Final Fantasy VII: Unanswered Prayers

Warning: There are spoilers in here. Major ones. And a lot of Cloud/Tifa love, so, if that displeases you, don't read any further. Plus, I took some liberties. I don't know what the hell Advent Children is about, so I could be totally off. If that also bothers you, stop right here.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or thing from Final Fantasy VII except for the game, a few posters, one comic, and two figurines. In other words, these aren't my characters (although the idea of owning Cloud appeases me greatly).

Notes: This story takes place roughly two years after the Sephiroth/Meteor incident. Cloud has become involved in a random faction I've created and dubbed 'the Xero Faction'. Basically, wiping out all the leftover monsters still emerging from the Mako Reactors. He and Tifa live in her house, together, in Nibelheim. The others have gone off to do their own thing. They'll make an appearance. I hope.

Chapter 1

The water boiled. Tifa Lockheart quickly pulled the kettle off of the stove and carried it over to the small island in the center of the kitchen. She tipped it; steam and water spilled from the nozzle and into the glass coffee cup until it filled up three quarters of the way. She then placed the rapidly-cooling object in the sink and returned to her cup of scalding water, grabbing the tea bag off the counter and dropping it in. As one hand dunked the bag of leaves and herbs methodically into the water, the other grabbed the sugar spoon from its bowl beside her and began adding dollops of it to the concoction. After four spoonfuls (she liked her tea very sweet) she removed the teabag, wrung the last bits of flavor from it against her spoon, and tossed it into the garbage. Then, almost-done tea in hand, she wandered out into the foyer and stirred with the spoon idly, staring out of the large picture window.

He hadn't returned. Tifa knew that his work called for long hours, and sometimes, days without coming home. But, he had promised her that this mission would be easy. They were only going to the reactor on Mt. Nibel, so, it should have been over fairly quickly.

"It's been four days already," she said to no one in particular, taking a sip of her tea and finding it to be still too hot: she burned her tongue. Hissing, she put the cup on the window ledge and fanned her mouth with one hand, mentally cursing herself. Almost as if it had felt her pain, the baby let out a howl from its bedroom upstairs. Tifa turned and made her way up the steps, passing by the right-hand door and slipping into the only other one, which had been propped open to allow her to hear the baby's cries at any time. Moving quickly, she stepped over to the edge of the crib and looked down into the child's face, smiling gently.

"Hi, baby. Did you have a bad dream?" Tifa reached down and lightly scooped the infant up into her arms. "Hmm? Did you have a scary nightmare? It's okay, mama's here now."

She rocked him tenderly, shushing him quietly as the tiny child's wails turned into large, watery hiccups, and soon, trailed off to soft gurgles. One of his plump hands reached up to touch the long brown strands of his mother's hair, and she smiled at him.

"That's my boy," Tifa cooed, bouncing him gently and receiving a bubbly giggle in return. Her small, heart-shaped face broke into a smile which the baby tried to mimic. The toothless gesture made her smile widen, and she kissed the top of his soft head, noting to herself that the feathery blond strands already reached across his forehead. She tapped one finger lightly on his button nose.

"Just like your daddy," she teased. "You're going to be just like him, you know. Tall, strong, and so very handsome." Tifa's smile turned into a secret one; only one other person had ever seen it. "So perfect. That's what my baby's going to be. Perfect."

The small boy let his fingers curl slightly into his mother's hair as her voice soothed his eyes closed. His other hand came to his face, and she watched lovingly as he stuck his thumb into his mouth and began to suck. She began to pace in front of the large window, the sunset catching her orange-amber eyes and making them sparkle like firelight. The man who had been watching from the doorway uncrossed his arms and stood fully, one arm propping up against the wooden frame.

"He's got your eyes."

Tifa didn't jump. She knew his voice entirely too well. Turning, she beamed at her husband and watched him enter the baby's room.

"You're late."

"I know," Cloud Strife crossed over and gave the slightly shorter woman a kiss on her right temple. "I'm sorry. I took a small side-trip."

"Oh?" she kept her eyes to the baby's face, waiting until she absolutely knew he was asleep before moving back over to the crib and placing him inside gently.

Cloud reached over her shoulder and lightly tugged the blankets up to his son's chin, and smiled as the baby curled up against his hand. His harsh blue eyes found Tifa's: "I went to the City of the Ancients."

She nodded. "I thought so." He watched her turn and leave the room. "I hope you mentioned me."

"I did," he followed her out. "I met someone there, too."

"Who?" she started downstairs and before she could hear his response, there was a body flying at her.

"Tifaaaaaa!" the little girl cried, overjoyed. Shocked, Tifa barely had time to catch the hurtling body of Barrett Wallace's daughter, Marlene.

"Hey, Lene!" the older woman smiled and stroked the girl's brown bangs back from her forehead. "How've you been?"

"Perfect lil' angel, as always," her adopted father answered from the living room. Tifa lifted her head and smiled.

"Hi, Barrett."

"'Lo, Tifa," the large black man grinned back, waving at her with his artificial arm. She noted that it looked almost perfect, except for a single metal scar running around his upper forearm. She was glad Barrett had gotten rid of his gun arm, although she still really wasn't used to the idea of him without it.

She heard a slight gagging sound and turned her eyes to the foyer. Vincent Valentine put down the mug of now-cool tea and wrinkled his nose. "How much sugar did you drop in that, woman?"

"Vince!" Tifa laughed, nudging the small girl back toward her father and stepping into the living room area. "I'm so happy to see you both! Come in, sit down!"

Cloud joined her as Barrett took a seat on the couch and Vincent entered the room and chose an armchair by another window. This was a welcome change—the usually-pale man was now showing some slight color, and he seemed to welcome sunlight instead of shying away from it like he had two years previous. Marlene opted not to sit, and instead, made herself content by whizzing around the room as Tifa sat beside Barret and Cloud moved to sit on the loveseat opposite them.

