Hold My Hand

Cloud Strife whimpered, his seven-year-old body quivering in fright as he tried to hide underneath his covers. There was a storm raging outside and a crack of thunder brought yet another whimper out of the small boy.

He was so incredibly terrified that he thought his entire world was going to cave in. It scared him even more when every now and then a flash of lightning would be so bright that he'd see it through his sheet and blanket.

"Rain, rain, go away, come again ano- ahh!" Cloud broke off his singing as a louder crash of thunder sounded and he clapped his hands over his ears, squeezing his eyes closed tightly. Tiny tears began worming their way out from under his eyelids and slid down his cheeks, leaving a silvery trail.

A loud bang sounded in his room and Cloud whimpered again, quietly sobbing in fear. His heart leapt into his throat as he felt his bed dip to the side slightly and he wondered whether he'd never see his mother ever again. Her beautiful face and comforting words would be something not cherished enough. She would be so sad that he'd died young and hadn't gotten a change to-

"Cloud?"

Cloud squeaked and threw the covers off his head to look up at his mother's worried face. In an instant he had scrambled towards her and clung on for his life, sobbing on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him and rocked him gently back and forth, whispering comforting words in his ear which he was so thankful for.

The thunder didn't seem as loud any more, and the lightning not so bright. Cloud's crying slowly came to a stop, his face nuzzled into his mothers' neck and his breathing slow and steady again.

"Cloud, lay down and try to sleep, okay?" his mother urged softly, moving forward and gently placing him back onto his bed. His arms released her reluctantly and he stared up with wide eyes that spoke of his fear openly.

"Don't go." he pleaded.

"I'll stay until you fall asleep." she said with a smile, stroking his hair. Cloud blinked sleepily, a smile appearing on his own face as well.

"Mum?" he asked quietly, already half in dream-land.

"Yes?" she questioned, leaning down closer to his face to hear him properly.

"Can you hold m' hand?" he asked, his eyes drifting closed but fluttering open again as he was determined to stay awake for an answer. His mother smiled down at him warmly.

"Of course." she agreed, taking a firm hold of his little hand and squeezing gently to let him know she was there. He finally allowed his eyes to drift closed and fell asleep, but his mother didn't leave his side until an hour later when the storm had finally ended.