"He's made a wish, Miss Lockheart, and you cannot refuse our approval of it." Tifa sighed, looking at the marble flooring in the great Cetra Hall. She couldn't believe the Cetra elders were making her leave already. It had actaully been months, and she just hadn't realized it.
"I know, but you say that Aeris will stay alive too?" Tifa asked. That was the part that was making her worried. She knew that by this point the two were probably back in love, even more than before. There wouldn't be any way she'd be able to regain what hold she had on Cloud's heart.
"That is what he wishes, Miss Lockheart, and all of the Cetra Masters have agreed that it would be best to fufill that wish!" The man was becoming angry. He wasn't about to argue with a young girl, espically one that wasn't even of the Cetra race.
"I really don't have a say in the matter, do I?" Tifa asked, a small sigh escaping her lips.
"No say at all." The elder smiled, his blue eyes sparkled brightly in the light. Tifa nodded.
"Then I will send you back. Your friends' memories will return to normal, and you Cloud, and Aeris will have the job of explaining the situation." He explained.
"Okay. I am leaving now, then?" The elder nodded, and Tifa was engulfed by a bright light.
***
"C'mon, Aer!" Cloud called, laughing. Aeris ran after him, down the long plains. She ran as fast as she could, and as she increased speed, Cloud sped up too, not letting her catch him.
"Cloud! Slow down!" Aeris yelled, running at her top speed.
"Sorry! No can do!" Cloud yelled, turning to run backwards, only to fall after a few steps. He landed hard on his back side. Aeris gasped a little, and rushed to him, kneeling down next to him.
"Cloud...are you okay?" She asked, laughing. Cloud looked at the sky, and sighed.
"Yeah...I'm fine..." his smile dissappeared, and he looked a lot more serious.
"You still miss her, don't you?" Aeris asked, taking Cloud's hand. He nodded slightly.
"The elders said she'd be coming back, but..." Cloud sighed, letting his voice trail off. Aeris wrapped her arms around Cloud in a comforting way. Cloud brought her into his arms, laying back.
"She should be here instead of me. I'm sorry, Cloud." She said, burrying her face into Cloud's strong chest. Cloud sighed longingly.
"It's okay. It isn't your fault." Cloud said, even though he partly blamed Aeris. He didn't mean to think that it was her fault, but he couldn't help it. Tifa had been there with him when Aeris was gone, but now that she was back, Tifa wouldn't be there.
'I love Aeris...I need to stop worrying about this. But...I loved Tifa when she was here. And even for so long after she left. And it's the same for Aeris. How am I supposed to choose one or the other!? This isn't fair. It's not that I don't want Aeris to be here, but everything was so easy when she was gone. I didn't have to worry about this so much, I mean, I did go on that date with Aeris, and I don't mean to be disloyal. I fell in love with Tifa first, but she never showed any interest in me. Aeris....she actually likes me the way I like her...'
So Cloud made up his mind. He would be with Aeris. Tifa had been gone for nearly a year, and there were no signs of her coming back. Cloud had actually went on dates with Aeris while Tifa was gone, so there'd be no harm in this, right? Still, there was something in his heart saying otherwise.
He ignored the warnings in both his heart and mind, and decided to go for it. There was no point in his staying in the past forever. He looked into Aeris's eyes, and lifted her chin, moving forwards untill his lips met hers.
Aeris basked in the softness of Cloud's warm lips. The moment was wonderfull, but nothing more than a single moment. Something made a sound near the Highwind, and the two were brought away from eachother.
Cloud looked, and he could barely believe his eyes. There she was. Tifa. In all her former beauty. Her face looked stricken. She'd seen them kissing.
"no...No!" Cloud quickly stood, and started towards her. He didn't expect her to ever return, and there she was. Just after he'd kissed Aeris. But why was she so sad? He couldn't match it up. Cloud, even after all this time, he was still totally oblivious.
