I know what you mean; school is so dumb for me this year. Senior year is totally overrated.
That's great! Hope things work out better for you than my relationship did. xD I've had a lot going on lately, and none of it too terrific. =/...
[Well guys, it's been fun writing this even though this didn't get many reviews or readers. Writing is just such a good way to release stress. :) Hope you guys enjoyed the story; here's the epilogue.] Epilogue 2 years later... The sound of rushing water abruptly ended when the kitchen faucet was turned off. The dishes were finally done, thank goodness. The business at 7th Heaven hadn’t diminished in the past few years, and customers were never happy when things weren’t perfect. They didn’t understand just how much work it was to run a store, considering most of them were the lower-working class. Tifa Lockhart sighed softly as she put the last glass away. It was already closing time; 9 PM. It seemed like an early time, but it was a Saturday night, and every Sunday morning Tifa and Cloud went to Aerith’s church. Most of the time they just sat there to get away from it all. On rare occasions, they even heard Aerith speak. Or Zack, in Cloud’s case. No matter what the case was, going to the church was always a breath of fresh air. Quite literally, it was a breath of fresh air. The light reflected off Tifa’s ring and she stopped what she was doing, taking a moment to stare at the diamond ring on her left hand. A smile appeared on her face as she recollected what had happened just a year ago at a new park in Edge. “Tifa?†“Mm?†She turned to look at Cloud, who was sitting on a bright red bench beside her. He looked as if he felt awkward, which was a bit strange for the always-confident man. “....†“Cloud?†“.....†“What is it?†“....†“Are you going to say anything at all?†“............†“Whatever it is, you can say it.†“It’s just, I, um.....†“Yes, Cloud?†Tifa responded, sounding patient but ready to explode inside. While Tifa was distracted, Cloud moved down in front of her, kneeling on one knee. A black box was in his hand as well, and inside... “Will you marry me?†Tifa giggled at the memory, the figment of her imagination disappearing as she gazed at her ring again. That had been her reaction to the question as well. She had nearly given Cloud a heart attack; he had thought she was laughing at him, as if it were a ridiculous request. However, she was really laughing because of his adorable puppy face at that moment. But as soon as Tifa noticed the distress, she kissed him and answered with a “yesâ€. They were married two months later. Not taking her eyes off her ring, Tifa set her left hand on her enlarged stomach. At that moment, her expected child kicked her. The kick was nothing compared to what she’d felt when fighting crime, but it did take her breath away. She lost her breath partially because of the shock of being kicked from inside yourself and because of the awe she felt. Pretty soon, I’ll get to see you face to face, she thought giddily, her smile widening at the fact. It had been eight and half months since she had found out about her baby, so he was expected to come pretty soon. Tifa and Cloud had no idea if it was a she or a he, but they agreed just to refer to the baby as a “he†instead of an “itâ€. A more powerful kick impacted Tifa, actually causing her to gasp audibly. No, that wasn’t a kick, it was much worse than that...she set a hand on the bar counter, trying to steady herself. Ultimately, though, she couldn’t keep her balance. She groaned, falling to her knees. A loud thud reverberated throughout the large room from the landing. Is it happening...? she wondered, clenching her hand into a fist. This pain.... A child ran in front of her, pulling her away from her thoughts. Marlene’s blurry figure cleared up as Tifa blinked a few times. The pain was so evident in Tifa’s eyes that it sent Marlene running. “Cloud! Cloud!†the seven year old screamed, running toward the stairs. Denzel suddenly appeared in Tifa’s line of vision. In fact, he was close enough that Tifa could reach out and touch him. He had grown up in the past few years, and although he had grown in height, his cute eyes didn’t change at all. “You alright?!†he asked in concern, kneeling down in front of the pained young woman. Tifa didn’t have the words to answer, so her eyes did the talking. No. No, she was not alright. Tifa groaned again, pain clouding her senses. Without thought, she reached out and grabbed Denzel’s hand, holding on tightly. The boy protested against the pain, trying to get across that Tifa was grabbing too tightly but failing. Tifa held on tightly, her brown eyes fuzzy as she tried to focus on the ground. Whatever was going on was not a good experience. The pain stopped as abruptly as it had started, and Tifa fought to regain her senses before it happened again. “Huh? Tifa!†The brown haired woman instinctively released Denzel’s hand at the voice. Cloud. She looked up and immediately caught onto Cloud’s bright blue eyes. They shone brightly with concern, even more than Cloud’s body language itself screamed his worry. “She nearly broke my hand!†Denzel cried out without thought, staring at his red, throbbing hand. “Never hold the hand of a pregnant woman, Denzel.†Yuffie came out of the shadows of another room and entered the main area, a smirk on her face. “Yuffie! This is serious!†Cloud snapped. “I’m being serious.†Cloud turned back to Tifa ignoring the ninja all together. “Is it...†Tifa nodded tentatively. “We gotta get you to the hospital. Yuffie, stay here with the kids.†“But...Cloud!†the kids protested together, their voices eventually splitting off as they continued protesting. “You’ll get to see Tifa later,†he promised, unaffected from their whining. The blonde turned back to his wife. “Can you stand?†“No,†Tifa whimpered. Cloud’s eyes softened at the response. “Can you help me?†Working together, Cloud eventually helped Tifa to her feet. His arm was wrapped around her from behind, and hers was around him as well. Without a word, Cloud led her to the door. Actually, it was more like dragging her. Either way, they made it to the entrance of 7th Heaven fairly quickly. Neither of them wanted to have their child born in that bar. I feel...faint...Tifa thought, fatigue suddenly overwhelming her. This....this can’t be right...she had never felt such weakness before. The young woman leaned heavily into Cloud, actually forcing him to reset his footing to keep her upright. “Taxi!†he cried, waving a free hand in the air. The first two vehicles drove right past them, but a kind third one stopped to assist them. Cloud hurried Tifa over to the cab, opening the door for her before gently helping her inside. Then he rushed to the other side of the car and sat himself down. “To the hospital. Quick!†*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* This next part is where it gets complicated. During the taxi ride to the hospital, Tifa had barely been conscious at all. And when she was, she was in great pain. As soon as Cloud got her into the hospital, the doctors had taken her away from him. When he demanded to know what was going on, they told him that they didn’t know. But what they did know was that this wasn’t the way giving birth was supposed to work. So they took Tifa into an operating room for an emergency C-section. Cloud paced the hallway outside the operating room once again, that being about the hundredth time he had done so. He was so worried; the doctors still wouldn’t tell him what was going on. So not only was he worried, but he was also angered. Couldn’t these doctors let him know what was going on with his wife?! “Cloud?†A hand touched his shoulder, and he turned to see who it was. Yuffie stood to his side, the kids about five feet away with Barret. “What’s going on? You’re not answering your phone.†The warrior instinctively touched his pocket, his phone being inside there. He hadn’t even heard it ring. But then again, considering how distracted he was at that moment, he wasn’t surprised. The only thing he was concerned about was Tifa, not his stupid phone ringing. “Hey...†“I don’t know what’s going on,†Cloud stated, a bite to his voice. He took a deep breath, then continued. “They took Tifa in for an emergency C-section. The doctors won’t tell me what’s wrong.†Yuffie gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth. “Teef...†A doctor suddenly exited the operating room, and Cloud approached him before the man had a chance of escape. “What’s going on?†he asked, his voice demanding an answer. His tone was one that said “ignore-me-and-die.†“There were some complications. We’re not sure what the problem was, but we have your wife on a drug that will make her stable again.†“Is she alright?†Before the doctor could respond, Cloud saw two doctors leaving the operating room at that moment, one of them carrying a baby wrapped up in a blanket. The baby was sickly pale. That baby was his child. “My....†Cloud trailed off, eyes wide as he saw the doctors carry off the baby. “He’s going to be taken to a special infirmary,†the doctor started gently. “He’s a bit premature, and he’s having trouble breathing.†“Will he be alright?†Yuffie asked softly. Cloud turned to look at her; he had completely forgotten she was there. “With the treatment we’re going to give him, he has a better chance of survival,†the doctor responded. “He has a respiratory infection because an early loss of amniotic fluid compromised his immune system.†The doors opened again, this time staying open as they rolled out a stretcher. Yuffie gave a sharp gasp when she it, and the site took away Cloud’s breath. Tifa was lying there, looking frail and fragile. “Tifa,†Cloud strode past the doctor and to the side of the stretcher. “Tifa....†“We had to give her an injection so she would be unconscious during the procedure,†the doctor stated. “You’re welcome to stay with her; other presences won’t make her susceptible to deadly germs.†Cloud nodded, not deeply assessing what he had heard. As long as he could stay with Tifa, then he knew things would be alright. He wasn’t going to allow anything to happen to her. Not now, not ever. The man wordlessly grabbed onto Tifa’s limp hand and walked with her and the doctors to a room. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Where am I? What am I doing here? What’s going on? Tifa lay still on a cot, a million questions running through her head at that moment. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. Mustering all the strength she could, she opened her eyes. The room wasn’t empty as she had suspected; people were scattered throughout the area. However, none of them were looking at her. Yuffie, Barret and the kids sat by the window with Vincent standing right behind them. Cid was standing a few feet off, just staring at the ground. To her right, another man sat. He had one hand on Tifa’s and the other over his eyes. Although she couldn’t see his entire face, she could still see the tenseness of his features. Her brown eyes flickered down to the hands. She curled hers around his and gave it a gentle squeeze. The silence in the room was so heavy that Tifa didn’t dare speak anything audibly. Besides, she could convey her message without words anyway. Cloud looked up at Tifa, his muscles relaxing a tad when he saw that she was awake. He moved his other hand on top of Tifa’s so both were gently resting on hers. “You’re awake,†he stated softly, holding Tifa’s gaze now. As if on cue, everybody else turned around and stared at the two. The kids rushed forward, cries of joy escaping their lips. They had bad experiences in the past with family and friends being injured, so their excitement was understandable. Marlene jumped up on the bed right away, followed by Denzel, who was a bit more timid. “I’m alright,†Tifa reassured them, making eye contact with each of the children. Both looked a little frightened, but they smiled faintly at the sound of Tifa’s voice. Perhaps they didn’t believe her just yet; after all, she was still lying in a hospital bed. But why am I here...? Suddenly she remembered. “Our baby...†she started softly, changing her focus to Cloud. She became afraid at the grave facial expression he wore. “He’s being taken care of. He...has a respiratory infection....and he can’t fight it off.†Tifa’s heart broke. She had never met her child, yet she still felt this unfathomable love for him. My child....how could this happen? The door suddenly opened, the hatches creaking slightly as a doctor entered the room. All eyes shifted to him and the air held an awkward and heavy silence. What news could this doctor possibly bring them? Was it good news or bad news? What about her baby? Was he alright? A soft cry suddenly echoed through the room. Tifa gasped as the doctor turned around; he had a baby in his arms. A little baby boy, wrapped up in a blue blanket. Not just any baby boy; it was her baby boy. “My child,†Tifa breathed. The doctor chuckled. “Would you like to hold your baby?†Tifa nodded wordlessly. She anxiously watched as the man came over and gently laid the baby in her arms. He was so tiny, so vulnerable...so loved. Did he know what he meant to her? Did he know just how precious he was? “It’s a miracle,†the doctor was saying. “We gave him a small dose of medicine and he’s already recovering. If we send home some antibiotics with you and you give them to him once a day, he’ll beat this infection in no time.†A miracle. When was the last time I believed in miracles? Tifa thought back, lost in her memories as she gazed at her precious, irreplaceable child. “It’s a miracle that you survived,†the kind nurse said, tears filling her eyes. “You shouldn’t have survived that attack, but you’ve had a miraculous recovery.†This was back at the hospital months ago, when Tifa had first been there for the injuries of a Yurak ambush. That was the day that she had nearly run into Cloud outside the hospital. At the time, Tifa had nearly laughed at the idea. She had wanted to tell that nurse that miracles simply didn’t exist. If they did, maybe her father would have gotten his miracle. Or Aerith. But no, they had both died. There were no resurrections to bring them back to life; they stayed dead. Was that reflecting the impossibility that miracles existed? That was how Tifa had thought before, but now she knew better. Aerith had gotten her miracle, and that was Zack. He loved her and protected her while she was alive. Now they were together in the lifestream, having their “Happy Ever After.†Although Tifa didn’t know what her father’s specific miracle was in his life, Tifa guessed it was her mother. Though she had never met her, Tifa knew that her father loved her. They were together now too, probably contently watching over their daughter. Not only that, but Tifa had gotten her miracle. Or miracles. She had rediscovered herself; she had found joy in the fact that her family and friends were happy despite the fact that they were no longer with her. However, her greatest miracle was Cloud. He hahelped mold her into the person that she was today. On their wedding day, he promised to always love her, cherish her, and be her guardian angel. Tifa promised the same for him, and it was then she knew that miracles existed. Looking back through her life, there was no way she and Cloud should have been together. But they were. And they always would be. Not just today, not just tomorrow. Forever and always. “What’re you going to name him?†Yuffie asked, breaking through Tifa’s thoughts. Tifa pondered the question. She wanted a name of importance; she wanted it to mean something. At that moment, she knew exactly what she would name him. “Mathew.†God’s gift.
