Disclaimer: I do not own any final fantasy characters places or names. These belong to their rightful owners at Square-Enix. This fan fiction is purely written for the express purpose of enjoyment and love of writing. I make no monetary profit from it.

Chapter 1: The Stalwart girl and the Wayward boy

Bright sunlight filtered down against the verdant forest of Nibelheim. Tall trees reflected the rays in a sparkling display while lower shrubs and bushes stood tall and healthy. Flowers peppered the ground amidst tall carpets of grass. Only a lone trail of worn earth stood open and tan against the green pasture.

Tifa smiled as she walked amiably down the trail. Birds chirped around her. Rabbits hopped from place to place and in the distance, she could just make out the form of a passing deer. It was business as usual in the forest of Nibelheim. Everything bloomed, everything glowed, and nothing struck her more certainly than the encompassing wave of peace and tranquility.

The young woman stretched languidly and pushed several strands of dark hair past her shoulders. She was wearing a long-sleeved, white blouse with a beige skirt. It was a simple outfit but it never failed to impress the boys. Five years ago she would have sucked in the attention and spent her day passing through the town with her friends Sandy and Jessica. They'd giggle and joke at the looks on the boys faces. They'd stop by old man Patton's tavern for some cold apple cider and perhaps a loaf of his freshly baked cheese bread. All the while, she would enjoy the attention, like she always did. And maybe, if she was feeling particularly daring, she might even wave back at one of them. Yes, those were the days of her immature and impressionable youth.

But that was five years ago. Now she was nineteen years old; a young woman. Sandy was going to be married in three weeks. Jessica was already happily married to the blacksmith's apprentice Daren and they were blessed with two wonderful, healthy children. The years had passed and times have changed. Tifa wasn't interested in flirting with boys anymore. She was an adult now, and with that title came all the responsibilities and duties that fell on her shoulders.

The thought made her frown. It wasn't the fear of responsibility and obligation that troubled her - not entirely. She could handle the demands the village required of her. And she could definitely handle her tasks around the house. But there was one duty expectant of her that she absolutely could not abide; just the thought of it sent shivers down her spine. Marriage!

Tifa cringed and willed the thought from her mind. She wasn't ready for that kind of life yet. She was still her own person. She saw what other mothers dealt with; caring for babies, a life of housework, cooking and cleaning, always staying in or around the house bound to their children, never leaving, never changing and never having time for themselves. No. She wasn't ready for all that yet. She still had time. For now, she just wouldn't think about it.

In fact, she had been avoiding the issue for several months and whenever her father brought it up, she would either change the subject or leave. Her favorite place of solace was her next door neighbor's house where Mrs. Strife lived. She'd never spent much time with the woman as she grew up. She knew her son, Cloud. They'd played together with the rest of the town kids but five years ago, Cloud had just vanished. Though she knew from his mother that he still lived in the village, he was practically a shadow. No one saw or heard from him.

She didn't complain. She wasn't sad to say the two of them were never really close. Sure Cloud had always been around but he never said or did much, he just seemed to follow her and the others wherever they wanted to go. And suddenly, without warning, he seemed to just drop off the face of the earth all together. She had simply assumed it was one of the many changes they all went through as they grew up. After all, it was his business what he did with himself over the years.

But things changed for her too. Her father had found her a martial arts expert who'd taken her under his wing and trained her in all the forms of combat he knew. She absorbed the training like a sponge and the more time passed, the more she realized she was growing apart from the other villagers too. It wasn't that she didn't like them; Sandy and Jessica were still the best friends a girl could ever possibly have. However, her training opened a new doorway of opportunities for her. She wanted more in life. She wanted something new and fresh. Something exciting! And marriage wasn't it!

The only person who'd ever been outside of Nibelheim, in fact, was Cloud's mother. And she didn't find that out until she started visiting her. As time passed, she spent more and more time with Mrs. Strife she realized the woman was great company. She relished every moment she spent with her. The blond woman had told her so many wonderful tales that it was a wonder she never spent any time with her before. Over the years, Olivia Strife had become almost like a second mother to her and she found she was willing to do anything for her, which brought her to her present trek. During their talk, Cloud's mother had asked her if she could bring Cloud back for an errand. She readily accepted the task and privately, she looked forward to the opportunity to see her old childhood neighbor again after so long. He was always gone when she came over and the more she talked with his mother, the more intrigued she became with his absence. What had he been up to? What did he look like after all these years? Was he the same shy boy he'd been before?

