Christmas in Edge

Tifa's Wish

"Tifa wake up." Marlene gently shook her. "Tifa come on its Christmas morning."

"Huh?" Tifa Lockhart shuffled in bed. "What time is it Marlene?"

"It's nine-o'clock. Dad will be here soon." Marlene looked at Tifa with a pouty face.

Tifa looked over at Marlene and smiled. "Alright I'm getting up." Tifa climbed out of bed as she yawned.

"Yay!" Marlene hopped around happily.

"I wonder if Santa thought you were a good girl this year, Marlene." Tifa pulled on her black and white converse shoes and tied the ribbon.

"I'm always a good girl Tifa, you know that."

"I'm just playing with you sweetie." Tifa smiled and picked her up and walked downstairs.

When Marlene and Tifa went downstairs Marlene's eyes light up when she saw the Christmas tree and the lights that was downstairs.

"Wow Tifa awesome." Marlene ran over to the tree with all the presents around it.

"What's all the commotion out here?" Denzel walked downstairs as he sleepily rubbed his eyes.

"Denzel look!" Marlene ran to Denzel and pulled him over to the tree with all the presents.

"Awesome." Denzel looked at the presents. "Are some of these ours to open Tifa?"

"Yes but there are other presents for the rest of our friends. Besides you can open them up after our guests' arrive," said Tifa as she brought a present from the back.

"Who's coming to the party Tifa?" asked Denzel.

"Well I invited Yuffie, Vincent, Barret, Rude, Reno, Elaina, Tseng, Red XIII and Cat Cith." Tifa placed the box near the tree.

"What about Cloud Tifa?" asked Marlene.

"He's on delivery runs all day and he said he won't be back till late." Tifa sighs and thinks to herself. 'He never wants to be with us anymore.'

There was a knock on the door.

"Hey Marlene, Denzel look who I bumped into." said Yuffie.

"Ho, ho, ho, ho, is there any kids that have been good for Santa."

Barrett walks in with a Santa outfit on.

"It's Santa!" said Marlene as she giggles.

"Come sit on Santa's lap and tell me what you want from Santa." Barrett sat on the couch as he put down his sack of toys.

Tifa smirks at Barrett. "The beard is a nice touch Santa."

Barret smiled.

"Yo, where's the party at?"

"In here Cid." said Tifa.

"Come on CaitCith Santa can't be complete without his Little Helper." Yuffie smiled as her and Red XIII walk in.

"You have to help pass out the presents," said Red XIII with a reindeer outfit on.

"Alright I'm coming." CaitCith came in wearing a green tunic with pointy shoes and elf ears.

Marlene looked over at CaitCith and smiled. "You look great CaitCith."

"Well thanks Lassy." said CaitCith as he walked over to Santa Barret.

Barret pulled out a box. "Let's see, this gift is for Yuffie from Tifa. Here you go Yuffie." He handed the box to Yuffie.

"Aww sweet thanks Tifa!" Yuffie happily sat down with her gift.

Tifa smiled as she looked at her friends.

"It's getting cold outside." said a voice.

Everyone turned to see Vincent leaning against the wall with hands across his chest.

"Ah Vincent nice for you to come." said Tifa.

A second later and the bell over the door rang.

"Hello anyone here?" said a voice.

Tifa got up and went to the door. "Hello Reno, Rude."

"Umm thanks for inviting us Ms. Lockhart," said Rude as he shuffled in place.

"You're welcome Rude, and please no formalities please." Tifa welcomed them in.

"Elaina and Tseng were not able to come. They said sorry and wanted us to give this to you." Rude handed a pie to Tifa.

"Oh how thoughtful. Go ahead and join everyone else. We're about to open up some gifts." Tifa went to the kitchen to put the pie in the refrigerator.

After all the gifts were exchanged, everyone sat down and ate the Christmas dinner.

There was a big roar and everyone looked at Barret.

"Oops sorry." Barret smiled as he let out a huge burp.

"I'm just glad that didn't come from the other end." said Yuffie.

Everyone all laughed.

"Oh man I'm stuffed." said Reno.

"Oh, wow look everyone, it's snowing." Tifa opened the door and stepped out into the crisp night air.

Everyone went outside.

"Tifa make a wish. They say if one sees the first snow fall they get to make a wish." said Marlene.

Tifa closed her eyes to make a wish. 'I wish he would come back so we can become a real family.' Tifa opened her eyes.

"All set Tifa?" asked Marlene?

"Yes sweetie." Tifa smiled.

"Hey Cid." said Yuffie.

"Huh?" Cid looked over to Yuffie.

A second later, a snowball missed him and hit Vincent square in the face.

Vincent blinked.

"Sorry Vincent I was trying to hit Cid." Yuffie's cheek went red.

At first, everyone expected Vincent to get mad.

A second later many snowballs hit Yuffie.

Vincent had a slight grin on his face.

A stunned Yuffie poked her head out of the pile of snow. "Hey I said I was sorry. What gives?"

