Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Far Away... ❯ Morning after... ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Just in case anybody missed it in the first chapter… I still don't own anything worth taking, the characters and back story all belong to a commercially giant video game company called Square Enix. I just like borrowing the characters because it's fun. ^_^

 

Author's note: Thanks guys!! This goes out to everyone who reviewed and asked for more of this story. Your wish has been granted at last. The long, yes I know my friends on Mediaminer, you guys could say very, very long, LONG awaited chapter 2 is finally here!! So, I'll shut up and let ya read it…

 

 

 

 

 

The barren landscape of the Nibelheim Mako reactor was unmistakable - but she felt confused and disoriented as she ran toward it. She had left the town and her sensei behind; Zangan had told her not to come here... But how could he expect her to stay away? Her house - the whole town was a blazing inferno- and the only thing she had left to remind her of her mother was missing and he wanted her to stay put??

 

Sephiroth wouldn't do this anyway - it couldn't be true. He was intimidating and aloof when he didn't want to talk, but he wasn't a murderer. She trusted him... Didn't she? Sephiroth was a hero. He had helped and protected her and the others from the monsters that made the way to reactor so dangerous.

 

And yet, she had seen her home town burning while her friends were dying, and her Sensei had no reason to lie to her, either...

 

She recognized these thoughts - they were hers - but from a long time ago... She felt lost and confused though, making her thoughts impossible to separate from those of her dream self…

 

“Father?” Where could he- something lay in the shadows across the path at the foot of the reactor's steps, Father?

 

She shook her head and tried to wake up. She hated this nightmare - it was always the same. She knew that she wasn't fifteen anymore, she was a grown woman now - with a family of her own that depended on her to be strong. This- this was just a dream - a nightmare that continued to poison her heart. This was a part of her past that was supposed to be behind her now! But… The confusion- the pain of loosing her father - the only family she had left and her hometown all over again was a shard of ice buried in her heart…

 

No matter how many times she saw these memories the wounds were deep and the pain was still fresh...

 

She ran toward the slumped figure blindly, praying now just as she had then, that she could somehow keep him alive…

 

“Father?”

 

He stirred when she shook him but even as he spoke to her, she could sense he was dying. Frantic, she begged him to hang on.

 

“Tifa, you have… to run...” He told her, even as he lost the strength to hold her hand.

 

She had no idea how long she'd stayed there, holding him, but eventually the pain of being alone made her angry.

 

A familiar sword stood like a tombstone nearby and she didn't hesitate to pick it up... She swore vengeance against Sephiroth, Shinra; the Mako reactors- even SOLDIER- everything...

 

Now that she knew how hollow collecting that revenge would make her feel, Tifa wished that she could take back all that anger… but it was already too late and the memories refused to release her. The nightmare continued.

 

She ran inside the reactor. She charged blindly at Sephiroth, promising herself as she did that this time she would kill him...

 

He turned to face her with a smile that still chilled her to the bone and caught the sword's hilt with one hand in the same smooth motion. He lifted her off of the ground effortlessly and with a casual flick of his wrist, took back Masamune and slashed her with it. He watched coolly as she toppled down the stairs and then turned without a word and continued through the door he'd been standing in front of.

 

Her whole body hurt. She'd landed badly, but she couldn't move. “You said that you'd come for me if I was ever in a jam, Cloud.” Her brain told her that was a ridiculous thing to say at moment like this, but her heart still wanted Cloud.

 

“Tifa,”

 

Cloud, she wondered, she felt dizzy, but she heard her name again and fought to open her eyes…

 

“Tifa,” No. not Cloud. Zack's face was blurry at first, and even as she started to focus, it clouded again when she started to cry. “Tifa? You tried to take on Sephiroth, huh?”

 

There was no sensible answer for that, she knew it… Tifa looked away in shame, she was alive because Sephiroth simply hadn't bothered to kill her.

 

The concern that she heard in Zack's voice and saw in his eyes was genuine- but it seemed easier to feel angry and betrayed than to let him pity her… “When you came here, you all said that it was to conduct an investigation. That's why I showed you the way here...”

