Chapter 11

Sephiroth and Zack had been pushing their two chocobos to the limit in their efforts to get to the Ancient City. Zack had traded Zeus for a gold chocobo temporarily at the chocobo farm so they could cross the ocean, and they had raced the birds at top speeds the entire way across. Now they were close to Bone Village and the poor chocobos were so exhausted they refused to go any faster than a trot.

Sephiroth was annoyed, but figured it was wise to let to birds move at their own pace than to continue to try to push them so hard. If one of them collasped or hurt itself, they would be off even worse.

"Maybe we should rest soon, Sephiroth," Zack said, looking at Bone Village coming closer into view. "These chocobos are really tired. We pushed them too hard over the ocean."

It was only mid afternoon and Sephiroth didn't care to stop.

"The more time we waste, the worse for Tayeko and Aeris," Sephiroth said in a monotone voice. "My wife is pregnant. Her being out in the wilderness without my care and protection doesn't appease me at all."

Zack shrugged. "I know, I'm worried about Aeris too, but I'm afraid if the birds can't make it, it'll take us longer to reach them by foot then if we just stop now for a while."

Sephiroth didn't want to admit it, but he knew Zack was right. He was dissappointed in the chocobos. He looked down at his gold chocobo, who was hanging her head low, her eyes drooping. He frowned.

"We will rest in Bone Village until nightfall," Sephiroth said. "We will then pass through the Sleeping Forest into the Ancient City."

"Don't you have to have the Lunar Harp to get through that forest?" Zack asked.

Sephiroth shook his head. "I don't need it," he said. "Feeble minded people can easily be confused by the Sleeping Forest, but not I."

Zack stuck his tongue out at Sephiroth when the silver haired man turned his back.

They rode into Bone Village some time later, and both chocobos warked in joy when their wares dismounted them. Ignoring the stares of the excavators who were still digging, they walked to the rustic styled inn and rested their chocobos outside. They took time to feed the exhausted birds greens and brush their feathers, before both birds settled into the cold grass and fell asleep.

Sephiroth and Zack retreated into the inn. The people of Bone Village had recently built the inn to accommadate the growing number of travelers who were visiting to excavate or merely visit the terrain. Often Universities from Midgar and Junon would send classes to Bone Village for study, and the students needed a place to stay.

Sephiroth used his key to gain entry to their room, which was small with two twin beds. The walls and floorboards were made of a dark, rust colored wood, and there was a small end table seated between the beds, with a desk lamp and analog clock. The window of their room gave view to the Sleeping Forest.

Zack rushed into the room and claimed the bed on the left as his, animated by leaping onto it face first. Sephiroth shook his head at his former subordinate and went to the closet door to hang his trenchcoat and belt.

"I wonder if their disappearance has anything to do with Kaeori," Zack suddenly said.

Sephiroth stop undressing and looked at Zack, intrigued by this new information. "Who is that?"

Zack shrugged. "Some woman Aeris met on her way home. She said that she's a full blood Cetra."

Sephiroth stared. "Cetra?"

"That's right."

"This is all very confusing," Sephiroth said. "The Planet told me nothing about another Cetra. She said she couldn't communicate to Aeris and Tayeko, and they are the only ones."

"So what does this all mean?" Zack asked.

"It means we need to find them fast," Sephiroth answered, again regretful he had to stop to rest the chocobos. "We don't know who that woman is or what she may be doing."

"But why would she want to hurt fellow Cetra?" Zack asked.

"She may not be trying to hurt them," Sephritoh stated. "She may be planning to hurt someone else."

Zack remembered Kaeori's sarcastic comment about humans when she was at their apartment, and nodded.

When Sephiroth had stripped down to his pants and boots and had rested the Masamune against the wall, he sat on the other bed an lay back slowly. He stared up at the ceiling, almost picturing Tayeko's face as it she were right above him. He closed his eyes and exhaled.

Zack was scratching his head and looking at his hands. If he wasn't so stupid, he would have purposed to Aeris and maybe he wouldn't be feeling so guilty right now.

