Hey everyone...Yeah I got so bored that I returned to this ancient story and I have begun to edit it and fix some of my teenage grammar and spelling errors. Enjoy. Chapters 1-10 are redone. (Do know this story was written before Advent came out.)

Chapter 1

A lesson In Broken Love

Tifa Lockheart sat, head down ontable, watching the afternoon pass by. The weather in Costa del Sol was never warmer then usual and business was always so damn slow. Many of her regulars from her bar were at the beach or inside where the air conditioner kept them cool from the sun's wrath.

Her nimble fingers began to play with the bouquet of daisies in the middle of the table in a crystal blue vase as thoughts came and went. It had beenover a year sinceAVALANCHE had defeated the mighty Sephiroth and saved the world from utter chaos.

Tifa sighed, remembering afterwards when the media had interviewed them, plagueing them with one question after another.

The entire group had been so thrilled, Yuffie practically died in front of the camera while Red explained their ordeal to all the eager journalists and reporters. Everyone was happy except Cloud; Of course he signed a few autographs and smiled a bit here and there, but his mind was somewhere else, or rather on someone else: Aerith.

She died during thier journey and Cloud had taken full blame upon himself. It was amazing! He seemed so full of purpose, but soon afterwards he like ceased to exist after he got his revenge out on Sephiroth. Life seemed so fickle sometimes.

Tifa stared into the blue depths of the vase, sighing heavily. She had tried to cheer him up...even tried to tell him to get on with life...he ran. He vanished like a freak thunderstorm...No one knew where he ran off too and it left her rendered numb. She had given up on him really.

Soon after the Meteor Crisis, Barret had gone to pick up his daughter , Marlene and last she heard he had fallen in love with a woman called Martha. Marlene was only now beginning to get used to the new woman in their life. Tifa chuckled to herself as she remembered when she got a letter from Marlene, begging Tifa if she could live with her. Tifa had written back and told her to give the woman at least a chance.

Cid went back to his hometown, his hopes of rebuilding his airship armada in full bloom. Heand Shera lived together in a small cottage just north of Rocket town...she wondered when he would ask her to marry him.

Cait Sith went back to the Golden Saucer and opened up his own shop, called, "The Fortune Shop." He made quite a bundle of gil after Reeve read up on astrology a little bit more.

Yuffie? Yuffie finally grew up and headed back to Wuati only to travel with Nanaki back to Cosmo Canyon, determined to study everything about the planet. Tifa knew better though...that lil thief was just looking for a new way to gather materia.

Vincent, on the other hand, he left without a word just like Cloud. The difference was: Vincentsaid nothing while her mind recalled Clouds yelling as he rode off on his bike.Vincent was probably traveling around the planet with no plan in mind, a vagrant. Tifa truly felt sorry for him, but she knew her pity was the last thing he would ever want from her.

Tifa groaned as she stood up heading for the back door that lead to some stairs leading to the second floor. As she made her way up, she entered her bathroom instinctively glancing over at the mirror. She had changed a lot over the months: Her skin no longer a creamy white, but a nice golden tan. That's what happened when one would stay outside in the sun too long. Her hair was still the same length and she had built her muscles up a bit with all the daily effort she placed into her business.

After a nice long cool shower, Tifa got out and brushed her wet hair out, at the same time air drying her body. She smiled slightly and ran down the hallway into her bedroom, the muggy yet cool air gently gliding over her nude body. Her mind giggled at her childish performance as she pushed her bedroom door open. After jumping into some jean shorts and a white t-shirt she headed back downstairs to lock up.

Tifa strode through the streets as her fingers began to braid her mahogany colored tresses and quickly found herself at the local flower shop. After gazing over the blossoms, she chose a few roses, some tropical hibiscus lillies and strode over to the counter. Levin, the owner, was sleeping nonchalantly in his chair, the fan blowing rythmically behind teh desk. He was a nice young man, she supposed; twenty-five?

"Levin? Levin… For Ifrits sake! Wake up you idiot!" Tifa yelled. Levin in turn almost fell out of his seat, realization dawning on him that he wasn't alone.

"Tifa…please, don't do that again. By the way, what are you doing tonight?" he growled playfully.

"I'm going on a quick trip, why?" Tifa asked as she took twenty gil out of her pocket.

"Just wondering…perhaps a date?" Levin asked.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Maybe next time O.k.?" Tifa replied and left the shop quickly. Levin on the other hand wasn't a happy camper...yet again denied by the mysterious Tifa Lockhart.

Tifa walked to the nearby chocobo stables and made her way over to her golden chocobo: Arius. The graceful bird warked her welcome to Tifa as it nuzzled its beak againstTifa's hair. She smiled as she saddled Arius, gently leading her out of the stables into the sun's warm rays and sandy path of the street.

Today was Aerith's memorial...She frowned remembering when shelast traveled to the temple of the Ancients to leave flowers. It was only fair that she pay tribute to her comrade...no matter what had happened in the past. Cloud... At least the Ancient had the chance to experience love returned...before her unjustified death.

A few hours later, Tifa found herself going up the cracked marble stairs to the temple. She made her way up into the circular chamber, she glanced around noticing that nothinghad changed over the past. The stones and boulders were covered with moss while vines clung merrily to the crumbling walls. It was filled with warmth and love in there just like Aerith's little flower garden that grew in the old Midgar Church...well whatever was left of it.It brought back so many memories...

