Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII with the characters, items, places, etc. are the property of Square Enix, Inc. No infringement is intended.

Author's Note: Prompt for Cloti Fall Festival 2019 by the FinalHeaven Discord Server. This chapter is for the prompt, "Free Day," and picks up right where we left off with both Cloud and Tifa at the end of Chapter 3: Revelations. I went back and named the chapters, if you haven't noticed yet.

I wasn't even planning on making an update on this story anytime soon, but here I am with a surprise update for ClotiWeek. I dedicate this update to theClosetPoet7, who was inspired to write a wonderful oneshot, and her upfront love she has shown for this story. I also dedicate this update to kelleyj17, who has been dying to know the aftermath of the small lie told by Cloud, and Caramel Van Gogh who re-read this story multiple times in one night. Also, much gratitude to Denebola Leo for being the beta reader on my entry.

Alcantis, SkyRaisin, beaucoup riant, Bmonti, Ginocide02, red shoulder85, Mgiep96, Trngh, evanescentblaze, hapiflower, Hero Entertainment, tabark, Fantasies and Realities, Junia Grey, Dog's Paw Burning In Hot Ash, MisakiRaine07, MysticNatsu02, SUPAfast JeLLyFisH, nantia12, and Denebola Leo for your reviews, favorites, and kind patience in my update!

The title of the story was inspired by Utada Hikaru's song "Final Distance".

Now...what happened when Tifa found out Cloud was actually a member of Soldier?

-. Final Distance .-

Chapter V: Never Too Late

His skin was pale and clammy, his gash trickling blood with red soaked gauze overlying the cut. Cloud laid there motionless on the hospital bed before her, his dark blue vest mangled and his belt torn, the rapid beeping of the monitor that turned to a monotonous tone becoming distant to her.

Why is he here?

"Cloud, stay with us!" the older man shouted at him, unzipping the sweater top on the patient, exposing his chest.

Why is Cloud...wearing that uniform?

"Lockhart, he's in V-Fib. Get the pads ready. You're going to bring him back," Dr. Hollander instructed.

"Me? But he's––"

"He's not gonna die, you can do this," the older man reassured her, his amber eyes connecting to hers, affirming his belief in her abilities while stepping away from Cloud. "This is normal in patients with poison, got it?"

"Yes, Doctor," she nodded, pulling the crash cart next to him, flipping the switch on the defibrillator. With the pads in each of her hands, she took a deep breath while placing each part of the mechanism under his collarbone and armpit. "Charge to 200!"

After the whirring sound effect could be heard, she pushed the buttons to send the electric current through his body, making his torso pop up in response. Seconds passed and no change in pulse, her hands shaking a bit, but she tried to keep them steady.

"Lockhart, go again."

The night before she could feel the beat of his heartbeat speed up as they made love, as they kissed. Now she's hoping to start his heart again. Biting her lip she blinked back a few tears. "Charge to 350!"

BEEP.

BEEP.

BEEP.

"And we have sinus back. See?"

She let out a huge sigh of relief, lifting the paddles from his chest to put them away in their holsters. Pushing the crash cart back in the corner, Tifa wiped a few tears from her eyes in secret. She always figured her first time resuscitating a patient would be hard, but she wasn't prepared for this.

"He's gonna need a wound cleanse before the stitches, as it's not deep enough for actual surgery," Dr. Hollander briefly ordered, checking the blond's pupils one more time. "But before that, get two units of antidote setup with his IV. Can you handle that?"

"Yes, I can," Tifa smiled as best as she could when she turned around, grabbing a tray and the necessary supplies from the cabinet. This is my first day, she thought as she scrubbed her hands in the sink. She couldn't ask to be unassigned from her case, risking looking weak or problematic to her superior. Before she had turned back to attend the patient, the doctor had left the room to move onto others in need, leaving her alone with an unconscious Cloud.

Cloud…

She pushed the tray trolley over to the side of the hospital bed.

Are you in Soldier?

Next, a stool with wheels was pulled over to sit in, then moving his hand over the base of his rib cage so she may begin suturing the wound,

Why did you say you were a business apprentice the other night?

