Hello, here is the 25th chapter. Thanks to those who posted their reviews in Chapter 24. I really appreciated them. Thanks a lot! :)

Warning: This chapter might be a bit uncomfortable. There will be a more intimate scene for Cloti here, more intimate than the scene they had in Chapter 17. You know what I mean.

Chapter 25

Squall took a glass of wine and drank it. He was inside his bedroom, thinking of his adoptive father and the years he had suffered because of his illness.

"You're the only one who could succeed me now. Francis is still a baby. Please learn how to be a leader as early as now," King Caelum had once told him.

Squall made a smirk. Oh, Father. I'm the only one who could succeed you? You know that's a lie, Father. I can't believe you were able to bring your secret to your grave.

He was occupied with guilt. He knew deep inside himself that he didn't deserve the power he had now. Someone else was entitled to it. There was someone out there who had a better right to the status and power Squall inherited from his father. And that someone was unlawfully deprived of what should have been his.

His thoughts turned to his biological parents who had died many years ago. I am a Caelum by law but a part of me will remain a Leonhart…

There was a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said gently.

A bodyguard entered and told him, "King Caelum, you have a visitor. He is waiting for you in the garden."

Squall stood up. He knew who the visitor was. "Thank you," he said casually.

When he was in the garden, he was looking at the visitor with welcoming eyes.

"Welcome back," Squall greeted the visitor with a smile.

Tifa was astonished as she gazed at Cloud. Her face started to flush, overwhelmed with embarrassment. Thanks to her big mouth! Cloud was able to hear her feelings for him.

She started to stand up so she could leave him but he held her arm.

"Did you mean what you said, Teef?" he repeated.

Tifa sat back to her seat. Her eyes lingered on his face. She was relieved that he was okay. She had been so scared, thinking she might lose him.

"I mean every word, Cloud," she told him. Her face was open with honesty. She could not deny it to herself anymore. She needed him. She loved him.

Cloud stared back at her. His face wore that serious expression once again. "So I have to be shot first for you to come to your senses and love me again?" he asked briskly.

Tifa did not look away from him. She watched him with a serious expression on her face too. "So I have to fall in love with another man first for you to realize you love me after all and you have to express that love for me?" she shot back.

Cloud averted her gaze and looked at the ceiling.

Is there really any hope for us? Tifa thought. Is Yuffie right? Will it still work with Cloud? Both of us broke one another's heart. This is so hard.

She cried once again. She was crying for the happiness she felt when Cloud woke up. She was crying for the mistakes she and Cloud had committed a long time ago. I never should have left him the second time around. I never should have done it. I should have taken him with me.

"I'm sorry. Stop crying. I don't want to see you cry," Cloud told her. He gripped her arm. "Please stop."

Tifa sniffed. Cloud was looking at her again. "Sorry for asking you that rude question," he continued. "I'm glad you took me here. Thanks. I feel fine now."

"I was afraid," she said to him. "I thought I…I would lose… you."

"Did you really believe that bullet would kill me? Come on, Teef. I got wounds worse than this." Cloud pointed to his chest which was wrapped in bandages. "I'm okay. I'll heal in a few days."

"I talked to the father of the teenager who shot you," Tifa said. "He will pay for all your expenses here. He and his son will come here later to apologize to you personally."

"Somehow, I'm glad it happened. At least you were able to come to your senses. I'll tell that teenager to shoot me again so you'll feel anxious," he teased.

"Cloud!" Tifa scowled at him and threw a small pillow in his face. "Don't say that! I don't want anything bad to happen to you again!"

"Nothing bad will happen again if you would stick to what you had told me while my eyes were closed. I heard you, Tifa."

Tifa nodded. She took his hand and said, "I told you I mean every word. Punish me if you want but I will never change what I told you assuming, of course, that I'm still welcome in your life."

Cloud gave her a smile. Tifa felt his heart melting at his smile. "I already punished you, you know. At least my punishment was less harsh than all the punishments you had inflicted against me."

"When?" Tifa asked in confusion.

"When I found Francis and learned he is your son, I asked him to stay with me for the night. I intentionally did not give him back to you immediately. I knew you were so worried looking for him. I made you worry longer."

