Hey everyone, this story is a Prequel to my The Advent Children series. The story of Alex Strife, son of Cloud, and his many adventures. This story tells the tale of how everything came to be in the world of the AC, how Cloud formed his family, How Vincent and Yuffie got together, How Cloud raised his two sons into the men we see in the AC 1 & 2. Now some of the things that happen in this story may not match up exactally with Alex's previous glimpses into the past in the lifestream. The explination of that is that those were manufactured based of of things that did happen, but more geared for his benefit. I decide to realse the first two chapters together because I just thought the story would work better that way. Remember to send your reviews, thoughts, questions, suggestions, opinions, etc. Keep reading and enjoy!

Final Fantasy 7:

Before Advent

Chapter 1: Edge City Blues

Sometime after Dirge of Cerberus

Tifa sighed as she wiped down the counters of the Seventh Heaven Bar. Cloud had left early this morning without saying a word to her or Denzel. It had been a few months since the deep ground incident and even longer since the fight against Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz. The battles might have been over, but the events still left a bitter taste in everyone's mouths.

For a while after fighting Kadaj, Cloud seemed to become more open to his pseudo family. However in the past 2 weeks, Tifa noticed that Cloud was once again becoming distant. She wished that she could ask him what was wrong. But every time she got near him, he came up with some sort of excuse to leave.

Tifa tried to push all these thoughts out of her mind as she looked up at the clock. She smiled as she noticed it was nearly 3:30. Denzel and Marlene would be home soon. Tifa enjoyed playing mother to the children, particularly since neither of them had one. Cloud and Tifa had taken Denzel in, Marlene was staying with them while Barret was still on his trip to find alternative fuels to Mako energy.

Tifa poured two glasses of soda and set them aside. The kids would be thirsty. She waited a few more seconds before she heard the familiar sounds of laughter coming toward the bar. The doors burst open as Denzel and Marlene rushed in. Tifa gave them both a big hug as she headed behind the counter to get them their drinks. She handed the children their sodas and leaned over the counter smiling at them.

"How was school today?" asked Tifa

"Great!" they both replied

Tifa quickly whipped up the children a small snack when she noticed that Denzel's clothes were awfully dirty and that he had some scratches on the side of his arm.

"What happened to you?" She inquired

Denzel became uneasy and remained silent. It was obvious he didn't want to say.

"He got in a fight with another boy at school." Revealed Marlene

Denzel shot her a look as folded her arms.

"And why did you get into a fight with another boy?" she asked

"He started it!" Denzel proclaimed

"Why would you get into a fight? You know fighting is wrong." Replied Tifa

"He made fun of me for not having any parents." Replied Denzel

Tifa sighed, she walked around the counter and leaned down to be face to face with Denzel.

"Forget what the other boy said. You have us." She stated

"It's not the same!" shouted Denzel as he ran off to his room slamming the door behind him

Marlene remained quite and lowered her head. Tifa's tried to keep her composure in front of the small girl.

"He'll be fine. I just need to go make a phone call." Tifa tried to remain clam

Tifa headed into the next room and grabbed the phone. She dialed in Cloud's number. She waited and waited……and waited……no answer. She tried to hold back the tears as she heard his answering machine come on.

"Cloud we need to talk. Denzel is………he needs you. We all need you. What's wrong, I thought we got past this. I thought we could finally open up to each other." Tifa hung up the phone and sat down to try and relax

7 miles outside of Kalm

Cloud sighed as he listened to the end of Tifa's message. He looked down at the phone to erase the message then put away his phone. Cloud stood on top of a grassy hill over looking the vast fields surrounding Kalm. It was always remarkable to him how peaceful this place could be. Maybe someday he could settle down here, someday, but not now.

"Why don't you answer her?" came a voice from seemingly nowhere

"I…..Things are different." He replied

"That's the way things work. Things change, you can't stop that." Came another voice

"I care about her too much. I'm nothing but a disappointment." Cloud answered

Cloud turned around as he was surrounded by light. In front of him were the images of his old friends Zack and Aerith. They both smiled at him as he put his glasses on trying to hide the nervousness in his eyes.

