A/N: I simply CANNOT get away from Cloud/Tifa stories! Argh! But I love them. :) Anyway, this follows the same sort of line as the others I've written, but obviously, they are all very different versions of how Cloud and Tifa get together. This story does have more than one chapter, and it's not ALL about them; it includes some family stuff, too. The chapters can stand alone as one-shots, and they're quite short, but I don't know how many there'll yet be. Anyway, please enjoy, and please review! Constructive criticism is ALWAYS appreciated. Thanks again!

Ch. 1 --- Need a Day Off

All I remembered later that night was seeing the faces of the afflicted children, enraptured and delighted as they were one by one cured of the disease we'd all thought would wipe out the world. The visions of those children stayed with me even in sleep, which, for once, was not encumbered by the horror of Sephiroth's eyes or the tragedy of seeing Aerith die, again and again. I could barely believe that I was the one standing in the sea of young ones, laughing and playing in the wonderful, curing water. It seemed I was the hero again... and yet, a part of me still didn't want to be.

Hero... what a loaded word. All of my heroes, every one of them, had been killed or twisted. I'd seen them all die trying or die at my hand. I didn't want that title. I didn't need it, or the pressure and expectations that came with it.

Well... all of my heroes, save one. Tifa had never... never... given up on me. It still made me cringe to think of her angry, desperate words when I had gone to look for the orphans. "Look at you; you think you've got it so damn hard!" she'd cried. I knew I'd hurt her, by shutting her out, refusing help... refusing company. But I also knew she'd always forgive me. Part of me rejoiced in that forgiveness, because Tifa was pretty much all I had... but another part of me knew I didn't deserve it. She'd forgiven me one too many times, told me that it was okay that I pushed her away. But now... now that the world would be different... now that I knew I wasn't alone... we could start over. It was a hope. Small, at best, but a hope that I hadn't had some days, hours ago. She was a hero to me in all the ways that mattered... my childhood friend... my confidante... and one of the only people I could even contemplate letting in. Sure, we didn't have a lot to say to each other... but maybe that was because we could speak without words.

So I slept, peacefully, and I woke the next morning to Marlene, staring me down from the edge of my bed. She laughed gleefully when I woke, and, slightly confused, I reached out to her, wondering what she was doing in my room. I didn't expect her to jump in my arms and give me a bear hug, and I grunted when her bony little knee caught my – empty, I realized – stomach, but I could feel a smile force its way out of me when she did. I patted her on the back a little, slightly uncomfortable with the physical contact, as always... and lifted my eyes to the doorway, where I heard a floorboard creak. Denzel froze as my gaze met his, and for an awkward moment, I didn't know what to say or do, but I beckoned him toward me and Marlene, her arms still wrapped around my neck. He gave a smile and jumped on the bed too, hugging what little of me he could reach around Marlene. I guess it was gratefulness at his cure... or maybe they had just missed their own personal hero.

"'Morning, Cloud!" Marlene squeaked in my ear, and Denzel only nodded his agreement at the sentiment, which made my small smile grow a little. Like me – didn't say much, that one. Finally, when Marlene and Denzel let go of me, I replied.

"Hey there," I said, still a little unsure if I was deserving of all of the attention. "Where's - ?" I started to ask, but a quiet little giggle in the doorway again directed my gaze toward it.

Tifa was standing there, a hand over her mouth, and she was definitely trying not to laugh at the scene. Me, clad in the black leather I'd collapsed on the bed in the night before, with an arm wrapped awkwardly around the two pajama-wearing, bleary-eyed children. I'm sure it looked pretty damn funny, all things considered. For a moment, neither of us said anything, and to my horror, I almost blushed from embarrassment, but luckily, she spoke before I had the chance. "A client called, Cloud... some delivery of antiques to-"

I raised a hand (with difficulty) and stopped her. "No, thanks," I rumbled, my smile fading only a little, but it was still there. "I think I need a day off."

Tifa smiled at that, and she beckoned Marlene and Denzel off of me, saying something about breakfast. I wasn't really listening... actually, I was too caught up in her eyes to pay attention to much else. Something about them... something made my stomach clench. But, then again... it could have only been because I was hungry. I rolled off of my comfortable bed and followed the three of them downstairs, intent on getting breakfast myself.