Tifa grabbed the small pillow and threw it again on his face. "I cried myself to sleep that night, Cloud! You should have returned him to me immediately when you found out he is my son. Thanks to you! I collapsed the next day because of hunger and stress!"

"In fact, I wanted him to stay with me longer but I guess it would make me a kidnapper if I did that," Cloud told her. "Again, what I did was less harsh than what you did to me before. It was nothing compared to you saying goodbye three years ago and rejecting me."

Tifa touched his hand tightly. "I'm sorry. That's why I felt so guilty and grateful when you found him. I don't know what to do if I never see him again. I really wanted to repay you, Cloud. I think the only way I could do it is to stay with you." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Punish me again and again but this time, I'll never leave your side. I know you don't trust me but I'll do anything to earn it again. I promise."

Cloud sat up and held her shoulders. "I won't punish you again but you really have to prove yourself to me this time. You told me years ago that trust is like money. You earn it after some hard work."

"I will, Cloud. Believe me," Tifa assured him. His eyes, the way they looked at her, made her feel so grateful and loved. He had given her the freedom she asked three years ago and yet he was still here, ready to accept her. They did not talk to each other for three years but still, it's him who made her heart beat once again.

"Butterfly," Cloud murmured.

"What?"

"You are like a butterfly, Teef," he said.

Tifa was curious. "Why do you say so?"

She is like a butterfly, Cloud was thinking. When I ran after her, she kept on running away from me. When I stopped and simply opened my palm, that's when she came and landed.

"I won't tell you. Forget it," he said.

"What should I do so you would tell me?" she asked. How could he link her to a butterfly? Tifa knew it was simply a silly comparison but she still wanted to find out.

"Nothing. Don't ask because I still would not tell you."

Tifa was annoyed at him. Before she could change her mind, she moved forward and kissed him on the lips. Her hands touched his face as she tasted his soft lips. Cloud placed his hands on her waist, kissing her back.

When she broke the kiss, she stared at him and said, "Is that kiss enough for you to tell me how a butterfly relates to me or do you want more?"

Cloud laughed. "Even if you kiss me many times, I still won't tell you. Just forget it."

Tifa sighed. "Fine. Butterflies are cute anyway." She glanced at her son. He was waking up from his nap.

"Mom, I'm hungry," Francis spoke. He was holding his stomach with one hand. Tifa felt anxious, wondering if her son heard her talking to Cloud about the kiss or saw her kissing him. She read the expression on her son's face. There was no reaction, only an expression of feeling so hungry.

Tifa stood up. "We'll just go outside and have dinner. My baby is hungry. We'll come back here later, Cloud. We'll buy dinner for you, too."

"Thanks." Cloud lay down on the bed again.

Francis stood up and walked towards Cloud. "Are you okay now, Uncle Cloud? How come there's something white wrapped in your body? If that white spreads in your entire body, you will look like a mummy!"

Cloud squeezed the kid in the arm. "I'm okay. Don't worry. This bandage will not spread."

Tifa held her son's other arm. "Let's go, baby. Uncle Cloud needs some rest."

She and her son walked out of the hospital and ate in a nearby restaurant.

Her son suddenly asked, "Mom, Daddy won't come back anymore, right? He will always sleep in his grave?"

Tifa's heart felt sympathetic towards her son. He had been deprived of his real father even before he was born. It was so unfair to him to be fatherless at an early stage of his life. "I told you many times, baby, he will never come back. But he loves you. He loves the two of us. It's not his fault that he died early."

"Okay. It's good that he loves me. I love him, too. What about you, Mom? You love me?"

Tifa loved her son's innocent questions. "Of course. I'll always love you, darling."

Her cell phone rang. Tifa saw from the screen that Squall was calling her. "Hello, Squall."

"Hi, Tifa. You're in Edge now, am I right? When will you come back here?" Squall asked.

"I am supposed to come back this coming weekend. But something happened to my childhood friend, Cloud. He was rushed to the hospital. I have to ask Ignis to give me two more weeks to stay in my hometown," Tifa informed him. And when I go back to Sapphire, Cloud will be with me, assuming he wants to live there. I'll ask him again.

