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Chapter Text

 

 

Barrett spent a good hour drinking and chatting with Tifa at the bar at 7th Heaven. He grizzled at Tifa that he wasn't able to see Marlene and Denzel who happened to be out with a couple of friends. Tifa's reprimand, 'if you didn't make unannounced visits than they would be better prepared' did nothing to stop his complaining. After his third beer he was off again, leaving her with vague details about picking the kids up in a few days time for a surprise vacation.

After he left, she began preparing for the night-time customers as well as her family's own dinner with her thoughts becoming a pre-occupied mess as the afternoon progressed. Switching from one concern to another, her thoughts went from running the bar minus the children's help, to being alone with Cloud, amid those awkward silences and her growing shyness in his presence, to Barrett looking after the kids for too weeks. Two weeks?! Did he really say that long? Could Barrett care for children for that length of time, she had to wonder. Maybe it really wasn't that wise...

Marlene and Denzel scurried in later than expected but in enough time to get washed up for dinner. Cloud arrived earlier than he said, and she was glad he could shower in time and come downstairs with the kids. All three waited for her at one of the booths by the window, their family table. Tifa had decided they needed one, because it made 7th Heaven more like a home and less like a tavern. From the kitchen she could hear their faint tones, talking about their day. It reminded her of the early days at the tavern and it warmed her heart to be like that once more. Still, she couldn't shake a niggling doubt that perhaps it wouldn't last.

She carried a huge tray of plates, wraps, seasoned chicken and fresh ingredients for fillings to the table. "It's 'Do it yourself' night," she sang, happily. It was met with squeals of delight from the kids and a pleased smile from Cloud, and she was just as happy she didn't need to cook so much. They could put anything in them and make them as fat as they liked, and for one growing boy maybe too fat. She watched Denzel overstuff his with layers of grated cheese as if he was starving to death. "There's plenty there, Denzel." He already had his mouth full and the sauce dribbling out onto his plate. After the scurry of hands reaching for wraps and condiments had been sated and all were merrily consuming their 'creations' Tifa swallowed and started, "Barrett was here this morning—"

"Daddy!" Marlene was sitting up on her knees on the plush cushions so she could reach the food, and she interrupted with a pout on her face. "Will he be back later?"

"No, he had some business to do at WRO." Tifa slowly bit another mouthful and chewed. "But he's coming back on thursday. He's going to take you and Denzel on a vacation." She watched the children's faces' brighten, and she briefly glanced at Cloud's reaction. He was occupied with his food, but she was sure she saw some spark in his eyes, or maybe that was fear.

Marlene threw her fist in the air and her wrap drooped open. "Hooray!"

"Awesome!" Denzel mumbled, his mouth bulging, and he looked at Tifa, "you're coming with us?"

It was good to see Denzel so happy and full of life and energy. He was like a different boy since being healed, she hardly knew him. Where once he was quiet and almost reserved, now he talked non-stop when he got the chance, and all the questions he asked nearly drove her to distraction, and he seemed to remember everything about everyone. "No, sweetie, not this time. I can't afford to leave the bar."

"Cloud can come though?" Denzel stared at Cloud, putting him on the spot.

Cloud looked up and opened his mouth to speak. "I wo—"

Marlene shook her head sternly and replied, "No, Cloud can't come, he has to look after Tifa." Her wide brown eyes darted between Cloud and Tifa as if she was the mature adult directing the conversation.

Tifa willed herself not to blush at the child's sweet innocent remark that was coming way too close to how she wanted it to be.

Marlene continued, "Like daddy used to look after Tifa in the old seventh Heaven till Cloud came."

On second thought it was probably not a good idea to let Marlene have her way with the discussion. Tifa raised her voice. "Wai—"

"That's right." Cloud swallowed quickly and spoke. "Tifa can't stay here alone." He gave her the barest skim of his perceptive blue eyes that seemed to know what she was thinking, maybe even what she was worried about. But -Cloud had never been that insightful?

"I—" Tifa started again. Surely she could speak for herself.

"Uncle Barrett looked after you?!" Denzel cried wide-eyed at Tifa.

Why was that surprising, she had to wonder. Of course, Denzel had seen her fight monsters and he had seen her train as well. She shrugged her shoulders at him in resignation and gave a lopsided smile. Back than it was true, and Denzel was right, she never really needed protection, not of a physical nature anyway. What she needed was a guard on her crippling depression.

Marlene answered him, with a proud voice, "Daddy was the biggest, meanest man in the slums and no one dare come near Tifa or me!"

Denzel piled food into his mouth as if he hadn't eaten ever and tried to speak. "And than Cloud came?"

Tifa ate quietly, wondering how she was going to divert the conversation before it veered into perilous waters. With Marlene anything could be said and anything was possible. That child knew far too much than what was good for her to know. Damn how much didshe know? Perhaps she should leave the table altogether, maybe they needed something, anything from the kitchen.

Marlene nodded; the two of them quite content conversing with each other about stuff that happened years ago to grown adults. "Daddy didn't like Cloud at all at first, but he let him hang around only 'cuz Tifa liked him—"

"Marlene, that's because Cloud was my friend," Tifa cried with sudden anxiety and growing fear, because just that simple statement underlined her deep attraction to Cloud, even back than. Surely Marlene couldn't have sensed that, at that age?

Cloud gulped his juice down and cleared his throat. "Barrett is stillthe biggest, meanest, baddest man around. And it's true, we didn't get on. We still don't get on sometimes. We're opposites."

Marlene nodded in understanding. "You don't say much and daddy talks a lot."

Denzel added, "And he's loud."

Cloud looked at them both with a stern brow. "Barrett has a short fuse, so you better watch yourselves."

Tifa leaned towards them, hoping to scare them into being on their best behavior. Who knows how Barrett would react to mischievous children. "So you'll have to listen to what he says and be good while you're away."

"If you're lucky, or maybe unlucky," Cloud grinned at his own humor, "he'll tell you some of his war stories."

Denzel's innocent face lit up with excitement. "War stories?"

"But whatever he tells you, don't believe his story about the time he killed a Zolom singlehandedly." Cloud took a bite of his overfull wrap.

Tifa gave a laugh in memory. Barrett's stories were always over exaggerated. Some of them she had to wonder if he made them up altogether because she couldn't recall some of the things he said happening to them at all.

"Yeah, I think I know that one," Marlene continued chewing, suddenly not that interested.

Denzel ogled Cloud, "What's a Zolom?"

Cloud said, "A monstrous snake creature. There's no way he could kill it himself, if that's what he tells you."

Tifa took up the story and she reminisced as she put herself back all those years ago, and she spoke more to Cloud than the children. "He was lying nearly completely under the thing's swishing back end—"

Cloud took over her story, "one wallop away from death and we're trying to get him out and retreat, and he's heaving, 'more materia, yo' foo's, give it more materia!'" He finished in a deep voice, mimicking the bigger man's baritone.

Marlene peeled with giggles and Denzel howled with laughter at Cloud's imitation.

"That's right," Tifa brightened at the funny recollection, although not funny at the time. Covered with bruises and bleeding gashes, they kept at it. Adrenaline had kept them going in that crucial moment and faith in each other's abilities. "I'm trying to drag him away and Cloud is distracting the snake-thing, meanwhile Aeris is pouring Healing materia into Barrett. I think Nanaki was on the other side," she stated thoughtfully.

Cloud had a smile on his face, despite Aeris' name being mentioned, "and Yuffie was behind me trying to cast some weird spell, and Barrett's shouting his bleeding chest out." He put his best Barrett voice on, now aware of how much it made the kids laugh, "'Don't yos' pull me out, you spineless mogs, I'm going to kill that fu—sucker if it's the last thing I do." He finished with a quick look at Tifa and a restrained grin.

Grinning broadly, she smiled at him and the kids. Marlene responded in her grown up voice, "It's alright Cloud, I know what he probably said."

Denzel wide-eyed and bottom lip dangling, asked, "Did you kill it?"

"Sure did."

Tifa added, "Barrett's not one to back down."

"It must have been heaps of fun!" Denzel cried.

Cloud gave him a tight smile. "It had its moments." His shining blue eyes looked to Tifa for affirmation.

"I'm not sure I'd describe it like that at the time," Tifa said to Denzel. They were on the run most of the time, never knowing where they were going to spend the next night or what they were going to face. Never adequate sleep nor the best food, and never able to trust anyone. No matter how she viewed it, the memories were strong and lasting.

