Chapter 4. Adjusting.

Cloud's POV

When confronted with Tseng's proposition, I had given it considerate thought. Taking Sephiroth's protégé to my new apartment wasn't an option - for now. But I had left a spare room at '7th Heaven'. And there was Tifa there, the kids… it would be a good place for Sora to be, at least until we would figure out what to do.

I thought it would be fairly easy - really, I did. But as always, Tifa had her ways of surprising me.

"Are you crazy?" Tifa's tone was one of offense and shock. "Bringing that monster's wife here?"

"Tifa!" I widened my eyes at her, hoping she would calm down a bit with my hard stare. Thank God Sora still remained in the car. I had told her to wait for me to get back for her.

"No! This is insane! I won't permit-"

"She was a victim, Tifa, not a-"

"What happened up there to make you even consider-"

"Tseng asked me to take care of her for some time." This interruption game was really starting to annoy me. So I disclosed the whole truth to Tifa. "She's pregnant."

She almost gaped at my words.

"With… his child?"

I nodded, hoping Tifa's anger would soften a bit. But sadly, that didn't happen.

"And you just simply drag me to this nonsense?"

"Would you stop?" I said, my stare hard on hers. "She's got no one, before all this she only knew beating and running, what on the Planet did you expect me to do when I was asked to help her?"

Silence fell over us. A heavy silence. I could tell Tifa was thinking, considering my words.

"Cloud we have two kids to take care of. We don't need an extra to complicate our messed up living."

"There is no other option, Teef. She has to stay here."

I saw Tifa cross her arms with an angered sigh. Boy, she was so against the idea.

"For how long?"

"Until... the General is sentenced."

"Sentenced?"

"I am quite sure the military court will give him the heaviest penalty."

"Which is-"

"Death."

Her stance softened a bit as she processed my words. Silently, Tifa considered the situation and finally, when I thought she was going to give me the finger, she looked at me in the eye and talked.

"She can stay in your room. It's exactly how you left it."

"Okay, so-"

"It's a temporary, Cloud." Tifa warned, her stare hard and a not so friendly look on her face. "My bar is not a shelter for the homeless and abandoned."

I didn't like what she said, the way she had said it but decided not to go against her. That was not Tifa speaking. She wasn't like that. She was kind and worried about the friends of her friends. She was very sensitive to someone else's problems and if help was needed, she was there in the front row.

But now, things were different. Sora was not a random woman - she bore Sephiroth's child and Tifa was very sensitive about Sephiroth. And she had her reasons. Very good reasons to hate him with all her will. After all, he had murdered her father.

So this was personal. And Sora was the perfect vehicle for her to canalize her anger.

"She is innocent, Tifa. Just like you." I declared, hoping Tifa would get the message in between the lines. "So don't take revenge on her. She has nothing to do with Sephiroth's doings."

"I know that." Tifa snarled, locking her jaw. "I'm not stupid, Cloud. But it's hard to realize that suddenly, you're so sensitive about this woman's disgrace when you cannot recognize you have a family falling apart, kids that miss you and yet… you don't care."

She was right. In fact, She was absolutely right, but our family issues would have to wait until this thing with Sora and Sephiroth was solved.

"I know I owe you Teef. And the kids." I admitted. "But now, there are things set in motion that demand our attention."

Tifa blinked at me, amazed.

"Such as?"

"Jenova. She's… awaken." I declared, glad that the whole family issue had been forgotten for now. "And I'm not SOLDIER anymore."

Tifa's eyes widened at my declarations.

"What?"

I smiled at her, proud of the reaction the words had done to her.

"I'm The General now, Tifa."

Tifa's POV.

I didn't know what shocked me the most. I thought Cloud didn't have the ability to surprise me but I guess I was wrong after all.

He was able to surprise me all right. But sadly, not the way I would like to. He arrived right after sunset with a mysterious face and that cute smile that affected me terribly.

I had imagined so many times, Cloud coming home smiling and hugging me and the kids, telling me that he would stay with us forever. No matter what.

And then, when the kids were asleep, he would finally declare his love for me, admitting he had been blind all along. Kisses and love-making. I had imagined, pictured that so many times it almost became real - in my head. With Cloud's constant absence, I had space to invent my perfect world with Cloud and the kids.

Except Cloud wasn't around. Ever. I tried to call him sometimes but his tone hurt me more than the usual 'hi' and 'bye'. I asked him constantly when he would return - using the kids as excuse, but there seemed to be nothing that would soften his heart.

I wondered so many times as to where he would be. How would he sleep, what would he eat.

He always told me he was okay. Just that.

'I'm fine, Teef.'

