Disclaimer: Square Enix owns all. (sobs)

A/N: Hi all! x) Just a short piece that's set a tiny bit before AC. Sadder and more serious than the previous ones, but it's all good. x)

Seventh Heaven

Watching Over

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It's been weeks since Cloud was last at Seventh Heaven.

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Seventh Heaven.

That was the name Tifa had given the bar. She said it was a pretty name, one with warmth and comfort illuminating behind it. A name of hope.

Cloud Strife looked at the place he'd once begun to familiarise as home. The bar looked as friendly as ever in the pale moonlight, where shadows flickered noiselessly over the grey building. It had been weeks since he was last there. Weeks since he'd seen the children, or heard their pure voices. Weeks since he'd seen Tifa...

Almost as to brutally remind him why, Cloud's left arm tensed painfully underneath the dark robe he kept it covered with.

Grimacing, Cloud ignored the sharp, taut pain and stepped heedfully towards the front door before he lost his nerve. He inserted the key into the lock, half-afraid it wouldn't fit anymore, and turned it. A gentle click sounded and, with a pounding heart, he slipped into the dark bar with the air of a burglar, shutting the door very quietly behind him.

Even in the darkness he could feel, rather than see, the familiar yet so foreign bar. The counter was still at the front of the room, the stools still lined up orderly, the little tables still placed in its own, quaint fashion.

Cloud stood in the middle of the bar for awhile as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Then with careful, padded steps the blonde moved to the little staircase that led up to the house, feeble rays of moonlight bouncing across his body with every movement.

The house was still and quiet as he walked silently to the children's bedroom. Cloud pulled the handle down and pushed the door open, the sound of deep, slow breathing filling his ears at once. The soothing sounds comforted him as his boots clunked against the rug toward the far end of the room.

Light from the sky outside streamed in through the window and cast a pale, ghostly glow on Denzel's face as he slept. Cloud stopped at the young boy's side and watched him sleep, almost looking peaceful although Cloud knew his little body was bravely fighting a strenuous battle.

He picked up the stained cloth on the bedside table, sorrow creeping up into his heart.

Denzel... a young child inflicted with the same disease he had and robbed of his energy... yet he was still fighting, wasn't he?

Cloud gently dropped the cloth back onto the table and took another look at the ghostly pale boy, wishing he had half the courage and hope the child possessed, and feeling doubly worse that he could not help take care of him.

The guilt becoming rather overwhelming, Cloud forced himself to shuffle back down, pausing at Marlene's bed.

He walked to her side and checked to see that she was sound asleep. Her childish countenance was both endearing and heart-wrenching to Cloud. It gave him relief to know the children were still doing fine without him, but it also pained him...

The little girl shifted and whimpered slightly, and he discovered something sticking out from underneath her pillow. Wondering what it was, Cloud reached out and pulled the sheet of paper.

In the bright moonlight he could make out two stick figures drawn in blue and pink crayon, Marlene's favourite colours. Beneath the little people Cloud read a short line of childishly-written words that made his heart throb in aching sadness.

Please don't take Denzel away.

Sorrowfully, Cloud slipped Marlene's little prayer back under her pillow, regretting leaving the hurting children behind, yet at the same time regretting coming back to see them in despair.

Cloud didn't know for sure if there was a God or not, and if there was, whether He was merciful and kind enough to regard little humans, but Cloud said a little prayer himself as he left the bedroom with a heavy heart, pleading that He, if He really existed, look after Marlene and Denzel and keep them safe from harm.

His feet made their own way to Tifa's room, the owner feeling apprehensive and nervous. It seemed eternity since he last saw her... his life seemed so frequently fragmented that he couldn't keep up anymore. There was the time before he knew or met AVALANCHE... the happy universe with everyone... then the world where there was no more Aerith... the world where there was no more Sephiroth... and now, the universe that was only him.

I came to check on them... make sure they're alright... I've got to check her too.

Cloud opened the door very slowly and halted when he saw the room was lit by the bedside lamp, illuminating a warm, orange glow. However, a double glance revealed Tifa lying on her side on the bed, as though she had just curled up wearily with no real inclination to sleep.