"You must be bored now," Denzel commented without a care as he took a third wrap.

Tifa gave him a deep drawn-out sigh. Wasn't it only a few weeks ago they were attacked by Jenova remnants and a giant summoned monster?

"We have you kids, how can we get bored?" Cloud's face was a mask of serious consideration.

Marlene gave him a dazzling smile. "Yes, you have us. Who needs monsters, right?"

Cloud scratched his chin, his brow creasing with puzzlement in an attempt to figure out if she was joking or not. A spontaneous giggle erupted from Tifa's throat, and she nearly choked on her mouthful of food.

Denzel said, "What will you do when we're gone?"

"Uhm," Tifa raised her eyes to the ceiling, her mind racing for some answer that wouldn't lead to more questions. "Work, I guess..."

"I don't know, what do you think we should do?" Cloud's mouth was straight but his eyes sparkled with mirth.

Denzel considered him and the corners of his eyes crimped with deliberation. "Maybe you could take Tifa for a ride."

Of course Denzel would suggest that, it was the very thing he enjoyed and wanted to do. Tifa tilted her head in thought, it wasn't a bad idea, she'd give the kid that.

Cloud nodded, and excluding Tifa from the discussion, he said, "Do you think she'd like that?"

"For sure!"

"What else do you think Tifa would like to do?" A small grin suddenly appeared and he gave Tifa an engaging glance that melted her heart. She half wondered if he was actually sourcing the boy for information on her likes. Thank Gaia, Denzel would have no idea what she really wanted to do.

Denzel looked at Tifa and spoke as if he knew exactly what she wanted. "Tifa would like cherry-chocolate ice-cream after she goes to the playground."

"The playground, eh?" now Cloud afforded Tifa a teasing smirk.

Tifa shook her head at them, thinking it best not to answer at all.

"Maybe we can go for ice-cream, I don't know about the playground..." Cloud's blue gaze rested on the child who had been quiet, absorbed in the conversation. "What do you think Marlene?"

Unlike questioning Denzel, Marlene could be dangerous. Her mouth pressed up in deep concentration and Cloud fidgeted in his chair at her prolonged silence. Tifa knew she was working up something important to say, as if she had spent days thinking about it, and she expected Cloud was thinking the same thing. Tifa had a shooting desire to bolt to the kitchen while she had the chance.

Finally after swallowing a mouthful of food, she studied Cloud dead in the eye and said, "Tifa wants to have fun. A lot of fun. You need to make her laugh." She remonstrated to Cloud and pointed at his chest as if somehow it was his fault and responsibility to make her have a good time.

Everything in Tifa pricked up in irritation and she sat erect ready to protest. It wasn't true, she did laugh, sometimes and… and… it wasn't her that didn't laugh, it was Cloud. "What? I do lau—"

Without turning his head, Cloud gave her the barest glance and he responded seriously to Marlene's comment, before Tifa could speak. "You think I need to make Tifa laugh?"

Marlene gave repeated big fast nods of her head.

Cloud rubbed his chin in contemplation while Tifa stared at him and the children, her mouth open at their dissection of her needs.

Denzel piped up, "adults don't laugh, not like kids, and I know Tifa is hard to get laughing. She won't laugh at animals, even cute frogs in the bed."

Marlene stared at him, her face reddening with disgust and she sniffed, her nose in the air. "That's because it's not funny."

"But...it was friendly, and was going to keep you company," Denzel whined.

Cloud's eyes widened and his voice croaked with a chuckle. "A frog?! In whose bed?"

"Mine!" Tifa's voice was strong and still had the underlying tones of reprimand, as she recalled the slimy thing crawling against her lower back. "At night. Late. Not funny."

Cloud burst into laughter and didn't try to restrain it.

Tifa crossed her arms, her lips twitching with a grin. "Well, Cloud Strife, I'd like to see how you would react." Probably a lot more civilized than her, no screaming from him, or rushing around with a pillow in hysterics trying to destroy the 'thing'. No, he 'Warrior-man' would probably get his sword, or two, and destroy it and the bed without a word, silently. No shame in that and no one knowing about it. "Yes, I'd like to see that. Maybe that would make me laugh."

Cloud raised his palms in surrender and he looked at the kids, especially Denzel, watching him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Okay, frogs are not allowed, or bugs, or any other thing that moves."

Denzel's shoulders drooped in a forlorn slump. "Ahww—"

Marlene pushed his shoulder to annoy him. "I know! Sometimes grownups laugh at aunt Yuffie."

"She makes me laugh too." Denzel's face lightened at the mention of the young woman.

"That crazy ninja makes everyone laugh," Cloud added, "although I don't think she intends to. But I don't think we'll be asking her over."

Thank goodness. Having Yuffie around when Tifa was feeling so sensitive to any pestering over her love-life was begging for trouble. Tifa smiled, hoping the awkward discussion had passed when Denzel turned to her and looking at her directly, asked without any guile, "What would make you smile, Tifa?"

Why did it have to be that question? She groaned inside and her heart pounded into her mouth at Cloud's beautiful turquoise eyes, staring... waiting for some answer, and his lips, the merest curve, transforming into a curious smile. The very thing that would make her smile was sitting right before her. You, you make me smile, Cloud..."I... really don't know..." Her mouth struggled with revealing her inner thoughts, and unable to think of anything but him right than, she lied. With all eyes turned to her, she felt defensive, angry even. "I think I smile as much as everyone else when there's something funny," she finished sharply, "What makes you smile, Cloud?"

His blue gaze dropped from her and his face became a mask, hiding his true thoughts, but his answer was genuine, "The kids make me laugh."

Tifa gulped, wanting to suck her harsh words all up. She murmured, suddenly realizing how tangled her thoughts and heart were over him, everything else was overshadowed by his very presence, it was making her irrational. "They make me smile too." She quickly stacked the empty plates and left the table, before anyone could see her pained expression and her moistened eyes. As she went she heard Cloud say, and he said it loud enough he must have known she would hear. "You're right, Tifa does need to laugh." His remark might have made her smile in itself, but it was so true, she wanted to cry.

Chapter Text

Barrett found Cid standing on the upper deck at the controls of his new ship, The Shera, gazing through the expansive windows at the patches of pale sky between billowing clouds. He came to stand beside his good old friend and he pushed a mug of black tea into him, forcing Cid to take hold. Cid removed the unlit cigarette hanging from his lip to sip the warm liquid. He made a face and plunked it down on the control panel with a rough bang. "Cripes, Barrett, that's a strong shot of whiskey."

Barrett grunted a short chuckle. "Thought you'd need it."

Cid squinted one eye and observed him, leaning his full weight against the railing. "You're the one who needs it."

Barrett patted one of his pant pockets, and through the material a solid square object bulged. "I'm set, but I need my head turned on." No, his juice would come in handy later, but right now…

"It's kinda sudden, think you're up for it?" With one long scrap of a match, Cid lit his cigarette.

'Course he was, Barrett said to himself, it was just looking after children right? He'd looked after Marlene before, given that she was younger then but damn, how hard could it be anyway. "I've supervised men that get up to more trouble than kids. Easy as riding a chocobo."

Cid guffawed at him. "Yeah, when you know how."

"Besides, I told Shera," Barrett told him, cheering himself up. Admittedly, he needed some help, and Shera was a friend and the most down to earth person he knew.

Smoke wafted around Cid's face, nearly obscuring his sly smirk. "I get it. You roped Shera into helping you. And she'd do it, too."

"And why not, she likes the kids," Barrett said in his defense.

"I'm surprised Tifa let you take the two of them."

Barrett cleared his throat. He was as shocked as him. It was too easy, but considering what her expectations of the fortnight were, it shouldn't be a surprise. "She needed a break. Anyhow, she and Cloud needed to… you know," he finished roughly, wondering how much he could admit.

"Those two lovebirds having a dirty weekend," Cid said with a cocky wink, the cigarette flicking as he spoke.

"For Tifa's sake, I hope so." Barrett eyed Cid's drink, thinking he should have made one for himself. Maybe he was going to need it.

Cid creased his brow and eyed him. "You mean..."

"Yep. It's about time those two got together." Barrett stretched his arm along the polished silver railing. "And now's the time, with a helping hand," his laughter echoed around the glass and steel cabin.

