Disclaimer: I don't own FFVII

A/N: So, this chapter came out a little more... sensual than I had anticipated. I don't think it qualifies as a lemon... I've never really written one and I'm not sure if the story should be bumped up to M? I honestly don't know..? What do you guys think? Thank you reviewers so much! I absolutely love you all! Seriously. Pointless fluff and... lime? in this chapter, further explaination and conclusions in the next. :) Enjoy!


He was plagued with visions of her bloodied and dead. Visions of him not getting there in time. It was these visions in his dreams that roused him into consciousness. With a glance to the clock, he wasn't surprised to find it was too early for anyone sane to be up. He couldn't go back to sleep, though. Not just yet. He was content with just watching her sleep; knowing she was safe and he hadn't been too late.

It was a good while before she began to come to from his light touches, and he watched with nothing short of adoration. Blearily, Tifa tried to get a mental focus on where she was and who she was with, but the sudden scent of soap, tinder and that unique masculinity gave her her answer: Cloud. It was just so uniquely him, she didn't, at the moment, need to think about anything else.

She recognized the sculpt of his chest and the way his hand tucked into her waist, almost protectively. It made her smile. Ignoring the aches in her body, she reached up and played with a sunshine colored spike, twisting it around her fingers. She felt his eyes on her and after a brief hesitation, claret met ice.

His gaze was like a fire, burning straight into her, and his hand curled even tighter around her waist. "Cloud?" She murmured, moving on from his hair to his jaw.

He searched her eyes. What for, she didn't know. Her heart clenched beneath her breast when he'd answered in a voice she hardly recognized. "I almost lost you."

Hoarse. Pain. Anger. Guilt.

It was all there in his tone and she moved her hand to clutch his shoulder reassuringly. "But you didn't. I'm here."

His eyes closed and his face tensed. "I…"

She didn't dare move. He seemed to be struggling with something, and it wasn't until he spoke again that she knew. "I almost broke it. I was almost too late…"

Their promise. Of course, she thought, her body warming up. Her smile was gentle, and Cloud wondered why she was always so damn forgiving of him. She tore down his walls, and invading his being without even trying to. Gods, he was too lucky. Undeserving, but not ungrateful. "You came. You always do." She told him softly.

"It almost wasn't enough." He tucked his chin, hiding from her.

She would have none of that, she thought as she pursed her lips. Grabbing his chin, she aligned their visions again. "Think about now," She told him, guiding his hand toward her mouth to place a kiss there. "Think about me here. With you. Please, Cloud."

And like that, his restraint was broken and he couldn't help the need to have her. There. And his. His. With his lips, he tried desperately to drink her in. She was so responsive and the sweetness of her skin had him move away and clench his jaw, controlling urges his body seeked. No, he was going to go slow. He was going to show her.

Tifa was more than willing. She knew he wasn't a talker, and if this was his choice of communication, she wasn't one to argue. She could feel her body singing, humming in rejoice at the reunion of being one with him. Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes at the severe intensity of the moment. Cloud spoke more volumes with his actions, his caresses, and his eyes more than his words would.

With labored breathing, Cloud leaned forward, one hand curled around the lean thigh firmly locked around his shoulder and one entangled in her locks, and kissed the salty liquid away. When the tears dissolved on his tongue, he sought her lips out, swallowing the cry of his name and her mewls of reverence and pleasure.

"Mine," He groaned in a whisper, watching with heavy, lidden eyes as she neared the brink of euphoria. She nodded her head, clutching his locks almost painfully before chanting: yours. yours. only yours.

With her echoes of submission and the beauty of her pleasure ridden face, Cloud released himself as she came apart around him. He buried his face in her neck, kissing tenderly until the white sparks behind his eyes fadeded and all that was left was Tifa. His Tifa. "I don't want to lose you." He said quietly, lowering her leg and placing a kiss on the inside of her knee.

"I'm not going anywhere." She told him, breathily. Her body was still sore and she begrudgingly felt the weight of sleep pull at her. "Be with me, Cloud."

He felt more sated. More… whole. Her eyes fell closed and that's when he knew the nightmares would stay away. If only just for this morning. He positioned himself close to her, and she curled herself into him once more. With a sigh of content, he closed his eyes and placed his head close to Tifa's, nose grazing nose. "I'm here." He told her, "I'm with you."


Big thank you to serenbach, death wish girl, cloudlover2989, pookyilicious and sana-chan9. I love you guys. Srsly. Have a Reno plushie. :D