A/N: Curious about Tifa? Here ya go, everyone. Thank you for the reviews!

Tifa scrubbed at a stubborn bit of dirt on the counter as dinner cooked in the oven. Cloud was a few hours late. She knew he wasn't going to leave them again. He wasn't sick with Geostigma, he was getting better each day. He was letting himself be happy. They had been so much closer, until very recently.

For one reason or another, Cloud decided to take more jobs; he said it was for a trip to Costa del Sol as the kids visited Corel, but she just didn't know. He used to be home every night, except for the rare overnight delivery needed during an emergency in some far off village. Lately he might not come home until the night was almost done, or even a few deliveries that took several days to complete would keep him from her.

He would still snuggle up to her in bed like he didn't want to let go of her ever, but when he was awake he seemed so distant. He barely had any time for the children anymore, outside of conversation during family meals. The thought of Marlene and Denzel made Tifa rub her belly for the umpteenth time today. She was pregnant, two months pregnant.

She had discovered that she was expecting one night after throwing up her dinner. Cloud was late again, and she had been feeling strange lately. Tired, sick, and her time of the month was late. She used the pregnancy test just to eliminate that particular possibility; neither she nor Cloud thought him capable of reproducing. Tifa had thought perhaps an injury during their adventure could have also kept her from carrying a baby.

Then again, she had thought, these were pregnancy symptoms.

Tifa had waited on the toilet seat for the test to read back a negative like it always did when she was suspicious, and then she would go to the doctor and get checked out for a bug or perhaps something to do with stress. Still, something had nagged at her heart. When she had glanced at the test it was positive, two pink stripes stared back at her from the white plastic stick.

She had broken down in the bathroom, curled up by the bathtub as she continued to stare at the test. Happiness, weariness, anxiety, worry and hope...Tifa had wondered if she was supposed to feel this way. A baby. Their baby was growing inside her right now. Right as things seemed worrisome in their relationship again, she became pregnant.

How would Cloud react? Denzel and Marlene could mostly take care of themselves and he could handle them. They were older children. A baby though? That would be a lot of hard work for the both of them. Cloud would have a lot less freedom. It would chain him down to the bar unless he kept to local deliveries. Even then, the first year or two would be difficult. Would he run away from this?

"Tifa, is Cloud coming home?"

She turned around and looked down at Denzel. "Maybe he got sidetracked while driving home, Denzel."

He cocked his head. "Have you tried calling him?"

Call Cloud? He was always bad with the phone. These days it was just because he was on the road, and he would pick up after she called a few times. But she should have done it earlier, she thought. Tifa had thought about it but she felt sheepish after Yuffie left to take a stroll. She hadn't meant to push her away, but she was getting a little personal, and Tifa had been feeling emotional lately.

Yuffie had been hanging around the bar more and more, always giving piercing looks and a few annoying questions here and there. She helped around the bar at least. Mostly. She would occasionally stay for dinner before leaving for her apartment or she would stay the night if Cloud wasn't home by a certain time. Tifa appreciated the gesture, she really did.

But this afternoon Tifa had been in a bad mood. She had broken a glass, and she was stewing over Cloud and his distant demeanor, and Yuffie was chattering away. Yuffie would ask about their relationship or the kids while the ninja was trying to mix drinks for a few lunch time patrons. Eventually Tifa snapped after the glass broke, and Yuffie shifted on her heels before squeaking out that she needed to take a walk.

She missed Yuffie's company after that. She felt like she was pushing her friends and family away.

Tifa took her phone out and auto-dialed Cloud's number. To her surprise, it went directly to voicemail. Did he turn off his phone? Maybe he broke it. She pursed her lips as worry grew in her heart. Tifa took in a sharp inhale. "I think his phone is off, sweetie."

"Oh." Denzel shifted on his feet. "...Maybe he had to help someone, and he lost his phone again."

