Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 any of it's characters or references.
Alright I know it's been a long time since I updated but I'm here at last with surprise...
Chapter 12: Chaos Requiem
A new day had dawned upon the city of Edge. However on this morning it was deathly silent. There were no birds chirping, there was no-one outside doing their morning exercises, there was no sound of motor vehicles, just silence or perhaps that is what the young maiden envisioned. A world of silence, where word's were no longer necessary.
Tifa rested on her side facing the window that opened to the front of Seventh Heaven, her eyes open with no evident signs of sleep present. After having her heart broken twice by the same man anyone would expect her to break, for her pillow to be soaked from her tears, for their to be wet tear trails on her cheeks but there wasn't. She cried but only for a moment after Cloud had disappeared she went into her room and collapsed on her bed, however once her body touched the soft mattress the tears ceased to flow. Though her heart was aching, it had been shattered again by the same man, her mind and body refused to shed any tears, it's wasn't that she was holding them back, it's just they didn't come. Even if her heart longed to cry there would be none, her body had already decided that she had shed enough tears for him.
And now she laid silently, thinking about the past, the present and things to come. She thought about all the trials and hardships she had endured and how not once she had ever complained, she was sad but she never complained, she thought about her family, it was the most important thing to her, worth cherishing and dying for and finally she thought about how she would have to confront Vincent and tell him what happened between her and Cloud. She tried her hardest to keep Cloud from her thoughts and it worked, while she was awake during the early morning unable to go back to sleep she thought about her dreams. Once what seemed like a long time ago she dreamt of the possibility of her and Cloud together, it's was a child's fairy tale, a love story straight out of a story book her and Cloud, but it was not reality, and she couldn't live in a dream no matter how much she wanted to.
Then what sound like a train crashing to interrupting her thoughts she heard a soft knock on the door. She already knew who it was from the sound of the knock, it was her adoptive daughter, or whom she told people was her daughter, because it was Barret's adoptive child and whomever he married would be Marlene's adoptive mother.
"Door's open sweetie," She said in her infectiously sweet tone as if nothing was wrong.
The door slowly creaked open and the young girl cautiously entered, she was still in her pajamas, there was still sleep present in her eyes. Wordlessly the girl walked over to Tifa's bed and climbed onto it. She then snuggled into her person she called mother, Tifa's arm came around the girl. Marlene's eyes were closed as she tried to snuggle closer, trying to get as much affection as possible. A small smile formed on the ruby-eyed maiden as she looked down at the child. Soon her voice filled the room as she started to sing a soft lullaby to the sleeping child. The soft melody that comprised of Tifa's angelic voice was barely audible outside the room. Soon Marlene was in a deep sleep.
Outside the room however the blue-eyed warrior sat against the door to Tifa's room. He had heard her singing, it was enough to fill him with calmness and at the same time he wondered how his childhood friend could sing like that, it would put even the most talented singer to shame. But he was not here just to listen to her singing, he had another reason, he wanted to tell her he was leaving and he didn't know when he would return. In his mind he was contemplating how to break the news to her. Was he just going to leave without telling her like last time, or would he just spit it out in her face then leave?
He didn't know how, but he needed to go, he needed couldn't explain it the building of emotions within him, the conflicting thoughts, the spiraling memories. He couldn't explain it and he needed to figure out himself, but for how long he would be gone he didn't know. Deep in his mind he wondered if he would regret leaving, the last time he didn't regret it, though to others it may have looked like it was a waste of time to him it was necessary and he didn't regret it. He had already made up his mind to gently tell her hoping she won't get angry or sad, he already knew he had broken her heart and then he had set up her hope again and then shattered it once more. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted but he just couldn't return what she felt for him. Confidence was something that Cloud was never good at. When he heard her singing to Marlene he seriously reconsidered leaving but he had to he couldn't stay with the family he had grown to love.
Suddenly the door opened making the blond-haired swordsman lose his balance but he quickly regained it. Tifa looked at Cloud puzzled.
"Cloud what are you doing here?" She asked in her normal voice.
"Tifa, there's something I need to talk with you about," He answered.
"Sure we can go to your room, Marlene is sleeping here and I don't want to disturb her."
