End Of The Beginning

by Bronze Warlock

This is what I want to happen when FFVII ends.

Author's Note: I like to think that Cloud isn't as stupid as everyone seems to think he is…for that matter, I'm also (and this is just me) of the school known as "AERIS IS DEAD, KAPUT, ROADKILL, IN TERMINAL DREAMLAND, SO GET OVER IT."

The End Of The Beginning

Sephiroth stood there, accepting the unspoken challenge. Cloud simply stared at him with hate-filled Mako-blue eyes. He thought of all the suffering Sephiroth had inflicted on him…the Jenova creatures…twisted truths Sephiroth had used to make Cloud doubt himself…Aeris…her face as the wicked blade went through her…the end of that beautiful creature…the smile that lifted darkness…

With a start, Cloud rushed forward, unleashing a vicious barrage of sword-strokes. Sephiroth, unprepared for the onslaught, reeled as each blow took its toll. Slash after slash cut across the legendary soldier as Cloud took out all of his pain and frustration on Sephiroth. When it was over, Sephiroth dropped to his knees, defeated, as the Lifestream dissolved his body into nothing.

Cloud looked where the silver-haired villain had fallen. It's over, finally. Then he looked up, to see a hand reaching for him…Aeris…I'm coming…I have to tell you something…something very important…

Tifa reached for Cloud as the ledge began to give way. His hand touched hers, she gripped for all she was worth. The Lifestream had spit him out just as Holy began to wake up. Cloud's eyes lost some of the glazed look, and Tifa strained to hold him over the shimmery-green river.

"Did you beat him?" She asked as the cavern began to quake.

"Yeah, I got him," was all Cloud could manage.

The ground under Tifa's feet suddenly gave way, and they both fell. Cloud managed to reach an overhand of rock just yards above the emerald flow. They just hung there, Cloud with a firm hold on the stone, Tifa with her hands locked around his waist.

"Maybe we can make it to the Promised Land now," said Cloud. "Maybe we can see…her…again."

"Yes, perhaps," Tifa replied, and buried her face in his chest, trying to hide the tears streaking down her face.

After Meteor and Holy took their toll on Midgar, Cid looked at his comrades. "Alright, where can I drop you guys off at?"

Barrett broke in first. "Drop me at Kalm. I gotta see if Marlene's okay, and we may as well tell Elmyra about…what happened to Aeris."

"What about all this extra materia? What are you gonna do with it? Can I take it with me back to Wutai?" asked Yuffie before running back to the hall, an interesting shade of green running across her face.

"Cosmo Canyon, if you please." Red XIII's tail glowed with satisfaction.

"Drop me off at the Cave," said Vincent.

"Hell, it's on my way anyway," said Cid. "Cloud? Tifa? What about you guys?"

Cloud just looked out the window "The forgotten city."

Cid started in surprise. "What the hell you wanna go back to that ^!@# place for?"

The Highwind dropped into the Bone village.

Cloud stood looking at the old shell house. Going in would do no good, as it had flooded in right after Aeris' murder, so he couldn't return to the altar anyway. It didn't matter much. He could still feel her here, in the pond where she rested. It was here that he knew what he must say. He looked into the blue of the pond.

"I understand many things now, Aeris. How I feel about you…how I feel about lots of things now. I avenged you, and Sephiroth can't hurt you, or anyone else, ever again.

"I did love you, and I know that you loved me. We really just never had the chance to see it through. Sometimes I wonder how much of your love for me was based on Zack, may he rest in peace. The fact remains that it was real. But she loved me even when she knew who and what I am. She knew it better than I did.

"I can't spend my life dreaming of something I can't have. I have to go on living now. There's still so much to do and I don't want to be alone. I don't want to spend the rest of my life like Vincent, mourning someone. Especially when there is someone else who loves me. Truly, I think she loves me more than you did, and I was too blinded to understand.

"I like to think you'd understand. I'm sure you do. You're a big part of my past, like she is…but I want her in my future as well. You were everything I wanted, before I really understood what I wanted."

The area around the pond was silent. Cloud looked around, almost expecting a response, though he knew there would be none.

Tifa just sat in her quarters on the Highwind. She had no idea what to do, now. Cloud had told Cid to wait here, but he hadn't come back in almost two days. A tiny smile crossed her lips as she imagined Cid on the bridge letting loose with a string of profanity about that #@&((#$$! spiky-headed **!&@@% keeping him from going home. Keeping him from doing right by Shera, whatever that meant.

Tifa's smile began to fade as she thought about what that might mean. Doing right by Shera…marriage? She certainly loves him…could it lead to that? At least…I guess that won't be my fate.

About that time, she heard the Highwind's engines start. As she opened the door to head for the bridge, she stopped. There, framed in the doorway, was Cloud. In his hand, he held a small flower, and looked, for all the world, like a frightened little boy.