 

“So, why did things have to turn out… like this?” She asked him. “How could you do…I hate you. All of this makes me sick. Get away from me.”

 

Zack looked away as he stood up.

 

“I'm sorry.” He told her. Zack was usually such a cheerful person that she was surprised by how easily he shouldered the blame that she put on him. It made her feel guilty, but he didn't turn around and as he walked away, he continued to speak to her. “I won't ask you to forgive me. Just let me prove that I'm different.”

 

She fell mercifully unconscious again after Zack used an energy attack to blast open the door- the noise was brutal on her already jumbled senses. As terrible as it was, she had no concrete recollection of the rest of that night. Sometimes she dreamed that the next time she woke up she was in Rocket Town hundreds of miles away being tended to by her sensei, Master Zangan. It was confusing and cruel that she still couldn't remember… even after all this time.

 

Other times she dreamed that Cloud had found her there and moved her to a safer place within the reactor. But, if that was really true, like he'd told her then why couldn't she remember it more clearly...?

 

Even in Kalm, at the Inn that day, some of what he'd said had sounded ok to her. Cloud almost had to have been there- because he knew things about that night that he had to have seen with his own eyes to have described them so well, but why couldn't she remember them more clearly for herself?

 

Zangan and Cloud had both told her she almost died. Maybe it was really true… prolonged blood loss and her fall down the stairs could have jumbled the memories making details harder to recall the longer she had been hurt. She had no memory at all of when her aging sensei had found her and carried her away, but she knew that had happened... So, did it really matter that she couldn't remember? Her heart told her that Cloud loved her and that he would do anything in his power to protect her. He had proven it already, when they were still just friends- wasn't that good enough?

 

A hand caressed her cheek gently, smoothing her dark hair away from her face with a familiar tenderness... For a moment she wasn't sure if it was real or just a part of the dream- a dream so real that it had to be a memory- not some childish fantasy…Didn't it?

 

She stirred, and fought to open her eyes. She didn't know if she had succeeded or not, but when she saw him there in front of her, she didn't care anymore. “Cloud,” She whispered. “You kept our promise. You came for me, just like you said you would.”

 

“Yeah, sorry. Looks like I'm a little late, though.” He said softly, he smiled and she smiled back. Tifa wished that she could hold on to the moment, but already the dream was fading. Content at last, the nightmare was over...

 

**

That I love you

I've loved you all along

And I miss you,

Been far away for far too long

**

 

He had been awakened a while ago by a slight stirring of the warm, beautifully curved body of the woman he loved. He'd spent that time quietly, doing nothing but watching her sleep as she lay in his arms, though he wondered what she was dreaming about... She showed no signs of waking and he still hadn't decided he was bored yet. He knew he would never get tired of looking at her especially her dark eyes. Since those warm brown eyes were closed right now that gave him time to admire the rest of her.

 

He didn't want to wake her, but the urge to touch her- just to make sure that she was really there was incredibly strong.

 

She was frowning and really tense, but she stirred again, he noticed a tear gliding down her cheek. A nightmare, he wondered? He was surprised, but he reached over and slowly, lightly touched her face. He didn't want to wake her, but he smoothed her hair and noted that she stopped stirring immediately. She smiled then, still sleeping and he grinned back at her silently, wondering again what she was dreaming about…

 

She was just as beautiful to him now as she had been last night. How many times had he dreamed of this moment? Was it worth it, now that this moment was real? Yes. He had always known he would do anything for her… This was why. It was because he loved her and he just wanted to be close to her. She wasn't quite like any other woman he had ever met.

 

He had gone to sleep thinking that he would know in the morning that the passion that had flared so brightly last night would have paled by morning- instead all he felt was relieved that that she was still with him- that finally holding her hadn't been just another dream. When he'd first awakened, he felt a little surprised to realize he wasn't tempted to leave while she slept and assume that making love to her had been a mistake... one that for her sake, he had better not repeat.

 

Having her firm, sleek body pressed into him in all the right places was arousing him all over again. He was no closer to taming his attraction to her, he thought. In fact every memory he had of the previous night only made him more certain that they belonged together… he knew she needed her rest though. He had kept both of their hearts waiting for this for far too long already.