Taking the tweezers, she pulled the bits of Marlboro thorns out meticulously, each piece tinking as it landed in the metal tin next to her.

Why did you lie to me?

A piece of gauze dipped in antiseptic at the end of the locking forceps sponge tool, she coated the edges of the open laceration in the clear liquid, just as she was taught in her wound cleansing classes.

Did you lie about anything else that night?

Placing the surgical thread at the end of the needle holder, she pierced into his skin to begin closing the deep cut.

Why didn't you come back if you made it in Soldier?

After the gash was proficiently closed, Tifa placed gauze and medical tape over the sutures for healing.

Why didn't you come back like you promised me?

"Ti...fa…"

His voice startled her, but he seemed to be regaining consciousness as his face twitched, his head rolling against the pillow with his eyes still closed. She was beginning to think she might not have even mattered if he couldn't uphold his promise to her, and here he was, calling her name in his sleep. The hand below his chest tightened as he spoke in his sleep again.

"Tifa…c-can't know."

Why can't I? What is it that I can't know?

His eyes started out as tiny squints, a small groan escaping his lips as his vision adjusted to the brightness of the room. She wanted to leave, pretend this never happened, but she had a job to do. Her personal life falling into work, the hurt she was feeling from his lying, it was too much to bear inside. But right now, his health was her responsibility.

His brilliant blue eyes widened when he recognized her. "Tifa, what're you doing here?"

"That was my question earlier for you," she laughed nervously, fidgeting with her nametag. "I work here."

"Oh," his eyes fell into the space between them, sounding defeated. "I didn't know your medical internship was with Shinra."

"And I didn't know your business apprenticeship was with Shinra either," she couldn't help but snip, immediately regretting how bitter she sounded. "I'm sorry."

He pushed his hand through his wild hair. "Don't be," he sighed. "I guess you have a ton of questions for me..."

"I do," Tifa pulled the stethoscope from around her neck when she stood up. "On a scale of one to ten, what is your pain level?"

"What?" His eyes were perplexed at what she asked as if he expected something way more personal.

"Your pain level? You were attacked by a Marlboro."

"Oh. An eight, I guess," he grimaced as he sat up slowly.

Tapping a few buttons on the IV drip machine next to him, she boosted his medication for comfort. "Can I listen to your heart and lungs?"

"Uh, sure?"

Placing the pad of the listening device on his chest, she instructed him to inhale, hold, and exhale a few times as she monitored for anything unusual. So far, they were clear. After she was done, she grabbed the tiny flashlight from her pocket to check his eyes. "Any black spots in your vision?"

"No," he blinked as she shined the light in his eyes, but adjusted quickly for her checkup.

Nothing unusual again, though she could totally see the Mako enhancements in his eyes now. Why didn't she notice the night before? They were always so bright, but these were different. She sighed as she finished up, sticking the light back in her pocket.

"I didn't think these were the questions you had in mind to ask me."

"They are for your medical care, Cloud," Tifa responded smartly. "Do you want me to be asking why you lied to me about your job? Because I could."

His mouth pursed into a thin line from her directed anger.

A lot happened that evening between them, both physical and emotional. The Cloud she knew wouldn't lie or try to elude a mistruth for his own gain. She wanted him that night, spoke from her heart to him, but the biggest question that plagued her mind was what it possibly meant to him. He wouldn't lie to her about...having the same feelings, would he? For the wrong reasons?

"I asked you if you made Soldier, and you told me you changed your mind. Are you lying to me about anything else from that night?"

He shook his head. "N-no. No, I swear," he murmured.

Tifa sighed in return, relieved there was no deceit about his feelings. Her mind had been cycling through emotions since she saw him resting there, of his intentions and true feelings, if they were pure or not. Cloud lying to her was not the Cloud she knew, and her heart held a wound if that night between them meant nothing but sex. Blinking through her tears, she tried to hold back the memories of her ex hurting her, using her physically and cheating on her when she couldn't live up to his expectations of her. It was not fair to the man in front of her thinking these thoughts, but she couldn't help it after being hurt so badly by Johnny.

