A/N: Tifa can't sleep, so she goes to her best friend to get rid of her bad dreams. CloTi. OneShot. Timeline really doesn't matter, it's just fluff. I actually couldn't sleep one night so I stayed up writing this instead, enjoying a thunderstorm in the process.(As always, Sqaure-Enix is ever worthy of creating the fantasticness known as FF.) I just stumbled across this old fanfic in my files one day and was like 'hmmm, maybe I should post this' so here ya go.

"Restless Dreams"

By MakoRain

Tifa tossed and turned, unable to sleep with the remaining fragments of her nightmare floating around in her head. A streak of lightning cut across the cloudy night sky, causing her to jump slightly at the following thunder. Usually, Tifa loved thunderstorms, the louder and brighter the better, but the rain pelting the roof and the rumble didn't calm her frayed nerves.

It was the third time this week she'd had this dream; sometimes it changed but it always had a recurring theme: Cloud fighting Sephiroth. She knew that Cloud had defeated their enemy but her subconscious didn't seem to agree and so it was a never-resting thought in the back of her mind. At first, she dreamed of her parents; this wasn't very uncommon since she used to have flashes of similar memories in her dreams all the time, but this one was different. It focused on her parents' death, mainly with her father's brutal murder at Sephiroth's blade; she still tried to fightt him but instead of living through it, her past self was mortally wounded by his sword piercing her abdomen. Cloud didn't save her, and she was left to bleed to death on the steps of her killer's domain. At this unpleasant thought, Tifa traced a finger along her stomach, the scar still visible after all of these years. It tingled at the recollection and quickly she pulled her hand away and covered the mark with her shirt.

Tonight's episode was different, though. This time, Tifa watched Cloud battle with Sephiroth from the Highwind, like she did in reality only a few months ago, but when Cloud was pierced to the brick wall; he was defenseless as the superior ex-SOLDIER went in for the kill. She'd woken up before she could see it, but she felt it and knew that deep in her dream realm, Cloud had died at Sephiroth's hand, one of the many to have fallen before 'The Nightmare'. Just thinking about it made her skin crawl and giving up on sleep, she decided to go and check on her childhood friend.

Tifa snuck quietly across the hall to his door, and cracked it open slightly, just enough to make sure it was only her mind playing tricks on her; that he really was here. Sure enough, there he lay, sprawled across the bed, blankets and sheets everywhere, forcing her to put a hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle at the sight of him. Suddenly, a streak of lightning lit up the room, lighting Cloud's face and causing Tifa to jump just as the thunder rolled not far behind. Cloud shifted slightly and glanced blearily towards Tifa's silhouette in the doorway.

"Tifa?" he asked sleepily as she moved forward, pausing by his bed to straighten the blankets nervously.

"Yeah."

"Are you alright?" It was very odd for Tifa to be in his room in the middle of the night for no reason.

"I, um, just had a bad dream, is all."

Looking at her shy expression, he chuckled slightly and pulled her down to sit beside him on the bed. At times like these, she reminded him so much of the young girl he'd fallen in love with so long ago in Nibelhiem. She used to tell him about her dreams and nightmares back then, maybe she would now too.

"Really? What about?"

"Sephiroth…he killed you…"

She fiddled with the blanket, twisting it around her fingers as she said this, not looking into his eyes and missing the concern and warmth radiating for her there. Abruptly, she stood up, letting go of the blanket and hesitantly backing up towards the door.

"I just needed to see that you're safe, and still here." Finally, she looked up to see his face and relaxed at his caring expression.

"I'm not going anywhere, Teef."

"You promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

He glowed to hear the concern in her voice for him of all people, so much so that he didn't think about what he said next, it just popped out of him.

"Want to stay here tonight?"

She blushed automatically and stammered "H-here? With you?" At his nod, she felt the need to clarify before jumping the gun.

"You sure, Cloud?"

"Sure I'm sure" he responded oh so casually, even though he was so not sure of what to do, say, act as she took his invitation and crawled into bed beside him. She tried to get comfortable as the butterflies in her stomach went crazy at Cloud's nearness, his fresh clean scent covered the entire bed and she inhaled it deeply from the pillow she rested her head on. She couldn't help scooting closer to him, and he seemed to visibly relax for once since the moment she entered his bedroom.

"Cloud?"

He turned on his side to face her, momentarily dazed by her radiant beauty in the moonlight now shining in through his window.

"Thank you."

Her words touched him as he focused completely on her, seeming to see all of her for once, the curves of her body under the covers, her heady vanilla scent, her pure hazel eyes, and the kind and loving woman inside shining out of those windows to the soul. All he wanted was to touch her and so he did by scooting closer still to her and putting his arms around her comfortingly. She stiffened somewhat before returning his embrace, almost melting under his mako blue eyes and firm yet gentle hold on her, almost possessive in touch as she rest her head on his chest. He stroked her hair, putting her into a tranquil state and felt him lay them both down before sleep fully took over.

The next morning, Tifa awoke with a start as she felt very masculine arms wrapped around her before recalling the night before. She realized happily that she wasn't dreaming, she really was in Cloud's room in his arms and rested her head back on his chest. He stirred under her and soon felt his fingers combing through her hair, almost putting her back to sleep before moving onward to trail down her shoulders, effectively brushing away the lingering sleep as if with his fingers. She looked up to see his unique eyes shining brightly at her and felt her lips curl up in response to his happiness before he spoke.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

"Sleep well last night?"

"Best sleep I've had in weeks."

"That's good to hear."

Tifa and Cloud just lay there, blissfully content as their fingers grazed each other playfully until they intertwined.

"I couldn't sleep."

Her voice was a welcomed sound as Cloud glanced up to see Tifa smiling down at him before scooting over for her to lie down. She gladly snuggled in and was immediately greeted with his arms encircling her waist from behind, his body fitting with hers completely, like a missing piece now found to be made whole again. She sighed pleasantly and played with his fingers at her waist, ecstatic with the small kiss Cloud planted on her bare shoulder. Happier than ever before, Tifa lay there with Cloud, a man she secretly loved for as long as she could remember and who secretly returned her love. Maybe they will figure it out, someday. Right now, this was all they needed for the time being. Tifa and Cloud would have many pleasant dreams to come, as both lay entwined in each others arms, as it was meant to be.

THE END