((A/N: GUAH! I was kinda confused...anyway, I meant to thank Dragoonmaster91!!! YAH!!!! Demonleader be damned...no, not really...he's my friend on Neopets ^_^ Now, on with the story!))

Cloud turned, stairing at the doorway long after Tifa was out of sight. He turned to Shera, his face clouded with heavy confusion.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked quietly, not sure why he was keeping his voice low. Probably so he didn't shout.

"You're kidding me, right?" Shera's usually level, calm voice was raised, part angered part annoyed. Cloud made a face that said he wasn't. Shera sighed in exasperation. She flopped down on the bed, and motioned for Cloud to join her.

"What about Aeris!?" Cloud demanded. Shera shook her head, anger building up.

"Just sit your stupid fuckin' ass down!" She yelled, her rage letting itself out. Cloud obeyed, caught off gaurd by the usually sweet, soft-speaking woman.

"I'm sorry about that. I guess the captain's starting to wear off on me. Don't worry, I'm sure Aeris is fine." Shera said, turning on the bed to face Cloud.

"Okay, now it's obvious that you did something to make Tifa upset, and even though she told me the better half of it, I think she's leaving something out." Shera began. She knew Cloud was listening aptly, but wasn't sure if he would participate wholly in the conversation.

"I don't know what I did." Cloud sighed, looking down at the floor. He rubbed his temples, trying to combat the forming headache.

"Well you obviously said something that made her upset." Shera said in her normal, calm tone.

"I barely said two words. I tried to explain it to her when she had seen Aeris and I kissing-"

"WHAT!?" Shera yelled, interrupting him. Cloud was still staring at the ground, and seemed to be regreting the kiss he had just admited to.

"I didn't mean for her to see. I mean, I didn't mean for it to happen at all, but it did. I hadn't known that I even felt that much for Aeris..." Cloud's voice trailed off. He was surprised by how easy it was to talk to Shera. He'd never talked to anyone about things like this, especially not someone that he just barely knew.

"Oh? By the way you two have been acting lately it seemed to me that you knew EXACTALLY that you felt that much for Aeris." Shera reasoned. Cloud understood what she was saying. Aeris and Cloud had been spending more time together than he'd spent with anyone else, apart from maybe Tifa. And that's only because the two had bunked together when they were on their journey.

"I know I care about her...but...Tifa...." Cloud's voice trailed off again. He always felt something for both of them; Maybe even loved them both. He couldn't choose one over the other.

"You've gotta choose, Cloud." He finally understood what she was saying. This was it. Whoever he went to find first would feel that she was the one he loved most. Cloud shook his head.

"I can't do this..." He rubbed his head, staring at the ground. He was gonna loose one of them either way.

"I know where Tifa's at, I'm sure. Aeris, she'll probably stay around her, waiting for someone to come for her. She knows we wouldn't leave her." Shera reasoned, looking at the shut door. Cloud nodded, knowing that she was giving him time to think.

"How the hell am I supposed to choose?" Cloud mumbled, tears of frustration stinging his eyes.

"Think about them both. You've been through alot with both of them. Just try this...Which one do you see yourself spending the rest of your life with, Cloud? Which one do you love in the sense, that you'd never want them away from you?" Shera stood, and walked towards the door. She stayed in the doorway for a second, then walked off.

Cloud sighed. He had a lot of thinking to do, and not much time to do it. He had to decide which of his friends he wanted to spend his life with, and which he was willing to give up in exchange for. He layed back on Tifa's bed, and fell into a light sleep in a matter of minutes.



((A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who's read this story, and reviewed all along. I am somewhat sad to say that the next chapter will be the last in this story. I'm thinking of making a sequel, so let me know what you think in the end. I hope I've kept Cloud's decision a pretty good secret untill now. Everything will play out nicely in the next chapter, and a few extra characters too! Later,

Christina ;-)