Cid joined him in the amusement. "Betcha it takes 'em more than a week."

Barrett shook his head. "Bet fifty it takes 'em three nights." If Cloud was any sort of man that appreciated a good woman and a sexy one than it shouldn't take long at all; not in Barrett's book anyway. Cid didn't know what Tifa was up to and that gave Barrett the advantage. He chuckled as he dug around for some gil, and he piled it on the panel.

"You serious?" Cid lifted his brow, and brought out a handful of money and added it to the stack. "It's Cloud we're talking 'bout here, right? I know he's fast but not that fast."

"We'll see—"

Behind them, the door to the large cockpit whooshed open and Yuffie flew in and dived for the first one she could get her hands on. Pulling on Cid's arm, she whined, "Quick, Cid, hide me, pretend I'm not here!"

Cid raised his brow and leaned away from her grasp. "Geez, toughen up kid, I'm not playing your games—"

Yuffie pleaded and swung on his arm, "Ci-i-i-i-d—"

Barrett folded his arm and grunted out, "it'll teach ya for getting them going. Playing ninja games."

Marlene and Denzel spilled through the doorway, shouting and squealing, and eyeing Yuffie, they made straight for her. The two children were all over her, yanking her arms and holding them. Cid scraped her hands off his arm and took a step back out of their radius. Denzel held her arms while Marlene tickled her ribs and bare lower back. Yuffie doubled over in a type of defense, only to crumple to the floor, shrieking and howling with painful laughter, and begging for them to stop. Marlene and Denzel ignored her cries, and laughing as much as her, they sat on her and tickled her with more force.

"Stop—stop –" Yuffie cried between gut wrenching giggles, "Ninjas—don't- tickle. Barrett!"

Barrett laughed along with the kids and watched Yuffie wriggling away from them. Cid stepped well away from the action. "Sheez, kids, give it a break. That screaming's gonna bust my head. There ain't enough whiskey for this." Despite his words, he smirked at the three.

Marlene and Denzel stood, and still gripping Yuffie's arms they hauled her to her feet. Yuffie untangled herself from them and panting hard, she gripped her sides, a sour look on her face. Her eyes quickly went to the gil laying on the controls, and they lit up with wonder. She scanned Barrett and Cid's faces, and said, "oOoh, you guys are betting on something?"

Denzel looked between the two male adults, his eyes expanding with curiosity. "What are you betting?"

Cid placed a gloved hand on the boy's head, and his other held his cig. "We're betting whether you have your own room when you get back home."

Denzel's bottom lip quivered and his eyes misted over. "Cloud's leaving?"

Marlene stared, her face paling, and her brown eyes turning to saucers, she looked ready to cry. Yuffie had a similar expression, but it soon turned to an angry glare, and hands on her waist, she drilled her stare into Cid. "Cloud's leaving again?! If he does, I'm going after him this time!"

Barrett cried, with his hand waving in the air, "Yo foo's, he's not going anywhere! Cid, stop scaring 'em."

Denzel squinted at them with a dubious stare. "What do you mean?"

"Pfft," Cid brushed them all off with a flick of his cigarette in annoyance. "Shit, paranoid bunch. Cloud's a free spirit, he can do whatever the fuck he likes anyways."

All eyes were intent on him and his remark, and a gaping shocked silence ensued. Barrett gave a single grunt of denial. Cid gazed down at the kid's faces, a vision of sorrow, and he barked, "Ah, alright, don't cry. He ain't goin' no-where," he tried a more soothing tone. "It's about being in love, people, love!"

"Ooh," Yuffie expired a long breath, "That changes everything."

"Cloud's not leaving?" Denzel asked him, his face still pale from the shock.

"Nah, kiddo," Cid gave him a crooked smile.

"And you're betting they're gonna fall in love?" Denzel carried on.

Yuffie interrupted, "I bet it takes two weeks, if it even happens!"

Cid answered her gruffly, "Money down." He pointed to the gil on the panel.

She patted her shorts. "I don't have any right now..."

"Same old story..." Cid griped. "No money, no winnings."

Denzel blinked up at Yuffie and Cid, and was about to speak, but Marlene stepped forward and with her hands in a fluster, she cried, making herself heard, "But Cloud already loves Tifa!"

Barrett chuckled, "Marlene's on the money." The simplicity of children amazed him. She turned and gave him a smug smile.

"Alrighty than, we got Barrett after three days, I say a week, Yuffie two, if she pays up, and Marlene says right now," Cid grinned at them all, "Denzel?"

"My own room?" Denzel started.

"Cid!" Barrett barked.

"Denzel doesn't care as 'long as Cloud doesn't go anywhere," Cid went on and he looked at Barrett. "How we gonna prove all this anyway?"

Barrett shrugged. "We'll ring Tifa tomorrow and call her every day." He smiled with a wicked gleam in his eyes, and said, "Won't even need to ask her. I'll be able to tell."

The two children looked between them both with bewilderment, and even Yuffie looked puzzled. Barrett stepped up to the three and loomed over them, staring them down with a commanding glare. "Listen up you kids, don't ever tell Cloud or Tifa any of this, about the love thing or the betting, you got that?"

Marlene and Denzel stared up at him with gob smacked expressions and nodded slowly, having no real idea of what the secret was in the first place, except they were taking bets on whether Cloud and Tifa were in love. Yuffie, arms folded, tilted her head and furrowed her brow, darkly. "It'll cost ya."

Cid barked back, "Not as much as what it'll cost you." He looked at the kids and instructed, "Kids, hold her down while I tickle her, man-style."

"Old man!" Yuffie screamed, moving from him and clutching her sides again, "Nooo! Alright than, I won't tell, but only for Cloud and Tifa!"

"That's the spirit." Cid reached out and landed a heavy hand on her shoulder, attempting to draw her close.

She reeled back, her hands up, guarding herself and she watched him with squinting eyes. "Not this time, Cid!"

Cid laughed and threw his hands in the air. "Ah, just messing with ya." He cocked his head at Barrett. "Whadya' think, we set Yuffie up next?"

Barrett scratched his chin eyeing Yuffie, still in her defensive stance, up and down. "Mmm, see what I can do—"

"Barrett?! Don't you dare!" she shrieked, "I'll tell Tifa."

"Maybe, a science geek," Barrett continued, and he chuckled at Yuffie's eyes turning to smoldering brown.

"I can see Yuf with a speed head wutai biker!" Cid chuckled. "Or someone older, a lot older-"

Yuffie glared at him, and shouted, "No way, you old perve!"

"Sheesh, not me," Cid shot back.

"Who?" Yuffie's pale face reddened, and she squealed, "Not him! Don't you dare say anything to him." She went on, her voice increasing in volume, "You don't know the kinda guys I like," she finished with a shout, "And you'll never know!"

Marlene turned on the two men in Yuffie's defense, and said, "You can't find Yuffie love. She's got to find it herself."

Cid and Barrett laughed, and Barrett answered, "Yeah, yeah, we'll see one day. But Yuffie, if you ever find the guy you like, we'll check him out and see if he's good enough for you."

Cid took a long drag and spoke with some affection. "That's right, kid. He'll have to pass the 'old man' check."

Yuffie relaxed her arms and stared at the two of them, and their statement took some moments to register before a mix of emotions crossed her face. "Ooh, that's sweet, you guys care about the man I like," and she stepped closer, her hands lifting in energetic expression "—hang on, your check?! No way!"

"Spot on. And if he's not, than we'll let him know," Cid told her, "We'll look out for you, don't you worry."

Her eyes softened and her mouth hung open, and she wiped an invisible tear. "You really care..."

Denzel took her hand and squeezed it, and said with innocence, "There'll be someone who likes you, Yuffie." His remark was received with easy chuckles. "We like you."

"Yeah, thanks Denzel," Yuffie replied with a hint of dryness, "thanks alot."

 

Chapter Text

~~ Seventh Heaven ~~

 

Back from Vacation

  

Mid afternoon, the doors of Seventh Heaven flew open and Denzel and Marlene ran through. Cloud and Tifa sat at the empty bar, awaiting their arrival. Tifa jumped down to greet them. “Welcome home, kids!” She sang and extended her arms to receive them.

“Glad you’re back,” Cloud smiled at the two of them, “and safe.” It was good to have them back and that Barret hadn't damaged them in anyway, but even so, a few more days would have been nice, to make up for those days he had to work.

