Cloud parked Fenrir outside Seventh Heaven and lifted Marlene off the bike and proceeded to pick up Jacquie bridal style. "Does it hurt?" Marlene asked as she placed a gentle hand on his arm. Cloud leant Jacquie against Fenrir and bent down to Marlene's height. "A bit." He admitted. "But not as bad as Denzel's or Jacquie's." His pain was nothing compared to theirs. "Is there a cure?" Cloud shrugged. That was a question that he didn't know the answer to. "I don't know…"
Marlene glanced at the ground with a sad smile. "After all you did… You've been trying so hard to find a cure for Denzel and Jacquie." She stated. Cloud looked at the girl with an amused smile. "You knew about that?" Marlene nodded. "You should clean your desk off once in a while." She scolded. Cloud let out a small chuckle. "Maybe I should." "So is that why?" She asked. Cloud looked at her. "Why what?" "Is that the reason why you had to leave, Cloud? Because you couldn't fix Denzel and Jacquie? Or because you have the sickness too?" Cloud was surprised at how much she knew. "I just thought I couldn't take care of myself. Let alone anyone else." He muttered, looking down at the ground.
Marlene held up one arm while the other wrapped around it. "How are you supposed to look after your family if you can't even look after yourself?" Marlene exclaimed, imitating Barret's voice. Cloud was taken back at her sudden and loud outburst. Marlene giggled and put her arms behind her back. "Or at least, daddy says so. Cloud, don't give up." She said in an attempt to give him faith.
Cloud ruffled Marlene's hair. "In the past you've always looked after me. You, Jacquie, Denzel and Tifa. You guys were there whenever I needed you. Well, now it's my turn." He promised. Marlene nodded her head in agreement with a pleased look.
"Now how about you help me get Little Miss here inside." Cloud asked, gesturing to Jacquie's resting form. "I'll go prepare the bed." She exclaimed and ran inside. Cloud watched her retreating form before turning his attention to the young woman he so dearly treasured with all his heart. Bending down, Cloud picked her up bridal style and carried her inside. Entering their room, Cloud gently laid Jacquie on the large bed that they shared.
Cloud sat on the bed beside her. Taking off one of his leather gloves, he held her hand in his own. He was surprised to find how warm they were. Cloud found himself staring at the beautiful woman in front of him. He didn't what he did to deserve her, but he knew that he was practically the luckiest man on the planet. He admired Jacquie so much. Her strength, her courage but most of all he admired her heart. She loved everyone and everything. She was so full of warmth and kindness. It kind of reminded him of Aerith in a way… but Aerith was a lot less… aggressive and loud. But he still loved her more than anything none the less.
It made Cloud deeply upset at how much she has changed… all because of him. He noticed her skin looked a lot paler since the last time he had seen her and there were faint bags under her eyes. Her cheeks looked sunken in and her lips were no longer their usual red colour but had become rather pale and chapped. Jacquie had always been a short woman and that was one of the things Cloud adored about her. He loved that she was shorter than him and that when they hugged her arms wrapped around his waists because she was too short to wrap them around his neck or when they laid together in bed, he could wrap his arms around her and cradle her against his body. When they kissed sometimes Jackie would stand up on her tiptoes just to reach his lips while other times Cloud bent down or picked her up. But for some reason she looked smaller than usual and not to mention a lot skinnier than he remembered.
Cloud ran his un-gloved hand through her long black hair, across her cheek and over her lips. His finger lingered there for a moment before he retracted it and returned to holding her hand. Bending down over her sleeping form, his face hovered over hers, his lips mere inches away from her own before he sealed the gap. It was a small peck but to him it meant a lot.
Cloud rested his head in the crook of her neck. Jacquie grumbled and tossed and turned. Cloud sprung up and looked down at her. "Jacquie?" Her face was scrunched up as if she was in pain, her fists clenched up at her sides, beads of sweat glistened on her forehead. "Sshh. Jacquie it's okay. I'm here sweetheart." He soothed, cupping her left cheek with one hand while using his other rubbing his thumb along her right cheek. Cloud's voice seemed to relax her and Jacquie lay still, the smallest of smiles appearing on her face.
"Is she okay?" Marlene said as she wondered into the room with a wet flannel and a glass of water. "Yeah, she'll be fine." He answered, not taking his eyes of his beloved. Marlene placed the glass cup of water on the bed side table and laid the wet flannel against her forehead. Marlene sat on the bed next to Cloud as they both watched the sleeping vampire.
"You love Jacquie a lot don't you?" Marlene asked after a while. Cloud nodded his head. "More than she'll ever know." He whispered. "What do you love about her the most?" Marlene was curious about their relationship. She knew that they were dating but she wanted to know more. After all, she thought that they were such a cute couple.
"That's a tough question." Cloud admitted with a thoughtful look. There was so many things about Jacqueline that he loved. "Her eyes. They're so red and vibrant, filled with love, warmth, kindness and determination. Then there's her hands. They're so small compared to my larger ones but they fit together like a puzzle piece, as if we were meant to be together. That's only the beginning Marlene." He said with a smile as memories came rushing towards him like a steam train with no brakes.
Marlene looked at Cloud then to Jacquie then back to Cloud. "Cloud is so madly in love." He teased. Cloud smiled and wrapped his arm around Marlene's shoulder and drew her into a hug. "Yeah, I guess I am. She has that effect on me."
Cloud looked out the window and his smile disappeared. There was an evil that he must face, for the sake of everyone. Standing up, Cloud took one last look at Jacquie before heading towards the door. "Cloud, where are you going?" Marlene asked as she jumped off the bed. "To rescue the others, after all… I made a promise." Cloud said.
Marlene smiled happily. "Stay safe, Cloud." "I will." Cloud said over his shoulder and he closed the door. Marlene ran to the window and watched as Cloud mounted Fenrir and took off with lightning speed, leaving only dust in his wake.
Marlene hopped back onto the bed. "Don't worry Jacquie. I'll take care of you!" She vowed.
A/N: A little bit of Cloudeline romance in this chapter (even if Jacquie was knocked out for all of it) I had a lot of fun in writing this chapter. I couldn't stop smiling as I wrote it. I wish I had a Cloud Strife!