Story Title: After the Rain
Rating: K
Genre: Romance and Drama
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters appearing in this fanfiction.
A/N: Sorry for all the tension in the previous chapter. It seemed the events took most of you off guard. Do not fret for the story does not end here! I repeat: the story does not end here!

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Chapter 11
As if to remove the endless doubts, look…

Unfortunately it had to rain on the day Cloud left. He was awoken early in the morning by the sound of droplets pounding on the roof. He rubbed his face, exhausted. Through the cracks of his closed door, he could see light from the hallway spilling through. His mother must've already woken up. Cloud got out of bed and got dressed. He had informed everyone the day before about when he was leaving, even Tifa. He knew that Zack would show up, but he wasn't too sure about Tifa or Aerith. If Tifa didn't come to see Cloud leave, Aerith would surely stay behind to comfort her.

Cloud looked around his room for his clock, then remembered that he had it packed away already. He sighed and headed downstairs for breakfast. His mother was quietly laying out their breakfast for the morning and when she saw him, said with a smile, "Good morning. You're up quite early today" The other night when Cloud returned from home, he heard his mother crying in her room. He wanted to console her, but she appeared to want to be left alone. Seeing her smiling on such a morning hurt him.

They ate their breakfast together, talking as if it was any other day. The feeling wasn't the same, but the conversation was. When they had finished eating, Cloud noticed that there were two sandwiches that hadn't been placed on the table, but was wrapped neatly on the counter. When he asked who they were for, his mother laughed and said, "For you of course! I don't want you starving on your way to the next city."

"Heh, yeah." Cloud helped clean up. A moment after he had finished washing the dishes, the doorbell rang. He wondered who could be visiting them so early in the morning. There was a vague idea of who it was, and when he opened the door he was right. Zack stood at the front porch, smiling without a care in the world. "Yo." He said, inviting himself in. "I was afraid you had left already."

"Of course not. Why would I do that?" Cloud shut the door and followed Zack back into the kitchen.

"Well, if you really wanted to, you would've."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "You mean run away?"

Zack grabbed an apple from the fruit basket on kitchen counter, took a bite out of it, and said with his mouth full, "Yup."

Cloud scoffed. "I wouldn't settle anything by running away."

"Oh? You're attitude's changed. If we were two years back, you definitely would've took off without telling anyone. Well, without telling Tifa anyhow."

"…Maybe. But my gut wouldn't let me run."

"Finally you begin to listen to your conscience. Really, Cloud, it's something you're supposed to learn in pre-school…"

"Everything's been difficult since pre-school."

"Seeing that it's always been just you and your mom, I understand."

Cloud's mother appeared from behind the corner quickly after, she was carrying quite some heavy luggage in her arms. Cloud panicked and ran to her side saying, "H-hey! Zack and I can carry that, you just sit down."

"I can't sit and wait!" Came her reply, setting the luggage down. "Not when my son is leaving today!"

"Please, mother."

"Mrs. Strife, no one wants you to break your back carrying Cloud's luggage. It's too bad he's so lazy that he makes his own mother carry his baggage, but I'm here to help." Zack joked. Cloud glared at him but returned his attention to his mother, who was laughing.

"All right. Just be quick."

"Yeah, else Mr. Lazy will miss his train."

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea." Laughed Cloud's mother.

"C'mon, stop giving her ideas." Cloud pushed Zack upstairs to his room. There were only two bags of luggage, but they were awfully heavy. When they finished loading them into the trunk of the car, Zack was gasping for breath. "What the heck are in those anyway?"

"Clothes, things for school, books, shoes, my PS2—"

"How the hell did you fit all that in here?"

"I manage."

When they were ready to leave, Cloud looked across the street at Tifa's house. It appeared quiet and still. They probably weren't home. The car wasn't parked outside of the garage like it usually was, either that or today was an odd day and it was hidden inside. Either way, Cloud didn't think he'd get to see Tifa before he left. Aerith showed no signs of seeing him off either. Cloud felt a little lonely.

They all piled into the car. Zack offered to take the wheel and even though Cloud was a bit uneasy about having Zack drive, his mother convinced him to and they were off to the train station. That was the longest drive Cloud ever experienced. All the while, Zack kept talking about how much he was a talented driver as Cloud's mother teased him at all the mistakes he made. Cloud sat at the backseat, glad that they were being carefree about the situation. The only person in his mind was Tifa, though. He wanted to see her so badly.

