"The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasty of it, you will discover that for you, the world is transformed."
J. Krishnamurti
"Put your hands where we can see them." a large, muscular SOLDIER ordered lazily.
Cloud, Tifa, and Reno exchanged quick glances. Cloud nodded slightly, let go of Tifa's hand and put his hands up, palms facing outwards. Tifa and Reno did likewise. Smirking, the SOLDIER made a small motion to the SOLDIERS behind him. They rushed forward and jerked the three of them into handcuffs. Reno flinched as he was forced to put weight on his foot, but didn't make a sound.
"Scarlet wants that one in Heidegger's office," the SOLDIER said motioning towards Reno. "She thinks this Turk needs to learn what happens to those that betray her..."
He grinned widely as Reno was practically dragged away by two other SOLDIERs. He paced in front of Tifa and Cloud slowly, shaking his head as though they were two misbehaving school children. He pushed his brown hair away from his face and sauntered up to Cloud, smiling mockingly the whole way.
"Thought you could get out did you?" he asked, faking a friendly tone. "What a shame."
He smirked at Cloud, but froze as he got a closer look at him.
"You..." he said slowly. "You have mako eyes."
"Yes." Cloud said coldly.
He looked him over carefully. "I don't recognize you."
"I was never in SOLDIER." Cloud told him.
"Hmm..." the man said, still sizing him up. "It doesn't really matter whether you were or not..You're going to die anyways."
The SOLDIER laughed, showing white, even teeth.
Cloud shrugged. "We'll see."
His laughter stopped abruptly as he scowled at him.
"I don't like your attititude..." he said cooly.
The two men glared at one another for a moment before the SOLDIER appeared to lose interest and turned away.
"But wait!" the SOLDIER said, a leer popping up on his face. "What do we have here?"
Cloud watched him through narrow eyes as strolled up to Tifa. She met his gaze evenly, her eyes cold and angry.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced!" the SOLDIER said, a cruel undertone apparent under his cheery words. "My name is Kale. And you are?"
Tifa kept her mouth shut, glaring up at him.
Kale laughed. "That's alright. You don't have to say anything now. Perhaps I'll have you taken up to my room and we can get better acquainted there."
Leering, he stroked her cheek with mock tenderness. Tifa made a disgusted face at him and pulled away from him.
"Don't touch me!" she hissed.
Kale frowned at this, but recovered quickly and took a step closer. Looking directly at Cloud, he drew back his arm and struck her across the face. Kale laughed gleefully as Cloud, enraged, charged towards him. It took three SOLDIERS to hold him back.
"Now, now..." Kale said lightly. "We don't need any of that."
Another SOLDIER pulled a dazed Tifa up to her feet. Kale smirked at her before turning back to Cloud.
"My mother raised me well. I don't touch what's not mine." he told Cloud casually.
Cloud watched Kale as he streched lazily and flashed an arrogant smile his way.
"And Miss Lockhart isn't mine is she?" Kale said with a leer. "Not yet anyways."
Kale met Cloud's glare unflinchingly. The two men were about the same height, both muscular with mako eyes. The only advantage Cloud would have in a fight was his experience, but with Cloud handcuffed and weaponless, Kale was at the advantage and he knew it.
"What's going on here?" a sharp voice caused Kale and Cloud to break their glares away.
Scarlet looked back and forth between the two, her eyes narrowed.
"Nothing at all." Kale said smoothly. "I was just getting to know our prisoners."
Scarlet rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. Her face was stressed, and she had apparently been woken up by the nights events.
"Did you capture the others?" she asked tersely.
Kale shrugged. "There are other SOLDIERS working for you. Surely you don't expect me to do everything? I got three of them, the leader included."
Scarlet glared at him.
"Fine then." she snapped. "Get these two out of my sight."
"Where do you want them?" Kale questioned carelessly.
Scarlet frowned at Cloud and Tifa. "I want them in one of the old offices.Make sure it has no windows and that the doors are not electric. Lock them in and have guards stationed outside the door at all times. Am I clear?"
"Yes m'am." Kale said sardonically.
Scarlet turned on her heel and left.
"You heard the lady." Kale snapped at the guards and other SOLDIERS. "Get to it."
Roughly, Cloud and Tifa were led down the hall. They walked down several flights of stairs and were then pushed into a corrider. As they were ushered through, they observed the area they were in. It was all apparently old and less high tech. The carpet was stained and dusty, and the walls cracked and water stained. They came to a stop at an iron door towards the end of the corrider. One of the guards pushed to the front and unlocked the door with a key from his pocket.
"Don't try anything," a SOLDIER warned Cloud and Tifa.
Several guns pointed at them as the SOLDIER took off their handcuffs and shoved them into the room. The door slammed shut and was locked with a click. The room was small and box-like. The floor was cement and bare, there was nothing on the walls. The ceiling was bare also, except for a flickering lightbulb hanging down and a miniscule air vent.
Slowly, Cloud came up beside Tifa. Gently, he cupped her face, turning her head so he could see her cheek. With his fingertips, he touched the swollen spot right below her right eye.
"Tifa..." he said softly, not removing his hands from her face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine..." she said just as softly.