The only reason he had been putting it off for so long was because he didn't have a job. When Ryu came to him with the purposal of working for Ross, Zack was sure that with his first paycheck he would get Aeris her ring. But now, Aeris was gone. What if they couldn't find her? What if something terrible happened? What if this Kaeori person was really dangerous?

How would he forgive himself?

Sephiroth grunted and Zack looked at him. Sephiroth felt the stare and returned it.

"I hope they're alright."

Sephiroth nodded and returned his gaze to the ceiling. "I'm sure Rufus is very upset that I took a leave of absense," Sephiroth said.

"As is Ross," Zack agreed.

Sephiroth turned back to Zack. "Zack, allow me to ask you a question," he began. "Why did you refuse to return to SOLDIER? Why did you take a job with Ross? I've heard conversations about him on the base. Many say he's a threat to Shin-Ra."

Zack shook his head. "It's mainly because of Elmyra," Zack admitted. "I was going to reapply for SOLDIER when Elmyra overheard me telling Aeris about it. She went hysterical."

"Why?"

"She hates SOLDIER," Zack explained. "Her husband was in SOLDIER, and he was killed. He never came home, she said. She doesn't approve of Shin-Ra period, but she thinks SOLDIER is especially bad. She told me if I went back to SOLDIER, I could forget about being with Aeris, let alone living with them."

"What did Aeris say?" Sephiroth asked.

"She cried and complained, but this time Elmyra was very adamant about it," Zack told him. "She feels very strongly about SOLDIER. She wants her daughter to have no part of it."

"What a wench."

"No, its not like that," Zack said, trying to hold in laughter. "She's a sweet and loving woman, really. She's just very overprotective of Aeris, I'm sure you know why. She doesn't want her to be hurt, physcially or otherwise."

Sephiroth nodded. "Its a pity, though," he said. "You were one of our best SOLDIERs. I enjoyed working with you, Zack. Every day I regret what I did to you in Nibelhiem."

Zack waved a hand in the air. "That is all in the past," he said. "We have to move foward now."

"What if something happens between Ross and Shin-Ra?" Sephiroth suddenly asked, changing the subject. "Its bound to eventually. What will you do then?"

Zack shrugged. "I dunno. Who knows, I might not even have a job after I went AWOL like this."

Sephiroth gave Zack a slight smirk. "Well, if you can ever get around Aeris' mother, let it be known that there is always a position open for you in my army."

Zack nodded and mock saluted. "Thanks, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth merely rolled onto his side, facing away from Zack. "Let us make like our chocobos for a while," the General said, and then was silent.

Zack stretched and lay on his back, closing his eyes. They would rest and they make their way to save their women.

Zack breathed heavily. A dark feeling was nagging him. What if it was too late?

"Watch it!"

Red grabbed Cait Sith by his cape with his teeth before the clumsy toy could fall into an unnoticed crevice where they walked in the crator. The moogle noticed and lept back away from what would surely would have been his end.

Red dropped Cait on the ground. "You have to watch where you're going," he said.

Cid blew a wave of smoke into the air. "You should've let his dumb ass fall, Red," he said. "Reeve would have just made a new one."

Cait made an obscene hand gesture with his gloved paw and aimed it at Cid. The pilot's eyes went wide.

"Why you little son of a-"

"Stop it!" Tifa cried from the front of the group, whirling around and tossing annoyed ruby eyes on Cid and Cait. "We don't have time to behave so foolishly. We'll be there soon, guys. Let's get this over with."

"Tifa is right," Nekura said, running to catch up with her human companion. "We've wasted enough time. Cloud depends on us."

Red nodded and pawed forward towards his mate. Cid fumed as Cait giggled and bounced on.

They had been hiking through the crator for nearly quite some time, battling through monsters whose attacks seemed to have gotten worse from the last time they were there. The terrain was also rougher then they remembered, with a lot of cracks and crevices where one, like Cait nearly had, could easily fall to their death.

After battling a Master Tornberry, Tifa and her group finally came upon the crystalline mako cave where Sephiroth had once been encased, and where the weapons were somewhere hidden. Tifa was more determined than ever to accomplish her mission. She walked faster and with more purpose now.

The others jogged to keep up with her maddening pace. Cid tossed his cigarette butt to the ground.