She reached for his hand, feeling the calluses against her skin, which made more sense now with his career. He gripped hers back as his eyes filled with sorrow, making her heart swell. He had to care about her, and couldn't be lying about anything else.

Tifa sighed. "Cloud…"

"Cloud? You awake?" A familiar voice spoke as they knocked on the door. "Whoa, Tifa! What're you doing here?!"

Those amethyst eyes...and raven hair. And that uniform…

"Zack?!" Surprised, but the same anger and hurt was starting to take over. She had just asked if there was anymore to lies, and there weren't supposed to be. After all, the man backed up his story at the nightclub.

Was it really just about sex to him? She wanted it too, but because she had always loved him. Tifa missed her chance back then, and in her excitement, perhaps moved too fast. But her intentions were pure, and perhaps Cloud's intentions...weren't.

She was hurt again, giving herself to the wrong guy again.

The man who just walked in had his mouth agape while pointing his finger at her as she wore blue scrubs. "You work here?"

"Yes, she does, can you give us some privacy?" Cloud asked earnestly from his bed.

Releasing her hand from his, she rubbed the nape of her neck under her ponytail. "No other lies from that night, huh?"

"Tifa, wait—"

She snapped her ruby eyes to sapphire. "Cloud, I've had enough." And without looking back, she walked around the other Soldier and left the room.

She felt like a fool.

Aerith: I'm tied up in the lab today! Go visit Cloud on your lunch instead, sounds like he really needs a friend right now.

Aerith felt bad about texting the excuse to get out of her date with her boyfriend last minute, but she had to do this now rather than later. She knew she had to do this on her own, based on what she heard, and she couldn't let Zack know what she was up to.

Ding. She read the response on her phone.

Zack: Kk. Love you.

Setting course for the lounge, she walked past the mini food court to the dining area. She didn't find who she was looking for in the rows of open tables, but in the more private dining cubicles. Seeing the brunette in the periwinkle nurse uniform in the chestnut wooden table nook reading a book, Aerith smiled; this discussion could be done privately.

Setting her lunch bag on the table, the sound of the soft impact disturbed the woman quietly enjoying her salad and iced tea. "...Tifa?"

She raised a dark eyebrow at her as she set down her drink. "...And you are?"

"Nice to meet you. I'm Aerith."

"Your name sounds familiar..." The porcelain face of the woman showed a hint of recollection. "Are you—"

"I am a friend of Cloud's," she began as she pulled out her turkey wrap sandwich from her bag while sitting down. "And I wanted to talk to you about him."

"Oh, I see," she pursed her lips, leaning back in her chair. "I really don't want to talk about what happened."

"Listen, I don't agree with him lying to you! And neither does Zack," Aerith began. "You've known him longer than the both of us combined, is he really the kind of guy to lie just to sleep with someone?"

"Aerith…no, he isn't," the chocolate haired girl shook her head. "But I gave him the chance to be honest with me."

"So, shouldn't you give him the chance to explain?"

Today was the day he was finally able to go home. Being in the hospital had always made him restless as an eager Second Class Soldier, but this last stay had him a little despondent. Before he even had a chance to tell her the truth, Tifa found out on her own through her job at the very hospital designed for the military and their families. Since the whole reveal, he hadn't seen her in the three days he was held here.

Cloud remembered the shocked expression on her face moments before he passed out from his injuries, and the painful look in her eyes when he finally woke up.

Disappointment. Distrust. Dismay.

He never wanted her to look at him that way, but the damage was done. If only he could go back to that night and tell her the truth right when she asked. This was Tifa after all, but he just got too shaken with shame. But he lied to his childhood best friend instead, a woman he cared for deeply for years.

Did he lose her before they truly began?

Cloud asked a few of the nurses who tended to him about her, but they followed up that she was far too busy with other patients. Even though he had her number on his phone, he felt he had no right to call her. When she questioned him about Soldier, he choked up because he felt like a failure after his promise and honestly, his own self worth dwindled with the delay of achieving his goal.

Why did he always screw it up?

"Hey, cheer up. She can't be mad at you forever," Zack tried to comfort him after they got back to their apartment. It was nearing dinner time when he was finally discharged, with a week of semi-bed rest directed. "You got her number, don't you?"