"Okay. Tell me when you are returning here. There is someone here I'd like you and Francis to meet," Squall told her.

"Who is that, Squall?"

"You'll know when you come back here. I'll wait for you."

"Squall, tell me who that person is now," Tifa urged.

"It's a surprise, Tifa. You'll be happy when you meet this person. Bye for now. I'll meet with Rinoa in the Coliseum." Squall clicked the phone and the conversation was cut off.

Who is that person Squall likes us to meet? Tifa wondered.

"Mom, I'm thirsty!" Francis complained.

Tifa's thoughts were distracted. She grabbed a glass of water and gave it to her son. "Here," she said. "Anything else you want me to order for you?"

"Dessert! I want a chocolate cake," her son requested.

Tifa and her son continued eating. Her thoughts of Squall disappeared in an instant. What mattered to her now was Cloud. She hoped he would be discharged from the hospital as soon as he recovered.

She called Ignis when she was done with her dinner. "Hey, Ignis. It's time for me to ask a favor from you."

"And what favor is that?" Ignis asked.

"Can you give me two more weeks? Cloud had an accident. He is in the hospital right now. He was hit by a stray bullet in the chest. I want to take care of him."

"Okay. But you won't get paid anymore."

Who cares? I'm richer than you, Ignis. I don't even have to work anymore. The only reason while I still continue working is because I don't want to live a lazy life.

"It's fine. Thanks for understanding, boss," Tifa said.

Cloud spent a week in the hospital. In that one week, Tifa and her son stayed with him. He had tried to be so wary to her at first but his defenses soon went down when her sweet personality came back. He could not believe she was finally his. He thought they could only be together in his dreams. He did not expect that those dreams turned into a reality.

She's a butterfly, a beautiful butterfly, Cloud thought again.

"I'm so happy you're better now!" Tifa exclaimed. They had arrived in their home in Edge. Her son was playing with Marlene outside. "What do you want for lunch? I'll cook it!"

"No thanks. You just brought lunch for me when we were in the hospital. Now you want me to eat again? I'll gain weight."

"Okay. What do you want for snack then? Dinner?"

Cloud wanted to laugh at Tifa's questions. "Teef, we'll talk about it later. I just want to deliver now. I've been absent from work for a week. I might lose clients."

Tifa gave him a piercing stare. "No. You won't work today. You just left the hospital. Take a rest."

"Tifa-"

"You won't work. We'll find someone to do the deliveries for you." Tifa took his hand and the two of them sat in the couch. "I'll ask Barrett or Reno to do it. I'll pay them. You just stay here at home, okay?"

Cloud tried not to show to her how much her sweetness touched him. He could not give her the idea that she could easily capture his trust that easily. He loved her. He was elated that she came back in his arms. But he would have to be cautious to her until she proved to him that she would be with him always, not just through her words but through her actions.

"Cloud…" There was shyness on Tifa's face.

"Yes?"

"I—you're my prince now, Cloud. You and my baby actually. So please stay here for the entire day. I don't want my prince working immediately after staying in the hospital for a week," she told him. She looked away from him. Cloud noticed she was blushing again.

"What about Noctis?" he asked. He remembered the man who was the reason he lost Tifa before. It was a loss that had deeply hurt and traumatized him. Watching her making out with him, taking him to her bedroom, being engaged to him… Cloud shook his head to release the negative memories he had with Noctis and Tifa.

"He would always be a part of me, Cloud. I would always love him. But that doesn't mean my heart is forever closed to another man. I'm wiser now. I'm willing to love someone else Cloud and…" She stopped.

"Continue, Teef," Cloud insisted.

"And that someone is… you," she said coyly. "I'm sorry it took me five years, Cloud."

Cloud took her in his arms. "Let's stop talking about the past. It's over."

"Thanks, Cloud. I want to ask you something. Do you want to live with me and Francis in Sapphire?"

Cloud recalled the sweet words she told him in the hospital. He smiled at her again and answered, "Teef, I don't belong there. Noctis and his family are popular there. I'm sorry but I have to turn you down. I will never be comfortable in that place. It's beautiful but I'm already contented here."