[Hola KH-Vers. As of late I have had an unexplainable urge to write yet another story. But I am saying this right away: It IS a one-shot. And a very long one at that. So comment, criticize, insult if you want. But I hope that you enjoy the story so the insults won't be an issue. =D] Lost And Insecure It was a typical Tuesday night. Or so it seemed. Tifa cleaned one last glass before putting it in the cupboard. Most of the customers at 7th Heaven had already trickled out, mumbling they had to go home for unexplainable reasons. This was the life that Tifa Lockhart was used to. But tonight...tonight something felt different. It felt as if something were missing. Was it Cloud? No, of course not. Cloud didn’t get home until late on a Tuesday night. For some reason, this day of the week was his busiest when it came to deliveries. He wouldn’t be home for several more hours. Still, there was an eerie feeling that haunted Tifa’s heart. She almost called Cloud just so she could hear his stoic response that everything was alright. But she didn’t want to appear weak in front of him; he had already seen her vulnerable before, and she hated that so much. Tifa Lockhart had learned to be very independent, whether she wanted to live that way or not. Six months ago, a little while before Kadaj and his gang terrorized the city, Cloud had almost never come home. And he had never answered his phone, either. It was during that period that Tifa had started losing faith in her childhood friend. He clearly didn’t care for her, so she needed to stop dying inside because of his lack of consideration. She tried moving on, and though she would never admit it to anyone, she never completely lost her feelings for Cloud. However, she was afraid to make a move. What if he ran away again? He had been better in the last few months, but he could always change. Tifa knew this transformation in him couldn’t last forever. For a long time now, Tifa had put the kids to bed herself. Denzel was a new addition to the family, but he and she were so close now it was as if Tifa had given birth to him herself. He had her fearless spirit and determination, while other times he had Cloud’s seriousness and apathy. Tifa scoffed softly; Cloud wasn’t even around and yet he still had such a great effect on that child. Tifa set down her towel and stopped working all together, a thought suddenly entering her mind: she hadn’t seen the kids in a while. Sure, she had put them to bed an hour ago, but normally at least one of them came down asking her to read them an extra bed-time story. Maybe I should go check on them... With an aching heart, Tifa did just that. She walked straight up the stairs then made the first right to Marlene’s room. Everything was fine. Then she walked two more steps down the hall and looked into Denzel’s room. Everything was not fine. The bed was empty! Tifa rushed into the room, heart suddenly racing. There were no signs of struggle; other than the vacant bed everything was fine. Except for the window being open. The window is open?! Tifa practically tripped over her own feet trying to get there, to see what was going on. It wasn’t forced open; Denzel had opened it from the inside. He had left on his own. He had run away. Tifa shakily reached into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone. She dialed a number she knew by heart and spoke as calmly as she could. “Barret, can you come to my home? I need you.†*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Only five minutes later, Barret came in through the bar entrance. By that time most of the customers had left, and those who had been in when Barret entered quickly left. The man may have had a kind heart, but to those drunkards he just looked like he would kill them all off right away if they even looked at him wrong. “Teef? What’s wrong?†“Denzel is gone,†Tifa stated weakly. “I don’t know when it happened exactly, but I’m going out to look for him. Can you stay here and watch the bar?†“Why do you need somebody to watch the bar? Aint it already closed down...?†Tifa sighed. “I really called you because if Marlene finds out Denzel is gone, you’ll be the only one who can comfort her.†It was then that Barret understood. “Go. But take your coat; it’s nippy out.†Tifa smiled faintly and stood on her toes to give Barret a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.†However, Barret wanted more than that. He gently pulled her into a hug and spoke quietly into her ear. “Be safe; there are lots of goons out at night.†Tifa nodded faintly and broke free of him. She grabbed her jacket off the coat hanger and turned around to Barret. “I’ll be back soon,†she promised before walking out the door. A rush of cold air immediately greeted her, the cool October breeze making her realize just what Barret had been talking about. Worry over took her as she started running randomly toward the exit of the market place; Denzel hadn’t grabbed a coat, so he could have hypothermia by the time she found him. IF she found him. Tifa ran as quickly as she could, turning toward Midgar. There was only one place Denzel would run away to without telling anyone: The ruins of Sector 7. A few weeks ago, Denzel had told Tifa about an experience he had when he had his geostigma. He had a flashback of watching Shin-Ra news and the headline was “AVALANCHE attacks Sector 7.†At the time, Tifa had calmly explained that it was a lie, which it was. President Shinra had ordered the plate to fall and that it did, destroying the entire area. And, concerning Denzel, it killed his parents and left him without a home. Denzel wanted to visit the ruins and plant some flowers at that time, so Denzel, Marlene, and Tifa all headed out to mourn the loss of their friends and family. Tifa had thought that would be the last of their problems concerning Denzel’s loss, but she was wrong now, considering he had run away. He had to have gone to this place. If he wasn’t there, Tifa had no clue where he would be. Distracted by her many thoughts, Tifa focused back on reality as she approached a torn apart playground. It was the closest thing to the Sector 7 ruins that still stood. However, it was just barely standing. The debris and metal from the wreckage was still spread all over the ground. Nobody had any desire to fix a playground when life was so desolate and hopeless. Even in the dark of night, Tifa could see something huddled up right by the metal wall. A small, trembling figure. “Denzel?†The figure turned around, confirming Tifa’s suspicions. She breathed a sigh of relief as she quickly walked over, careful not to trip over anything. “What’re you doing out here Denzel? You scared me half to death!†Tifa cried, kneeling down by the child and wrapping him in an embrace before he could respond. Her soft tears trickled down her cheeks and Denzel’s quiet sniffles echoed through the silent place. “I-I’m sorry,†Denzel said through his tears. “I...had a dream, about my mother, and she was calling me here. I-I thought if I came here, I would see her again. But everything is the way it always has been.†The boy gripped Tifa’s coat tightly in his hand, trembling heavily in Tifa’s arms. Tifa didn’t know if it was from sadness or the cold, so she assumed it was both. “Denzel...†Tifa released the boy from her embrace and he did the same, though it was clear he didn’t want to. “Here, take my coat, it’s freezing out,†she said while unzipping it and draping it around the boy’s shoulders. “It’s time we get you home. When we get there, I’ll make you a cup of hot chocolate and we can sort things out...okay?†A sliver of hope appeared in Denzel’s eyes as the child nodded. Tifa smiled faintly, ruffling his hair lightly. He was letting her take care of him, thank goodness. In this sense, he was not like Cloud. Cloud never let anyone take care of him when he was feeling down; he always fled. At least Denzel had that much sense in him. Tifa wordlessly grabbed Denzel’s hand as she stood, knees sore from kneeling on the ground. “Let’s go home, where we belong,†Tifa said for no reason in particular. She just wanted Denzel to feel reassured by her voice even if she had nothing to say. The two started walking, but they didn’t even make it past the playground when it started to rain on them. Tifa gasped softly at the freezing cold water droplets. She used her free hand to put up the hood of her jacket on Denzel while the boy put his arms through the sleeves and fumbled with the zipper. Once Tifa was sure her adopted son was as warm as could be, they hurried home. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Twenty-five minutes later, the two rushed into the bar, finally escaping the downpour that plagued them all the way home. Tifa, drenched by the freezing cold liquid, shut the door behind them with a breath of relief. Finally they were in the warmth of their own home again. A sigh escaped her lips without thought as she leaned back against the door, her body trembling because of the cold. “Tifa?†Denzel questioned, the boy with big round eyes standing in front of her now. He still had on her coat, so he was dry and warm. Tifa felt a faint warmth in her heart, so glad that Barret had told her to take her coat. Even if she hadn’t worn it all that long, at least Denzel was okay. “Denzel, why don’t you go upstairs and put on your warmest clothes? Then I’ll make you some hot chocolate.†The boy nodded in response before scurrying up to his room to follow Tifa’s gentle command. The black-haired woman looked down at her feet, seeing a puddle of water forming at her feet. She shivered again, wrapping her arms tightly across her chest. So, so cold...but if she walked across the entire bar, she would get everything wet. And if she didn’t she would remain cold. “Teef?†Tifa jumped at the voice, her eyes wandering upward. Barret was standing in front of her, concern written all over his features. As soon as he saw the look in her eyes, he mumbled something about getting a towel and headed towards the bathroom. The girl shut her eyes, feeling cold and exhausted. She waited silently for Barret and the towel, having the appearance of being patient but nearly ready to scream out at her friend because she was so cold. Barret reappeared and before Tifa recognized what happened there was a towel wrapped around her shoulders. Barret’s hand was on her shoulder now and his eyes, filled to the rim with worry, were resting on Tifa. “You need to get changed now,†he told her kindly. Tifa met his eyes once again and nodded silently before pulling the towel closer to her. She was heading for the stairs when she saw the door to the storage room open. Cloud came out and immediately stopped where he was, his eyes locked on Tifa. Judging by the look in his eyes, he was completely clueless as to anything that was going on here. He had probably thought Tifa was in bed and so were the kids. If he had been thinking that way, he was very wrong. Tifa held his gaze for a moment before rushing up the stairs, not wanting to give him an explanation or let him into her heart again. No, she wasn’t going to let her emotions get the better of her. Not now; not while Denzel needed her. She hastily entered her room and shut the door behind her before pulling off her wet, sticky clothes. After drying off, she dressed herself in a pair of warm pants, a white long-sleeved shirt and a gray sweatshirt. Then, once she hung her wet clothing in the bathroom, she headed back downstairs. Surprisingly, Denzel was not down there. He’s stalling, Tifa realized, heart breaking. She didn’t want him to be afraid of her; she loved him so much, and she just wanted to help him through whatever he was struggling with. She wanted to take away his pain and bear it herself. A figure appeared in the corner of Tifa’s eye, making her stiffen. But the person didn’t approach her; they simply stood there, staring at her. There were only two people who that could possibly be: Barret or Cloud. Judging by the intensity and awkwardness of the stare, Tifa guessed it was Cloud. She turned her head to the right and saw that her suspicions were correct; it was Cloud that was staring at her. Trying to hide the weakness and exhaustion she felt, she turned to face him, arms folded casually across her chest. In reality, though, she had her arms crossed because she was still ice cold. “Barret told me Denzel ran away,†Cloud stated, breaking through the silence. Tifa nodded. “He was by the Sector 7 ruins.†Cloud paused. “I knew taking him there a few weeks ago was a bad idea.†“If I hadn’t taken him then, then he would have just run away on his own,†Tifa said tensely, her body stiffening; taking Denzel there had been her idea in the first place. Cloud wisely fell silent, not continuing that path of the conversation. “Is he alright?†“He’s home, warm and safe.†Tifa left it at that, knowing that Cloud only cared about those simple things. After all, he couldn’t love anyone these days. Not really. So there was no point in telling him about the emotional struggles Denzel was going through. For a few awkward moments, both of the adults were silent. “I thought he was coming down right after he got changed. I’d better go check on him.†With that, Tifa headed back up the stairs, thankful for an excuse to leave that conversation. She walked past Marlene’s room, careful not to make too much noise. Once she arrived at Denzel’s room, she tapped lightly on the door. “Denzel? Can I come in?†After a few moments of silence, Tifa gently pushed the door open. “Denzel?†Tifa’s eyes softened at what she saw: Denzel fast asleep in his bed. A weak smile appeared on Tifa’s face as she silently shut the door, leaving the boy to his slumber. She was so thankful he was asleep; it was easier to talk with him when he was well-rested. They’d have a conversation about everything tomorrow. Tifa yawned. Sleep seemed like a very appealing idea to her. Honestly though, she didn’t think she could fall asleep when she was so cold. Perhaps a cup of hot chocolate would warm her up. The simple thought of it made warmth enter her heart, so Tifa knew it was a good idea. She quietly made her way down the hall and descended the stairs once again. Cloud was no longer standing where he was before, but now he was sitting at one of the tables. “Denzel’s asleep,†Tifa stated softly. Cloud’s facial expression changed slightly, showing a bit of tenderness. Tifa, feeling a little started by his show of emotion, headed right into the kitchen and started making her beverage. It was only a matter of minutes before the water was steaming hot and she had finished mixing in the hot chocolate powder. She inhaled and got a whiff of the beverage, making her muscles relax. She carried her mug out into the main area of the bar, cold hands being warmed by the hot cup. Not surprisingly, Cloud hadn’t left the area. He was sitting at a table, looking over some paperwork for his delivery service. Tifa didn’t understand why he didn’t work at his desk. But because of his presence, Tifa felt as if she had to go elsewhere to enjoy her beverage. She turned down the hall and made a left into the living room they had behind the bar. Barret was there, casually watching the television. As soon as he saw her enter the room, he stood to his feet. “Thank you for coming, Barret,†Tifa said, truly grateful for his assistance. “No problem. Let me know if you ever need anything. Or if spiky out there ever needs his butt kicked.†Tifa smiled. “I will,†she promised. Barret gave her a quick hug before walking out, undoubtedly heading for home now. She would have told him to stay the night, but he always refused whenever she asked him. He always seemed to think he was the third wheel, getting between her and Cloud. He couldn’t have been more wrong. Tifa sighed and set herself down on the couch, careful not to spill her piping hot drink. She focused herself on the television while drinking her hot chocolate. Not too long later, she had already finished her hot chocolate. And yet...she was still so, so cold. She pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and covered herself with it. Minutes later, she was fast asleep on the couch, the TV still on. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Sniffle....sneeze....cough...sniffle.... Tifa groaned, sunlight shining directly onto her eyes. Her eyelids felt too heavy to open, her body weighed down as if somebody were sitting on her. She put a great amount of energy into moving her arm and pulling the blanket over her head. But then an overwhelming heat invaded her head and she threw off the covering completely. The moment the blanket fell to the ground, she wished she had it back. She shivered despite the fact that her body was covered in sweat and her head was burning. I’m sick, she thought, the facts clear as day now. The sniffling, coughing, sneezing...the heat and the shivering...she must have gotten sick because of being out in the rain last night. As if on cue, Tifa had a fit of sneezing, little sneezes escaping her lips uncontrollably. When it was finally done, she groaned again. I hate being sick... Tifa rolled onto her side, facing towards the back of the sofa she laid on. The TV was on softly, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. The only thing she wanted was to get a glass of water to quench this unexplainable thirst she felt. She laid there for a while, imagining different scenarios but never actually performing any of the actions she imagined herself doing. She imagined opening the bar and letting in all the customers who were surely waiting for her to open the 7th Heaven Bar. She imagined getting her blanket back and holding it close to herself. She imagined herself getting water. But none of it was true. The illusions haunted her for a while, not leaving her alone for even a minute. “Tifa?†The sound of her name sounded more real that any of the hallucinations the young woman had heard earlier, but she wasn’t ready to believe the voice was real. She needed to see...she needed to see if there was really somebody with her. She gathered her strength and rolled over, eyes opening up. Yes, there was somebody there, but it couldn’t have really been him. He wouldn’t be there with her. But the concern in his eyes...it looked real enough to her. The man put a hand on her sweaty forehead and Tifa kept her eyes on him the whole time. “You’re burning up, Teef,†Cloud said, sounding almost caring. No, surely that was the fever talking. Cloud couldn’t care...he hadn’t before. Except for when he found her in Aerith’s church. But that was different. Or was it? He awkwardly took his hand away and looked at the floor. “I’ll get the medicine box,†he muttered before leaving her alone. Tifa shivered again, curling herself into a ball. What was the matter with her? She had truly lost her mind if she thought Cloud was with her. He was always doing something...always away from home. Always away from her. It was all in her head; surely it was all in her head. Time passed strangely, seemingly both in slow motion and in fast forward. Did those things cancel each other out and make the time lapse normal? Or did they overrule each other somehow? Was one dominant over the other? Tifa pondered these questions in her hazy state, eyes closing in fatigue. The questions were making her even more tired than she already was. Suddenly Tifa was aware of another presence in the room. She tiredly opened her eyes, Cloud appearing in her vision. It appeared as if he weren’t just a figment of her imagination. Even in her foggy state of mind she was touched by the fact that he was really there. He was kneeling in front of her, bright blue eyes staring into her brown orbs. “Open up,†he said gently, holding a thermometer in his hand. Tifa silently obeyed, feeling very childish and vulnerable but not really caring. Cloud stuck the thermometer under her tongue, staring at her intently while waiting for the device to beep. When it did, Cloud gently pulled the thermometer out of her mouth and looked at the digital reading. He frowned. “103.4. You must have caught the flu or something.†Tifa blinked twice before responding. “I have to get up and run the bar,†she murmured, starting to push herself up. Cloud’s gentle hand on her shoulder stopped her. “You’re in no condition to be up and moving around,†he stated tenderly. “I can do whatever has to be done with the bar.†“...your deliveries...†“...can wait another day,†Cloud finished. “It’s alright. You just stay here and rest; I’ll take care of everything.†“Cloud...†Tifa protested weakly. She was going to go on and say how a cold had never stopped her from working before, but Cloud leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, absolutely stunning her. Before she could think of a response, he left her alone again. That must have been an illusion, Tifa thought. There’s no way he would have done that in real life! Right...? Even in her haziness she wasn’t as sure as she would have liked to have been. Part of her desperately hoped she wasn’t delusional while another part of her hoped she was. Strange things happen when you’re sick... Tifa shut her eyes, not having the will to stay awake in a world with so much sickness and suffering. Let me get back to my dream...the one where Cloud is caring for me... Tifa sighed softly, curling into a smaller ball. It was so, so cold, and yet she was still sweating. Reality wasn’t a pleasant place to be. She somehow managed to grab the blanket off the floor and cover herself with it before drifting into a half-conscious state. The news was on in the background, saying something about the terrible weather from the previous night. Heh, as if Tifa didn’t already know all about that. Tifa thought she heard laughter; probably from a new TV program. Or from the bar. After all, sometimes her customers got rowdy. But never when she was around, because they knew from experience she could pack a punch. Tifa shivered, pulling the blanket closer to her. Why me? Why can’t things ever go right for me...? she wondered, wallowing in self-pity. I was going to talk to Denzel today, and take him to soccer practice, and take Marlene to the dentist, and make dinner for everyone... She needed to move. She had so much to do that day; she couldn’t just sit around. Tifa started shifting under the blanket, trying to sit herself up. But the moment she was upright she fell back down to her previous position. Moving made her far too dizzy, and if it was that bad sitting, she couldn’t imagine how extreme the sensation would be if she were standing. She sighed, burying her head into a pillow. Being sick was the worst experience ever. Her closed eyes opened halfway when she heard footsteps. Again it was Cloud. Really, how could he keep showing up in her imagination? She wasn’t even thinking about him and yet he was still appearing. She didn’t understand... “Time to get you up to bed,†he murmured gently, bright blue eyes lightly gazing at the girl on the couch. He didn’t even wait for her to respond to his voice. He knelt down part way and slid his arms under her body before picking her up and holding her close to his body. Tifa felt herself melt away at his warmth, her body relaxing into him. She lost the will to fight him and leaned her head against him, forehead against his neck. Cloud tightened his grip on her but it wasn’t tight enough to hurt her. Actually, he was being extremely gentle. Tifa closed her eyes, exhaling a soft breath. She could feel that Cloud was on the move now, so she figured he was taking her upstairs so she could lie in her own bed. But she didn’t want that; she wanted to stay in his arms forever. Tifa was startled at her own thoughts. When had she started to allow herself to feel for Cloud like that? What had changed? She shivered, curling up slightly in Cloud’s arms. The blond haired man pulled her closer and rested his chin on top of her head. “Here we are,†Cloud stated softly. Tifa opened her eyes partway and looked down, seeing her bed in front of her. How had they gotten there so fast? She didn’t want to be set down yet! All that she wanted was to stay in this place where Cloud cared for her so sweetly and loved her and cherished her... Cloud did hold onto her for a few more moments before leaning down and gently placing her on the bed. Only when he was sure she was alright did he release her completely and pull the blankets up. “I would get you more blankets, but I don’t want you to overheat,†he told her, pulling up the last cover. Tifa nodded tiredly, having no words to respond with. Cloud’s eyes softened as he sat himself down on the edge of the bed and pushed back some of Tifa’s hair. “I’m worried about you,†he confessed softly. “It’s just a cold,†Tifa managed to say, trying to get Cloud to stop worrying but at the same time enjoying every minute of it. She never, ever got to see the tender side of him. She had stopped believing it existed, and yet here it was in front of her very eyes. Cloud smiled faintly. “That doesn’t stop me from worrying about you,†he murmured, running his hand down Tifa’s hair. Tifa got chills at the touch but tried not to show it. Okay, it was official: this was definitely a hallucination. Cloud would never act so tender. However, this was a dream that Tifa didn’t want to leave. She may have felt sicker than she knew possible, but having this Cloud here with her was worth it. Tifa exhaled softly, the breath coming out as a sad sigh. If only this could happen in real life...she shut her eyes, too tired to keep her eyes open. She felt Cloud’s hand run over her hair again, multiple times. This was her only awareness of reality as she drifted into a deep state of slumber. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Day transformed into night rather quickly to Tifa. She was only aware of the change when she awoke from her rest and the room was completely dark. But even more than that, Tifa realized something else. There was something here with her, something right in front of her. She groggily brought up a hand and set it against the figure in front of her. Tifa froze when she touched the fabric of an undershirt. Cloud was asleep in front of her, holding her in a light embrace while he was unconscious. Tifa pulled her hand away, careful not to awaken Cloud. She started to sweat even more than she already was, fever and all. Cloud had never done something so tender before, but Tifa couldn’t believe this was a hallucination. This felt more real than anything she had ever experienced. The tenderness of the moment, however, was taken away by Tifa’s unquenchable thirst. She hadn’t had a drink of water in hours, and she was already burning up because of the fever. Water...I need water.... The young woman carefully moved out of Cloud’s embrace, being as quiet as she could possibly be. She desperately wanted to stay in his arms, but she needed water more than anything else at that moment. Tifa held her breath as she sat herself up on the side of the bed, Cloud’s even breathing still in her ears. Good; she didn’t wake him. Not waiting for him to wake up and possibly see she was gone, Tifa stood and tip-toed out of the bedroom. One of the stairs creaked beneath her feet, stopping her for just a moment. She knew she couldn’t help that little bit of noise, but still, she really really didn’t want to wake anyone. A cough escaped her lips, then another. And another. Tifa grabbed onto the stair railing, feeling dizzy in her coughing fit. She put her other hand over her mouth, trying to quiet her own outbursts. After a minute or so, the coughing did start to subside. But the fit only made her more thirsty than before. Tifa carefully descended the stairs, careful not to make noise or collapse because of her dizziness. Made it to the bottom, she thought hazily, a bit of pride rising up inside her heart because she had successfully made it to the bottom of the stairs. That feeling quickly disappeared when the thirst clouded her sense again. Water. She desperately needed water. Tifa ran a hand against the wall as she made her way over to the bar, nearly tripping over her own two feet in drowsiness. She stumbled to the sink and grabbed the first glass she saw and filled it with water. Then she brought it to her lips and drank the entire glass without taking one break. The liquid in her throat was refreshing to her, waking her from her stupefied state and cooling her down slightly. She gasped in relief, filling the glass again so she wouldn’t feel as if she were dehydrated. Once it was filled, she shut off the water and took the glass with her to one of the tables in the bar. She sat herself down heavily, body weak and exhausted because of the illness that had overtaken her. How can I possibly feel so weak? I’ve fought so many battles and yet I can hardly move now? I must be so weak... As if to answer her own thoughts, Tifa coughed loudly. She coughed again and again until she reached for her water and gulped it down, the coughs ceasing. Tifa sighed and laid her head in her arms, too tired to move. She wasn’t tired mentally, only physically. And to her, that was the worst thing in the world. The sound of footsteps reverberated through the room, but Tifa didn’t notice them until the source was right by her. She tensed slightly, not knowing who was behind her. Maybe if she just sat there with her eyes closed the person would speak so she would know who it was. At least, she hoped that was the case. “Teef,†the person behind her murmured, making Tifa less tense. She would recognize that voice anywhere. It was Cloud. She wanted to respond and tell him that she was alright, but she was too tired to do anything. Her mind was screaming at her for making Cloud worry but her body didn’t even respond to the brain’s protesting. “Hey,†Cloud said softly, gently setting a hand on Tifa’s shoulder. He probably thought she was asleep, considering that he started to gingerly stir her “awakeâ€. “I’m awake,†Tifa mumbled incoherently, fever burning, chest aching and head throbbing. Cloud, though he couldn’t have possibly understood her, stopped shaking her. He at least saw that she was conscious now. Without warning, he moved his hand completely behind her back and moved beside her, sliding his other arm under her legs. Then, careful not to bang her knees on the bottom of the table, he picked her up and carried her in the direction of the stairs. But instead of taking her back up to bed, he took her back to the living room and sat her upright on the couch. “I’m gonna go get you some medicine,†Cloud stated softly, gently pulling away from Tifa. Without waiting for a response, he left the room and headed toward the bathroom. Tifa sighed softly and let herself fall back into the couch. She hated worrying Cloud like this. The attention was nice, but Tifa didn’t want it under these circumstances. After all, anyone could take pity on a sick person and act differently than they normally would. Of course; Cloud didn’t really feel anything for her. He couldn’t. Or rather, Tifa couldn’t let herself love him again. If he let her down one more time, she wouldn’t be able to recover from it. “Here you go,†a quiet voice said, bringing Tifa back to reality. She blinked, the fuzzy figure in front of her becoming clear. Cloud was standing there, concern in his eyes and two pills in his hand. Tifa lifted a hand and took the pills away from him, her eyes avoiding his bright blue orbs. She mumbled her thanks before taking both pills without water. “You thirsty?†Cloud asked tenderly? “I’m fine,†Tifa responded softly, heat rising to her face. Was she blushing? Or was her fever just making her head feel hot and heavy? She couldn’t tell the difference at that moment. “You sure? You don’t look so good.†“Cloud, why are you doing this?†Tifa spoke her thoughts before she could stop herself. “Taking care of you? Why wouldn’t I?†“No...I mean...treating me, like this. Like you care for me,†Tifa looked away from his eyes, but his hand under her chin turned her head back towards him. “Because I do care about you,†Cloud stated softly. Tifa felt tears start coming to her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall just yet. “But you’re acting like, you...†“Like I love you?†Cloud finished. Tifa nodded. “It’s because I do. Tifa, I have for a long time. How could you have not seen the subtle ways that I watch out for you? I stay up late at night because I remember times when drunken men came into the bar and threatened you. I answer your calls now because I’m always afraid something is going to happen to you. I don’t know what I’d do without you, Tifa.†Tifa’s heart nearly stopped with Cloud’s words of kindness. No, surely he couldn’t mean it all! But then again, he had been staying up late for the past few months. Tifa had always thought it was just to reflect on his own thoughts, but what he said made sense. And he had been answering his phone more lately.... “I have always loved you, Tifa. Nobody has had a bond like we do. We grew close before I left to become a SOLDIER and even closer when we were chasing Sephiroth and saving the planet. I knewved you, but I didn’t know that you loved me.†Cloud chuckled, voice sounding a little more excited as he continued. “I didn’t know until after Kadaj was gone and Yuffie told me to ‘get a clue’. I couldn’t believe it, so I questioned her until she straight up told me that you loved me. Tifa laughed weakly. “That Yuffie...always getting into other people’s business.†“Are you mad she did?†Tifa shook her head. “No, not really. Though I did want to tell you myself.†“So what’s stopping you?†Tifa smiled. “I love you, Cloud.†Cloud smiled back. “I love you too, Tifa. I always have, and I always will. I promise. And this will be a promise that I’ll never break.†He leaned forward from his crouching positing and gave Tifa a kiss on the forehead. “I’ll always look out for you, Tifa.†“Forever and Always?†Tifa asked softly, hope replacing all doubt she had in her heart. Cloud smiled and grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Forever and Always, Tifa. Forever and Always.â€
