I do not own Final Fantasy VII. This will be a series, hopefully my writer's block won't interfere. I hope you enjoy! Reviews Please!

Broken

Chapter I : Break Her Heart

Cloud quietly packed up his motor bike and started to roll it out of the garage when the sound of light footsteps stopped him. He paused when the door opened, he didn't turn around.

"So you're leaving again, aren't you?" Tifa's quiet, sullen voice seemed to echo through the garage. It was heavy with sorrow and grief.

"Yeah…" Was Cloud's reply. He didn't seem to be feeling anything at all, this angered Tifa beyond belief.

"So that's all? You're just going to up and leave without saying goodbye?" She clenched her fists and bit back the need to cry out. "After all we've been through…you're just going to abandon us again…"

"Tifa…I'm sorry to run out on you again…" Cloud's voice held only the slightest remorse. Tifa sensed the fraction of guilt and her heart stopped. "But there's something I must do. It'll take me a few days…but I have to go. I promise I'll come back."

"Promise? You make a lot of those, but you seldom keep them!" Tifa was fuming with rage. "You promised you wouldn't leave again!"

"I'm sorry, Tifa. But I have to go."

"Then take me with you." She was sick of it..

"I can't."

"Why can't you? What's so important that I can't come along?" She trembled in her fury. Then when he didn't answer, she drew her own conclusions. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled heavily through her mouth. "I see…it's me isn't it? You don't love me anymore…do you? You have another girl somewhere."

Cloud tensed up. His heart felt like it slid down his chest and landed on top of his stomach.

He didn't know how to answer her. It was true. He no longer wished Tifa as his lovert…but it wasn't about another woman, and it wasn't Tifa…it was all him; he didn't deserve a woman like Tifa. Tifa was so perfect. She was so beautiful, so righteous, faithful…and worthy of so much more than he could possibly give her.

"Tifa." His voice made her quiver. "I love you…I love you so much…but I can't stay here anymore."

"Why?" Finally her heart climbed up her throat, and squeezed tears from her eyes.

"If you love me then why leave?"

"You don't deserve me…no…I don't deserve you…You're so wonderful Tifa. And you're wasting it all on me…I'm not worthy of you. That's why I can't stay." His back had been turned to her the entire time, but he turned around and faced her.

"I don't understand." She whimpered as tears cascaded down her cheeks. Cloud approached her cautiously, taking her shoulders in his hands.

"Tifa…I need you to be strong. You'll be alright….it's not the end of the world. You can find someone else to love…"

"N-no….no…I can't…I can't…" She shut her eyes and leaned into his chest. "You're really leaving me? I love you…"

"Come on, you can…you can do this, Tifa."

"No!" She beat on his chest with her fists. "Tell me the truth! Why are you leaving me?"

"Because…" He didn't really know what to say, so he just said something. "I just don't want you anymore, Tifa." He released her. "I don't want to be with you. I need to live my life...and you need to live yours. I can't be tied down…I don't want…" He couldn't say anymore, what came from his mouth was enough. "Goodbye." He released her and got on Fenrir. With a roar of the engine he was away.

Tifa fell to her knees and clutched at her chest. Her heart was shattered into so many pieces. How could say that? How could he be so cruel? The sound of the motorcycle died away until it was like it never was. Never was…that's what Cloud had to become. She sat back against the doorframe and cried until she could cry no more. At some point, she had curled up into a ball on the floor, dry tears stuck to her face and she trembled with a chill not caused from the cold. The day had drawn late and she still had not moved from that spot. How far had he gotten by now? Where was he going? Would he really come back?

Cloud charged on toward nothing. He'd left Midgar completely behind him, not knowing where he was headed. He hated himself for what he'd done to Tifa. He was desperately in love with her, he wanted to be with her, and marry her…but he couldn't allow her to be brought down by his foolishness. If he'd stayed, she and the children would be in grave danger.