Tifa stayed at the well all night. She had taken a large chunk out of the side of the hard grey stone, and had her head buried in her arms on the side, where Cloud had sat on their last night together. Her face was red from crying, and her knuckles were scratched and bruised from her abuse of the well. The cool air softly blew around her, causing her long hair to stir and swirl around her.
She looked at her reflection in the water. She saw how her face was discolored, and how her eyes were red and swollen as a single drop of blood dripped off the tip of her finger from her scarred knuckles. It rippled the water's surface, and then dissipated. She sighed miserably and closed her eyes.
The sound of someone running in the distance was carried on the small wind to her ears. It was more like a slow jog. A tired trot, perhaps.
Tifa perked. /Is it possible?/ She slowly stood up and looked toward the entrance of the town. It was a chocobo. Tifa's eyes widened with hope as the breeze carried and swirled her hair around her.
She ran.
In the darkness of the night, she could barely make out the figure on the chocobo. The poor bird was exhausted and looked near to the point of falling. She squinted and saw a mussed mug of blonde hair on the man. Her heart danced in her chest. The rider was just as exhausted as the carrier, and toppled over the side of the bird and to the ground. A gruff male voice screamed in shock as he fell.
"Ow.. Dammit..Ugh" The figure reached and grabbed his head as he lay there on the ground. Tifa ran to his side.
"Cid! Where's Cloud!?" Her heart was racing.
Cid opened his eyes. "Gee, thanks!" he yelled sarcastically. "I ride 1200 miles on a stubborn ass feather brain over snow, water, mountains and everything in between for 3 days straight, being chased by every creature on the damn planet, and all I get when I get home is 'where's Cloud'!"
He sat up, only to fall back again. "&*$% bird. It killed my ass."
He then fell asleep. Tifa kicked the ground in anger, but felt aroused with new hope. He might just be alive.
*******
Cid awoke the next morning in a most comfortable bed, in Tifa's house. He smiled peacefully and closed his eyes to fall back asleep, when he was suddenly awoken further by a stern, familiar voice.
"Don't you even think about falling back asleep. Not until I get some answers." Tifa was by his side with her arms crossed.
"Go away, woman. I'm tired."
Tifa snatched the covers off of him, giving him a shock of cold air as compared to the warm comfort underneath.
"Tifa.. I don't wanna say it.."
"Say it, Cid. I have to know."
He sighed. He sat up, suddenly not feeling sleepy, or comfortable.
He stood up, and looked down. "He went into the Crater, saying he shouldn't be too long. He just wanted to take care of his responsibilities.. Damn crazy kid.. All alone.. So, I waited. A couple weeks went by, and I was getting worried as hell 'bout him. I started calling down for him, and going in only as far as I dared, 'cus I wanted to keep an eye out on the airship. I never got a response.. An' then, a few days ago that %$@# crazy ass weapon with the claws comes up outta the ocean. I ran into the ship an' tried to save it, but the &$%@# monster grabbed hold of it.."
Cid looked down sadly. "My baby.. May she rest in peace."
Tifa sat down on the bed.
"Well, anyways, I grabbed what I could, and set free from the onboard chocobo loft that damn bird that took us so long to catch and breed. We high tailed it outta there, just as the monster tore apart my baby.." He sniffed. "Then I heard Cloud's voice, deep in the crater. He said he found it, and that he's ready to come home.. to you."
Tifa felt the hot tears forming already in her eyes.
"He came running up as fast as he could, but the weapon did some weird ass energy &@$% and made another stupid barrier. I grabbed holda the chocobo and hid 'til the weapon left, but he jus' fell dead into the sea. Then, to add onto the chaos, guess who I saw? CaitSith! I told Barret he wasn't no traitor, he was there to help us from the beginning! Bah. Well, before I could catch up to 'im, he went waddling into the barrier, which nearly blew the little bastard to pieces."
Cid paused, and looked down at Tifa, who was looking away, out the window. Tiny crystal tears rolled down her cheeks.
Cid softened his voice. "I went as close to the barrier as I dared, an' I saw Cloud down in the shadows. He got knocked back from the blast with CaitSith. He stayed unconscious for a while, but then woke up. He... He told me he was sorry for dragging everybody into this whole mess. He didn't want me 'ta stay, that there was no use in sticking around. He wanted me 'ta tell everyone thank you for sticking with him to the end."
He knelt down and took Tifa's hand. "And to you, he says thank you the most. You saved his life by being there when he needed you most. You pulled him together, and because of you, he became his true self again. He said he loves you, and goodbye.."
Tifa stood up and walked to the door, sobbing fitfully.
"Thank you, Cid." And she walked out.