[Oh geez, sorry for the 10millionth time. I was absolutely sure that I posted a chapter this week but I see that I didn't. D: Well, here's chapter 11. Hope that it was worth the wait.] Chapter 11: Awakening “You WHAT?!?!†Barret hollered into the phone, his raspy voice even louder than usual as he rebuked Cloud. “I had to knock Tifa out,†Cloud responded calmly. “She was out of control. And about to leave again. I couldn’t just let her go.†“And you couldn’t just talk some sense into her, spiky?! She’s too special to be treated like that!†“Barret,†Cloud sighed. “If there were any other options available, I would have gone with one of those. Trust me with this. I did what was necessary. Don’t worry, I didn’t hurt her. And besides, she’ll be awake in a couple of minutes.†“If she tells me anything bad about you after this, I’ll hunt you down myself spiky. You better know what you’re doing.†“I do,†Cloud stated simply. “Trust me, Barret. I love her just as much as you do.†Barret softened up. “That you do.†Pause. “Bring her home and you better hope she doesn’t say one negative thing about you or you’s gonna walk away with this with more than a black eye. Got that?†“I understand.†Cloud hung up his cell phone. Another sigh escaped his lips as he turned to look at the sleeping girl. After thinking over the incident for a few minutes earlier, he had decided it would be wise to consult Barret on some of what happened. That didn’t go extremely well, but that was to be expected. Barret loved Tifa as if she were a sister. However, he couldn’t accept that she had to feel pain like a normal person did. If he could, Barret would take away all the pain and bear it himself. Life didn’t work that way. If it did, Cloud would have done that a long time ago. Tifa had a little bit of peacefulness showing in her facial expression, but that wasn’t the only emotion that was there. Cloud could also see the hurt and stress from their conversation. Poor Tifa, he thought softly, suddenly having the urge to stroke her cheek. She had so much bottled up inside herself. Today she had reached her breaking point, probably because of the fact she told Cloud about Trent. Cloud felt a small amount of guilt for causing pain to rise up in her, but he knew it had to have been done. The young man looked away, feeling awkward staring at his childhood friend as she lay on the ground. He knew he had caused this, and that didn’t sit well in his stomach. It may have been necessary, but it still wasn’t good. Nevertheless, Cloud had made a promise to himself; he wasn’t going to leave this place until he won Tifa’s heart. After what had just happened, he wasn’t so sure he could do that. There was no chance he was going to give up, though. He had hope. Hope that she would be able to leave her past behind, just as he had learned to do after his geostigma was gone. Tifa groaned softly, bring Cloud back to the moment at hand. She must be waking up, he thought, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Sure enough, Tifa rolled over onto her side, eyebrows furrowed slightly. Her bangs were in her face, making Cloud’s heart skip a beat. Compassion suddenly swirled inside his heart and he knelt down without thought, brushing the girl’s bangs out of her eyes. Tifa’s eyes opened abruptly at the movement, Cloud’s hand still touching her forehead. Her brown eyes glance tiredly at the hand first, then flickered over to Cloud, who was staring at her with concern in his eyes. Tifa momentarily wondered why that was, but then she remembered what had happened. She had been acting so irregular that Cloud had to act the same with her. To stop her from going away, he had to take action against her. And surprisingly, Tifa wasn’t upset at him for doing that. “You’re not going away now, are you?†Cloud asked softly, stroking Tifa’s hair as he spoke. “No,†Tifa responded quietly. Cloud nodded faintly, though that was his only reaction. His hand still rested on Tifa’s hair, and his eyes never left hers. Tifa could see thoughts swirling behind those mysterious blue eyes. But at that moment, his thoughts weren’t such a mystery. He was searching her eyes, trying to find a way to make sure she was alright. After a while, Cloud gave up, probably unable to find anything behind those brown eyes. “Are you upset with me?†Cloud inquired softly, his blue eyes pleading that Tifa say no. “No.†Cloud’s eyes softened at the answer. He was clearly hoping for more than one word answers. But Tifa wasn’t taking the bait. No matter what now, he was going to suspect that she was mad at him. Tifa registered all this in less than a second, and she let her guard down at Cloud’s raw emotion. She didn’t want to control him, not like this. She sat herself up, and unfortunately Cloud’s hand moved away because of the movement. “I saw her,†Tifa said simply. “Who?†“Aerith.†Cloud’s eyebrows shot up at Tifa’s answer, the chocobo-haired man clearly not expecting this. “When?†he asked when he finally found his voice. “When I was asleep,†the girl put kindly. She wasn’t going to mention that Cloud knocked her out. It was better to avoid that statement. And besides, it didn’t make a difference now. Her heart sped up as she went on to describe her experience with her long lost friend. “I hadn’t realized what had happened at first,†she started. “One second I saw nothing, and the next, I saw....myself. I could feel myself falling, but even more than that, I saw it happening. As if I were having an out of body experience.†“I know what you mean,†Cloud replied patiently, letting Tifa know he was comprehending what she was saying. “Right. Well, then everything around me turned black. I couldn’t see you or anything else.†Her voice softened as she continued. “I was afraid. I called out for you in the darkness, but you didn’t come. Everything appeared to be so hopeless, and I gave up on it all despite the fact that I didn’t know what was going on. I collapsed to my knees, and I started to sob.†“But then...I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up through the tears and I saw Aerith standing next to me. And I wasn’t in the black place any more, I was in her flowerbed. Her eyes pierced mine, and for a little while we just stared at each other. The tears were still running down my face, but I didn’t realize that at the time. And then I heard her speak. “‘Let it go,’ she had said. I started to weep at the words, since I knew exactly what she was talking about. I shook my head slightly and let my forehead rest against my knees and whimpered that I couldn’t. I kept on repeating that over and over again. “For a long time, I just sat there in tears. Eventually, when I looked back up, she was gone. But I was still in her flowerbed. It was then that I realized something. She may not have been there with me any more, but my surroundings were as beautiful as ever. And then I realized that the world is a lot like that.†Tifa paused, compiling her thoughts. “Sometimes, even though you feel alone, if you take a step back and look around you’ll realize just how beautiful the world is.†A smile appeared on her lips as she stared up at Cloud. Cloud returned her smile, his heart leaping out of his chest. “But not as beautiful as you,†he murmured, running a hand over her hair. Tifa’s smile widened. “Is that all you want to do?†she asked quietly, referring to him stroking her hair. She didn’t want anything big, but she loved Cloud so much, that she just wanted a little bit more. Just a small kiss, even on the forehead, would have been fine. Her soft brown eyes gazed up into Cloud’s bright blue orbs. She hoped her eyes conveyed her feelings. The blonde man chuckled softly, his cheeks reddening. Now this was the Cloud that Tifa knew from so long ago. It made her happy though, seeing that shyness in him. It was actually incredibly adorable. Cloud leaned down, his lips lightly connecting with Tifa’s. He gave her a small kiss before backing away, the smile still on his lips. Tifa understood his hesitation; he knew she was still absorbing everything that was happening that day. And if anything extreme happened, even if it was good, it may have sent her into a world of mental chaos. She loved him for watching out for her. “Thanks for not giving up on me,†Tifa whispered. The girl lifted a hand and set it lightly on Cloud’s shoulder. “Well, you didn’t give up on me,†he stated simply, a small grin appearing on his lips. He sobered after a moment. “In fact, I’m where I am today because of you.†“Me?†Tifa asked, tears appearing in her eyes. She didn’t know she had impacted Cloud that way. “Of course,†he replied, tenderness in his voice. “Without you, I would have given up. You kept me going when I had geostigma, without even knowing what I needed. You gave me space, but you supported me at the same time. Sometimes I wonder ‘Who sent this beautiful angel to me, and what did I do to deserve her love?’†Tifa stared up at him, in stunned silence. He couldn’t be serious...but his eyes told her that he was. But if he meant all that...even if he meant a small part of it, Tifa was extremely flattered. “And I promised myself, that I would love her and protect her the rest of my life,†Cloud continued, holding Tifa’s gaze. “My lovely angel.†Tifa’s tears grew in intensity, but she didn’t allow them to leave her eyes. However, one did escape, trailing down her right cheek. Cloud wiped it away without hesitation, the blonde still leaning over her. Tifa blushed, turning her head away. She had no idea Cloud could be a passionate man; she had never seen this side of him before... “Will you let me love you?†he requested softly. “Please, I’m not whole without you.†Tifa swallowed hard before returning his gaze. “I need you to love me,†she stated. The girl leaned upward and let her lips connect with Cloud’s in a kiss, that moment of bliss making her feel complete for the first time in a long time. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Cloud laid flat on his back, staring up at the starry sky. He wasn’t too deep in thought, just reflecting on the change he saw in Tifa. She wasn’t the girl he had known so long ago; she was better. He knew that this version of Tifa was going to be more hard wearing. And now that he could truly call her his, things were going to be different. He was going to love her and cherish her for as long as he lived. That was his purpose for living now. For so long, he had lived so that he could reflect on his own misery and loss. But a year ago, things had changed. He learned to cherish what he had. When he had lost Tifa, he was so frantic all the time. Never before had he realized how much he loved her. He wasn’t going to let her go any time soon. “Thank you, Aerith,†he whispered into the night air. “For everything you’ve done.†The star he was staring at twinkled, and he knew his friend had heard him. A faint noise entered his ears and he rolled over onto his side, seeing the girl of his dreams lying there next to him. She had turned in her sleep, and now she was facing towards him. Cloud smiled faintly as he reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Tifa remained unaware of everything, apparently too deep in her slumber to realize Cloud’s gentle presence. Cloud preferred it to be that way; he had no desire to awaken her from her slumber. Rustling emitted from an area near-by and Cloud immediately forgot his thoughts and sat up, looking around cautiously. He and Tifa were alone...weren’t they? That noise told him differently. The warrior rose to his feet slowly, scanning the area surrounding him. A bush nearby moved again. Ah-ha, that’s what it is. Cloud stepped over Tifa and rushed over to the shrubbery, grabbing onto the person who caused the disturbance. He put a hand over his mouth and dragged him away, his heart pounding a hundred miles per hour. You’ve bothered Tifa for the last time, he mentally told the reporter, his grip tightening slightly because of his annoyance. A few moments later, Tifa rolled over in her sleep once again, a cool gust of wind starting to make her more aware of her surroundings. She moaned softly, unaccustomed to the chilly breeze. Her brown eyes flickered open when a familiar voice entered her ears. Cloud? No, he was lying right beside her. Still, just to be sure, Tifa rolled over. He wasn’t there. Tifa sat up fully now, forgetting about the cool wind that had awoken her. Cloud? Where had he gone? The voice started up again, and Tifa listened closely to hear what was going on. “....your name?†Cloud’s voice. “Julio. Of the Midgar Times.†A reporter. “Do you know who I am?†Cloud’s voice is so firm, Tifa thought. What in the world is going on? She turned her head and saw the outlines of two figures, one of them holding the other by the scruff of the neck. It was obvious who was who in this scenario. “Y-You’re the one who defeated Sephiroth when he came to Edge.†“And the one who defeated him the first time,†Cloud added, scaring the man severely. “You know how tough Sephiroth is?†He didn’t wait for an answer. “Very tough. He’s killed a lot of people. But I was strong enough to kill him. You know, I haven’t had the chance to do that to anyone for a while...†Tifa could imagine the man shaking in his boots. Cloud, take it easy, she requested silently. The last thing they needed at that moment was for some reporter to leak word that Cloud threatened people who hadn’t committed any real crimes. Besides, Tifa didn’t really like seeing this side of Cloud. It may have been necessary to act in such a way, but it still wasn’t something Tifa wanted to witness. “...So I have a message for you know,†Cloud continued. “If you ever try to get near Tifa again, I’ll do to you what I did to Sephiroth. Understand?†The man nodded vigorously. “Tell all your other friends that the same applies to them. Nobody stalks her anymore. No exceptions. Comprende?†Cloud smirked, confident he had scared the man enough for one lifetime. Julio nodded again, so much so that Cloud wondered if his head wouldn’t fall right off. “Now--†Cloud released the man and he fell to the ground. “Get lost.†Julio ran off into the night, wobbly at first because of the fear in his heart. Tifa watched him until he was out of sight, then turned to look at Cloud once again. He was still watching Julio, not satisfied quite yet. Tifa’s lover wasn’t going to stop watching until he was sure the threat was gone. Tifa yawned softly, deciding then to just lie back down. Cloud would come back when he was ready to. She curled up on the cold ground, the wind blowing once again. The breeze chilled her, making the young woman shiver. Her brown eyes shut tightly as she tried to forget about the wind. It was hard to ignore, but thankfully sleep started to take her again. It’s still the middle of the night, after all, Tifa reflected sleepily. Her body started to become less tense as she relaxed, all her senses beginning to fade. He’s gone, Cloud thought confidently, unfolding his crossed arms. He was sure that Tifa wouldn’t have any other reporters bothering her anymore. Tifa...he turned to look over at her, just then noticing that she looked cold. He silently walked over to her, careful not to wake the sleeping woman. Once he was back at the blanket, he pulled a blanket out of the extra picnic basket. He hadn’t realized it would become so cold at night, and now he was glad he had thought ahead to bring a blanket. The sheet was laid carefully over Tifa, but it didn’t seem good enough; she still appeared to be cold. Cloud laid down beside her, gently setting a hand on her covered arm. Even through the blanket she felt cold. He started to stroke her arm, sympathetic eyes staying on the girl he loved. Gosh, she was beautiful when she slept... Tifa, in her half-awake state turned over in her sleep, feeling warmth in the direction opposite of what she was facing. She instinctively moved closer to the warmth, her head coincidentally resting against Cloud’s chest. The blond haired man smiled at this, not objecting to the closeness. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, remembering his vow to watch out for her and protect her. Even if it was from the cold, he was going to protect her. No matter what the circumstances were, he was always going to be her guardian. Always. [That's the end of the official fanfic, guys. The epilogue will be up soon. I promise I'll try and remember to post it. xD]
