[ ν ] – εуλ 0013, December 20.

It was a normal day at the town of Edge. Business was blooming and many people were outside enjoying their life. The weather was nice, the sun was out and the wind was not that cold, a perfect weather for a stroll on a winter's day. It was a year ago before the events happened. Cloud's business was slow during that day. He only had one delivery and it was only a stroll from his house to the customer's said address.

Maybe because Christmas was coming and people will appreciate it better if their loved ones gave it to them personally. Or maybe they thought the delivery service was on its holiday. Little do they know Cloud never knew the word "break". Like his attitude in battle, Cloud will never abandon a request until the last drop of his potion. But on that particular day, the number of request didn't bother him but instead his wife Tifa was on his mind.

"Cloud…." Tifa said stopping Cloud from leaving the house. Her voice was weaker and she seemed losing weight. "No…. it's nothing never mind." She said and wandered her eyes somewhere else. "Take care." She smiled and waved at him weakly while holding her tummy.

Tifa never really did hide things from Cloud. It clearly bothered him. It kept him running circles around the Shinra's monument. He stopped and cleared his thoughts for a moment. He came up to a decision that in order to stop worrying he need to finish his work immediately and ask Tifa directly since she's his wife after all.

Cloud knocked at the door and held the package on his other hand. The package was strangely wrapped in a wrapper with Happy Birthday written on it. Cloud wondered and thought why he was the one who should give this. A voice then answered his knocked and opened the door.

A teenage girl opened the door around the age of 16 to 18. She was completely shocked on seeing Cloud. She was completely immobile. Cloud even had to wave his hands in front of her face to see if she's okay. Another girl from the girl's age appeared from behind accompanied with a boisterous laugh. She patted her friend's immobile body and looked at Cloud.

"Don't worry. She just had a huge crush with you for a year now. She always froze like this when seeing you." The other girl explained while she tear up from laughter.

Cloud didn't know what to do. He never experienced seeing a girl completely frozen just by awarding his presence. He smiled politely and handed over the package to his fan girl. "Happy Birthday." He said to her and gently smiled, melting the poor girl's heart.

The girl started to scream and fainted in the process. Her friend helped her and gave Cloud his payment for his job. Cloud offered his assistance but the girl declined saying that her friend might end up in coma from happiness.

"Welcome home." Tifa said and greeted him with a smile. "Is something wrong?" She asked seeing Cloud's hesitancy.

Cloud gulped and looked her in the eyes. "Do you…." He stopped and tried to find the right words to say to her. Tifa sighed and looked like she has given up.

"I'm pregnant Cloud." She was uneasy. Her voice was shaking and her breathing pattern started to change. She can't look at Cloud. She can't imagine what will his reaction will be like. Even though they were married she had a surge of uneasiness that Cloud might not accept their baby.

The room was completely silent. Cloud was in shocked. His eyes were as wide as it could it be and his body can't move, can't move from the happiness he is feeling. Then he smiled and gathered Tifa in his arms. He hugged her with all of his might causing her feet to rise up from the ground.

From that moment, Tifa's insecurities and doubts were thrown away. She cried as she hugged Cloud. No amount of words can describe how happy she was. At last the family that she has been dreaming of was now in her hands.

The morning of that following day, Cloud was busy putting delivery items on Fenrir when he heard some faint voices and footsteps near him. Cloud dismissed the thought and thought that it was just neighboring children playing outside early in the morning. He continued what he was doing and paid no attention. But as the sound grew closer the more he recognized whose voice it was from.

He stopped for awhile and greeted the man with a smile. "Fenrir doesn't need a check up today. What brings you here?" It was his friend, who modified Fenrir for him and now his trusted mechanic. His friend smiled and pointed a woman trailing not so far behind him.

"My wife said she needed an early walk." The woman caught up and bowed to Cloud with a smile on her face. She was pregnant like Tifa but much more noticeable than hers. It was a pleasing sight to Cloud.

"I've heard so many things about you Cloud." She said and smiled. "I've heard that you guys are expecting a baby as well. How is Tifa doing?"