And then the line was gone. As always.

I sighed as I recalled what had happened yesterday. God, it sounded unreal - all of it. Sephiroth having a woman pregnant with his child was the most ludicrous scenario. I couldn't conceive the idea of an assassin being tender and loving to someone.

And especially not Sephiroth. The man had a heart of stone and a mind of a psychopath.

Then, the whole thing of Cloud becoming General. That had been the cherry on the top of the cake.

The idea of Cloud being General brought me me shivers. And not for the best reasons. The post belonged to Sephiroth, the way I saw it. Namely, the post fit Sephiroth, not Cloud.

Cloud didn't have the profile to be a General. He was too weak, let everything affect him way too much. Take Aerith's death, for instance.

He still drowned in waves of guilt over her death. So… how could someone so conscientious become General?

No way. The whole thing was too weird to just… accept, just like that. There was no way Tseng and the President would allow someone like Cloud to be General.

Unless, of course, there was a damned good reason to do that.

And I was willing to bet that was exactly the case here.

"Can I help you?"

A voice I didn't recognize made me turn to see who it was. It was her - Sephiroth's fiancée. She eyed me with the despair of a woman that had been abandoned and didn't know what to do. Well, too bad. That happened to me constantly and I had to bear with it - alone, with a bar to run and two kids to feed.

"No, it's okay." I declared, knowing she was referring to helping me with stuff at the bar. "You go and rest."

I busied myself with the dishes, not sparing a glance at her. But she didn't move.

"I rest the whole day." She said, with a fearful tone. "I'm not used to… just stay and do nothing."

I didn't answer her. Hell, I didn't care what she did, whatever she did. I just wanted out of my sight. Why didn't she resume to the bedroom? No, she had to insist.

"I know you don't approve of-"

"That's none of my business, really." I interrupted.

"He's not like that. There is good in him, I assure-"

"Don't." I said, my gaze hard on her. Now, she had made me explode with those silly excuses of a woman madly in love. I stepped towards her, preparing one hell of a speech. Luckily, the bar was still closed and no one was around. She was going to hear it. "You just don't go that way. You are talking about the man that murdered my father and resumed the place where I lived in to ashes. He's a monster, for all I care, and there is nothing you can say to change my opinion." I paused for a couple of seconds, then continued. "I don't know what happened between you two, and I really don't give a damn."

"Tifa."

Cloud's voice. I turned to see him right next to the counter, wondering for second how on the Planet had he gotten in without me noticing.

"What?"

I reacted as harshly as I could manage, since Cloud was beyond angry. He was very transparent.

"Upstairs. Now."

I was going to tell him to fuck off but then again, Sora was the one talking.

"Cloud, really, it's ok-"

"No, Sora." Cloud stated, his eyes on her. "This has to stop." And then, his stare landed on mine. He gestured towards the stairs, and I knew what would follow. It wasn't going to be nice. "After you, Teef."

I breathed out loud, wondering how on the Planet I was going to stand this. I walked with him on my tail, leaving the woman downstairs.

We reached my bedroom and he closed the door behind us. I remained in the middle of the room, lingering there like a bee.

I stood there, quiet, with my arms crossed. I could hear the pulsing of my heartbeat in my ears. I was so annoyed my chest hurt.

"I don't want her here." I admitted, my stare grave on his.

"You don't have a choice, Tifa." Cloud declared.

"You have a new home. Take your newest conquest there." I know I was being unfair, but the way he gave her attention and the whole protecting thing was driving me crazy.

"Don't be stupid." Cloud snarled. "I can't take her there, don't you think I considered that in first place?"

I gulped, and his words hurt me. So. Taking her to his place had been his first option. Not here, where his real family was. Oh, damn. How awful was all this. What, did he have feelings for her or what? The mere thought made my heart scream with hurt.

"Do you like her?" I asked, directly. I needed to know, this whole thing was blinding me. "Do you have… feelings for her?"

"For the Planet's sake, Tifa."

"Answer me, Cloud!" I had raised my tone, I didn't care. "For one time in your life, tell me what you really feel!"

Cloud stepped towards me, stopping when our faces were inches apart. I gulped dry, appalled with his reaction.

"You have this pathetic tendency to create dramas where they don't exist." He whispered, his breath meeting my lips. "You don't have to be jealous, Tifa. Sora is merely my responsibility, now that I am the General."

It felt frustrating that he could actually read me so easily but what could I do? I was despaired and he was finally home… the whole thing had overwhelmed me.

"She had to leave the compound because it was dangerous. Sephiroth is resumed to high-security cell but you know how determined a woman in love is."

Yes, in fact I knew.