It was such a plesant surprise seeing a new chapter here! Your righting hasn't worsened since the last update, that's for sure. Your use of humor and action was excelent as was the excitement. You don't drag things on longer than necessary but you also don't cut them short. Excelent job; I hope you update again relatively soon! =)
[Gah, I'm late again =/. So sorry guys, my life has been crazy hectic lately. I've had to write 3 papers in the past two days so I haven't had the opportunity to get on here and post chapter 10. Here it is now; hopefully it was worth the wait.] Chapter 10: Blame A week later... Tifa stood calmly on the cliff she had visited in the past week, the surroundings very familiar to her. This wasn’t just some random place she picked to think; it was also the place where Cloud kept the Buster Sword. I never did hear the story of that, Tifa mused, her eyes wandering to that weapon for a brief moment. Eh, it’s probably nothing exciting. She turned her attention back to the skyline. It had been a week since the night at the farmhouse with Hiraku. In a way, it felt like it was an eternity ago. But at the same time, it was very fresh in Tifa’s mind. She couldn’t get Trent out of her thoughts, either. All the things that he had said...they stuck with her. However, she still wasn’t sure how to fulfill what he requested of her. How could she just forget all the wrong in the world? It didn’t seem like a simple task. Maybe it isn’t about forgetting. Maybe it’s about accepting that things happen. Tifa scoffed at the idea. How was she supposed to accept that her father was killed by Sephiroth? And what about Aerith? She didn’t deserve to die. Tifa didn’t understand why terrible things had to happen; Sephiroth had deserved to die for his treachery, but Aerith and her father hadn’t committed any sin. Tifa sighed softly, kneeling down next to the large sword. She was so tired of this. She was so tired of running away from everything, that she was finally trying to sort things out. But even then...the answers weren’t coming. Someday soon though, she was going to figure out what everything meant. She’d find a way to live her life even when the terrible things were happening around her. There was hope for the future. “Oh, Miss Lockhart!†Tifa furrowed her brows, her hand curling into a fist. Not again. For the past week, Tifa had been trying to escape a rush of reporters who credited her for ending the war. She may have fought and weakened Hiraku, but nobody knew all of it. Only her friends knew, and the reporters didn’t care about what they had to say. They only targeted Tifa. Surprisingly, they were only now finding the place where she went to escape it all. The young woman got off her knees and turned around, her eyes scanning the area. There were so many reporters, practically one from each news station in the Edge. Tifa sighed; this was going to be annoying. The reporters rushed her, cameras flashing brightly as the voices all mixed together. Tifa instinctively took one step back, but she was quickly surrounded by all the reporters and their crews. “Tifa, how did you defeat Hiraku?†One reporter inquired. “How did you find the location of the Yurak leader?†“Is it true that Hiraku is the reincarnation of Sephiroth?†“Will the rest of the Yuraks come out of hiding someday?†“What kind of conditioner do you use?†Tifa arched a brow at the question, her brown eyes finding that odd reporter. Apparently everyone else wondered who would ask that question as well, because they all turned toward the strange man and stared at him in stunned silence. He had a sheepish smile on his face. A roaring sound entered her ears, and Tifa looked past the reporters and out at the open land in front of her. A small smile appeared on her face as she stared at an oncoming vehicle. It came closer and closer, not slowing down despite the fact that it was nearing the crowd. “Look out!†one reporter cried, realizing the motorcycle wasn’t going to stop for them. He ran off to the side, most of the reporters and crews following his lead. Tifa took one step back, the bike skidding to a halt right in front of her. The rider didn’t wear any goggles, and his blue eyes shone brightly as he looked at Tifa. His blond spiked hair wasn’t even ruffled from the wind. Tifa smirked faintly, wondering how exactly that worked. “Looks like you could use an escape,†Cloud commented, a smile appearing on his lips as he gazed at Tifa. The young woman only nodded, her small smile widening at his statement. “Well then, come on,†he encouraged, extending a hand. Tifa slipped her hand into his without hesitation, climbing onto the bike behind him. Before the reporters could recover from their state of shock, the two had already sped off. Tifa wrapped her arms around Cloud more tightly, the wind rushing by her. She hardly ever got a chance to ride with Cloud like this, and each time she forgot just how strong the wind was. The only way to avoid it was to use Cloud’s body as a shield. A relaxed breath left her lips as she leaned forward, her head resting against Cloud’s back. She didn’t mind being closer to him, and she was sure he felt the same. The two had been riding for only a few minutes when Cloud brought them to a gentle stop. Tifa slowly released her friend as she opened her eyes, scanning the area. Awe overtook her as she looked around; Cloud had brought her to a grassy meadow. And in the flowers, there was a plaid blanket laid out. On top of that, there was a picnic basket. “C-Cloud?†Tifa stuttered, releasing him all together as she started to get off the bike. The blonde man chuckled. “I wasn’t hoping we would come here in these circumstances,†he started. “But I’m glad we’re here anyway. And while we’re here--†he took a few steps forward and picked up the basket. “--would you like some lunch?†Tifa laughed at his adorable facial expression. “I’d love that,†she responded, approaching the blanket. Her eyes only left Cloud’s when she looked down to set herself on the ground. The earth was so soft. The comfortable atmosphere around her made her forget all her troubles and the annoyances of life. At that moment, the only thing that mattered was her and Cloud. “I brought ham sandwiches,†Cloud said, handing one to Tifa. “Mm, my favorite,†Tifa smiled, taking it out of Cloud’s hand. “I know; that’s why I packed those.†Tifa’s smile widened at that statement. “Um, thank you,†the girl said after a moment, her cheeks reddening. Cloud shrugged. “Making sandwiches isn’t that big of a deal.†“No...I mean...thank you, for the sandwiches too, but really...thank you for getting me away from the reporters earlier. I can never seem to get rid of them myself.†Cloud’s eyes softened at the change of subject. “No problem.†He set a hand on her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. Tifa’s heart skipped a beat. I gotta say something, or I’m going to start being extremely shy again, she decided mentally. “Why do reporters have to be so obnoxious?†Tifa wondered aloud, that being the only comment she could think of to make the awkward silence disappear. “Because they want what they can’t have. They want to know what happened that night and get a juicy story.†Pause. “Me though, I just want to know what happened,†he stated more softly. Tifa looked away. She never had explained who Trent was. “Would you please let me know what’s going on?†There was no demand in his voice, only gently prompting. Tifa decided to be honest with him and just say it; it would be quick and painless. “The guy that rescued me is named Trent. I travelled with him when I was with the Debks. He always was watching out for me in battles and everything.†“You were...close?†Tifa nodded faintly. “He was a great friend,†she started softly. “Too bad I didn’t realize it until it was too late.†“‘Too late’?†“Trent was killed in an ambush a couple months ago. I think that was around the time that Hiraku started targeting me.†Cloud fell silent for a moment, trying to compile all the facts in his head. “Trent was into martial arts as well?†“He was trained by a monk growing up, then joined the Debks when he saw what a threat the Yuraks were.†“How did you two become close?†Cloud was asking a lot of questions, maybe too many. It was bringing up too many emotions inside Tifa. She tried her hardest to keep them hidden. “He somehow latched himself onto me, refusing to be rejected. Trent had that way about him. Once his mind was set on something, he wasn’t going to give up. That’s probably why he was fighting to the end.†“I don’t understand what you mean...†“He promised to always defend me...and always watch out for me. I was between a rock and hard place, and he didn’t flee from the battle. He died, when I should have.†Tifa choked back tears, her eyes staying glued to the ground. Cloud was silent for a few moments, and that made the situation even more tense than it had been before. After a few seconds, Cloud lightly set his hand on Tifa’s head, running it down her long black hair one time. “And you blame yourself for Trent’s death,†he declared softly, his bright blue eyes never leaving her. “Because it is my fault. He wouldn’t have been there if it hadn’t been for me.†“Tifa--†“And don’t try to convince me otherwise, because I know that’s the truth,†Tifa snapped. “If he didn’t have some kind of obligation to me, he would still be alive.†“He was doing what he saw was right. Even if you tried to convince him to flee, he wouldn’t have.†“I don’t care about any of that!†Tifa screamed, her emotions getting the better of her. She rose to her feet quickly, heart pounding in fury. Why couldn’t Cloud understand what she was feeling? She would try to get him to comprehend it all. “He’s still dead. You know why? Because I had to join the Debks and have the Yuraks find me. He was killed because I was being hunted. It shouldn’t have worked out that way!†Cloud rose to his feet as well, his eyes locking with hers once again. “Tifa, calm down,†he requested softly. Her rage was growing at an unhealthy rate. He was very concerned for her. “No! You don’t understand this Cloud! His death...it’s all my fault. And I couldn’t do anything to stop it. It’s just like Nibelhiem!†“What do you mean?†Tifa was crying now. “If I hadn’t led Sephiroth to the reactor, he never would have gone insane. He never would have burned down the town, and he never would have gone on to kill all those other people.†Including Aerith, she added mentally. “I’m the one to blame. For everything.†Cloud grabbed her by the shoulders, not gentle at all, but very strong and firm. “Tifa, listen to me. You can’t blame yourself for any of this. You didn’t kill Trent. You didn’t hurt all the other innocent people that Sephiroth killed.†Tifa shook her head, looking away from Cloud. “You’re wrong.†The young woman brought up a hand and grabbed onto Cloud’s wrist, forcing him to release her. “None of that matters. I may as well have killed them. They’re all dead now anyway. A consequence of my sin. The only way to redeem myself is to fight evil and give the innocent the chance to live.†Cloud grabbed his wrist, clearly surprised that Tifa had gotten out from his grasp so easily. “That’s not logical, Tifa. You’re pushing away everyone who loves you trying to find redemption, but you’re never going to find that! You need to forgive yourself on your own. No course of action or lifestyle can provide that. You can keep fighting all you want, but it’ll never be good enough for you. This search you’re on...it’s never going to end this way!†That was all that Tifa could take. Cloud had taken it too far this time. “You don’t know what I want,†she hissed. “You think you’re so knowledgeable. Maybe you have experience with your own pain. I know when you were lost last year, you made my life miserable. Do you know how hard it is to love someone when they’re too depressed to even react to you?†“Yes, I do know how that feels,†Cloud responded softly, interrupting the young woman. Tifa froze. He meant her. “H-how dare you? This is nothing like last year.†“How so?†“This is about me, not you. You have no right to judge me and think you’ve felt all the feelings I’ve felt. Until you’ve seen what I’ve been through my entire life and the last year, you don’t have the right to say anything.†“Teef--†“You know what? I’ll prove it to you. I’m going to go out and find my redemption. And I’m not coming home until I find it. There are still Yuraks out there. I’m going to get rid of all of them. Defeating Hiraku wasn’t enough. This will be.†She turned and started walking away from Cloud, not waiting for a response. But Cloud wasn’t going to let her go that easily. He came up behind her and grabbed her wrist so firmly that Tifa had to turn around to face her friend. Cloud was being extremely forceful with her, surprising Tifa. He had been very gentle lately, and it was rare not to see that side of him. “I’m not losing you again,†he stated calmly, though he couldn’t hide the slight tremble in his voice. He was scared for her. Tifa could see his concern, but at that moment, she couldn’t remember why she should care. He was her friend...However, her redemption was more important. Even if it came at a high cost, she would get it. Tifa raised her free hand and quickly curled it into a fist. She swung it right at Cloud’s chin. The fist never touched his skin, for with his free hand, he caught hers and stopped it dead in its tracks. Before Tifa could move again, he released her other hand and set his on the back of her neck. He gave it a gentle squeeze, his index finger pressing against a pressure point. Tifa collapsed in front of him, unconscious. At least for the time being anyway. What have I done? Cloud wondered, his thoughts running through his head at a thousand miles per hour. He had no choice but to take action against Tifa; it was either him or her. Besides, now he had time to digest what was going on here. Hopefully Tifa would wake up and not be so erratic as well. Cloud sighed. He just hoped things would turn out all right here. Tifa was much more broken than he had originally thought. This could be the one problem he couldn’t solve. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Author’s note: [Guys, I know this seems really random at the end and out of character, but it was the best way I could think of to write this story. If you didn’t like that, then hopefully what’s in chapter 11 will make up for it.]
