any lip, flower girl. I might be young, but I'm fierce."

Before Aerith could make a huffy comment, Zack laughed and snatched her up, slinging her over his shoulder and heading for the door. "You heard the boss lady, darling," he said as he ignored her attempts to free herself. Though if truth be told, she wasn't really trying all that hard.

And she couldn't help but notice some of the sour looks aimed her way by the female clientele.

Proving he was a gentleman, he carefully put her back on her feet once they were outside. The merriment faded from his face the instant she was free, and he kind of folded onto the little landing just outside the door. Shocked by the tears glimmering in his glowing eyes, Aerith wrapped her arms around his neck and begged, "Please tell me what's wrong, Zack!"

In a broken voice he muttered, "We're losing him, Aerith. He won't speak, will barely eat. His eyes stare at nothing. He never really talked all that much, but his eyes always said what he was thinking. We used to have whole conversations without a word being spoken. He'd rub the back on his neck if he got embarrassed or confused, and had this habit of shuffling his feet if he was nervous. It was his body that conveyed what he felt. Now there's nothing, nothing at all. I waited too long!" The last comment came out as a wail.

Gently, Aerith urged him back onto his feet. "Come with me now, Zack."

Passively he allowed her to lead him to her flower shop. But instead of going inside, she took his hand and pulled him up the stairs to her own garden terrace. Seating him on a bench, she knelt in front of him and took his face in her hands. "Listen to me, Zack Fair," she said as she wiped his tears away. "I'm still trying to heal all the damage you did to your system when you blasted that wall. You have done everything possible to save Cloud and yourself. Now it's up to Cloud to decide what path to take. If he chooses to fade like the other SOLDIERs, it is through no fault of yours. If he chooses to live, to come back to the world with all its pain and pleasure, then he will need you to help him through. Can you be strong enough to let him decide?"

Nudging her hands away, he leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. "Will you tell me the truth, then? Will you tell me what you sense, feel when you work to heal him?" He nodded, more to himself than to her, when tears gathered in her eyes. "I thought so. You know how far he's descended. He won't respond to me anymore. He's gone so deep inside himself that nothing else really exists, does it?"

Aerith sat back on her heels and regarded him thoughtfully. "Though you are mostly right, I'm still getting glimmers of his personality, like little bursts of light in the darkness. It is possible to reach him, but I don't know if we're the ones that can bring him back. Dr. Rayleigh has suggested some professionals; maybe their expertise can break through."

Brows furrowed, Zack tilted his head to look at her in confusion - just like a small puppy would do if scolded. The reaction so tickled her that she laughed, gathered his hands in hers, and pressed her lips to his knuckles. "Oh, you charmer. You really know how to break down a woman's defenses, don't you?"

She wasn't prepared when he raised their joined hands and touched her cheek. "There have been no others since I met you, Aerith. When I opened my eyes after that tumble through the roof of the church and beheld my angel, no one else has ever appealed. And when I struggled in the darkness, tried and failed time and again to save my friends from madness, the thoughts of you were what kept me going. Just believing that I could see your smile again gave me the strength to carry on. Even when Cloud started to show the same signs as the others the despair didn't overwhelm me right away, because I still had the memories of you."

Aerith found herself clinging to Zack, arms wrapped tightly around him, face buried in his shoulder. "Oh, oh Zack!" she whispered, turning her head to press a kiss against his neck. When she felt him gently pushing her back, Aerith let him go to give him a puzzled look. "What is it?"

She could see he was trying to put something together in his head. The question he asked seemed to come out of the blue, but she could tell there was a reason he inquired. "You met Tifa before we started seeing each other, right?"

Wondering how that applied to this situation, she nonetheless nodded, "Oh yes. I've known Tifa nearly ten years."

Zack tapped his lip with one finger and asked, "I met her as well, didn't I? I distinctly remember her face. Even after everything that happened, she's not someone easy to forget."

"It was the parade your division participated in, not all that long before Sephiroth went insane. You were on the float in uniform with that half-helmet thingy," Aerith confirmed. "I didn't dare try to talk to you since Sephiroth was standing at the head of it."

The way he suddenly snapped his fingers had her jumping slightly. "That's IT!" he said excitedly. "I kept trying to place where I had seen her before but couldn't." Smiling with just a hint of his usual exuberance, he tapped her nose and reminded, "Cloud was also on the float with me. I pointed you out to him, and I remember him asking who was the woman beside you. You had described her well enough that I knew she was your friend Tifa."

And she said slowly, "And this is relevant because...?"

Lowering himself to sit beside her on the grass, he continued, "Because he bugged me about her at every opportunity for weeks, Aerith. I fixated on you to survive everything ShinRa did to us after Sephiroth went nuts." Grasping her arms firmly, he told her, "And now Cloud will only respond to Tifa. Can't you see? I think he latched onto Tifa just like I did to you - an ideal to hold onto in the darkness. If he did that, if he relied on her memory during those two years, then if anyone has a chance of pulling him out, it would be her." Hope was suddenly shining in his eyes again as he said, "She is his light. Just before he stopped talking altogether, he kept saying he wished he could see his light just one more time, that he could speak to her now, that he wasn't afraid to met her anymore."

His excitement was spreading through Aerith like morning sunlight chasing away the night. "He can be saved, Zack! He can be saved because he loves Tifa!"