WoooHoo..so happy, i just finished my math assignment. lol and what, theres like 4 more to go. Great! oh well, anyway..heres the update. Thought I'd post it up early:) im such a nice person.

Ironic Ending:) Thanks again! That review gave me a lot of encouragement to write this story. This chappie is for u!

And also, thanks to everyone else who reviewed. Sorry I can't write all your names up, it's like way past my bed time..and i'm rushing before mother dearest sees that i'm still awake and typing lol.

Anyway, enjoy..

The sadness and grief of the young female had worn away now. Thanks to their strong group of friends who were now huddled around the fire. They had much catching up to do, since their last reunion was around six months ago. Most of the stories were filled with daily stories of when Denzel fell into the toilet one morning, or how Marlene wouldn't stop crying after Cloud accidentally walked into her. The adults found the stories funny, however the children, that was a different story.

"It's just the little things that kids do that light up an adults day sometimes." Tifa had told them after a funny Marlene Story.

After the segment of conversation about the children wore off, a new one came in with the topic of, 'Cloud and Tifa.'

They were all keen to know whether their love was still strong and if anything had happened that changed their lives. The news of the baby was still a secret they kept. It sat coldly in the dark, waiting for it to be confessed in the near future. Cloud had quietly said to Tifa that somehow this just seemed like the wrong time. Maybe in this conversation, but maybe not in the next.

'Whenever the right moment is, we will just know,' he whispered to her.

Cid hinted something about hitting the sack, and of course Cloud blushed and kept quiet. He boldly left Tifa to stand up for the two of them. She was of course very good at changing subject lines of conversation at rather rapid speed. Which led them to the intense conversation that happened right now.

"..those who love will love, and those who think they love will think falsely," Vincent mumbled.

Those words seem to make a lot of sense to Cloud. For once in his life he never believed in love, thinking that it'd only wear away life faster. He didn't want to be weighed down by love. But now a days, love was all he wanted. Tifa was all he wanted, just being by her, talking to her, seeing her smile, loving her. It was his life now, and will always be till the day he dies.

Reno held a face of acknowledgement to the vampire creature alike. Those words held true value, and once said, made a whole lot of sense. Maybe love was the ultimate hope?

"In other words, those who think the love are fools?" Reno asked.

Vincent eyed the young turk, but then nodded, "If that is what you want to name them."

"I once thought I knew love," Cloud confessed aloud.

Cloud could feel Tifa's eyes suddenly focused on him and with that he looked up to lock onto hers, "I thought love was something that would weigh me down and to make choices out of another," Cloud began.

"And what did you discover?" Tifa asked, eyes still sending rapid questions to him.

The silence of their friends was so pin point that even a needle could drop, and the echo would ring loudly.

"I discovered that love makes a man a better man. It gives him a responsibility of another human being. One that he so cares for and cherishes, which doesn't rule him entirely but rules his heart. I guess before I learned about this emotion, I never had a heart for anything. Everything I did was for my own depression, to push it away so I'd give myself some time to forget and be at peace," he stopped, eyes still fixed on hers.

It was the silent message that he passed to her that made her melt with warmth. It wasn't from the small bubbles that were hitting her inner stomach at that moment, but from his words. There was much more meaning in his words to her than anyone else who was listening. It was his inner self confessing and she knew this was something he was confessing just to her and only her.

A smile grew on her lips at that quiet moment between him and her. It wasn't until, "That's 'e first time, I ever heard Spiko say a freaking damn word," Cid cursed.

Yuffie smothered a giggle, and held a serious face when Tifa sent her a look.

"Love changes us," Vincent added with his coldness still.

"I admit I have seen Cloud changing," Denzel added as well.

Marlene smiled and nodded. "What Denzel said."

Their conversation steared away to each other now. They left some wanted time between the couple, guiding the kids away from them as Cloud and Tifa sat together.

Yuffie had her conversation with Reno who sat quietly beside her.

"So exactly what are we doing here?" Yuffie asked. Rubbing her hands together by the fire and eyes fixed on Reno.

"We're staying here, until we get confirmation on the next stand of Bahamut," Reno said.

"And then?" Yuffie asked.

"And we fight," Reno said.

"Do we get anything in return?" Yuffie asked.

"Uh," Reno stumbled across his words. "That.."

"I was just joking," Yuffie rolled her eyes. "The things we do will never be acknowledged will they?"

"I don't know," Reno stumbled into his own thoughts.

The gentle noise of bits of conversation was quiet in the cold night. The two lovers snuggled together in the other corner of the fire.

"My words were true to the letter Tifa," he said softly to her as he took her hand in his.

"I know they were," she nodded.

He smiled back to her and sat closer. "Are you warm enough?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her shoulders now.

Before she could protest on, he had leaped up and raced to grab some blankets from his Fenrir.

Racing back he went ahead to gently wrapping the blankets around her shoulders. "Better?" Cloud asked worriedly as he threw the blankets around her.

"It would be better if we shared the blankets," she answered.

Smirking at her words he shifted beside her again, "I hope you know that I don't ever regret this," he motioned from him to her. "Us."

"Neither do I," she smiled back.