Yeah, it's a scary thought.
It's a scary thought to me. =/
In my rush to get this posted I forgot to work around the knife. =/ I supose in my train of thought I was thinking the knife was simply easier to reach and handle for stabbing. It would have been better if I had gotten that point across better.
[Guys, I have a surprise for you. I was inspired by your comments and I realized you were absolutely right about that battle. That chapter could have been expanded greatly. And so, that is what I have done this past week. I think I've added about 2 pages of writing to it, including more battle and a little bit more to the ending. So here's a revised version of chapter 9. I hope that you guys enjoy it much more than the first version.] Chapter 9: Day of Fate (Part 2) *REVISED* Tifa ran in the middle of the pack all the way to the farmhouse. Red XIII led the group, since he was naturally the quickest out of all of them. In what felt like no time at all, they reached the farmhouse. Everything was awkwardly silent. There was no sign of anyone, not Hiraku, not his Yuraks. It was at that moment Tifa wondered if the ninja was lying. However, the arrow that soared through the air and almost pierced her heart made her consider otherwise. Fortunately for her, Cloud swatted the arrow away with one swing of her sword. Vincent shot a single bullet into the night, killing the man who had shot the arrow. So, Hiraku really was there. Tifa clenched her fist in anger, the girl staring at the entrance to the barn. Finally. Finally, she could finish this off. She could get rid of Hiraku and protect all those innocent people who found meaningful things to do with their lives. Her friends could return to their former lives. She would no longer be hunted. She ran to the door, her friends close behind. With one kick, Tifa brought down the doors. She rushed in first, followed by the others. Wow, they’re really taking this leadership thing seriously, Tifa thought in the back of her mind. Even more than that though, her heart was beating in anticipation to what was hopefully going to happen here. Hiraku was about to die. The opening room was empty, but there was another door straight ahead. She ran for that, then broke it down in the same manner as the first one. Once they all entered the room, they were promptly greeted by ten Yurak assassins, as promised by the apparently-truthful ninja from earlier. Three came for her, and then the others fought off the remaining seven. In the start, they had all been targeting her, but they couldn’t get too close; her friends had created a barrier around her to keep her safe. Tifa Lockhart knocked out the last ninja with a hard punch. She heard a groan (not unusual during a battle) but this groan made her heart skip a beat. One of her comrades had been hurt. She hurriedly turned around, forgetting about everything except her friend. Barret had a hand around his stomach, and he looked in pain. Tifa felt a surge of panic run through her, then anger. Nobody hurt Barret. Despite the fact that Tifa had always looked to him as a protector, she now felt a need to protect him. A malevolent chuckle reverberated throughout the room, making Tifa tense. Her brown eyes wandered upward, and she saw an enemy standing on a pile of crates. Not just any ordinary enemy, but the worst of them all. It was the man she hated nearly as much as she hated Sephiroth. Hiraku. She gritted her teeth together and walked forward, her eyes never leaving that man. The Yurak leader raised his hand, but nothing appeared to happen. However, Tifa was very wrong. A faint shimmering noise entered her ear, and she turned around just in time to see a barrier appear. It separated her from her friends. And more importantly, it left her alone with Hiraku. That coward, she thought viciously. He didn’t have the courage to fight them all at once, so now he was going to eliminate Tifa and then target the others. It was a great strategy; too bad he was the enemy. Hiraku smiled warmly, like a wolf in sheep’s clothes. He jumped down from the boxes, his landing very graceful. “It is good to finally see you in person, Tifa Lockhart.†Tifa clenched a fist. So, this man really did know who she was. That meant he also knew about how she the most powerful Rebk out there. What else did this imply? How long had he been watching her...? The implications pierced her heart, making her feel a surprising sense of fear. “Still, I am disappointed all the same. You were supposed to have been killed months ago. How you managed to escape alive, I do not know. But it will not be happening today. Today, you will die and be with your fallen comrades in the Lifestream. And soon, I will rule over all of you and control this planet, as Jenova has commanded me to.†Tifa gritted her teeth together in frustration and shock. The ambush that killed Trent...it was probably her fault. They were going for her, but Trent had stepped in and they had gotten rid of him. “SHUT UP!†she suddenly screamed, running forward. A moment before her fist would have reached his chin, he grabbed her wrist. Tifa gasped at his strength, that one movement stopping her completely. He chuckled, then threw her backwards. She rolled on the ground several times before coming to a stop. “Tifa?!†Cloud yelled frantically. He stood helplessly behind the barrier, one of his hands on the translucent wall. This was torturous for him, having to stand by the sidelines and watch Tifa be in danger. In other situations, it had been a little better because he could protect her from harm. But now... The girl rose to her feet, unharmed. “I’m fine,†she said absently, speaking over her shoulder. She glared at Hiraku in anger. “He was just toying with me.†Hiraku grinned. “Tell me Hiraku, why are you doing things this way? Wouldn’t it have been easier just to have your men stalk me through the woods a few months ago and kill me in my sleep?†She needed to buy some time; that barrier couldn’t stand forever. “This will be much more pleasant for me to do myself. I have waited for this day for a long time, Ms. Lockhart.†Tifa shivered at the way he said her name. “Enough of this.†Hiraku raised his fists. “We will fight. Now.†Perhaps he too realized his wall wouldn’t keep Cloud and the others out forever. Tifa realized she had no options but to fight as Hiraku wanted her to. Either she could flee and buy more time (which would leave her more vulnerable to his attacks), or she could fight. She went with the second option. Both of them charged forward and the fight began. They were both going fist to fist, thank goodness. If Hiraku had been using his trademark sword, then Tifa would have been doomed. However, she probably was doomed either way. He wasn’t the Yurak leader for nothing. He could take her down very easily if she wasn’t careful with her fighting. Tifa threw caution to the wind as she fought, using all her strength to fight him off. And surprisingly, she wasn’t doing badly. He wasn’t getting many blows in, but then again, neither was she. It appeared they were an even match. Unless he was playing with her again... A few minutes into the battle, they both broke away from each other. Tifa gasped raggedly, trying to catch her breath. She heard Hiraku catch his breath as well, but he didn’t seem nearly as winded as Tifa. This battle isn’t going as well as I had hoped, Tifa thought. Oh well, she wasn’t going to give in. She ran forward again, this time coming up with a new strategy. There was a crowbar lying on the ground a few feet behind Hiraku. If she could just get a hold of that, it would help her. At least for the time being. Hiraku raised his arms in defense, not seeing that her sight rested elsewhere. She leapt over top of him, landing right by the crowbar. The girl spun around and charged at his exposed back. The weapon impacted him with such great force that he flew forward a few feet. However, he didn’t stay off balance. So she attempted the same move again. But he was prepared for it. He turned around and snatched the weapon out of her hands before she even knew what happened. Then he knocked her over the head with it. Tifa’s vision swam as she fell down, legs collapsed underneath her. Get up, get up! she screamed internally. However, her body wouldn’t respond. She felt Hiraku grab onto her white shirt, and then she felt nothing as she soared through the air. A loud thudding sound brought her out of her daze, as well as the pain of impacting a bunch of metal crates. “Tifa!†Cloud cried frantically. “Cloud, what we gonna do?!†Barret asked, panic in his voice. The burly man had let go of his stomach a long time ago, too engrossed in the battle to care about the ache he felt. He, like Cloud, saw what bad shape Tifa was in. Cloud composed himself quickly, knowing that getting worked up was not going to help anyway. “Knock down the wall. Now!†He swung his hefty sword at the barrier. The wall didn’t fade for even a second. But since it was his only option at that moment, he tried again. “Come on!†The sound of metal clanging entered her ears as Tifa shakily rose to her feet. It was her friends, using their weapons to try and break down the wall. The girl didn’t focus on that. Instead, she turned her eyes forward again. Hiraku was standing about ten feet away, hands empty. Apparently he decided to get rid of the crowbar and just beat her in a fist fight. As comforting as it was to see him weaponless, Tifa still knew this was a fight she could not win in. Unless Cloud and the others broke down that wall. She could buy them more time. “I’m counting on you,†she whispered into the air. The girl suddenly raised her fists again and charged for Hiraku. Cloud’s eyes widened when he saw Tifa get back into the action so quickly. She had taken so many blows already; he had no idea what gave her the strength to continue on. The blonde-haired man swung at the barrier for what must have been the fiftieth time, though his eyes stayed on the fighting girl. She was combating brilliantly, not even using materia yet still dealing critical blows. He was impressed. After this was over, he would have to tell her that. “It isn’t working!†Yuffie shouted in anguish. Cloud was just about to swing his sword again, but then he realized that she was right. He lowered his blade and turned to his comrades, who had also stopped in their attempts to break the barrier. “Find another way out! Look for a weak point,†he commanded. The others all spread out throughout the enclosed area and started to work on new areas. Cloud, however, continued to work on his area. He hoped that with persistence, the wall would break. His arms swung the hefty blade again, but his attention was focused on Tifa. She looked so worn out. Multiple wounds appeared on her body. How much longer could she take this abuse...? Tifa unleashed a battle cry as she kicked Hiraku hard in the stomach. The vulnerable man flew backwards, into his own barrier. Tifa was tempted to release a shout in success, but she knew Hiraku would be back on his feet soon. And sure enough, he stood right back up, hardly phased from her attack. Hiraku reached for a dagger in his pocket and threw it straight for Tifa, but he missed, only because of her quick reflexes. The woman did an extra back flip before stopping, balanced now that she had a brief moment to recover. She was panting heavily now, sweat coating her trembling body. Fighting this way wasn’t working; she had to come up with a new strategy. Her eyes scanned the room, but she saw nothing to assist her. The only thing that she saw now was Hiraku charging at her. Tifa growled softly, curling her hand into a fist before running toward her enemy. Something hung from his side, something she hadn’t noticed before. A sword in its hilt. It was then that Tifa knew what she had to do. Moments before they would have collided, Tifa flipped over her opponent. But not without reaching down and grabbing the sword out of his hilt. She landed gracefully and quickly turned around, sharp blade in her hand. Hiraku stopped and glared at her, shocked and angered that his sword had been stolen. Tifa smirked. There had just been a change in the tide. Before Hiraku could react, Tifa charged him again. She cleared the space between them within a second of starting her spring, giving Hiraku absolutely no chance to move. The sword cut right through him, and Tifa was oddly relieved to hear his scream of pain. Never before had she felt so good about hurting an enemy. “You’ll pay,†Hiraku grunted, grabbing his stomach in discomfort. “I swear, you will pay.†“Not today.†Tifa ran at him again, this time cutting through his chest in a way that formed an “Xâ€. Or, depending on how you looked at it, it could have been a “T†for “Tifaâ€. Hiraku moaned, but he still stood. He was an extremely strong opponent. Perhaps he was not as powerful as Sephiroth, but he was still a force to be reckoned with. The man flexed his hand and a dark aura started to radiate around his side. Tifa took a defensive position, sword in front of her in case she had to deflect an attack. But, to her surprise, he wasn’t going to send another projectile towards her. A sword formed in his hand. Tifa stood in stunned silence. She knew the Yuraks had powerful witchcraft, but she had never seen a form quite like this... A battle cry entered her ears, and Tifa saw a blurred figure rushing towards her. She gasped and leapt into the air, only avoiding the sword by a fraction of an inch. She landed on a set of crates, but she didn’t stay there long. Leaping off the boxes, she descended on Hiraku. If he hadn’t moved, she would have landed right on top of him. Angered that she had missed her target, she swung her sword at him. He dodged it. Again, she swung at him. Again he dodged. Then, at the same time, they both went to attack each other. Their swords collided, and they both fought to press down harder on each other’s blades. “Fool,†Hiraku gasped. “This battle is meaningless. My power still surpasses yours and the power of your friends. What hope to you have to win?