Just Like Heaven
Hello friends! Some of you may or may not recognize the title, the story is loosely based on the 2005 film „Just Like Heaven" from Mark Waters. I watched the movie today and immediately thought of Zack, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith…etc.
(sweat drop) Probably some of you may get tired of me writing more Zifa fics than Cloti but I don't know…I'm just sort of in the mood pairing "Zack X Tifa" up :3. I'll write more stories about other animes (maybe even movies again) when I find more time, but with this limited time it's difficult really.
WARNING: There are of course differences from the movie, I won't write it exactly as it is in the movie but you'll understand the story a lot better If you watch the movie first. Just a suggestion folks! Enjoy! (bows)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the altered plot! Mark Waters directed "Just Like Heaven"!
Chapter 1: Introduction
Tifa sighed as she continued serving her customers drinks, smiling happily at them.
As another patron called her name to get another refill, her best friend Yuffie shouted over the noise:" Tifa! Move your ass back over here! I need your help!",
The brunette sighed as she quickly served her customer his drink before speeding towards the back room where her best friend was at.
Tifa Lockhart, bartender of the famous bar 7th Heaven in Edge where all sorts of people come in and try to forget their worries of the day and loosen up.
Though Tifa's bar had a …special something to it.
At the same time it was also Cloud Strife's home, from where he operated his delivery business called "The Strife Delivery Service".
Tifa asked as she entered the storage room:" What is it Yuffie?",
Her smaller best female friend Yuffie Kisaragi complained:" We are out of booze!",
Tifa eyed the various shelves filled with liquor; wine, tequila, beer, fruity drinks, non-alcoholic beverages and scotch.
She said:" No we are not.",
She noticed the puppy look her friend was giving her, Yuffie said:" But Tiifaaa! That's not enough!",
She rolled her eyes, her friend was pregnant and she was constantly getting mood swings.
Tifa ushered her upstairs in the living quarters, she scolded:" Yuffie, you're pregnant! You shouldn't even be anywhere near the bar! You know I promised Vincent!",
Ah yes, Vincent Valentine. Yuffie's husband and police officer, a terrifying one at that.
He was a very calm individual, Tifa only ever saw him lose his composure when someone threatened his wife…or friends.
With that said, he was also very protective. She could only imagine how he would point his unique three barreled gun at each boys head who would like to date his future daughter.
Tifa shook her head and said:" Please, I don't want Vincent to worry and the bar is no sort of environment for a pregnant woman.",
Yuffie groaned in frustration and said:" Ugh, alright, alright. I'm going…",
Tifa sighed as she helped Yuffie lay in her bed and walked quickly back down the stairs.
She smiled and greeted cheerfully when she saw who was sitting on the bar stool in front of the bar:" Cloud!",
The blonde immediately spotted her and smiled, once she was close enough he asked:" How are you doing Tifa?",
Tifa smiled and replied:" Good, good. How are you?",
Cloud shrugged and said:" Fine. Busy with deliveries.",
She smiled and nodded, she asked him:" What would you like to drink?",
He said:" Just water please. Don't feel like drinking tonight.",
She rose an eyebrow at his sullen demeanor.
Cloud wasn't a drinker, only drinking a little at festivities or when the occasion called for it but now he looked downright depressed.
Tifa rested a hand on his shoulder and asked concerned:" Cloud? What happened?",
The man sighed heavily before he placed a ring on the polished, wooden surface of the counter.
Tifa's eyes widened.
Cloud said miserably:" She left me, Tifa.",
Her burgundy eyes widened and she asked in surprise:" W-what? But why?! You guys were already planning everything for the wedding!",
Cloud grit his teeth and he said:" She…she said I was never home… she said she didn't want to compete with my job or with 7the Heaven and you.",
Tifa drew back, surprised.
Thankfully only Cloud was sitting at the bar counter so they could talk more or less in private.
She asked:" What do you mean?",
Cloud shook his head and replied:" I don't know! She said if I wasn't constantly working then I would immediately come to 7th Heaven and talk to you before going home to her. She said she felt like I cheated on her.",
Cloud's gaze dropped to the wood, his whole demeanor depressed.