"I'm not calling her," Cloud cut off. He didn't even want to talk about it right now.

"Girls like to be chased, and if you explain with an apology, she'll understand. You did plan to tell her the truth anyway," his friend tried to encourage while placing the first aid supplies on the kitchen island. The dressing on his wound had to be periodically changed to prevent infection.

"Too late now," he forlornly responded as he laid down on the black leather couch carefully, groaning from the injury that was still healing. He could walk around easy enough if he paced himself, but getting up and down was a pain, even with medication. He felt so worn out and was thankful his roommate brought him black sweatpants and a black tee shirt to wear home.

"It's never too late for someone you love," Zack corrected him while walking over with a bottle of water, and his bottle of medicine, placing both items on the clear coffee table.

Cloud just ignored him, but a blush tinted his cheeks at his comment about 'love'. Leaning over, he grabbed the bottle and pills, taking his next dose for the pain.

"Listen, we don't have any food in the house since you've been in the hospital, so do you want pizza for dinner? Or anything else?"

The blond chuckled, knowing he was the only one in their residence that did the grocery shopping. "Pizza sounds fine."

"Text me if you need anything, I'll be back!" Zack waved off quickly, grabbing his wallet before he left the apartment.

Rolling onto his good side, Cloud settled into the couch to get some rest before dinner arrived. The peace and quiet of his apartment was too good to pass up, and he had to be up early this morning with the doctor checking him over repeatedly and last round of testing before his discharge could be approved. His eyes drifted closed when a small knock on the door, making him groan. Hoping they go away, he ignored it, but the knocking interrupted the quiet again.

This better be important, Cloud huffed to himself as he got up. If Zack forgot his keys...

He managed to make it to the door, leaning against the frame for support as he opened the latch. Much to his surprise, it wasn't a raven-haired man with a box of pizza.

Standing there was the brunette whose beauty and bright smile he missed, that thought he was never going to see again. Showing up at his place, she was wearing a black tank top, ripped skinny jeans and black thong strappy sandals. The simpler look really reminded him of her in high school.

"Tifa?" he asked in disbelief. That smile she was giving him was warm and kind, just like always.

Was this a dream? Is she really here?

"May I come in?" she shyly countered back, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Uh, yeah," he stammered, opening the door more for her to enter.

Timidly, yet a surprisingly compassionate gaze towards him, she entered the apartment. A few steps in, Tifa turned towards him slowly, "is it okay if we sit down and talk?"

Nervously, he swallowed hard. "Sure."

"Still a man of few words?" the brunette giggled as she walked over to take a seat on the black leather couch.

Cloud followed suit, but sat down at the other end of the seat, facing her. It was great she was here, cheerful and genuine since their last encounter, but he wanted to give her space. "Sorry, I was beginning to think I'd never see you again."

Her eyes downcast, he could see her begin to twiddle her thumbs together in her lap, her knees close together. She shifted nervously under his concentrated gaze. "I'm sorry I walked out on you, and didn't come see you. I really did have higher priority patients, and I'm there to learn as an intern. But I probably should've made time for you."

He smiled nervously at her, meeting her with his soft cerulean eyes. "Well, that's good to hear."

"But I didn't want to see you," Tifa stated while shaking her head slowly. He could see the painful conflict in the depth of her cardinal eyes.

And he was the one that hurt her. Feeling his heart plummet, there wasn't much he could say, so he turned away from her. "Oh."

"Cloud, why didn't you tell me you were in Soldier when I asked? Were you...ashamed that you weren't in First yet?"

He nodded slowly, unable to face her. "Yeah...I thought I'd make it right in, but I didn't. Everything your father said—" Worthless and weak were the words that came to mind.

"I never cared about what dad ever said about you," she gently cut him off. "You were a cadet in the Shinra army for awhile and climbed the ranks there, and then made a direct transfer to Second Class when you officially joined Soldier. That's only been done once before, and by General Hewley himself. Cloud, you should be proud of yourself, not ashamed."

"I told everyone I was going to make it to the top fast, and I promised I'd come and see you when I finally did…but I couldn't keep my word due to my own failure..." Cloud trailed off before directly looking at her. "Wait, how do you know all that?"