†“You’re gaping like a fish and bleeding as well, Hiraku,†Tifa replied smugly. Hiraku chuckled. “Perhaps. But your strength is not your own; you are fighting out of rage. That eventually depletes your strength. Is it because of your friend? What was his name...Travis? No no, it was Trent...†“Shut it, you son of a...†Tifa murmured the last part, suddenly feeling weak at the name of Trent. She was fighting for him, but she was also fighting for herself. And her friends. And for the future. All these were reasons for fighting. She wouldn’t let Hiraku make her feel small for this. “What’s wrong, girl? Did I hit a sore spot?†Hiraku smirked, egging on Tifa. “Are you--†“I fight for my friends. And for the future!†Tifa snapped. “But you will pay for what you’ve done...†“Then your friends will be disappointed at the end of the day. For this is a fight that you will never win.†Hiraku suddenly pressed down hardly on Tifa’s sword, knocking her back. Tifa blinked in surprise, then reacted just in time to feel Hiraku’s blade against hers again. But this time, it was not a stalemate. He knocked her several times, forcing her to back up to deflect the blows. A well placed kick hit her in the stomach, sending her backwards. Then the sword was knocked out of her hand and a hard blow impacted her head. Tifa’s vision went fuzzy and unfortunately for her, she couldn’t see Hiraku’s oncoming fist. He punched her square on the chin and kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying. Tifa impacted the ground hard, a grunt escaping her. It was obvious to her that Hiraku was running on the last of his energy, as was she. Speaking of last energy...Her body began to glow with a faint blue tinge. It was time for her limit break. Her eyes locked onto Hiraku, who was clearly surprised at the turn of events. She smirked as she picked herself up and charged forward. The fists started flying as soon as they were in range of each other, but only hers landed solid blows. She was so powered up, it was impossible for him to do anything. After one final kick in the groin, she jumped backwards, levitating in the air for a few moments. Her arms started to glow with materia, and all of a sudden bursts of magic rained down on Hiraku. Fire, wind, water...every element imaginable now impacted the Yurak leader. Tifa fell back to earth, her landing not as graceful as it normally was due to the fact that she was exhausted. She landed on one knee, her back towards Hiraku. And she was facing Cloud and the others, who had gone silent. The young woman turned to look over her shoulder. Hiraku laid still on the ground, unmoving. At least for the time being, Tifa realized. Realistically, she couldn’t expect him to stay down. He was so strong; he would probably regain consciousness within the next few minutes. Tifa picked herself up quickly, also grabbing the dagger off the floor. She needed to finish this. Now. Her feet carried her over to Hiraku quickly, and she hesitated for one brief moment. Killing humans didn’t come easily to her. He’s not human; he’s a monster, Tifa reasoned. He’s out to kill the innocent. Like Denzel and Marlene. That was enough motivation for Tifa. She knelt down in preparation to stab him in the back, the dagger firmly in her hand. Just as she went in for the kill, a hand stopped her. It grabbed her wrist. She gasped in shock; Hiraku had never been unconscious. Suddenly he kicked her, making her collapse to her knees. Then a hand grabbed onto her shirt and Hiraku threw her hard, her limbs flailing as she flew through the air. She hit the barrier exceedingly hard, then slid down to the ground. “NO!†she heard Cloud’s scream enter her ears. He must have been right behind her to have been that loud. But his voice still sounded like it was faded. It seemed softer than it should have. Tifa shook it off, hair down in her eyes. She wasn’t giving up, not now, not ever. She started rising to her feet, but it was taking an extremely long time to do so. Even when she fell back down to one knee it felt slower than usual. He cast slow on me, Tifa realized numbly. Staring at the ground, she suddenly heard footsteps coming towards her, and she knew it was Hiraku coming to finish the job. Since she was sluggish now, she couldn’t even defend herself. What a humiliating death; fighting so hard for so long only to be killed off because a spell prevented her from moving. The only hope she had left was hope that death wouldn’t be too painful. But then again, it couldn’t be much more painful than what she was already experiencing. A loud crashing noise suddenly entered her ears, and Tifa winced. The noise was followed by a scream. Hiraku? Tifa opened her eyes just in time to Hiraku fly into the air, and then get knocked back down when a man intercepted him mid air. The mysterious man kicked Hiraku right in the back, instantly breaking his spin. Tifa winced once again when Hiraku landed. It was such a painful crash, and she had no doubt Hiraku felt even worse than she. The stranger landed and pulled a dagger out of a case to his side. He stabbed Hiraku in the back, doing what Tifa couldn’t do. The girl forced herself up, still lying down but resting on her hands now as she stared up at the man. She didn’t understand...she didn’t know who this person was. Or did she? He seemed strangely familiar...But she didn’t know anybody who would dress in pure white like that. And the hood of his sweatshirt covered his face, so it was impossible for her to distinguish who he was. And then he turned to her, pulling the hood off the top of his head. Tifa stared at the face that was revealed, totally awestruck. “T-Trent?†Tifa gasped, pain evident in her voice. She tried to pick herself up again, but she wasn’t strong enough to stand up yet. But she wasn’t going to stop trying; not with Trent here. How he was there, she didn’t know. Either way, he was there. Perhaps he was going to take her with him, to a world without pain... “Tifa? Tifa! Stay with me!†Trent’s urgent voice entered her ears, and Tifa realized she must have dazed off. Or was that Cloud’s voice? She couldn’t tell at the moment, too tired to care. No matter what the case was, the voice brought her out of her daze. Even more than that, she felt something against her lips, and that stunned her enough for her to open her eyes again. It was an elixir bottle. The liquid poured down her throat, a tingling sensation running through her body. She swallowed the drink, her eyes staying open this time. It was at that moment she realized that she was sitting up partway, and she was in Trent’s arms. He was kneeling down beside her, holding that bottle to her lips. She blushed in embarrassment; he had never seen her at such a weak level. Trent looked Tifa tenderly, concern in his eyes. “You okay, sweetheart?†he asked, lowering the bottle. Tifa blushed even more at this comment; that was a nickname he had used on her during their time fighting together. It sure did bring back memories. Not just bad ones, surprisingly, but good ones. Their friendship had been much stronger than Tifa had first suspected. “I’m alright.†I just really miss you. “You still look a little green. Here, why don’t you try to stand up?†Why can’t we just stay together here? I’m alright now that you’re here. Tifa had little trouble rising to her feet, knowing that Trent was holding her hand and there to support her at any given time. As soon as she was upright, she did collapse slightly from tiredness, but not pain. Trent was right there to catch her. Tifa wrapped one arm around him, leaning into her friend for support. “Trent,†Tifa said weakly. “Try not to talk, sweetheart. I know how tired you are.†“...You’re not staying with me, are you?†Please, please say yes... Trent shook his head. “No, I can’t. Not this time.†“Why not?†Tifa asked innocently, a sense of naïveté coming through. “You’re here now; why can’t you stay?†“I don’t belong here anymore,†Trent replied softly, gently brushing some of Tifa’s hair out of her eyes. “I’ve done what needed to be done.†Tifa shook her head, setting it against Trent’s shoulder. Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke a simple sentence. “I still need you.†“Tifa...I’m still with you,†he stated tenderly. “Even if you can’t see me, just remember what’s important. It’s who you are. And how you work through the hard times. The tragedies are what turned you into the person you are today. But even through those terrible things...†he lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “There is still hope.†The brown-eyed girl nodded faintly. Looking into Trent’s eyes, she did believe that. Some part of her accepted the things that had passed. Perhaps she was ready for the future. But for now, she held onto Trent. She wanted to stay in his arms for at least a few more moments, because things were finally making sense with him there. He allowed her to hold on, knowing that she needed another moment of reassurance. The time they spent standing there was such a relief to Tifa, but eventually, their time came to an end. “I have to go,†he whispered. Tifa only nodded. She slowly released him, and he did the same with her. He held onto her shoulders one last time and looked down into her eyes. “Don’t forget what’s important to you. And don’t let go of anything worth value. Okay?†Tifa nodded. Trent abruptly let go of her and turned to leave. There was a break in the barn wall that Tifa had failed to notice earlier. That was apparently the place where Trent had come from, and it was now the place he was exiting. However, he stopped right in front of the wall instead of exiting right away as Tifa had expected. The spiky-haired man turned around and fixed his gaze on another person. Not Tifa, but Cloud, who was standing five feet away from Tifa alongside all his friends. The barrier was gone now, but all her friends stood a distance away, probably knowing she needed a moment with the stranger. “Watch out for her,†Trent told Cloud. His voice was very serious, but the tone was one of care for Tifa. “I’m leaving her in your care.†He disappeared through the hole, and that was that. Tifa stared at the hole for a few more moments, lost in her thoughts. Trent had known exactly what she needed to hear, and he had said it all. Except for one thing...And that was goodbye. Tifa wasn’t ready to say goodbye completely yet. But that wasn’t up to her; Trent was already gone. Tifa’s eyes widened in recognition, sadness filling her heart. I didn’t get to say goodbye... “Wait!†Tifa suddenly cried, rushing forward. She ran as quickly as she could to the broken wall, but froze when she arrived there. Looking outside, there was no sign of Trent; absolutely none. Tifa fell to her knees. I was too late. Tears flooded her eyes, threatening to fall at any second. Her friend was gone, and she would never see him that way again. Sure, he was in her heart, but she still felt awfully alone knowing he was physically gone. “Tifa,†the sound of her name sounded alien in her ears, the girl feeling a bit too dazed to respond. A hand appeared on her shoulder; Cloud’s hand. She allowed it to rest there, all her emotions having been used up in the past hour. “We should leave now,†Cloud stated softly. Tifa only nodded. Yes, she supposed it was time to leave. She didn’t really want to, but she also knew Cloud wasn’t going to allow her to grieve right there and then. He understood better than she how tired she was and how that was going to affect her emotions. The girl finally found the will to rise to her feet, but even the strongest will couldn’t keep her standing. She was far too exhausted from the battle and its aftermath to have the strength to stand on her own. So, just as she did with Trent, Tifa leaned into Cloud for support. He supported her small body as he half-led half-dragged her over to their other friends. Once they were with the group, they all left together. Back to the campsite. Then, after they got their rest, they could continue life’s journey. They would walk it together this time. Tifa didn’t want to travel alone. For she had learned that not only was it alright to lean on somebody else for support, but it was also a part of life. Friendship is the greatest sweetener of life, and no friendship was sweeter than what she had with Cloud. And the fellowship she had with her other friends as well. She had walked away before, and now she was making a promise to herself and to her friends. Never again would she walk away from what was important to her.
And then I'll be free...or no wait, I'll have a job. *Sigh* I don't like responsibility too much...
Yup, I am. So I get out of one school only to go to another. =/
Yup, I'm kinda glad. =)
Only 1 more for me.
I know what you mean. =(
Thank you kindly. =)
That stinks. =( Hope you feel better.
Yes, Tifa's vulnerability is an unfortunate consequence of my writing. You see whenever I focus on a character, they tend to hurt emotionally and physically. I realize that she wasn't weak in AC, and perhaps that is why I try to portray her in a different way in my stories. As for Tifa's emotional struggles, I get back to that in the future chapters. I was wondering if anybody was going to digest just how the story changes focus, and I'm not surprised you picked that out. And also, I'm sorry to disapoint for the battle. Writing action scenes like that has never been my best asset. I absolutely love the picture. <3 Thank you. And thanks for the critism, I greatly appreciate it. EDIT: The only problem is that I forget how to put pictures in my signature anymore. =/ Yeah, that kinda goes along with what I said to Chevliar. It's just an unfortunate side-effect of my style of writing. =/ It's something I hope to improve on in the future.