"I tend to finish a battle that has begun. I don't like losing." Vincent held another snowball in his hand.

"Rude!" yelled Reno.

"What?" Rude looked over at Reno.

WACK!!! Rude's glasses fall off his face, broken in half.

"Why you little!" Rude chases after Reno with a big snowball in his hand.

"Like you can catch me? You're getting to old Rude." Reno laughs as he gets chased by Rude.

"Tifa come make a snow angel with me." said Marlene.

"Okay." Tifa sits in the snow and makes a snow angel with Marlene.

"Look dad, me and Tifa made snow angels." Marlene smiles at her dad who is still dressed like Santa.

"Hey Marlene check this out." said Denzel.

Marlene gets up, brushes off the snow and walks to Denzel.

"Oh wow Denzel that's really good. It looks just like his buster sword." Marlene smiled.

Tifa got up and walked over to Marlene and Denzel. She smiled to see that Denzel made a replica of Cloud's buster sword out of snow.

"That's really good Denzel." Tifa smiled.

"You think Cloud will like this?" asked Denzel.

"I know so." Tifa hugged both Denzel and Marlene.

Meanwhile a few miles away Cloud Strife was riding on his motorcycle, Fenrir.

"Well that's the last package for this week. Now I can go back to see her."

Cloud speeds up his bike.

"I should stop by to say hello." says Cloud out loud.

When he arrives at the Forgotten City, all was quiet. That's the way it should be there. Cloud shuts off his bike and climbs off. He brushes his gloved hand across a dead and broken tree.

"It's been a year since they were here." Cloud looks at the fading damage that Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo left in their wake. The damage they caused begins to fade away almost becoming a memory.

Cloud walks to the water peering into it.

"It's been awhile…Cloud." said a soft, melodious voice.

Cloud smiles softly. "Yes it has…Aerith. How have you been?"

A soft light appears and an image of Aerith appears before Cloud.

"I've been good thanks. And you? How's everyone doing?" a soft smile spreads across Aerith lips.

"The same as always. So how is Zack doing?" said Cloud as he sat down on a rock.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" said Aerith smiling as her green eyes sparkled.

Another imaged appeared as Zack Fair emerge.

"Hiya Cloud. How you doing?" Zack placed a hand on one hip and half smiled.

"Been better now that I'm no longer alone. Everyone is at Seventh Heaven having a Christmas Party. Oh Tifa sent me some pictures of everyone." Cloud pulled out his phone and showed the pictures to Aerith and Zack.

"Umm is that CaitCith dressed up as an Elf?" asked Zack as he started to laugh.

"Yup and Red is dressed up as a reindeer. Barret of course is Santa." Cloud clicked through the pictures and he stopped as a picture of Tifa appeared. She was softly smiling, the smile that he always loved to see. On the caption on the bottom of the picture read. 'Here's a picture of Tifa for you Cloud so even when you're away you can always see her smiling. –Marlene.' Cloud smiled. "That Marlene."

"That's a really good picture of Tifa." said Zack as he appeared behind Cloud.

Cloud continued to smile. "Yeah it is."

"You should get going Cloud. You don't want to keep her waiting again now do you Cloud?" Aerith smiled.

"You're right as always Aerith. Oh and Aerith?" said Cloud as he stood up from the rock.

"Hmmmn?" She looked at him.

"Thanks." Cloud got up onto his bike as he put on his riding glasses.

"Don't mess things up with her Cloud." said Zack.

"I won't." Cloud smiles at Zack's comment. "She means too much to me. Well Zack, Aerith take care and I promise to come back now and again, see ya." Cloud climbed on his bike, kicked back the stand, and put it away.

Both Aerith and Zack waved goodbye and they disappeared together hand in hand.

Cloud started his bike and ride away towards the small city of Edge.

Back at Seventh Heaven Bar Tifa and the others were cleaning up from the party. CaitCith was asleep in a red Christmas stalking that Denzel put him in.

"Denzel did you put CaitCith in the stocking?" asked Tifa.

Denzel smiled and nodded. "Yeah I did."

Tifa also smiled and hugged him. She looks around. "Well I think that's it everyone. Thanks for cleaning up." Tifa smiled at everyone.

"Sorry that took me a long time to get back. I had something to do." said Yuffie as she brushed off a pile of snow from her hair. "Yikes it's cold out."

"Yuffie it looks like you climbed a few trees. You have some remaining tree leaves in your hair." Tifa pulled them out of her hair.

Yuffie smiled.

"Why were you climbing a tree Yuffie?" asked Tifa.

"Well I should be get going Tifa; I have things to work on my airship." Cid put on his coat.

"Yup, thanks for coming Cid. I'll let Cloud know you said hi ok?" Tifa wiped down the table.

Cid nods his head. "Well take care everyone. Nice to see everyone again." Cid looks at Marlene. "You sure have grown Marlene since we last got together."

"It's only been a year since the 'Reunion'. It's hard to believe it's only been a year." said Marlene as she pushed in a few chairs.

Cloud looks at his phone.