 

He'd spent nearly a quarter of his relatively short life imprisoned in Hojo's lab- but before that, he'd spent two years in Shinra's army. By the time he was 16, he'd been dragged into enough mischief by his squad mates to assure he wasn't the naïve and relatively innocent kid from Nibelheim that had promised Tifa that he would come to her rescue anymore...

 

She wasn't always friendly, but Tifa had been one of the few people in Nibelheim that had ever talked to him- without yelling or blaming him for everything and in return, he'd been as devoted to her as a lost puppy for as long as he could remember. He and Tifa had never been close when they were kids, but he did love having her attention…

 

His first glimpse of Tifa as a grown woman was a memory that still stood out in his mind, for he had recognized her easily… The long, dark hair, the chocolate brown eyes and the way that she smiled- he had known it was her almost instinctively. He'd actually felt like the wind had been knocked right out of him when she'd paused next to the train station platform where he'd been resting and winked over her shoulder at him playfully. When she'd realized that they knew each other as kids an instant later Tifa's flirtations ceased completely until a while after he had introduced her to Aerith…

 

After he was fully recovered from what he knew now had been Mako poisoning, she had been spying on him and Barret. Cloud had really just been humoring her by allowing Barret to try and convince him to join Avalanche for their first real mission. Obviously if he agreed that he would make Tifa happy- so he had accepted and the rest was history. But, in spite of the complications that always seemed to arise from their childhood memories of each other, he had never doubted that the unexpected attraction between them had remained, and even deepened over the last three years.

 

But when had she decided that she was attracted to him? Why had she told Aerith that she wasn't his girlfriend if she really thought that they belonged together as she had claimed last night? He still didn't understand that, but he wasn't sure how to ask her about it either…

 

 

Not that it mattered now- it was much too late to disentangle his body from Tifa's long, graceful limbs and pretend that last night hadn't happened. He didn't want to risk loosing her again anyway- not that he would ever be able to put that thought into words. Staying away from her for so long actually seemed silly now; but it was still hard for him to trust in moments of peace and happiness like this when he knew too well how suddenly it could be stolen from him when he least expected it. He knew that even if he wasn't here with her tonight it would destroy him if something happened and Tifa had died without ever knowing how he felt for her. She claimed that she already knew, but it still wouldn't be the same as hearing him say the words…

 

Three little words that were so short and easy to pronounce yet they had been so hard for him to say… Why? Well, it wasn't because he was afraid he didn't mean them. He did love her, but he wondered how could such tiny little words ever tell her how much he felt for her? There was more that he wanted to say- he just wasn't sure how he was going to put it into words. There was still time, after all now that they were together, he wasn't about to let her go, but that didn't mean it would ever be easy to talk about it…

 

Tifa stirred again, in her sleep though, and he forgot about everything else when the covers slipped down exposing one large, firm breast. He didn't think it was cold in the room, but she seemed to, she shivered and her nipple quickly hardened. She moaned softly, and tried to roll over and find him, to get warmer against him, but he lightly pushed her onto her back and climbed on top of her instead. He heard her gasp and felt her back arch when he took her aroused breast in his mouth and sucked it lightly before he nipped it gently. She jumped, but her body was getting hot and wet. Her strong legs slid apart of their own accord too and she stretched out under him rather languidly, so he knew she was more tired than he thought.

 

He continued to stroke and kiss and nip her breasts gently until her breathing was labored and she couldn't hold still anymore- she was writhing and he could feel how wet she was getting. He loved touching her, and kissing her, but more than anything else, he loved it that she seemed to trust him with her body too- even after he had been so rough with her last night. He shifted his weight over her and finally her dark eyes opened sleepily.

 

“Good morning,” Tifa whispered, finally. She looked so beautiful, when she smiled at him sleepily for a moment before her eyes closed again as she yawned and stretched, “you can wake me up doing that anytime…”

 

He nodded silently; he had already figured she would say that.