[I forget to update this when nobody responds. 0.o So if you guys want me to remember and post on time, please respond to my posts. =/ ] Chapter 9: Day of Fate (Part 2) Tifa ran in the middle of the pack all the way to the farmhouse. Red XIII led the group, since he was naturally the quickest out of all of them. In what felt like no time at all, they reached the farmhouse. Everything was awkwardly silent. There was no sign of anyone, not Hiraku, not his Yuraks. It was at that moment Tifa wondered if the ninja was lying. However, the arrow that soared through the air and almost pierced her heart made her consider otherwise. Fortunately for her, Cloud swatted the arrow away with one swing of her sword. Vincent shot a single bullet into the night, killing the man who had shot the arrow. So, Hiraku really was there. Tifa clenched her fist in anger, the girl staring at the entrance to the barn. Finally. Finally, she could finish this off. She could get rid of Hiraku and protect all those innocent people who found meaningful things to do with their lives. Her friends could return to their former lives. She would no longer be hunted. She ran to the door, her friends close behind. With one kick, Tifa brought down the doors. She rushed in first, followed by the others. Wow, they’re really taking this leadership thing seriously, Tifa thought in the back of her mind. Even more than that though, her heart was beating in anticipation to what was hopefully going to happen here. Hiraku was about to die. The opening room was empty, but there was another door straight ahead. She ran for that, then broke it down in the same manner as the first one. Once they all entered the room, they were promptly greeted by ten Yurak assassins, as promised by the apparently-truthful ninja from earlier. Three came for her, and then the others fought off the remaining seven. In the start, they had all been targeting her, but they couldn’t get too close; her friends had created a barrier around her to keep her safe. Tifa Lockhart knocked out the last ninja with a hard punch. Her brown eyes wandered upward, and she saw an enemy standing on a pile of crates. Not just any ordinary enemy, but the worst of them all. It was the man she hated nearly as much as she hated Sephiroth. Hiraku. She gritted her teeth together and walked forward, her eyes never leaving that man. The Yurak leader raised his hand, but nothing appeared to happen. However, Tifa was very wrong. A faint shimmering noise entered her ear, and she turned around just in time to see a barrier appear. It separated her from her friends. And more importantly, it left her alone with Hiraku. That coward, she thought viciously. He didn’t have the courage to fight them all at once, so now he was going to eliminate Tifa and then target the others. It was a great strategy; too bad he was the enemy. Hiraku smiled warmly, like a wolf in sheep’s clothes. He jumped down from the boxes, his landing very graceful. “It is good to finally see you in person, Tifa Lockhart.†Tifa clenched a fist. So, this man really did know who she was. That meant he also knew about how she the most powerful Rebk out there. What else did this imply? How long had he been watching her...? The implications pierced her heart, making her feel a surprising sense of fear. “Still, I am disappointed all the same. You were supposed to have been killed months ago. How you managed to escape alive, I do not know. But it will not be happening today. Today, you will die and be with your fallen comrades in the Lifestream. And soon, I will rule over all of you and control this planet, as Jenova has commanded me to.†Tifa gritted her teeth together in frustration and shock. The ambush that killed Trent...it was probably her fault. They were going for her, but Trent had stepped in and they had gotten rid of him. “SHUT UP!†she suddenly screamed, running forward. A moment before her fist would have reached his chin, he grabbed her wrist. Tifa gasped at his strength, that one movement stopping her completely. He chuckled, then threw her backwards. She rolled on the ground several times before coming to a stop. “Tifa?!†Cloud yelled frantically. He stood helplessly behind the barrier, one of his hands on the translucent wall. This was torturous for him, having to stand by the sidelines and watch Tifa be in danger. In other situations, it had been a little better because he could protect her from harm. But now... The girl rose to her feet, unharmed. “I’m fine,†she said absently, speaking over her shoulder. She glared at Hiraku in anger. “He was just toying with me.†Hiraku grinned. “Tell me Hiraku, why are you doing things this way? Wouldn’t it have been easier just to have your men stalk me through the woods a few months ago and kill me in my sleep?†She needed to buy some time; that barrier couldn’t stand forever. “This will be much more pleasant for me to do myself. I have waited for this day for a long time, Ms. Lockhart.†Tifa shivered at the way he said her name. “Enough of this.†Hiraku raised his fists. “We will fight. Now.†Perhaps he too realized his wall wouldn’t keep Cloud and the others out forever. Tifa realized she had no options but to fight as Hiraku wanted her to. Either she could flee and buy more time (which would leave her more vulnerable to his attacks), or she could fight. She went with the second option. Both of them charged forward and the fight began. They were both going fist to fist, thank goodness. If Hiraku had been using his trademark sword, then Tifa would have been doomed. However, she probably was doomed either way. He wasn’t the Yurak leader for nothing. He could take her down very easily if she wasn’t careful with her fighting. Tifa threw caution to the wind as she fought, using all her strength to fight him off. And surprisingly, she wasn’t doing badly. He wasn’t getting many blows in, but then again, neither was she. It appeared they were an even match. Unless he was playing with her again... A few minutes into the battle, they both broke away from each other. Tifa gasped raggedly, trying to catch her breath. She heard Hiraku catch his breath as well, but he didn’t seem nearly as winded as Tifa. This battle isn’t going as well as I had hoped, Tifa thought. Oh well, she wasn’t going to give in. She ran forward again, this time coming up with a new strategy. There was a crowbar lying on the ground a few feet behind Hiraku. If she could just get a hold of that, it would help her. At least for the time being. Hiraku raised his arms in defense, not seeing that her sight rested elsewhere. She leapt over top of him, landing right by the crowbar. The girl spun around and charged at his exposed back. The weapon impacted him with such great force that he flew forward a few feet. However, he didn’t lose his footing. So she attempted the same move again. But he was prepared for it. He turned around and snatched the weapon out of her hands before she even knew what happened. Then he knocked her over the head with it. Tifa’s vision swam as she fell down, legs collapsed underneath her. Get up, get up! she screamed internally. However, her body wouldn’t respond. She felt Hiraku grab onto her white shirt, and then she felt nothing as she soared through the air. A loud thudding sound brought her out of her daze, as well as the pain of impacting a bunch of metal crates. “Tifa!†Cloud cried frantically. “Cloud, what we gonna do?!†Barret asked, panic in his voice. He too saw what bad shape Tifa was in. Cloud composed himself. “Knock down the wall. Now!†He swung his hefty sword at the barrier. The wall didn’t fade for even a second. “Come on!†The sound of metal clanging entered her ears as Tifa shakily rose to her feet. It was her friends, using their weapons to try and break down the wall. The girl didn’t focus on that. Instead, she turned her eyes forward again. Hiraku was standing about ten feet away, hands empty. Apparently he decided to get rid of the crowbar and just beat her in a fist fight. As comforting as it was to see him weaponless, Tifa still knew this was a fight she could not win in. Unless Cloud and the others broke down that wall. She could buy them more time. “I’m counting on you,†she whispered into the air. The girl suddenly raised her fists again and charged for Hiraku. Cloud’s eyes widened when he saw Tifa get back into the action so quickly. She had taken so many blows already; he had no idea what gave her the strength to continue on. The blonde-haired man swung at the barrier for what must have been the fiftieth time, though his eyes stayed on the fighting girl. She was fighting brilliantly, not even using material yet still dealing critical blows. He was impressed. After this was over, he would have to tell her that. “It isn’t working!†Yuffie shouted in anguish. Cloud was just about to swing his sword again, but then he realized that she was right. He lowered his blade and turned to his comrades, who had also stopped in their attempts to break the barrier. “Find another way out! Look for a weak point,†he commanded. The others all spread out throughout the enclosed area and started to work on new areas. Cloud, however, continued to work on his area. He hoped that with persistence, the wall would break. His arms swung the hefty blade again, but his attention was focused on Tifa. She looked so worn out. Multiple wounds appeared on her body. How much longer could she take this abuse...? Tifa unleashed a battle cry as she kicked Hiraku hard in the stomach. The vulnerable man flew backwards, into his own barrier. Tifa was tempted to release a shout in success, but she knew Hiraku would be back on his feet soon. And sure enough, he stood right back up, hardly phased from her attack. Hiraku reached for a dagger in his pocket and threw it straight for Tifa, but he missed, only because of her quick reflexes. “That’s it!†Tifa cried out in anger. She had enough of this. It was time to unleash her full power. The girl’s body started to radiate with a faint blue aura, signaling that she was about to use a limit break. Her eyes locked onto Hiraku, who was clearly surprised at the turn of events. She smirked as she charged forward. The fists started flying as soon as they were in range of each other, but only hers landed solid blows. She was so powered up, it was impossible for him to do anything. After one final kick in the groin, she jumped backwards, levitating in the air for a few moments. Her arms started to glow with the material, and all of a sudden bursts of magic rained down on Hiraku. Fire, wind, water...every element imaginable now impacted the Yurak leader. Tifa fell back to earth, her landing not as graceful as it normally was due to the fact that she was exhausted. She landed on one knee, her back towards Hiraku. And she was facing Cloud and the others, who had gone silent. The young woman turned to look over her shoulder. Hiraku laid still on the ground, unmoving. At least for the time being, Tifa realized. Realistically, she couldn’t expect him to stay down. He was so strong; he would probably regain consciousness within the next few minutes. Tifa picked herself up quickly, also grabbing the dagger off the floor. She needed to finish this. Now. Her feet carried her over to Hiraku quickly, and she hesitated for one brief moment. Killing humans didn’t come easily to her. He’s not human; he’s a monster, Tifa reasoned. He’s out to kill the innocent. Like Denzel and Marlene. That was enough motivation for Tifa. She knelt down in preparation to stab him in the back, the dagger firmly in her hand. Just as she went in for the kill, a hand stopped her. It grabbed her wrist. She gasped in shock; Hiraku had never been unconscious. Suddenly he kicked her, making her collapse to her knees. Then he beat her as if there was no tomorrow. And for her, there wouldn’t be. The pain was agonizing, and the wounds were surely fatal. She gave up hope of living to see the next day. Hiraku threw her hard, her limbs flailing as she flew through the air. She hit the barrier very hard, then slid down to the ground. “NO!†she heard Cloud’s scream enter her ears. He must have been right behind her to have been that loud. But his voice still sounded like it was faded. It seemed softer than it should have. It was at that moment Tifa realized she was losing consciousness. If she lost her grip on reality now, surely she would never get it back. Cloud, I’m sorry, Tifa apologized mentally, having no energy to speak aloud. She suddenly heard footsteps coming towards her, and she knew it was Hiraku coming to finish the job. The only hope she had left was hope that death wouldn’t be too painful. But then again, it couldn’t be much more painful than what she was already experiencing. A loud crashing noise suddenly entered her ears, and Tifa winced. The noise was followed by a scream. Hiraku? Tifa opened her eyes just in time to Hiraku fly into the air, and then get knocked back down when a man intercepted him mid air. The mysterious man kicked Hiraku right in the back, instantly breaking his spin. Tifa winced once again when Hiraku landed. It was such a painful crash, and she had no doubt Hiraku felt even worse than she. The stranger landed and pulled a dagger out of a case to his side. He stabbed Hiraku in the back, doing what Tifa couldn’t do. The girl forced herself up, still lying down but resting on her hands now as she stared up at the man. She didn’t understand...she didn’t know who this person was. Or did she? He seemed strangely familiar...But she didn’t know anybody who would dress in pure white like that. And the hood of his sweatshirt covered his face, so it was impossible for her to distinguish who he was. And then he turned to her, pulling the hood off the top of his head. Tifa stared at the face that was revealed, totally awestruck. “Trent?†Tifa gasped, pain evident in her voice. She tried to pick herself up again, but she wasn’t strong enough to stand up yet. But she wasn’t going to stop trying; not with Trent here. How he was there, she didn’t know. Either way, he was there. Perhaps he was going to take her with him, to a world without pain... “Tifa? Tifa! Stay with me!†Trent’s urgent voice entered her ears, and Tifa realized she must have dazed off. Or was that Cloud’s voice? She couldn’t tell at the moment, too tired to care. No matter what the case was, the voice brought her out of her daze. Even more than that, she felt something against her lips, and that stunned her enough for her to open her eyes again. It was a potion bottle. The liquid poured down her throat, a tingling sensation running through her body. She swallowed the drink, her eyes staying open this time. It was at that moment she realized that she was sitting up partway, and she was in Trent’s arms. He was kneeling down beside her, holding that bottle to her lips. She blushed in embarrassment; he had never seen her at such a weak point. Trent looked Tifa tenderly, concern in his eyes. “You okay, sweetheart?†he asked, lowering the bottle. Tifa blushed even more at this comment; that was a nickname he had used on her during their time fighting together. It sure did bring back memories. Not just bad ones, surprisingly, but good ones. Their friendship had been much stronger than Tifa had first suspected. “I’m alright.†I just really miss you. “You still look a little green. Here, why don’t you try to stand up?†Why can’t we just stay together here? I’m alright now that you’re here. Tifa had little trouble rising to her feet, knowing that Trent was holding her hand and there to support her at any given time. As soon as she was upright, she did collapse slightly from tiredness, but not pain. Trent was right there to catch her. Tifa wrapped one arm around him, leaning into her friend for support. “Trent,†Tifa said weakly. “Try not to talk, sweetheart. I know how tired you are.†“...You’re not staying with me, are you?†Trent shook his head. “No, I can’t. Not this time.†“Why not?†Tifa asked innocently, a sense of naïveté coming through. “I don’t belong here anymore,†Trent replied softly, gently brushing some of Tifa’s hair out of her eyes. “I’ve done what needed to be done.†Tifa shook her head, setting it against Trent’s shoulder. Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke a simple sentence. “I still need you.†“Tifa...I’m still with you,†he stated tenderly. “Even if you can’t see me, just remember what’s important. It’s who you are. And how you work through the hard times. The tragedies are what turned you into the person you are today. But even through those terrible things...†he lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “There is still hope.†The brown-eyed girl nodded faintly. Looking into Trent’s eyes, she did believe that. Some part of her accepted the things that had passed. Perhaps she was ready for the future. But for now, she held onto Trent. She wanted to stay in his arms for at least a few more moments, because things were finally making sense with him there. He allowed her to hold on, knowing that she needed another moment of reassurance. The time they spent standing there was such a relief to Tifa, but eventually, their time came to an end. “I have to go,†he whispered. Tifa only nodded. She slowly released him, and he did the same with her. He held onto her shoulders one last time and looked down into her eyes. “Don’t forget what’s important to you. And don’t let go of anything worth value. Okay?†Tifa nodded. Trent abruptly let go of her and turned to leave. There was a break in the barn wall that Tifa had failed to notice earlier. That was apparently the place where Trent had come from, and it was now the place he was exiting. However, he stopped right in front of the wall instead of exiting right away as Tifa had expected. The spiky-haired man turned around and fixed his gaze on another person. Not Tifa, but Cloud, who was standing five feet away from Tifa alongside all his friends. “Watch out for her; I’m leaving her in your care.†He disappeared through the hole, and that was it. Tifa stared at the door for a few more moments, lost in her thoughts. Trent had known exactly what she needed to hear, and he had said it all. Except for one thing...And that was goodbye. Tifa wasn’t ready to say goodbye completely yet. But that wasn’t up to her; Trent was already gone. Tifa’s eyes widened in recognition, sadness filling her heart. I didn’t get to say goodbye... “Wait!†Tifa suddenly cried, rushing forward. She ran as quickly as she could to the broken wall, but froze when she arrived there. Looking outside, there was no sign of Trent; absolutely none. Tifa fell to her knees. I was too late. Tears flooded her eyes, threatening to fall at any second. Her friend was gone, and she would never see him that way again. Sure, he was in her heart, but she still felt awfully alone knowing he was physically gone. “Tifa,†the sound of her name sounded alien in her ears, the girl feeling a bit too dazed to respond. A hand appeared on her shoulder; Cloud’s hand. She allowed it to rest there, all her emotions having been used up in the past hour. “We should leave now,†Cloud stated softly. Tifa only nodded. Yes, she supposed it was time to leave. She didn’t really want to, but she also knew Cloud wasn’t going to allow her to grieve right there and then. He understood better than she how tired she was and how that was going to affect her emotions. The girl finally found the will to rise to her feet, but even the strongest will couldn’t keep her standing. She was far too exhausted from the battle and its aftermath to have the strength to stand on her own. So, just as she did with Trent, Tifa leaned into Cloud for support. He supported her small body as he half-led half-dragged her over to their other friends. Once they were with the group, they all left together. Tifa made it about a quarter of the way back before running out of strength completely. Cloud carried her the rest of the way, his comforting and loving nature allowing Tifa to fall asleep in his arms on the journey back to the make-shift campsite.