"I brought her here because it was safer. She needs to be away from that place while the Turks and Hojo take care of Sephiroth. Or the consequences might be devastating. And no, I don't like her that way. All I feel for her… is pity."

I processed his words carefully. I felt somehow relieved as he told me how he felt for her. Pity. Wow. That was sad.

"Ask me what you really want to know, Tifa."

My stare met his suddenly. Blue met brown and I felt truly cornered. I knew what he meant. I knew what he wanted me to say. Shame invaded me, making me blush.

I couldn't believe Cloud was asking me to declare my real feelings for him. As if he didn't know already.

"You know what I want, Cloud." I declared, my tone fading. His stare was powerful enough to devastate all my defenses, and with him so close to me, I couldn't think straight.

"Say it."

Cloud insisted. I wondered why he did that, what would be his goal with all this 'game'.

"Does it matter? You'll leave anyway. You'll never-"

His hand on my face silenced me. That simple action was enough to silence me, block my mind. This was way too good to be real. His fingers traced the lines of my jaw, my ear and finally landed there, grasping me as if… as if he intended to kiss me.

But would he? Would that be his goal? Would that intention be real, genuine?

"Cloud…"

All I was able to say was his name. Just that. He was the one doing all the talking from there.

"I've been taking my time to finally tell you how I feel about you, Tifa."

Oh my. Really?

"Forgive my actions for all this time. I'm back for good now. I'm here for you, for the kids... if you're willing to accept me."

I felt a pang in my heart as I processed his words. Was he saying the truth? Was this really happening? My God, was my dream finally coming true?...

I searched his blue eyes, over and over again. And yet, I didn't find there anything deceiving. He was being honest with me. I felt it.

"Tifa?"

I blinked, as his voice resonated so close to me. Cloud stared at me with concern on his face. Well… was he afraid I would kick him in the butt? Hum. It wasn't like he didn't deserve a punishment, considering everything he had done… and everything I had been through thanks to his selfishness.

Amazing how little words and gestures took all the resentment away. Just like that, in the blink of an eye.

"Yes…" I said, my voice failing me. I couldn't believe this was happening.

Cloud's face approached mine, our mouths closer but still… never touching. The anticipation was immense, and I could feel his warmth meeting mine, like potent sunshine burning my face.

However, Cloud didn't say a word more. He smiled at me and made the move. Before I knew it, his lips were glued to mine and I felt like I was floating… on cotton clouds.

Sora's POV.

There had been four days. Painful, long days.

Cloud had assured me I would be fine, that he knew of a nice place for me to stay, safe and sound, away from the complex where my General remained caged.

We traveled on his bike, that humongous thing until we reached a bar, far away from the company. It was a peripheral sector, I wasn't sure which one, but the place didn't look that bad from the outside.

He asked me to stay outside for a bit, claiming he would be back in a couple of minutes. But he took a little more than that. Inside that place lived a woman - Tifa, that eyed me like I was Satan. There were two kids I only met the day after. They were nice - a little shy, but smiley and genuine.

Tifa didn't make my life easy. She obviously didn't want me around and I felt bad enough to be there but Cloud insited.

I remained in the bedroom - Cloud's former bedroom for the most part. It had a TVand all the gadgets I needed to distract myself.

Except I couldn't. There was nothing capable of taking the General away from my thinking. I wondered how he would be, if he missed me or not, if he would know where I was.

During the night, before I fell asleep, I imagined he would appear, flying to take me with him… back to our place in the woods.

Tears were common, mostly at night - when I woke up alone or when I dreamed about him. The nostalgia was consuming me and my thoughts were immediately invaded.

The baby.

His baby.

My hand travelled to my lower abdomen, still flat.

God, was this true? Was I really pregnant with his child? I guess I was only going to believe that when I started feeling the baby inside me.

Now, it all felt so… unreal.

I was having a terrible time adjusting to all of this. This place, the baby, Sephiroth in jail... all of it gave me headache.

Today I had been called to see the doctor.

I was finishing breakfast when a car with Shinra's logo on it stopped right in front of the bar. Four men exited the vehicle and talked to Tifa, who kindly informed me I had to be going with them for health purposes.

What choice did I have but to go with them.

"You are just fine." Hojo declared, after assessing me in every way possible. during the examination I had a worn a white overall and now, that I prepared to leave the gurney to dress myself, the man stood in front of me with pills on one hand and a glass of water on the other. "Here, take these. It's for the fetus. And remember to eat properly."

I hesitated several times, not knowing if I should trust him or not. Thing was, there was something about him that reminded me of Sephiroth. It was strange, I knew. But there were several facial expressions that reminded me of my General - and that gave me some sort of… confidence. Maybe I was wrong and that was just my mind, but that was true.