"Well, this is it, right?" He asked. "This is where the Zyba should be."

Red nodded as Tifa rounded a corner. "I beileve we are approaching the final cavern."

They heard Tifa gasp and the two beasts ran ahead to see what startled her. Cid cursed and ran as well, and Cait's moogle bounced around the corner.

They found the object of Tifa's shock and stopped in their tracks, wide eyed.

"What the fuck is that?" Cid was the first to speak.

They stood before the blue cavern that encased the flow of Zyba. On the left end it was a huge black peice of machinary none of them had ever seen the likes of before. It was a long generator type contraption that was at least fifteen feet in length and another ten in diameter. A long, thick tube ran out of the generator and was inserted in a hole in the cavern. On the opposite end, hundreds of tiny wires bound by twine ran out of the generator and followed the next corner that exited the cavern. No one was sure where they led to.

Red carefully approached the machine and inspected it. The generator was humming loudly, and the tube that was attached to the cavern was swaying back and forth.

"It appears to be pumping Zyba," he said finally. Nekura ran to follow the trail of wires and peered around the corner.

"I suspect they lead out of the Crator," she told them.

"Who would do such a thing?" Tifa asked. "And for what purpose?"

Red was still inspecting the equipment carefully. He finally stopped and dropped his nose to metal plate on the lower right corner of the generator.

"Ross," he said in a grave voice.

"What?" Cid hollared. "That fucking asshole!"

Tifa frowned at Cid's profanity and walked over to where Red sat on his haunches. She knelt down beside him and read the inscription.

"Ross Energy Corp. MMCCXXIIVI," she said aloud. She shook her head and stood again.

"This must be how Ross gets their energy," She said.

Nekura's ears went up. "That's why he started in Icicle Inn," she realized aloud.

"But how can this small cavern produce enough Zyba to provide energy to all the towns he's taking over?" Cait asked in wonder.

Red shook his head. "The Planet must constantly produce new Zyba whenever some is removed, just as it does with Mako," he theoried.

"But Mako can be pumped out of the planet anywhere," Tifa said. "Zyba is only produced here. How does he transport it?"

Nekure tossed her nose in the direction of the bound wires. "Those wires undoublty lead out of the Crator," she said again. "They probably take the Zyba to Icicle Inn, and then from there to wherever else it's needed."

Cid reached for his PHS. "I'm calling Reeve this right this goddamned instant," he said.

"No, not yet," Tifa argued. "We're not here to worry about Ross and how he steals his Zyba. We're here to save Cloud's life. Let's hurry and take what we need and get out of here quickly. We can tell Reeve as soon as we're on safe ground."

Cid wanted to argue the logic in that but found he couldn't. He slapped the PHS shut and turned back to Tifa.

"Let's hurry," Cait said. "This place makes me nervous."

Everyone looked at him strangely but said nothing. Tifa went into her pack and pulled out a ten inch needle that was attached to a small plastic IV bag.

"Here goes," she said.

She walked up to the cavern and pressed a hand to it. The surface felt gelatin like, as if she could easily push her hand through. At least that would make it easier for her to remove the Zyba. She gently inserted the long needle into its surface and watched it pentrate till it would go no futher. She then squeezed the bag for suction, and watched as it slowly filled with glowing blue liquid.

The others were restlessly waiting to leave, but the Zyba was a thick, heavy substance, and it took several minutes to fill the bag. Tifa was absently staring into the blueness of the cavern as she pumped the liqiud, when suddenly she was staring into a yellow eye that was as large as her head.

"What..."

The bag was full and Tifa snatched it out of the cavern and stepped back. They eye blinked, and there was a rumble.

Cid touched his stomach. "We gotta go, I'm starving."

Tifa backed away from the cavern in fear. "I don't think that was your stomach, Cid...."

Two other pairs of haunting eyes opened within the Cavern, and the others saw what she was talking about.

"That is WEAPON!" Red announced, alarmed. "We must leave this place!"

One of the WEAPONs roared within the cavern and the entire cave began to shake violently. Tifa stumbled to keep her footing. She took the time to tuck the Zyba back into her pouch.

