a/n: I am in serious doubt of awesome update times like A Time For Love...Since I have no bloody clue where this is going. I wanted lyrics at the beginning, just because I've seen this done, and I wanted to do it for each chapter...but...I know not enough songs to do that...so I settled with just the title...so ah well, maybe the next story? PEACE
Come Together
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me
Unwelcome Guest
Tifa put the last of the clean dishes up into the cabinet, standing on tip toe to push it up into the cabinet. Brushing her hands on her hips, she rocked back on the balls of her feet. Cloud would be home soon, unless a last minute delivery came up. She rubbed her shoulder, careful not to damage the ring on her left ring finger. Pearls were easily damaged. There's a vase with yellow roses sitting on the bar. Cloud brought them to her yesterday. She sniffs one, placing a hand on her stomach, smiling. There's a slight noise from the door, and she turns slightly, catching a soaked customer coming in through the door. Glancing up at the clock, she smiled. Ten till nine, ten till closing.
"Cutting it a bit close?" She asked.
The man saw the time, "Yeah...just wanted a quick beer before I headed home."
Tifa grasped a glass, making a move to fill it up.
"Has the rain let up any at all?"
"Nah...put a damper on the work I was doing too."
"Really, what was that?" She asked, handing him his drink.
"Brother just moved to town, we were workin on his new house..."
"Oh, I see."
"Yeah...ya got any bread, or something?"
Tifa nodded her head, turning around. She heard him reach for it, so it was no surprise when she heard him jump the bar. Turning swiftly, she caught his knife hand, twisting it, the knife clattering to the floor. Whipping him around she pulled him into a head lock, his hand twisted behind his back.
"You honestly didn't think that would work, did you?" She asked calmly.
"AIIIEEE!" Tifa's eyes went wide, shocked.
"Marlene..." She breathed.
"It worked exactly how I planned it." The man said, as Tifa released him.
She ran, legs pumping, taking the stairs three at a time. She came to a dead halt in the hallway. Four or five men stood there. She didn't care how many, she just had to get to the children. Launching herself into attack, she took down one man easily. A part of her mind registered the fact that a couple more men came out of the children's room, dragging Marlene and Denzel before them. Tifa's rage flared even more.
She knew it would be hard to fight in the enclosed space, but she wasn't going to let them take Denzel and Marlene. She blocked the man with the metal pipe once, while striking out at another. It was then she heard the gun cock from the stairs, and she twisted quickly, but not quickly enough.
The bullet seared through her skin, nicking her right collar bone before sailing out through her back, the bullet embedded in the wall behind her. She instinctively reached up, holding her burning shoulder, turning back towards Marlene and Denzel.
She met the metal pipe. It made a ringing sound as it struck her about the left side of her face, sending her stumbling backwards. The world swam before her eyes, color spots playing about in her vision. She felt her foot miss the stair behind her, and she went tumbling down, rolling about, slamming into every stair before sliding to a stop on her side, her head resting on the landing.
"TIFA!" Denzel and Marlene screamed from somewhere.
Tifa groaned, rolling onto her back, hearing a man roar out in frustration. Denzel sunk his teeth into the man's hand, making a break for Tifa. Slipping down the steps, he yanked off his jacket, remembering Cloud's lesson.
'Pressure...pressure will stop the bleeding.'
Denzel wrapped the jacket about Tifa's collarbone, and she winced as Denzel pressed on it. He took her right hand, and pressed it onto the collarbone.
"Pressure Tifa!" He yelled, knowing his fate.
The man's hand sank into his hair, yanking him up roughly. Denzel let out a howl of frustration, as he tried to swing at the man who had shot Tifa.
"Son of a bitch!" He screamed.
It was just like before. Tifa got hurt trying to save him, and he could do nothing.
Tifa barley registered the fact that the man was gazing at her now. She could see Denzel struggling, and hear the other men descending the stairs. They stepped over her, a few kicking her sides. She heard Marlene's screams of protestation, and Denzel's harsh curses he picked up from Cid and Barret. Her vision began to blur, and she felt herself fading fast.
The last thing she heard was "Pathetic."
o
O
o
Cloud parked Fenrir just outside the bar, letting out a tired yawn. He glanced over his shoulder, the sun beginning to break the horizon.
Tifa will murder me.
Cloud couldn't help it, though. That last delivery. The stupid man had given him the wrong address, the real address in the complete opposite direction. He was never delivering for that man again.
The first and last time. But still, Tifa didn't answer the phone, so maybe I have a chance of her being asleep.
