Well I said I won't update that soon, but I found some time to write, so here we go :-)
Chapter 9: Tifa's Flashback
At the time Cloud was upstairs in his room Tifa was still downstairs not sure what she should do. She concluded to send the kids also upstairs and told them to play together. Therefore she was alone now, she decided to take a seat at a table near a window in the bar to rethink about what just happened outside, not knowing she will get lost in her thoughts.
*Hopefully I didn't overdo it this time with my reaction, seems like he was really overstrained... just like me,... but someone had to do the first step and that was definitely the best chance to do so. I don't want to wait any longer; I already waited so long...I am getting tired of being ignored. I still can't believe he forgot almost everything... he made me a promise the day he left Nibelheim back then. Since the day we met again till now he didn't even mentioned anything about it...* She had her chin in her right hand, the right elbow on the table and was looking into the wonderful white innocent world. Her eyes became teary and she sighed quietly.
"I only want to have the old Cloud back, please...that's all I am asking for... let him remember..." she whispered softly still looking outside.
Then she lost herself in the past, she remembered – again – what he promised her the day he left Nibelheim. It was one of her most important memories – maybe even the most important, the memory she was bonded to.
))) Flashback start (third person view){
It was the day before the departure and she decided to talk to him, she always enjoyed the talks with him and she will definitely miss it... and him. Surely she would write him letters and she hoped that he will write her back but that was unsettled as she didn't know if her letters will reach him...
In a few minutes she would face him at the well – her favourite place - in the centre of the town Nibelheim which was just a few steps in front of her house, she was prepared and a bit nervous knowing she will see him only tomorrow again for the – for now – last time. She went downstairs to the living room and told her father that she is going to meet Cloud, he wasn't satisfied with it and grumbled quietly but he knew it would maybe be the last time so he allowed her to go with an quiet "Well...". He didn't like Cloud that much and therefore he didn't like it when Tifa was around him, but they were just kids so he always thought to himself "Never mind, they are just kids...she will find someone else to play with in the future". ((( In fact, till today, she didn't.)))
"Thanks daddy" she replied with a smile on her face and went to the entrance door immediately. She opened the door and there he was, little Cloud, sitting on the border of the well, he didn't realise her at that time. As soon as she closed the door behind her he looked up and smiled immediately.
"Hey Tifa!", he sounded very happy.
"Hey..." she answered sadly while going to him.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked concerned.
"Oh it's nothing, everything's fine!" she lied and tried to smile.
"Ah yeah, just smile Tifa, you look better with it. I don't like it when you're sad." he told her with a grin.
"Thank you Cloud", she replied with a smile, but this time it was a true smile.
"...."
"Tell me..., why are you so happy about leaving?" she asked wondering.
"You know, I can fulfil my dream becoming a SOLDIER 1st class. I can become like him and then I will save everyone. I will bring peace to the world the time we need it. Someday everyone will accept and acknowledge me, everyone... that is my dream." he told her still smiling.
"Like him?" still wondering.
"Sephiroth, you know him?"
"Oh...yeah, just saw some things about him here and there in the TV, not more. I wish you good luck for everything you seek for Cloud..." she told him, her voice getting quieter with every word.
"Tifa...?" He asked her and widened his eyes.
"Yeah..?"
"What's wrong with you? There is something, I know It." he asked while staring at her.
"..."
"..." still staring at her and waiting for her answer.
"...Aren't you sad to leave everything behind you? I mean, just a little bit...at least about some things, you know?" she asked him sadly.
"You can't believe how sad I am Tifa. There are definitely some things I will miss..." he answered, also sad now.
"Like what?" she was wondering.
"Umm... you know, my family, my friends, the city..." he started to list some things...
"Oh..." she interrupted him, but he didn't care and continued.
"...the fantastic food my mother cooks, the people who made me laugh in this city, everyone who was nice with me... and I will also miss you, Tifa..." he finally finished with his list and looked at her.
"W-What?" she stared at him.
