AN: Last prompt! Last day!

Prompt for Feb 29 is "Memory."

Summary: There are some things he'll never remember. But there are some things he promises to never forget.

Tags: canon, romance, fluff, family


For a while, Cloud was terrified of losing his memories again. This horrible feeling would creep into his mind when he forgot something, even small things that most normal people would forget, like picking something up from the store or leaving his laundry in the dryer.

Tifa was afraid, too, of not remembering things, though not to the same extent as Cloud. But they'd both been manipulated about their pasts so much. They understood the flash of worry that crossed the other's face as they tried to recall something.

Did I leave the stove on?

Did I get everything on the list?

Where did I put those tools?

But they reassured each other constantly as well.

"It's alright, don't worry."

"It's just one thing."

"We can get it tomorrow."

As time went on, they trusted their memories more and relied on each other.

And then their daughter was born.

They both had the same thoughts, though they didn't know it.

Is this really happening right now?

Will I remember this moment?

Tifa wouldn't remember much of the day as it turned out. Once they got to the hospital – at four in the morning because babies wait for no one – Tifa was in so much agony they had to drug her. What scared Cloud the most was that she wasn't screaming or crying, but just staring, breathing hard through clenched teeth, holding his hand so tightly he thought she might break it. She was so quiet compared to what he thought she should be like right now, but the pain was etched in her face. When the doctor asked her to put it on a scale, she exhaled a long breath and wheezed,

"Eleven."

Considering everything she's been through, if this was that painful…

I did this to her. She's going to kill me.

The doctor reassured him that everything would be fine. They stuck a huge needle into her spine. Cloud's eyes went wide at the sight of it. He hated seeing her like this, unable to do anything about it.

Remember this!

He blinked. This part might be terrible now, but something wonderful was happening. He had to remember it.

Cloud impressed upon his mind the way Tifa seemed to relax just a little after they'd given her the drug. He focused on her breathing, on her face, sweat sticking her bangs to her forehead and cheeks as she followed the doctor's instructions. He felt the skin of her hand against his own as she held on, gripping tightly whenever she pushed, loosening her grip when she got to relax. His own words echoed in his head.

"You're okay. You're doing great. I love you. Almost there."

Words that had sounded mechanical as they practiced them before, but now… now these words were part of this moment. And they were all true.

He pressed his forehead against her temple.

"You got this. I'm here."

She nodded against him, her chest heaving.

"One more push," the doctor said.

Tifa took a deep breath. Cloud squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"One more Teef."

She strained, yelling as she did it.

Crying.

Cloud looked up as Tifa slumped back against the bed. He stared at the doctor, whose arms were still between his wife's raised legs.

But he heard the crying. The soft, strong crying.

This… he would remember this.

Cloud looked back at Tifa. Her head was turned to the side. She was trying to catch her breath, but he could see tears in her eyes. He pushed her bangs back and kissed her forehead.

"You're okay."

She gazed up at him with a weak smile.

"Congratulations!"

They both turned back to the doctor. In his arms was their baby, wrapped in a white towel.

"You have a beautiful baby girl."

Cloud's throat closed up.

"We're going to clean her up, and then we'll bring her to you."

He only nodded, unable to speak. He got a tiny glimpse as the nurse left the room with their daughter, and Cloud saw she had dark hair.

Another nurse finished with Tifa and left them in the room alone. That's when he noticed she was crying.

"Teef? What's wrong?" he finally managed to get out. He sat on the bed and held her close, kissing her forehead. She didn't respond right away. Her quiet sobs were the only noise in the room besides the beeping machines.

"Cloud."

He looked down at her. Gentle tears flowed down her cheeks, but she was smiling.

"Tifa…"

"Our… baby girl."

Our… baby girl…

The doctor came back into the room with their daughter swaddled in a new, fresh blanket. He handed her to Tifa, who delicately took the baby into her arms, cooing. She looked up at Cloud, then back down at their baby.

"She is beautiful, isn't she?"

When Tifa glanced back up at him, he was only staring. His mouth opened to say something, but the words never came.

Instead, he cried.

And as he held Tifa in his arms, with Stella in hers, Marlene and Denzel rushing into the room with Barret in tow, he vowed to never forget any of this for as long as he lived.