Hey :)

Here is my new fanfiction! this is going to be a long one, even if the 1st chapter is so short and I should be updating on a regular period.
And yes, even though I am a HUGE Cloti fan, I decided to do a CloudxOC, which could be classed as CloudxAerith... if you read it it will make sense.

"Hey, come on, lets go to the restaurant." My friend slurred into my ear.

"I'm going to go home."

Like I wanted to go home. I had only gone to the pub with my 'best friend' because I wanted to do something before I went round the bend.

"Pleeease..." Jessica begged, talking (I say talking, I could barely understand what she was saying) right in my ear, the strong taste of vodka that infused her tongue staring to invade my nose.

I really hated going to parties. In fact, I didn't hate them: I despised them. Having to talk to everyone so you don't seem like a unsocial bum, having to eat so people don't look at you weird, having to dance in the big crowds so you didn't look like a claustrophobic, and worst of all, I always ended up dragging back one of my drunk friends.

"I'm calling you a taxi."

"I don't... I don't need one." I picked up my phone, and started dialing the number for a taxi.

"Yes, 93 Princess avenue. Thanks." I said through the phone.

"Sorted. Right, I'm heading off."

"Pleeease don't leave me." Jessica begged, followed by a hiccup, then a burp that encouraged the alcoholic breath to disperse and go into my nose, causing me to gag and back off slightly.

"For fucks sake, wait here, don't move, don't kill yourself, and bloody hell, don't hit on the taxi driver." She was testing my patience big time.

"You... you, you need to sort out your language problem." She slurred in reply.

"You need to sort out that bastard of a drinking problem." I replied in an angry tone, a millimeter away from slapping some sense into her.

I was surprised I hadn't become an alcoholic myself. Not like Jess was one or anything: she had just got back from a party.

I had lost everything: my family, my friends. I had no money to keep me alive barely, and I seemed to be crashing a every corner.

But the main reason was that the one thing I hated most in the whole world was drunk people.

Not because they were drunk, or annoying. They get violent. And I get very angry at them.

But those horrid thoughts aren't relevant.

I was walking away from her, my skinny body walking away from the "best friend."

"I'm leaving you, going home, and don't try and fucking stop me."

Going home?

I would rather poke myself in the eye with a shitty stick than go back to that place.

Ever since my mother died and my father turned into an alcoholic, I had no choice but to go solo, leaving my father and his home in Dorset, and find a cheap flat in Stockport. I had been living here for 3 years, somehow...

A piece of light brown hair fell in front of my face, a loose piece from the plait in my hair that was tied back with a pink ribbon. I pushed it back behind my ear, yet as always, it fell back into place in front of my bright green eyes, the moonlight reflecting in them. Strutting down the street, the street-lights were shining down on me. The lights of the houses were off; and everyone was asleep. Everything was silent.

"You are such a... BITCH. Rayne."

"Whatever, Jessica." I shouted back. She would kill the perfect silence to think in.

I just wanted to get to my place. Next to the river, underneath a low hanging tree tree, the sand tickling my toes...

Better not think about that now. I should really enjoy it when I get there.

On my journey, I walked past my aunties old house: a small bungalow with wooden windows, the wood being covered with white cracked paint: she refused to have them replaced.

She was the only thing I had left in my small pathetic life.

Yet, like a good majority of my family, she passed away because of lung cancer. I was lucky to not be influenced by the rest of my family: they had a habit of smoking and drinking: smoking in particular.

At last.

Paradise.

I kicked off my black 'army boots', rolled down my knee high socks and took them off my feet, and proceeded to sit down on the grass, my feet dancing in the cool, soothing sand. Even though the cold air tickled the pale skin on my legs, it was a nice sensation to feel. Sometimes, during the day, I would go and paddle in the river when no-one was around, so I was used to cold.
I closed my eyes, the cool breeze hitting my face, the plait dancing with the wind, the left over ribbon flapping in the air. Anyone who walked past would have thought I had escaped from the nearest mental hospital. The metallic light of the moon shone on the river, a silver reflection forming on the water, creating a mix of waving silver patterns on the waters surface.

This was my place, were all my worries would drown into the river.

"Oi!"

Now what?
Who was here?
I stood up, quickly pulling my socks back up, and tying the black laces of my boots in a quick bow.
"Who the fuck's there?" I shouted, getting defensive and angry, the instinct in my stomach telling me something bad was going to happen.

All of a sudden, I felt a large object smack the back of my head, yet I had no worry: the pain was only a flash as I fell to the floor, blackness surrounding me, as the cape that was attached to my top flopped over my still body.

"Where did you find her?"

"In the remains of the sector 7 slums."