Tifa smiled and continued walking. As if on cue, the soft, delicate songs of the forest were broken by short, meticulous, slashing sounds, like a branch swinging through the air. Next to each sound, a measured pant could be heard. Tifa blinked softly and slowed her pace. She crouched low beneath a drooping branch and carefully pushing it out of the way. As soon as she did, sharp rays of sunlight filtered down into a small glade amidst a ring of trees. At the center of the glade, a young man stood poised with a simple sword clutched between both hands.

Though he was average in height, his body was toned with slim, hardened muscles. A layer of damp sweat clung to his white, sleeveless tunic so that she could see an impression of the muscles beneath his shirt. The young man's blond, spiky hair drooped but didn't quite fall while beads of sweat ran down his face. Veins rippled up and down his arms in pronounced waves but his intense blue eyes stayed focused, locked on the tree in front of him.

Slowly, he raised his sword again, then brought it down hard in another swipe followed by a harsh pant. His legs locked into place, shoulder length apart. He was wearing a pair of baggy green leggings that ended beneath old, sturdy boots.

Tifa nearly gaped. Apparently she wasn't the only one who'd been training over the years. She quietly took in the sight before her eyes. The Cloud she knew had been short and scrawny. The Cloud she knew had been skin and bones. The Cloud she knew didn't have a body that sent goose bumps up and down her spine. But there was no denying the spiky hair or the brilliant blue eyes. This was Cloud!

Suddenly, she didn't feel so confident about facing her neighbor right now. Could this really be what he'd been doing all this time? She wasn't ready yet. She took a hasty step back and landed her foot against a large twig. A loud snap rang out and she immediately cringed at the sound. Cloud quickly spun in her direction.

"Who's there!"

Tifa winced. There was no hiding it now. Even his voice had changed, growing deeper than she'd ever heard it before. Tifa's eyes darted left and right, searching for some avenue of escape. But Cloud raised his sword towards her direction.

"I know you're out there! Show yourself this instant!"

Tifa winced again and mentally berated herself. Why was she so hesitant? this was Cloud! Sure they didn't know each other too well but he was always quiet and shy as a boy; and he was her neighbor after all. Besides, she did have a reason to be out looking for him. Sucking in a deep breath, Tifa willed her nerves and walked past the drooping branch, stepping out into the clearing.

"Hey Cloud!" She waved awkwardly. "Long time no see, huh?"

"Tifa!" Cloud blinked in surprise and confusion. "What are you doing here!"

"I … uh… I was looking for you." Tifa rubbed her arm uncomfortably and looked around at the clearing. Sunlight pealed all around them in shimmering shards of bright light. It was beautiful to stare at those lights and she wondered how she'd ever missed this place in the past.

"Looking for me?" Cloud's voice was laced with suspicion and a hint of nervous anxiety. "Why?"

"Wha? Oh! Your mother! She asked me if I could come find you. She wanted you to run some errand for her I think?"

"My mother?" Now his face was a completely baffled mask. "When did? How did? … What?"

Tifa almost laughed. That was certainly a face she remembered. "We're neighbors, remember? Your mother and I talk on occasion. This time, she wanted me to come get you!"

"Oh…" Cloud scratched the back of his head in wonder, the sword going limp in his hand, apparently forgotten. "Yeah… sorry about that."

The blond stooped down and reached for something on the grass. Tifa absently watched his back arch with rippling muscles and felt a fresh blush stretching across her cheeks. She quickly turned away, looking in the other direction.

"It's… uh… It's been five years right?"

"Yeah." Cloud replied somewhat distractedly. She looked over and saw him sliding his sword into a worn, leather sheath.

Tifa folded her arms behind her back. "What have you been doing with yourself? You just up and disappeared. I thought you'd left the village until your mother told me you were still around."

Cloud stretched out a cord that was tied along both ends of the sheath and looped it over his shoulders, securing the sword onto his back. He then moved in her direction. "Nothing much, really. I've just been training."

"Really? Training for what?"