Cloud took his hands away, and sat down against the wall. Tifa slid down next to him. They sat in silence for a minute.
"You should have ran." Cloud said in a low voice.
Tifa frowned and turned to face him. "You knew I wouldn't!"
Cloud shook his head. "We might not make it out of this one Tifa."
"Cloud..." she said quietly. "We can't give up yet."
Cloud looked up, meeting her eyes. She was smiling, trying to be optimistic like always. But Cloud could see that underneath her brave words, she was scared to death. He could see that all she really wanted was for him to say it would be okay. Taking a deep breath, Cloud put on a smile of his own and grabbed her hand.
"It'll be fine Tifa." he said confidently. "We'll figure something out...Reeve will get the others. And if not...we'll think of something, okay?"
Tifa nodded solemnly and leaned on the wall next to him, not letting go of his hand. They sat together in the silence, knowing that despite the brave fronts they were putting on, there was a chance that they really would be executed the next day. There was a chance that this was the last time they'd be together.
"You're shaking..." Cloud said quietly, pulling Tifa close.
Tifa wrapped her arms around Cloud's shoulder, pressing her body close, trying to stop shaking. Cloud held her tight with one arm, and gently stroked her long, dark hair with the other. Both of them closed their eyes, relishing their closeness.
Their relationship had seemed so complicated in the past, with Aeris, Cloud's memory loss, and everything that had happened in the past...but as they sat together, holding each other as close as they could, everything felt surprisingly less complex. They were together now, they loved one another...nothing else really mattered.
"Are you scared?" Cloud breathed into Tifa's hair.
"Of death?" Tifa asked, her face ducked in between Cloud's neck and shoulder. "I'm not afraid to die..."
Cloud gently ran a hand through her hair. "What are you afraid of then?"
"I'm afraid of...spiders." Tifa joked, her giggles humming against Cloud's collar bone.
Tifa stopped giggling and tightened her grip around Cloud.
"I'm afraid of Kale." she whispered. "And...I'm afraid of losing you."
Gently, Cloud pulled her away so he see her face. Her eyes were round and frightened and he could feel her trembling against his hands. With a tenderness he only posessed with Tifa, he brushed her hair away from her face, and cupped his hand on her cheek. Slowly, he moved his face towards hers, until they could feel each other's breath on their faces. They closed their eyes.
"I won't let Kale touch you." Cloud whispered. "And I'm not going anywhere."
His hand warm on her cheek, he titled her face slightly and brushed his lips against hers. Hearts hammering wildly, they hovered, lips decimeters away from each other, unable to move away. Now trembling for completely new reasons, Tifa moved her hands from her sides and wrapped them around Cloud's neck, before leaning in and pressing her lips against his. Cloud took his hand away from her face, and ran his hands down the middle of her back, pulling her closer. Feeling dizzing with the scent, the texture, and the taste of Tifa, he deepened the kiss, his heart thumping as her tongue brushed his.
Slowly and reluctantly, they pulled away, in need of breath. Breathing heavily, Cloud gently traced the contours of her face.
"You're beautiful, Tifa." he told her solemnly.
Smiling, she leaned forward until their forheads touched.
"I love you Cloud," she whispered, before kissing him again.
Cloud kissed back, pulling her close and leaning back so she stretched out on top of him. As if in a dream, they kissed more passionately, Tifa's hands feeling the strong muscles of his chest and stomach, his hands caressing the soft skin of her back. Tifa slid her hands up under his shirt and Cloud pulled away from her lips for a split second so it could come over his head. He pressed his lips against hers again, gently turning them over so she was underneath him. Slowly, he moved his lips off hers and kissed her softly on the neck. She moaned quietly, making his head feel like it was spinning. Cloud trailed his lips back up to hers and ran his hands down the soft curves of her body. Tifa made a soft sound against his lips and he pressed closer to her, their kisses growing more and more passionate. He ran his hands over her gently, smiling at her soft moan as he ran his fingertips under her shirt across the tender skin of her stomach. Her skin felt warm under his hands as he slowly inched higher...
Suddenly, Cloud noticed the position they were in. Tifa was flat on her back, he was shirtless, on top of her, and laying between her legs, with his hand halfway up her shirt. Using every last tendril of willpower he possessed, Cloud slid his hand off her warm flesh and pulled away from her lips. Tifa stared up at him, lips parted slightly. Cloud gulped and almost had to look away.
"Not like this Tifa..." he managed to choke out.
Tifa took a shaky breath and nodded. "You're right Cloud."
His body screaming in protest, Cloud rolled off of Tifa and pulled his shirt back on. Taking a few stabilizing breaths, Cloud turned back towards Tifa and smiled.
"Let's get some rest." he said opening his arms.
Returning his smile, Tifa scooted into his open arms and laid down beside him. Tiredly, she rested her head on his chest and fell asleep. Cloud stroked her hair gently and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Possibilities that never seemed possible to him were now swirling around in his head. What would it be like to marry this woman? To fall asleep with her every night? To make love to her? To have children with her?
Cloud closed his eyes and felt her heart beat against him. None of these dreams would come true if they died tomorrow.
"I love you Tifa..." he whispered into her hair. "And I'm not going to let you die tomorrow."