A/N: wow, i didn't think many would like this story. I guess I was wrong. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, they help tons :)

He watched her that evening after she had set Michi into his bed. She never said a word, not even a hello. A simple greeting, nothing. It startled him at just how much something can change over such a small little time. When he had readied himself to leave this morning, he was his usual self, the cold quiet blinded self and then here he was now, watching her as she wiped away the last remaining plates in the sink after they had their dinner. He was actually thinking about her, for the first time. Taking in her beauty and admiring her. Why hadn't he seen this sooner? Why did he feel the need to hold her?

Did he feel something for her? Were they, more than friends? Best friends? Maybe that was what he wanted, a life. Maybe secretly inside, he wanted a family, a real and official one. But who? Who would want to love him? To take care of him and support him? He had pushed everyone away when they helped; he acted so cold to people that most of them left him alone. There was no one. Maybe Denzel and Marlene would be his only family, the only vision he had of a family.

'My kids,' his eyes widen. Kids? He wanted kids?

She felt his sudden change of expression and stared at him questionably. There he was, caught for staring at her. He winced and looked down at the cup in his hands. She saw him, staring at her. What would she think?

"Everything okay?" her voice startled his nerves. Her voice was beginning to make him blush. Why was he blushing? His heart ached for her, how would she ever, come to love such a man? A man who pushed her away so many times and left her in the dark. Of all people, she was the one he hurt most and still, she was there by his side, always waiting to lend a helping hand.

He felt the soft touch of her hand on his and he looked where he met her eyes. They were so soft, unique and simply breath taking. Those brown eyes of hers. He felt her smoothing out her finger on his hand. He then realized, she was brushing his hand softly with her thumb. As if assuring him about something he didn't really know what of.

He couldn't help but to take his hand from hers. The look in her eyes hardened as she noticed and quickly pulled back. He was one step ahead as he circled his hand around hers. She stopped, and looked at him again. No words passed through the silence. He avoided her gaze as he looked down at their joint hands.

There was something about her hands that made his world stop. The way their skin touched like that and their fingers brushed up against each other. His heart beat came to a hiatus at each thump. Dadum Dadum. Only their hearts could be heard, the singular beat that thumped at the same time, it was their rhythm. Their song. Then he saw, deep within. A smile, one single solitude smile that belonged to one face and it was her. Aeris. The one who he let go a long time ago. The one who made him realize who his heart really loved. A girl who he had always loved, even before the beginning of time. The girl who stood in front of him right now.

"I should, uh.." Tifa's words came out suddenly, shaking him from his daze.

He saw her stumbling across her words as she thought hard over each word. Then he watched her as she slipped her hand from his and blushed.

"I'm..uh, goodnight Cloud," she hurried and skipped fast off to the steps.

The sound of her door shutting startled him. Did she, feel too?

/"Nicely done,"/ there was a smile in the words this time.

And for once he didn't reply, just stared a softened gaze. He looked down at the cup in his hands and smiled. He loved her, he really did and she, felt something, he saw it in her eyes. He needed her, no matter what.

But he didn't deserve her, she was too perfect. To unique for a man like him. He pushed people away, and was very good at doing that too. He didn't deserve her love, even if she loved him or not. She deserved so much better than him. She needed someone who would be there for her and to make her smile when no one else could. She needed a man who would treat her right and cherish her, to love her. To be her man, her protector and soul lover.

But what if she did? What if everything he thought of was true? And that she loved him just as much as he loved her.

'I love her?'

So he did, why didn't he see it sooner? Why did it take a child to open up his eyes? Weren't they already open? Did he blind himself from seeing all of this?

Or maybe she didn't and he was just thinking up his own fantasises. Wait, he never dreamed, or fantasised. Why was he now? Why did he wish for her? Maybe he should just leave, run away from all this mess.

'But why do I feel like I need her?'

A dying need for having her love. Why did he beg of it so much all of a sudden? Inside his heart, his secret wish was to be loved by her? Why did he feel like he couldn't leave?

Those eyes, they were haunting yet, comforting. It was ironic, how the thing that made him smile was also the thing that made him frown and the thing that made sense was also the thing that didn't.

Her touch radiated on his hand from just moments ago. The touch on his hand was so quiet, like a message she wanted to give him. Something in her heart which she kept for such a long time but couldn't say it to him. It was all too confusing.

Then, why did she always welcome him home when he came back? Why hasn't she moved on with someone else? She stayed behind with him, why?