Hello to all, this is my first fan fiction story of Cloud/Tifa (FFVII) and Noctis/Stella (FFvXIII)

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters. They belong to SquarEnix and Tetsuya Nomura. Enjoy reading!

Ch. 1 - Tifa's Dream

It's quiet… not a sound. No birds, critters, people or even a breeze. It's like this city is completely deserted but left intact. But why am I the only one here?

'What is this place?'

Something doesn't feel right. 'Where is everyone?'

I started to feel uneasy at the tension of the atmosphere around me.

'What's going on?' I said to myself. It's a beautiful, clear day but not a soul was around.

I tried to be hopeful, 'Maybe if I search around, I just might find someone to help me.

''Hello!" I yelled but got no response. I just heard the echo of my voice. I continued to search more through the city, trying to get a response from someone. Anyone.

Suddenly, the scenery changed. I was in a beautiful, green field but again, no one was around. The ground started to shake hard and I hit the ground, as I lost my footing beneath me. Once I was back on my feet, I see a massive army running toward my direction. I gasped as I see them coming near me faster, than anything I've ever seen.

"Tifa!" There was a call. I turned immediately as I heard that familiar voice. Without a doubt, it was him.

"Cloud!" I yelled back as he ran to me with his sword in his hand.

But there were two more companions with him. A young man with crimson eyes, dark hair and smooth, creamy skin with an outfit somewhat similar to Cloud's style. He's roughly about the same height and build as him too. Then there's a young woman. Amber eyes, long blonde hair and fair olive skin. She was wearing something akin to what Aerith would wear, but also a bit of mine was in there too. The young man had a sword much like Cloud's, only a bit smaller but looking just as deadly and the young woman had a rapier that was smooth and elegant; something I'm skilled in using, but prefer not to.

They finally came near to me. Holding me in his arms, Cloud had a worried and frightened look in his beautiful, glowing azure eyes.

"Are you okay, Tifa?" he asked.

I looked back at him with a smile and a nod. But then I hear the young man say something sternly, "Cloud, we don't have time for greetings. We have a problem on our hands."

By the time, he finished saying that, the army was already surrounding us. Cloud put me behind him and took his ready stance. The young man did the same with the young woman and took his stance. Just as the army was about to move, there was another voice, a commanding voice.

"Stop! I'll handle them myself," the unknown voice said as a man walked forward while the army parted away for him.

"Long time no see, Cloud."

"Hojo," I heard Cloud say as he gave him a threatening glare.

"Well! My, my, Tifa is here as well," he glanced to the other side. "And who are these two? Friends of yours?" asked Professor Hojo slyly, rubbing his hands together as if he was cunningly thinking of something.

The young man and woman remained silent as they glared at Hojo. Their weapons at the ready.

Hojo laughed evily as he spoke, "Well, I have a friend that I'm sure you'd be dying to meet. Cloud, you met him once before, but you were still in your mako-induced state."

Then out of nowhere, another being came forward and all of our eyes went wide, but Cloud was more stunned than we were. This man was tall with short red hair and a long flowing red jacket with his clothing matching one to an actor in a medieval play. His eyes were what caught my attention. His eyes were like Sephiroth's only his were glowing an evil lavender.

The man began to pull out a sword that was red on the blade as he said, "Shall we begin?" He rushed towards us and I screamed as a flash suddenly blinded me.

oOoOoOo

Tifa wakes up in a cold sweat, screaming from the dream she just had. She breathes heavily as she tries to understand what the dream meant. Who was the young man and woman standing next to her and Cloud? Who was the man that remembers Cloud? As she thinks about the dream, Tifa looks around and sees that she's in her room above the Seventh Heaven Bar in the city of Edge. She looks over to her clock on her nightstand and sees that it's one o'clock in the morning.

'Weird,' she thought, rubbing her forehead. 'I've never had a dream like that before.'

As Tifa continued to think about the dream, she gets up and heads to the bathroom to wash her face. She cups her hand under the cool, running water and gently splashes it on her face and rubs it behind her neck. After she dries her face off with a towel hanging on a wooden peg nearby, she moves back to her bed and gets under the covers.

Before she closes her eyes she says to herself, 'I should tell Cloud about this when he gets home.'

Tifa knew that Cloud was out on a long delivery and would not return until mid-afternoon, tomorrow. Hopefully, she can catch him before he leaves again because she feels that this is something that shouldn't be ignored.

'Maybe... that was a warning,' she thought. 'But, of what, though?'

oOoOoOo

"Thanks, Cloud. These tools will help a lot with the new piping and drainage systems. I hope we can do business again soon." said Mr. Norda smiling, extending his hand to shake Cloud's.

Cloud hesitantly reaches over and shakes Mr. Norda's hand and in return replies, "Glad to be of service."

As he leaves Mr. Norda's office building, heading to Fenrir, he suddenly stops. He senses that something isn't right. He carefully looks around the town that's being built just outside of Gongaga. It was named, Nobundo. Usually, at this time, he would see several carts out on the street selling their goods and some children playing. He's been here a number of times since Barret finished bringing North Corel back on it's feet and started building this small town. But right now, there's hardly anyone outside.

A gust of wind caught his attention as he thought he heard a voice within it saying, 'Cloud, you need to hurry home. Something has happened.'

"What?" he says, confused.