 

“I…” She blushed looking flustered. “I'm sorry about falling asleep on you last night.”

 

He snorted. “I'm not.”

 

“Well, I love the way that you kiss me and touch me, but I think it's my turn.” Tifa arched her back, pushed hard against him and used her momentum to roll them over and get on top of him. “So, now that I have you at my mercy, what should I do with you?”

 

Cloud snorted but he tried not to laugh and he didn't state the obvious that she was only going to be able to keep him there for as long as he decided to let her...

 

 

**

I keep dreaming that you'll be with me

And you'll never let me go

Stop breathing if

I don't see you anymore

**

 

“Denzel? Denzel!! Wake up!!” Marlene's voice was worried and yet she was whispering- loudly.

 

He rolled over and looked at the clock and then tried to pull the covers back up over his head. “What are you doing up this early?? Go away; we don't have to get up early today.”

 

“But I- I can't find Tifa anywhere. She's not in bed, I remember thinking it was odd that her door was open already this morning but then I went downstairs- and I- I got scared… There's broken glass in a corner, and almost half the bar's furniture is outside broken- but I- I found the clothes she was wearing yesterday down there too! I've looked in the office and behind the bar; and in the storerooms in the basement in case she was taking inventory or something… But look! I found this, down stairs too!” Denzel quickly sat up in bed when she held up Cloud's heavy sword harness. “There was more stuff down there too, but where do you suppose she's at? She always leaves a note or tells us if she's going to the store or something and she didn't wake us up and I haven't found a note… What if that big jerk with the funny looking silver hair came here and tried to hurt her again… Or worse- Cloud's door is shut. What if she and Cloud had a fight when he came home last night?”

 

“Marlene, calm down, if Cloud was mad at her he'd be the one that isn't here, right?” When she gave a reluctant nod, he glanced down the short stair case toward Cloud's bedroom and office. “Have you tried to ask him if he has seen her yet this morning?”

 

“W-Well, no. Cloud hates mornings… everybody knows that. Even Tifa doesn't-”

 

“You are always saying that he loves her just as much as Tifa loves him- if you're right then he won't get mad if he knows you are really worried about her, right?”

 

“What if he gets mad before I can explain?”

 

“What are you so worried about- I've never seen him get mad.”

 

“Well… lately I haven't either… but he used to be mad at my dad all the time, when I was little actually…”

 

“Fine. I'll come with you.” Denzel sighed, well aware that she wasn't going to let him go back to sleep until she knew where their beautiful guardian was. “Come on; let's go ask him together then.”

 

“Thanks,” Marlene flashed him a worried smile and waited for him to slide out of bed too. They were both in their pajamas and had to look ridiculous creeping so quietly down the short stairs toward Cloud's room, but never the less he reached for the door cautiously…

 

**

On my knees I'll ask

Last chance for one last dance

Cause with you I'd withstand

All of hell to hold your hand

I'd give it all

I'd give for us

Give anything but I won't give up

Cause you know, you know, you know

**

 

Tifa smiled at Cloud and kissed him sweetly for playing along with her... She loved the way that he had awakened her, and of course it made her want to do all sorts of wickedly fun things to him in return.

 

She had intended to kiss him and make it quick but it lingered passionately, and deepened, leaving her breathless and dazed when it was finally time to breathe again. He held her tightly against him and pulled the covers up over them. Tifa moaned softly and kissed him again, glad that his desire seemed just as strong as her own…

 

“T-They're kissing??” Marlene squeaked, at first she sounded surprised, but then she started giggling- uncontrollably.

 

“Shit!” Denzel whispered, he was franticly trying to shut the door but Marlene wasn't moving so he ran up the stairs. “Will you get out of there?! Shut the door!”

 

Cloud could feel it in how hot yet relaxed and responsive her body was getting that Tifa hadn't heard the door click softly as it opened while they were kissing. He had heard it but somehow it still didn't register that the two of them weren't alone anymore until she tried to pull away from him… Once she heard the kids talking Tifa squeaked and suddenly tried to put as much distance between their bodies as she could. She couldn't get away, but she still looked around wildly, she looked as embarrassed and flustered as he felt.

 

“Marlene?” Tifa asked looking over at the young girl and the enormous smile she had on her face. “What are…”

 

“I'm so sorry!! You two looked so cute together! We really didn't mean to startle you; I just couldn't find you, Tifa!” Marlene said quickly. She bowed her head apologetically, but when she looked up again her brown eyes were still sparkling delightedly. “I'm sorry. But, Tifa, I looked everywhere else and I was worried about you! We thought that Cloud might know where you were- and here you are! I'm so happy to see you two together.”

 

“What??” Tifa gasped; obviously she hadn't expected that sort of acceptance from either of their wards- at least not at a moment like that!!

 

“Yes! Didn't you know that I've been waiting to see this happen since you first introduced me to Cloud back when I was like four? Both of you have always tried to hide it, but I could tell you loved each other. It's… nice, you know? I mean, you both looked really happy for a change… Does this mean you two are finally going to be getting married now? Can I be in the wedding? How many kids are you guys going to have? I can't wait to go call my dad and tell him about this!!! Do you guys think-”

 

Cloud snorted, even at that age girls thought about marriage? “Marlene give us a minute to get dressed, then we'll talk about this downstairs.”

 

“Okay, Cloud!” The girl nodded with her bright eyed smile and shut the door tightly before she ran down the stairs.

 

“A-Are you upset?” Tifa placed a hand on his shoulder when he let go of her and turned away from her when he sat up.

 

“Are you? We've just been interrogated by a seven year old…”

 

Tifa grinned in spite of her own embarrassment. “I know. It startled me too, but I'm used to their questions and curiosity. I just- they almost caught us doing a lot more than just kissing- how else could I have reacted?”

 

“I… don't know…”

 

She giggled. “See, I'm not embarrassed that I was with you either- it's just that if they had opened the door any later things would have been a lot more embarrassing, but at least they didn't see anything they shouldn't have. If you and I are going to be together then they are probably going to see us kissing again sometime. There isn't any point in pretending like we are still just friends now- given where we are and where we left our clothes especially. Smart kids don't like to be lied to. You remember that, right?”

 

“I- yes… but I just- that's never happened to me before.”

 

“I know… me either but I don't think that your passionate nature is a bad thing- under any circumstances. Besides, Cloud as weird as that was, this morning probably isn't the most embarrassing thing you've done.”

 

He glared at her stubbornly but didn't say anything.

 

“I don't want you to get mad,” she said quietly, “But, I know that only a true friend would do what you did to rescue me when you and Aerith found me in Don Corneo's mansion. I never got to thank you for that…”

 

“I've always known I would do anything for you, Tifa. I just never thought I'd ever end up proving it quite like that.” He growled and slid out of bed.

 

“Well, Aerith and I decided you made a really pretty girl though...”

 

“You would.” Cloud snorted indignantly. “I was ready to break in and carry you off over my shoulder like a normal guy.”

 

Tifa giggled and wrapped herself in the top sheet of his bed.

 

“I'm serious,” He said quietly. “I can't think about some other guy putting his hands on you now- but I… wanted you then too. Aerith didn't assume you were my girlfriend when you met her that night, Tifa… that's what I told her after I agreed to be her bodyguard.”

 

“You really told her that I was your girlfriend?” She whipped around to stare at him.

 

He nodded quietly, puzzled by Tifa's stricken expression. “I've always thought of you as mine- even when you didn't.”

 

“And I told her-” Tifa looked down sadly, “but I saw you together in that old playground and I thought- I was afraid that- I mean I-I'm such an idiot…”

 

He put his hand under her chin and made her look at him. “I… love you- just… don't ever do that again, Tifa.”

 

Tifa giggled and kissed him sweetly. “Ok, I promise next time my bar is being cased by a slum lord I'll let you go kick his ass for me… I love you. You'll always be my hero, Cloud.”

 

He purred, and started kissing her neck from behind while exploring her breasts with his hands again.