Tifa stepped back slightly, looking at the ground. Tears stung at her ruby eyes. She was right. Cloud had chosen Aeris. She didn't have any place there any more.
"Tifa...wait." Aeris stood, a pleading look on her face.
"Tifa, I can explain." Aeris said, heading towards her. Tifa shook her head, a look of hurt still on her face. She tried her hardest to mask her emotions.
"There's nothing to explain. You two are together. I'm not clueless...I can see that." She said, sounding a bit meaner than she meant to. She shook her head and smiled slightly.
"I'm happy for you guys. I mean, I'm glad you...could be together......after.........all that......" She couldn't stop herself from crying. She ran off, trying to escape the two, to keep them from knowing she wasn't very happy for them. Cloud ran after her, but Aeris stopped him.
"Cloud, don't. She...needs some time." Aeris said, quietly. Cloud shook Aeris off, and continued after her, regardless of what Aeris said.
"I can't do this to her. I...I never meant for her to see that..." He added the second part to himself, focusing on catching up with the running girl. He got his chance to make it up to her. Tifa stumbled and fell. She knew Cloud was chasing her, and didn't even bother running any more.
"Leave me alone..." Tifa said. She knew how pathetica she sounded, but she didn't care. Cloud loved Aeris, and she couldn't stand that.
I should have known all along. I mean, Aeris...She's so perfect. Ever since I first saw the two in the park together back before we even left Midgar, I should have known how much she meant to him. Cloud should love her, though. He deserves better than me. The two of them belong together. Even Cait Sith knew that...and he's so clueless about almost everything. I should just let them be together. I shouldn't be getting in the way like this!
"Tifa...Please. Let me explain." Cloud pleaded, putting a hand on her shoulder. Tifa didn't brush it off. She liked his touch, even if he did love Aeris.
"I don't need an explanation." Tifa said quietly. Cloud sighed sadly. He knew that Tifa was upset, but even now he wasn't totally sure it was because she loved him. He figured that she just felt 'left out' to come back with him and Aeris kissing.
"Well, I still want to give you one. Listen, Tif...I didn't know you were there. I didn't think you were even coming back!" Cloud defending himself, thinking that the excuse would justify the kiss.
"And that makes things different? You don't understand Cloud! I tried to be there for you whenever you needed me. After you joined AVALANCHE, in the Lifestream, and after Aeris died. I'm gone for a while, and you just replace me with her. I'm sorry Cloud, but I don't want or need your explanations." Tifa said, trying her hardest to spell everything out for him.
"Tifa! I didn't replace you! I just..."
"you just got over me." Tifa finished quietly. She knew that he never really loved her in the first place, and she herself wasn't sure why she expected to be welcomed back with his heart ready for her. She'd lost to Aeris whatever spot she had in Cloud's heart.
"That's not it, Tifa...I didn't know if you were ever coming back, and Aeris wasn't even supposed to be here..." Cloud tried his hardest to explain it to Tifa. Even now he wasn't sure who he was in love with, especially now that Tifa had returned.
"And not knowing justifies it? No...I'm sorry Cloud..." Her voice suddenly changed. She wasn't nearly as harsh and accusing as she was before.
"You never liked me to begin with...I shouldn't expect you to now." She said, trying to convince herself more than him.
"Tif, that isn't true..." Cloud said, taking her hand, and helping her sit up.
"It's okay, Cloud. I mean, just because I feel one way about you, doesn't mean you have the same feelings towards me." She said, still speaking to herself and Cloud at the same time. She didn't want to accept the fact that Cloud truely didn't feel anything for her.
"Tifa, come on. You're not being fair! I deserve at least a chance to explain!" Cloud said, trying now to save not only their friendship, but whatever small bit of love his childhood had for him.
"Then explain, Cloud." She said quietly, ready to listen to what he had to say.
((Author's Note: Guah...I don't like the way that turned out. Very cliche, and not very dramatic. **sigh** Still, I don't like flames, so please don't give me any. Reviews are nice, though, I always accept nice reviews!))