[Author's note: In this chapter, it follows the line in the game where Cloud buys a flower from Aeris and choses to give it to Marlene. Keep that in mind. ^.^ Also, I've made it so that Cid and Barret love to argue with each other, just for the amusment and comedy of it. If you don't agree with the things they say, disregard it. They're just arguing for the sake of arguing. ^.^ ]
As they walked out of Tifa's room, Barret walked over and gave Cloud a hardy slap on the back. "G'mornin' sunshine! Good 'ta see ya awake for once!"
Cloud's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, as he sucked in a hard breath from the unexpected blow. Barret smiled apologetically and scratched the back of his neck. "Oops! Sorry man, guess after all this time I still dunno my own strength! (sweat!)"
Cid chuckled harshly in the background. "I'll say. You damn near killed me back there in Midgar, throwin' around all that wreckage like you were. Almost took my head off a few times. Hmph." Cid's cigarette dangled from his bottom lip as he sat back, his feet kicked up and his arms stretched out on the back of the couch.
"@#%$ Dammit Cid I said I was sorry! B'sides, what're ya doin' here anyway? Shouldn't you be back in Rocket Town or somethin'?!" Barret raged.
Cid looked away. "I have no reason to go back there. My rocket's gone, the Tiny Bronco is who-the-hell-knows-where.. And Shera's gone now, too.." He sighed heavily and Barret quieted. Cid gained that conceited smile again. "So you'll just hafta put up with my ass from now on, I guess." All Barret could manage from that was a strong "Hmph."
Marlene suddenly appeared from behind the couch, and ran for Cloud. She hugged his knees tightly. Cloud looked down at her with a surprised complexion, blinking several times. "You're not so shy of me any more?" He smiled down at her and knelt down on his knees to hug her back. Her tiny arms clung around his neck, and Cloud smiled even more. /This little life.. Is alive, because of us./ The others stared at him, probably thinking something similar. Marlene pulled back. "Here" she said, as she stretched forward her hand. Enclosed in her fingers was a flower, just like the one Cloud has given her before this whole mess started. He smiled softly and took it, giving her a kiss on the cheek in return. Marlene blushed and ran back to Barret, who picked up the giggling little miss.
Cloud stood up, gaining back his sense of leadership. "We need to talk."
***
Later that evening, they met at the local bar. Marlene was tucked away, sleeping, in Tifa's house. The bunch was gathered around a small table in the poorly lit room, all sipping their choice beverage, personally mixed by Tifa.
Cid was kicked back, as always."So what now?"
"We need to get things organized now, and make sure something like this never happens again." Cloud said in an all-too serious tone. Tifa looked at him, seeing that he didn't want to talk about this. He wanted this to all just be over, and return to their normal way of life. But what's normal anymore?
"Midgar's gone." Barret said in an equally serious tone. "So we definitely don't need 'ta worry 'bout that anymore. The planet's safe, and'll hopefully heal itself up good without no more interruptions."
"Yeah, just so another corporation'll take control an' suck out more Mako all over again." Cid said, disgusted at the thought.
"Well, that shouldn't happen for a long time now. It took over 50 years for ShinRa to become as powerful as it did. That's long enough to stop it in time." Cloud took a sip of his glass. "I'm sure Junon Harbor will take control, now that Midgar is gone, since they have all that's left of ShinRa, there."
"Hopefully they have more damn sense then the last bastard's did." Cid remarked.
"We'll make them." Barret shook his fist adamantly, definite to not let history repeat itself.
Cloud glanced over at Tifa. She was oddly quiet, and seemed distracted. She didn't touch the drink she had made for herself. She just stared at it, hard in thought. Cid and Barret continued bickering and coming up with different ways to keep the remaining ShinRa militia in line. Tifa looked up and caught Cloud's eyes. She smiled softly, and for a few moments they stared there, at each other. All the noise around them drowned away, and all the movement shifted out of their vision. They both stared, and remembered all that they had been through with each other. Soon, Barret and Cid took notice, and quieted themselves down. A moment later, Tifa looked down away from Cloud's Mako Blue eyes.
