I DO NOT OWN FINAL FANTASY VII. Omg, I spent all week thinking of how I wanted this to end. Still not sure if this is the last chapter or not. As it stands, this is the end.

SHIVER

Part IV

Sephiroth ran his hand up Tifa leg, tickling her sides before trailing it back down her arm. She shivered beneath his touch and he followed the path again.

"Tifa…kiss me." He breathed against her lips as she obliged him.

He had taken to spending more and more time with her, first it was once every couple of weeks, then it was once a week, then it was twice and three times a week…Now he spent every night with her. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they fucked, sometimes they did both. And with each meeting, Sephiroth felt a little more of his long dormant heart pump a little harder.

It hard for Tifa, to keep Sephiroth just far enough away so that Cloud and the children wouldn't find out about him.

But it worked.

For the time being at least.

She and Cloud had become slightly more domestic in their relationship; they picked up pet names – she called him "Sweetie" and he called her "Honey" – they were unoriginal and tired, but at least they were trying. Cloud had taken to giving Tifa a kiss before leaving for work and one more before going to bed. He even got better at asking her for sex, but despite the practice she gave him, he was still severely lacking and failed every time to bring her to completion. Not that she cared; Sephiroth would be around when it got dark to finish her off anyway…

But still…

Tifa rolled over, putting her back to Sephiroth.

"What is it?"

"I don't want to do it tonight." She said, drawing the comforter up around her.

"If that's what you wish." He wrapped his arm around her and brought her against his chest. "Talk to me, Tifa."

"How long do you think we can keep this up before he finds out about us?"

"We've been at it for nearly a year now…But I suppose eventually it will come to pass."

"When that day comes, that's when I want you to kill me."

"How come?"

"Because when he finds out it's you I've been sleeping with, I'll lose everything. My business, my home, my friends, my husband…my children…everything I love. I'll be completely ruined."

"You know," He exhaled sharply, thinking of his failed request the first night they spent together. "You could always come away with me."

"And what then?"

"We could start over, somewhere safe and secluded, just the two of us."

Tifa shut her eyes tightly, tears escaping between her lashes. "What good would that be?"

Sephiroth didn't say anything; he just buried his face in her hair and breathed her in. He wanted her so badly, why couldn't she see that? Why couldn't she just realize how happy he could make her if she just let him?

"Sephiroth," Tifa wiped her eyes and leaned back into him. "Take my mind off this…Talk to me, say something…Anything."

"Do you enjoy it when I talk to you?"

"Somewhat."

He found a slight smile. "You know when I was a boy, I really enjoyed collecting rocks. Whenever I went someplace new I would always take a rock as a souvenir."

She rolled over, "Rocks?"

"Yes. I actually continued this behavior into adulthood. A friend of mine once called me a real 'Rock Star'."

Tifa stared at him for several seconds before she began to giggle. Clutching a hand over her mouth, she took several deep breaths to keep from making too much noise.

"Is that a true story?"

"Yes." He cuddled her closer. "What? You said anything."

"I suppose I did." She fidgeted a little until she got comfortable. "You know I actually used to do the same thing."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Well, it looks like we have something in common then." Sephiroth brought her hand to his lips, kissing each one of her fingertips.

Tifa watched him, staring at his face. With his eyes closed, he looked so handsome, so human. If she didn't know any better, she'd have just thought that he was a regular man. But as much as she wanted to, she couldn't let herself forget.

I know you love me…But I…

Cloud gave Tifa a kiss before retiring for bed. It was a nightly ritual, as soon as they put the kids down, they would walk into the hall, exchange a hug and a kiss, and then go to their separate rooms. But as he walked away, he realized something, something every husband should never forget.

It's our first anniversary.

Gulping hard, Cloud turned around just in time to see Tifa's door close. Should he say something? She hadn't mentioned it all day. Should he run out and get her a gift so it didn't seem like he'd forgotten? Or should he just let it go?

Opting for the former, Cloud grabbed his keys and ran out into the dark in search of something, anything. It was 9:00 in the evening, so the shops were beginning to close.

What do you get your wife on your one year anniversary?

He ran into the first store he saw that was still open. It was a general store, selling a little bit of everything, and thank goodness they closed in two hours. There were a few gifts and whatnot, but everything seemed cheap and meaningless.

After wandering around for forty-five minutes, and getting weird looks from the two employees at the cash register, Cloud finally chose a set of sparkly beaded bracelets and a single silk rose. He was unhappy with the choice, but there wasn't much else that he felt suited the occasion.

When he made it back home, he hoped that perhaps Tifa was still awake so he could give it to her that same night. Approaching her door in the dark hallway, he noticed the light flooding in from under the door.