"Run!" she cried.

They all turned on their heels and ran back the way they came. The earth was still shaking around them. Twice Tifa crashed to the ground, and Cid slid right onto his rear end when it seemed the world suddenly jerked backwards. Cait was bouncing ahead of them, trying to avoid falling, and Red and Nekura were fairing the best on their feet. They were running far ahead of the group when they realized their human comrades couldn't keep up, and they finally slowed down.

They heard a terrifying roar in the air as they drew closer to the entrance of the Crator. The Highwind wasn't far, and Cid began to scream into his PHS.

"Get it as low as you can and drop the fucking ladder! I ain't dying out here!"

The tech screamed in response. "A monster just burst out to the crator, sir!"

"I KNOW THAT!" Cid yelled back to him. "GET US OUT OF HERE!"

Another roar joined the first as the group emerged from the crator and ran uphill to get to the Highwind. As the techs lowered the ladder, Tifa looked up and saw a WEAPON burst out of the crator. She screamed in terror.

These WEAPONS looked more horrifying than the last. The one that just broke free looked like a mechanical dragon with talons as long as a small building. It joined the other two, one that looked like a demon straight from hell, with blood red coloring and a devilish face. The second was a orange and yellow color with a lizard face and a long tail that had sharp protrusions everywhere on it. She looked up at the three monsters and was frozen in fear.

"C'mon, Tifa!" Cid screamed.

Red and Nekura had already made it to the deck and Nekura was pulling Cait's luggish form aboard with her teeth. Cid was almost at the top and urged Tifa to hurry.

Tifa forced herself to look away from the monstrosities in the sky and continued to ascend the ladder. She reached the top and Cid helped her to the deck.

The pilot ran and grabbed the radio. "GET US THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" he screamed.

His crew wasted no time. Almost immediately the Highwind took off into the sky at full speed. The dragonish WEAPON saw this and reached out a claw to swipe at it, but missed. It screamed in anger.

Tifa fell on her rear end, sure that the WEAPONS claw would tear right through the deck. She sighed in relief as the Highwind pushed farther and farther away from the demons that had emerged from the earth.

Cid announced the deck still wasn't safe and urged everyone to retreat inside the Highwind. They met on the bridge.

"Three new WEAPONS have been unleashed," Red said in a low voice. "The planet is again at danger."

"Where will they attack?" Nekura asked.

"I cannot be sure," Red told her.

Tifa leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths. "Did they wake because I was taking the Zyba?" she asked.

Red shrugged. "It is possible," he said. "But it was only a matter of time. Ross was sucking Zyba out of there for who knows how long."

Cid quickly lit a cigarette and sighed. "I should've know that was going to happen," he said. "I don't want to have to fight another one of those damn things."

"And they look more evil than the last time," Tifa said, shuddering. "How will we fight them?"

"They do look formidable," Nekura agreed.

"NOW I'm calling Reeve," Cid said, reaching for his PHS.

Tifa didn't stop him. She slid to the floor and gathered her knees to her chest. She hoped Cloud would recover when they gave him the Zyba.

They needed him now more than ever.

Rufus and Kat had ended up staying out very late that night, much to the dismay of Tseng. He was forced to tag along as they visited night club after night club, both of them having too much too drink. The Turk sat uncomfortably in the front of the car and tried ignoring the laughter and kissing sounds coming from the backseat. The driver looked at him sympathetically.

"I'm used to it," he said. "I've taken them out together almost every night for weeks now. All they do is party and enjoy Midgar's nightlife."

Tseng shrugged and turned to look out the window. It was already nearly two a.m. He still hadn't heard from Elena and now he was really worried. He expressed his concern to Rufus but the President waved him off.

"Elena is a TURK, if I am not mistaken," he'd said. "She is PAID to take care of herself. I you think she can't, then maybe we have a problem."

Tseng didn't like that logic. "She's supposed to inform of us her whereabouts at all times," he said. "She's supposed to report to me how she is coming along with her mission. She didn't call in two days."

Rufus had sighed. "Maybe she went AWOL."