Cid sat down on the leather chair in the corner of the room. A most uncomfortable chair, really.. And he thought for a long time about everything. He just hoped Tifa would be ok.
She made her way back out to the well. She saw Marly playing with the chocobo Cid brought home. She was laughing and smiling, and Tifa hated her for it. She hated Cid for not bringing Cloud home. She hated Barret for being so caring and strong. She hated weapon, ShinRa, SOLDIER, and most of all she hated Sephiroth. She even hated herself.. Maybe even more than everything else.
But she didn't care.
Maybe she was being selfish of her losses, compared to everyone else. She didn't give a damn, though. Maybe she would end it all. Who knows. Who cares. She sure as hell didn't..
********
The days once again rolled by. Tifa spent all her time at the well. She never ate or slept. She softened her attitude, and just gently turned everyone away from her. She'd smile, reassuringly, and send them away as if nothing was wrong. Day and night, she stayed there. She only excepted food from Marlene, only because, well, who would refuse that adorable little face?
After a week, Tifa finally left the well. She headed wearily toward Mt. Nibelheim, where all this mess started. Maybe she could find resolution there, or perhaps an answer.
She slowly made her way through the winding path of the dark, ominous mountain. Into the caves she went, where everything was shrouded in darkness and the smell of Mako from the nearby reactor, which was shut down long ago.
She made her way to the natural Mako spring in the mountain. It was always so pretty, especially when the sunlight hit it's green, glowing fluorescence.
As she entered this particular area, she felt a strange presence. She shuddered, and remembered the little lecture the great Sephiroth gave them about Mako energy. But as she looked toward the stream, a crumpled body lay on the ground.
She ran quickly to the beaten form, trying not to get her hopes up. She couldn't recognize who it was, their clothing was foreign and their skin was darkly tanned.
/Could it be Zangan? It's been so long.. But../ She took out her PHS and dialed for Barret.
A rowdy voice answered. "Tifa! Where the hell are you!?"
The figure on the ground rolled over and groaned. "Tifa.."
Tifa dropped the phone, cracking it as it tumbled over the harsh, rocky surface. She reached down and pulled the man's head on her lap, and cleaned away the soiled skin of the strangers face. He reached up and grabbed her hand softly, kissing it with his parched, cut lips.
"I.. Promise.. I'll never leave you.. Ever again.."
Tifa exploded.
She leaned down and hugged the battle bruised Cloud, never feeling so complete in her life. He reached a twisted, scared hand up and caressed her face.
"I.. Had to see you again.."
Tifa smiled and cried her first tears of joy.
She looked at her reflection in the water. She saw how her face was discolored, and how her eyes were red and swollen as a single drop of blood dripped off the tip of her finger from her scarred knuckles. It rippled the water's surface, and then dissipated. She sighed miserably and closed her eyes.
The sound of someone running in the distance was carried on the small wind to her ears. It was more like a slow jog. A tired trot, perhaps.
Tifa perked. /Is it possible?/ She slowly stood up and looked toward the entrance of the town. It was a chocobo. Tifa's eyes widened with hope as the breeze carried and swirled her hair around her.
She ran.
In the darkness of the night, she could barely make out the figure on the chocobo. The poor bird was exhausted and looked near to the point of falling. She squinted and saw a mussed mug of blonde hair on the man. Her heart danced in her chest. The rider was just as exhausted as the carrier, and toppled over the side of the bird and to the ground. A gruff male voice screamed in shock as he fell.
"Ow.. Dammit..Ugh" The figure reached and grabbed his head as he lay there on the ground. Tifa ran to his side.
"Cid! Where's Cloud!?" Her heart was racing.
Cid opened his eyes. "Gee, thanks!" he yelled sarcastically. "I ride 1200 miles on a stubborn ass feather brain over snow, water, mountains and everything in between for 3 days straight, being chased by every creature on the damn planet, and all I get when I get home is 'where's Cloud'!"
He sat up, only to fall back again. "&*$% bird. It killed my ass."
He then fell asleep. Tifa kicked the ground in anger, but felt aroused with new hope. He might just be alive.
*******
Cid awoke the next morning in a most comfortable bed, in Tifa's house. He smiled peacefully and closed his eyes to fall back asleep, when he was suddenly awoken further by a stern, familiar voice.
"Don't you even think about falling back asleep. Not until I get some answers." Tifa was by his side with her arms crossed.
"Go away, woman. I'm tired."
Tifa snatched the covers off of him, giving him a shock of cold air as compared to the warm comfort underneath.
"Tifa.. I don't wanna say it.."
"Say it, Cid. I have to know."
He sighed. He sat up, suddenly not feeling sleepy, or comfortable.