"She's fine. She's still sleeping right now. You can come in if you want. Tifa would like to have some company." Cloud said and invited them to his house. They declined the offer and said that they only went for a walk and need to go back to their house as well.

Before the couple go, his friend looked back to Cloud and said, "I'm out of business for a while. If you happen to break Fenrir you need to find someone to fix it for you so be careful on your trips."

"Why, what's the problem? Are you bankrupt or something?"

His friend laughed and gestured no. "Paternal Leave. Maybe you should have one as well Tifa needs you by her side. A man needs to protect his loved ones, right?" His friend said as he and his wife disappear from Cloud's sight.

The thought of closing down his business was a big no for Cloud. But as he traveled to one place to another he came to his senses and thought that it will not be for good, it is only for the time being. It gradually sink in to his mind and after sleeping it through one night, he made up his decision and decided to temporary close his business.

"You will temporarily close your delivery service?" Tifa was in shocked. She thought there is something going on, something wrong. At first she thought, Cloud had a fight with some of his customers but as he explained to her the real reason of his decision her uneasiness and doubts was suddenly replaced with happiness.

"But it might take awhile before I completely settled here. I need to finish some of the jobs I already took. It might take a week so hold on a little longer okay?" Tifa burst into tears. She never imagined that the Cloud she dreamed on seeing was here in front of her eyes. She was prepared for the worse. She thought he would work more vigorously than ever now that he has more reason to work for.

"But what will you do here?" She snapped from her daydream and asked. Nine months are terribly long. She doubt Cloud could stand doing nothing during those months. After all Cloud was used to danger and loved seeking thrills and fights. That's the life he lived in. That's the life he wanted.

"I will help you tend the bar. Do the things that you can't. And when the time comes that you don't feel well, I will cook our meals and do the daily chores around the house." Tifa smiled as she resigned to his decision. Cloud was the kind of person who will thought things through without the need of someone's help. At first Tifa was sad because he didn't confide it with her but nevertheless the thought was what really matters to her.

Months after months, everything was going smoothly except for the morning sickness Tifa had every morning -which was completely normal for someone pregnant. She was perfectly healthy actually. It was her fifth month and Cloud wanted her to stop for working and focused on taking care of herself. He even added that the pay he earned from his delivery service can last even for a year. But it's not the money that Tifa was worried. She, herself was like Cloud. She doesn't want to feel useless. But this agreement fell into Cloud's favor even Marlene and Denzel was on his side.

And as the days passed, the more anxious they lie await for their baby. Old comrades and foes alike visited them. Shera and Cid gave them knitted mittens and clothes while Red XIII and Yuffie occasionally drops by. Barret promised that he will be there when the baby was born while Vincent only left a basket full of fruits with a note saying 'Congratulations'. Even Rufus and the Turks gave their words of congrats for the two. Rufus even joked about being the godfather of the child that Cloud and Tifa wouldn't mind on accepting, shocking Rufus and everyone.

It was a lovely morning. Tifa and Cloud were on their regular visit to the doctor. Today was a special check up unlike any other. They will now finally know what gender their baby has. Tifa refrained on thinking names until she knows her baby's gender stating that it get her hopes up while Cloud on the other hand never really knew the basic of naming ones child.

"Congratulations, you're having a girl." The doctor said while Tifa cried happily as Cloud held on to her hands.

That night, the couple settled on an empty room where a fireplace was built. It was still cold even though winter was months gone. The room became Tifa's regular spot on the house. She said that this part of the house was warm and she felt that her baby, now known as a baby girl, was very comfortable on here as well.

"What should we name her?" Tifa said sitting near the fireplace rubbing her tummy. "Since we know it's a girl already we can now be specific on giving names, right?"

"I'm not that good at making names." Cloud bluntly said while he put logs on the fire place.

"How about we derived something from Aerith's name?" She said shocking Cloud. He dropped the log he had on his hand and looked at her. "I know she's someone that no one can replace in your heart but that doesn't mean that she does not to me as well. She's kind and strong. I want my daughter to be just like her."

