((A/N: Haven't written anything in a while, so I decided to get back to a nice little CloTi fic. It's kinda dumb, most likely, but I'm not even sure what it'll be about entirely yet, so maybe not. lol. Anyways....enjoy!))
January 21....the winter hollidays had passed weeks ago, and most of the members of the famous rebel group, AVALANCHE, were back home, living their lives.
They had rejoined for the hollidays just less than a month ago, having a reunion. The attendacne was rather surprising, as even Vincent and Reeve made an appearance; Nobody had expected either of the 'mystery men' to show up.
What was more surprising, and perhaps unsettling, was who was not there. One twenty year old woman who had been a crutial staple to the group during there long journey.
One Tifa Lockheart was nowhere to be found.
Cloud Strife, the unspoken hero, was the one most concerned by his childhood friend's absence from this get-together. This had been the first time the group had reunited officially since they disbanded several months before. To be honest, hopes of seeing Tifa again were the most driving force behind his attendance.
He was sure she would be there. Then he could apologize. He knew he hurt her in the past, and that knowledge was ripping his heart to bits. He'd declined her offer -a perfect offer, he saw now- to live with him in Nibelheim while she ran her bar. He'd declined her to try and atone.
Atonement was something that had become rather important to Cloud these days. He knew that while he may have saved many by defeating Sephiroth, he had killed and crushed so many more. Tifa, he now realized, must have been one of them.
Of all the people Cloud was sure would keep in contact with the rest of the group, Tifa was the one at the top of his mind. He bit his lip, almost as though to draw blood, thinking about where she may have been. Maybe she was off somewhere and just hadn't gotten the message. He tried to further advance his theory, but something was nagging at him, telling him that wasn't the reason at all.
He knew the reason, though his stubborn mind and fragile heart wouldn't let him accept it. The reason was truely because he hurt Tifa. Because she loved him, and he had all but rejected her. This realization brought even more discomfort to his already troubled mind.
'She wouldn't have ignored this gathering just because of me....' he tried to convince himself, but just as before, his mind wouldn't change itself. His heart contracted and he felt a cold grip grab onto it. Something was definately wrong...he knew that from the start...but what?
Had Tifa really rejected the offers for a reunion with all her friends just because he would be there? He knew Tifa, and that's what disturbed him about this....he knew Tifa wouldn't blow a chance to be with her friends just because he was an asshole to her.
For one, Tifa would get over it. She didn't take little mood swings seriously, as they shouldn't be taken that way. But, beyond that, she'd never show anyone that someone had hurt her. That she was weak....fragile.....human.
Cloud knew Tifa could never admit her humanity in such a way. In such a way as to admit to her weaknesses. Tifa was too stubborn to ever do a thing like that.
So he continued to worry. He sat at his desk, typing haltingly at the computer. Entering words that came from his soul into an e-mail. A lousy e-mail. Instead of going to visit, or at least writing a real letter or calling, he was writing Tifa an e-mail.
"This is insane." he heard himself say. It was. But he wasn't sure how to reach her. She hadn't spoken to anyone since the group broke up, so they barely knew where she could be found other than by phone or e-mail. And her phone was disconnected.
Cloud knew, as he had tried a good hundred times to call her. Never getting so much as a ring or even a voice mail. Just a dull voice telling him that the number he had dialed was 'temorarily out of service'.
Cloud's hand slowly reached for the mouse, and he scanned the letter over again before slowly hitting the 'send' button.
It couldn't have been a minute later that the phone rang. Cloud reached over and picked it up, slightly in a daze, though he couldn't figure out why untill he answered it.
"Cloud Strife...." he answered, logging out of his e-mail at the same time.
"Yo, Spike.....great, I was hopin' you'd answer....." He instantly recognized Barret's voice, but beyond that, the worried undertones in it.
"What's up, man?" Cloud asked, frowning as he spoke. The next words were some he should've expected, but could've never guessed.