The children ran up to them, their arms loaded with souvenirs, and raising their voices to be heard over each other. “Did you miss us?” Denzel cried, his face flushed with delight, and holding a toy boat and a long handled net.

“Yep!” Tifa hugged him, plus the boat, and she was not able to stop grinning. “Missed your smiles.”

Cloud had forgotten how loud they could be, and he looked to the door with a concerned frown. “Where’s Barret?” He wondered if the big guy had dropped them off and departed as soon as he could.

“He’s coming,” Marlene replied.

Barret soon came in, hauling three bags, and backpacks were slung over his shoulders, and he was breathing hard. “Made it.”

“We missed you too!” Marlene attempted hugging Tifa, but with a giant purple and white moggle and a fairy wand between them, it wasn’t going to happen.

“You’ll have to tell us everything.” Tifa crouched down and smiled at the girl’s glowing eyes, but eyed her gifts with worry and frowned at Barret. “That’s a lot of stuff…”

Barret let the packs drop from his shoulders. “You ain’t seen the half of it.”

“Barret!” Tifa cried.

Cloud laughed, he knew the kids’ had a way of making you spend money. He knew far too well. “You had fun then?”

Marlene and Denzel ran into their room, taking their loot with them.

“I haven’t had that much fun in a while,” Barret guffawed, “Hopefully it will be a while before I have it again.” He laughed at his own humour.

“I’ll get you a drink,” Tifa went behind the bar. “You probably need it.”

Cloud picked up Denzel and Marlenes’ bags, one of which was shades of bright pink with a number of coloured chocobo keyrings. He carried them into the kids’ room.

Marlene stood between the beds and arranged the soft toy on her pillow, while Denzel cleared space on the bedside table for his boat.

“So, you had a good time?” Cloud put Marlene’s bag on the bed, and he leaned on the doorframe.

Denzel took his bag from Cloud and dumped it on his bed. “It was awesome!”

“What did you do?” Cloud was beginning to worry they had too much of a good time. Was home that boring?

“We swam, fished for yabbies. Went in some caves,” Denzel added, “got lost in them--”

“Barret took you in caves?” Cloud queried, trying not to sound too worried.

“Nah, Yuffie, and we went to the carnival--”

Cloud interrupted, “Yuffie was there?”

Marlene had opened her bag and was pulling out a white princess dress. “Yes! And Aunty Shera and Cid.”

He expected they would see Shera and Cid, but Yuffie… was everyone there? He scratched his head, considering what might have gone on, and knowing Cid, it could be everything not permitted for children.

“I didn’t go on any rides,” Marlene pulled out a pink heart cushion, “Denzel did, and Barret, but it made him sick.”

“Errw, so gross!” Denzel made a face and stuck out his tongue.

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” It was a sight Cloud had seen before, and it was not something he wanted to see again. Barret heaving.

Denzel went on, “Maybe we can go back there, Cloud. You’d like the rides.”

Rides? Actually, he didn’t know if he would, but he could find out. “Maybe.” But, he was still trying not to think about Yuffie getting them lost. In caves. “How did you get lost?”

Denzel replied, “I wasn’t scared, but Marlene was--”

“No, I wasn’t.” She retorted. “But it was a long time, and it was cold.”

Cloud stood stiffly, his voice simmered. “Where was Barret?”

“Barret found us,” Denzel explained, as if it were just another activity and there were more important things to talk about.

Cloud opened his mouth to speak his annoyance, but decided to keep his anger under wraps, for now. “Were you worried?”

“Not really,” Denzel shrugged. “Yuffie was!”

“I bet,” Cloud shook his head. Barret had obviously left Yuffie in charge of them, and she was probably going nuts.

Marlene giggled. “She tried not to panic, but she couldn’t hide it.”

Tifa came into the room, and she went over to Marlene’s stockpile of items. She sat on the bed and fingered the tulle on the ivory dress. Red roses were embroidered around the collar, and on the butterfly wing sleeves. “This is beautiful.” She continued with awe and some surprise, “How?”

“Barret sure is generous.” Cloud wished he was that generous around Seventh Heaven.

“Well…” Marlene dithered with the skirt.

“She kinda won it.” Denzel answered for her with a shrug.

“At the carnival?” Tifa cried in surprise.

Denzel frowned and shook his head.

Cloud raised a knowing brow. “Right.”

Marlene blushed and held the dress against her body. “Daddy said I could have it. You like it?”

Tifa swept her hand over Marlene’s pony-tail. “I do, it suits you, but I’m worried…”

Marlene’s face dropped. “Everyone put in for it, not just Barret.”

“Did Denzel get something?” Cloud questioned with irritation that they would over spend on Marlene, but forget Denzel.

“Nah,” Denzel turned his face down. “I didn’t win.”

Bewildered, Tifa met eyes with Cloud, and he frowned with growing suspicion.

“Did you have a good time?” Marlene said quickly.

Cloud started, “We di--”

“Did you take Tifa out?” Marlene butted in.

“We—“ Tifa said.

“Did you go riding?” Denzel’s eyes widened with envy.

Marlene stared at Cloud with a stern glare. “Did Tifa have fun?”

Cloud put his hands up to stop them, and he shook his head at her forthright attitude. “We did have a good time.” He couldn’t think of anything that would beat going to bed with Tifa every night. No, there was nothing. “I even managed to make Tifa smile. More than once.”

Tifa smiled broadly, as if in proof of his statement, and she shared a look with him. “He’s been very good at making me smile.”

Marlene looked between them, her eyes lighting up, and she nodded.     

“But how?” Denzel asked.

Cloud thought quickly, and chose the boy’s favourite topic. “We went for a ride, or two--”

Tifa covered her chuckle, but behind her hand she was beaming. She shook her head at him with mirth.

“Where?” Denzel said.

“Up to the hills. The Blue-Ridge falls.” They also went into the ruins of Midgar, but he didn’t need to tell them everything they had been doing.

Tifa nodded, her smile was brimming with happiness. “We went swimming too.”

“Amongst other things,” Cloud added under his breath with a smile. It was the best two weeks of his life and he wouldn’t have cared if they had stayed in for the while time.

Denzel pouted, and his brow creased. “Aww, that sound’s fun.”

“Yeah, it was, but you got to go away,” Cloud remonstrated, “maybe next time.”

Tifa lifted her brow at Cloud and nodded. “Don't forget…”

He screwed up his brow in thought. “That’s right. Hey, Denzel, I was thinking, how would you like to move into my old room?”

Denzel’s eyes widened and his mouth hung agape, and he cried, “My own room?”

Marlene bounced on the spot and squealed, and she pointed at Denzel. They both started laughing so much they ended up holding their sides.

Cloud spread his arms in confusion. “What?” He looked to Tifa for an answer.

She had the same puzzled expression. “I have no idea. What has Barret been saying to them?”

“Nothing that bunch does would surprise me.” Folding his arms, Cloud stated, “If you don’t want the room that’s fine, I’ll still need an offi—“

“I want it!” Denzel shouted through his giggles, and he took a breath. “But you’re staying, right?”

Cloud walked to the boy and put his hand on his head, but he looked at Tifa. “Not going anywhere. I’m going to be sharing a room with Tifa.”

“That’s right,” Tifa looked at Marlene and Denzel, making sure they understood how things were going to be different.

Marlene nodded, and said in a very adult voice. “Yes, I know.”

Tifa creased her brow and pressed her lips together, no longer mucking around. “Is that so? I wonder how you knew that?”

Marlene’s eyes skipped over Denzel, but he was going to let her do the talking. “I just know these things.” She smiled sweetly, and changing the subject, she said, “Now, I’ve got some ideas for the colours in my room—“

“Hold on there,” Tifa snapped.

Cloud chuckled. What could they expect if they went away with the biggest rogues the planet has ever seen? “You could always ask Barret.”

Tifa turned her frown on him. “I think that’s a good idea.”

“Yes, you could talk to daddy.” Marlene nodded as if she were suddenly off the hook. “But he won’t know anything.”

Cloud gave Tifa a half-smile. “He’ll know enough once he downs a few Corel Sangrias.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Text

 

~~ Seventh Heaven ~~

 

Spying 

 

The sound of furniture being dragged across the floor, and an excited squeal came from the downstairs bedroom as Cloud walked past. Hearing an angry yowl, he halted at the closed door, wondering what Marlene and Denzel were doing in there. Were they jumping on the bed, again? Tifa would not be happy.

