"Tifa?"

Its fine it doesn't matter, I mean it's not like it's any different from before. He said he'd come back and visit he didn't promise to stay forever now did he? He has his own problems; he doesn't have time for us right now. Its fine, I don't care.

"Tifa?"

He doesn't pick up his phone, he calls once in a while but I don't answer anymore, things have begun to go wrong. There is something wrong; Barret knows that I miss him and that I want to talk to him. He came by yesterday and gave me the look, that look that means he feels sorry for me. He always gets so angry at Cloud now because of it. Don't be mad, he saved the world. Why would something so trivial matter?

"Tifa!"

She snapped out of her thoughts quickly turning her head to the two kids behind her then turned her head back to the broken plate in the sink. She stopped for a moment seeing the cut down her hand and covered it with the dish towel smiling to them, "I'm sorry, what is it?"

Denzel stretched himself out pointing to the doorway, "Barret is here with Vincent, we're going now okay?"

She nodded to them smiling lightly, "Okay, I'll see you later okay?"

They smiled to her nodding as Marlene wrapped her arms around her turning and running off. They waved one last time yet as the door shut she bent herself down over the sink washing her hand the blood running down the drain carefully. The cool cold voice of Vincent ran through the room as he called, "what happened?"

Jumping at his voice she turned covering her hand, "oh, I didn't hear you, and- my hands just slipped…"

He muttered walking over and covering her hand with a wrap carefully eyeing her suspiciously, "it's not like you to-slip."

Looking to her hand she sighed for a moment hearing Barret call out to him quickly, "come on Vincent! We have to get going!"

Tifa rose her head to him as he eyed her seriously, "you take care of yourself alright."

She nodded smiling brightly to him to discourage any of his thoughts. Turning her head and looking at him leave she walked foreword. She watched from the doorway as they left from the car. She saw them look at he concerned yet she waved them off for a moment. Vincent gave her one last look as she smiled lightly to him but then she felt a sharp pain run through her head. She bent herself gripping her head with her hands carefully. Images became a blur as she rose her head carefully only to have it fall again. She fell to the ground with a thud. She heard lightly as she disappeared the ringing of the telephone, yet as she prepared herself to claw and get it she was out it again.

"Tifa, wake up."

What is it, why does it hurt, Aeris is that you?

"Tifa, wake up! Come on I know you better than to just take it lying down. Get up you don't belong here. You're not just going to give up and die are you?"

Zack? What are you doing? Where am I? Aeris, Zack you're dead, the only way I can talk to you is if I'm, no, I can't be dead. How am I dead? What's going on? Oh no, what about the kids, I can't die.

"Tifa, get up! Get up!"

Her eyes fluttered open as her face scrunching in pain. She pressed her hand to her head moving up to see herself lying down on her bed. Looking around quickly she felt herself grow dizzy as she pressed her hand to her temples. A voice broke out along with the small sound of a cup and small plate set on the bed stand. Turning her head momentarily her eyes met with Cloud's, Barret and Vincent. Cloud ordered, "don't move too quickly."

Barret looked to her, "what's going on Teef?"

Vincent eyed her quickly and seriously as she began turning her head away when she heard Marlene and Denzel call to her and run to her sides. She smiled wrapping her arms around their heads, "hey."

Barret stood seriously, "Marlene, Denzel go play in your room, we need to talk to Tifa alone."

They sighed for a moment as she looked around carefully at then enticing gaze. She asked to break the silence as the doorway shut hiding the 2 pairs of concerned eyes, "how long was I out?"

"A couple days…when Cloud came back from his deliveries he saw you lying on the ground outside."

She turned to him as he muttered sitting down, "you didn't pick up the phone, and you always pick up the phone."

She stopped turning herself away from them and setting her feet the side. She ran her fingers over the cup and the pills taking it in one quick wisp. Vincent appeared next to her quickly causing her to jump. He pressed a finger to her head as she gripped her head in pain carefully. Cloud jumped, "Vincent!"

Barret pushed him away a little bending down in front of her holding her hands, "what's going on Teef?"

She raised her head to them carefully then turned away. She glanced back speaking, "it happened after the geostigma was destroyed…when you had Marlene and Denzel for the week, when Cloud left, I went to the church, I ran my fingers through the water and it darkened something clawed up my arm and the next thing I knew I was lying in the church. I don't know, since then my migraines and headaches keep getting worse."

