Chapter one.

Normal. A word I never thought I would ever use. Normal? We were finally a normal family. Things had changed so much in my quaint little flat above my bar.

He was home, he had been for a long while now. It's been a year and a half since that day in the church. A year and a half since he came home and normal set in. At first it wasn't even close to being normal. For the first few months things were awkward but time changes things for the better in our case.

I smiled as he entered the bar, home from a long day of deliveries.

'Hi, I've left food on the counter for you' I smiled at him continuing to wipe down the bar.

'Thanks' he nods walking past me towards the kitchen.

Things were normal. After he had ate and showered we would work together to sort out his routes for the following days deliveries. It was routine now. It was our normal.

I found him in his room. Though it was fast becoming our room, the amount of nights I had spent sleeping in his small bed of late. Maps were already sprawled across his duvet, a note book in hand. With all the booked deliveries on the list.

He smiled as I joined him. A few months ago this would of been very awkward. But now this was normal this was comfortable. Okay the only thing now was that I needed to tell him something but I was to scared to. I was scared I would break the norm.

The next few hours passed quickly and before I knew it I was asleep, asleep in the bed next to the man I loved.

Cloud's POV

I watched as Tifa feel asleep beside me. I could never move her she always looked so peaceful and perfect when she slept. At first it was awkward, the two of us working on routes in my bed and her falling asleep. But now it's the norm. I find now I can't get a decent sleep if she's not beside me. I didn't want to shatter what we had become. I wanted and longed to love her properly but that would destroy our norm and I wasn't deserving of being happy.

My mornings always started the same now. I would get up before Tifa, I would have to untangle her from me. Often I would resist the urge to place a kiss on her forehead but today I didn't. I got up showered and headed down stairs to the bar, to start my day on the road.

As usual there was a note taped to a brown paper bag. Tifa would always do this. Leave me lunch and a note to send me on my way.

~Cloud

Here's your lunch it's your favourite today. I'm making lasagna for dinner I'll be sure to save you some. See you when your home. Be safe xxx

Teef

I smiled picking up the bag. Silently promising I would be safe and I would see her again tonight.

A loud shrill ringing woke me from my sleep. The phone was ringing. I was a little dazed and didn't manage to answer right away. But as soon as I went to check who had called, it rang again.

'Hello'

'Tifa thank god, it's Reeve' Reeve said on the other end. Why was he calling, Cloud had left already. Things at the WRO was going smoothly. As far as we were concerned things we had more or less left that life behind.

'What's up?' I respond.

'You might want to sit down' comes his response, a puzzled look crosses my features but I comply and sit down.

'I'm sat down go ahead Reeve' I said, I felt awkward this was not a normal call with Reeve.

'Tifa I don't know how to tell you this, but Cloud has just been rushed into Midgar general hospital, he's been involved in an accident' I hadn't even heard him all I heard was Cloud, hospital and accident and I had dropped the phone on the floor, I could hear Reeve shouting down from the other end.

I broke. Normal was broken. I collapsed in a heap and began to sob, I had no idea how serious his injuries were at this point of course but I couldn't help but think the worse. Couldn't we just have a break for once?

The next thing I know is Barret and Cid are walking into the room and picking me up off the floor.

'Go get dressed Teef, I'm taking to the hospital now, Barret will look after the kids' Cid says lifting me up. I nod and head to dress.

Before I knew it I'm in Cid's airship heading to the hospital. I'm still shaking and dazed but for now at least the tears have stopped.

I'm lead in side by Cid, sat down on a seat by him as he goes to ask about Cloud. As I'm still a incoherent mess despite the tears stopping. He joins me a few minutes later saying something about a doctor coming down to get us in a few minutes.

Finally what feels like a life time I'm taking to see him. I'm told he's been placed into an induced coma. I once again burst into tears as I see him lying 'asleep' and wired up to various machines. Cid pulls me into his chest and I sob uncontrollably for a while.

I then walk over to him. Take his hand in mine and silently pray.

'Aerith, Zack please watch over him, bring him back to me, I love him' I sob.