He gripped the knob, ready to enter, but paused when he heard Marlene’s normally dainty voice, yell, “—when I grow up, I’m going to be Tifa--”

“I’ll be Cloud,” Denzel interrupted.

“You have to be strong, but now, this is what we’re playing,” she stated, “I’m the Florist and you buy flowers off me--”

Denzel’s muffled voice came back in a grumble. “What am I going to do with flowers?”

“Make the house pretty,” she sang.

“You should be a mechanic and fix my truck.”

Cloud envisioned the boy, holding his military toy truck that had every light and sound possible to have in a toy vehicle, courtesy of Reeve on Denzel’s last birthday. Sadly, the thing was broken. Damn thing, Cloud cursed under his breath at not fulfilling his promise to fix it. He made a mental note to do so.

“Yuck!” Marlene yelled, and bounce, went the bed springs. “Machines are dirty!”

Cloud imagined her making her pouty face of disgust, and he chuckled under his breath.

“Plants are dirty too!” Denzel retorted.

That’s right, Denzel, Cloud grinned.

Marlene raised her voice above his complaining. “When I grow up--”

“I’m going to fight monsters,” Denzel butted in, his voice going even louder. He made some shooting noises, just to prove his point.

Marlene continued, “…and I’m going to marry someone who likes flowers. Someone like Cloud--”

“Cloud doesn’t like flowers!” Denzel cried in a horrified voice.

Marlene shrieked, “He does too like flowers.”

Cloud smiled broadly at the closed door, the idea that she wanted to marry someone like him was peculiar, and a little disconcerting.

“Err,” Denzel responded. “When I grow up I’m going to marry Tifa.”

Despite Denzel being only eleven, Cloud frowned with some jealousy, and he couldn’t help but protest aloud. “Not likely.”

“Nooo!” Marlene drew the word out with annoyance, and in a gruff voice, she said, “Yo’ foo’! Cloud’s gonna marry Tifa.”

Good on you, Marlene. Cloud leaned his head on the door, and grinned at her declaration.

“Cloud!” Tifa had come down the passage, and stopped, hands on her hips. “What are you--”

“Shss!” Turning his head slightly, he put a finger to his lips to hush her.

She came up beside him and rested her chin on his shoulder, and whispered, “You’re spying.”

“You have to see to spy,” he replied under his breath.

Tifa rolled her eyes. “Eavesdropping then.”

“You should hear this,” Cloud whispered.

Marlene went on with her lecture, “…and besides, Tifa’s like your mother, you can’t marry your mother.”

Cloud looked at Tifa, and she covered her mouth to stop her giggling.

“Tifa’s my mother?” Denzel’s voice took on a dreamy tone.

“Yes! And Cloud’s your dad!”

“Cloud’s my dad? You really think so?”

A warm glow spread up from Cloud’s core and Tifa poked him in the ribs. “See!”

It was a simple statement. The boy’s wishful questioning brought home how important his presence was at 7^th Heaven and in the child’s life.

“Yes, silly. I’m just lucky, ‘cus I’ve got two dads, but you’re lucky, ‘cus Cloud’s your dad.”

“You’ve got two dads?”

“Cloud’s my dad too!” She squealed and giggled like a loon, and Denzel soon joined her.

Tifa whispered in Cloud’s ear, “There you go. Barrett will love that. Not.”

Denzel stopped laughing and said with serious intent, “I guess I’ll marry you then.”

“Aargh!” Marlene yelled, “You can’t marry your sister!  Ugh! Denzel!”

“I’m not going to get married, I’m going to fight things.”

The door suddenly flew open, and Cloud nearly fell into the room with Tifa not far behind him.

Denzel held the handle and creased his brow with suspicion at the two of them. “Ah, we were… just… playing…”

Cloud glanced at the room. They had pulled out Marlene’s long waist high bookcase to the middle of the floor. Books had been strewn across the mat, and the toy box was open and dress-ups were scattered nearly everywhere. Coloured paper flowers were along the top of the bookcase amidst two real flower pots. Cloud reached out his hand and combed his fingers through the boy’s soft strands. “It’s okay, I’ve come to look at that broken truck.”

With an excited smile, Denzel handed it to him. “You think you can fix it?”

Cloud rolled it in his hands, examining its undercarriage. “Don’t know till I look.” He was getting better at fixing machinery, now that he did so many tune-ups on Fenrir. “If I can’t, we’ll send it back to Reeve and he’ll have to get you a new one.”

“Yeah!”

Cloud and Denzel were about to leave the room.

Tifa stood in the doorway, arms folded. “Hold on, before you go anywhere, you two need to clean up this room.”

Denzel hung his head and Marlene pouted.

“Tifa’s right,” Cloud added, “I’ll look at this while you clean up.” He closed the door behind him.

Marlene’s little voice chirped to Denzel, “You see, she’s just like our mother.”

“Yeah, you’re really right,” Denzel said, “and Cloud’s like our dad.”

 

Tifa took Cloud’s hand and led him away from the room. “So, how does it feel?”

“That Marlene wants to marry someone like me?”

“No.” Tifa laughed, and shook her head. “That you are the father of two children.”

With his one hand, he drew Tifa into an embrace, and held her close. “It doesn’t feel too bad. How does it feel for you?”

She touched her lips on his and they kissed for moments, before she said, “It feels good, really good.”

Chapter Text

 

Darkness Looms

Part I

NIGHT TERRORS

Under the covers, Tifa turned around in Cloud's arms and he pulled her against him till she was snuggled against his hips. Her back was warm against his chest and his hand rested on her stomach. He breathed in the scent of her hair, spreading between them. With a smile on her face, and her eyes already closed, she whispered, "'night."

He kissed her ear and whispered the same.

She was asleep within moments, and he was left listening to the howling gale outside. The roaring wind had not ceased for the last few hours and it only seemed to worsen with its intensity. He closed his eyes, planning on following Tifa into slumber, except… through the storm he could hear something...

He opened his eyes wide, and staring at the dark room, he listened to the small voice calling for Tifa. He watched Tifa and her chest rising softly. She was well and truly asleep, and he wasn't about to wake her. The petite voice called again, this time with more urgency. Marlene must really want something, to keep crying out, and he wondered how long she had been calling. Surely he would have heard her, but of course, they may have been too occupied.

He rose from the bed. The temperature had plummeted to a chilly air, and he pulled the blanket up to his pillow to retain the warmth. Before he went anywhere, he had to look for some clothes. Finally finding them thrown across the room, he yanked the black cotton boxers on, and went to see what Marlene wanted.

Down the short flight of steps to her room, he neared her door, and in a trembling muffled voice, Marlene questioned, "Tifa?"

With the curtains pulled, the room was in darkness, and Cloud whispered, "What's wrong, Marlene?" He could see, but he doubted Marlene could.

She was completely concealed, hiding under her flowered duvet, except for a small hole left for her eyes and mouth. "Cloud?" She circled her face with the blanket, but it still covered her head. "Where's Tifa?"

"She's asleep." He approached the bed.

"Oh..." Her eyes were like glistening saucers in the moonlight. "I'm scared..."

He sat on the bed by her head. "You had a nightmare?" At least Cloud knew something about nightmares. He'd had enough of his own.

Lowering the blanket, she looked up at him from the pillow, and her brunette hair splayed over it and her neck, and the big purply-pink moggle she slept with. "I heard something…"

"Ah, I see." The wind continued moaning outside, and in the distance he could hear knocking, and the clanging of some metal object not tied down. "The wind." It certainly was eerie this evening, he would give her that.

"There's something out there," she whispered and glanced at the window.

"It's only the wind, nothing to be afraid of." He tried to pass on his assurance. "We're all here and Denzel's across the hall."

She watched him with a pleading look. "There's something wrong… I feel it."

Frowning with concern over her apprehension, he opened his mouth to speak—

-BANG-

At the abrupt noise, Marlene sprang up and clutched the blanket around her shoulders, and her moggle was squeezed into her cheek, and if it was alive it would be strangled. Her eyes of terror went between Cloud and the open door. She probably would have screamed if he hadn't been sitting there with her.

Cloud also looked towards the door and the sound that seemed to come from the bar.

"Cloud…" her voice shook.