Tifa gently grabbed one of his hands and said:" But Cloud, you aren't only talking to me. You hang out with all our friends when you come here. And you would never do that Cloud! You're not like that!",
She crossed her arms, her gaze softened and she asked:" Should I talk to her? Maybe I could change her mind.",
Cloud shook his blonde head and replied with finality:" It's over Tifa.",
The young, brunette sighed heavily.
She moved around the bar counter in order to sit next to her best male friend, draping an arm around his shoulders and offering him comfort.
It was difficult for Tifa to place her emotions right now…
She always fancied Cloud, maybe even more than she was allowed to.
They were friends from childhood, they knew each-other the longest out of all of their friends.
Tifa had developed something of deep feelings for her best friend and at one point it even seemed he returned them until…
She came.
Aerith Gainsborough…
Don't get her wrong. Aerith and Tifa were good friends, but when Cloud and Aerith had gotten together it crushed any hope Tifa had ever left of them being together.
So she accepted the fact and resigned to her work, working at ungodly hours, having occasional nightmares…etc.
Tifa said with determination:" No! It's not over! I'll try talking to her Cloud, let me at least try.",
Cloud looked at her, his eyes sad.
He suddenly hugged her close to himself, Tifa's heart vaguely skipped a beat.
He whispered:" Thank you a lot Teef…I don't know what I would do without you.",
She sighed and hugged him back.
When they broke apart she assigned Johnny, her occasional assistant, to run the bar while she went to talk to Aerith.
She phoned her so they could meet up at a small café nearby.
As Tifa was waiting for Aerith to arrive she politely thanked the waiter who brought her coffee for her and her friend.
Finally Aerith was walking towards where Tifa was sitting, in her usual long pink dress and light red jacket.
Tifa felt slightly uncomfortable but she shook the feeling off.
Aerith sipped some of her coffee before asking with an unusually hard look in her bright green eyes:" What did you want to talk to me about Tifa?",
Tifa sighed heavily and said:" I…I heard that you and Cloud have some problems…maybe I could help?",
It seemed Tifa did the wrong thing by mentioning Cloud, Aerith grit her teeth in anger.
She said:" Oh really? Did Cloud tell you that? Of course, he did he always runs to you.",
Aerith's surprised expression suggested she hadn't meant to say that out loud.
Tifa placed her hand on Aerith's and said softly:" Aerith, please understand. You know Cloud is not the type to cheat. We are just childhood best friends. And the others were always with us at the bar, you know that too.",
Aerith said:" Tifa, my own fiancé, who is working till the late hours of the night, first comes to his childhood best friend and talks to her for hours before he comes home to his own fiancée. Of course, I'm starting to get extremely suspicious!",
Before Tifa could defend Cloud Aerith interrupted her:" And don't you dare defend him Tifa! I know you two are close and I had to endure it every time one of your friends like Cid or Barret joke about you two being the perfect match! Can't you understand how much it hurts to see the one you love with another?",
Tifa's heart clenched painfully at that, oh she knew.
Tifa had had enough. If not even Cloud nor her could change Aerith's mind then it was over.
Tifa stood up, put the right amount of money on the coffee table and briskly left.
She could hear Aerith calling after her, but she paid it no mind as she continued her trek back towards her beloved bar and her beloved best friend.
"W-what will happen to him doctor? Why isn't he waking up? It's been weeks!",
"I'm afraid his body couldn't sustain itself without putting him into a artificial sleep. It gives his body a chance to regenerate and heal the damage, it could take months for him to recover. His wounds have been grave...",
The doctor left, leaving the small group of friends and family gathered around a man with wild, black hair, a "X" shaped scar on the left side of his chin, covered in a thin white sheet.
A tube was attached to his mouth, assisting him in breathing.
The heart monitor was beeping steadily.
A man in his early thirties, the patient's closest friend Angeal, said:" Zack…",
His almost glowing blues eyes fixed on the form of his comatose friend.
Zack Fair.
Soo….how was it? Sorry guys not Cloti this time XD. I was maybe thinking of reversing it, placing Tifa in a coma and Zack moving into her apartment…etc (like in the movie) but then it wouldn't have worked out with the whole "Clerith" thing and Tifa losing the love of her life by Cloud loving and moping after another. Well, please tell me what you think! Greatly appreciated!