A/N: Some family fluff between Marlene and Cloud, hope you all enjoy! ^_^

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all it's characters belong to Square Enix

Characters: Marlene&Cloud

Setting: None

Rated: T (For slight graphic detail)

Nightmares

Every sound that surrounded Cloud grew fainter as Tifa's screams of agony grew louder.

He watched his loved one helplessly, as she cried out in pain. Her eyes glassy and full of tears, her entire body shaking.

This was his fault, all of it.

He was the one responsible for creating that life inside of her.

She was dying because of him.

"CLOUD!" Tifa cried out in a strangled voice, hoarse from all her screams and wails.

Cloud sat frozen, his eyes locked on the monitor recording her heart, watching the lines tracking her heartbeat swim wildly and out of control.

"She's losing to much blood!" A doctor cried.

"GET HIM OUT!" Tifa cried, throwing her head back against the pillows.

Hot tears stung Cloud's eyes, this killed him. The only pain he couldn't bare was seeing a loved one hurt. Especially if it was his fault.

"Miss Lockhart, you'll die! Your body will be too weak to recover once we remove your child."

Cloud's heart jolted. "NO!" He growled.

"NO! I don't care! Just please, deliver my child!" Tifa wailed as the monitors on the screen started to slow at a dangerous rate.

"NO! No..." Cloud whispered shaking his head, he held Tifa's hand gently, not even caring that he was crying now. "You can't die, Tifa. I promised...I promised I'd always be there to protect you..."

Tifa smiled at him weakly. "You did, Cloud. You've always have...now...It's time...to make a new promise..."

"Tifa, No..." Cloud pleaded as her eyes slowly started to drop along with her heart rate...

Cloud sprang awake, his heart pounding wildly in his chest, and standing there right besides him was Marlene. Her little hand was on his shoulder, as she shook it to wake him, her auburn colored eyes wide with worry.

"M-Marlene?" Cloud panted.

"You were having a nightmare, you were tossing and turning in your sleep and breathing harder than you are now!" Marlene replied in a faint whisper.

Cloud sighed and shifted to get in a comfortable place on the couch.

"I'm just...worried for Tifa..."

Marlene smiled softly as she crawled on the couch to sit next to Cloud, she handed him a glass of water which he didn't see until now since it was in her other hand.

"Thanks." Cloud replied taking the glass from her and taking long gulps.

"You know that you're worrying over nothing, but that's okay because that just means you love Tifa."

"I do love Tifa, so much." Cloud replied setting the now empty glass down on the coffee table, he felt the smallest of a smile tug at his lips knowing Tifa will yell at him for not setting the glass cup on a coaster. "I don't want anything bad to happen with her pregnancy..."

"What makes you think there will?"

Cloud was silent for a moment. "I don't know...I just have a feeling."

"Well kick it in the butt or Tifa will kick you in the butt!" Marlene nearly shouted.

Cloud looked at her helplessly. "How do I know she'll be okay then?"

"The doctors! Hello? You can always ask the doctors! They know everything about babies! Or Aerith, since she's having a baby too!"

"Mmm...do you think that maybe if I forbid Tifa from getting out of bed, her pregnancy will be safe?"

"I'm not a doctor, Cloud Strife! But I do know that is overdoing it!"

Cloud frowned. "I'm just worried for her...what if something happens when I'm out making deliveries? Maybe I should take some time off..."

"No! You can't do that or we'll starve and smell bad because you're not making any Gil! And We all are Cloud! But that's why we're here! Because we love her and we're going to take care of her! Everyone! We're all in this together! One for all and one for one! Well...at least that's what my softball coach says to us before every game..." Marlene blushed.

Cloud smiled slightly before pulling the girl in his arms for a hug.

"Well your coach is right...thank you Marlene. I know that when I'm nervous I can count on you guys to look after Tifa when I'm away."

Marlene smiled. "So...are you going to go back to bed? Or are you just going to sleep on the couch until the baby is born?"

"Um...maybe...the couch isn't so bad..."

Marlene smacked her forehead and sighed. "We have a looong ways to go."