By Kristen Williams

As soon as the car pulled up to the entrance of the ASRIO base, medics ran forth and pulled Tseng from the car. Dr. Arlin followed them down to the infirmary, desperate to save Tseng’s life. Another medic opened the passenger door of the car and extended his hand toward Tifa knowing that she too was injured and needed to be led down for treatment. "Mrs. Valentine?"

She completely ignored his words and continued to stare forward. Her mind was being torn apart with guilt for having told Chaos the news that caused him to flee. If she hadn’t done that, her husband would still be alive.

Growing more concerned, he leaned down. "Mrs. Valentine, are you okay?"

"No…" Tifa replied tearfully, dropping her gaze to the dashboard before her.

"Come on, let’s get you into the infirmary so we can take care of that gunshot wound." He said, moving to pick her up from her seat. "There is a helicopter coming in and they’ll need to move this car."

Tifa didn’t protest as she was scooped from the car and up into the medic’s muscular arms. She closed her eyes and laid her head against his chest, praying against all hope that this was all a dream and that Vincent was all right.

Once in the infirmary, the medic placed her upon a bed. She couldn’t help but notice that Tseng was no where to be seen. "Where’d they take him?"

"I would guess that they’ve gone into the surgical suite." He said as he pulled over a tray covered in assorted instruments. "From the report I heard the doctor give over the radio, it sounds like she was really worried about internal bleeding."

Slowly Tifa nodded, her whole body seeming to go numb in her shock. She could feel the color drain from her skin and her ears began to ring.

The medic noticed the change in her composure and knew that he was looking upon someone about to pass out. Quickly he guided her to lay down flat, hoping to prevent her from losing consciousness. "Mrs. Valentine, I’m going to start an I.V. line so I can get some fluids into you along with some pain medication."

A tingling sensation ran through her entire body as she fought the encroaching darkness. The medic thought that she was slipping into shock due to the injury in her leg but it was honestly due to her emotional distress.

While her world continued to spin, Tifa didn’t feel anything as the man quickly got an I.V. in her arm. As fluids were driven into her vein, her blood pressure began to stabilize after several minutes, and the fainting feeling began to abate.

Seeing that his patient was responding, the medic got to the task of cleaning up her wound. "Are you feeling a little better?"

Tifa sighed, trying to ward off the headache that was now setting in. "Not really."

At that moment, the doors to the infirmary flew open and Reno rushed in with Vincent in his arms. Angel was right behind him and ordered him to lay her father down upon a vacant bed. Angel retrieved several items from a drawer and flew back to his side, starting work immediately.

Tifa couldn’t bear to look, already believing Vincent gone. "I don’t want to see this…"

The medic frowned and realized that Angel’s patient was by far more critical and that he should help her. "Mrs. Valentine, I need to go assist Angel for a moment."

She didn’t respond, just turning to face the wall.

Once the medic came over to aid Angel, Reno knew he would just be in the way. He meandered over to where Tifa lay crying. For a rare change, he didn’t greet her in some sarcastic or sexual manner. He simply pulled up and chair and sat at her side. "Hey Tifa, how you doing?"

She flashed him the most pathetic expression he had ever witnessed. "What’s Angel doing to him if he’s dead?"

Reno suddenly realized that Tifa had no knowledge of what he and Angel had discovered on the chopper. He moved closer to her and took up one of Tifa’s hands. "She’s keeping him alive."

Tifa knit her brow, not quiet understanding. "What?"

"We were wrong." Reno tightened his grip on her hand. "Apparently, his body is built with some sort of emergency mode which made it look like he’d croaked when he hadn’t."

"Oh dear God!" She sat bolt upright and turned to see Vincent. He was still a ghastly shade and his eyes were closed but he was silently mouthing something. Tifa glanced over at Reno. "Please get me over there!"

He shrugged and got up, grabbing her I.V. pole and allowing her to hang on him for support. Slowly they transversed the room until they were at Vincent’s bedside, opposite to where Angel and the medic stood. Tifa let go of Reno and leaned over Vincent, placing her hands on either side of his face. This close, Tifa could finally make out what he was trying to say.

"Where’s Tifa?" He kept gasping, still keeping his eyes shut.

She smiled and felt tears start anew. "Vincent, I’m right here…"

Weakly, his eyes fluttered open momentarily. "Please don’t leave… help me."

"I won’t, I swear." She whispered to him. "Angel is doing everything she can right now for you."

Angel in the meantime was starting to realize that there was only so much she could do. Her medical skills only really applied to the part of his body that was still human. She needed someone else here who know more about cybernetics. In her frustration, she looked across the bed at Reno. "Go get Quigley and Porter from the lab, hurry!"