Tseng wasn't appeased at all. None of his Turks had ever gone AWOL, doing so was a crime punishable by death. Besides, why would Elena do such a thing? They had been dating for several months now and things were fine. She wouldn't run off without telling him. Tseng watched as they pulled up in front of the apartment building for top Shin-Ra employees that was seated behind the R&R Shin-Ra building. Reeve, Scarlet, the Turks, and some other high paid employees lived there as well, but Rufus had the entire top floor as his pent house. He decided that if Rufus didn't soon do something about Elena's disappearance, he would go AWOL himself and find her.

They got out of the vehicle, Kat giggling and stumbling from too many Martinis. Rufus had quite a few as well, and was laughing as he tried to help her stand. Tseng stood waiting for them to compose themselves with a dull face.

Rufus kissed Kat passionately and then grabbed her arm. "Let's go upstairs," he said, and Tseng caught a whiff of the liquor on his breath. He escorted them inside the building and to the elevator.

Tseng was surprised to see a Hundred Gunner patroling the elevator. After Rufus and Reeve had re-formed the company, most of the security robots in the building had been discontinued because Reeve felt it added to the threatening image of the old Shin-Ra, which they were now trying to get rid of.

"Mr. President, what is the Hundred Gunner doing here?" he asked.

Rufus stopped tickling Kat to answer him. "I've had to beef up the security everywhere," he said. "I am taking no risks with Ross and his foolish plans."

Tseng nodded and stared at the Hundred Gunner.

The elevator finally stopped on Rufus's floor and let them out right in his lavish living room. The President had an infatuation with the color white, which Tseng found ironic, as Rufus was anything but innocent or pure. The living room had white carpets and white leather couches, and red oakwood furniture. They stood on a small plastic mat in front of the elevator.

"Take your shoes off," Rufus said. He slipped out of his boots and kicked them to the side. A servant came in from another room and retreived them.

Kat took her shoes off and the servant took them as well. Tseng wasn't going to take his shoes off, and Rufus knew he wouldn't, so there were no objections when the Turk stepped on the carpet still wearing his boots.

"Mindy, how is Jewel?" Rufus asked the servant, a pretty, young, blonde haired girl wearing a blue and red Shin-Ra uniform. She nodded.

"Oh, she's been sleeping fine, for a couple hours," the girl told him. He winked at her and she scurried off.

Tseng nodded. "May I be dismissed, Mr. President?" he asked. "I believe my duty here is complete."

"Just a second," he said. "You've never seen Jewel, have you? Let me show you her before you leave." he took Kat's hand and led her toward the back of the penthouse.

Tseng wanted to leave but didn't mind to see the baby. He followed them to Rufus' bedroom.

Any other person would have seen Rufus's bedroom and been shocked, but both Tseng and Kat were used to the extravagance the President used in nearly every venture of life. Like the living room, the huge room was carpeted white. He had a king sized bed with white satin sheets and at least eight pillows. There was a desk complete with computer, phone, fax machine, and stacks of paperwork. A huge flat screen television hung from the wall. He had a picture window instead of regular windows, long windows that reached nearly ceiling to floor, with one of them opened. There was even a fireplace in the room.

Besides Rufus' bed sat a large crib. He walked over to it, smiling proudly.

"How's my little angel -"

He fell silent.

Rufus turned to the others with a confused look on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.

"What is it, Rufie-pie?" Kat asked.

Rufus peered back into the crib, blinked, and turned back to them.

"She's not there," he said slowly.

"What?" Kat cried. "Where is she?"

Tseng watched as the President ran to the doorway and screamed for Mindy. The servant came running.

"What is it, Mr. President?" she asked.

"Where is my daughter?" He asked in a serious voice.

Mindy appeared confused. She walked to the crib and looked in it.

"S,s-she was here," she stuttered.

"SHE'S NOT HERE NOW!" Rufus screamed.

Mindy looked back and forth between Rufus and Tseng. In a flash, Rufus grabbed Mindy by her neck and began shaking her.

"Where is she?" he demanded. "You were supposed to be watching her!"

Mindy tried to choke out a response.

"Let go of her, Rufus!" Kat pleaded.

Tseng took a step foward. "Release her, sir. At least let her have a chance to speak."

