A/N: A songfic written using Nickelback's Far Away. Hope you like it! Oh, and what's in the "" is a memory, thoughts are in ('), and Zack's speech is in italics and quotation marks. Lyrics are in bold italics. Reviews are loved, please review, it helps me to write better, and it inspires me to know people actually enjoyed my work. Enjoy!

This time, this place,
Misused, mistakes,
Too long, too late,
Who was I to make you wait?

"I'll be back in a couple days, Tifa, I've gotta make a delivery to the next continent." Cloud walked up to his companion, pulling her into a warm farewell embrace, kissing her cheek lightly as he pulled back. "See you in a bit, okay?"

"Be safe, Cloud," the barmaid responded, shooting Cloud a sideways glance. She eyed the package he was carrying. "What exactly are you delivering?"

"Oh, uh... A bunch of stuff. I'll be back as soon as I can be, okay? Bye, Teef."

Tifa looked at the package strangely again, before replying. "Bye, Cloud."

Cloud sighed as he sat on the edge of the cliff, remembering the day he left Tifa for the second time, two months before. 'Why do I have to be so weak? Why can't I just tell her when I'm sick, or when I'm hurting? Why do I have to hurt her like this? I'm probably the world's biggest jerk, running away twice without telling her where I'm going or why I'm leaving, leaving her with two kids to look after and a bar to run all by herself... Forget jerk; I'm an asshole.'

"You can say that again," Zack's voice rang from inside his head.

'Zack?'

"Yeah, buddy?"

'Leave me alone...'

Just one chance, just one breath,
Just in case there's just one left,
'Cos you know, you know, you know.

"You should go back and talk to her."

'Tifa?'

"Yeah, even though I know it's coming up on Aeris death and your feeling real guilty, I think you should go back and see her 'cos she might be able to take your mind of it, or at least help you through it."

"Cloud?"

'Yeah?'

"She loves you. And I know you love her back. And I know that you know that you love her." Zack paused for a second, before continuing. "Are you scared she'll be mad at you?"

'I don't know...'

"Cloud, she's not mad. Aeris was talking to her a little while back, and she's been crying every night you've been gone. She just wants you back."

'Crying?...Oh, Gaia, I'm such an asshole.'

"Nah, you just need to learn how to talk to her when you're upset, that's all. She's easy to talk to, too."

'Yeah...'

"You gonna go back to see her then?"

'Yeah...'

I love you, I loved you all along
I miss you, been far away for far too long,

The next morning, Cloud had packed his belongings, and was mounting Fenrir to head back to the inn. "You scared?" Zacks' voice rang in his mind.

'Hell, yeah.'

"She's not mad at you."

'I know but...'

Zack sighed. "And to think you wanted to be a great SOLIDER. You're scared of a woman who isn't even pissed at you! She just wants you home, buddy."

Cloud sighed. 'I miss her.'

"What do you miss about her?"

Cloud rolled his eyes. 'Why do you care?'

"'Cos I think you and her are perfect for each other. That and I love how your eyes light up when you talk about her."

'They do?' Cloud raised an eyebrow.

"Yep... You're in love with her, buddy. Admit it." Cloud could feel Zack smiling in his head, and he didn't like it.

I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go,
Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore.

Tifa sat bolt upright, looking around her room, and still feeling the imaginary warmth of Cloud beside her on her bed from her dream. Tears filled the woman's eyes, though, as she realized that it was all a creation of her imagination. Cloud was still gone, and she had no idea where to find him. He'd even left his cell phone behind, so she couldn't contact him that way. "Cloud..." his name escaped her lips as the tears started to fall more constantly, and tiny sobs started to shake her shoulders. "Where the hell are you? Please..." A sob cut her off as she pleaded for him with the still air. "Please, come home..."

On my knees I'll ask,
Last chance for one last dance,
'Cos with you I'd withstand,
All of hell to hold your hand,

The familiar roar of an motorcycle engine pulled Tifa from her tears and thoughts. 'Cloud?!' Tifa dashed to the window, looking at the spot where he always parked his bike, and seeing the blond getting off, fixing his windblown spikes and stretching his shoudlers, working out the kinks from being crouched over the handle bars for hours. Her breath quickened in shock, and she ran for the stairs, praying she wouldn't fall in her haste to get down. Fumbling with the door, Tifa dashed out to where Cloud had started to head for the inn, throwing herself at him, with him catching her gently in his strong arms. "Cloud! Oh, Cloud!" The tears were flowing again, this time in joy, and she felt a couple wet drops hit her neck as he held her. "I missed you..."

"I missed you, too..." His voice trembled, and Tifa buried her head in his chest, crying quietly for a minute, before pulling away.

"Come on, inside... You can tell me why you decided to run when over a cup of coffee."

"Tifa?"

"Yeah, Cloud?" Tifa turned back to where the blond stood, looking at his form as he stood with his head lowered.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry I left... I'm sorry I hurt you... I'm-"

"Cloud..." Tifa walked back over to the warrior, taking his hands gently in hers. "Come on..." And with that, she started to lead him back to the inn.

I'd give it all, I'd give for us,
Give anything but I won't give up,
'Cos you know, you know, you know.

Tifa left Cloud at a booth, walking into the kitchen to get them both a cup of coffee. "Black?" she called, making sure she was right in remembering how he liked his beverage.

"Yeah," came his reply.

"Okay." Tifa walked back out, carrying two mugs of hot liquid. "When was the last time you ate anything, Cloud?"

"Not for a while..."