"Looks like I just got a text." Cloud thumbed through it and smiled. "Remind me to thank you Yuffie." Cloud put the present that he just bought in the knapsack on his bike and drove to the bar.

The snow crunched under his feet. Cloud shut off his bike, climbed off and covered it so it wouldn't get snowed on.

The bell over the bar door rang.

"CLOUD!!" Yuffie ran over to him and hugged him. She whispered in his ear. "It's all set. The scene is set."

Cloud smiled and whispered back. "Thanks Yuffie."

"Welcome back Cloud. I see you finished your deliveries sooner than expected," said Tifa as she walked over to him smiling at him warmly.

"Well it's Christmas after all. I wanted to be home with my family and friends." Cloud returned the smile.

"Hey guys the pond near the Healin' Lodge is all iced over. Who wants to go ice skating?" asked Yuffie.

"Sure, why not." said Cid.

"I thought you had stuff to fix on your airship Cid." asked Denzel.

"Well kid, that can wait. Cloud is right, it's Christmas and I also rather be with family then alone on my airship." Cid flicked his thumb across his nose grinning.

"I don't skate but I'll watch everyone," said Vincent.

So, everyone went to the pond near the lodge.

Yuffie was the first one onto the ice. "Wahoo!"

Tifa smiled as she watched her friends enjoying themselves as she tied her ice skates. Marlene watched Barrett flop all over the ice. By now him, Red XIII, and CaitCith had changed out of their costumes and put their regular cloths on. Cid was rather good on the ice, surprisingly. Like he said he would, Vincent leaned on a close by tree and watched everyone skate. Denzel skated figure eights around Cid. Red XIII and CaitCith were sledding.

"Aww come one Vincent, please come skate with us?" said Yuffie as she skidded to a stop and sprayed Cid with snow cone like slush.

"I told you I don't skate," said Vincent.

"Please?" Yuffie was standing right near him as she gave him the pouty face.

"Don't bother Yuffie, he won't budge." said Tifa as she stood up.

Cloud came skating to Tifa and smiled at her as he stopped. "Ready?" Cloud held out his hand for Tifa.

She smiled back at him. "I never really ice skated before though Cloud. I know I'm a martial artist but I might fall."

"Don't worry; I'll catch you if you fall. I'm right here, okay Tifa?" Cloud went closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Tifa nodded her head. "Okay but if I do fall you have to clean the bar for a week."

"Anything to be closer to you Tifa." Cloud softly murmured to himself.

"What Cloud?" Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing. Ok we have a deal; if you fall I clean the bar for a week." Cloud nodded.

Tifa placed her hand in his and they both went onto the ice together.

Vincent looked over at Cloud and Tifa. "Fine I'll skate."

Yuffie fell over. "Huh? You will?"

Cid, Barret, Marlene, Denzel, Cloud and Tifa looked over at Vincent in shock.

Second later Vincent had took Yuffie's hand and they were on the ice.

"Whoa…" Yuffie fell against Vincent. She looked away a little red in the cheeks. "Sorry Vincent."

"It's fine." He skated with her.

"Ummm Tifa?" asked Cloud as he looked at her.

"Yeah Cloud?" She looked at him.

"Hey everyone look Tifa and Cloud are standing under the mistletoe." Marlene giggled.

Both Cloud and Tifa looked up. Clearly, the mistletoe was tied in place with twine.

Tifa just remember something from earlier and gasped. "Yuffie you put this here didn't…" Tifa was silenced by Cloud as he kissed her on the lips. Her eyes flashed to meet his as her cheeks turned a deep crimson color.

"Way to go Cloud!" yelled Cid.

"That's m' boy Cloud!" CaitCith called from the top of a hill.

Cloud wrapped his arms around Tifa's waist.

By now, Tifa's eyes were closed and she let out a small moan.

"About time Spiky." Barret said as he sat on the icy surface.

They broke the kiss. Tifa was about to say something when Cloud placed a finger over her lips. "Wait Tifa I want to give you something first." He bent down on one knee and pulled out a tiny box from his pocket. "Tifa Lockhart, we've been friends for many years, fought many battles side by side. Now will you be by my side forever and be my wife?"

Tifa's eyed widened.

Everyone was quiet waiting for Tifa's response.

Tifa swallowed the lump of air that formed in her throat. "Yes Cloud I will." She smiled happily, as tears of joy fell from her eyes.

Away near the woods…

"They really do make a great couple huh Aerith." Zack smiled.

"Yes they do." She wrapped her arm around Zack's waist.

Zack smiled.

"Good for Cloud and Tifa." Aerith smiled as she took out her wings. "Catch me if you can Zack." Aerith giggled as she disappeared into the forest.

"Hey Aerith." Zack smiled and chased after her.

Back on the ice rink…

"I love you Cloud." She let a small giggle.

"I love you too Tifa, always have. Thank you. You are the light to my darkness." Cloud placed the ring on her finger, got up, and kissed her lips again. This time Tifa as his fiancé.

THE END