 

“Well at least I can see that I won't be the only one that will be having a hard time waiting for the kids to go to bed tonight.” She arched her back and pressed her buttock against his groin, while he was kissing her. He nipped her ear playfully just before he let go of her. She surprised him when she giggled, and wrapped him in the sheet with her and started dragging him toward the bathroom. “We need a shower.”

 

“Together?”

 

“Well, I did promise to make last night up to you, when I fell asleep, didn't I?” She purred, closing the door, and then she locked it.

 

He started the water but he turned away from her looking uneasy… “Tifa-”

 

She giggled, and kissed him sweetly to cut him off. “I love you, but more than anything I want you to trust me- always, Cloud.”

 

He was about to tell her that he did trust her, and she seemed to sense it. She wrapped both arms around his neck and kissed him. As she had the night before, Tifa was careful to maintain a soft and inviting lightness to her touch and her kisses and again it worked... but this time he responded with a gentleness that he hoped would take her breath away. Their kisses were light, soft yet incredibly long and romantic.

 

She dropped the sheet and pulled him into the water with her.

 

Before he could react, she dropped to her knees and grasped his aroused member and guided it to her lips... She kissed and nibbled at it teasingly for a while before she finally got serious and slowly took him into her mouth. She seemed to be enjoying herself, but as good as it felt, it only made him want her more.

 

He pulled her to her feet. He put her in front of the water with her back to him and helped her wash her long, silky hair. He started kissing the back of her neck while he massaged shampoo and then conditioner into her hair… He touched her everywhere, and kept kissing her while he was rinsing her off to keep her from trying to distract him again. Finally the water ran clear again and he turned her around, he drew her into another kiss and pushed her back firmly up against the wall.

 

She kissed him hungrily, and wrapped her long legs around him. He entered her with a quick thrust that made both of them moan, she couldn't move very much with his weight pressing against her, but she didn't need to either. He kept kissing and loving her deeper and harder until she had to break their kisses just to breathe when her inner muscles shifted suddenly of their own accord and he came with her.

 

Tifa stirred first this time. She rested quietly with her head on his shoulder but a chill was starting to creep into the water that was still raining down on them. She was sitting across his hips so she giggled impishly, and kissed his neck, before nipping him lightly. “Mmm- you taste good, you know that?”

 

Cloud grinned at her but stayed silent. His breathing and body temperature had already returned to normal. He grabbed the metal hand rail with one hand and carried her out of the shower.

 

“That was amazing- I'll never say sex in the shower is second rate again…” She purred, still breathless. She folded her arms around his neck and kept her body close to his, even when he lowered her feet to the floor gently. “Or maybe it's just you.”

 

He blushed- he didn't know what to say to that…

 

She smiled reassuringly and kissed him again. “I love you.”

 

Cloud couldn't help responding- again. He dropped his towel and pulled her into his arms. He had stolen most of her towel too when she finally managed to pull away.

 

“It's you alright- I need another shower…” She wrapped her towel more tightly around her body, and smiled apologetically. “I've got to get dressed or we'll never make it downstairs- but I love you. Come down soon, ok?”

 

Cloud nodded, he'd rather have her all to himself, but his stomach growled while he was thinking about it...

 

He watched her leave the bathroom still wrapped in the towel and darted into her room. He went back to his room too and got dressed. He heard Tifa come out of her room a few seconds later and Marlene greeted her at the bottom of the stairs with a half dozen questions he was glad he wasn't going to have to answer just yet. When he came out of the bedroom, Cloud heard a strange noise from the kids' room up the short flight of stairs. He paused, it sounded like crying…

 

“Denzel?” Cloud asked venturing into the doorway. The boy was sitting on his bed with his back to the door; beside him was an old duffel bag…

 

For a moment he considered getting Tifa- but he knew that wouldn't be fair. Tifa already had her hands full with Marlene and she was probably making breakfast by now too. Denzel wasn't just her child anyway, after all Aerith had introduced him to Cloud first… “Denzel?”

 

“I-It's not what you think! I'm not…stealing. I just…” Denzel rubbed his eyes and sniffled before he turned around. He looked startled and ashamed as stared at Cloud, but suddenly he shrugged, his expression very guarded and he dropped his gaze to the floor again.