Great, she was still up.

Gathering his nerve, he was about to knock when he heard Tifa's soft moans. At first, he thought she might have been crying.

Nice going jerk, you made her cry…again!

No…no…that wasn't crying. No, that sounds like…

Cloud grasped the doorknob, cracking it open enough to see the foot of Tifa's bed. Her legs were visible and between them were the legs of her lover.

A knot formed in Cloud's throat and the tightness twisted its way down through his chest to his gut. He pushed the door open just a little further just enough to see the man reaming Tifa so hard she was nearly screaming.

He wanted to bust in at that moment, confront them and banish the man from his home. But he couldn't, he couldn't move. His heart was pounding in his head and his mouth was dry.

And then, he calmed.

The anger melted away almost as suddenly as it appeared and he backed away from the door, silently closing it.

Who am I fooling?

He looked down at the crappy plastic bracelets in his hand and tossed them onto his bed when he made it to his room. He knew he wasn't the best in bed, and he couldn't expect her to put up with his lousy lovemaking forever. He knew from the beginning that there was something standing between them, he just never knew it was another man. The best gift he could give her was a free pass. If that guy – whoever he was – made her happy, then so be it.

What am I thinking? I shouldn't let them get away with this!

"But…what if she's in love with him?" Cloud sat down and began to undress. "As long as she's discreet about it then, I don't mind."

Really. I don't.

Cloud came down to find Tifa at her usual spot with her morning coffee, she was reading a magazine and seemed happy.

She must have had a good night.

"Good morning, Honey," Cloud leaned down and pecked at her cheek before handing her the present he bought last night.

"What's this?"

"Yesterday was our anniversary. And, well I forgot."

"It was?" She froze, "I guess I forgot too." She opened the little pink box to find a set of three beaded bracelets, a black, silver, and a white. "These are pretty!"

"You like them?"

"Yes." She immediately put them on. "I love them."

Cloud's heart warmed up, "I'm glad."

"But I don't have anything for you."

He leaned in, whispering into her ear, "The kids are at a school, the bar is closed, and I don't have any deliveries today."

"Yeah?" She grinned as he pulled her back into his chest. As he began to kiss her neck and shoulders, she said, "So to your room then?"

"Let's stay here."

Cloud grabbed her out of her chair and threw her over the table. It was both shocking and intriguing for her as he attacked her with a vicious kiss. Where ever did this come from? He was always so delicate and patient with her…almost too much…But not this time. This time it was almost like he was desperate or angry at something.

He tore her clothes off, leaving them in a shredded pile on the floor. Her hair stood on end as he lifted bottom from the table, her shoulders take on most of her weight as he brought her pussy to his mouth. He nibbled at her opening, sliding his tongue between her lips before lapping mercilessly at her clit.

Tifa arched her body, biting her lip.

"Cloud!" She cried, "We can't do this here! Somebody…might…see…" She motioned dazedly at the open blinds and covered her face both in shame and amusement.

"Good, I want them to see." Cloud husked, continuing to eat her out.

He hoped someone would see. Precisely, the guy she was with last night. He fantasized about that man passing by and glancing in through the window to see Tifa getting pounded and enjoying every bit of it. It would be good, quiet and harmless revenge.

Tifa screamed as Cloud brought her to orgasm. She gripped the tablecloth as he slammed her back down. Shoving his pants down, Cloud dragged her back to the edge of the table, entering her with a hard upward thrust.

She sat up, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him in to kiss him. Cloud hooked his arms under her knees, digging his fingers into her hips as he did his best to give it to her the way she liked it. He had to; he couldn't lose her to someone else. Not yet.

As Cloud struggled to maintain a good rhythm, he rammed into her in frustration, grinding himself into her as hard as he could with quick, short strokes. Tifa's body arched instantly and she nearly fell backward into the table.

That's it!

Cloud realized what he needed to do to give it to her both hard and fast. It was surprisingly easy to keep up and he gained his own intense pleasure from it. His skin prickled with goose bumps even though he was sweating and his body began to quiver.

Tifa hung onto him tightly, crying out her satisfaction as she rode wave after wave of pleasure. But as she mounted toward her climax, she began to think about Sephiroth. She thought it would be nice just once to have him in the open like this, so anyone might happen to peek in on them. She wanted to show the world how she'd tamed the beast.

"Oh…yes…" She hissed in his ear, "Do it to me! Oh…Se– " She shut her mouth just before she betrayed herself, moaning behind clenched lips.

Cloud heard her slip, but chose to ignore it for the moment; he wasn't going to stop now, not when he was so close to giving her what she wanted.