"I'll go and see." He stood to go.

"But your swords?" She whispered in a tremulous tone.

His swords?! How afraid was she? But then again, he was only dressed in his underwear. Not a good look if there was an intruder. "They're upstairs. Don't worry, I'll be back in a minute."

He walked into the dark tavern. Nobody there. Stopping at the window, he gazed at the street, devoid of any life, except for dirt and rubbish whirling in mini tornados. It blew against the glass and down the streets in a ghastly howl. In the distance he could hear scraps, and the clatter of garbage tins been swept down the road. He pulled on the front door. It was locked, but he didn't expect it would be open. He had locked it himself.

In the kitchen, the back door was locked, and the door to the garage. Everything was as he had left it when he shut the place up. Nothing out of place, or fallen down. On coming to the storeroom, he found the culprit. He surmised that the door had been left open and the wind had decided to shut it. He should have known.

He went back to Marlene to find her hiding under the yellow flower duvet; the mog's antenna sticking out next to her head. "Cloud!" she cried as if surprised he had returned unharmed.

He sat down again. "Nothing to worry about, it's just the storage door."

"But, something's going to happen." Marlene stared towards the vibrating window pane.

"Nothing is going to happen," he stated, trying to calm her down.

"Cloud, you shouldn't go to work tomorrow," she breathed out her request with childlike desperation.

"What?" He cried and blinked at her with confusion. He had a full three days away doing deliveries, and he wanted to complete them before the weekend. He couldn't put it off. How could being scared have anything to do with his work schedule? Now she was getting weird.

"Please, don't go." Marlene's eyes widened as if she were shocked at her own demand. "It's just… I think if you go, something will happen. Here."

Marlene had always been insightful, but could she actually know something? Or was she just scared and needy? "We'll see in the morning…" In the light of day everything always looked better.

"No! I'm really scared… and…and…"

Cloud took a thoughtful breath, and considered her request. "It's not that easy. I've got commitments." He had to speak with uncharacteristic sternness, "Marlene, we'll talk about it in the morning." But even so, and despite his words, she was managing to make him nervous.

"I'm scared. Something bad… is out there…"

Cloud sighed. His skin was tingling with goose-bumps from cold air coming from a draft somewhere. "What?"

"The wind is shrieking. It's horrible…" Her pretty face crinkled with terror he rarely saw on her. She grabbed hold of his arm, drawing him closer, and she embraced him. "I can hear it."

Cloud stared into her worried eyes, begging for him to hear her. Perhaps he was just too tired to think straight, but her fear was convincing enough. He listened to the groaning, creaking wind and within it there was a peculiar haunting noise.

"I can't sleep..." Her voice was barely audible. "I hear voices…"

If he tried he could imagine he heard voices as well, but beyond human, more like the wails of the dead. He had to admit it was abnormal. "Okay. I'll stay till you go to sleep."

Marlene gave a quick nod, and she snuggled down against her soft toy.

Cloud sat watching her, a smile playing on his lips. "'night."

After some moments, she opened her eyes and creased her delicate brow. "I can't sleep with you sitting there watching."

Cloud rolled his head back and sighed at the ceiling. This was getting a little too much. What would Tifa do anyway?

"Lay down." Marlene shuffled over to the edge of her large bed, and Cloud stretched his body down next to her. She gave him half her pillow and wiggled the duvet out from under him, and he lifted his side to help her, and she stretched it across him, attempting to tuck it past his back.

"Marlene, it's okay." The blanket just reached, and he could feel the draft, but surely he wasn't going to be there that long?

With the moggle under her arm, she put her hand on Cloud's shoulder and closed her eyes. "Thanks, Cloud. Goodnight."

"That's alright, as long as you go to sleep." His eyes slowly closed as he listened to the wailing wind.

A warm pressure at Cloud's back nudged him awake. He opened his eyes enough to see Tifa wasn't lying next to him, although he could have been mistaken with the strands of black hair tickling his nose. It was his arm over the pink moggle pushing into his chin that was the dead giveaway. The soft toy was bigger than Marlene's head. He guessed it had to be Denzel behind him. Had he been scared too? He probably came into Marlene's room, as he did on occasion, and seeing Cloud, thought it was an open invite to curl up next to him. The boy breathed down Cloud's bare back, and the blanket would barely have covered him. It would explain why he was sleeping so close, and why Cloud was now warm.

Cloud wanted to stretch something bad, but he was hemmed in. Arching his neck, he moaned softly. If he woke them now, he would only be trying to get them back to sleep, if they even went to sleep. Suddenly feeling really tired, he extended his legs a little straighter. Sorry, Tifa, and he drifted back into a dreamless slumber.

 

 

Cloud woke to a hazy light hitting his closed lids. He tried to roll over, but no, that's right, he was trapped in a bed with kids and an overgrown mog. Opening his eyes, he saw Marlene's sweet face, eyes closed, fast asleep. Her wrist was lying on his neck and the cuddly toy was crushed into his chest between them. Behind him was a warm lead weight, breathing heavily, and not moving an inch.

Someone entered the room; Tifa, in her little white pajama shorts and singlet.

Thank Gaia, it was Tifa. Cloud watched her approach the window. "Tifa…" his voice was like gravel and he was near pleading.

"Oh, you're awake," she whispered and she drew the curtain half way and looked outside. The wind had subsided from the blistering gale, but it still moaned and swirled down the streets. "It's been blowing all night."

"You didn't sleep either?" Cloud eased himself up on his elbow.

Tifa hugged her arms and turned to him, she was pale in the chill dawn light, and goose bumps covered her arms, most likely her legs as well. "No…" She sat on the other side of Marlene, rubbing her arms. "It was a strange night…"

They sat in silence for a few moments and Tifa watched Marlene sleeping.

Cloud finally spoke. "I don't think I'll go to the west continent today." After a night of broken sleep, he was desperate to move his body, and he had a creak in his neck. Despite this, he felt he hadn't slept at all. On top of that, it was also still blowing up a storm outside.

"Can you afford it?"

"Probably." It was the failing of the commitment that would cost him. "I'll see if I can work something out. Anyway, just today."

Marlene had opened her eyes and looked at Cloud as he spoke, a little smile awakening her face.

Tifa chewed on her lip in consideration, "If you're sure, but why today?"

Rubbing her eyes, Marlene turned to Tifa, "Tifa…"

"Morning." Tifa ran her hand down her arm and squeezed. She said with some reprimand, "Did you make Cloud sleep next to you?"

"Kinda." She yawned and stretched her arms high.

"Yeah, she did." Cloud pushed himself up and leaned on the bed frame, trying not to wake Denzel, who so far had not been disturbed by their conversation. "But she couldn't sleep."

"He's not going, 'cuz I asked him," Marlene replied with pride.

Tifa frowned, and she had that look, that someone was going to get into trouble. "Marlene, you can't be doing that."

Marlene lowered her face and looked hurt. "I'm sorry…" she mumbled. "But, I still don't want Cloud to go."

"No, it's alright." Cloud glanced at Tifa and her expression softened. He wasn't sure why he wasn't going to work, but, something was making him uneasy. "It was a strange night and I didn't sleep that well. I could really go another round with the pillow, my pillow." His eyes settled on Tifa and her dark eyes watching him, knowing exactly what he wanted. "Back in bed." He didn't mean for it to come out like an order.

Tifa tipped her head and grinned. "I'd love to, but—"

Denzel sat up by Cloud and rubbing his eyes, he yawned.

Marlene said to Denzel, "Cloud's not going to work."

Denzel's eyes went to each of them and it was obvious he was still trying to wake up. "Great!"

"But, there's no way these two will leave you alone." Tifa eyed Marlene and Denzel, and smile tugged on her lips.

"Okay, but I'm not having a day off, I'm going to do some local jobs," Cloud told them, wondering if it was a wise decision after all. He said to Denzel, "You couldn't sleep?" The idea that they had moved Denzel out of the bedroom too soon crossed his mind.

Denzel shook his head. "I couldn't… the wind was in my dreams, and I heard voices."

Marlene gasped with her hand flying to her mouth and her eyes shot to Cloud, as if to say I told you so.

Genuine concern shadowed Cloud's face and he looked at Tifa, sharing the same anxious expression. Tifa sat up straight and took a long breath, and in an attempt to break the solemn moment, she said, "Now that we're all up and not going anywhere right away, we'll have those eggs and sausages for breakfast."