Rufus glared at them both. He released Mindy with such force the poor girl crashed to the floor.

Mindy began to sob. "I put her to sleep around nine o'clock," she stammered. "I checked on her less than an hour ago. She was there, sleeping peacefully!"

Rufus stared at her. "That doesn't explain why she's missing," he said. He pulled his shotgun out of his coat. "Maybe this will get you to talk!"

Mindy whimpered on the floor.

"Put that away," Tseng said, holding his hand up in front of Rufus. He turned to Mindy. "Did you leave the window open like that?"

Tears fell down Mindy's cheeks as she shook her head. "No. The President hates for the hot air from outside to come into his room. I have the central air on."

Tseng looked at Rufus and then at the open window. "Someone came in here and took her," he said.

Rufus made a solemn face. "Ross," he said. Kat touched his shoulder.

He turned to Mindy, who was trembling on the floor. "Go home, Mindy," he said. "Pick yourself up off my floor and go home."

Mindy scrambled to her feet. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pres-"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

Mindy ran out of the room in fright. Rufus ran his hand down his face and sighed. He said on the edge of his bed, still holding the shotgun in one hand. Kat sat beside him, as Dark NAtion pawed into the room from elsewhere.

"How could they get into this room from outside?" Kat wondered aloud. "This is the top floor!"

"They could have been flying," Tseng pointed out.

Rufus shook his head. "Ross is a dead man now, for sure," he said.

"You'd better call Tifa and let her know," Tseng said.

Rufus looked down, not anticipating doing that at all.

Tifa and the others met up with Barret, Yuffie and Striker at the Midgar General Hospital. Tifa wanted to waste no time testing the cure on Cloud. She prayed with all her might that it would work.

She called Dr. Richardson and although the man was sleeping, Tifa didn't have to demand that he meet her immediately at the hospital. Dr. Richardson was eager to help Cloud and told Tifa he would be there as fast as his Shin-Ra Marvel sedan would take him.

Tifa was pacing the waiting room with the bag of Zyba in hand.

"Too many bad things been happening," Barret said, shaking his fist. "With all the trouble Ross is making, Aeris and Tayeko missing - and if Cloud doesn't get better..."

"Lets not forget the disturbances in the lifestream," Red mentioned.

"Or the abnormal heat," Nekura added.

Tifa breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Dr. Richardson enter the hospital. He caught her gaze and ran up to her.

"You are truly an amazing woman, Tifa," he said, smiling. "It took you only a matter of days to find it."

Tifa held the bag of Zyba up in front of him. "It wasn't easy."

Dr. Richardson nodded at her companions before he took her hand and began to lead her towards the elevator. "Let us hurry," he said. "We musn't waste another second."

Tifa nodded and turned to her friends. They looked back at her with hopeful expressions.

"Don't let that spikey headed fool die on me!" Barret shouted.

Tifa afforded him a smiled before she continued with Dr. Richardson to Cloud's room.

They entered his room and Tifa nearly began to cry as she watched Cloud, who seemed paler and thinner than he had before, lay quietly on his gurney. His chest rose and fell with slight movements as he breathed.

Dr. Richardson threw on his labcoat, which he had held slung around his arm, and took the bag of Zyba. He went into his briefcase and removed a hypodermic needle.

Tifa watched as Richardson made his preparations. He swabed Cloud's arm with alcohol and and cleaned the needle. He then removed the thicker needle Tifa'd used to extract the Zyba from the cave and attached the hypo to the plastic bag of Zyba. He gave it a test pump. The blue liquid oozed out slowly.

Richardson wiped the needle down again and concentrated. He peirced Cloud's skin.

Tifa watched, biting her nails. For a long time Richardson pumped the entire bag of Zyba into Cloud's arm. The substance moved slower than molasses. Tifa waited for Cloud to react, to give some sort of response. He did nothing, even when Richardson had emptied the bag.

Richardson carefully withdrew the needle from Cloud's arm and dumped the bag in the trash can. He looked at Tifa.

"At this point, I cannot be sure of what will happen," he said. "We simply have to wait."