"You know, we spent a lot of time together. I cherish you, I am happy I found such a good friend...you made a lot of my days being fulfilled, you made me laugh so often. I will miss it. Thanks Tifa." he smiled at her.
"Thank you Cloud..." she replied while blushing a bit. Internal she was preparing herself for the next question she wanted to ask him.
"..." he turned his head away from Tifa and looked at his house.
"C- Cloud...?" she knew that this will be the hard part.
"Yeah...?" He asked her while turning back to her.
"You know the time we will be grown-up..." she started.
"Hm?" his eyes widened.
"...will you stay with me? I mean, I want to stay with you... I will wait for that moment for ever Cloud..." she was very nervous after saying this and she couldn't look into his eyes as she didn't know how he would react. Suddenly she realised someone grabbing her hand, she looked down and saw it was Clouds. She looked up at this moment and the time she saw the smile on his face she knew the answer...
"Sure!" was all he said with a smile and lightly blushed cheeks. A short and firmly answer. She couldn't help but smile.
"You know, I mean just like everyone else being together...like my..." she was interrupted.
"I know Tifa" he was still smiling. She noticed that he squeezed her hand a bit more after this answer.
"And still...?" she asked wondering with widened eyes.
"Yupp!" he answered shortly again, still happy.
"Thank you Cloud..." her eyes became teary.
"TIFA! Come home now, that's enough. I prepared dinner, so let's eat." her father interrupted this conversation. Tifa stood up and was still looking at Cloud, who didn't stop smiling.
"Guess I have to go... see you tomorrow..." she said to him with a sad voice.
"Yeah Tifa, see you tomorrow. Good night" he replied as his smile got bigger.
She couldn't help and smiled back before she went home...
_____________
The next day appeared very fast. She was standing with him now at the train station of Nibelheim, his train already arrived and he had to enter it and less than 5 minutes. They stood there, facing each other and obviously, he was smiling again. He was happy he had the chance to get a first class SOLDIER, that's at least what she thought at this time. She... of course, had teary eyes and was very sad to let him go. She will miss him, but that's no secret anymore.
"So Tifa, guess I have to go. I will be back soon, so don't look so sad" he said to her.
"When is soon?" she asked wondering.
"Umm... well... soon is the time you are in a pinch, remember? I promised you." he replied as he didn't know when 'soon' would be, so he had to say something else and he indeed found nice words...
"Yeah." she agreed smiling.
"Okay Tifa, I will go in now, the train will depart in less than 2 minutes. But... before I go and want to give you this!" he gave her a bouquet yellow flowers which she liked a lot. These flowers are still today her favourite flowers, maybe just because of this event.
"Thank you Cloud!" she answered crying softly.
"Hey, what did I tell you about smiling yesterday Tifa? Remember!" he told her grinning. She brushed the tears aside and smiled again.
"Cloud... just one more thing before you leave..." she started nervously.
"Huh? What is it?" he asked wondering.
"Well Cloud..., don't ever forget... don't ever forget that I will wait for you, ... for ever... Always remember what you are for me and what I will be for you...You promised..." she told him with a sad face. He widened his eyes and opened his mouth first, like he was shocked but then he was smiling again.
"I won't Tifa, I will be there for you, for ever...even if I would lose my memories, I would always try to remember you and this promise, ... someday." He replied with a smile and came close to her to hug her tightly. "...thank you..." he was whispering into her right ear and immediately went into the train afterwards. She didn't move as time went too fast for her, as soon as the doors from the train shut and the train was going to depart, she was able to control herself again. Tears were falling down her face immediately and hardly. All she could see from the train now was a small black point at the horizon...
"Why..." she asked herself devastated.
} Flashback end (((
"Ummm… Cloud…When did all our childhood dreams begin to disappear? A long time ago...we had passion and we had goals…Why is life so set in stone? It doesn't have to be like this… please remember..." she whispered softly to herself while still lost in thoughts…
Tears were dropping slowly onto the table...