"What's wrong if it's Noct's kingdom? Cloud, think about it. People there are wealthier. You could start a delivery service there and earn larger amounts of gils. You, Francis and I will move to a new house. The bodyguards and the press won't be tailing us anymore. Squall is the king now. Francis cannot succeed him unless Squall would not have kids. But I doubt Squall won't want to have his own family. He has a girlfriend now and I think there would be a wedding between them soon."

Cloud ran his fingers through Tifa's hair. "Thanks for the offer but I have already thought about it. I won't change my answer. I'll be fine here."

Living in that kingdom would be a nightmare for me. I don't know anyone there except Tifa and Francis. I am not even close to Squall and Ignis. Tifa's name would always be linked to Noct and I would only be filled with jealousy. People might compare me to him. From a prince to a delivery boy? Tifa and I would surely be laughingstocks.

Tifa smiled back at him. "Okay. I'll tell Ignis I'm resigning then. I told you I will always be with you. If you want to continue living here, then Francis and I will stay here."

"Are you sure? You seemed to have a perfect life there," Cloud commented.

"You call being chased by the press and being surrounded by the bodyguards perfect? Well, the press no longer bothered me as often as before. But I hated being followed by bodyguards. I'm sure, Cloud. I told you many times I meant what I said."

"That's nice to know. Would Ignis be okay with your decision?"

Tifa laughed. "There's nothing he could do about it. My contract has expired months ago. I don't even have to work because of the inheritance I got. But life would be boring if I stopped working. I could reopen Seventh Heaven here. There are schools here in Edge. I could enroll Francis in one of them."

I really cannot believe this, Cloud thought in delight. She would give up her life there for me. She's planning her future and I'm a part of it.

"You sacrificed a lot for me, Cloud. It's time for me to return the favor," she stated. "I even asked Ignis to give me two more weeks to stay here so I could watch over you. I was supposed to come back in Sapphire two days ago."

"And what happens after two weeks?" Cloud inquired.

"Well, Francis and I will have to go back to get our belongings and to know this certain person Squall wanted us to meet. Then we will come back here. It's only for a few days. I'll call Ignis later to tell him I'm quitting from the job."

"Teef!" Cloud started to feel upset. "Every time you go there, you end up staying there for good. Are you really sure you'll come back?"

"Trust me this time, Cloud. Why don't you come with me? If you do, you would definitely believe that I will return and we could kill Prompto together," Tifa joked.

"I'll think about it," Cloud replied. I don't really care anymore about that Prompto. At least I have the lady I love now. I won…

"Hey, Ignis. I have something to tell you," Tifa called to her boss. She was outside the house. Cloud, Francis and Marlene were inside watching TV. Marlene would stay with them for the night since her father, Barrett, would be the one doing the deliveries for Cloud for the entire day until tomorrow.

"You're asking again for another extended vacation?" Ignis responded.

Tifa went to the point. "I'm resigning, Ignis. I've decided to live in Edge again."

"What? First, you asked me to prolong your stay there for two weeks. Now, you're telling me you're leaving. What made you decide to stay there?"

I have to repay Cloud, Ignis. I've said no to him many times. It was easy to say no to him but not to you and the Caelum family. It's time for me to be fair to him now, Tifa wanted to tell her boss.

"Personal reasons, Ignis. Is it okay with you?"

Tifa could sense the irritation in Ignis' voice. "Why now, Tifa? I need you here. My wife has just given birth yesterday. It's hard for me to be a manager and a father to a newborn baby at the same time now. The next two weeks would be hell for me since you're not here. Now you're telling me you're resigning?"

"I'm sorry for the short notice, Ignis. I—"

"Look, I've already given you two weeks. When the two weeks are over, come back here and work some more until I can find someone who would replace you. Please. We're not only co-workers. We're friends, right?"

"And when will you find someone who would replace me? I think it won't be that hard," Tifa spoke to him.

"It depends on my standards. I'll tell the waiters to post notice outside the restaurant about the job that you will vacate. I want someone as competent and trustworthy as you. You'll come back here, okay? I won't accept your resignation yet. Again, you'll continue working for me until I find someone worthy to replace you. I'm still the boss, Tifa."

