important: please pay attention b/c i will be explaining the timeline system. this chapter, chap.2, occurs way before chap.1 but after meteor. Chap. 3, thats right, three, follows chapter 1. Chapter 4, four, will follow chap.2. get it kinda? all even chapters are events in the past while odd chapters are the present. its all in chronological order though, in their respective time. okay, if you still don't get it, keep reading. if you get it, just skip to the next paragraph. so lets say chap.1 takes place in the year 2000. Then chap.2 takes place in the year 1995. Chap. 3 takes place in the yr 2001 while chap.4 will be yr. 1996. i will not have chap.2 be 1995 and chap.4 as 1994 and same goes w/ the odd-numbered chapters. of course the time difference will not be years, more like days or hours. phew! i hope that explains it.
okay! so in brief review, the odd chapters are the present, even chapters are the past. keep this in mind w/ each new chapter but i'll remind you guys just in case.
disclaimer: you know the drill.

"Flowing Destiny"

Some time after Meteor...not too long after

"Cloud, why can't you stay?... Why won't you stay?" Tifa's voice filled with hurt. "It's been so long already, why now?"

Since Meteor stopped until now, Cloud and Tifa lived in a thriving city near the Chocobo Ranch. With the destruction of Midgar, many people migrated away and formed new towns and cities. Cloud and Tifa resided in one such city. They lived together mostly to split the bills, at least on the outside, however it was much more to Tifa.

As time passed, Cloud's memories began to become more solid while Zach's influences faded away. And with Zach, Aerith faded as well. Not so much in memory but in feelings. Tifa felt like she finally won. It was such a rude awakening when she realized Cloud's feelings towards Aerith but now, Tifa felt like she could relax until...

"I think I need some time off." Cloud announced in a sort of daze.

"'Time off'? Why are you telling me like that? I'm not you're boss, Cloud." Tifa gave him a strange look.

Cloud shook his head. "No, I mean from here. I need time to think things through... whether I made the right decision..s or not." There was a slight hesitation in the plural of 'decision' which Tifa immediately picked up.

"What? I don't understand." Tifa's hands began to shake and she had to put down her drink.

Cloud looked off to the side to avoid looking at Tifa, who obviously was hurt. "I just gotta go." It was obviously hard on Cloud as well, just not hard enough.

"Cloud, why can't you stay?... Why won't you stay? It's been so long already, why now?" (now we're back to where we started...kinda)

There was a long silence and everything seemed to freeze. "I want to know I made the right choice." Cloud didn't bother covering it up. He knew Tifa knew why he was leaving. "I know there's no way to get her back but I want to be sure that I wasn't supposed to spend my life with someone else." Tifa's eyes welled up with tears but managed to keep them in her eyes. "I... uh.. Look... please Tifa. I don't know how this is going to turn out but you never know. Maybe I'll find out we are meant to be together forever." Cloud stepped closer to her which she responded to by taking a step away.

"Cloud.. I've waited for so long... I've watched you for so long and been through so much with you already. I've stuck by your side even when no one else would. Isn't that enough to prove to you? Why can't you forget her?!" Tifa's anger started to come out.

"I don't feel like that about her anymore but what if I should be with someone else altogether?" Cloud pleaded.

Tifa was in shock. "I can't believe this. What's with you?!" In a daze, Tifa walked out of the apartment with Cloud quickly trailing behind.

"Tifa, wait!" Cloud clutched her slender wrist and pulled her in to embrace her. "I just want to make sure... I'm mostly sure, really. But with what's happened to me before where I was sure of one thing but it turned out completely different, I can't be too sure right now."

Tifa stood there, letting Cloud wrap his arms around her. "Why can't it stay like this?" "It's different though. This isn't talking about memories, it's talking about whether or not you really want to be with me." As much as she hated to, Tifa gently pushed him away. There was another long silence. "Go. Just go."

"Tifa--"

"I said go!" She immediately ran off with a tear rolling down her cheek. Cloud didn't bother pursuing and went back to the apartment to pack.

yeah, pretty stupid chapter but i needed to present the situation somehow. btw, the title for this chapter is another song title, its the ending theme from zone of the enders 1 (just giving some props). title has nothing to do w/ story but i don't want someone to breathe down my face about plagerism. sorry about the short incoherent chapter however longer and probably incoherent chapters are on their way! if anything isn't clear, feel free to drop me a line or just review the story.