Chapter 3: The promise

The snow was gently floating down on the small town of Kalm, covering it with a peaceful white coat. It had been snowing for weeks now, and no end to it was in sight. Yet as it was now two weeks before Christmas, everybody appreciated the solemn feeling it added to the short, dark days and long black nights.

Tifa sighed as she took off her thick coat and scarf and put them into the wardrobe. Just a few minutes ago, she'd had her second ultrasound appointment at the doctor's to check if everything was allright with the twins. And, to everybody's delight, everything seemed to be perfectly fine.

Well, almost, Tifa thought as she gave another sigh and placed her hands on her largely swollen belly. Now 6 months along, she looked as if she would be giving birth any minute. With each new day, Tifa found it harder to get comfortable, either lying in bed, sitting on the couch or even standing around, which was especially painful, as her back seemed to be starting to complain heavily.

Yet everything had its bad sides and she was trying hard to ignore them in order to cherish the good ones.

Even though Tifa still grieved over the death of her former Master Zangan just two months ago, and had shed lots of tears for him already, she still tried to appear strong in front of the others. If it bothered her, there was no reason why the others would have to suffer as well.

Cyra, Zangan's latest student, who was now to learn from Tifa herself, had decided to go home to her grandmother for the rest of the year to bring some distance between her and Zangan's death, so that she would be able to cope with his death and find her own inner peace. After that, at the beginning of the new year, she would return to Tifa to start her studies. Yet it was not decided how the training would go about, because Tifa was most obviously not able to show her any moves right now. She would have to stick to explaining at first, until she would be able to do the practical part again.

Tifa was still pondering about her new role as a teacher, a mistress – she actually did not like the sound of it -, while she was walking right into the living room, to meet Shera who was sitting by the fireplace, writing Christmas cards.

She had returned about a month ago, along with Cid, on the Highwind. The two of them had sorted out their feelings, and, as Cid had always been a man of action but not of words, he had proposed to her at once, without holding a speech. The way Shera had told it, he had just pulled out the ring, held it in her face and bluntly stated that she'd have to marry him, otherwise he'd have to persuade the man who had sold him the ring to take it and give him is money back.

Tifa had chuckled at those words. They were just so totally him that she could see it like a movie in front of her eyes. Yet Shera loved the grumpy pilot just the way he was and she'd said yes immediately.

But somehow, Tifa was a little jealous at their engagement. Even though they had talked about it before, even before Tifa knew that she was pregnant, Cloud had not proposed to her yet. Nevertheless, she knew him better than he himself, she knew how excited and nervous he was if things became serious. So he was surely just waiting for what seemed like the right moment. And she knew that he would find it, he always did.

"So, what did the doctor say? Everything allright, I assume?" she asked, looking up from the cards, waking Tifa from her thoughts.

She nodded, smiling, as she sat down in the armchair by the fireplace, which was Cloud's favorite spot.

"Yeah", she returned, placing her hand on her belly. "Everything's fine, they're growing day by day."

Tifa's sigh was ensued by a small chuckle from Shera, who was well aware of her friend's little misery.

"Oh, by the way, did you make any plans for Christmas dinner yet?"

Tifa shook her head in reply.

"Nope, not yet", after a short pause she added, "but I would die for a little chocolate ice cream with cheese sauce on it!"

Shera shot her an unbelieving glance, not sure whether she had understood right.

Even Tifa seemed to realize what she had just said and smiled sheepishly, shrugging her shoulders.

Immediately, both women burst into laughter once again.

Cid, who was just coming past the room, shot them an odd look and continued his way, shaking his head.

"Women…"

***

Just one day before Christmas Eve, the whole house was busy with making the last preparations, which included setting up the Christmas tree and decorating it.

Yet the progress was slow, and more humorous than anything else.

Barret was holding the tree, receiving instructions from Shera to make sure it stood completely straight and in a perfect 90 degrees ankle. Cid and Cloud were carrying in dozens of boxes full of decoration, while Nanaki was checking a list made by Shera to make sure they lacked nothing. Some hours before, Yuffie had left to do some late Christmas shopping, dragging a helpless-looking Vincent right behind her. Little Marlene was just jumping around hyperactively all the time, not wanting to wait another day to receive all her presents.