"If you're cold, let me know okay?" Cloud said softly whilst he crawled his way beside her under the blankets.

The couple sat quietly next to each other with the blankets around their shoulders.

She nodded, "I wanted to tell you," she began, taking his hand again, "Before when you were speaking your speech, I felt little bubbles in there," she pointed to her stomach.

His eyes widen with a smile, "Really?" he said happily.

"Yes, small little bubbles, could only just notice them," she told him.

"I just know it's going to be a boy," he promised.

She raised her brows, "Oh really? And if it isn't?"

"Well, then I'd be wrong," he smiled.

Her smile faded when she asked him quietly, "Red, Cait Sith and Yuffie know our secret," she whispered.

"I know they do," he answered softly and then turning to her he smiled, "They all came up to me separately to congratulate my fatherhood."

Tifa smirked, "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"We should let Barret, Cid and Vincent know soon. What about the battle Cloud? They assume I am fighting," she asked.

"Reno should be informed," Cloud suggested.

"Maybe we should just let them all in on the secret," Tifa said.

"Now?" he asked.

"Does it seem perfect?" she asked back.

He smiled warmly at her words. She had remembered what he told her. 'Whenever the right moment is, we will just know,' he whispered to her.

"I wanted to tell you," he began, eyes locked onto hers.

She wondered what he was going to say. From the look of his eyes, it sure didn't look like anything she was looking forward to hearing. His eyes were so cold and serious. It was almost as though as if he were telling her some deep dark secret.

"Yes," she nodded after swallowing liquid down her dry throat.

"I have chosen to not participate in the battle," he said out fast, leaning back as he gauged her reaction.

She didn't know what to say or what to do so instead she gasped softly, "Cloud."

"I talked to Aeris," he confessed, now taking his hands away from her and facing the fire. He couldn't seem to lock eyes with her as he told her his wishes. Asking Aeris was hard enough, but confronting Tifa, that was his biggest fear.

"Aeris?" she asked, quietly thinking to herself of the numerous times she spoke to that woman too.

"She helped me walk the right path," Cloud explained. "And I think, my path is to protect you."

"Cloud you know you can't protect me even from death," Tifa told him.

"I know," he turned to her and continued, "But I would rather die trying."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but dinner is served," Reno smiled sheepishly as he handed the couple each a plate.

Tifa smiled and nodded, "Thank you Reno."

Reno nodded back, "Not a problem, its mash potatoes and chicken. Sorry, Rufus didn't supply us with any cutlery."

Before Cloud could protest on the male walked away.

"Cloud just promise me that if they really need your help, do help them," Tifa touched his hand.

Cloud turned to her and nodded, "Okay."

She smiled, "Lets eat."

He nodded and reflected her smile, "Enjoy."

There was no sound of neither speaking, just the quiet noises one made when they ate.

"You know, thinking back to the past when we were in this very same scenario," Tifa broke the silence between them. "Do you remember us?"

Cloud nodded and then smiled.

"I remember how we sat at two different corners of the fire," he said.

She smiled, "Do you like what we have become?" Tifa asked her eyes now fixed on his.

"I wouldn't change anything if I had the chance to," Cloud said.

"Neither would I," she sighed and went back to eating.

Sometimes he couldn't figure out this woman before him. There were times when it seemed like she was the only thing that made sense in the world and sometimes, it felt like she was the only thing that didn't make sense. Whatever trick his mind was pulling, it was working. Maybe it was more than just love, maybe his mind was telling him to look beyond love. To look at the little details involved in love. To see the change that has happened between them.

She sat there beside him, carrying their child in her womb. What more could have changed than that?

"I wanted to ask you," Cloud began, "what you would want to name our child, any ideas?"

He saw the smile growing on her lips as she swallowed and turned to him.

Tifa smiled, "I thought about the name Kai for a boy and Mei for a girl."

"Kai," Cloud hummed, "Sounds perfect for a boy and Mei, sweet and precious," he smiled.

"What about you?" Tifa asked.

"Kai and Mei," Cloud answered back.

"Come on, I'm sure you had names you came up with," Tifa said.

"Well, I think that since you walked around nine months with the child at least you get the honours of naming it," Cloud answered with a smirk.

"You are so sweet," Tifa sighed warmly, taking another spoon full of her food.

"I know I am," he chuckled.

Suddenly Yuffie wailed aloud, "Who's bright idea was it to camp out here in the Forgotten City?"

Reno smirked. "There ain't no other safer place," he noted.

"Safe yes," Yuffie nodded, "Cold, yes," she started to raise her voice, "Warm, No!"

"Sit closer to the fire," Reno shot back. "Maybe your ass if freezing because you're sitting so far away."

Yuffie rolled her eyes and shifted closer.

Tifa couldn't help but smirk at the little comedy scene in front of her. It was the hormones that made her find this funny. Otherwise she'd always just roll her eyes and get on with life.

At the side of her eye she saw Cloud smirking too. Yuffie would always make them laugh, it didn't matter what situation they were in.

I have been reading my stories, lol i'm my own beta reader. and anyway, i've seen that i don't use descriptive sentences a lot, so am trying to do so. Slowly i guess. :) Hope ya liked the chapter! Next one will be up soon!