"Sounds only a bit better than staying in bed," Cloud said.

"Sounds awesome!" Denzel said. "But the wind is still blowing, and it's cold now."

"Hopefully this storm will pass soon." Cloud looped his arm around Denzel's shoulders. "Nothing to worry about." It was just the wind, wasn't it? But, even Cloud had to admit he heard something within it that made him uneasy. But currently the wind was just the wind, and he couldn't hear anything.

 

Chapter Text

 

---

"I'm back."

 

 

The day Geostigma ended

 

It was a long eventful life-changing day. Not since along while had Cloud felt able to face the next day.

A night of celebration was on at Seventh Heaven. All the usual customers were present, plus all those who were friends of Clouds. To say the least, the atmosphere was jovial, but considering Edge was saved by a deadly ethereal creature, and a cure for the Geostigma had materialized, it was to be expected.

Cloud sat at the end of the bar with his half- drunk cider. While Barrett and Cid, standing alongside, were approaching ten each. Normal for them. Unusual that Cloud was drinking at all, but for tonight he wanted to blend in. He didn't want to stand out, because he was already feeling like a spectacle.

Everyone took the time to thank him for defeating the monster, everyone in Edge, or so it seemed. People he had never met thanked him. Blushing, he could only nod his acceptance and mumble his own thanks in return. Uncomfortable and embarrassed, was how he ended up in the corner at the end of the bar.

Cloud was also thankful. Thankful he was alive – because he knew, he had died. No doubt about it. He could still recall the terror of the moment the bullet ripped through his chest, and the absolute rage of knowing he was about to leave the planet. Then the explosion that blasted everything including the roof into billowing magical fire. In that instance, he realized he didn't want to go, he wanted to live. He wanted to taste life without the Stigma, and without the burden of regrets. He wasn't sure how he would do it, but he wanted to try. The life-stream gave him a second chance, but it wasn't really that, it was Aeris. Her generous act of forgiveness – to restore his body and life, and give him another chance. So he would know it was alright, because sometimes, with him, words weren't enough.

The last few days were a rollercoaster of emotions, and an extreme physical challenge. He pushed his body into combat feats he hadn't exercised in a long while. But it all came speeding back with the need to fight, and to win. With all the running around, looking for the kids and fighting a summoned monster, and then an incarnation of Sephiroth, he was tired. It couldn't be anything physical though, because he felt renewed after he was revived at the church. No, it must be that his emotional anxieties had gone. It left his body oddly relaxed, something he hadn't experienced in along time either. Right then and there, he couldn't worry about anything – except – one thing…

Tifa spent most of the night behind the bar. She hadn't spoken to him, except to say thanks, like everyone else. Despite his disappointment, he understood, it was painfully clear to him. It didn't help, she was joking and chatting with a young man she hired while Cloud was away. The sight of him getting on with Tifa was beginning to irritate him. But what could he say? He didn't even know where to begin.

Taking his eyes off Tifa, he glanced around the bar. Yuffie was dancing, and Vincent sat at the other end of the bar, alone. But Vincent preferred it that way, in fact, he disliked strangers approaching him. Cloud also knew, Vincent was listening to every word of their conversations. He even spied Reno and Rude sitting with some other similar suited men and women. Turks, Cloud presumed. Things really had changed around Edge if Turks willingly ate and drank with former Avalanche members. Somethings would never cease to amaze him. He touched the packet in his pocket, which Reno handed him earlier. Cloud didn't like to look at it right away, because he guessed what it was. Big wad of gil. Reno said, "For your help. The boss says thanks, and he's good on his word." He left it at that, and Cloud mumbled, "Sure is generous." And Cloud left it at that. There was no way he could thank Rufus, considering he was the one who took the Jenova head in the first place.

Reeve spoke to him earlier as well. After thanking Cloud, he went on about his plans for the life-stream enriched water at the church. WRO would transport it out to towns around the planet and anywhere it was needed. He would also do research on it, to discover how to reproduce it, if possible. Once again, he asked Cloud if he wanted to join the fledgling organization. Reeve had some noble ideas, and there was no better man to head it all up. But, the last thing Cloud needed was to be part of an organization. He sighed with some impatience. "Sorry, it's not for me." His phone was full of messages, Reeve's was among them. Although he wouldn't tell Reeve that.

Marlene and Denzel sat at a booth, drinking coloured juice and eating chips. Marlene was doing all the talking while Denzel listened, quietly. Cloud thought the boy would be more active, maybe he was also tired. Cait sat on the top of the bench chair, his little feet touching Marlene's shoulder, and Nanaki sat on the floor, his snout resting on the table. He appeared to be enjoying whatever Marlene was explaining. Cloud contemplated joining them.

Cid's uneven drawl sounded over the bar, "…that's it, we'll do it. Get some pals, should be a cinch…" He threw back his dark beer.

Barret let loose a growl of cheer. "It'll be a landmark, one of the only ones left in Midgar."

"Yeah, right," Cid nodded eagerly, "Cloud'll help too."

Cloud looked up with a suspicious frown.

"We're fixing up the church." Barrett's eyes shone, and he said as if he needed to explain. "You know Aeris' church."

Tifa also looked doubtful. "Can you afford it?"

"We just need brute strength," Cid flexed his arm, revealing some muscle. "That'll do it."

Barret shrugged. "Dunno. Depends how much it'll cost."

"Maybe think about it in the morning," Cloud knew how much the drink costs Barrett, and it wasn't ever good if he tried to do anything with money if he was drinking. But still it was a good idea.

"She deserves it…" Barret's voice softened, "Anywho all that healing water, and the place is turned into a shithole…"

Cloud took a hard breath. "Yeah," he even caused some of that destruction. "Like I said, we'll see how much it will cost, tomorrow." He would count the money from Rufus, that might help them. He smiled at the irony.

Barrett slapped down his empty glass on the counter. "Hey, Spikey, Tifa said you've been gone for weeks." His voice was only beginning to slur. "Why you walk out? Where ya be'n?"

That question had to come sooner or later, but he was hoping it would never come. He just didn't want to talk to them about it, not when he hadn't spoken to Tifa. But she wasn't talking to him at all. He lowered his brows in irritation. Hadn't Barret walked out on them first, and Marlene?

Yuffie suddenly appeared before them, alert to the conversation. "Yeah, Cloud!" she chimed in, "I've been calling you for daaaays. I thought the worst had happened. You were dead." She crossed her arms and pouted. "You never called me back."

"Nope. Still alive." He sipped his drink, hoping they would suddenly be distracted.

Tifa gave them all a nervous glance, but avoided him as he turned to see her. She dashed away to the kitchen.

"Shit, leave the man alone," Cid barked, "He's got his reasons no matter what you think of them."

"Yeah… thanks, Cid." Cloud shook his head at Cid's disparaging remark. He lowered his voice, because the conversation wasn't getting anywhere and only drawing more attention- of the rumour kind, "I had…"

Marlene walked to the bar and put her bowl on the counter. "Cloud wasn't well." She gave an affirming nod at Barret and Yuffie.

"Really?" Yuffie creased her brow in concern and tapped her lip. "And you didn't tell us? And now you've better? But why couldn't Tifa look after you? I don't get it."

"It's crazy shit!" Barrett cried. "You don't tell anyone where ya are, man."

"But, he's better now. And he's going to stay." Marlene put her hand on Cloud's thigh as if to keep him down on the stool. She gave him a sweet grin. "Besides, if he were here, we might all have got sick too." She turned and skipped back to the booth, and sat grinning at them all.

"Makes shit-all sense to me…" Barrett grumbled.

Cloud noted he had to thank Marlene later. "Yeah, it's true." They would all find out eventually, he had no worries about that, he just didn't want the whole bar to know.

"But, Cloud, you should have told meeeee?" Yuffie whined and thumbed her chest. "You could at least return my call."

"I hadn't got round to it," he ducked his eyes away from her accusing glare.

"Cripes, he's back now." Cid sang out for Tifa, "Another one, Tif- - Cloud's the savior of the town, he can do whatever the f*** he wants."

Cid's comment was met with despondent agreeing grumbles. It was so like them, Cloud chuckled. Despite him disappearing for weeks on end, they still treated him no different to what they always had. He was relaxed in their company, and not since they travelled the planet together had he felt this way. It had been too long. And he didn't feel like much of a savior, he was just doing what he did – the only thing he felt he could do. But now, socializing wasn't something he was good at… and something else he wasn't good at, talking to Tifa.