Cloud asked seriously his eyebrows fidgeting, "Why didn't you tell me, or us?"

She glanced to him for only a moment then turned back whispering, "I didn't want to worry you guys, after everything happened I didn't want you to be worried about me like how we were with Cloud."

They all stood looking at her a little, she ran her hand up her arm keeping her eyes on the ground then lifting her head up to each of them, she began carefully, "I don't think its serious."

Barret jumped annoyed, "you don't think it's serious? You were just passed out on this bed for a week practically Tifa! And you don't think it's serious?"

She winced at his voice as Vincent glanced to each of them. He turned from them throwing his cloak back, "its best if we do not leave the kids in your care, and Cloud it'd be best if you do not leave."

He nodded looking to her a little confused as she attempted to avoid his glances. She called lightly, "I can still watch them! Why worry them, if you take them they'll only ask more questions. I can watch them-I promise."

Barret narrowed his eyes at her, "that's the life of my little girl and that little boy…"

She defended, "you know I'd risk my life for them! You know that I'd protect them with my life!"

Vincent turned to him and nodded as he sighed, "let me have a word with her and I'll go, take care, we'll be back in the end of the week alright."

She nodded to him turning and watching them go. Cloud nodded in return as Vincent stood in the doorway. He eyed cloud who eyed him in return a mutual agreement being met. Keeping her eyes out the window she heard Cloud settle himself on the other side of the bed looking the opposite way. He asked a little hurt, "Why didn't you tell me? Are you angry that I didn't tell you?"

She turned to him for a quick moment then turned away, "no, its not revenge, you know me better than that. Its just-I didn't see you enough to be able to tell you."

With a slow answer he turned to him quickly, "why aren't you looking at me Tifa?"

She stopped for a second swallowing and turned her face to him yet still faltered to meet eyes with him, " I…"

"Look at me."

She rose her head carefully for a second then stood up. She headed towards the doorway carefully turning back to him, "when we finally get the chance I begin not to care, you're gone so much of the time, now that you're forced to stay…and I know it. I guess I'm going to save what I have to say for a time that you actually choose to."

He sat there for a second then straightened himself. Raising his head he heard a frank voice call, "Cloud, go after her…hmm, you're such an idiot sometimes."

He jumped looking around then headed towards the doorway. He walked past the kid's room to which they were currently talking with Vincent and Barret about what's wrong with Tifa. He walked down the stairs carefully seeing her writing something. He asked to begin, "what are you writing?"

"A grocery list, we're out of food."

Seeing the bandaging he walked over taking a seat, "you're going to get them?"

"Well yes, which else, they obviously don't trust me so well as to watch the children."

He answered, "But I don't think you should leave the house if you're in this condition."

She laughed a little to him looking up and smiling at him whispering, " you saved the world in your once called 'condition' why can't I go get some groceries."

As she turned to head out he grabbed her hand seeing the bandaging and stealing the list. He confirmed, "I'm going, you just stay here and I'll be back soon alright. Then you can tell me what happened to your arm."

She pulled away a little afraid and unsure hugging herself, "alright."

Cloud raised his head looking at her sad form and nodded turning to leave. She took in a deep breath sitting at the counter. She rested her face against her entwined hands tiredly. Marlene's voice broke the melancholy feel as she called, "Tifa?"

Jumping she turned to them as they looked at her, "Denzel, Marlene?"

They ran to her hugging her tightly causing her to look up at the two adults. They just stared at her, Barret walked over hugging her tightly with a soft smile, "be careful you."

She nodded as Vincent walked over past the hugging father and daughter taking her hand with the bandaging on it, "I am trusting you to make the right decisions. Here is my cell phone number call it is needed. Now where has Cloud gone?"

She smiled wrapping her fingers around the number, "he went to buy some groceries, he'll be back soon. Thank you Vincent but I didn't know you even had a cell phone."

He looked to her simply turning and heading out, "and lets keep it that way for everyone else."

She laughed turning to the kids as the others left. Bending down her set a hand on their heads, "I'll be fine, no worries. Now let's get ready for lunch alright?"

They nodded happily.

I don't own shit and this is my first FF7 fanfic