He couldn't help suppress a little sigh... typical Tifa... always doing more than anyone could bear...

The blonde warrior lowered himself on the side of her bed, his eyes never leaving her face. She seemed troubled - there was a faint frown and her mouth was tight even as she slept. Was she worried because of him? How many times had she fallen asleep when she'd been too exhausted to wait any longer?

A bitter, resentful feeling was eating him up as he gazed at her grievously. She was so beautiful, pure, angelic... Cloud's face gave way to a reluctant smile as he remembered her as a bright, popular child... the little girl he'd fallen in love with.

So much had happened since those sunny, carefree days... but as he looked on, he would surrender anything to have her smile as she once did.

With her steady, soft breathing filling the air, Cloud reached for a blanket and pulled it over her to keep her warm. Making sure she was completely covered, his Mako-enhanced eyes fell upon her pale face again... and a strong, raw desire to take away her grief erupted inside him, so vigorous Cloud took deep beraths to subdue the yearning.

The horrible feelings of pain, loneliness and heart-wrenching guilt cascaded over him all at once as he realised how much afflication he'd left them to bear upon themselves.

Tifa... the most beautiful and warm-hearted soul he'd ever met... She was so strong and always smiling - she'd always been by his side, never deserting him even if it meant risking her own life...

The guilt hurt.

"Cloud..."

His eyes darted back to her slumbering form in alarm and panic, and he had already half-risen from the bed. But Tifa was still asleep as she stirred and moved her head around, her frown becoming more pronounced. Mumbling his name again in a soft, stricken voice, the brunette curled herself up in a tighter ball and drew the covers up to her chin, as though desperate to hide herself.

Cloud stared at her with a worried frown, until she finally came to a rest. Her features were laden with sadness and even as he watched, a lone tear escaped from beneath her eyelid and slid down her cheek. He felt his heart rip apart as his eyes followed the single tear.

He reached out with his own hand and gently brushed it away with his thumb. His throat felt like it was about to burst and his eyes were burning. In a strained, cracked voice he whispered.

"I'm sorry, Tifa..."

Cloud bowed his head against the howling pain that was raging in his head and chest, his arm falling limply to his side. The explosion of tangled, beating emotions red raw inside him were receding very slowly.

I'm hopeless...

He didn't know how long he sat there, on the edge of Tifa's bed as the girl slept and he was numb with remorse. Wiping his face with the back of his hand, Cloud very reluctantly rose. He glanced back down at Tifa again, fatigue pressing in more heavily on his mind. He suddenly felt like sinking back down and sleeping beside her. The wonderful possiblity made him smile wryly, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't even look after himself... let alone protect the ones he loved... he was completely worthless.

But he could come and visit, couldn't he? In the dead of the night, he could creep in and watch over them, satisfying his concern for their wellbeing when he was away.

Cloud beheld Tifa's appearance a final time. She was strong. She could look after herself. And as long as she was alright, he could live with himself.

He bent down and kissed her on the forehead, whispering quietly, "Good night, Teef..." She whimpered slightly as he withdrew, and he gave a slight smile that was tainted with sorrow.

Cloud checked on the kids again before he left Seventh Heaven as silently as he had come.

Maybe one day when he returned, he reflected as he rode his motorbike in the coolness of the night, he would be able to call it home. It was where the children were... and where Tifa was. He'd been so close to this wonderful new life... but as all good things were for him, they were cruelly snatched away.

He sighed as his afflicted arm stiffened painfully. When he reached the chapel, he got off Fenrir and slowly walked away, looking up into the sky. He thought about everyone he had to live for... about everything he'd already given up.

"Please don't take me away..."

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A/N: Oookay, so maybe not that short. x) The scroll-bar thing is still pretty long, though, doncha reckon? xD I'd be estastic to hear your feedback, so feel free to drop a line. I just wanted a little, subtle clo-ti scene and having one of them sleep just makes it so .. quiet? Hehe. (x Anyway, it was written in a matter of days whenever I opened up my lil notebook, so it's not fine-tuned or anything, but I'm still happy with the end result! That's all for now, ladies and gents. Thanks for reading! xD - msq bounces away like a bouncy ball