"Still focusing on the past. You're never going to move on if you keep letting the past weigh you down." Remarked Zack

"These past few weeks, things have been different. Things feel different. I want….." Cloud had a hard time finding the right words

"Its love isn't it? You love her." Smiled Aerith

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"You know that's not true." Retorted Zack

"I don't think I can be the man they need. They need some one who can be there for them. I don't think I can do it." Lamented Cloud

"Of course you can. The past is past. You've come a long way. Tifa loves you, Denzel looks up to you. The more you doubt yourself the more you draw away from them." Replied Aerith

"Maybe the reason things feel different is because your different. Maybe you are ready, but your head is still telling you that you aren't." chuckled Zack

"Do you think I can be that kind of man?" asked Cloud

"The better question is do you want to be?" answered Aerith

"I…..I do."

"Then what are you waiting for? Go back their and tell them how you feel." Stated Zack

"I….can't. I'm no good to anyone." Replied Cloud

"Do you really believe that?" asked Aerith

"I don't need you two lecturing me." Cloud answered back

"Oh give it up. Cloud you can't keep pushing away everyone for the rest of your life. Look inside yourself, even you know that you don't really feel this way. Stop trying to delude yourself." Retorted Zack

"I'm going to think about." Cloud sighed

"What's there to think about. Go back, they need you. Tell them that you love them. Stop running away." Zack growled

"I'm not running. I just need time to think, to clear my head. Leave me alone for now." Cloud shot back

Zack grumbled at Cloud, but Aerith shook her head and made him stand down. Cloud looked over to her and lowered his head.

"I know you're afraid. Every time you had someone get close something bad happened. But you can't just close yourself off. Despite everything that has happened Tifa stayed by you, she braved the danger to be with you. Doesn't she deserve the same from you?" pleaded Aerith

"I….don't know. I just……"

Cloud sighed, he hopped on to his bike and headed off into the distance. When he got a few miles away, he stopped and looked back to she that they where gone.

"I'm pathetic." Cloud whispered

He revved up his engine and sped off down the road.

Meanwhile at the Seventh Heaven Bar, the kids where upstairs doing their homework while Tifa was in the kitchen tidying up. She heard the sound of some one entering the bar and wiped her hands before heading out to greet the customer. To her surprise she saw Yuffie standing there smiling. Tifa gave the ninja a hug and offered her a seat at one of the both. Tifa poured them some tea and took a seat across from her.

"How's business going?" asked Yuffie

"Fine." Sighed Tifa

"What's up with you?" asked Yuffie concerned

"Nothing, I don't want to bother you with my problems. How are things going with you?" asked Tifa putting on a smile

"Fine…..but kind of weird."

"What do you mean?"

"Reeve recently partnered me with Vincent full time for WRO missions."

"What's wrong with that? Vincent a great guy to have on your time."

"He is he defiantly is, it's just……kinda weird."

"How so?"

"Well with all this time I've been spending around him things…….just feel different than they used to before. Before I was afraid of him, but then it became kinda nice to have him around and now…."

"Now what?"

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Sure."

"Promise not to tell anyone."

"Promise."

"Well I know how you feel about Cloud. Do you love him?"

Tifa blushed as she turned away for a second to think about the question.

"Yes I do. With all my heart."

"How did you know? What's it feel like to be in love? How do you know you really love somebody…that way?"

"Yuffie why are you asking me all these questions and…….wait….oooohhhh…..are you in love with Vincent?"

"I….don't know. Every time I'm around him I just get this weird feeling. And when he's not around I keep thinking about him and the feeling just gets weirder."

Tifa couldn't help but chuckle at the young Ninja's predicament. Yuffie groaned as her head flopped down on to the table. Tifa patted her on the back and pored her some more tea.

"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" asked Tifa

"Are you kidding this is Vincent…..I'll never stop brooding over my long dead ex-girlfriend Valentine. Besides who are you to tell me how to confess your feelings to someone?" replied Yuffie

"Don't go there Yuffie."

"Sorry. I'm just so frustrated right now. I don't know what to do? It's getting harder and harder to be around him. The more time I spend with him the more I get to know him and the more……."

"The love increases. I know how you feel. I don't really know what to tell you, I haven't really figured it out myself."