There was no awkwardness between the two as they walked silently to Cloud's room. The tension was gone it was as if the night's event's had never occurred. Tifa sat as the edge of his bed and Cloud turned the chair from his desk to face away from where Tifa was sitting and then sat on it placing his elbows on top of the back rest.
"Okay what's wrong?" The raven-haired maiden asked.
"Tifa, there's something I have to tell you, something important…" He was cut off.
"If it's about last night don't worry, it was my fault for getting my hopes up," She answered lowering her head but no trace of remorse in her voice.
"That's not it, Tifa I have to go away for a while," He didn't know how it came out with such ease, he had rehearsed the event countless times in his mind and it never was this easy.
Tifa didn't appear hurt or angry, she looked up at him and captured his gaze with her eyes, "How long are you going for?" She asked, "A period or indefinitely?"
"I'm not sure," was the response.
"Well you should tell the children," She finished standing up and heading over to the doorway.
Before she could reach the door his voice stopped her, "Tifa I'm leaving now."
If his words before didn't reach the frozen shards that once comprised her heart, these did. When he first told her he was leaving, she didn't feel anything, maybe because she knew he would leave, but these it stung at her. She barely saw his image as he walked past her and down the steps.
"Tell the children I said goodbye," were his final words before his disappeared from her view.
Tifa was in a state of shock. Did Cloud just walk out of their lives as if it was nothing important? She was sad, she wanted to scream, she wanted to be angry at him but couldn't, no tears came to her eyes, no words came to her mouth, she wanted to cry but couldn't her body refused to let her shed tears for him, she wanted her legs to move to run to him and beg him to stay but they won't move it was as if her body was telling her to let him go, but her soul kept screaming. She heard him start his motorbike, then she heard it drive off.
The day had passed rather uneventful, Denzel and Marlene had spent their day with their friends and Tifa stayed at the bar. She was surprised that Vincent didn't come to work today, he was usually early. It was late afternoon, she hadn't told the children's about Cloud's departure instead she had told him he left early to make a delivery of course that story wouldn't last long both were very keen and she would have to break it to them. Then the questions would come and she didn't have the answers. Did Cloud leave because of her? Was he afraid that things would become awkward between them? They were the questions she kept replaying in her mind and if the answer was yes to both of them then it would mean he left because of her, and that would just shatter the children's hearts.
The door opened and the small bell that hung over the doorway gave off a little jingle, instantly Tifa snapped out of her thoughts and changed to her new customer except it wasn't a customer but Vincent escorting Denzel.
"Something happen?" Tifa asked, she hadn't remembered Denzel saying anything about visiting Denzel, he said he was going over to Johnny's Heaven today.
"No, actually everything's just fine," The young boy replied smiling at her and then walked off.
Tifa was slightly taken back. Denzel was absolutely beaming, she had rarely seen him so happy but it warmed her heart to see him in such bliss. The young maiden then turned her attention to Vincent. She knew a confrontation with him was inevitable and it might as well be now seeing as how so many things have been going wrong but before she could speak he spoke first.
"Are you busy?"
"I'm just about to close up," She answered.
"It's awfully early to be closing, don't you think?" He asked.
"I'm just not in the mood to run the bar right now, I'm thinking of putting it on hold for a while," The ruby-eyed beauty explained.
"Then when you're finished can we talk privately?" she nodded to his question.
It didn't take long for Tifa to close up the bar. Denzel and Marlene were playing in their room. Tifa accompanied by Vincent walked to the back of Seventh Heaven. There was no awkwardness between them but there was a slight tension and hesitation. Tifa didn't know what to tell him but she had to tell him that she broke his trust but at the same time she was slightly trembling and she didn't know why. She was standing away from him a few feet separating them. Vincent was the one to break the silence.
"Did you know Denzel attempted to join the WRO today?" the male asked.
Tifa instantly spun around and looked at him, her eyes were serious.
"That's why he went to Johnny's Heaven today to meet Reeve," Vincent explained.
"Reeve came to see him?" Tifa asked lowering her gaze from his.
"Yeah probably because he was your kid, but don't worry he didn't deny him nor accept him," The Ex-Turk further explained.
Tifa once again looked at him, "What does that mean?"
"He told don't be in a hurry to grow up and enjoy being a child."