"I'm at the hospital......" Cloud wanted to speak, but he had an eerie feeling that he knew what was coming next. "It's Teef, man.......she's....... she's....Cloud.....you....gotta get here. Cloud.... Teef's dyin'."
January 21....the winter hollidays had passed weeks ago, and most of the members of the famous rebel group, AVALANCHE, were back home, living their lives.
They had rejoined for the hollidays just less than a month ago, having a reunion. The attendacne was rather surprising, as even Vincent and Reeve made an appearance; Nobody had expected either of the 'mystery men' to show up.
What was more surprising, and perhaps unsettling, was who was not there. One twenty year old woman who had been a crutial staple to the group during there long journey.
One Tifa Lockheart was nowhere to be found.
Cloud Strife, the unspoken hero, was the one most concerned by his childhood friend's absence from this get-together. This had been the first time the group had reunited officially since they disbanded several months before. To be honest, hopes of seeing Tifa again were the most driving force behind his attendance.
He was sure she would be there. Then he could apologize. He knew he hurt her in the past, and that knowledge was ripping his heart to bits. He'd declined her offer -a perfect offer, he saw now- to live with him in Nibelheim while she ran her bar. He'd declined her to try and atone.
Atonement was something that had become rather important to Cloud these days. He knew that while he may have saved many by defeating Sephiroth, he had killed and crushed so many more. Tifa, he now realized, must have been one of them.
Of all the people Cloud was sure would keep in contact with the rest of the group, Tifa was the one at the top of his mind. He bit his lip, almost as though to draw blood, thinking about where she may have been. Maybe she was off somewhere and just hadn't gotten the message. He tried to further advance his theory, but something was nagging at him, telling him that wasn't the reason at all.
He knew the reason, though his stubborn mind and fragile heart wouldn't let him accept it. The reason was truely because he hurt Tifa. Because she loved him, and he had all but rejected her. This realization brought even more discomfort to his already troubled mind.
'She wouldn't have ignored this gathering just because of me....' he tried to convince himself, but just as before, his mind wouldn't change itself. His heart contracted and he felt a cold grip grab onto it. Something was definately wrong...he knew that from the start...but what?
Had Tifa really rejected the offers for a reunion with all her friends just because he would be there? He knew Tifa, and that's what disturbed him about this....he knew Tifa wouldn't blow a chance to be with her friends just because he was an asshole to her.
For one, Tifa would get over it. She didn't take little mood swings seriously, as they shouldn't be taken that way. But, beyond that, she'd never show anyone that someone had hurt her. That she was weak....fragile.....human.
Cloud knew Tifa could never admit her humanity in such a way. In such a way as to admit to her weaknesses. Tifa was too stubborn to ever do a thing like that.
So he continued to worry. He sat at his desk, typing haltingly at the computer. Entering words that came from his soul into an e-mail. A lousy e-mail. Instead of going to visit, or at least writing a real letter or calling, he was writing Tifa an e-mail.
"This is insane." he heard himself say. It was. But he wasn't sure how to reach her. She hadn't spoken to anyone since the group broke up, so they barely knew where she could be found other than by phone or e-mail. And her phone was disconnected.
Cloud knew, as he had tried a good hundred times to call her. Never getting so much as a ring or even a voice mail. Just a dull voice telling him that the number he had dialed was 'temorarily out of service'.
Cloud's hand slowly reached for the mouse, and he scanned the letter over again before slowly hitting the 'send' button.
It couldn't have been a minute later that the phone rang. Cloud reached over and picked it up, slightly in a daze, though he couldn't figure out why untill he answered it.
"Cloud Strife...." he answered, logging out of his e-mail at the same time.
"Yo, Spike.....great, I was hopin' you'd answer....." He instantly recognized Barret's voice, but beyond that, the worried undertones in it.
"What's up, man?" Cloud asked, frowning as he spoke. The next words were some he should've expected, but could've never guessed.
"I'm at the hospital......" Cloud wanted to speak, but he had an eerie feeling that he knew what was coming next. "It's Teef, man.......she's....... she's....Cloud.....you....gotta get here. Cloud.... Teef's dyin'."