Tifa nodded and walked closer to Cloud. She placed a hand over his heart and leaned in to kiss his forehead.

Richardson wanted to warn Tifa not to crowd around Cloud, because he could have a knee jerk reaction at any moment. He was too late, though. Suddenly, Cloud jerked upward and wrapped his arms tightly around Tifa's neck.

Richardson ran and tried to force Cloud down. Tifa struggled to get out of his grip.

She broke free and backed away from the gurney as Richardson tried to control him. He thrashed wildly in his confines, whipping his arms around in all directions and knocking things of his bedside table, kicking his feet out roughly into the air at an invisible target.

Tifa covered her mouth. "What's happening to him?"

"He's going into convulsions!" Richardson cried in response. "Call a nurse!"

Tifa did just that. Before the nurse could get in the room, Cloud had a sudden burst of strength. He pushed Richardson away violently and tried to leap from the gurney. His legs were weak, however, and he crashed to the floor before he could fully get to his feet. He began to scream unintelligable words and beat the floor with his fists. Richardson and the nurse tried to grab him and get him back on to the bed. He suddenly vomitted across both their shoes.

"Give him a tranquilizer!" the nurse cried, disgusted. She reached into her pocket.

"No!" Richardson stopped her. "We don't know what it could do to him! We have to let him ride this out!"

"Cloud!" Tifa cried. "Cloud, can you hear me?"

Richardson was trying to get Cloud stable on his feet, but the former mercenary had his own agenda. His seizure seemed to get worse as he whipped and twisted his body around in all directions, spittle running down his chin.

His head snapped up and he looked at Tifa. His make eyes were glowing brightly.

"Ti..."

Tifa clasped her hands together. "Yes, its me, Tifa!"

Cloud stopped thrashing and let Dr. Richarson help him stand. He leaned against the gurney for support, never taking his eyes off Tifa."

"Ti..." he slurred.

Tifa ran to him and embraced him. "Be strong, Cloud! Do you know what I did to save you! You can't die on me, you can't die on us!"

Cloud's eyes started to roll back in his head.

"No!" Tifa screamed. Not knowing what else to do, she kissed him with all the passion and love in her being.

Richardson and the nurse watched uncomfortably as Tifa kissed Cloud, who was pale, sweating, and covered with his own vomit from the attack he'd had just moments ago. When she released him. Cloud's pupils weren't as dialated, and his breathing had calmed. He looked at Tifa with recognition in his eyes.

"Where am I...?" he suddenly asked.

As if by some miracle, Cloud stood on his own feet without Richardson's support. He looked at the gray haired man in confusion.

Tifa's eyes filled with tears of joy.

"You'd better get back in the bed," Richardson said, smiling. So his theory was correct.

"Is he alright, Doctor?" the nurse asked.

"I beileve he will be, Nurse Joan," Richardson said. "Go fetch him something to eat."

Nurse Joan nodded and scurried out of the room.

Cloud shook his head out and allowed Richardson to help him ease back into bed. As soon as he was settled, Tifa threw herself onto him and embraced him.

"I was so worried!" She cried. "We thought you were gonna die for sure!

"What happened?" Cloud asked, scratching his head.

Richardson was preparing to take a blood sample from Cloud. "You had a mako poisoning attack," he explained. "You would have died, if it wasn't for your wife."

Cloud looked at Tifa with wide eyes.

Richardson smiled down at the couple. "I told Tifa there was an element that could be used to possibly cure mako poisoning. However, I never proved that theory. I told her that. I told her the only place to get this element was in the Northern Crator.

Cloud opened his mouth, but couldn't find words.

"Tifa went to the Northern Crator and found the 'Zyba', as its called, in a matter of days. I injected it with you and you went into convulsions. That brings us to this moment."

Cloud looked down at the stains on his hospital gown. "Does that mean I'm cured?"

Dr. Richardson frowned. "I cannot be sure," he said truthfully. "I don't know how long this will last. There hasn't been enough research done on Mako poisoning, and I am the only doctor who cared to research the theory of Zyba being used as a cure."

Tifa and Cloud didn't look to happy by this.

"What if I have another attack?" Cloud asked carefully.

