So Close

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Final Fantasy that is explicitly owned by SquareEnix.

AN: Thank-you all who have favored and reviewed my fictions. I know I've been slow with any updates for my longer stories, but all I've been able to do are shorts like these. Please enjoy my snippets until I'm able to get to the bigger ones.

This story was written while listening to "So Close" by Jon Mclaughlin. Give it a listen to help set the mood. ;)

So Close

After long intensive hours of labor, Tifa finally held her daughter in her arms. Sticky from sweat and pain the new mother looked longingly down at her her daughter slept, wrapped in a pink thermal blanket. It didn't occur to the mother that the child should have been crying or fidgeting. Instead Tifa wrapped her tighter in her arms, knowing long before any doctors told her. No matter what, she would always be the most beautiful child in the world. With little tufts of hair covering her head, Tifa couldn't help but bring the child closer to her bosom. Her nose gently touching her child's crown, smelling her, hoping to get some inkling of life from the still child.

"All I ever wanted was to hold you." Tifa whispered, afraid to wake her daughter cradled safely in her arms. "But now, I never want to let you go. You are my light and life…A reason worth living for." She tucked a corner of the blanket just a little tighter into the bundle. "How can you ask a fish not to swim or a bird not to fly? How can you ask me to let go of something that I was promised and rightfully denied?"

A slight breeze blew pass, ruffling both mother and child's hair along with the faint sound of a whisper and a child's cry. In her arms, the baby stirred. Tifa locked eyes with twitching eyelids, which soon opened to reveal bright eyes that looked up at her with admiration and love. A tear fell from her eye, as the child cooed and nestled into the blanket. Upon her should Tifa could've sworn she felt a gentle hand, a reassuring squeeze, before the warmth and feeling were gone. She took in the sight of her beautiful child, placing a gentle kiss upon the crown of her head. She held the kiss, tears silently running down flushed cheeks. She prayed and thanked whatever power, whoever's power, granted her this small gift; of a glimpse of a life she would never know. When Tifa finally pulled back the child lay lifeless in her arms once more. It was then that the death became too much for her and a choked wail crept passed her lips. As her anguish grew a nurse came in and took the child from her arms and sedated her. The pain and world numbed before falling into darkness.

Through the glass of the observation room, a man in an immaculate dark suit stood watch. After he saw the woman sedated he pulled a phone from his pocket and dialed a number. The receiver picked up but didn't answer.

"She had a beautiful little girl. . . I'm sorry." Silence. "Tifa took it the best she could when she found out…"

"What did she look like?"

The man in the suit smiled, gazing at the sleeping woman. "A spitting image of her mother." A wry chuckle was heard and the man knew that he was smiling and trying to hold it together. "Loss is a part of life, expected and unexpected," He began, placing his hand in his pocket. "Which is why, we need to cherish what is here and now."

The line suddenly went dead. With a worn out sigh the man placed his phone into his pocket. "Sleep well, Ms. Lockheart. Gaia has granted you another day on this earth, find the light and love you so rightfully deserve, because sometimes it's too thick headed to come find you."

Across the world a man sat in a fitted white suit; his face weary and drawn due to stress, malnutrition and the recent and sudden loss of not one but two loves in his life. He thought he could let her go, she had wanted her freedom and he gave it to her. Regardless of how much he was dying inside to keep her trapped with him. If she really loved him as much as he loved her, she would've stayed by his side and have wanted for nothing. His heart ached as his eyes glimpsed over photos of Tifa, some of her showing how proud she was as a mother-to-be, others with her friends, a few of her with the Turks, and a candid one of her pretending to take a picture of herself as he worked diligently behind her. It was the only photo of them together and would only ever be.

A/N: Please review! Thank-you once again for the support!