"Just some things I heard about you from work," she simply offered, a hint of amusement in her voice before turning serious. "It's never mattered to me if you were in Soldier or not. Just who you are inside, Cloud."

"I never meant to hurt you. I was going to call first thing when I got back from the mission and tell the truth," he confided, but felt some relief from the amount of faith she had in him. His heart began to pound a little at the way she looked at him.

"At the hospital, I was thinking there were...other lies from that night...about your feelings...that maybe I was used," Tifa began to confess, her voice sounding shaky. She took a deep breath before speaking again. "I've been hurt that way before, so I ran off. But I know you're not that kind of person. I really meant what I said."

"About what?"

Smiling bashfully at him, her face colored a little while looking at her hands. "How I was in love with you back then."

He could feel his cheeks redden. "Y-you did?"

His high school dream girl giggled while turning up to him once more, her smile more radiant than ever. "Would you believe me if I told you that starry night at the well, I was hoping you'd kiss me?"

"Not back then...but I can now," Cloud chuckled nervously. "Zack said you always had a crush on me when I did talk about you, but I convinced myself it was just in my head."

"I did too," she sighed as a small simper appeared on her lips. "Rinoa and Yuffie always told me the same. That you were the one that got away."

"I...had no idea," he exhaled slowly. He never thought she had such strong feelings for him in such a way. Way back when, he was just content on being her friend.

Tifa scooted down to sit right next to him, placing her gentle hand over his to give it a squeeze. The blond swallowed nervously at her willing closeness, and noticed the top of her cheeks tinge pink. To him, her demureness always made her more desirable to him. "I'm here now though, Cloud, for you. It's actually one of the reasons I came to Midgar. I had a transfer choice between here and Esthar. I picked this program...hoping to see you."

She came here...for me? He was simply amazed at the turn of events. He joined Soldier to impress her, and she ended up following him to the big city anyway, without even knowing where he was.

"Tifa…"

"I don't want you to be the one that got away," she firmly admitted to him while looking at him with those open and loving ruby eyes. "Do you…feel the same about me?"

"Surprised? I was kind of in love with you back then."

"Same here."

"I always have, Tifa," he inched his face closer to her, tucking the strands of her luscious chocolate hair behind her ear, cradling her cheek in his hand. His mouth hovered over hers, and he could feel the nervous pants escaping her mouth, her breath tickling his skin. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she was waiting for him with parted lips while still holding his other hand. Like the disciplined soldier he was, he captured her mouth in a tender kiss, brushing his tongue over her bottom lip in a sweet caress. He didn't think this moment was going to be possible again: kissing the girl from next door, and her returning the same affection.

The very same girl he left town to solely impress. And it turned out she always wanted him, even without the glory. Pulling her closer, he could feel her shiver with excitement, her soft lips never breaking from his.

It had been a week since they made up. When Aerith approached her in the cafeteria, she had no idea what to make of it, but as she talked to her new friend, she realized she misjudged Cloud too quickly from her past pain. When Yuffie first heard about the lie, she couldn't believe it herself that he was 'that kind of guy' either. Only the new girl made her realize her mistake. He had accomplished a lot in his military career, but to him, based on his promises and goals, he felt like he wasn't enough...for her.

Tifa still didn't appreciate that he lied to her, but she needed to give him the chance to make it right. And the emerald eyed girl promised if she did talk to Cloud that evening, she'd distract her boyfriend to give them privacy.

"I just met you, but please keep it a secret about my relationship with Zack. I know I approached you about yours, but I have reasons I don't want my personal life at work," Aerith whispered as they finished up lunch. "If word got out…," her eyes flickered in distress.

"I won't tell anyone," Tifa softly reassured her, not prying into the why factor of her request. She'd only just met her, but if she had reasons behind the secrecy, she'd respect it.

"I'm trusting you, Tifa. And I think we will be great friends."

"And as a friend, if I talk to Cloud today, you'll make sure we're not interrupted?"

"Of course!" the chestnut haired girl smiled back.

