Author's Note: Here's Part Two! I hope you guys are able to follow the flashbacks. It's a lot easier if you read only the flashbacks one after the other, then the actual story. It worked for Rin, anyway...

Anyhoo, I hope you guys enjoy dramatic Pt. 2!

P.S. PLEASE REVIEW!!


Lithium

- A Slightly Twisted CloTi FanFiction -

Cloud heard a tiny sob on the other end.

"Tifa?" the blonde asked guardedly. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," she replied quickly. She was silent, then sobbed again.

"What's wrong?" Cloud repeated worriedly. Suddenly, he realized it. He clutched the receiver in anger. "Is it him? Will he hurt you if he knows you're talking to me? Tifa, he's not beating up on you, is he?"

Tifa's new boyfriend Adrian Kogusa was a crime boss who, Cloud knew, was a very violent man, especially with his girlfriends. And a drunk.

Like me, Cloud thought bitterly, glancing at his pile of bottles.

"No," Tifa answered forcefully, but Cloud knew; he was beating her, if not doing far worse things to her... Tifa could be in serious danger.

He felt rage pour into his veins as he said dangerously, "If he's hurting you -"

"No! It's... it's not that... A-Adrian's good to me. It's just that..." Tifa struggled to say something, then laughed weakly. "It's just so good to hear your voice, Cloud. I've missed you... so much..."

So many feelings and words unspoken flooded Cloud's empty heart. If only she knew that her absence was the reason he drank, to numb the pain of not having her there... To erase the memory of what he had done...


Those words stung harder than anything she had ever said to him. He wiped his bottom lip and growled, "Don't you ever say that."

Tifa set her jaw. She wasn't going to back down. "But it's true, isn't it? I know you dream about her, Cloud! You talk in your sleep..."

"So what if I dream about her? I loved her."

"And you don't love me?"

Cloud turned furiously. "Of course I love you!"

"Then what is it?" Tifa pleaded.

Cloud was quiet. "I'm not going to say anything," he muttered.

"Yeah, that's just like you. You're either silent, or gone. I don't get it, Cloud! She's dead, and I'm here," she cried, her eyes tearing. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"At least I could talk to her!" Cloud exploded.

Tifa recoiled at his outburst, then screamed, "This isn't you! This -" she gestured at his glass, "- has changed you! What happened to you? Where are you?" Her voice was sad and soft as she knelt beside him and searched his haggard face. His turquoise eyes were cold as ice. "Where is the Cloud I wanted to marry?"


"Cloud?" Her voice was as sad and soft as it had been then, but there was a note of fear and urgency. "Are you still -"

"Who the hell is it?" a deep, course voice slurred in the background. Cloud recognized it as Adrian.

Tifa hastily covered the reciever and hid the phone behind her back. "Nobody," Cloud heard her muffled voice say quietly.

"Come back to bed," Adrian called, but it was meant as an order. Cloud's fists tightened. He could picture the sharp cheekbones, the ink-blue eyes, jet-black hair and mocking smile.

"I... I just wanted some fresh air," Tifa lied.

"I thought I heard someone on the phone." He was suspicious. Tifa, please, please, please be alright... Cloud prayed.

"... it must have been a dream."

After a slight pause, Adrian replied, his voice low and smooth, "Don't stay too long. I want you."

Tifa suddenly gasped, and Cloud could only imagine in horror what was happening on the other end.

After a long, agonizing moment, Adrian's slow, heavy footsteps led away.

Cloud suddenly heard Tifa's shallow, shaky breathing. "Tifa?" Cloud asked urgently. He heard a sob, and could almost see her hunched shoulders shaking and her running a hand through her sweaty hair, like she did when she was upset.

"Tifa, please tell me you're alright," Cloud said gently. He could picture her so well in his mind's eyes... he wished he could reach out and touch her, comfort her. "Did he hurt you?"

Tifa sighed angrily. "It never changes. He felt me up, the bastard..."

Cloud closed his eyes in fury. "I'll kill him..."

"No! Cloud, no. I... I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"I... you know how we got drunk a while back... before -"

"Yeah," Cloud cut in hastily.

"And we didn't -"

"Yeah."

"And we kind of -"

"Yes."

"I... oh god, Cloud, I never meant to do this to you..."

"Do what? Tifa, I don't understand!"

"I... I think I'm pregnant."

Cloud dropped the phone. It crashed against the nightstand, and must have made a sharp noise on the other end, because he heard a loud, "Tifa, what the hell?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I tripped over the futon," Tifa stuttered quickly.

A moment later he heard her voice, quieter and more urgent than before. "I'm so sorry..."

"No, I'm sorry, but... Tifa... what do you mean, you think you're pregnant?"

She snorted, despite everything. "Well, I think it's a little obvious what I mean."

Cloud found himself smiling. It was like old times.