Cloud walked next to her and the two of them began to move back towards the village trail. Cloud folded his arms and looked up to see patches of the sky peering down at them through the latticed bramble of leaves and tree branches.

"To become a knight. I've decided, that's what I want to do."

"What?" Tifa blinked. "But that's a lot, isn't it? Not everyone can just up and become a knight, right? When did you decide this?"

Cloud shrugged nonchalantly. "It's always been on the back of my mind… You know… my father used to be a knight…"

Now it was Tifa's turn to blink with confusion. Cloud's father? Come to think of it, none of them really knew who Cloud's father was. None of the adults ever said anything and none of the kids ever asked. All she knew was that Mrs. Oliva Strife was born in Nibelheim and grew up here until she was twenty. Then she left for nearly ten years and when she returned she was pregnant and disheveled. From what her father described, it was a difficult birth and because she had no husband, the village assumed the worst from her condition. But even still, Olivia made her own way without anyone's help, raised enough money and eventually bought her own house. From there, she raised her son all by herself and not once did she ever complain. As a kid, she'd grown up listening to the adults ridiculing the young single mother, comparing her to a harlot and in her impressionable youth, she'd assumed the same. Mrs. Strife was the black sheep of Nibelheim and that was one of the prime reasons Cloud was such a loner as a child. No one would befriend him; no one wanted to get to know the bastard son of Olivia Strife. But somehow Tifa's mother was different. She alone would visit Olivia and would always have kind words for her and Cloud both. Tifa never understood why her mother did that. But now, five years later and after talking a great deal with the blond woman, she had a better understanding of things.

But to think, after all this time, Cloud knew who his father was and he was a knight no less! Tifa shook her head in baffled shock. "Did you find this out five years ago?"

"No." Cloud shook his head. "I've always known. My mom used to tell me stories about him. He was brave and loyal and courageous! They used to travel everywhere together." Cloud had a wistful smile on his face as he stared up into the sky. "It was ten days after they'd wed that he was called away on a mission during the war… He… never came back..."

Suddenly Tifa felt sick. And to think the village used to scorn Cloud's mother. It must have been horrible! And yet, she was all alone, raising Cloud by herself. Why hadn't Olivia just told them? She was sure they would have helped! Or maybe it was the principle of it all… Cloud's mother really was a strong woman!

Tifa dipped her head down with shame. "I'm sorry."

"It was years ago." Cloud waved his hand dismissively. He wore a gentle smile on his face. "I never met him. Mom's been all I've ever had and she's been great." Cloud shrugged. "I guess you can say I've always looked up to my father. He's been like a legend to me… and five years ago I decided to finally walk down that same road."

Tifa nodded wordlessly. "I… see… But even still! Won't it be difficult? You've never left Nibelheim. How will you get to the Capital? What will you do?"

Cloud shrugged again. "I'll figure it all out once I leave. I'm good with a bow, so hunting won't be a problem. Besides, trekking will give me good experience on my way there."

Tifa nodded and suddenly she felt a slight pang of envy. Here she was trying to avoid a future she didn't want. Meanwhile Cloud was already making plans to forge his own path. Quiet, demure Cloud was suddenly, somehow, rising higher above all of them. Had he always been this way? Had he always had so much determination? When had he changed?

"What about you, Tifa?" Cloud asked.

Tifa blinked at the sudden change of subject. "Uh… What do you mean?"

"What have you been up to for the past five years?" Cloud stuffed his hands in his pockets and the muscles rippled along his arms. Tifa felt another blush threatening to invade her cheeks.

"Well!" She coughed. "This and that, really. You know, helping dad around the house. Helping with the village mill. Learning new things about village upkeep." Somehow she couldn't bring herself to tell him about her intense martial arts training. It was her rare jewel of pride and after hearing about Cloud's lofty goals, she didn't want him to say anything that would shoot down this last ember of dignity.

Cloud nodded. "Hm. Really? Why do they have you doing so much?"

"Well, what would you rather have me do? Continue stirring the cake mix like when we were kids?" Tifa rolled her eyes. "Cloud, it's been five years, remember? We're taking on new responsibilities. We are adults after all!"

Cloud nodded slowly from the rebuke. "You're right… all grown up, huh? I guess I really have been out of the loop with village life these days."