"Excuse me... please..." She said, and left the table, turning for the door. Cloud watched her leave, wondering what was the matter. Both Cid and Barret looked at him. Cloud thought for a moment.
"Say, is CaitSith ever gonna report back to us? After all, he did go to Junon.. along with Vincent" He said casually, looking about the room.
Barret shook his fist and looked down with anger. "I bet that stuffed traitor turned tails on us again! Dammit! I knew we should'nta let him go!"
"No way!" Cid protested. "He's probably just taking his time, ya know, to get details on what's happenin'! Cool your damn head! If anything, I bet that damned vampire Turk guy is turned against us. He's probably got the remaining ShinRa after our asses right now!"
Barret pounded the table with his fist, sending the drinks airborne for a second, only to land barely balanced on the table. "That 'Vampire Turk Guy" has more sense then that %!@*&$ cat!"
Cloud took this opportunity to slip out. He smiled to himself, proud of the easy distraction. He could hear their voices slowly fade down as he walked out of audio range. As he walked out into the chilly night air, he took in a deep breath. He could still smell the burnt destruction of Midgar tainting the air. But other than that, it was fresh. And he was alive.
Cloud made his way towards the well. He knew she'd be there, and sure enough, she was. Just as they had when they were children, she sat perched on the well, her long, slender legs dangled over the edge of the platform it was raised on. She was looking up at the stars, which seemed to go on endlessly. He closed in quietly, but Zangan had taught her well. She turned and looked down at him. There were tears on her cheeks, shining like crystal in the reflective moonlight. She smiled, nonetheless. He climbed up and sat next to her.
"I used to come here every night, after you left to join SOLDIER." She said softly. "I missed you more than I ever thought I would. The others said to forget.. about you. I tried, but I couldn't bring myself to it. So I took up martial arts, to try and get my mind focused on other things. It didn't work, though. So I came to this well, every night, telling myself you'd keep your promise and come rescue me." Cloud looked down at his feet silently, deep in thought. Tifa continued her gaze at the stars. "When I heard that ShinRa was sending soldiers over to investigate the reactor, I got so happy.. The others teased me for it, but I didn't care. All I could think of was seeing you.. Especially after five years of waiting. And when I didn't see you.. " She looked down and sighed. "Sephiroth. He looked exactly like what the legend had said. He was.. Impressive. Very ominous. Powerful. That night when he.. He killed my father, I lost it. Both parents gone, I wanted foolish revenge. So I foolishly ran after him.. And paid a fool's price. But, then there you were. You rescued me, like you promised.. But then you were gone again. Zangan came and took me to Midgar, but the whole way over I asked to go back for you."
Cloud looked back at Tifa, soaking in everything she was saying.
"And when I found you in the Sector 6. Train Station, and the condition you were in.." She looked away as more quiet tears streamed from her wine colored eyes. Cloud whispered her name and moved a little closer to her, lacking the words to say. He felt so out of place, so awkward, unable to give a word of comfort. He never knew what to do in these emotional situations.
Tifa calmed herself down, and looked back up at the stars. "They're so beautiful. It's almost hard to imagine something so horrible and destructive could come from that. Like the Meteor."
Cloud looked up as well. "I wonder what happened to the Dark Materia." he said, quietly. "We better find it, and destroy it before someone else gets a hold of it later on."
"Yeah. Or all the people in Midgar would have died for no reason. And Aeris.." She sobbed. "So many people, gone.. All those innocent lives in the slums.. The faces I saw everyday in my bar, and all the children running around, free.. All gone. No survivors. Not even a member of soldier was found alive.. I guess we're lucky Reeve called for an evacuation, but that didn't do much. More were lost than saved.. I have lost everyone I've ever known, except for Barret, and.." she trailed off silently, looking Cloud directly in the eyes. "You won't leave again.. Will you?"
Cloud moved in and hugged her close. She closed her eyes and cuddled close to him. They stayed there for what seemed like hours, holding each other tightly under the stars, silently telling each other all their heart's feelings.
"You know that night before we went into the Crater, when we sat together like this?" Cloud finally managed to say.