Tifa still didn't understand the reason behind the request, as Aerith never brought it up again. Sometimes the biochemist met her for lunch, sometimes she went off site to see Zack for a date. But whenever she did see the cheerful girl, she'd ask for a few details on her own relationship.

No dates yet, as he was still recovering from his injuries. But she would stop by almost every evening after work to spend time with him. Take out dinner in hand, she'd knock on his door with a smile for a planned evening in together. Sharing space on the couch, they'd cuddle and watch movies, both new and old time favorites from their school days.

And she didn't mind the low key dates, either. It made her happy, as just being near him would light her up inside, her chest swelling with warmth as he put his arm around her, and her breath taken away when he did decide to kiss her. Each time they started kissing, they'd always come to themselves gradually, breathless with flushed cheeks and hearts pounding. She felt like a teenager in love, and couldn't help but think this may have been what it would be like if they both had the courage to confess way back when.

Making out on the couch with Cloud was becoming her favorite past time with him. But it never went further than that. This was still new, exploring each other's long lost feelings in simple bliss.

"I should probably head back before it gets too late," Tifa hummed in between kisses, laying side by side on the narrow couch. She had pulled a double shift again this week, and her exhaustion was catching up to her. But she didn't want to leave Cloud...as she did almost every evening this past week. His broad hands scanned her back as he trailed his lips along her neck. "I'll end up falling asleep here if we don't stop."

"Would that be such a bad idea?" he whispered against her ear, his breath tickling her sensitive skin.

She stiffened at his bold question, opening her eyes to pull back and look at the blond. Her hands were still flat against his chest, biting her bottom lip anxiously. "Cloud…"

Seeing her flushed cheeks, he quickly corrected himself with a shake of his head. "No—wait...I didn't mean for that."

"Oh, okay," she sighed in relief. They may have been together before, but she wanted to take their new relationship slow after what happened. Not that she didn't want to. She gazed into the depths of his ultramarine eyes before speaking again. "Umm...Cloud—"

"Tifa," gently, he cut her off, threading his fingers through her loose silky hair. "You can stay here just to get some sleep without expectations from me. You are my girlfriend."

"I am?" she couldn't help but smile.

"Well, I'd like you to be," he kissed her lips.

"I'd like that too," the brunette blushed. "And I'll stay tonight."

He didn't need help off the couch, as most of his strength was back. Next week he'd be returning to work, along with herself. Holding her hand, he led her into the bedroom slowly. The moon was the only source of light, illuminating the space of their first passionate night together.

She turned away, her cheeks heating up from the fiery memory.

"Here," he handed her a shirt to change into for the night. "And I'll turn around."

"Oh, thank you," Tifa grabbed the navy cotton shirt shyly from his grasp. She didn't know why she was blushing so much, or why her heart was about to leap out of her chest. It's not like they haven't seen each other naked before. But he was being patient with her, and kind, just like the boy she fell for back in Nibelheim.

When she turned back around, she found him lying in bed, his head propped up on his fist, waiting for her. Tifa was only dressed in a shirt that mostly covered her thighs, and she still felt too exposed to him. Briefly, she hesitated, but the need to have his warm arms around her again was the ultimate deciding factor. Cloud wasn't expecting anything from her tonight, and she was sure this would be one night of many she'd begin to spend with her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend…

Getting under the covers, she sighed as his arm circled around her, snuggling into his side as her hand rested on his bare chest. Quietly, they laid there together, his hand making circles on her upper arm while she felt his beating heart under her palm.

"When I get better, I want to take you out on a real date," Cloud softly said after kissing the top of her head.

"I'd like that," Tifa replied while looking up at him, giving him a brief kiss goodnight before turning back into the heat of his skin. She could get used to sleeping with him every night.

Author's Note Continued: Yay! They are together now! See? Tifa wasn't going to be mad at him for too long, as she understands Cloud the most.

I've been busy with other stories, as well as working on a more in-depth plot for this piece. I have figured out an ending, but I needed to get there! I appreciate the patience and overwhelming love for this story, as I never anticipated how popular this would be. More time is needed on Final Distance, but I hope everyone enjoys this update in the meantime.

Happy ClotiWeek!