"No kidding!" Tifa grinned. "While you were off swinging that metal stick, a lot has been going on. You haven't even been at the village festivals! Did you know Jessica just had her second baby four months ago?"

Cloud blinked. "What? When did Jessica get married?"

"You didn't even know that! Cloud, where have you been!"

"Sorry!" Cloud winced. "What else has changed?"

Tifa shook her head. "Lots. Sandy will be married in a few weeks. Bradley is now the Miller's journeyman. Sam finally settled down and got married to Reyallie."

"The girl with the freckles?" Cloud smirked.

"What? What's that look about? Reyallie is a nice girl!"

"Oh I'm sure she is." Cloud suppressed a smile.

"Then why are you about to crack like an egg?"

Cloud shrugged but his grin grew wider.

"Speak up!" Tifa kicked him in the shin evoking a soft laugh from her blond companion.

"Okay okay. I've got nothing against her… it's just… well… she wouldn't be my first pick."

Tifa raised a brow. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well… you know…"

"No… I don't know!"

Cloud sighed but he still couldn't wipe the grin off his face. "I guess even trolls need love."

Tifa was caught between a sudden laugh and the urge to wrangle the blond. "How can you say that?" She gasped, trying her best not to crack a smile. "Reyallie is… is…"

Cloud smirked. "Ugly?"

That did it! Tifa released an errant laugh that rolled from her pursed lips. "Cloud!" She shook her head as another fit of laughter escaped her lips. "You are horrible!"

"Then why are you laughing? You know it's true!"

"It's still mean!" She giggled.

"Well." Cloud shrugged. "I'm glad she found a husband at least. Are they happy?"

Tifa nodded with a smile as her laughter ebbed. "Very. They're trying for a child."

"That's good… hopefully it won't be-"

"Don't! Say it!"

Cloud clamped his mouth shut but from the grin on his face Tifa knew what he was thinking and it set her off into another stream of laughter. What was this all of a sudden? She and Cloud had never really talked before but had Cloud always been so observant? She realized, he had a pretty well rounded sense of humor… But he was also leaving. That sobered her mood immediately.

"What about you, Tifa?"

Cloud's voice was controlled and neutral but for an instant, she thought she caught a trace of hesitancy in his voice. She turned her head to look over at him.

"What about me?"

"Well… are you married? Weren't you and Carl…"

Tifa blinked. "What? No. Heavens, no. Cloud… Carl was… I was… no. We didn't get married."

"Oh." Cloud shifted his head forward again and Tifa blinked.

Now he was being quiet? Tifa folded her arms suspiciously. "Why so curious, all of a sudden?"

She could see his face coloring a bright red and she almost smiled. What was Cloud thinking?

"TIFA!"

The voice rang out from the distance and She suddenly realized they were beyond the edge of the forest and out in the clearing just beyond the village. She hadn't realized they'd walked this far. She looked over and standing by the village gates, Sandy stood on her tip toes, waving her hand.

Tifa immediately waved back. "Hey Sandy!"

"Come over to my place!" Her friend called. "I'm doing some planning and I need your help!"

"Okay!" Tifa smiled. "I'll be right over!" She turned back to Cloud but the young man was looking off to the side with disinterest.

"Um… Hey… so… you know, I gotta run."

Cloud looked back at her with a smile and a nod. "I understand. Duty calls."

Tifa smiled back. "Hey, let's do this again sometime, okay? You know, before you leave."

Cloud grinned. "Sure. Thanks for getting me. I'll be heading home now."

"Okay." Tifa smiled and waved. "See you later."

She dashed after her friends as the blond silently watched her go.

XXXX

Cloud watched Tifa run off with a hint of sadness. They'd never really had a real conversation before. And talking with her a few moments ago was so gratifying. He didn't think she'd be as open and jovial as she was and the fact that she actually came out looking for him made his cheeks grow warm with pleasure.

Cloud smirked and shook his head. It was too early in the morning to get his hopes up. He had secretly harbored feelings for the young brunette woman for as long as he could remember. As children, he would always follow her and her friends, even at the expense of being teased and abused. But it was his choice and he didn't mind. At least he got to spend more time with her. That was all he wanted; to get to know her better and to be there for her. It was enough to be content with in his young life.