 

“We aren't mad at you.” Cloud offered quietly.

 

“I just…”

 

“Well, where are you going to go?” Cloud asked him after an uncomfortably long pause.

 

Denzel looked down to avoid his gaze.

 

“Let's go to my office and look at a map then. Come on.”

 

Denzel looked up with a start, his blue eyes were both curious and a little afraid but Cloud wasn't surprised when the boy quickly replaced it with a sullen expression.

 

He followed him into the office quietly and Cloud sat down at his desk and pulled out a pile of maps before dragging a chair over for Denzel too. “Here. Let's look through these until you come up with a plan.”

 

Denzel crawled up into the chair, but he didn't even pretend to look at the maps. “I-I'm going back to Midgar…”

 

“You came from Midgar, Denzel.” Cloud reminded him. “You know there's nothing there anymore.”

 

“Then I'll go to Kalm- who cares?” Denzel folded his arms across his chest and looked down stubbornly.

 

“I do.” Cloud said.

 

Denzel hesitated, but finally he looked up and Cloud nodded quietly, looking at him intently. Then he spoke again. “So does Tifa. Marlene doesn't know you're up here packing up either, does she?”

 

He shook his head and looked down again. “Y-You aren't going to tell them- are you?”

 

Cloud pretended to consider the question. “If you leave I'd have to tell them sometime…”

 

“I- I just didn't want to be in the way.” Denzel's voice was choked with anxiety.

 

“Where did that come from? You're a big help to Tifa and to me-”

 

“But I-I'm so sorry… I mean- about this morning! We- I…” Denzel couldn't finish, but Cloud was pretty sure he understood.

 

“You're not in the way…” He said quietly, but he wished he sounded more certain.

 

Denzel shook his head; he looked down at his hands in his lap. “But I… someday you'll- you'll have- more kids.”

 

What? Cloud shook his head instinctively- more kids?? The very idea had never occurred to him before; he wasn't sure how to respond.

 

He had enough trouble dealing with their adoptive kids most of the time- he and Tifa were barely old enough to have Marlene who was about to turn seven, much less an eight year old... He was suddenly uncomfortably aware that they hadn't been using protection last night- or this morning- he didn't want to think about that any more. And yet- as frightening as that thought was, he loved Tifa, and he knew that she loved children…

 

“I know, the place isn't huge but, we'll manage…” Cloud still wasn't good with people, even the ones he saw everyday. He disliked talking when there were emotions involved and he wasn't very good at trusting people either… But this boy had already been orphaned once because of his actions- he couldn't let him think he didn't care… “Aren't you happy here?”

 

“I-I like it here…” Denzel looked up, folded his arms over his chest stubbornly, and using his best grown up tone he said, “but now you're going to have your own kids someday- you know, real ones-”

 

“You're real.” Cloud said. Denzel scowled at that. Looking at Denzel reminded him of looking in a mirror suddenly. Cloud had been the same way as a kid- it was easier to pretend he liked fighting and didn't care what other people thought than it had been to show his real feelings… He was either ignored or blamed for everything growing up but it had taken him longer than 8 years to perfect the mask. Denzel was expecting someone to lash out at him or be pushed aside too, so this time he wanted to leave before he got hurt or left behind again…

 

Cloud sighed. “If Tifa and I have kids, they'll need a big brother like you to watch out for them. They'll probably take after their mom.”

 

Denzel looked at him coolly for a moment, trying to decide if he was serious or not. “W-what do you mean?”

 

“She may not act like it now, but Tifa has a knack for getting into trouble. Like the time I followed her up Mount Nibel because she thought she could find her mom's spirit up there after she died.” Cloud was a little surprised that he was telling Denzel about the past he hated so much, that he had tried to erase it completely. But the boy's eyes were the size of saucers, and the words came surprisingly easily. “We were just kids then, and I knew the mountain was dangerous and we were being stupid climbing it alone, but Tifa kept going. One by one her friends went back for help, but I - I just couldn't let her go alone. I caught up to her on the rope bridge. A gust of wind rattled it and I couldn't hang on to her so we both fell, but Tifa spent seven days in a coma. Her father wouldn't let me see her, everyone thought I must have taken her there... but I was just glad that she woke up. I guess I've always loved her.”