When Tifa had done the finishing touch at the Christmas dinner, she joined the others in the living room, taking in the scene with a slight chuckle.

It was a most humorous sight to see the heroes that had saved the world getting desperate at decorating a Christmas tree.

"Darn tree! How come a bunch of green needles and old brown branches that rot after just a few days can make such a f***** pile of problems?" Barret cursed, and finally let go off the tree, eyeing it viciously.

Shera placed her hands at her hips and looked at him, displeased.

"Barret, please would you keep your cursing down? Just because you don't like Christmas Trees doesn't mean that ours has to be totally crooked!"

Tifa gave a chuckle as she walked up to Cloud and softly kissed him on the lips.

"Everything allright?" she asked, smiling at him.

Cloud returned the smile, yet grinned at the scenery.

"Well, more or less, I'd say. At least the tree's standing now." He looked back at her.

"How's dinner?"

Tifa sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It's all done now, at least as far as possible."

In the other corner of the room, Barret had now begun to curse about the circumstances, well, the tree in particular, and it seemed like he was really annoyed that time.

But suddenly, out of nowhere, totally unexpected, something completely new happened;

Tifa rose her voice until it was merely a scream and shouted at Barret.

"Can't you just the f*** stop complaining once and do what she's sayin'? It's not like she wants anything impossible!! And, would you PLEASE the heck stop cursing?!?!"

Within split seconds, the room fell totally silent, not a single sound to be heard, unbelieving showing in everybody's faces.

As soon as it had happened, Tifa's mood changed again, and, becoming fully aware of what she had just done, she clasped her hands over her mouth and looked at Barret apologizingly.

"I… I'm so so sorry, Barret", she stammered. "I really don't know what's come over me…"

She seemed to be definitely miserable and sorry about her reaction, as it was actually very unlike her to apply such a rough tone of not really necessary.

But Barret did not take things that serious and started to chuckle.

"Hey, Tif, it's ok. It's not your fault, really."

Tifa just grinned sheepishly, still somewhat embarrassed that she had lost control over herself that easily.

"Allright", Shera said after clearing her throat to get attention, "now that you two got that set, we should get the tree done."

Turning over to Barret, she added. "You know, the angle's just a mere 85° yet."

Barret did nothing but groan as she got ready to face his greatest horror.

***

It was merely dawn when a sudden noise from the corridor could be made out; Marlene was up already, bouncing around the upper floor as if she had been sitting in a huge nest of ants. After all, it was Christmas Day, morning actually, and most likely there was no child on the whole world that would be able to sleep through on that very special day.

And as energized as she was, she now – after a fruitless attempt to wake up a grunting and snoring Barret – darted towards Cloud and Tifa's room, hopeful to wake the two of them. Not that she wouldn't be able to open the present herself, but it would be a lot more funny with some company.

Without even knocking, the little girl, still in her pajamas, burst in, bouncing up and down in front of the bed.

"Uncle Cloud, Aunt Teef! Get up! It's Christmas! There's lot of presents waiting for us!"

But all the little girl's efforts resulted in were a grunt from Cloud and Tifa making her head more comfortable on his chest, a smile on her lips.

Marlene pursed her lips, not wanting to give up and headed for the curtains, pulling them open the let in the slight winter morning sunlight.

Yet it was enough to wake the couple.

Cloud was still trying to get back to sleep and buried his face deep in his pillow, making disapproving sounds while Tifa sighed and pushed herself up into a somewhat sitting position, blinking at Barret's daughter.

"Aunt Teef, it's already like lunch time and we still haven't opened our presents yet!"

Tifa glanced over at the alarm clock which confirmed her feeling that it was just after 8 in the morning.

With another sigh, she carefully pushed herself of the bed and stretched her tired muscles.

"Okay, Marlene", she said, turning towards the girl, "you go and wake Yuffie and Nanaki, I'll wake the others and we'll meet downstairs then, ok?"

It was definitely "okay" for Marlene, because she nodded happily and jumped out of the room, humming a sweet melody.

Tifa smiled as she watched after Marlene, remembering well when she had been a little girl, and how excited she had been every year when it was around Christmas.

With a giggle she turned around to Cloud, wanting to wake the stirring form that desperately was trying to get back to sleep.

An impossible attempt with the bright, snow-reflected sunlight streaming in.

***