But everything changed five years ago. It was the day of Tifa's 14'th birthday party and everyone had been invited. Jessica and Sandy were, of course, glued to her. Everyone was having a good time, even Cloud, who everyone ignored. Just being there and seeing Tifa smile was enough to ensure his enjoyment. But at the tail end of the party, everything fell apart. Sandy and Jessica had gone off to spend time with their respective boyfriends, and the party had reached a lull. Cloud had decided it would finally be the day that he told his young neighbor how he felt and now was the best time. But Tifa was nowhere to be found. So he set out to find her. He felt awkward wandering around her house on his own especially while her father was away on work for the week, but everyone else had made themselves comfortable so he figured it couldn't be too bad.

By the time he got to the second floor, he heard Tifa's voice coming from one of the doors that was slightly ajar. He'd wandered closer, hoping to catch her alone. He was just preparing to reach for the handle when he heard another, masculine voice. It was Carl! The same Carl that used to pick on him when they were kids. The same Carl that would say bad things about his mother and beat him up on the playgrounds. The same Carl Tifa once defended him against. The same Carl who would always gloat that he was useless and would never amount to anything- that very same Carl was now in Tifa's room!

He should have left then. He knew he should have but disbelief and hope tugged him on. But when he finally peered through the cracked door, his world shattered. Tifa was locked in a passionate embrace with his worst enemy! Kissing him! Hugging him! Loving him!

It was too much for the young blond to bear! He raced from her house that very night and never looked back. How could he face her? It was her life and she never gave him any allusions that she had any feelings for him beyond sympathy. He was just a useless boy to her. Just useless, good for nothing, Cloud. The very thought tore him up inside and so he raced on, past her house, past his mothers house, through the gates and far into the foothills leading to the Nibelheim forests.

From that day forward he decided he would no longer live for the affections of others. He would become the kind of man his father was; a hero. Someone who protects, someone who sacrifices, someone who saves. Ever since that fateful day Cloud had trained rigorously with the dreams of becoming something more than what he was. He never looked back… but now, five years later, he never would have expected to have a leisurely conversation with the girl of his childhood dreams and the thought made him more than a little flustered.

"Cloud!"

Cloud blinked and looked around. He hadn't realized he was standing several feet away from his mother's house. Olivia Strife wore a brilliant smile. Cloud was almost her spitting image as the two of them shared many striking features. She was thin and of average height for a woman. While her golden hair fell down in shimmering waves, her deep azure eyes matched his and her lips curled in the same rich smile as his own, whenever he chose to smile.

She wore a leather apron over her brown dress as she pulled a cart of logs towards the side of her house. Though the strain was visible, she still smiled happily at the sight of her son.

Cloud immediately jogged over to her and took the handle of the cart from her hands. "Mom! Why didn't you tell me you were doing this? I could have helped!"

"Oh, don't you worry about that." Olivia smiled, but stood back as her son pushed the cart. "I knew you had business to attend to like you always do. I didn't want to bother you."

"But mom! Logs? This is a man's job. I could have done this!"

"Oh really?" Olivia laughed lightly. "Do I need to remind you about all the stuff I used to do on my own before you were even born, young man?"

Cloud winced at the light hearted reprimand.

"I appreciate your help Cloud, but you don't need to worry about your old mother. I'm perfectly capable of moving a few logs."

Cloud nodded as he set the cart to rest next to the house and began unloading the logs against the side of the house. Olivia smiled in pride as she watched her son.

"Of course, I don't mind the extra help either. Did that sweet girl Tifa bring you here?"

Cloud winced. Much to his own horror, his mother caught on early that he had a one sided crush on his next door neighbor. Though Olivia had never done anything openly to reveal his affections, the thought that she could if she wanted to never failed to sit on his conscience or cause him a great deal of embarrassment.

"Yeah." Cloud grumbled, keeping his head low so she wouldn't see his blush.

"That was nice of her. You know she's been spending a lot of time here lately."

"Yeah?" Cloud asked distractedly, pretending to focus more on moving the logs.

"That's right." His mother smiled. "We've been talking a lot. She asks about you, you know?"

