Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Proof That Love Never Dies ❯ I Promised Forever ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

A/N: This second chapter is from Zack's POV. He wasn't really asleep…

Proof That Love Never Dies

Chapter 2: I Promised Forever

Cloud's stirrings woke me. I've always been a light sleeper.

I think he's going to get up for some reason or other. But he doesn't. I open my eyes just enough to watch him through my lashes, to see what he's doing. It's awfully early to be up…

He's sitting there beside me, just looking at me. He must think that I'm still asleep. He sits there, watching me, and I can't help but wonder what he's thinking about.

I love it when he gets all quiet and thoughtful like this. He still looks younger than his years, I notice. I guess it must be the Mako in his system. Maybe it makes us age slower or something.

He reached out and brushes my hair away from my face. His touch is always so gentle. I turn my face into his hand, whispering his name. He smiles, but doesn't take the bait to lean over and kiss me. Maybe I should "wake up" after all.

But no. He's got that thoughtful look back again. The window is behind him, and the moonlight makes him glow softly. I don't know how I could have gotten so lucky as to have him. I don't deserve him, I know I don't. And yet, somehow, he's mine. He is very beautiful, at least to my eyes. I think I've loved him ever since the first time I saw him: when he was a new recruit at ShinRa. I can't help but wonder if this is some evil dream from the Lifestream. Yet he's here, I'm here, and this is no dream.

His face darkens and I wonder what he's thinking. Is he remembering my death? Or is he thinking of his friends, and how Tifa is reacting to my return? I know she doesn't like it, but she'll just have to get over herself. I don't like that dark look; it doesn't belong on his sweet face. I nuzzle my cheek into his hand again, trying to distract him from his thoughts.

It works, and he smiles again. For a moment, I think he has figured out that I'm not asleep. He just sighs though, and goes back to thoughtfully watching me.

He lies down beside me, resting his head on my chest. His arms wrap around me, tight and still surprisingly strong. He holds me like he'll never let go. Or as if he is afraid I'll be gone when he wakes. His breathing evens out, and he's asleep again.

I open my eyes finally and hug him closer to me. I missed him terribly while I was in the Lifestream. He doesn't know that I watched him from there. I know everything he did; I was terrified for him most of the time. And I'm not proud of it, but I almost wished he would die, so we could be together again. I saw when he fell into the Lifestream, but I couldn't reach him. I felt him, felt his spirit. I felt his spirit everyday. There is no time in the Lifestream, not really, but without him, it seemed an eternity. I couldn't rest, couldn't let myself go. So I just hung on, while that green glow surrounded me, I hung on and waited for him. It was hard, but I couldn't let him go. I love him too much to ever let go. I would have waited there in my little corner of the Lifestream forever if need be, until he joined me there.

He seems so small and fragile in my arms. I was never so proud as when he saved the world. Seph was proud of him too. He knew what Jenova was doing through him, but he couldn't stop her. Cloud could, and did, hard as that was. I kept up with him after it was all over, just as I had in the Lifestream. Where he went, what he was doing. And finally, after all the waiting, I got my chance to come back to him.

I kiss his forehead gently. I hold him close, my precious Cloud. Tomorrow, I'll tell him how I came back. I don't want to wake my sweet love now. It seems ages ago that I promised him that we'd be together forever. When I first saw him, after I came back and had tracked him down, I told him, "I promised forever."

I intend to keep that promise.