"Ah!" Tifa admonished, freezing Cloud in mid-sit. "Shower. You're filthy."

"Tifa, we have guests," he rolled his eyes.

"You're covered in sweat, blood, and dirt. And those clothes are four days old. You're not sitting on my furniture like that; are you crazy?"

Barrett and Vincent both chuckled and Cloud straightened, shooting them both half-hearted glares.

"We're stickin' around fer a bit," Barrett assured him, waving a hand. "Go an' shower. You stink, child."

"Is that it? I thought it might have been something closer to a dead animal," Vincent said softly, so that only Tifa heard, and she pressed a hand to her mouth, giggling. Cloud threw up his hands and clomped upstairs.

"Your boots!" she called. Pause. Thump. Thump. He continued up. "And hang your sword up where the baby can't reach it!"

"Yes, dear," he called back down the stairs. They heard the door close, and doubled over with laughter.

"How is the baby?" Vincent straightened first. Tifa sat up and smiled at him.

"Caleb's doing just fine. He woke up a little before you arrived, actually."

"Is he awake now?" Marlene asked eagerly.

Tifa shook her head: "No, honey, I'm sorry. He went back to sleep."

Marlene pouted, but went back to entertaining herself by running around the coffee table and jumping over three pairs of legs.

"And you? A mama now, eh? How's it feel?" Barrett nudged her and she laughed.

"It feels… perfect," she answered truthfully.

"And is he givin' yeh and troubles?"

"Not at all. He's an angel."

"Well, now I know he doesn't take after his father," Vincent commented.

"If he're here, he'd be glarin' at yo' ass," Barrett looked over at the other man.

"Better glaring than kicking."

"'Men to that."

The doorbell rang. The three adults turned their heads to the front door. "I'll get it!" Marlene jumped up and ran to the foyer. They heard the door open and a friendly voice called in:

"Housekeeping!" Cid Highwind stepped into the house.

"Don't mind him, he's an idiot," Yuffie Kisaragi poked her head around the older man.

"Ain't this jus' a reg'lar party?" Barrett stood to greet his friends. Tifa jumped up and ran over to accept her guests, and soon, the lamps were lit, drinks were served, and the house was alive with laughter. Tifa couldn't remember things being this way since… Since the time right after Sephiroth's defeat in the Northern Crater. Everyone was so happy, so relieved. And everything was right. For a moment, Tifa remembered her wedding day. It was the last time all of them had been together. Barrett had somehow come out as their priest, Vincent as Cloud's Best Man, and Nanaki as the ring bearer. Yuffie had played her part as the Maid of Honor, and Cid, oddly enough, as the organ player. Apparently, it was a secret talent he never told anyone about.

And as Cloud came back down from his shower, washed and freshly dressed, and greeted the newcomers, they each decided eventually to turn in one by one at Gramp's Inn over by the front of town. That's when the baby started yelling, and Cloud told her he would see their friends out as she tended to the child. So, she waved goodbye and headed upstairs again, coming to her old bedroom and reaching down into the crib for her infant son. She took him to the window again and this time the moon greeted mother and child.

Tifa sat on the cushioned window ledge and shifted Caleb in her arms, unbuttoning the top part of her light blue shirt. She held him tightly in the crook of one arm, her other hand shifting her bra strap aside and tugging the material down, then guiding the baby's round face to her breast. His small pink lips caught her nipple and she jumped slightly, still not used to the jolt of happiness and slight pain his suckling gave her. Tifa felt herself soften as she watched her child feeding against her. No matter what, she thought to herself, smiling lovingly. I'll protect you, Caleb. For always.

And soon after, he slept again. Tifa returned him to his bed and tucked him in, placing a small stuffed brown bear beside him. "Teddy will watch over you while you sleep," she murmured, stroking her hand gently across his features. Then she left the room, crossing the short hall to her bedroom and peering inside. He stood at the window, looking out silently.

"They said they would pass by once more before they all headed home," he announced as she moved into the room. She nodded, suddenly feeling a bit too tired for speech. It didn't matter; Cloud didn't need words to know she responded. Neither of them did.

He turned and crossed the distance to her, watching silently as she fumbled with the rest of the buttons on her shirt. His larger hands slipped past hers and gently undid the remaining ones, and she shrugged the shirt off of her shoulders, noting briefly that her bra's strap was still off her shoulder. He lifted his hand and snagged it with two fingers.

"Fed the baby, I see." She nodded again. His hands dropped to her hips, coming forward along the waistband of her jeans and snapping open the button effortlessly. It always made her a little weak in the knees when he did that. "Let's get you to bed, shall we?" She knew she was blushing. He laughed at her response. "I think you're a little too tired for that."

Gently, he slipped an arm around her waist and guided her to the large bed in the center of the room. He lay her down and slowly pulled off her jeans for her. A little too slow for her taste, really. Cloud took them and went back, gathering the shirt up off the floor and draping both over the back of the armchair by the bedside. Then he returned to her, sliding into the bed beside her and pulling up the comforter.

"Mm… baby," she mumbled, turning her body to his and closing her eyes.

"I'll take care of the baby tonight, love," he assured her, bringing a hand to her head and stroking her long brown hair back from her face. "You get some sleep."

"I… haven't seen you…"

"I'll be here tomorrow when you wake up."

Tifa yawned and lifted a hand to press against his chest, feeling his heartbeat thrum softly beneath her fingertips.

"…love you…"

She was asleep.

Cloud smiled to himself in the darkness, his hand continuing to run through her hair long after she passed into dreams.

"I love you too," he whispered.