 

~7 ~

The night came to an end, when tiredness won over merriment. Seventh Heaven was closed and everyone left, except those who were staying over. Cloud ended up in the garage showing his bike to Cid. Cid, a whiz with machinery, gave him a lot of unasked for advice, and a lot of ways Cloud could spend even more gil on it. Cloud didn't mind showing him Fenrir, but time was getting on, and he needed to get somethings off his chest, and not with Cid.

Cid eventually left for his ship, but he would be back in the morning for breakfast he said. Cloud sighed, wondering what time that would be exactly.

Inside, the bar was quiet. Barret was the only one there. He sat at a booth with an empty glass.

Cloud said, "You going to sleep there?"

"Yeah…" Barret replied, "When I do."

Cloud checked into the kitchen. No one. He went up the stairs, hoping Tifa hadn't gone to bed already. Despite the light being off in the kids' room, there was a lot of giggles and noisy whispering going on. He bypassed them and continued up. Tifa's door was open but the light was off. He questioned whether he should enter, was it really the right time? And was there ever a right time? Why could he fight monsters, and men on speeding bikes, and yet not be able to enter a room? Darn it. He nudged the door open wider, to test the waters.

But she might be asleep? "Tifa?"

No response came from the bed. He stepped in to see her. A figure was on the bed. Fully clothed, and taking up the whole bed. Yuffie, snoring like a contented purring cat. Cloud scratched his head in consternation. Where was Tifa?

He stuck his head in his room, no-one. He walked back down the steps and stopped at the kids' room. Their chatter continued and he stuck his head in.

"Cloud!" Marlene called out and sprang up from her bed. "Have you come to say goodnight?"

"Yeah, goodnight, Cloud," Denzel pulled the covers back from the other bed and sat up. Despite sitting up, he gave a gaping yawn.

"Goodnight, you kids." Cloud stood in the room. "I'll see you in the morning."

Denzel made a fist pump, and cried, "Alright!"

"Yay!" Marlene's eyes sparkled. "And Tifa said sausages and eggs tomorrow."

"But you have to go to sleep first." Cloud told them, trying to sound firm. "Hey, do you know where Tifa is?"

 

~7 ~

 

Cloud stepped out onto the rooftop courtyard, and into a sultry night breeze. In the dim moonlight he found Tifa. She sat on the ledge with her back against the short supporting wall. He stopped at the sight of her, suddenly reluctant to intrude on her silent reflections. Although he was probably at the center of whatever she was thinking. Whether that was good or bad he was about to find out.

"Marlene said you'd be out here," he spoke softly, trying not to interrupt, but she must have heard him come out…

"It's quiet. After this crazy day I need it," she still hadn't looked at him. "Is everyone settling in?"

"Mostly. Barret's still up. I think Cid went back to his ship, maybe with Nanaki," he said, "I have no idea what happened to Vincent."

Tifa chuckled. "As long as he had a good time."

Cloud nodded. Vincent must have, he stayed for nearly the whole night. He thought better of mentioning the word 'staying' though. "The kids will hopefully sleep, if they stop talking…"

"They're excited." She gazed out at the streets veiled by the night. "Except, Denzel seemed quieter. I thought he would be more lively. I wonder…"

Cloud thought the same, and considering the boy was healed, it seemed strange. "I noticed."

Tifa took a long breath and continued staring out at the street. She muttered, "Maybe I'll talk to him tomorrow…"

"And Yuffie crashed," he paused, contemplating what his remark would convey. "In your bed."

She said with gruff disapproval, "I saw. She's got a bad habit of that. She'll just have to move over."

"You want my bed?"

"No!" She shook her head, and her hair fell around her shoulders. "Where would you sleep?"

Cloud shrugged. "Around." He was used to sleeping anywhere lately. "If you prefer I don't have to stay—"

"Cloud," she gave him a piercing stare, the first look he had really received, "don't say it."

"About staying?"

She shook her head gently. "I never wanted you to leave."

He never wanted to leave either, but stayng was beyond him. He was a confused, emotional wreck, and on light of Sephiroth using the Renmants to return… a chill ran down his spine at what might have been if he weren't healed of the Stigma. Sephiroth's words about wanting to use him affirmed the voice he was hearing. It was worse than he knew. But now the voice was gone as well as the debilitating pain. Even so he wondered if he would always be battling Jenova. Like an illness he would never overcome…

But right now, he had changed, and he could acknowledge the difference. Something else was stronger - he wanted to change. That was something new. He sat on the wall by her feet with his back to the street. The only way through this was with honesty, at least in part, "I'm sorry…"

"I know…" her voice caught in her throat, and she was transfixed by her sneakers, "… and I'm sorry too. It's just, there's a lot of hurt there and I let some of it out, and I probably shouldn't have…"

"That's okay… we've all got hurt…"

"But you had the Stigma, so that didn't help…except…" she scrunched her hand into a fist, and her voice deepened with sorrow, "You gave up comfort and companionship for… to be alone. You would rather have nothing than anything good? I guess I just don't get that."

"For some the good is to good," now he stared down at the ground considering Seventh Heaven and how lucky they were to have it. "I didn't want anything and I couldn't do anything…" his emotions were also out of control with frequent unpredictability. Now he better understood what was occurring inside himself. The voice was gone and he could think for himself again. But that meant dealing with the last few months, when he thought of it, it meant facing fallout from the last few years.

Her voice was a sad whisper, "So you went and slept on a cold hard floor in a ruined building, alone…"

Her pain was startling, but he sensed she needed to express it. It was one of the things he loved about Tifa. She spoke her mind then she was free of it, and was the same Tifa again.

"Did you miss her that much?" her voice trembled.

He responded with unease. Sometimes talking of Aeris provoked Tifa's envy, and at a time like this it could be even worse. "I missed the peace she gave me, and I found it there. The life-stream is strong there and it helped." It dampened the malevolent voice he had been hearing more often.

Her head remained down and she was silent.

"My head wasn't right. I was selfish but didn't know it—"

Tifa peeked at him from under her fringe, her eyes were damp. "I thought you didn't care about us anymore."

He released a soulful sigh. It wasn't like that at all. He was wrapped up in his own pain, he only wanted to not exist anymore. He thought about them every day, and with every thought his resolve got stronger to distance himself. Like a toxic drug that he desired, but was ultimately killing him and everyone else. "I was torturing myself."

"And us too."

He hung his head under the weight of her sincerity. "Yeah…"

Tifa lent forward and her tone had softened. "We can't help but care about you, Cloud. You're one of the family. But— why now? Was it defeating Sephiroth again? Or being healed of Geostigma?"

A tentative smile played on his mouth at the words – family. She still felt the same, and it warmed his heart. But it was both and more. It was dying and having a second chance. It was fear of losing Tifa. It was Aeris – it was Zack. Even Marlene and Denzel. "I think…" he nodded to himself in affirmation, "I came to my senses."

Tifa managed a half-smile. "Maybe we'll all feel better now the Stigma is gone. I know how awful it is, I've been dealing with it with Denzel. If it weren't for Denzel and Marlene being here, I might have left as well." She gave a low dry chuckle.

He gave her a concerned frown. Where would she even go? Wherever she went, he knew he would find her, eventually. But he was the one to burden her with responsibilities and heartache. "I wonder… will I ever get it right…" he said under his breath.

"No-one's perfect." Tifa wiped her eyes. "Not even you." She attempted a smile.

"No-one's perfect…" he repeated in revelation.

"Right. We'll take it one day at a time. No pressure. But, I do want you to work out where you want to be, and what you really want." Her voice wavered, "And you probably know, I'm really bad at goodbyes."

Who was good at them anyway? He sucked at it. "You think I am?" he didn't even bother saying goodbye when he decided to leave.

"So were you planning on waking me up?" Tifa teased.

He stared at her puzzled, and he flushed, "Aah, probably would have. Maybe." Now that she mentioned it, it may not have been a good start to a conversation.

She laughed at his discomfit. "Looks like I'll be thanking Yuffie instead of grumbling at her."

Cloud thought on their friend for a moment, considering her enterprising nature. "Yeah, and I'll have to thank her for that materia. I wonder how she got it all back?"