Damn! I have too much of a good time writing this stuff! It just keeps coming and coming! This will be the last Cloud Tifa focused chapter for this moment. After this Chapter we'll focus on some other Avalanche Members. I'll try to give 'em each three chapters, too.

Just watched Advent Children the dunno-how-much time.

Oh and the scene with Zack was inspired by footage from Crisis Core which I have seen on Youtube. I cried my eyes out at this scene! It's so sad. I look forward buying a PSP to play this game, when it hits Germany's stores.

For Everyone who wants to know where I got this: Here's a translation of the Japanese FMV's :

Be warned! It's very cruel and sad! Such a young nice man, ripped out of his life, that looked so promising. Oh and something else: In Crisis Core there are new locations added to the world of FFVII. I will add them and I will add further some of my own, so don't be confused.

And Now I'll let my readers decide on whom chapter 4 should be focused. Sadly I must disappoint all of you Vincent fans for I have already set plans for him. So here are the choices:

1. Barret Wallace

2. Red XIII aka Nanaki

3. Cid and Shera Highwind

4. Yuffie Kisaragi

5. W.R.O. And Reeve Tuesti

Just write in your reviews which one you want to see. The "poll" will end tomorrow at 8:00 o'clock German Time.


Chapter 3 – Longing Hearts United

Tifa got off the bus and looked around. It was 4:58 in the morning now. She wondered if she should try to sleep or if she just should wait until 7:00 to wake the kids for school and then go to sleep. But what should she tell Cloud?

The truth of course! Silly me, she thought. She would tell Cloud her feelings even if that meant that he would move out of her bar because he couldn't cope with it. As Tifa walked towards the street that led to the 7th Heaven she heard a familiar noise. A motorcycle that just sounded like Cloud's bike Fenrir.

Has Cloud found out that I have gone? But… this sound… comes from behind me?!

Tifa turned around and saw where the noise was coming from. It was indeed Fenrir. And the driver was Cloud, easy to recognize due to his spiky hair.

Cloud saw Tifa standing on the sidewalk and stopped the engine.

Dumbfound they looked at each other. Cloud took off his goggles and broke the silence:

"Tifa? What are you doing out here?"

Tifa bit her lip. This was it. This was the moment she was preparing herself for the whole evening.

Cloud got of the bike and walked over to her.

"We need to talk", Cloud said:" There is something very important I want to tell you."

Tifa felt how her heart was getting excited. She nodded and responded: "Yes!"

Cloud took her hand and looked down on it for a little while. Then he cleared his throat and asked: "You woke up and saw, that I was gone right?"

Tifa shook her head, causing Cloud to frown.

"I was… taking a walk." Oh my! This is not going to be easy.

Cloud looked into her reddish-brown eyes: "Where did you go?"

Tifa swallowed.

"I was at the church. I… visited Aerith." Cloud looked bewildered. "For what?" he asked her.

Tifa felt her eyes moisten. She looked straight into Cloud's Mako-eyes. "I talked with her about… you!" Tifa saw how Cloud's eyes went wide and his mouth opened. She took a deep breath and took his other hand in hers. She wanted this touch and she felt his grip on her hands tighten softly as if he was welcoming it. "Where were you?" She asked him.

Cloud at their hands. He lifted both pairs of them so they were in height of his chest. Tifa could feel his excitement, his vague fear. "I… I… was at the cliff," Cloud finally said. Tifa knew the place. Though she never had been there with him she had seen the Buster sword on some occasions when she was driving by. She knew it was the place Zack Fair died over three years ago. "I talked with Zack. He was there Tifa." Cloud stepped a little closer. Tifa was starting to tremble. What was up with Cloud, he seemed so… tense, so nervous.

He holds my hands! He looks into my eyes! Is this really happening?!Tifa felt her heart getting more excited each minute. Cloud smiled at her clearly visible nervousness. Tifa smiled back briefly. Then Cloud took a deep breath and spoke: "You know what he told me? He told me something he said in his dying breath that day: That I should grasp my dream." He let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist: "You are my dream, Tifa Lockhart. My dream is to have a family with you! A real family." He rested his head against hers before he continued: "I still love you Tifa. You were the key to my memories, and you showed me who I really am. I love you and…" his mouth went dry and he shut his eyes.

Tifa was stunned. She needed a moment for the words to sink in. But then she felt a deep warm joy overcome her.

He said it! He really did! Oh Cloud!

"I love you, too," she said and tightened the embrace, buried her face in his shoulder and let the tears finally flow. Cloud let out a surprised gasp and then let himself relax. He started to caress her head. Minutes went by and the two young people just stood there in their tight embrace. In the east the first hint of sunlight was rising and a nearby bakery lit up, but on this sidewalk time stood still.

It was Tifa who broke the silence: "I didn't know what to do about you. So I took someone's advice and went to the person that had done the most for us." She lifted her head back and looked in Cloud's eyes again. Tears were running down her cheeks and Cloud lifted his other hand to wipe them away. He was smiling. A true smile.

Tifa returned his smile. "Aerith told me to be there for you, that we belong to each other!"

Cloud put a straw of hair out of her face. "They are happy together," he said.

Tifa nodded. "Then let's be happy together, too!" And with this words Cloud leaned forward and kissed her. Tifa returned it and kissed him back. It was a long series of gentle kisses.

Tifa felt so happy. Each kiss sent a wonderful warm feeling through her whole body. And Cloud was so tender and lovingly soft in this moment she never wanted it to end. She felt safe within his arms, as safe as nowhere else on Gaia.

