Truly Married

Chapter 10

(Tifa POV)

I was still waiting for something to strike me. Could it be true? Could all I had waited for, all I had fought for finally come true? I blinked a few times, gazing at that pretty ring. It was true, diamonds are a girl's best friend. It had a small one embedded into that silver ring. I felt like squealing. But I stayed calm. His blue eyes gazing into mine. "Of course I will." I hugged him tight. Finally this was a hug out of love. We both felt the same. And then it came to me: How would the kids react? I am sure they would be more than happy. I still couldn't believe my luck. I felt like right now another new chapter of my life was about to begin. One that would last forever. I believed in eternal love. I had always been sure that my dad would have loved my mum forever. Until death parts us. And death did part them.

I smiled at him softly and pressed a kiss onto his lips. Those soft warm lips I would taste every day. Each passing day, they were nothing but mine. My hand rested on his muscular chest. And I would finally feel his bare warm skin on mine. Feel his masculine body. Finally that man was mine. I took a step closer and rested my head on his shoulder. I felt him stroking my hair. Felt his other hand on my back. "I had taken such a long journey, full of misery and fear. But you were always there. And finally I understood why I always felt whole and protected around you. It was not a miracle. It was not friendship. Not it had been a crush at first and developed into love. I could not find the feelings you gave me anywhere else."

I felt like melting away, melting right through his hands. I would really soon be Tifa Strife. It sounded funny yet good to me. I wanted people to know that he was mine and I was his. Two hearts had finally found each other forever.

(Tifa POV End)

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(Cloud POV)

I had missed a few heartbeats. She accepted it. Even though I had been sure she would, sticking to me till the end, a little part of me was sure she would reject me for being such a jerk. But finally I had heard what I had longed for all these painful minutes. Finally I was a true part of this family. Finally they would really call me Daddy.

Each passing day I would walk into this house and know that there was a loving wife and two wonderful kids waiting for me. I would work as much as I could to earn a living for them.

I got back to my feet and hugged her tight, taking in the scent of her hair. I pulled away slightly in order to look into her face. I didn't notice anything around me anymore. She was all that mattered. Tifa and that moment. Our lips met and I felt my heart beat rising. It was warm and wonderful. Something I wouldn't want to miss a single day. Nobody else would now ever touch these lips.

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I was sitting back in my little office. Papers were spread all over the desk and I had already thrown half of my neatly prepared stack to the floor. My head ached and it was getting harder and harder to ignore the throbbing. I rubbed my temples. What am I supposed to do? Do luck and bad luck go hand in hand with me always? Why?

I was about t lose my job. Something bad was going on inside, I was not filled into the details, but the police got behind it and now everything was going down the drain. The delivery service I was working at was not going to exist any longer. They said sorry. Yeah right, like sorry is helping me much. I have a family now, a family I need to look after. Just some hours ago my head was full of ideas what I wanted to do; I wanted to give them the opportunity to see the world. Everything I could never do. And now, I am sitting here knowing that I might not even be able to give them food. It is damn hard to get a well paid job here. I was lucky I even got that one. Oh boy, who knows maybe I was even part of that conspiracy I never knew of. I buried my face in my hands. I had to come up with something good. I couldn't let Tifa know. Not yet as she is busy with preparing the wedding.

Suddenly it hit me hard. The wedding. I had no parents to finance me, nor did I want any of our friends to pay anything. I stared at the picture on my desk. Me, Tifa, Denzel and Marlene. Happy as ever. And this happiness was not going to fade away.

I rose from my chair and rushed out of the office. I had to do something, not tomorrow but now.

"Hunny, there's some delivery that needs to be done. I'll be back as soon as I can. Have supper without me." And I was gone already. My stomach squirmed so hard from that lie, I couldn't have eaten anything anyways. My hand rested on the doorknob. We are not even married yet and I already have to lie. Whom should I go to? Whom should I ask for work?

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I had knocked at various doors, asked so many people, yet nobody had a tiny bit of work for me to do. It was close to midnight already and no agency had open either anymore. Yet I was somewhat afraid to go back home. I didn't feel like going back. I wanted to stay here on this park bench and wait for something to happen. Pathetic couldn't even describe the state I was in. I already felt my luck slipping right through my fingers.

"Yo Cloud." I heard somebody calling out for me. Only one single man had a voice that annoying. "Hey Reno."

Damn why did he have to come.

"What are you doing here at this time of the day?" Reno started sounding more than just nosy. "I was just here for a walk and decided to rest here on this park bench." I retorted, knowing already he wouldn't just be satisfied with this answer.

"You look like something is bothering you." Reno said thudding onto the bench right next to me, staring off into the sky. He felt superior I sensed it.

"So what? Are you going to help me?" The answer had escaped my mouth quicker than I wanted it to happen. Telling Reno about my worries was like yelling them out onto the streets.

"Hey man I heard that about the delivery service thing." Reno began and looked at me. Once again everything squirmed. "Don't worry. I wont tell Teef. I know you need work now, especially for the upcoming wedding-"

"How the hell do you know about this?!" I interjected, almost rising to my feet.

"It was obvious man. Besides I had a look into your pockets when you were at the hospital. I was actually hoping for some money to get me and Tifa a coffee, but no, you had none. Seriously you always need some money in your pockets, what if you loose your wallet!"

I blinked at Reno a few times. It was still a miracle to me how we had become friends.

"so…" I started, hoping for Reno to have some solution ready.

"Well, you wont ever find a job amongst the good people."

"Good people?" I repeated, shaking my head in disbelief. "What are you trying to get at?"

"You know. Those that do everything the way it's supposed to be. You'll have to dig a little further down if you really want a well paid job you can keep for a year or two." Reno had tilted his head and smiled at me.

"No way. Reno I can't do that!" I rose to my feet and stared at him, my jaw almost dropping open. "What would Tifa say?!"

"Tifa? Well, you are doing it out of love, there's nothing anyone could blame you for. See, what if you don't? Think a little further into the future. Denzel and Marlene need to go to school too."

I thudded back onto the bench, burying my face in my hands once again.

"You know I wouldn't tell you to do it, wouldn't I be sure that there is no other way for you. I'm off. You know where to find me man."

And he walked away. A few minutes had passed until I didn't hear the pebbles beneath his shoes anymore. Was he right? Was some dirty business my only way to escape? Would I awake one day and realize that it had been the wrong way? What if they found out, would they hate me for it and tell me they had never done that?

(Cloud POV End)