Blessed Union Of Souls - Standing At The Edge Of The Earth

EVERYTHING YOU WANT

By: Reffie Striheart

It's already coming in

Oh and it's rising in the back of your head

Cloud stood outside in the dark, in the front of a huge mansion. He raised his hand to knock but chickened out and dropped his hand once more to his side.

You never could get it

Unless you were fed it

Now your here and you don't know why

Why was he even here? Did he think that the beautiful Tifa Lockheart would even remember him? And if she did, would she recognize him anymore? With his dim, dark blue eyes and short un-spiky hair? With his strong muscles but weary body? Would she?

But under skinned knees and the skid marks

Past the places where you used to learn

He had a horrible secret. A secret that he, himself, had just found out. He, Cloud Mariam Strife was dying. Dying of a deadly disease with no cure.

So he had traveled through all of the places that they'd traveled through on their quest to save the world. Icicle, Bone Village, Cosmo Canyon, Midgar, Mideel, Nibelheim...

You howl and listen

Listen and wait for the

Echos of angels that won't return

Cloud had called all of his friends. Wanted to see them again, maybe for the last time. But they couldn't be bothered. So he hadn't told them that he was dying. They had all gone on with their lives. He was a reminder of Aeris. And they didn't want to be reminded of that death.

Except for Tifa. He hadn't called his old friend. He'd been too scared.

And thats how Cloud Strife ended up on her doorstep.

He's everything you want

He's everything you need

He's everything inside of you

That you wish you could be

The doorbell rang and Tifa Lockheart looked up and at the clock in the kitchen. Who would be here at this time of night?

She opened the door and gasped.

" Cloud!"

And there he was. The man that she had admired and had held a friendship with. But he was different now. Darker, somehow. Not the same man that she'd traveled with.

He says all the right things

At exactly the right time

But he means nothing to you

And you don't know why

She stood there and stared at ther friend remembering how he'd comforted her and she'd comforted him when Aeris died. How they'd sat and talked long after everyone else was asleep.

But she never loved him, but admired him for his bravery. And now he was here. And she still didn't love him.

Your waiting for someone to put you together

Your waiting for someone to push you away

In Nibelheim, as a child some of her friends had tried to pust them together, but soon after Cloud left and Tifa thought constantly about their promise. And then when she found Cloud again, Aeris was there and pushed them away.

There's always another wound to discover

There's always something more you wish he said

" Come in Cloud. I didn't expect to see you." Tifa ushered her old friend into her huge house. They sat down at the kitchen table, across from each other. " So what brings you here to Kalm?"

"Teef...." Cloud paused searching for words. " Tifa, I'm going to be blunt. I am....dying."

Tifa covered her mouth with her hands. " Oh god..."

But you'll just tight

And watch it unwind

It's only what your asking for

" Oh my god, Cloud...." Tifa shook her head. Inside Cloud brightened. Does that mean that she loves me?

Cloud leaned foward to kiss or hug her, but she moved back.

" What are you doing?"

" Don't you love me?"

" Your my friend, Cloud...but....I don't love you. Your my friend though."

You'll be just fine

With all of your time

It's only what your waiting for

Inside Cloud's heart hurt. Somehow he knew -guessed?- that if none of his other friends wanted to see him the she wouldn't either.

He turned and left.

Out of the island

And into the highway

Past the places where you might have turned

He left Kalm and traveled throught the places that he and his 'friends' had been. But this time he had a final destination.

Past the Chocobo Farm where they'd caught their first chocobo. Near Mythril Mines where they'd first seen Sephiroth's power. Into Mythril Mines where he, Tifa and Red XIII had run into the Turks. Onward and onward....until he reached the City of Ancients, Aeris Gainsborough, last Cetra's, resting place.

You never did notice

But still you hide away from

The anger of angels who won't return

He stood on the beach of the water in front of Aeris's grave. Cloud closed his eyes and waded out towards her. When he reached the spot where he'd lowered her down, he stared into the cool, clear water and wondered:

Did she love him?

I am everything you want

I am everything you need

I am everything inside of you

That you wish you could be

Why couldn't Tifa care about him as he cared about her? He was charming, hansome and hero-ish. He was her friend and nothing more.

I say all the right things

At exactly the right time

But I mean nothing to you

And I don't know why

They'd talked so much....Cloud had thought that Tifa loved him and that he loved her and after the Meteor everything would be perfect.

Oh, well. It would be her loss, then.

He dove foward into the water, down, down towards Aeris Gainsborough's prone body. And he never returned to the surface.....

I don't know why

Why

I don't know

A/N: I wrote this in like ten minutes andI think it shows. R & R please!