Finally, Tifa's tense body relaxed in his arms and Cloud pumped her a few more times before letting himself go. A sense of accomplishment washed over him as he let her lie down on the tabletop, rearing back to admire a job well done. She was panting and sweating, her hair splayed all around her, her breasts heaving with her breaths and her legs open, a shimmer of his semen dripping from her.

Cloud pulled up his pants and reached for Tifa's ruined clothes. "Sorry about that. I got carried away."

"It's alright. They're kind of old anyway." She sat up, stiffly easing herself off the table.

"Look, Tifa…I um…" He felt a bit of jealousy stir up in him. "You almost said a name a while ago."

"Oh, I – "

"Look, I know."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I saw you last night. I was going to give you your gift, but when I went into your room, I saw you with him."

Tifa's heart rammed her chest repeatedly, her skin prickled, and her stomach lurched. Sinking to her knees, she tried to prepare herself for Cloud's rage. Dragging her gaze up his form to his face, she expected him to be angry and start screaming at her for betraying everything they stood for.

But he didn't appear angry. Just a little bit sad.

"I didn't stay for more than a few seconds and I didn't see who it was."

He didn't see.

"Can you just tell me, is it someone I know?"

Tifa swallowed the lump in her throat and whispered, "Yes."

Cloud closed his eyes, his heart shaking, "Someone I know well?"

"In a sense."

Cloud nodded, putting his hand out to her. She took it cautiously, letting him help her to her feet. Once she was up, he placed his hands gently on her hips and brought her close, resting his forehead against hers.

"I'm not angry that you have a lover, Tifa." He sighed, "I'm just angry that I couldn't love you the way you wanted me to. I feel like a loser for failing to please you at home, in bed…in life. And I'm sorry."

He's sorry? I'm the one who got caught having an affair and he's apologizing?

"No…I'm the one who should be apologizing." She leaned back from him but he held her thus. "I've betrayed you, Cloud. And I've been doing it for a long time."

"Tifa, stop." He stroked his hand up her arm and across her shoulder to cup her cheek. "Do what you need to do, Tifa. Just promise me something?"

"What?"

"That I can keep you for just a little longer and that you're discreet with him…And…" He looked into her beautiful brown eyes, "That you're doing this because you love him and because he makes you happy."

Tifa couldn't hold it back anymore. She burst out in tears, collapsing into Cloud's chest. He held her tightly, letting her unleash all the emotions she'd harbored for the last year.

Cloud slid his hand down Tifa's chest, tracing the scar between her breasts softly. He pretended all this time not to notice, he couldn't bring himself to think of how it came to be there. It was a fine line; the blade had to have been like a razor. The mark was precise, dead center of her chest.

Sephiroth? No. She wouldn't…not with him.

Sephiroth watched Tifa while she slept. She didn't look like much to him at first, but over time it seemed like the more he got to know her, the more beautiful she became. Even with her flaws, she was perfect for him.

He leaned down, kissing the scar he'd given her. Tifa's eyes fluttered open with the contact and she sat up, looking into his face. It was difficult to meet his gaze, but she did it, pretending like his inhuman eyes didn't bother her.

"Something happened today." Sephiroth said as if reading her thoughts.

"Cloud knows about us."

"He knows I'm here."

"No, he doesn't know for sure that it's you, but he knows that I'm sleeping with someone."

"So? Is your life over?"

"Not yet." She sighed, smoothing her hand up his chest. "He's given his blessing as long as I'm happy."

"And are you?" Sephiroth's heart leapt.

"I don't know." She leaned into his shoulder.

"Tifa, I want you."

She exhaled sharply, "You have me. Every night, you have me."

"That's not what I mean. I have your body, and I have your mind. But I don't have your heart. And that is what I want most."

"And what do I get in return?" She lifted his hand, spreading her fingers out in line with his. She marveled at how large his hand was, his fingers stretching out almost an inch and a half past her own.

"My soul." He folded his hand over hers, interlacing their fingers. "I asked you this once before, but…Can you ever want me?"

"If you're waiting for me to tell you I love you, then you'll be waiting for a very long time."

"I have all the time in the world."

Sephiroth pushed her down into the pillows, laying down beside her and cradling her in his arms. He admired her strength, to be able to submit to him for so long and still be in control of herself. She really was very interesting. She was everything he never knew he wanted and he would wait forever for her if he had to. Even if she waited her entire lifetime, only admitting she loved him with her dying breath, he would be happy knowing that even for a brief moment, she was as much his as he was hers.

Let me know in comments or PMs in you guys want at least once more chapter and how you'd like to see it end. Thanks for reading!