Title: Please Get Better

Characters: Cloud/Tifa

Rating: Teen

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone/anything from the forum Final Fantasy. Square Soft/Enix owns Final Fantasy and its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended. I do not make any profit/money or take any credit.

Summary: Tifa is looking after Cloud during his Mako Poisoning stage.

Timeline: Set during FFVII game, in Mideel – the others are doing the missions of Runaway Train/Defending Fort Condor.

A/N: Inspired by a picture. One Shot.

Please Get Better

"Morning Cloud," Tifa greeted as she approached the young man in the wheelchair. Cloud's head lolled back, his blue eyes unseeing as he looked around the room. Tifa bit her bottom lip as her hope dashed a little bit more. He has been like this for a few days now, leaving her worried that he might never recover.

"Gah…" Cloud greeted in his mumbled voice, his head falling forward once more, his fingers moving restlessly against the wheels of the chair. Tifa just pasted on a bright smile, refusing to let Cloud see her hope failing. If he ever thought that she was beginning to lose hope, then he would lose hope and she didn't want that. She couldn't let it happen.

"Today is a beautiful day, despite the meteor in the sky. I thought you might like to go out and get some fresh air. It might do you some good," she told him as she picked up the blanket and wrapped it over his legs. "First you need breakfast." She adjusted the wheelchair so it was facing the bed and she sat down on the bed, placing the large plastic box next to her.

Opening it, she picked up a small container of porridge. She remembered Cloud telling her that he used to love his mother's porridge. During the time Cloud had gone to join SOLDIER, Tifa had spent time with Mrs. Strife, who taught her how to make all of Cloud's favourite food.

Tifa picked up the plastic spoon and peeled off the lid before shifting in closer to Cloud. She dipped the spoon into the tub, scooping up some of the porridge and held it to Cloud's lips.

Automatically, Cloud's lips parted, allowing Tifa to spoon him his breakfast. Sometimes his lips would close early, causing some of the meal to smear across his face. Tifa would always gain an amused smile on her face whenever this would happen.

"If you were in your right mind, you would be so embarrassed by this," she gently teased him, picking up the napkin to wipe his mouth clean. Looking down at the tub, she saw it was finished and placed it back into the box before picking up banana flavour yoghurt. The doctor had advised Tifa to feed him as much healthy stuff as possible. Due to the fact that he had Mako and Jenova cells in him, food would burn faster through him and there was a chance that he could slip even deeper into the coma like.

"I know you prefer the strawberry types but so does Yuffie and she does have a habit of getting there first," Tifa apologised as she opened the yoghurt. "But I swear, once you get better, I will buy you all the strawberry flavour there is. Although you might have a little competition with Marlene as that is her favourite flavour as well." She dipped a new spoon into the plastic container and lifted it to Cloud's mouth. He ate it without complaint and it was soon finished.

Sighing sadly, Tifa wiped the remains from Cloud's lips and place the napkin in the box before looking at Cloud once more. She wished that he would look at her with those bright blue eyes once more, that cocky yet guarded glint his eyes that made her feel secure.

"Oh Cloud," she cupped his cheek, stroking it with her thumb as she fought to keep her tears back before she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his other cheek. "Let's go out and see the sights." She packed the stuff away, stood up and rounded the wheelchair. Unlatching the brakes, she pushed Cloud out of the clinic and around the town, stopping to greet everyone who came over to talk to her and wish Cloud well. Even the dog, that Tifa had stopped to pet when she first arrived, had joined them in their walks.

Tifa was becoming attached to the dog and she had a feeling the dog was becoming attached to her. She wished that she could take it with them but she knew that their travels weren't a place for a dog, that she would have to wait until they have finished their mission…stopping Sephiroth and the Weapons.

Soon it was nearly night time. It was strange, since the Meteor appeared in the sky, the time and seasons had changed suddenly. Some places were even colder than usual, others were hotter. Some had days lasting longer while others had night time falling quickly.

Tifa reached the hill that she always brought Cloud to for their last stop before they made their way back to the clinic. Watching the sunset and the stars coming out always reminded her of that time she and Cloud sat under the water tower, watching the stars.

She had hoped that by doing this regularly, it would help Cloud to break out of his situation but so far, nothing had worked.

Tifa stopped the wheelchair, putting the breaks on. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, changing the sky from blue to a range of colours like pink, orange, purple and red. In the dark blue, stars were peeking out, shining brightly despite the dire future that lay ahead of them.

"Isn't it beautiful, Cloud?" Tifa asked as she gazed up at the sky.

"Gah," he mumbled, his head lolled to the side. Tifa looked down at him, her heart sinking. She didn't know how long her hope could hold out for. She knew that she wouldn't be able to keep it up forever, no matter how much she wished that she could. She needed to believe that Cloud would be coming back to her but each day, a little bit of that hope just dies.

Tears pricked Tifa's eyes as she rested her forehead against the back of Cloud's head, her eyes closing. She was losing him, she could feel it deep inside of him and she didn't know what to do. She couldn't believe how quick it had been. One moment he had been fine, the next he was possessed by Sephiroth and now he was comatose by the mako.

She needed him to get better, to have Cloud get into his cocky stance and tell her that everything would be alright. She only believed it then because Cloud was so sure of himself, so convinced that everything would be alright.

"Goo?" whispered Cloud in a questioning tone. He seemed to react to surroundings but never interacting with it.

"Let's go back and get some rest, Cloud. You need your sleep," Tifa whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of Cloud's head before reaching down to unlatch the brakes and pushed the wheelchair back to the clinic.

Upon reaching the clinic, the doctor and nurse greeted her with sad smiles before they helped her to get Cloud changed into scrubs and into bed. Once Cloud was settled, Tifa kicked off her boots and removed her gloves and elbow protector. Once she placed them on the spare bed, she sat down next to Cloud and curled up next to him, needing to be near him in her sleep.

Tifa shifted her head so she was looking up at him, his blue eyes gazing down at her, cloudy.

"Please, Cloud, you have to get better," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek and closing her eyes, falling into a restless sleep.

"Ti…fa?" whispered Cloud, as his blue eyes regained focused for a short moment, looking straight at her before they slipped back into unseeing once more, falling deep within himself as he also fell asleep.

Both of them unaware of the changes that would bring Cloud back to Tifa and strengthening the bonds between them once more.

The End

This goes on to meeting up with Tifa then the weapon showing up.

This was probably the most un-romantic story I have written about Cloud/Tifa (meaning Cloud isn't responding) but this part of the game/story broke my heart. I just wanted to hug Tifa and tell her that everything would be alright in the end because Cloud would always find a way back to her, no matter what.