Marlene looked over Denzel as he slept fitfully. This episode had lasted far longer than the others. She wanted him to feel better so they could play again, just like they used to. It had been ages and ages ago since they had last gotten into mischief together. Marlene searched her six-year old memory trying to remember the last time.
Oh yea...Marlene thought, drawing her knees to her chest. It was...that night.
Marlene had never been so confused in her life. She didn't know where things went wrong. Everything was fine before they went to bed. When Denzel woke her up to go spy on Tifa and Cloud (like they always did) everything was still okay. Marlene and Denzel were experts at spying. They never got caught. Marlene had smiled triumphantly at Denzel when Cloud and Tifa started hugging.
"Ugh!" Denzel had whispered. "Why do they always end up like this!"
Marlene had rolled her eyes knowingly. "It's because they're going to get married. And then Cloud will be here all the time!"
Sitting on the corner of the bed, Marlene blinked back tears. It wasn't fair! Everything was about to be perfect and then...Cloud left. And now nothing was going the way it was supposed to. Marlene felt her chin quivering and two fat tears rolled down her cheek. She didn't look up when the bed sunk down slightly as Tifa sat next to her.
"What's a matter?" Tifa asked softly, stroking her back.
Wiping her eyes with her little fists, Marlene climbed into TIfa's lap.
"I want Denzel to get better." Marlene sniffed. "So he play again!"
Tifa continued to stroke her back. "I know Marlene...we all want Denzel to get better."
"And...and..." Marlene began tearfully. "I want to go see Cloud!"
Tifa stiffened slightly and didn't answer. Marlene buried her face in Tifa's shoulder, feeling guilty beacase she knew that it made Tifa sad whenever someone mentioned Cloud.
"Tifa? Marlene?" a sleepy voice at the other end of the bed asked.
Marlene jumped off Tifa's lap and peered into Denzels face, forgotten tears glistening on her own. Wiping away tears of her own, Tifa knelt on the other side of the bed.
"How are you feeling Denzel?" Tifa asked softly, pushing back his hair.
Denzel sat up slightly. "Okay, I guess. Why am I in bed?"
Marlene bit her lip and leaned forward a bit.
"You fainted again!" she said worriedly. "When we were trying to steal candy from the kitchen!"
"Oh..." Denzel said, shooting Tifa an apologetic look.
Tifa gave him a small smile. "It's okay Denzel."
Denzel returned the smile but it was interrupted by a splitting yawn.
"Are you sleepy still?" Marlene asked him.
Denzel nodded.
"Why don't you go back to sleep?" Tifa asked him softly. "I'm going to take Marlene out for a bit, but we'll be back before you wake up."
Marlene's face turned towards Tifa, surprised and hopeful, but Tifa was still looking at Denzel. Gently, Tifa smoothed his covers and stood up. She looked at Denzel worriedly for a moment, but then walked out of the room, Marlene close at her heels.
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Cloud glanced out a window. He was in a room with the Geostigma-ridden Rufus Shinra and the turk, Rude. The more Rufus spoke to him, the more indifferent he felt, and the more he wanted to get out.
"We've been investigating the after-math of the Sephiroth incident." Rufus was saying. "And do you know what we found?"
Cloud grutned disinterestedly. Rufus continued on as if he didn't notice.
"There's a group of men, dangerous men. Their leader's name is Kadaj."
"Kadaj?" Cloud said quietly, thinking of the two men who had followed him on motorcycles.
"That's right," Rufus said, sounding relieved that Cloud was finally showing some interest. "We have reason to believe they've retrieved Jenova's head. They're young and dangerous...I need a bodyguard. That's where you come in."
Cloud shook his head. "My job is to deliver things."
"You're the only one who can do this Cloud. I'm begging you." Rufus said, the white blanket that covered his face fluttering.
"No." Cloud said firmly opening the door.
"I know who you've been living with Cloud." Rufus said loudly, causing Cloud to pause in the doorway. "Wouldn't you like to see smiles on their faces again? Our ultimate goal is restoration of the world."
"I'm not what I once was." Cloud said stiffly. "I can't help you."
The door slammed behind him as he left the room.
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Marlene clung to Tifa's hand tightly as they walked through the ruins of what used to be Midgar.Her brown eyes were wide, but she didn't recognize the wreckage that used to be her home.
"Where are we going Tifa?" Marlene asked, her voice slightly hushed. "Are we going to see Cloud?"
Tifa hesitated. "I think so."
Tifa's eyes scanned the area. Sector Five was...that way. She pulled Marlene alongside her. Tifa beat herself up inside for not thinking of it before. But she realized that there was really only one place she could think that Cloud would go. Her heart drummed in her chest. What was she going to say anyways? Maybe this was all a mistake.
But they walked up to the church, which was amazingly still intact, and Marlene let go of her hand and shot ahead.
"Tifa!" Marlene shouted happily. "Look at all the flowers! Oh Tifa, they're so pretty!"
Tifa smiled. The church was filled with flowers. They obviously thrived on the sunshine that burst through the damaged roof. She reached down to touch a flower gently and her smile faded slightly. They had won their battle in the end, but sometimes Tifa wondered whether they lost more than they gained. They had lost Aeris, and now they were losing chidren. Tifa sighed. What would Aeris say if she could see us now? she wondered. She was always so happy. Aeris would hate all the sorrow and hopelessness that everyone seems to be filled with nowadays...
"Tifa, look!" Marlene's voice interrupted her thoughts. "This bag...isn't it Cloud's?"
Tifa walked over quickly to see what Marlene was holding. It was Cloud's bag.
Marlene looked up at Tifa. "Is this where Cloud lives?"
"It seems so..." Tifa said quietly, looking down.
Marlene scampered off towards something else.
"Tifa! Look at this!" she held up blackened bandages. "These are just like Denzels! Is Cloud sick too?"
Feeling her heart sinking, Tifa gently took the bandages from Marlenes hands. She dropped them quickly and turned away so Marlene couldn't see the pain in her face.
"So Cloud..." she said softly, a feeling of dread settling in her stomach. "You chose not to tell me anything."
"Tifa?" Marlene asked, tugging at her hand. "Did Cloud leave because he's sick?"
Tifa turned to look at Marlene's inquisitive face.
"He plans to fight alone." she told her softly.
Marlene tilted her head. "Fight?"
"No that's not it..." Tifa said as another pain slashed against her heart. "He's not going to fight at all..."
She turned away from Marlene and hid her face in her hands. Marlene started to tug on her hand again, but stopped, as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed throughout the church.