Tifa herself started to feel irritated at the mention of the words "I'm still the boss." She had to talk to Cloud and tell him that Ignis had refused to accept her resignation. She could just disappear from Ignis' life without a word but that would make her unprofessional. They had been friends for years. She had to sever her career ties to him peacefully. She wanted to lose the job but she surely didn't want to lose Ignis' friendship.

She didn't know how to tell Cloud. She could feel he didn't trust her fully yet. She wished he would just come with her so he would be more convinced that she was true to her words.

When they were washing plates that night, Cloud noticed how preoccupied she was. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

Tifa washed her hands. "Nothing. I have to tell you something but I'll make Francis sleep first." It was already nine o' clock in the evening. She went to the living room where Francis and Marlene were watching cartoons. "Baby, let's sleep now. Stop watching TV."

"Mom, the show is not yet over!" Francis whined. "I'll sleep later."

"No, Francis. Sleeping late is bad. Let's go." She started to lift her son when Marlene interjected.

"Can we sleep together, Tifa? I miss my old bedroom. Please."

Tifa smiled at Marlene. "Francis will have to sleep beside me, dear. I'm sorry. Well, you could sleep with us. I don't mind. I miss sleeping beside you."

"Tifa, I don't want to sleep beside an adult anymore. In Corel, I stopped sleeping beside Papa. I want to have my own bedroom. Can Francis sleep in my bedroom, please?"

"Yeah, Mom. Okay, I will sleep but I want to sleep in Marlene's room. She's like a big sister to me! She's a cool playmate," Francis said. "Please! Please!"

Tifa pretended to be sad. "So you don't want to sleep beside me anymore? I feel jealous."

Francis embraced her. "I'll sleep beside you tomorrow then. Don't be sad, Mommy."

Tifa turned the television off and led the kids upstairs. They entered Marlene's room where there were two beds. The other bed was used to be occupied by Denzel.

"You could leave us now, Tifa," Marlene said cheerfully. "I'll be the one to make him sleep."

Tifa eyed Marlene in suspicion. "Really? I don't believe. What if the two of you sleep late? I don't want the two of you still awake after midnight."

The two kids were able to fit in one bed because of Francis' tiny body. Marlene motioned for Tifa to leave. "We will be okay, Tifa. I promise. I can make him sleep. Close your eyes now, Francis."

But Tifa stayed with them for an hour until the kids were fully asleep. She liked seeing them sleep beside one another. They look so cute. They look like a big sister and a small brother…

When she left the bedroom, she got another call from Squall.

"When are you coming back? It's not good to keep our visitor waiting, Tifa," he said in a thoughtful voice.

Tifa started to feel irritated again. "I told you before King Caelum I'll come back. I'll return after two weeks. And who is that person you want to introduce to me and Francis? How would I feel so eager to meet him if you don't tell me who he or she is?"

"Just come back here. That's all you have to do. No further questions."

"Then I'll ask Ignis or Rinoa then."

Squall sniggered. "I told everyone here not to tell you about this person. They are loyal to me. I'm the king. It's a surprise. You'll have to meet him yourself, Tifa."

Him? So it's a man. A man wants to meet me and Francis. I wonder who he is.

"Whatever. I have more important things to think about, King Caelum," Tifa answered with emphasis on the last two words. "Tell him to wait longer."

Tifa went downstairs and saw Barrett talking to Cloud. "Hi Barrett. Thanks for being the delivery boy for the day," she greeted. "Are you hungry? I'll reheat the food."

Barrett shook his head. "No problem. I just want to rest now." He handed Cloud a small bag of gils. "Here's the money I've earned for today, Cloud."

"Thank you, Barrett. Half of this is yours. Thanks a lot." Cloud put the bag in the table.

Barrett started to go upstairs when Tifa reminded him, "Don't snore too loud, okay? Marlene and Francis are asleep now. They are sleeping in one bed. You use Denzel's bed."

"Well, I cannot control my snores," Barrett said to her jokingly. "But thanks for telling me." He went upstairs and entered Marlene's room.

When Cloud and Tifa were alone, Cloud asked, "What is it you want to tell me again, Teef?"

Tifa hesitated. "Uhm, I talked to Ignis this afternoon. He did not accept my resignation, Cloud."

