I looked around at the green fields surrounding us. It was beautiful, I felt a sense of inner peace I hadn't felt in a long time. I felt a hand on my back and I turned to see Cloud stood behind me.
"...I guess this is the start of our journey..." I said smiling. I couldn't understand why but things looked a lot more hopeful now we were finally out of Midgar.
"It's dangerous. You sure you want to go?" Cloud asked. He did look worried, he should know he didn't have to worry about me.
".....Mmm. but you know," I said as I took a step towards him, "it should be all right if you keep your promise." I said smiling. He smiled back and put his hand on my cheek. He was trying to be brave but I knew he was worried. He gently rubbed my skin with his thumb, his hands were ruff but I didn't care. I watched him carefully, he seemed to be lost in his thoughts and they were clearly troubling him. I opened my mouth to speak, to ask what was wrong but he let go of me and started walking, he then stopped and turned back to look at me.
"Let's go!" He said, his voice was eager.
"We need a group leader for our journey." Barret said. Everyone turned to look at him. "'Course only me could be the leader." He said grinning with an air of confidence. No one else looked so sure. I loved Barret as a father but he never thought rationally. Everything could be solved with violence for him but for this journey we needed more than that. I didn't know what to say to him. I didn't want to upset him.
"You think so...?" I asked biting my lip. Aeris then walked over to Cloud and put her hand on his shoulder.
"It would have to be Cloud." She said grinning at Barret then at me. I tried my best not to glare at her but Barret had no problem making his feelings clear. He stared at her for a few seconds a look of annoyance on his face.
"^#$^%....... awright." He said glaring at her. He then looked at Cloud, "Go Northeast to a town called Kalm. If something happens, we'll meet up there." He said, he then sat down on the grass looking very annoyed. "Sides, we can't have 5 people strolling down the fields. Split us into 2 parties..." He said.
"Ok Barret," Cloud said finally. "Red, do you know your way to Kalm?" He said turning to look at Red who had been sat in silence watching us all. Red simply nodded. "Ok, Tifa, Barret and I will go together and you can go with Aeris." He said finally. Aeris' face fell and she dropped her hand from Clouds shoulder. I turned my back to them abruptly to hide my smile. Barret came and stood next to me.
"What you so happy bout" he asked looking confused.
"Nothing," I said trying my best to pull a serious face. I felt a hand take hold of mine, I turned to see Cloud stood besides me, we looked into each others eyes for a few seconds… 'I love you' were the only words repeating themselves in my head… maybe now was the ti…
"See you later Cloud!" Came Aeris' shrill voice from behind us. What exactly was this girl trying to do? Cloud rolled his eyes and we started walking.
I was content in a way, I was walking with the man I loved and my closest friend. We had survived so much and finally we had left Midgar.
I loved the feel of the warm sun on my skin, I had missed it all these years. I paused when I saw a patch of flowers, letting go of Cloud's hand I stopped and picked one. It was white like the one he had given me at the bar.
"Tifa don't get left behind," Cloud said as he walked towards me. "These fields are not safe." He said looking around us.
"Don't you think I can take care of myself?" I said, this was getting annoying, I took great pride in my fighting skills and Cloud didn't seem to think I could defend myself against a few monsters. "Why so protective all of a sudden?" I asked as I approached him and playfully brushed the flower across his face, but he didn't look amused.
"Because…" he said looking down then back into my eyes. "Because… Sephiroth is alive Tifa, and he almost took you from me once." He said abruptly as he turned away and started walking. I walked beside him looking him up and down. Was he really that worried? He had brought it up in the Shinra building before. I knew he felt weak in comparison to Sephiroth, perhaps the feeling that he couldn't protect me bothered him more than he was willing to admit.
"I will be more careful Cloud," I said quietly. He stopped and put an arm around me, bringing me in close to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and I wished with all my heart we could just stay like that forever. The temptation to lay down on the soft grass with him in the sunshine was a big one. Didn't he know he was all I wanted?
"Tifa" he whispered, his lips touching my ear making me shudder in pleasure. I could feels his hands roaming up and down my back and his grip on me was firm.
"Yes… Cloud?" I said finally, finding it hard to talk I was so nervous. I love being so close to him, I just wish I could get closer, be his. "Cloud… I…" I started not knowing what I was going to say next.
"Shit." Clouds hands stopped moving over my back. "Barret is almost out of sight." I looked over and Cloud was right. I sighed, half in disappointment but also half in relief… I was so scared. If he rejected me I wouldn't be able to live without him.