He stood up, and looked down. "He went into the Crater, saying he shouldn't be too long. He just wanted to take care of his responsibilities.. Damn crazy kid.. All alone.. So, I waited. A couple weeks went by, and I was getting worried as hell 'bout him. I started calling down for him, and going in only as far as I dared, 'cus I wanted to keep an eye out on the airship. I never got a response.. An' then, a few days ago that %$@# crazy ass weapon with the claws comes up outta the ocean. I ran into the ship an' tried to save it, but the &$%@# monster grabbed hold of it.."
Cid looked down sadly. "My baby.. May she rest in peace."
Tifa sat down on the bed.
"Well, anyways, I grabbed what I could, and set free from the onboard chocobo loft that damn bird that took us so long to catch and breed. We high tailed it outta there, just as the monster tore apart my baby.." He sniffed. "Then I heard Cloud's voice, deep in the crater. He said he found it, and that he's ready to come home.. to you."
Tifa felt the hot tears forming already in her eyes.
"He came running up as fast as he could, but the weapon did some weird ass energy &@$% and made another stupid barrier. I grabbed holda the chocobo and hid 'til the weapon left, but he jus' fell dead into the sea. Then, to add onto the chaos, guess who I saw? CaitSith! I told Barret he wasn't no traitor, he was there to help us from the beginning! Bah. Well, before I could catch up to 'im, he went waddling into the barrier, which nearly blew the little bastard to pieces."
Cid paused, and looked down at Tifa, who was looking away, out the window. Tiny crystal tears rolled down her cheeks.
Cid softened his voice. "I went as close to the barrier as I dared, an' I saw Cloud down in the shadows. He got knocked back from the blast with CaitSith. He stayed unconscious for a while, but then woke up. He... He told me he was sorry for dragging everybody into this whole mess. He didn't want me 'ta stay, that there was no use in sticking around. He wanted me 'ta tell everyone thank you for sticking with him to the end."
He knelt down and took Tifa's hand. "And to you, he says thank you the most. You saved his life by being there when he needed you most. You pulled him together, and because of you, he became his true self again. He said he loves you, and goodbye.."
Tifa stood up and walked to the door, sobbing fitfully.
"Thank you, Cid." And she walked out.
Cid sat down on the leather chair in the corner of the room. A most uncomfortable chair, really.. And he thought for a long time about everything. He just hoped Tifa would be ok.
She made her way back out to the well. She saw Marly playing with the chocobo Cid brought home. She was laughing and smiling, and Tifa hated her for it. She hated Cid for not bringing Cloud home. She hated Barret for being so caring and strong. She hated weapon, ShinRa, SOLDIER, and most of all she hated Sephiroth. She even hated herself.. Maybe even more than everything else.
But she didn't care.
Maybe she was being selfish of her losses, compared to everyone else. She didn't give a damn, though. Maybe she would end it all. Who knows. Who cares. She sure as hell didn't..
********
The days once again rolled by. Tifa spent all her time at the well. She never ate or slept. She softened her attitude, and just gently turned everyone away from her. She'd smile, reassuringly, and send them away as if nothing was wrong. Day and night, she stayed there. She only excepted food from Marlene, only because, well, who would refuse that adorable little face?
After a week, Tifa finally left the well. She headed wearily toward Mt. Nibelheim, where all this mess started. Maybe she could find resolution there, or perhaps an answer.
She slowly made her way through the winding path of the dark, ominous mountain. Into the caves she went, where everything was shrouded in darkness and the smell of Mako from the nearby reactor, which was shut down long ago.
She made her way to the natural Mako spring in the mountain. It was always so pretty, especially when the sunlight hit it's green, glowing fluorescence.
As she entered this particular area, she felt a strange presence. She shuddered, and remembered the little lecture the great Sephiroth gave them about Mako energy. But as she looked toward the stream, a crumpled body lay on the ground.
She ran quickly to the beaten form, trying not to get her hopes up. She couldn't recognize who it was, their clothing was foreign and their skin was darkly tanned.
/Could it be Zangan? It's been so long.. But../ She took out her PHS and dialed for Barret.
A rowdy voice answered. "Tifa! Where the hell are you!?"
The figure on the ground rolled over and groaned. "Tifa.."
Tifa dropped the phone, cracking it as it tumbled over the harsh, rocky surface. She reached down and pulled the man's head on her lap, and cleaned away the soiled skin of the strangers face. He reached up and grabbed her hand softly, kissing it with his parched, cut lips.
"I.. Promise.. I'll never leave you.. Ever again.."
Tifa exploded.
She leaned down and hugged the battle bruised Cloud, never feeling so complete in her life. He reached a twisted, scared hand up and caressed her face.
"I.. Had to see you again.."
Tifa smiled and cried her first tears of joy.
