Living the Dream II

(Continued)

Amaranthine my journey spans

Great is the search for what is lost

"Cloud!" The voice of a little boy lunges at me the moment I pushed open the creaky wooden doors leading to the bar.

Denzel rushes up to me the moment I set foot onto the bar floors, worry apparent in his sky–blue eyes. Not knowing why, a chill suddenly shot up my spine and writhed in my veins. I shook my head a little, momentarily fazed.

"Tifa! Tifa's been away for 3 days!" Denzel is frantic now.

3 days? I frown.

How unlike Tifa.

"Did you see her leaving?" I ask, looking down at him but not really actually watching him. My mind churned with screaming thoughts.

What if she had left?

Where could she have gone?

Tifa, are you…angry?

I shake my head again, letting some strands of blonde hair run into my eyes before flicking them away. Denzel was quiet, in deep thought about what had happened.

"I saw her running out of the bar. I did hear Uncle Valentine coming in to speak to her from my bedroom and came downstairs only to see her gone." Denzel held his head in his hands.

That's strange. I thought, walking over to the bar table. Bending to open one of the bottom drawers, I saw Tifa's silver cell phone safely tucked into a corner. A few of her materia rolled around on the drawer boards as I pulled it out. It appeared that Tifa had brought nothing out with her.

"Don't ya be worryin' bout' Tiff. She will be doin' fine, ya hear?" A dark skinned man guffaws from the hallway leading from the bedrooms to the bar.

I nod at Barret and silently walked past him into my bedroom which was on the first floor. Sitting down on my immaculately made bed, I let my eyes roam the cosy room. Tifa had been the main force in the selection of the color scheme of my room. Truth be told, although I acted like I was not bothered with the final outcome of the room, I found the chocolate and cream interior to be aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.

"Don't ya want to go looking for her?" my machine-gun handed teammate ventures into the room casually. He was contradicting himself, was he not? I raise my eyebrows at him, as I did recall him telling me not to worry.

My puzzled look must have made him uncomfortable.

"Uhm, ya see. Though Tiff is hell strong, it would be better if you could just go make sure she is okay, right?" Barret smacks his own chest, laughing nervously.

Silence ensued.

"Cloud? Why are you so afraid of talking to Tifa?" Denzel treads into the room lightly, coming to stand in front of me.

I shake my head.

"Then go find her!" Denzel is suddenly excited all over again.

"What?" I looked at him like he was from another planet.

"Can't you just openly express your concern for her by DOING something?" the little boy is exasperated.

He's right.

The next few hours saw me mounted on Fenrir, speeding through the Ancient Forest again. All of a sudden, the world looked very void of color.

Tifa.

I have locked myself in my own world for so long.

I have always been afraid.

I fear that my strength might not be enough to protect you.

I fear that my weakness will…cause you to leave me.

I realize what I have always been seeking.

Forgiveness.

From no one else.

Only you.