"Yes, I remember." She hugged him a little tighter, suddenly not afraid to be so close.
"What I wanted to say was.." He trailed off, once again starting to forget all that he had planned to tell her. He held her closer to him.
"I love you."
As they walked out of Tifa's room, Barret walked over and gave Cloud a hardy slap on the back. "G'mornin' sunshine! Good 'ta see ya awake for once!"
Cloud's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, as he sucked in a hard breath from the unexpected blow. Barret smiled apologetically and scratched the back of his neck. "Oops! Sorry man, guess after all this time I still dunno my own strength! (sweat!)"
Cid chuckled harshly in the background. "I'll say. You damn near killed me back there in Midgar, throwin' around all that wreckage like you were. Almost took my head off a few times. Hmph." Cid's cigarette dangled from his bottom lip as he sat back, his feet kicked up and his arms stretched out on the back of the couch.
"@#%$ Dammit Cid I said I was sorry! B'sides, what're ya doin' here anyway? Shouldn't you be back in Rocket Town or somethin'?!" Barret raged.
Cid looked away. "I have no reason to go back there. My rocket's gone, the Tiny Bronco is who-the-hell-knows-where.. And Shera's gone now, too.." He sighed heavily and Barret quieted. Cid gained that conceited smile again. "So you'll just hafta put up with my ass from now on, I guess." All Barret could manage from that was a strong "Hmph."
Marlene suddenly appeared from behind the couch, and ran for Cloud. She hugged his knees tightly. Cloud looked down at her with a surprised complexion, blinking several times. "You're not so shy of me any more?" He smiled down at her and knelt down on his knees to hug her back. Her tiny arms clung around his neck, and Cloud smiled even more. /This little life.. Is alive, because of us./ The others stared at him, probably thinking something similar. Marlene pulled back. "Here" she said, as she stretched forward her hand. Enclosed in her fingers was a flower, just like the one Cloud has given her before this whole mess started. He smiled softly and took it, giving her a kiss on the cheek in return. Marlene blushed and ran back to Barret, who picked up the giggling little miss.
Cloud stood up, gaining back his sense of leadership. "We need to talk."
***
Later that evening, they met at the local bar. Marlene was tucked away, sleeping, in Tifa's house. The bunch was gathered around a small table in the poorly lit room, all sipping their choice beverage, personally mixed by Tifa.
Cid was kicked back, as always."So what now?"
"We need to get things organized now, and make sure something like this never happens again." Cloud said in an all-too serious tone. Tifa looked at him, seeing that he didn't want to talk about this. He wanted this to all just be over, and return to their normal way of life. But what's normal anymore?
"Midgar's gone." Barret said in an equally serious tone. "So we definitely don't need 'ta worry 'bout that anymore. The planet's safe, and'll hopefully heal itself up good without no more interruptions."
"Yeah, just so another corporation'll take control an' suck out more Mako all over again." Cid said, disgusted at the thought.
"Well, that shouldn't happen for a long time now. It took over 50 years for ShinRa to become as powerful as it did. That's long enough to stop it in time." Cloud took a sip of his glass. "I'm sure Junon Harbor will take control, now that Midgar is gone, since they have all that's left of ShinRa, there."
"Hopefully they have more damn sense then the last bastard's did." Cid remarked.
"We'll make them." Barret shook his fist adamantly, definite to not let history repeat itself.
Cloud glanced over at Tifa. She was oddly quiet, and seemed distracted. She didn't touch the drink she had made for herself. She just stared at it, hard in thought. Cid and Barret continued bickering and coming up with different ways to keep the remaining ShinRa militia in line. Tifa looked up and caught Cloud's eyes. She smiled softly, and for a few moments they stared there, at each other. All the noise around them drowned away, and all the movement shifted out of their vision. They both stared, and remembered all that they had been through with each other. Soon, Barret and Cid took notice, and quieted themselves down. A moment later, Tifa looked down away from Cloud's Mako Blue eyes.
"Excuse me... please..." She said, and left the table, turning for the door. Cloud watched her leave, wondering what was the matter. Both Cid and Barret looked at him. Cloud thought for a moment.
