To Heal a Broken Heart

Chapter Eleven - Return

Disclaimer: Oh Squeenix. xD These words, however, are mine.

'I can't believe this...'

The words reverberated through her head over and over again until she thought she would scream. The frustration that was building inside of her was unbearable! What had she been thinking!? How much had she been drinking!?

More importantly, why did she not feel all that sorry?

Why did she feel like she'd finally done something right, something that gave her freedom?

They'd packed up and left Costa Del Sol a little after the event that had conspired on the beach. Both adults were willing to utter not a word about it, but the tension in the air was thick as they stood just outside the town, letting the children have a moment.

"Tifa, why are we leaving so soon?" Marlene asked and Tifa admired her at that moment. Even though she wanted so badly to cry and whine, to kick and scream about how she didn't want to leave the peace and happiness she'd found in this small town... Her voice was level and her expression calm but curious.

"I... It's just time that we got home." Tifa said, avoiding Rufus' piercing gaze.

"Oh." She replied, resignedly. Then, her voice perked up a bit. "Is Cloud home! Is he waiting for us?"

She struggled then, with what to say. Had Cloud made his way home? Her heart skipped a beat as Denzel's eyes met hers. The guilt bubbled up in her stomach and reached her throat. She couldn't stop the words from leaving her mouth.

"Yes, he's home and he's waiting for you." She damned whatever compelled her to kneel down in front of Denzel and cup the side of her face lovingly. "He can't wait to see you."

"Which is why," Rufus said, walking past them from his watchful position behind the three and into the helicopter. He smiled or smirked for the children but otherwise made no eye contact with the martial artist. "We should get going -- shouldn't keep Cloud waiting." Only then did he strike Tifa down with the most calculating glare she'd ever seen.

Did he really care that much?

'No,' she thought. 'The better question would be why he cares so much.'

The thought alone had her mind whirling.

'Stop it! What is wrong with you...?' She scolded herself silently as she stepped onto the metal contraption. She noticed upon entering, that his wheelchair was nowhere to be seen. She hesitated slightly before taking the passenger seat.

"I guess you're feeling better, since you don't have your wheelchair anymore." She stated, hoping to receive a response and crush the hard feelings between the two. No such luck, however.

Silence greeted her.

She opened her mouth and closed it again as the helicopter took off. What was she supposed to say? Did she need to apologize?

She was under the influence!

He hadn't needed to follow her and retrieve her. She was a big girl, she'd had drinks before.

So many? The voice in the back of her head asked. What if something had been wrong that night? She could vaguely remember the night but really, aside from walking into the bar and kissing Rufus...

Everything else was gone. Blank.

"I'm sorry, you know." She said, despite her thoughts. "I didn't mean to do anything that might have offended you that night." She laughed lightly. "I actually can't remember much..."

Oh, great Tifa.

Just great.

Rufus grunted and switched arms, pushing buttons before resting back against his chair. "It doesn't matter."

"No, it does!" Tifa exclaimed, spinning on her chair. She continued on more quietly, not wanting to disturb the two behind them. "You've been acting moody ever since then and..." She sighed and turned back around. "I don't know. I just don't want this tension between us..."

'Wow, when did I start to give a damn about Rufus' feelings towards me? Tension? Why wouldn't I want it!'

He tried to kill you...

He tried to kill all of your friends.

"But you're different..." She muttered under her breath. "You're different now. I think I'm beginning to see that."

"I'm not angry at you." He said and his voice was so strained she could tell he wasn't used to having these kinds of conversations.

"But..."

"Just drop it." He said hurriedly, curtly.

Tifa lowered her eyes and the rest of the ride went on in silence, her heart beating faster each minute. Every moment they flew, they were getting closer and closer to Midgar, their home.

When she finally saw it in the distance, she was guilt ridden, tired and sick of the mess known as her life.

'Why did I say that?' She thought. 'Cloud isn't home. He probably never will be. Not for me... Not for them.'

Bitter.

That word could describe everything the transpired when she thought of Cloud. Every thought, every wish, every dream... They were all bitter. Everything was said or thought with bitterness.

'I just want them to be happy...'

His thoughts were everywhere. He was being pulled in both directions! This woman was... Was...

Infuriating!

He wasn't necessarily angry at her... He was more angry at her for what she was doing to him. What she was making him feel.

'Ha. Making me feel. You imbecile.'

The night's events flew past him in rapid succession and he couldn't believe any of it.

Did she realize what she would have been leaving behind, if she'd been so drunk the men surrounding her had managed to physically take her out of there? What would they have done? Where might she be now?

He knew that wasn't the real reason, but he didn't give a damn.

He'd suffer the fires of hell before he admitted anything.

Confusing too! He was confused. Confused about everything that was happening and what he was experiencing.

He was beginning to wonder about himself. He couldn't possibly be starting to... Care? That bubble of feeling forming in his stomach and the thoughts running rampant through his head...

Then there was another matter the consider.

He much preferred to call it rage, but... It was what it was.

Why was he filled with, dare he say it, a wave of jealousy whenever Cloud was mentioned?

What was he to say about that?

"We're home." Tifa said, enthusiasm not a word in her dictionary.

"Cloud!" Marlene and Denzel shouted together excitedly and Tifa closed her eyes. She tried to block out the sound of the two behind her, not at all happy.

'God, Cloud. If there was ever anything I needed from you...'

When they had landed, Rufus had insisted upon walking with them to '7th Heaven' despite Tifa's protesting about not wanting to cause him further trouble. He was now walking behind her and beside the children, whispering excitedly along with them. She smiled subconsciously -- he was really good with children, which, gathered from the way he'd acted years before, did not seem like something he would have a talent for.

That smile, however, was wiped from her face as they rounded the last corner that separated her view from their current residence.

"Please be home..." She whispered aloud. Her eyes widened and she stood in numb shock as the children ran past her to the bar.

"Cloud!"

"Cloud's home, Cloud!"

"His bike..." Tifa said, her voice sounding scratchy. She looked down at the ground before turning around. "Rufus, I..."

He was walking away and she stopped. He stopped at hearing his name.

"It was..." He hesitated. "...Good having you and the children, but I think your running is over."

Tifa felt the need to say more but the words wouldn't leave her mouth. Turning, she walked the few steps over to the bar and pushed open the door, uttering a barely audible 'thank you'.