Maybe I just missed my General so much that I tended to see bits and parts of him in every face.

So I took the pills and dressed myself in a cubicle especially designed for that. When I got out, the man kindly gestured me to sit again.

Oh well. The whole questioning thing was about to start.

"So, mind if I ask you something?"

I nodded, as the man remained standing. I sat in the gurney with my hands holding tightly my purse.

"Did Sephiroth rape you?"

I widened my eyes at the man. Not this issue again! What was with them and the rape theory, good God!

"God, no." I declared.

"No?"

Okay, enough was enough.

"No! How many times do have to say it? He never… forced me into anything. On the contrary."

The man blinked at me, appalled.

"That is something very hard to believe."

Strangely, I couldn't get why.

"But it's the truth. I swear."

The man remained in silence for a moment and then, after a discreet eye-narrowing, his eyes met mine, finally making his question.

"How did you find the General? Had any help?"

I took a deep breath, not liking one bit the direction this conversation was taking. I wouldn't mention Jenova - no way, not without talking to the General first.

"I need to see the General."

"Answer my question, please."

I didn't like that tone. Which meant this conversation was now over.

"Are you done with me?" I asked, as I jumped off the gurney. My eyes met Hojo's, clearly defying. We both knew I was hiding information from him, but thing was, I needed to see the General. I missed him terribly and plus - I bore his child. He needed to know that.

"Medically, yes." The man answered.

"Then I'm going." I stated, headed to the door.

"You cannot hide the truth forever, Sora."

I listened to Hojo's words, as I closed the door behind me. He was absolutely accurate about that, it was a fact.

But there were priorities right now.

My General was one of them.

-/-

"Yes?"

I opened the door slowly, smiling embarrassingly as I entered Tseng's office. I had come to see the man without announcing myself and he had been polite enough to receive me. I wondered if he knew I had been with Hojo before and the real reason as to why I was bugging him at midday.

"Sora. How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." I declared, my voice failing. I felt anxious and guilty because I knew I was having a lot of nerve. Going to Tseng to ask him about the General? Really. This was not me, this was despair talking.

"Did you go to your first medical check?"

Tseng was the one talking. He seemed to be in good mood. He sat behind his desk and I remained like a statue, close to his door. He stood still slowly, eyeing me with determination.

"So… to what I owe the visit?"

I gulped dry and sighed, trying to think of the best way to ask him to see my General. Words, sentences, questions, demandings, begging - it all came to mind and coalesced in a chaos of randomness that didn't lead to anything concrete.

However, Tseng guessed right away my inner dilemma.

"No."

His negation was enough to make me react at once.

"Please. I need to see him."

My voice came out strangled, as if I was in acute pain.

"You cannot see him. The General is a under permanent custody and he does not have visitors. This is not the county prison."

Damn it, I knew it. I knew it all, but I had, HAD to see him, like, right now. There were so many things I had to tell him, so many things I needed to explain… what, were they going to keep me away from him forever?

No can do.

"He needs to know… about me." I stated, tears brimming. "I want to be the one telling him."

Tseng took a deep breath and stepped towards me. I didn't know why but I had no problem in crying in front of him. In fact, he had seen the worst of me already, so a little crying wasn't that terrible. Thing was, all my conversations with Tseng usually involved tears. One way or the other, Sephiroth would be involved as well and a battle of wills started. Mine and his. My wishes, my feelings; his duties, his honor.

"I'm sorry, Sora."

Tseng's words were genuine, but that was far from what I needed. So I insisted.

"Please, at least consider-"

"Leave. If you please."

Despair turned to rage as I processed his words, his rude order.

"I'm not giving up, Tseng." I declared, cleaning the tears from my face, with my hand. "The General is not guilty. He was not responsible for his actions."

My words made Tseng narrow his eyes for a moment. But he didn't take me seriously.

"You really are in love with the man."

I chose to ignore his last sentence. I decided to warn him, instead.

"I know what I'm saying." My words were harsh, as a turned to open the door. "And I will figure out a way to prove it."

Tseng's POV

I stood there for a while, thinking about what Sora had said. Apart from all the drama and the hormonal actions of a woman in the situation she was in, I kind of understood her point of view.

Thing was, I couldn't falter. If I allowed her certain things… what she wanted - see Sephiroth - things would fall apart easily. Hell, I was having a bad time already since Sephiroth had returned to us. Having him under permanent custody was not only difficult but extremely mind-absorbing. The man had been an icon, a leader and a very respectable personality - and most of the men had fought under his command. Most of those men now surveyed him, as if he was an ordinary criminal.