It was possible. On more than one occasion he had come home to Tifa sleeping on the couch. He would eat supper, watching her sleep, then carry her up to bed with him. He smiled, loving doing that. Most of the world didn't realize how human Cloud was. He did things just like every other guy. Tifa would always con him into taking out the trash, he had read bed time stories before, although normally he just stood and watched Tifa do that. On more than one occasion he had buried a loved pet, whether that loved pet was a cat or a grasshopper. Yes, a grasshopper, a grasshopper named Manny. One more name tacked up to those not to mention. The worst was Biscuit. Marlene hasn't eaten a biscuit since.
Cloud smiled, not believing his good fortune. Sometimes it was hard to believe after everything that had happened, he was living a normal life.
He reached out, grasping the door knob lightly and froze. A shiver ran up his spine, his finger tips tingled. This feeling, this feeling was rare. After defeating Sephiroth twice, you figure a man like him wouldn't have this feeling, but he did. Fear. Ultimate fear. He had realized not to long ago, once you had yourself a family, fear comes out more frequently and easily, especially with two children and the woman you love running a bar. Of course, it did help that the woman he loved could cause some damage. Still, this fear, this fear was different.
Something was wrong; something was very wrong.
He twisted the doorknob, stepping in quickly, his eyes darting about the room.
"Tifa!" He shouted.
He didn't care anymore if he did get in trouble for being home late, or, well early, he just had to find Tifa.
"Tifa!"
He made a move for the bar, stopping dead at what he saw. Cid was there, sitting at the bar, a glass in his hand. Barret was there also, sitting on the steps, his eyes on the floor. His red, puffy, watery eyes on the floor.
"Cid? Barret?"
They both looked up, completely unaware of his presence until that moment.
"Cloud..." Cid said softly.
Barret said nothing.
Why did he call me Cloud? Where's Spike? Spike-o? Crazy jerk-ass Spike for being late?
"Did Tifa call you? I know I'm late..."
Cid shook his head slowly.
"We got here last night...and we found her."
"What?" Cloud asked, his voice a whisper.
"The neighbors called us...they were afraid to come over, but they knew Tifa was strong...but still...when they heard that gunshot-
"What!" Cloud rushed forward, gripping Cid's arms.
He winced, but said nothing.
"What happened! Where's Tifa?"
"Cloud." A hand on his shoulder
Cloud turned prepared to strike, but he stopped mid-punch. It was only Vincent.
"Vincent...what happened?"
Cloud met Vincent's eyes.
Was that sadness?
"Oh...oh God."
Cloud made a run for the stairs, but Vincent caught his arm.
"Cloud, calm down."
"No! Get off!" He wrenched Vincent away, stumbling towards the landing.
Barret's eyes still on the landing.
The landing.
The red landing.
Blood.
"No...no...Tifa!"
Cloud pushed past Barret. He needn't bother, Barret hadn't moved a muscle since they'd found her.
Flinging open the door to her room, he skidded to a halt. He felt his heart in his throat, he stopped breathing.
She's dead...she's...dead.
Cloud walked over slowly, in a surreal state of mind. Reaching out he touched her lightly.
A breath.
Cloud felt his senses tingle, relief rushing through his body. He fell to his knees beside her bed, gasping for air. He stood slowly, still shaking, using the bed for support. This time, he really looked at her.
It was awful. The left side of her face was bruised up and swollen past recognition. There was blood in her hair, and her right shoulder and collarbone had been wrapped up with bandages, a small circular blood stain seeping through. There were bruises on her arms. He looked down, slowly lifting up her hand.
She stirred, wincing. Her good eye opened slightly.
"Cloud?"
"Shh...it's okay...it's okay, I'm here."
She smiled, or at least attempted to.
Then she lost all attempt, her face scrunching up in tears.
"They...they took them didn't they?" She breathed, and Cloud didn't need to ask who.
He stood, anger pumping in his veins. He released her hand, squeezing his fists, his nails bitting into his palms.
"No Cloud." Tifa pleaded.
Cloud looked down, calmed immediately.
"Please stay." She whispered, feebly reaching her hand out towards him.
Cloud held back threatening tears, and pulled off his gloves, and kicked off his boots. He sat on the bed beside of her, slowly laying down so that he could look at her. Her good eye followed him, and he took up her hand.
"Stay..." She whispered slightly, drifting into sleep.
Cloud's eyes didn't close, he just sat there, prepared to do anything to get Denzel and Marlene back, to do anything to make someone pay for what had happened to Tifa.
a/n: Morbid chapter, I know...and I can't help it, that scene in AC where Denzel shouts son of a bitch...I don't know...that was probably the cutest way anyone could ever say that...I know, I'm weird, but I felt I should include that in...ya know, a tribute to Denzel's shinning moment...oh and don't worry, you're probably all asking about Cloud and Tifa's relationship...it'll all come sometime soon, that much I do know!