Where Aerith had fallen, there was a young tree blossoming thier pale pink colors in the cool light from above. The gentle sound of water nearby told Tifa that the pond was close and she recalled as Cloud laid Aries's body to rest. Tifa slowly walked over to the tree and laid two red and yellow flowers on the cool crisp covered moss. Tifa's eyes swelled with tears and she sniffed a bit before the first wave of slow tears came racing down her cheeks. It was like losing two people instead of one...

A man in shaggy clothing sat near the lake, his blonde locks no longer defying gravity, his eyes dead. If it wasn't for the mako infusedin them, they would lack all brilliance.He wondered how she was in the Promised Land…wished how much he wanted to be with her. She meant everything to him...he loved her so much but he didn't get a chance to tell her so. When she was around, everything seemed logical and perfect...no confusion...no mistakes.

'Aerith, how much I wish you were here so I could tell you everything. I miss your face, your perfect smile, your very essence… '

Cloud snapped out of his thoughts when he heard crying nearby. It was faint...small; he stood up quickly emerging from his hiding place and looked around when he caught sight of a shape half way in the dim light and shadows. It was a woman by the way she was standing...hair braided as she stood there with a few flowers in her hand. Yet he couldn't see her face, it was covered by the shadow the loomed over her. His heart leaped. Aerith? Could…could it be?

"Aerith!" Cloud exclaimed in an exciting but steady tone. Curiosity was getting the best of him until the woman turned toward him.

"Cloud?" she asked.The voice that greetedCloud wasn't soft and musical, but a strong tone layered with spirit...Tifa. Henoticed that her eyes were red, her face streaked with tears. She looked different since he last saw her...

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked angrily. He didn't want anyone near him. Tifa wiped her tears with her sleeve and looked at Cloud oddly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know this place was strichtly off limits." Tifa retorted. She was determined to fight back if Cloud began giving her a hard time like he did the last time.

"Why don't you just leave." He said coldly.

"Not until I pay my respects to Aerith. I came here to give her flowers so she would know that I will always remember her." Tifa explained as she walked over while placing the rest of the flowers into the pond. She watched as they slowly sank underneath the crystal blue surface into the dark depths. Finally Tifa turned toward Cloud who had his arms crossed looking at the pond, stuck in his own fucking little world.

"So where the Hell have you been all this time?" Tifa asked.

"Around and why do you care anyway?" He quipped.

"I'm only asking because everyone is worried about you…and so was I." Tifa countered.

"Well you wasted your time." he retorted. Tifa thought for a moment and then decided that now was the time. It was like something or someone told her to tell him her feelings for him. It was as if Aerith was right next to her and yet she wasn't.

"Cloud, what if I told you…that I loved you?"

Cloud raised his head slowly in her direction and sneered, "Oh stop it Lockhart. No one will love me unless it's…" he was cut off by Tifa's answer.

"Aerith." Tifa finished with a nod. Tifa felt sick with anger because all her life she had loved him and even though she gave up on him a year ago, she still wanted to try. She looked up at Cloud who had returned his gaze back to the clear pond. He was now leaning against the boulder with his arms crossed. Tifa walked up to him and asked,

"Didn't you ever love me?What about our promise? Doesn't that count at all?"

Cloud looked passed her as if she was thin air. She had enough of this! Tifa grabbed him by the arm which in turn brought his blue eyesdown ather. He looked at her angrily as he was getting annoyed with everything...with her.

"I was a different person back then and now...nothing is valid anymore. Don't touch me…you don't deserve me." He said out flat.

"What! I don't deserve you! That's bullshit! You know what? Everyone was right about you; you are a selfish asshole who doesn't care about anything. Is too blind to even see what's underneath his nose!" Tifa began, words pouring through her mouth, yet she didn't think twice about them. They just came out smacking Cloud with the accusation, which he had been avoiding. Tifa stepped back, watching Cloud look at her with his blue glowing eyes that were boiling.

"Well, I defended your asswhile everyone else gave up on you...even when I gave up on you.Now here's some news for you, you don't deserve me! And you don't deserve Aerith for all you're worth."

That wa sthe last starw as he grabbed Tifa by the neck and threw her around into the wall. The force almost made her yelp as the pain arched through her back. There came a soothing feeling over her suddenly while teh pain faded.

"Aerith loved me and I loved her." Cloud spat out from between tightly clenched teeth. He released his grip on her neck and took a step back as she gasped for air. Tears were begging to escape but she wouldn't allow them this time. She stood up straight and attacked again, "She did and now she would want you to go on with life."

"What life! I died the day she died!" Cloud shouted.

"That's not true, Cloud." Tifa quipped.

"I said leave me alone…everyone...you all mean nothing to me." Cloud said quietly. Tifa pushed past him leaving the temple angrily, Cloud watching her go; his mind was empty of everything but Aerith.

You are a fool… the air whispered. Cloud looked around only to see the surface off the water ripple angrily.

So what do you people think? Oh and for all you Cloud fans, sorry for making him sound so evil here. Please R/R! Please?