"That does sound a bit like Reeve," Tifa replied, both could feel the tension fading away.
Seeing Tifa smile made a familiar warmth fill the gunman. He liked seeing her smile even though he would never admit it.
"I know," Vincent suddenly said.
Tifa sensed a change in Vincent's tone and she knew the conversation had changed.
"Know about what?" She asked although she had a pretty good idea about what he was talking about.
"You went out with Cloud," He was with a hint of sorrow.
"I know I should have told you but…" She was cut off.
"I know you probably still have feelings for him," Vincent walked closer to her, "I just hate seeing the both of you together, I hate seeing what he's putting you through."
They were about one foot away from each other. Vincent who was only slightly taller than Tifa was looking down at her, Tifa in turn had her face lowered, she couldn't bring herself to face him.
"Cloud left this morning, and not on a delivery," She told him.
The crimson-eyed gunman placed his hands on each of her shoulders.
"Tifa you once asked me why I felt the way I feel for you, the truth is I've never been true to my emotions, I loved once before but when I first met you I felt something strange…I couldn't explain it." Tifa kept quiet as she listened to his explanation, "These emotions for you that's I've held I've never acknowledged them until recently because I've never understood them, I kept thinking I was in love with someone else when I wasn't."
Tifa couldn't believe Vincent was bearing himself before her, it was so out of character for him.
"What I'm trying to say it…Tifa I've fallen in love with you," He said as last.
Tifa looked at him, "Vincent," She barely whispered his name.
Without anymore words he lowered his head until both their lips touched. It was a soft kiss, with his lips gently brushing against it but it was building a heat within her.
"Vincent, I'm sorry for all I've put you through but…" Again she was cut off.
"I'm not about to give up on you, even if you love someone else…" Now he was cut off.
"It's hard to love someone who's doesn't love you, I care for Cloud deeply but with you…I feel…I feel safe…and…and happy, I've already decided that Cloud and I were never meant to be…but because I decided it doesn't mean I've accepted it…I mean it's difficult to accept." She explained to him.
Vincent moved his hands from her shoulders to cup her face, "Then I'll help you accept it."
With that they both started kissing again. This time both were more passionately and more demanding. After a few minutes they broke the kiss.
Tifa smiled up at him, "Why don't you stay here tonight?" She asked.
Vincent smiled back, "I'll accept your offer."
Tifa smiled back, Vincent was the one who could mend her broken heart, whenever she was with him, the pain that Cloud filled her with seemed to disappear. Maybe in time these feelings she bore for Cloud will vanish and she'll be able to return Vincent's feelings, maybe she already had begun to. But until then she'll cherish everything she have, two wonderful children and a handsome man who loves and cherishes her and with protect her, she had what he wanted all her life, a family.
Fenrir was perched atop the highway stretch than ran over Edge he looked down at Seventh Heaven, the place he once called home, where all his most fond memories resided. Even though he was high up he could see Tifa and Vincent, they seemed to be having a deep conversation, they he saw him kiss her, they broke away and started speaking again then they began kissing again, except this time she was kissing him back with the same passion he was kissing her with. A whirlwind of emotions erupted within Cloud, hurt, betrayal, anger, but he shook his head and brushed them aside. He saw them both go back into the house. He mounted Fenrir once more and sped off along the empty highway. It wasn't long until he exited the city, saying a silent farewell to the place where he was once the happiest, but he needed to go, he didn't know why but he needed to find something…something about himself, and he would be gone for a long period and didn't know if he would return. He also knew if he did find whatever it was he was looking for he would never return.
The sun was now setting, Edge was beginning to shrink as the gap between them grew wider, he said a final farewell in him mind, this time to the woman he cared the most for, maybe even loved, if things had been different maybe he could have fulfilled her fairytale dream and keep his promise. But fairytales are just that, fairytales and all promises are eventually broken.
The blond-spiky-haired, blue eyed warrior disappeared into the setting sun his motorbike creating a trail of dust behind him. The previous emotions he experiences when he saw Tifa and Vincent kissing replaced with another one…freedom.
"Farewell Tifa, I hope you find happiness," Were his final words.
To Be Continued...
This isn't the end epilogue will be up soon, that will change the scope of this entire fic. So while you wait, leave a review why don't you.
Till Next Time...