Just then, he thought, 'Tifa.'

His eyes went wide with fear as he thought that something happened to her and he had to leave now. Cloud rushed back on his feet towards his bike. And with a thrust in the ignition, Fenrir roars to life and quickly rides back to Seventh Heaven, silently praying that Tifa was okay.

'Tifa, hang on,' he pleaded. 'I'm coming. Please... be okay.'

oOoOoOo

Back in Seventh Heaven, things were unusually slow. Tifa was still pondering about the dream she had the other night and was trying to figure out how to explain it to Cloud when he got home. He was in the new town that Barret was building right outside of Gongaga; the former home of Cloud's best friend, Zack. It would at least be another day until he returned, so it gave Tifa some time to really think things through. At first, she thought about calling him to give a brief description of the dream, but decided it would be best to give him the full details face to face.

At around nine in the evening, Tifa closed the bar and began cleaning up. She didn't have to worry about making dinner earlier since Denzel and Marlene were with Cid and Shera in Costa Del Sol for the summer.

But then all of a sudden, someone burst through the back door yelling, "Tifa! Tifa! Where are you!"

That familiarity of a voice was enough to send Tifa jolting toward the source of sound. "Cloud?" she called, surprised. "What's wrong?"

He was back, earlier than expected. Tifa curiously looked at Cloud, realizing the terrified look in his eyes. Rushing over, he took her in his arms and held her close. Tifa returned his tender embrace, enjoying the moment. How she wishes she could tell him how she truly felt deep down; how much she's loved him all these years...

As he was holding her tightly in his arms, he wanted to tell her everything right then and there, how much he's loved her for so long. He never wanted to lose her again ever since the fight she had with Loz, one of the Remnants of Sephiroth, in Aerith's Church. The memory still haunted him every so often.

"Thank the Gods, you're alright. I thought something bad happened to you." Cloud said as he released the breath he was holding. His arms slowly unfastened from Tifa's warmth, his sky blue eyes gazing deeply into her dusky ones.

"What are you talking about, Cloud?" She was confused as much as he was.

"I thought you were in trouble. I was in Nobundo and when I went outside to get on my bike, I suddenly stopped. The atmosphere felt strange." Cloud said, calmly.

"How so?" said Tifa, urging him to sit down at the dinner table and continue as she made him a late dinner.

"Well… usually around mid-day, there would be vendors with their carts selling their goods and children playing around the fountain in the square," he recalled. "There was hardly anyone that time and I've been to the new town several times already."

"So what did you do?" Tifa said as she laid Cloud's dinner down. For tonight, she made him Roast Beef with Green Bean Casserole and Mashed Potatoes. Tifa knew well that it was one of his favorite meals that she cooked.

"There didn't seem to be any threat of a monster nearby but suddenly, I was caught off guard by a gust of wind. I could've sworn I heard a voice in it say, 'You need to hurry home. Something has happened,'" he said, glancing from the delicious-looking meal toward Tifa. "It sounded like Aerith's voice."

Tifa slightly winced at Aerith's name since she somewhat believes that Cloud still loves her. But quickly brushing the jealous thoughts aside, she said, "So that's why you rushed home then?"

"Yes. I was worried that you might be hurt or something." Cloud's eyes were filled with concern.

"Well, as you can see, nothing is wrong with me," She smiled and laughed a bit. "But there's something I need to tell you... It's a dream that I had the other night."

Cloud and Tifa stayed up for almost two hours while she explained her dream to Cloud. He listened intently on every word she said and became worried, again.

"Cloud, what should we do about this?" Tifa asked, her voice shaking.

"We'll go to Aerith's Church tomorrow and see if we can talk to her. If you tell her the same things you told me, she might be able to figure out what's going on and what part we have in this." Cloud said, determined.

"We need to get some sleep. I'm here now, so nothing will happen tonight. Everything will be taken care of by tomorrow." Cloud said, smiling at Tifa and gently caressing her face with his hand. Tifa smiled in return, slightly blushing at his touch.

"Good night then, Cloud." Tifa said as she got up from the table and cleaned the dishes from Cloud's dinner.

Cloud got up and started heading to the stairs to his room, he stopped. He turned to look at Tifa and watched her for a second or two as he moved slowly and quietly to her side.

"Tifa, I…" He was just inches from her, then his voice went quiet. He noticed Tifa jump a bit at his sudden voice as he looked into her deep, brown eyes and noticed how beautiful they were in the dim lights. He wanted to kiss her and hold her close to him so badly. He would sacrifice everything in this world, if only he could have Tifa by his side forever.

"Cloud? What is it?" Tifa asked, bringing Cloud out of his daydream.

"Nothing..." He said as he broke eye contact, put his hand behind his head and rubbed his neck. Tifa always found it cute when he was nervous like that. He also had a slight blush which she found curious.

"Are you sure?" She asked, wanting to pull out his hidden thoughts.

"Yeah," Cloud assured. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Tifa." He skitted up to his room like a little kid about to be tickled to death.

After Tifa finished in the kitchen, she made her way up the stairs to her room. She went to check on Cloud first, as she always did, and smiled to herself seeing his handsome sleeping form and quietly said, "Only, Cloud... I love you."

Finally, she turned in for the night, hoping Aerith will tell her and Cloud about her dream. Perhaps, all the worries-his and hers-would be washed away.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo