"But, why?"
Cloud watched as Tifa Strife gathered her clothes into a bag. Zipping it up, she walks into the bathroom and collects all her toiletries.
"But, why?" He asks again. But she still does not answer.
She walks down the hall, and into the room of Denzel and Marlene.
She gives the two sleeping beauties a giant kiss, and walks out of the room, quietly closing the door.
"Tifa, don't do this."
"I have to."
"But, why?"
She walks down the stairs into the kitchen, giving it one last stare. She looks at the bar, smiling as tears stream down her face.
She picks up her ikon, a picture of Mary holding baby Jesus.
She walks into the kitchen and grabs some food.
She shoves everything in the bag she has.
"Tifa, please. I love you. Don't go."
"It's a little late for that now."
She walks around the whole house, taking in all of it, memorizing the scenes, etching the smell of it in her mind. She recalls the memories of it all.
She walks to the door, Cloud still following. She turns around, and gives him a long kiss on the lips.
She opens the door, and walks out into the cold night.
"Why," he asks one last time.
"Cloud, I love you, but you think too much of Aeris. It's like you're obsessed with her. Those times we've slept together, every time we kiss, every time we hug, go on a date, all of that, I know you think of her, and imagine I'm her. I can't live with you knowing you still think of her."
"Well, I can't just forget her!"
"I'm not saying that's what you have to do. All I'm saying is that you're going to have to realize soon that, first of all, she's dead, and second of all, I'm not her, and I never will be. So don't love me if I remind you of her. Only love me if I'm me."
"Tifa, I love you for you."
"Doesn't show."
She starts to walk off.
"Please," he whispers.
She stops, and looks at the stars.
"Maybe, in the future, once you learn to accept that she's gone, and move on, I might come back. But until then, I won't be here. Tell Denzel and Marlene I love them. And don't forget Cloud Strife, I love you. I always will. Which is why leaving won't hurt me as much."
She walked off into the night.
"Tifa," he whispered, as he realized he had a lot of thinking to do.
V
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7
If I get enough reviews, I may just write a sequel.