My Soul Weeps
Chapter One: The News

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Wearily lying down on her bed, Tifa took a few deep breaths to bring some energy back into her body. Exhausted from the work she had put in for the evening, a frown almost appeared on her face, the feeling of regret flooding itself into her brain for deciding to give a two-day New Years' Eve and Day sale for 7th Heaven. Closing her eyes, Tifa folded her hands behind her head, resting it in her palms. She figured that she mind as well use the rest she had right now, as she had to wake up in 10 hours to open up 7th Heaven once again to the public.

Good thing Cid, Cloud, & Yuffie were able to help me out these past few days...I thought I was going to collapse a few times while working...there were so many customers, I was beginning to think that it was Black Friday...

Too bad Barret couldn't make it, he's still down at North Corel watching Marlene & Denzel...no matter how many times I may say to myself that they're a lot of work watching them, I miss them...they almost feel like they're my real children...and Vincent...I'm not sure about him...he sure is a great help to us -

"Ay, Tifa!" A male voice shouted, a loud boom also erupting from the door abruptly being swung wide open and hitting the dresser adjacent to it. Tifa flinched a little, startled from the sudden noise and unwillingly sat up from her rest. Realizing that the voice belonged to the pilot known as Cid Highwind, she relaxed as she stood up, moving a few bangs away from her amber eyes.

"Oh damn I'm sorry...I didn't know you were restin' in here but...you got any tea around here? I wanted to fix my ass a cup or two before I go."

Sometimes I wonder if that's all he ever drinks...

"Of course Cid, there's a box of tea downstairs in the big closet next to the front counter. And if you need to add any other condiments to it, they're on the shelf below the box."

Cid let loose a small smile, taking his cigarette out only to blow a ring of smoke from his lips to say a few more words before he stepped out of the door.

"Thanks."

You're welcome...(cough) Note to self: remind Cid from this day forward to not smoke in my room ever again...

Free falling chest first onto her comfortable world of paradise known as her bed, Tifa sighed as she reached over to her left to turn on the lamp to give the room some light. Tifa took a few moments to look out her window at the sky; it slowly began to change from a medium blue to a dark purple color, the sign that nighttime was just around the corner.

"Knock knock!" A young voice chimed, lightly tapping on the bedroom door.

Can't I get some peace...? (sigh) Well, it's Yuff...she's the only real girl friend I've got around here...

"Come in Yuffie..."

The small ninja opened the door, a little grin on her face as she walked in and plopped down on the bed next to Tifa, her face only a few inches away from hers.

I swear...if she doesn't move her face right now...

"Yuffie...?"

"Yeah?"

"A little space, please."

"Well sorrrrrrrr-reeeeeeeeeeee!" Scooting over a little away from Tifa, she took a small rolled up bag full of money and placed it in front of the brunette.

"But anyway...Tif...here's a few tips I made...I'm giving them to you, you deserve 'em."

"Aw Yuff, thanks..."

"Hey, what are friends for? Well, I gotta get goin', Vinnie's supposed to give me a ride back home," The ninja gave Tifa a little hug and hopped off the bed, her back toward Tifa as she headed toward the door. "See ya later Tif! Good night!"

"You too Yuffie..."

Before closing the door, Tifa could hear the ninja shouting 'All right Vinnie, I'm coming, hold ya horses, jeez!', making her almost burst with laughter. Just thinking of the two together would get her started with chuckles under her breath, but at the same time, she thought it was kinda cute even though they were opposites of each other. But as they say, opposites attract, and Yuffie and Vincent were a good example of that saying. Hearing her stomach growl with a low rumble, Tifa began her journey down the stairs to the closet, examining each shelf to see the possibilities of what she could eat.

Graham crackers...no, already had those for a snack earlier...

Tuna...for lunch, yeah, but right now? No...

I guess I'll fix myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with some milk...

After carefully swiping enough peanut butter and jelly onto separate slices of bread, Tifa squished the two pieces of bread together, quickly taking a bite to let her stomach have a little food to digest on while she put the glass of milk up to her lips. After a quick sip, Tifa began tapping her fingers on the counter top, sighing as she rested her elbows in front of her on the counter and had her chin cradled in her hands. Even though the man she was thinking of had went out for a late-night delivery, it had been almost half a day since he departed and the thought of him not returning made her stomach feel uneasy.

It's so quiet without you here Cloud, I wish you were here...

Taking the last bite of her sandwich, Tifa put her plate in the sink along with her glass before flicking the room lights off. Slowly walking up the narrow stairway up to her bedroom, Tifa could feel sleep coming over her once again. Skipping her usual ritual of changing into her pajamas, Tifa slipped out of her black top and dress, also simultaneously kicking her black and white shoes off into the corner of the room.

I'll put up the clothes in the morning...

Resetting her alarm clock on the dresser a few feet across from her bed to ring at 6 A.M., Tifa switched her lamp off and crawled under the covers legs first with multiple thoughts running through her mind. However, one stood out from the rest as she remembered the time 10 P.M. illuminating on the clock.

Cloud...please make it home safe...

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Awakening to a loud ringing noise, Tifa slowly sat up, yawning and stretching her arms above her head. Instinctively reaching to her alarm clock, the face reading 3 A.M. shocked her as she realized it was not the right time for the alarm to be going off.

Hold on, that's not the alarm...that's my PHS...

Running over to her small, black folded cell-phone ringing and vibrating on her dresser, Tifa opened it up and held it up to her ear.

"...Hello...?" Her sleepy, soft voice asked, listening to a deep, gruff voice speak with panic and sadness on the other end. Recognizing the voice as her best friend Barret, her eyes widened as the words he was speaking to her just could not have been believable at all. Her mouth wide open, a loud bang erupting from her room as the result of her cell phone suddenly dropping from her hand in great awe over what she had just heard.

"Oh my God...this can't...BE HAPPENING!!!" Tifa fell to her knees and her hands, unanticipatedly breaking out into fierce tears between her words as her sobs became louder and more intense, each tear dropping silently onto the hard, wooden floor. Her mind could not even bare to accept the news Barret had given to her.

"Cloud...I can't believe you're...you're..."

Dead...