"What? What else did he say?"

"He said I should come back after two weeks and work for him until he finds someone who would take my place."

Cloud watched her with suspicious eyes again. "And you agreed?"

"Cloud, he is my boss. Not only that. He is my friend. But I'll really come back here as soon as he finds someone who would replace me. He cannot focus totally in his job, Cloud. His wife had given birth to their second baby. He needs me. I don't want to walk out of his life without saying farewell to him in a good way."

"Teef, I thought you would only get your belongings there."

"It's not my fault Ignis doesn't want to let me go yet. Just come with me, Cloud," she pleaded. "I would love that. Please."

The disapproval in Cloud's face was too clear. "I'll think about it," he said.

Tifa became curious. That was his answer earlier, too. Why was he avoiding that kingdom?

"Cloud, do you hate that kingdom? I'm sure it won't take long for Ignis to find someone else. We can go home here as soon as he has hired a new assistant manager."

"I told you I am not just comfortable there, Tifa."

"Cloud…"

He put a finger in her lips. "Why don't we stop talking about it for a while and enjoy the next two weeks? There's no point in arguing about our plans for now. Let's just appreciate the present. We'll talk about it after two weeks."

Tifa grinned at him. "Good idea. I want to spend the two weeks spoiling you, Cloud. We will make up for the lost years."

"You start now. From now on, we will sleep in the same bedroom. All right?" Cloud asked, grinning as well.

"All right, Cloud. But with Francis sleeping between us," Tifa answered.

"I don't mind if there's a kid sleeping with us. I love Francis." Cloud walked towards her and kissed her lips. "And I love you, Tifa."

"I love you too, Cloud," she said with all her heart.

I've finally heard the words I wanted to hear from her, Cloud was saying in his mind. She is finally in love with me.

"I love you more, Miss Butterfly," he teased.

The two of them shared a long, passionate kiss. Tifa felt the hunger and lust from Cloud. He was caressing her in parts of her body where he had not touched her before. She didn't mind. She loved him. She told him she was his forever and that means giving her whole heart and body to him.

They broke the kiss. Tifa felt his arms carrying her. He brought her to her bedroom and gently put her in the bed.

Cloud started to take his clothes off when Tifa suddenly felt nervous. She was no longer a virgin but it had been five years since the last time she shared her body with the man whom she had loved so much. Now she was sharing her body again, this time with her childhood friend who was now her lover. She felt so awkward that she would make love to this man who had been her friend since she was young.

"Wait, Cloud. Are you sure you want to—"

Cloud did not let her finish her question. He answered "Yes" in an instant.

"Cloud, are you really fine with me? Is it okay for you that I'm not a-"

"Not a virgin anymore?" Cloud laughed. "I already accepted that, Teef. There's no problem with it. I don't care if I am not the first. I just want to be the last." He took off his shirt and threw it in the floor. "As long as I'm the last and the only man who would make love to you and the next baby that you'll be carrying is mine, we won't have any problems, Teef." He lay down beside her.

"I promise, Cloud. You're the last," Tifa assured him.

They undressed one another and threw the clothes in the floor. They made love in the bed. All the thought of the past and the future vanished in their minds. What was important now was the two of them. They were in love and they were finally one. Both of them had hurt the other but they learned to forgive and now they were moving on. Tifa was skeptical as Cloud's kisses and touches gave her naked body a delightful sensation. She could not believe he was still right man for her after her fiancé died. He was her first love. She had learned not to love him. But, in the end, it's still him who had the power to make her heart love again. Only he and Noctis could do that. Noctis was gone but she had Cloud now.

Nothing will go wrong this time. He is mine. I am his, Tifa thought. I will let go of the past. There will be no obstacles. Nothing and no one will stop us from loving one another.

They made love again and again that night. Tifa wished this night with Cloud would never end.

A/N: Thanks for reading, folks!

Will Cloud and Tifa finally have a happy ending or will they have another hindrance in their relationship? Who is that mysterious man Squall wanted Tifa to meet? This is the last twist in this story. Don't get mad at me, folks. You'll find out in the next chapter. Again, thanks for reading. Please review. :)