"Want some breakfast?" Tifa sat down across from Cloud, sliding his cup over the table to him. Cloud shook his head at her offer. "You feeling okay?"

'Yeah, besides being about to bring up my boots with nervousness a few seconds ago.' "I'm fine," Cloud answered.

"Okay... so tell me," she paused to take a sip of her coffee, "Where were you?"

Cloud sighed, fiddling with the handle on his mug. "The church..."

"Again?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh, Cloud..." Tifa got up and moved to the other side of the table, pulling him into her arms. "Feeling miserable again, about it all?"

"Yeah..." Cloud let himself be held, leaning into Tifa's touch as she gently rubbed his shoulders. "I just... I feel like it's my fault... that...she's gone..."

"It isn't."

"I know... but..." Cloud sighed. "What's life been like here in the past couple months?"

I love you, I loved you all along
I miss you, been far away for far too long,

"Hectic. The kids are in school, so I'm running back and forth to pick them up and drop them off, or asking Vincent to. And the bar hasn't been running well so..."

"Vincent?..." Cloud looked down at the dark brown, almost black liquid in his mug. "...Have you two gotten closer since I left?"

"Yes... a little. He lives closer to here than anyone else, and he's really quite good with the kids. He's extremely understanding, and he's always around. He's been helping in the bar and with the kids ever since you left..."

"Oh..."

"He's not replacing you, Cloud."

"...Yeah..."

"Your still special, and Vincent isn't taking over what you mean to me... I missed you the whole time you were gone. I cried every night when you didn't come back in a couple days. I thought I'd done something that would make you leave... but... Aeris talked to me... she told me that you were safe, and she'd try to convince you to come home... I talked with her for a while... it was almost... it was almost as if she wasn't dead... Like she was right there, in my room..."

"...I'm sorry, I let her-"

"Stop blaming yourself." Tifa interrupted.

"So... how'd Vincent get pulled into this?"

I keep dreaming you'll be with and you'll never go,
Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore.

"I'll be honest... After, you were gone for a month, I thought you left for good. I thought I was all alone, and that no one cared. I... I tried to kill myself, Cloud." Tifa paused, watching in concern as Cloud head collided with his arms on the table, a tiny sob escaping his lips.

"I'm sorry... I'm-"

"Cloud, shh... I'm here, I'm fine, it's okay... shh..." Tifa rubbed his back as she continued. "Vincent started to stay over here. For about three weeks, he lived here, making sure I was okay, and going with me everywhere. He was really worried, and he was really pissed at you for leaving. He blamed you for my attempt... I blame myself. I wasn't strong enough to just...keep going. Move on. Know that you were gone, and just carry on with life. I realized how much I care for you, and how dependent I am on your presence over those months..."

So far away, so far away, been far away for far too long,
So far away, so far away, been far away for far too long,

Cloud rasied his head, only enough to speak without sounding muffled. "...Your... dependent... on my being here?"

"I suppose I must be."

"Oh... I'm so glad to be back."

"Why?" Tifa asked, cocking her head sideways, in the same manner that Cloud had always loved.

"'Cos... I missed you..."

Tifa smiled widely, hugging Cloud again. "Oh, Cloud..."

But you know, you know, you know,
I wanted, I wanted you to stay,
'Cos I needed, I need to hear you say,

"Tifa... Do you love me?"

Tifa pulled back at the sudden question. "Yes, I love you."

"Good, 'cos I love you, too." Cloud brought her back into his arms, cradling her against his chest, and stroking her hair as she snuggled against him.

"Cloud..."

"Yeah?"

"It's good to have you back, and I never want you to leave again."

"I'm not gonna..."

I love you, I loved you all along
I forgive you, We've been away for far too long,

The pair sat for a while in each others arms, a comfortable silence coming between the two, before Cloud broke it, pulling away from Tifa, placing his hands on her upper arms and looking into her eyes. "Do you really love me?"

Tifa cocked an eyebrow skyward. "Yes, Cloud, I really love you."

"And do you forgive me for leaving?"

"Yes, I forgive you..." Tifa continued to shoot Cloud a look of curiousity, wondering what he was getting at.

"Good... 'cos I have an imprtant question to ask you."

"And what's that?"

Cloud pulled away from Tifa, getting out of the booth and going down one knee on the floor, facing Tifa, whiling pulling out a ring box, and flipping it open with one hand. Tifa gasped. "Tifa, all my life, I've wanted to be with you forever. I know that I've been a bit of an ass, what with leaving you and all, but I promise I'll change. I promise I'll stay here, and that I'll never run away again. I really, really love you, Tifa, more than anyone in the world, even Aeris. And I figured out what she meant to me; she was almost like a sister to me, and that's all I loved her as. But you...Gaia, you're different. I love you so much, and I'm so sorry for running, and well, I guess what I'm trying to say is... Will you marry me, Tifa?"

So keep breathing, 'Cos I'm not leaving you anymore,
Believe it, hold onto me and never let me go.

Tears filled Tifa's eyes. "Cloud..."

"Yeah?" Concern flickered across his face, and he worried that he'd made a bad move.

"Yes."

'Oh. My. God.' "Really?"

"Yes, really."

Cloud let a sigh of relief and joy, slipping the ring onto Tifa's finger, before standing up and kissing her passionately, pulling away after a few minutes. "I love you, Tifa."

"I love you, too, Cloud."

Cloud smiled to himself. 'Zack?'

"Yeah, buddy?"

'Thanks for the courage.'

"No problem, buddy."

A/N: Well? What did you think? Tell me! Please review, like I said it helps me become a better writer and it only takes a minute!