Thing that he wasn't. He would never be. His reputation would never die, never fade - would never change.

Damn.

This was a horrible mess to deal with.

And I knew Sephiroth was dying to know about Sora as well. The fierceness in his eyes when he made me to swear I would take care of her… was powerful enough. I was a man that honored my word. We both knew that.

I walked silently towards the building Sephiroth was caged. It was time to pay him a visit.

I owed him that.

-/-

"Sephiroth."

I called him out using my hologram form. I wouldn't dare to enter his premises physically - not when he was behaving so erratically lately.

Daily episodes of attempting against the cell integrity had lead us to stop with physical conversations. We talked to him using hologram imaging, what seemed to be the safest way of doing so.

However, Sephiroth didn't talk much lately. He ignored Hojo with all his will and kept his stare fixed on the roof.

However today, I knew it would be different. He was expecting me - I felt it. So, as the hologram came to life in his chambers, his voice was heard immediately.

"Where is she."

Harsh tone, harsh manners. He didn't even bother to stare at the hologram.

"She's safe."

"With whom? And where?"

This man was impressive. He knew she wasn't in the compound anymore. As to how, it remained a mystery.

"I gave you my word she would be fine." I insisted, trying not to give him details. "So she is."

The answer seemed to appease him somehow. The former General considered my words, reflected on them and resumed to be in silence for a while.

However, the silence was broken fairly fast.

"So when will it be?"

"When will what be?"

"My execution."

"You'll go to court first." I informed. "You have one extra crime to answer for."

And, for the first time, Sephiroth's stare met mine. His unawareness almost felt insulting.

"Dan Miller." I clarified, but the man remained in a total blank. For the first time, I saw him truly surprised, since the name clearly didn't mean anything to him. I wondered why that would be.

"I am not aware of who that person was."

"Sora's husband."

His eyes shifted immediately, reacting to my words. And what an effect!

"That… thing was not her husband." He snarled, standing still in front of me - the hologram. "And, believe me, he had what he deserved after what he did to her."

That worked as a confession. So, it was the right time to go a little further.

"How about those people in Neibelheim? Did they deserve what you did to them to? Did Zack deserve being killed?"

Sephiroth's stance changed at once.

"I have nothing to say in my defense on that."

He was clearly behaving defensively - and I didn't get why. It made no sense. Why confess Miller's murder and not Neibelheim's? Suddenly, Sora's words came to mind, and I wondered why she had said that that way. 'The General is not guilty. He was not responsible for his actions.', she had told me.

Hum. That got me thinking.

"Really?" I insisted a bit, maybe he would disclose something. A clue, whatever.

"If I could… I would take all that back." He affirmed, his stare hard. "Except… I can't. So I accept my destiny."

I couldn't believe my ears.

"Is that regret?"

"I can't regret something that was not of my making."

Man, this is insane…

"It's curious though…" I admitted, smirking at him. "Sora said something very similar today."

However, the man changed in very disturbing way when Sora's name was mentioned. His heartbeat changed, his magnetic field peaked, driving all the monitoring apparatus crazy. I regretted at once my words.

"Today? What was she here today for and why?"

"Sephiroth-"

"What is it that you're not telling me, Tseng?"

"Easy, or the energy field in this cell will change."

That seemed to calm him a bit.

"I need to know."

"Sora is fine." I declared, a little touched of his desperate reaction. "You should worry more about what's to come for you."

And I was about to quit the hologram form when he smiled at me. It was a very disturbing smile.

"So, is Cloud happy with his new post?"

I shivered out of apprehension with his words. Good God. How could he possibly know?

"How do you know that?"

"Mako, Tseng. It creates a mental bond that allows me to peak on his mind."

"Really."

That was freaking unethical and creepy, the way I saw it. I wondered if Cloud knew about this or not.

"He pities her." Sephiroth declared, with a face of disgust. "As to why, I don't know yet. But I will find out. Soon."

I shut down the hologram mode, turning the energy field on again.

I had to warn Cloud right now.

A/N - Hope you liked it guys :) You're most welcome to read and review, I've been in heaven with your feedback, thank you so much :) Dreamchaser will be one hell of a sequel LOL :)

*Check some of my original fiction on the web: fictionpress dot com. I write under my official penname Rita Dinis. There's short-stories, novel chapters, and much more. I would like to have your feedback! The genres is mainly supernatural Romance/Horror. Enjoy!

Suggestion of the week: PART 1 of 'ENGEL', my novel involving ANGELS, DEMONS & ALIKE! Sexy things, are they not? :) Give it a try.*