Richardson attempted to give him a smiled.

"Hopefully I will be living," he said. "You can come and see me."

Cloud and Tifa allowed themselves to smile as the nurse returned with a tray of food.

"Those people in the waiting room are eager to see him," she said.

Tifa took the tray from her and set it down in front of Cloud. "It's Barret, Striker, Yuffie, Cid, Cait, Red, and Nekura. We were all worried."

Cloud looked at Richardson as he slowly began to eat his foot. "Can I have some visitors?"

Richardson frowned but then finally agreed. "Fine, but not for too long. I want you to get adequate rest so the Zyba can finish doing its job. We wouldn't want you having a relapse."

A few moments later, Barret, Yuffie, Striker, Cid, Cait, and Red and Nekura crowded into Cloud's hospital room. He smiled weakly as they filed in one by one.

"You had us real worried, ya little knucklehead," Barret said. "I woulda killed you if you left us and especially Teef without you."

Cloud chuckled. "I have to thank you for going out of your way to save me," he said. "It means alot to me."

"Think nothing of it," Red said. "You would have done the same for any of us."

"Yeah, Tifa woulda killed us anyway if we dared say we weren't going," Cait said with a grin.

Tifa blushed.

"Yeah," Cid added. "I just can't believe that shit we released the WEAPONS for really worked. That doctor's got his head on right, that's for sure."

"WEAPONS?" Cloud sat up straight. "Relax," Tifa said, easing Cloud back against his pillow.

"You didn't hear yet?" Yuffie chimed in. "They released three new WEAPONS when they took the Zyba out of the Northern Crator!"

Tifa frowned at her.

"Geez, guys, you shoulda just let me die," Cloud said almost seriously. "Now we've got to get out and stop them."

"It's not our fault," Nekura informed him. "Ross has been stealing Zyba for months."

Cloud got wide eyed. "What?"

"That's right," Red began. "That's what he's using as energy."

"That little muthafucka has got it coming to him," Barret cursed. "Upsetting WEAPON. I'ma bust him up real good!"

"Where are the WEAPONS headed?" Striker asked.

Tifa shrugged. "Most likely Midgar or Junon."

Cloud tried to sit up again. "We've got to stop them," he said. "We've got to stop Ross."

"You can't!" Tifa insisted. "You heard what the doctor said. You don't want a relaspe."

Cloud scowled but allowed Tifa to gently push him back against his pillow. "I'll be ready to get out of here by tommorrow," he predicted.

"Those aren't the only problems we've got," Striker spoke. "Aeris and Tayeko are missing, and Sephiroth and Zack went AWOL trying to find them."

Tifa nodded. "I haven't heard from them since we left for the crator. I wanted to bring Aeris and Tayeko along, but they weren't home and we found Sephiroth going nuts looking for Tayeko."

Cloud shook his head. "Something bothers me about this whole thing..."

He was interrupted by the chirp of Tifa's PHS. She looked down at it.

"Ugh, it's Rufus," she said. "I left Jewel with him. He's probably wondering when I'm coming back. I'd better take this."

Cloud rolled his eyes as Tifa answered her phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Tifa," Rufus said in a dull voice. "Sorry to be calling so late."

"Yeah, I know, I just got back to Midgar a few hours ago, right now I'm at the hospital with Cloud. I'll be by to take Jewel off your hands in a few."

Rufus swallowed and shook his head. "Listen, Tifa, about Jewel..."

Tifa rose an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"She... she's gone."

Tifa blinked. "What? What do you mean, gone?"

Rufus' voice caught in his throat. "She's gone... I beileve she's been kidnapped... possibly by Ross."

"WHAT?!?!"

"When I came home, my bedroom window was wide open, and she wasn't in her crib..."

"How can this happen?" Tifa cried in a shrill voice. "Who was watching her?!"

"My servant, but she put her to sleep because it was late. I'm sorry, Tifa. We'll find her - "

Tifa cried out loud and dropped the PHS. She fell to her knees and began sobbing.

"Tifa!" Cloud exclaimed. "What happened?!"

The others watched Tifa with worry as she slowly lifted her head.

"Things just got worse... a lot worse...."