"Hi, Tifa."

"Hello, Cloud."

He quickly thrust out his hand. "I picked it for you on the way back. I hope you like it."

She smiled, and accepted the gift. "It's lovely, Cloud."

He smiled the smile of a man on his way to an execution. "Can we talk?"

"Sure, come on in."

He quickly stepped in and sat down beside her on the bed. Cloud just stared at the floor for a minute, as if psyching up. "This is pretty difficult for me to say. I mean, you've been my best friend for a long time. And I want you to know…"

"You don't have to say anything." Cloud looked up to see the tears on her cheeks. Tifa continued. "I understand. You love Aeris, you'll always love Aeris, and you can never love anyone but Aeris. I know all that. But, dammit, please don't try to let me down easy, Cloud…"

"Tifa, that's not what I came here to say. Or do, for that matter." Cloud stood up. "Oh hell, there's only one way to do it."

With that, he grabbed her face with both hands, and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her shock and elation, he felt her relax, and the kiss was returned. After a long while, Tifa broke the kiss.

"Cloud, there's something we need to get straight right now."

He looked at her, confused.

"It's very simple. The last few weeks have been hell for me. Watching you with her, seeing you mooning over her after she was killed…do you have any idea how horrible that was?"

Cloud only shook his head no.

"And now, this whole thing is over. Here you are. And that's part of my problem."

Cloud looked at her, waiting.

She took a deep breath. "I've waited for this for a long time. But if I'm just your choice because Aeris is dead, if I'm you're second choice, you can get out of my room now."

Cloud hung his head. "Do you know where I was the last couple of days?"

"Probably in the forgotten city."

"That's right. And do you know what I was doing there?"

"No, but I expect you're going to tell me."

"Right again. I was thinking. Trying to sort out my feelings. Then I realized something."

He stood up and looked at her. "I had the most wonderful thing in the world, and I almost threw it away. Aeris saw Zack in me. But you…" he sat back down, and took her hand. "You saw me. The real me. When I was in the life stream, you came and got me. She couldn't have done that. It isn't settling, since you're what I wanted all along. I had to be here, to understand. It was just something I had to do. And I had to make sure I knew what I wanted to say to you."

"Well, if that's what you came to do, what did you come to say to me?" A teasing little smile crossed her lips.

Cloud smiled back, knowing the words easily. "I love you, Tifa Lockhart, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

She took a deep breath. "And I love you, Cloud Strife. I feel the same way. And now I'm going to show you how much." With that, she smiled and slowly walked toward the door, locking it.

And the last thing she saw before she turned the lights off was realization flooding Cloud's face.

A small glint of light poked through the curtains, catching Cloud right across the face. He opened one eye, and looked around the room, then down at the brunette angel nestled up against him. A smile touched his face as he stroked her sleep-tousled hair. Slowly, she lifted her head and gazed into his Mako-blue eyes.

"Morning, my love."

"Morning, Mrs. Strife."

Her smiled got a little brighter. "I like the sound of that."

"Me, too." Cloud sat up a little. "So, what shall we do today?"

Tifa laughed. "Well, we could always stay in." Cloud's eyebrows went up. "Or we could check out some of the other attractions at the Saucer."

Cloud and Tifa strolled casually around Wonder Square. For a wedding present, Reeve had gotten them "full no-cost" passes at the Gold Saucer. The plan for today was to make Dio regret the Honeymoon Package.

"Want to try the snowboard?" asked Cloud.

"Are you kidding? I almost killed myself on the thing going down the Glacier." Tifa shook her head. "I think I'd like to give the submarine a try, though."

Just then, a loud string of curses and swearing broke through the room. Tifa and Cloud turned to see Cid at the wrestling game, losing to Shera.

"!@@&(&&!#!" Cid yelled in frustration.

"I'd say sorry, sweetheart, but you told me not to." Shera looked up at the Highwind's owner. "Besides, it's nice to know I can beat you at something."

"Yeah, but thirty-four *$W@@% times straight?"

Shera shrugged. "Well, after the rocket launched, I didn't have a whole lot to do. That's when I found out the Inn has this same game."

"Sweetheart?!?" yelled Cloud and Tifa in unison.

Cid turned, red-faced, to the newlyweds. "Yeah, we kept it pretty quiet." He held up Shera's left hand and his own, sporting matching gold bands. "I don't know of any other women who could put up with me like she does."

After mutual congratulations, and Cid's warning to keep the losing streak a secret, Cid and Shera disappeared, supposedly for the Chocobo races. Tifa leaned into Cloud's chest, and they simply stood there, watching the people, knowing that, for however long it lasted, they were together, in love, and nothing could touch them.