"And we're here!" Zack shouted when they arrived. He parked the car a bit crookedly in the parking lot and insisted on parking it perfectly, but Cloud's mother scolded, "We don't have time for that!"

Zack helped Cloud carry his heavy luggage into the train station where they had them checked. Once they were done checking in, all they had left to do was wait. Cloud had hoped he'd see Tifa at the train station, but she wasn't there either. Like the other day, Cloud was wearing the black scarf she had given him. Zack sensed Cloud's anxiousness, and assured him, "She'll be here."

"I hope you're right."

"I'm always right."

Ten minutes passed, and Cloud was still waiting. He'd have to wait until the last minute if he had to. Just a glimpse of her was all he wanted, just a glimpse. Zack didn't appear the least bit worried. He wasn't the one leaving after all, so of course he wouldn't be worried. But it sure would've made Cloud feel less like a loser if Zack at least looked a little sad on the day of Cloud's departure.

"Times' up." Said Zack, checking his watch. "Ah, here comes the train now."

"…I guess I'll just board the train then." Cloud grabbed his bags.

"C'mon, Cloud. You've still got about five minutes left before the train leaves. Lend some time."

"It wouldn't be wise to miss the train," Cloud's mother said. "But I think you should at least wait long enough just in case anyone else comes to see you."

Cloud grasped the handles to his luggage. "I'm not sure lady luck is on my side today."

Zack laughed. "Think again."

Cloud looked questionably at Zack, wondering what was so funny. Zack paid no attention to Cloud and was looking behind him. Then he heard a sweet voice call him, "Cloud!" Slowly, he turned around. Tifa was walking towards him with Aerith by her side, smiling brightly. Without warning, Tifa broke into a run and dashed into Cloud, hugging him tightly.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" she apologized over and over again. "It was so hard to come. So hard…!"

Cloud placed his arms around her small body. "It's all right. You're here."

They parted from their embrace, leaving a warm feeling. Aerith approached and unexpectedly pinched Cloud's cheek. He stared at her in wonder. She giggled and said, "Come back soon, okay? I won't be able to pinch your cheeks if you don't." she glanced at Zack. "And it seems some of us are going to be more than a bit lonely."

Zack pointed at Aerith in frustration, embarrassed. "I thought you said you weren't going to say anything!" Aerith laughed in response.

"My father couldn't come today, he wasn't feeling too well." Tifa said, apologetically. "But he wishes you the best."

Cloud could imagine her father slapping his back, laughing heartily like he always did and saying, "I wish you the best!" It's too bad he wasn't able to come. Cloud hoped he would be feeling better soon. His mother's voice broke the moment, announcing that Cloud only had two minutes left before the train took of without him. Cloud looked among the faces of the people who came to see him off.

"Thank you all… for coming today." He bowed.

Zack placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do your best, Cloud, for all of us. If your life sucks over there, you can always come back but only after you tell us about how miserable your life was there."

"R-right…"

"Cloud, make sure you come back to visit sometime. And when we have time, we'll come visit you!" Aerith beamed. Cloud nodded and said, "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

Cloud's mother gave him one last hug, saying, "Good luck, son. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, mother."

Tifa, who seemed to have disappeared for a moment, reappeared in front of Cloud. She reached up to his scarf and fiddled with it, as she had done when she first placed it around his neck. When she was satisfied with its look, she gazed up at Cloud and smiled. "See you soon."

Cloud smiled back, taking her small hand in his. "Yeah, see you soon."

The train roared loudly when Cloud boarded it, he had barley made it onto the train. He watched as Tifa and the others' faces grew smaller and smaller, until they finally disappeared. He saw his mother cry right away as everyone comforted her. Zack waved a friendly goodbye, Aerith smiled sweetly, her eyes swelling up with tears, and Tifa simply waved, and smiled sadly.

The moment he boarded the train, he grew hungry. He opened up his luggage to pull out the sandwiches his mother had made for him. He unwrapped the plastic wrapping and ate it. Its taste and smell brought him home. With such a delicious sandwich as this, he was sure to return home soon for more.