Her vibrant smile faded through Cloud's eyes. He felt uneasy on what she wanted. It felt like she was pushing herself for Cloud. Cloud can't deny the interaction Aerith and he had during those tough times and there's no doubt Tifa noticed that as well. He doesn't feel right knowing that Tifa might still have doubts on marrying her and kept telling to herself that Aerith was someone precious that no one can replace.

Days had passed and Cloud and Tifa never opened the topic about naming their child. Cloud always -albeit secretly- took a drive early in the morning to let go of some of his stress and whenever he wanted some adventure on his life. That morning, Cloud just finished his drive and on his way on making everyone's breakfast.

"Arisa, Cloud! Arisa." She welcomed him like she knew about his early secretive morning drives. She hugged him tight with a smile covering her face. The bulge on her stomach was now noticeable and seemed getting bigger and bigger each passing day.

"Why Arisa?"

"Aerith can be shortened as Aeris right and when you took of the 'E' and add 'A' at the end it will make 'Arisa'." She explained to him on a piece of paper. She smiled and Cloud noticed more writings on the paper. At first, she was hesitant to give it but after a while she finally gave it. The paper contained a handful of names derived from Aerith's. He then thought she wasn't forcing herself. She indeed felt the same way he had for Aerith. Aerith was important to her as well. She was an important friend to her not just a mere rival for his heart.

"Thank you." He said and kissed her forehead, thanking her for her efforts.

"You're late." Tifa jokingly said and smiled at Cloud. Everyone looked at him with a disappointed look on their faces. Barret was the one holding Arisa that time. Cloud greatly pained to see the scenery. He was jealous. He wanted to be the first one to hold his daughter. Barret put down Arisa beside Tifa, who was now asleep after seeing Cloud. He looked at Cloud and motioned him to go outside and talk.

"The heck is wrong with you?" Barret shouted as he punched him with his mechanical arm. He was very angry and can't hold back his anger. "You left in a hurry and missed this wondrous moment."

"I was looking for this." He opened his hands and showed a bracelet crafted small enough to fit a newborn's hands. Barret felt sad as he saw Cloud's sad and teary eyed expression. "I crafted this so I can put this on Arisa's tiny hands the moment she was born. I lost it when I fetched you this morning. I thought I will make it in time but….." Cloud stopped and knelt to the ground and cried.

Barret felt uneasy and all his hatred from Cloud was washed away and was changed from sympathy. He never saw him cry before. This moment must be something important to him that's why he didn't waste time and looked for the bracelet.

"Cloud you could still give it to Arisa! It's not too late." He said encouraging him but Cloud shook his head silently. "You could still have another baby. You're still young! I know Tifa would be glad to have another one." Barret jokingly said but Cloud didn't laugh. He sighed and looked at him. He never saw Cloud in so much despair on something he knew can be easily forgiven.

"He-hey Cloud…. why do you like to punish yourself? Is the thought of forgiving yourself really a bad thing for you? You only made a mistake once. It's not like you meant it. I'm sure Tifa and the children will forgive you so don't push yourself."

Barret tried to push Cloud from his despair. But his words meant nothing to this man. When he said everything he can to help, he left the room and gave a friendly pat to Cloud. The next morning he left without saying a word. His stay will make more awkwardness to the two. They need to fix things first. He left a note to Tifa saying 'He needs you. Talk to him.'

But Cloud never gave a chance for them to talk. He started to work early in the morning and he always come home late at night. There are times he will sleep at the sofa in the living room and never talk to anyone in the house. It feels like he just needs to go home to sleep. It would not be a surprise to anyone if he will not come home for days because it already felt like that.

The situation went for months and months. Tifa had already forgotten Barret's note and just felt the urge to see and talk to him. She felt that he was -bit by bit- erasing his existence to the family. And before she could act upon it, Cloud appeared and said.

"I want divorce."

[A/N]

I finished it hurrah! *pops confetti* Thanks for reading this. ^^v

#PrayForThePhilippines

Next chapter coming out next week!