Tifa sighed and took a sip of her tea.

"By the way where is Cloud?" asked Yuffie

He said he had a delivery this morning and headed off early. I haven't seen him since. But Denzel….he really misses Cloud." Sighed Tifa

"It must be hard on you all."

"Denzel really looks up to Cloud. And even after everything, Cloud still has trouble breaking down that one last little barrier. He's still afraid to let his guard down fully. He's around us more, spends time with us, but it still feels like he's holding back."

"It's the same with Vinnie."

"Vinnie?"

"Sorry it's a little nick name I came up with to tease. Strangely enough he hasn't really given me much grief about it lately. Anyways I really know what you mean. Vincent talks to me more now, he even cracks a few jokes once in a while. But you can tell he still holding back. Ugghh, it's frustrating."

"You got that right."

The two women sighed.

"How about some chocolate cake?" proposed Tifa

"Sounds wonderful." Replied Yuffie

A few miles outside of Edge, Cloud parked his bike next to a WRO van. He switched off the engine and headed up the rocky path. Cloud found Vincent sitting on a rock look out at the setting sun. Cloud chuckled and approached him slowly.

"I'm glad you could meet with me on such short notice." Remarked Cloud

"You said it was urgent, what's going on?" answered Vincent

"We're kind of the same, so I wanted to ask your advice about something."

"Why me? I bet there are a whole lot of other people better suited for advice than me. Why don't you talk to Tifa?"

"That's sort of the problem."

"I see now."

"I can't…..I want to be near them, get close, but every time I try, some thing in me holds me back."

"It's fear. You've spent your life with the barriers up. You've loss so much and even now when you don't blame yourself anyone, its impossible to break that mentality."

"Old habits die hard, huh? Is there anyway out? I want to be with them so bad, my heart feels like its caught in a vice. But then the memories flood back and I find myself pulling back again. This tug-of-war is un-endless, I want it to stop."

"I can't help you there. You're talking about love. I can't love anyone."

"Why, I thought you got past that? You have tons of friends."

"Friends, not love. I have a monster in me remember? I can get close, but not too close. Even if I want to. You came to the wrong person."

"I don't think so. We've overcome so much, why is this last little speed bump so hard?"

"Because it's the one fighting won't solve. There's no defeating some evil doer and uncovering some major revelation. There's no saving the world. There's only looking inside ourselves to find an answer. And let's face it, we don't like ourselves."

Loud shifted uncomfortably.

"You got your eye on someone?" asked Cloud with a smirk

"What do you mean?" replied Vincent turning away

"You said you couldn't get close, even if you wanted to. You want to get close to someone?"

"That's ridiculous."

"Oh my god, its true. Who is it?" Cloud asked with a smirk

"That's doesn't matter I thought you brought me here to talk about you?"

"Is it someone we know?"

"I'm going."

Cloud sighed and motioned for Vincent to come back.

"Wait, fine we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But see this is our problem, we try to reach out, but in the end we remain closed off. Maybe if we start here, we can find a solution and be with the people we want to be with."

"You really do love them don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. Someone told me something recently. The ones who care about me have stuck by me so I should give them the same."

"Maybe then that's the key. If you really love them then that last little bit of fear doesn't matter. The only way to overcome it, is to just move through. Then I can be with her."

"You going to open up? I've told you so much maybe, you could send a little my way."

"Maybe, but I'm not ready just yet. I still have the demon holding me back. But you, go back to them right now. Tell them how you feel. The longer you wait the more this fear consumes you, break through it. Tifa and Denzel deserve more."

"You're right. Thanks."

Cloud started heading back down the path, when he stopped and turned back to face Vincent.

"Maybe you should take your own advice? By the way give Yuffie my regards." Smirked Cloud

"How'd you know?" asked Vincent dumfounded

"How many other women do you know, honestly. I know better than you think, after all we're friend."

Cloud smiled and walked away back to his bike. Vincent looked back at the setting sun and smirked.

"Friends." Smiled Vincent

Vincent pulled out his phone and cycled through the pictures stored on it. He stopped when he came to a picture of him and Yuffie sitting together. His eyes focused on her bright smile.

"I'm pathetic." He remarked then headed off

To be continued……………..