I heard voices surround me as my consciousness soon began to return to my mind and it replaced the black sheet of confusion with two voices: apparently I was in the presence of a woman and a man.

"How did you know she was there?" The female voice asked.

"I just... instincts, you know." The male voice replied.

I slowly opened my eyes to witness the conversation that was going on before me. I saw a blonde man, his hair spiked up, yet his the light locks seemed to be free of any hair gel. The woman opposite was behind the bar the man was sitting at. She had sleek, black hair that reached her shoulders, and her eyes were wine coloured. I couldn't see the man's eyes, as he was facing away from me.

"Instinct?"

"I felt like just... going there."

"This is just like Denzel." The woman said quietly, wiping a glass and placing it behind the bar.

"Hey, I... I think she's waking up." The young woman said, and smiled towards me. Her smile was warm and caring, and instantly made me feel welcome.

"At last." The spiky-haired man stood up, and turned to face me. I then realised that I was lying in a small booth inside a bar, covered with a blanket and the hood still over my face, covering my hair and my eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked, a kind smile on his face.

"Well," I sat up, placing the blanket on the nearest table. "I was wondering if you could tell me were I am?"

I looked into his beautiful eyes: they glowed a strange turqoise colour, but they were gorgeous. His stern yet soft eyebrows matched the colour of his bright blonde hair, and his face was pretty yet handsome at the same time; I also noticed he was a well built man, as his arms were muscley and toned.

"You're in 7th heaven, in Edge."

I think my face said it all: I didn't have a clue where I was, what I was doing here: all I remembered was being knocked out. I saw the man turn around, and mumble a few words.

"Maybe she has amnesia: she was passed out."

"I'm not sure: just, let her stay." Tifa grinned her kind smile at me once again, and proceeded to clean the glasses behind the bar; her face still seeming to remain cheerful.

"So, err..." Tifa said quietly.

"The name's Rayne."

"So, Rayne, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you want. I might need to find out a bit more about you first though, if you don't mind..."

I soon found it hard to keep my eyes open, and I fell back down into a sleeping position.

Cloud looked over to her once more, intent on getting a closer look at her, however, his hopes were short lived, as the hood cast a shadow on her face, and he didn't seem too keen on intruding on her slumber.

"I'm gonna take her upstairs."

"Where will she sleep?" Tifa queeried.

"She can have my bed," Cloud walked over to the sleeping woman, and picked her up with ease, trying not to wake her up. He smiled at Tifa shyly to be met with an equally warming smile, and he trod upstairs, his movements quiet. He then nudged the door open with his left foot, and placed her onto his small single bed.

"It's not much, but it'll do I suppose..." His sentence was cut short, as he took his opportunity to look at her, as her hood had slipped off her head.

He looked at her, taking in her delicate features: her closed eyes, which he recalled to be a light green colour; her pale smooth skin; her light brown plaited hair with the small pink ribbon. Shock came over the blond's face as the strong scent of familiarity invaded his head, along with the feeling of dizziness and confusion. He ran out of the room as quietly and as he could, and ran down the stairs with little grace.

"Cloud-!" Tifa shouted after him, but he continued to go outside, start his bike, and go on a long ride.

He was going to need a lot of time to think.

"Huh?" I awoke to find myself in a small room, lying on a surprising comfy bed. I sat up, to find 'Tifa' Sat on the small chair facing my bed.

"Finally! You woke. Didn't mean to creep you you out or anything, just thought it would be safe to keep an eye on you,"

I looked at her wine eyes, the sparkle in them still dancing: she seemed like a nice woman.

"No, it's fine... how did I-"

"Cloud brought you up here."

"Cloud..." I took a moment to take in the name, and I could feel the tiredness wash over me again.

"So, do you want to tell me a bit about yourself?"

"My name is Rayne Stones... I am 21 years old, and I'm not from round here... in fact I can't even remember where I was brought up..."

I figured she would think I was a raving lunatic if I told her the true story of where I was from.

"I see. Must have amnesia. Well, since you told me about you... My name is Tifa Lockhart, I'm from the small village of Neibelhiem, and I am 25 this year." She finished her sentence, and smiled at me.

What I would give to be so positive like that.

"Well, I'll leave you to sleep-"

"May I ask something?" I felt nosy asking more questions than I should.

"Of course."

"Why do you wear that ribbon? I saw Cloud wear it too." I knew I shouldn't have said anything, as Tifa's face dropped slightly. I felt like a five year old, asking such a nosy question like that.

"Trust me, you will find out soon."

I nodded, and lay back down, pulling the covers over me.

"Oh, by the way..." I said just before she left the room.

"Thank you so much for letting me stay: I feel more at home here then I probably ever have."

I saw a glimpse of a smile as she walked out without saying a word, and I continued to slumber in the cosy bed.