"Say, is CaitSith ever gonna report back to us? After all, he did go to Junon.. along with Vincent" He said casually, looking about the room.
Barret shook his fist and looked down with anger. "I bet that stuffed traitor turned tails on us again! Dammit! I knew we should'nta let him go!"
"No way!" Cid protested. "He's probably just taking his time, ya know, to get details on what's happenin'! Cool your damn head! If anything, I bet that damned vampire Turk guy is turned against us. He's probably got the remaining ShinRa after our asses right now!"
Barret pounded the table with his fist, sending the drinks airborne for a second, only to land barely balanced on the table. "That 'Vampire Turk Guy" has more sense then that %!@*&$ cat!"
Cloud took this opportunity to slip out. He smiled to himself, proud of the easy distraction. He could hear their voices slowly fade down as he walked out of audio range. As he walked out into the chilly night air, he took in a deep breath. He could still smell the burnt destruction of Midgar tainting the air. But other than that, it was fresh. And he was alive.
Cloud made his way towards the well. He knew she'd be there, and sure enough, she was. Just as they had when they were children, she sat perched on the well, her long, slender legs dangled over the edge of the platform it was raised on. She was looking up at the stars, which seemed to go on endlessly. He closed in quietly, but Zangan had taught her well. She turned and looked down at him. There were tears on her cheeks, shining like crystal in the reflective moonlight. She smiled, nonetheless. He climbed up and sat next to her.
"I used to come here every night, after you left to join SOLDIER." She said softly. "I missed you more than I ever thought I would. The others said to forget.. about you. I tried, but I couldn't bring myself to it. So I took up martial arts, to try and get my mind focused on other things. It didn't work, though. So I came to this well, every night, telling myself you'd keep your promise and come rescue me." Cloud looked down at his feet silently, deep in thought. Tifa continued her gaze at the stars. "When I heard that ShinRa was sending soldiers over to investigate the reactor, I got so happy.. The others teased me for it, but I didn't care. All I could think of was seeing you.. Especially after five years of waiting. And when I didn't see you.. " She looked down and sighed. "Sephiroth. He looked exactly like what the legend had said. He was.. Impressive. Very ominous. Powerful. That night when he.. He killed my father, I lost it. Both parents gone, I wanted foolish revenge. So I foolishly ran after him.. And paid a fool's price. But, then there you were. You rescued me, like you promised.. But then you were gone again. Zangan came and took me to Midgar, but the whole way over I asked to go back for you."
Cloud looked back at Tifa, soaking in everything she was saying.
"And when I found you in the Sector 6. Train Station, and the condition you were in.." She looked away as more quiet tears streamed from her wine colored eyes. Cloud whispered her name and moved a little closer to her, lacking the words to say. He felt so out of place, so awkward, unable to give a word of comfort. He never knew what to do in these emotional situations.
Tifa calmed herself down, and looked back up at the stars. "They're so beautiful. It's almost hard to imagine something so horrible and destructive could come from that. Like the Meteor."
Cloud looked up as well. "I wonder what happened to the Dark Materia." he said, quietly. "We better find it, and destroy it before someone else gets a hold of it later on."
"Yeah. Or all the people in Midgar would have died for no reason. And Aeris.." She sobbed. "So many people, gone.. All those innocent lives in the slums.. The faces I saw everyday in my bar, and all the children running around, free.. All gone. No survivors. Not even a member of soldier was found alive.. I guess we're lucky Reeve called for an evacuation, but that didn't do much. More were lost than saved.. I have lost everyone I've ever known, except for Barret, and.." she trailed off silently, looking Cloud directly in the eyes. "You won't leave again.. Will you?"
Cloud moved in and hugged her close. She closed her eyes and cuddled close to him. They stayed there for what seemed like hours, holding each other tightly under the stars, silently telling each other all their heart's feelings.
"You know that night before we went into the Crater, when we sat together like this?" Cloud finally managed to say.
"Yes, I remember." She hugged him a little tighter, suddenly not afraid to be so close.
"What I wanted to say was.." He trailed off, once again starting to forget all that he had planned to tell her. He held her closer to him.
"I love you."