We walked as quickly as we could until we were behind him.
"I can see Kalm!" I said smiling. It looked like such a pretty little village, I missed my village.
"Kinda like home," Cloud said quietly as if he had read my thoughts.
"Yeah," I said as I gently took hold of his hand. He squeezed it tight and I squeezed back. I was so glad I had him here for me.
We entered the small village and I couldn't help smiling. It was so pretty and peaceful. I looked up at the local inn and saw Aeris stood at the window.
"This is Kalm." Barret said to Cloud.
"Everyone's waiting at the inn. Let's go Cloud." I said smiling at him as I entered the inn. I paused at the reception, I knew Cloud, he would want to look the town over first. I turned to the receptionist, a short woman with brown hair just above her shoulders. "Excuse me," I said.
"Yes dear" She said looking up at me and smiling.
" If a young man with spiky blonde hair comes in here, a Mr. Strife, can you please tell him his friends are waiting for him upstairs?" I asked.
"Of course." She said smiling. While I had been talking to the woman Barret had come into the inn and gone upstairs. I thanked the receptionist and made my way up stairs. I entered the room and saw all the others stood around waiting.
"Are you all ok?" I asked as I sat down on the nearest bed, it was so soft, I lay down and sighed. I would do anything to have my old room back with my old bed… but it was all gone, burnt to the ground.
"We are waiting for Cloud to come and explain things." Aeris said. I sat up quickly.
"Explain things?" I asked, "W..What do you mean?" I said looking at them all in turn. Barret and Aeris didn't seem to notice my discomfort but Red eyed me suspiciously.
"You know about Sephiroth and the past and how he threatens the planet." Barret said. I cringed, Cloud couldn't do that… I hadn't spoken much to Cloud about the past since we had met up again, mainly because what he did say scared me so much I always avoided the subject… and the state I had found him in…
" Tifa…" I turned to see Red who had climbed onto the bed beside me. "Is there something you want to tell me before Cloud tells his story?" He said, his voice was kind. I knew he just wanted to help but to tell them? How could I? What would I tell them? Tell them Cloud didn't remember things how they happened, or maybe it was me? But no, the things I felt, everything was so clear. There had to be a reason for all this… an explanation… "Tifa?" I had waited so long… I was so sure he would come home, he promised he would come. "Tifa?"
When he said he would leave
"Come this spring...."
I was so sad
"I'm leaving this town for Midgar."
I tried not to show it
"........All boys are leaving our town."
But I knew I was losing something special.
"But I'm different from all of them."
Of course your different, I love you.
"I'm not just going to find a job"
Why couldn't you have just found a regular job?
"I want to join SOLDIER."
Is it because of SOLDIER you think you were there? Did they do something to you? Did I dream you saving me at the reactor? How could you have been there… did they do something to me?
"I'm going to be the best there is,"
What were you trying to prove?
"Just like Sephiroth."
No!
"Sephiroth.... The Great Sephiroth."
Ha! Even I worshipped him… back then…
"Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?"
Don't go….
"...I probably wont be able to come back to this town for a while."
Don't go…
"...huh?"
Why didn't I ask you to stay?
"Will you be in the newspapers if you do well?"
I read them every day
"I'll try."
and there was never any mention of you…
"Hey, why don't we make a promise?"
Did you keep it?
"Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind....."
Was it you or Zack?
"You come save me, all right?"
I don't understand!
"What?"
You didn't know how much I wanted to see you again.
"Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me."
Where were you?
"I want to at least experience that once."
Did I?
"What?"
So confused
"Come on--! Promise me----!"
Please promise me… and keep it
"All right.... I promise."
I love you….
"TIFA!"
I looked at red who's face was filled with curiosity. I forced a smile.
"Nothing to tell." I said as I slid of the bed. His eyes were fixed on me as I walked to the end of the bed and leaned against it.
We waited for Cloud and it felt like forever. No one was talking, I bit my lip hard, what was he going to say?
"Cloud," Aeris shouted. I looked up to see him appear up the stairs carrying some new weapons. "You're late!" she scolded.
"Yo man, you're late!" Barret said.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Cloud apologised. There had to be a way of stopping this… I did not want to hear this…
"Guess everyone's here now." Aeris said in a cheerful tone.
"So let's hear your story......" Barret said smiling. "You know, the one about Sephiroth and the crisis facing the planet." I looked at Cloud, he didn't look worried in the least. "Let's hear it all." All? No we can't hear it at all!
Cloud looked down at the floor then up at Barret, I couldn't read his face, what was he thinking? What was he going to say?