When they finally stopped kissing they were silent for a minute, before Tifa spoke again: "Cloud, I will be here for you. Forever!" Cloud nodded and said: "I know. And I will be here for you, too. From now on, Tifa, we face everything together." Tifa pressed herself against his body. She still not realized entirely, that this moment had finally come.

"Let's go inside," Cloud said. Tifa nodded and they released each other. He pushed his bike to its resting place next to the bar's entry and then took Tifa's hand and they went inside.

The first rays of the morning sun came shining through the window. Cloud smiled at Tifa. He felt, like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He had begun to take hold of his dream, just as Zack had told him. But he had needed three long years to understand what his friend had meant with his dying words. Still there were some things not taken care of yet. "What are we going to tell the kids?" Cloud asked. Tifa laughed walked in front of Cloud and kissed him again: "I guess, they are smart enough to figure it out," she said: "Let's just not hide our feelings anymore, like we did all those years!"

Cloud's face expression went sad. He thought of all that lost time. The time he tried to become a SOLDIER, the time he had closed his heart for others. Tifa saw the sad expression on his face, but this time she knew what bothered him. She touched his cheek with her hand and made him look into her eyes and smiled at him: "Don't be sad, Cloud. It could have been much longer. We still could be in our misery of loving each other and not knowing. It's not your fault alone. I could never stand up for my feelings toward you, too." Then she kissed him again, but this time her lips remained at his. Cloud gave in and parted his lips – Tifa did the same. Both of their tongues made a first shy contact, touching only the opposite tip, but soon after the kiss grew into a full passionate battle of their tongues. Cloud broke the kiss when he heard something – a tiny voice, giggling. He saw Marlene and Denzel standing on the stairs. Tifa saw his expression, a mix between shock, guilt and joy. She turned her head and saw the two children, too. Marlene had her hand before the mouth and Denzel looked very interested.

"Why are you not in bed?" Tifa asked the two rascals. The two children ran over to the fresh couple and turned the embrace of them into a group hug. "See Marlene? I thought it would happen this night!" Denzel looked up to Cloud and Tifa and smiled bright. "I saw you leaving Cloud! I couldn't sleep. And after I saw you leaving in the middle of the night I was afraid at first that you wouldn't come back. So I couldn't get back to sleep. But that doesn't matter," he said and tightened the embrace around both of the young adults: "you are both back!" Cloud and Tifa were startled. And so the group was silent for a little while. Cloud looked at the boy. He messed his hair up a bit with one hand, what caused Denzel to smile even wider. Then Cloud looked back at Tifa. She looked back into his eyes, the smile never leaving her face.

All of a sudden Denzel broke the silence again: "So… When is the wedding going to be?"

Tifa and Cloud were shocked and looked at the child. Denzel looked up and grinned mischievously. Cloud was taken aback. He had thought of marriage just a few hours ago, but was it already time for even asking Tifa? Was her relationship that tested, that a marriage would work? He looked back at Tifa. Her gaze was stern, but still a soft smile played around her lips. "When you ask me Cloud Strife, I will say yes!" Her voice was serious, but an excited trembling went along with it: "We know each other well enough, to know that we can trust us. I trust in you Cloud. And I love you with all my heart! There is no other man who could be my husband, than you!" Cloud's heart sent a warm fuzzy feeling through his body.

She is right. Cloud kissed her, then he spoke: "Yeah! You're right." He stopped as a thought passed through his mind. He grinned and bent over to whisper in her ear: "But let's wait until all of our friends are back together the next time before we announce it!" Tifa smiled and nodded. She kissed her boyfriend on the cheek and nodded again: "Yeah. That is appropriate.

"So can I call you Mom and Dad now?" Denzel asked in excitement. Tifa and Cloud burst into laughter, but then nodded. "Woohoo!" Denzel ran around the bar in joy. Marlene looked after him and started laughing, too.

Cloud smiled and looked at Tifa. Then he yawned. The unusual nightshift finally took its revenge. Tifa's smile turned into another yawn. "You let the bar closed today!" Marlene said: "You two have much time to spend together, so no bar tonight!" Cloud and Tifa couldn't help but laugh again at the sight of young girl scolding them. "But you still have to go to school," Tifa said, causing Denzel to complain. "You heard your mom!" Cloud aided his love. Immediately Denzel stopped complaining and said: "Okay, Dad!" running upstairs to prepare himself. Marlene followed shortly after him. Cloud couldn't help but grin like an idiot. "Dad…" It had felt good. Tifa touched his cheek again and he turned to her. He thought she was never so beautiful before. Both of them shared one final kiss before they started to prepare breakfast for the kids.

After the children had left and Denzel had turned around shouting: "Goodbye Mom and Dad! Until later!" They both finally felt how tired they really were.

"Let's go to bed, Tifa." Tifa nodded and took his hand. "Yeah! Let's use mine! It's bigger than yours." Cloud was startled by her remark. He didn't think about this before. Tifa dragged him upstairs and into her room. Inside Cloud turned her around to him: "Tifa, do you think this is a good idea?" "Oh Cloud! Don't be silly! I just want you around me, when I sleep, that's all! I never want to be separated from you anymore." Cloud looked into her beautiful hazel eyes. Then he smiled and nodded. He could understand. After all he had the same feeling about her now. So after they took off their clothes except their underwear they snuggled up in Tifa's bed together. They caressed each other a little while longer, but ultimately fell to sleep after a short time.


So the final Cloud-Tifa chapter for some time is finished. Don't forget to review and tell me what you want to hear next.

The next chapter will be one of the intermissions I mentioned in the prologue.

Concerning the M-rating. Aye, I thought of including a lemon in a later chapter. But don't forget that this is just Episode 1/Part I of my fanfic.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. There's more soon.

Sincerely

The Moelander