"Denzel?" Tifa knocked on the door and entered seeing the boy lying on his bed. "Time for bed, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess." He smiled softly.
Tifa sat down next to him on the bed. "What's wrong, honey?"
"How did… Aeris come back?"
"I don't know." Tifa smiled and smoothed his hair. "But I guess if some one really wants something, they'll do anything to get where they want to be."
"Will… my parents come back, like Aeris?"
Tifa's heart practically broke in her chest. If only… he knew the truth about his parents. But I always accuse it with his age, that it isn't the right time, he's too young. But am I just making it worse? "Honey… one day, your parents are going to come, but until that time, Cloud and I will take care of you."
"But Cloud…"
"What about him?"
"He's been leaving a lot, lately."
"Well, that's how he operates. He's just a little confused now, with Aeris being here." Tifa lifted the blankets up to his chin. "But don't worry about him, Denzel. He still loves you, even when he's not here."
"Thanks, Tifa."
"No problem, now get some sleep." Tifa stood and walked for the door.
"Tifa?"
"Yeah?" She stopped at looking back at him.
"Even when he's not here, he loves you, too."
--
Cloud opened the door, seeing her sitting there, staring out the window. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to spend more time with you."
"You have work, it's completely understandable." Aeris gave him that glowing smile. "Have a seat; you can spend some time with me now."
Cloud sat next to her, uncomfortable. "Marlene and Denzel have been happy to see you."
"It's great to see them. I've never met Denzel before, but he seems to have taken a liking to me."
"Well, you helped cure him, so I suppose he's thankful."
"You and Tifa have done well with him."
Cloud breathed in sharply. "I… guess so."
"How long have you had him?"
"Since we moved here." Cloud's mouth was starting to go dry, the conversation having gone in a very awkward direction.
"You're still so uptight," Aeris giggled.
"Can't help it."
"Cloud…"
"Yeah?"
"Are you happy I came back?"
"Of course." Cloud breathed in deeply. "I just… was surprised."
"I'm glad…" Aeris reached over and touched his face.
"Aeris…"
She leaned in and kissed him softly. "I hope you're even happier."
Cloud put his hands on her shoulders, pushing her back. "Aeris… I love-"
The door opened and Tifa entered, "Aeris, Denzel said you wanted to-" Her eyes caught the picture of Cloud with his hand on Aeris' shoulders, her face red with a blush. "Oh… I'm sorry, I should have knocked or…"
"Tifa, it's not…" Cloud immediately let go of Aeris, standing up.
"It's alright, Tifa, don't worry about it." Aeris smiled. "Cloud and I were just talking."
"I'm sorry." Tifa rushed out the door, making no attempt to close it.
"Tifa!" Cloud ran after her, not bothering to take a look at Aeris. How could Aeris have done that? It's not… like her. And Tifa… what must she think? Cloud ran for their room, looking for any sign of her. Nothing. He went for the roof, hoping to find her sitting up there. She usually liked to stay there, watch the stars like they used to at the water tower.
Luckily, she was there, her head in her hands. Tifa raised her head, clearing away the tears quickly in hopes of not having him see. "I'm sorry, Cloud."
"It wasn't like that, Tifa…"
"You don't have to explain it to me." Tifa looked up at the stars, hoping that gravity would keep the tears in.
"Tifa…" He sat down next to her, trying to catch her eyes. "Please…"
"I knew…" Tifa sighed. "It just… was how it was supposed to be. You and her."
"No, Tifa." Cloud wanted to touch her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. "If that was how it was supposed to be, I would have just floated down that river with her."
Tifa looked back down at her lap. How could he lie to my face now? After what I just saw? "You're horrible," Tifa whispered.
"What?"
"How could you lie to me? Of all the things I you could do, you have to lie to me." She stood, almost wanting to kick him off the roof. "Damnit, Cloud!" Tifa ran off the roof and down to Denzel's room, hoping that Cloud would not follow. Luckily for her, he was frozen on the roof, his mind playing her words over and over in his head.
"Denzel?" She opened the door to find him missing. Tifa made a rush for Marlene's room, pushing through the door. "Marlene?" Gone, too. She stood there, motionless for a while in the horror at the idea of two missing children. She rushed down the stairs to the bar, hoping to find them playing some kind of practical joke.
"Hi, Tifa." Marlene stood there, a glass of water in her hand.
"Marlene!" Tifa grasped her tightly, the glass dropping and shattering.
"Tifa, you're strangling me." Marlene squirmed out of Tifa's arms and laughed. "What's wrong?"
Cloud suddenly bounded to the bottom of the stairs. "What was that?"
"Tifa made me drop my glass, that's all." Marlene smiled.
"Cloud, Denzel's missing." The desperation in her voice grated against Cloud's heart.
"Tifa, you're overreacting. I'm sure he just went out for a little."
"Overreacting?" She wanted to scream at him. "He's not old enough to just come and go as he pleases. Anyway, he doesn't do that. He's not you!"
Cloud felt as if he'd been hit.
"Don't worry about Denzel," Marlene interrupted the painful moment. "Aeris and him took a walk, that's all."
"Where?" Tifa desperation was escalating.
"Probably to the church," Cloud answered before Marlene could, his voice soft.
"Then, I'm going." Tifa ran out the door and into the street.
"Tifa!" Cloud cried too late, her being far out of his sight.
"Cloud?"
"Yes, Marlene?"
"What's wrong with Tifa?"
Cloud turned to go back up the stairs. "Me."