 

“Tifa really did that?”

 

“Yeah, she's always been a handful…”

 

“But why did she think that her mom would be on the mountain? Doesn't everyone go into the lifestream after they die?”

 

“There are people that don't, and not all of them stay behind because they are bad. Before the Shinra Company discovered Mako, no one knew about the Lifestream so back then, not everyone wanted to believe that that they should go back to the planet.”

 

“Cloud?” Denzel hesitated, staring down at the floor for a moment. “D-do you think that my parents are… part of the lifestream?”

 

“Yeah, I think they were watching over you the day I found you.”

 

“H-how do you know?”

 

“I… hadn't been planning to visit the old church that day… but when I came out, I found you Denzel.” Cloud wouldn't have said that to anyone else, but Denzel seemed to like the reassurance. “I have friends that are watching over me from the lifestream too, I know they brought us together.”

 

I've seen them, and I'll bet they're smiling now, Cloud added silently. “Come on, let's go. Tifa's probably got breakfast ready, but you better unpack that bag before Marlene sees it.”

 

“Ok-” Denzel jumped out of the chair and stared at him oddly for a moment, “are you going to stay home today?”

 

Cloud shrugged, he hadn't actually considered taking the day off. He wasn't wearing his armor or his sword apron because those things were probably still downstairs, but finally he shook his head. “I guess- unless you want to get rid of me.”

 

“N-No way! I think you and Tifa should kiss more if it'll make you take more days off, Cloud!”

 

Cloud blushed, but Denzel didn't notice; he had already bolted down the stairs.

 

Author's Note:I wanted to take a minute to thank a few people in particular for their input on this story… First, to all my fans on Mediaminer who have been waiting for at least 6 months for me to come up with the morning after… Thanks!! To the five people on MM who offered suggestions on who to wake up first like I asked for in the original post of chapter 1, THANKS! You guys rock!!

 

Luna of the Black Moon- Tifa. Sorry sweetie, you were out voted twice, but I did start the chapter with her!!

 

Kuru Ankoku and Demetria_Sena- both voted Cloud- which was kind of what I'd been hoping would be the consensus when I asked what people thought…

 

But, Angelfire777 and Susan Marie wanted the kids to catch these two in bed. I was shocked, but the more I thought about it, I really loved the suggestion, thanks girls!!

 

The first chapter was so easy to write that it seemed that it was writing itself from beginning to end- but morning after chapters have never been my specialty. After no less than 4 complete rewrites and countless additional hours of wishing I could throw my computer out the window, I hope I have come up with what will be a fitting end to what I can truthfully tell you is my favorite character driven lemon that I have ever written.

 

Thanks also goes out to the amazingly talented Final Fantasy writer Pied Flycatcher over on FF.Net who finally made me get off my lazy rear and fix a few passages in here regarding Tifa and Cloud's history in chapter 1. Once I got started, I couldn't stop tinkering… now I like this story even better than I did before, so if you like this story, you guys ought to thank her too. *Huggles Pied*

 

To those of you who are wondering why I started this chapter off with Tifa dreaming about the Nibelheim disaster, I kind of felt that I had to touch on her deepest doubts about the past because I spent so much time on Cloud's in the first chapter.

 

I also did it because I loved FFVII, Last Order. I bought the collector's edition of Advent Children to get it and I'm glad I did. I liked all the slight changes that were included in the short anime- I don't feel that anything that was altered too much from the game to still be considered cannon. (The more I see of Zack the more I can't wait to play Crisis Core!!! I have a PSP and even though I know it'll make me cry, I've gotta have it when it's finally released in the USA.)

 

I liked it that Tifa woke up and it doesn't bother me at all that she and Cloud don't seem to remember it during the game. I take care of people who are terminally ill, injured and dying everyday at my job and I can tell you that it is amazing sometimes the things that people can live through and what blood loss, trauma and stress can do to their memories…