"Hm." Cloud couldn't really think of any other response to that. He started unloading two logs at a time. He didn't think his embarrassment could maintain hearing more of this tale.

"Oh my! You've really gotten a lot stronger in the past few years." His mother continued. "I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed either. I saw the way she looked at you when she ran off with her friends."

"I think you're reading too much into that, mom."

"Says you." His mother smirked. "But take it from me, I know when a girl likes a boy. I was young too once. Young and in love."

Cloud winced but this time he couldn't hide his blush and his mother saw it easily enough.

"It's not like I can do much about it. Not the way I am now."

Olivia frowned and folded her arms. "Are you still thinking about leaving?"

Cloud nodded. "I've already made up my mind years ago."

"Son, you're a growing young man and you're at the age now where you can make your own choices in life… but you should also know that you and Tifa have reached the age where most people get married."

Cloud groaned. "Mom, we've been over this already. She didn't even notice me when we were kids. Why would she notice me now? Especially after what happened five years ago!"

Olivia smiled. "The girl was a teenager and it was her first crush. Girls DO have crushes you know. You can't blame her for feelings she had five years ago. And I'll have you know, I've got it on good authority that her and Carl haven't been an item for quite some time now."

Cloud stubbornly narrowed his eyes and turned his face away. "I've been thinking… I'll probably leave towards the end of the month. The weather will still be good. Better to go then, before the winter sets in."

Olivia smiled sadly and shook her head. "I promised you I wouldn't meddle, and I'm still good for that promise. You're free to choose whichever destiny you desire Cloud and whatever choice you make, know that I will always be proud of you and I'll always love you. But also, keep one thing in mind while you prepare to leave."

Cloud pulled at the last logs, setting them at the top of the stack and turned to face her. Olivia smiled back at him and tilted her head to the side. "Tifa is a beautiful young woman. And she's not going to wait forever."

Cloud flinched. Not much, but he did. He tried to play it off, shrugging his shoulders and looking away. Olivia watched him carefully but said no more. Cloud was grateful for that at least. He stared up at the sky, watching the ivory clouds blossom against a canvas of blue. It was a beautiful day. He realized he was being difficult and he understood what his mother was trying to say. If he had feelings for her, it was better to tell her rather than have regrets later on. But that was easier said than done.

Cloud sighed. It was definitely too early in the day to be thinking about all of this. When he looked back at his mother, he smiled. "Mom, Tifa said you called me for an errand?"

"I did, didn't I?" Olivia grinned ruefully. "They're having the annual Nibelheim festival tomorrow."

"Yeah." Cloud grunted. "Tifa mentioned that. I forgot all about it."

"Not surprising. You don't spend any time in the village at all unless you absolutely need to. It would do you some good to actually enjoy yourself this year, especially if you're leaving at the end of the month."

Cloud shrugged noncommittally. "I'll think about it."

"You do that. In the meantime, I'm baking my famous pies. You know the ones I make with the Dangleberries that everyone loves so much."

Cloud smiled. As a kid, he loved those pies and he got in trouble more than once for trying to sneak a bite when he wasn't supposed to. "They should sell pretty good this year."

Olivia smiled, thinking back on the same memories. "They would if I had any more berries. As it is, I'm fresh out. I need you to pick some more for me when you get the chance."

Cloud dipped his chin. "Those berries are several miles into the mountain range. I'll do it. It'll be good endurance practice too."

His mother gave him a worried look. "I don't want you climbing those mountains on your hands or anything. Just pick the berries. Don't hurt yourself doing anything foolish!"

Cloud rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on mom! I'll be fine! I'm twenty years old! I'm not a kid anymore!"

Olivia smiled back and hiked her eyebrow. "I don't care how old you are, young man! You'll always be my kid!"

Cloud laughed together with his mother, and the resemblance was as clear as day between mother and son. Olivia beamed at her son and wagged her finger. "Now come on inside. I bet you haven't eaten a thing since you got up this morning and I won't have you setting off into the mountains without a proper meal!"

Cloud would have argued but the rumble in his stomach cut him off. So instead, he grinned sheepishly and obeyed. Together, mother and son walked back into the house and the day bloomed brighter amidst the brilliant morning sun.

¥¥¥¥ To Be Continued ¥¥¥¥

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please review and look forward to the next chapter.