She nodded. "Maybe." Her fingers tapped on the underside of the counter as she leaned on it. Cloud was strong, he could keep care of himself. Maybe he was just exhausted after a long day and he was sleeping right now. "He might have had a really hard day, and he'll be home tomorrow."

The boy had a thoughtful look on his face. "Yeah. I hope he's alright."

"Me too."

Eventually she served the children dinner, and she picked at her food as the two children talked to each other here and there. She wasn't that hungry, she never was when she worried about Cloud.

"Tifa, when are we visiting Papa and Corel?" Marlene asked.

Tifa jumped a little bit at the question. She had been deep in thought. "In a couple of weeks, sweetie."

Marlene nodded, then smiled a little. "I heard Cloud was gonna take you on a vacation."

"Yeah. Where is he taking you?" Denzel asked.

Tifa swirled her food around a little. "Costa del Sol."

"Oh. Barret takes us there for a day or two before we head to Corel," he said before taking a bite of his food.

"That's nice to hear. We've been meaning to visit again as a family...Maybe next year." She put a spoonful of the casserole in her mouth so she wouldn't make a face. With a baby on the way there was no way they were doing that.

"Yeah. It was fun playing on the beach by Junon this year, though. I never knew dolphins liked Cloud so much!" Marlene chimed.

A wistful smile grew on her face. Mr. Dolphin had come up to say hello to Cloud, Priscilla on his rubbery grey back. Denzel and Marlene both got a chance to ride him with the young teen's help. "Cloud is full of surprises." She felt a little better, and after their little conversation she was able to finish her dinner.

After dinner was finished Tifa cleaned up the table and washed the dishes before going upstairs for a shower. She cleaned herself up and dressed in her night clothing, noting irritably that her pajama shorts felt a little tight.

With a huff she left her room to go into the children's rooms. Tifa tucked the children in and said goodnight before going back into her bedroom. The bed felt so empty with Cloud missing. His scent teased her nose, and she ended up scooting onto his side of the bed.

She felt lonely, even though she had seen Cloud that morning. His hug and kiss was genuine, even if he looked a little worn down and distant in the eye. She had dealt with his absence before, but now that she had a baby growing in her she felt needy.

Tifa took her phone from her nightstand and left a text for Cloud. She frowned when it failed to send. She tried again and again, but it kept failing. She tsked, then wondered if it was possibly her phone causing the issue. Tifa sent a text to Yuffie, and the same failure to send message popped up.

"Come on..." She texted the next person on her list, Nanaki. He would be awake in Cosmo Canyon. It finally went through, and she let out an agitated sigh. A few minutes later and he responded back.

I got your message, Tifa.

Oh. Cloud and Yuffie's phone's won't receive my messages.

It was a good ten minutes before he responded again. He was getting better at using the phone, Tifa had to admit. Same.

I'm worried.

I will visit.

Tifa let out a little sigh of relief. Nanaki could sniff out their trails and see where they could have gone. It was probably nothing, it was probably just an issue with the phone service. That still happened these days, after all. Nanaki might not even be needed, but she would be happy to see him all the same. Thank you, Nanaki. I'll see you soon.

She settled onto the bed again, a little more at ease now that Nanaki would be on the way. Tifa rubbed her belly and stared at the ceiling fan. He would find out before Cloud did, Nanaki's nose was sensitive. 'Why didn't I just tell him last month...I don't care about the vacation. How much money could he possibly be saving up for a vacation?' How long would he continue this?

'The next time we talk I'm just going to tell him it's alright, I'm sure there's enough gil for a vacation. No, we'll need that money for the baby!' Tifa sighed into Cloud's pillow. A vacation would be nice, but a few days with just the both of them would be nice enough.

That was, if he was amicable to being a father to a baby.

No, he wouldn't leave over that. He wouldn't. But how would he take it? Her mind continually asked that question. Certainly she had wondered if the baby would be healthy and normal considering the experiments done to Cloud over a period of nearly four years. She had been surprised they could even have children, pleasantly surprised after her initial shock.

Until she began to worry, and it chipped away at her optimism.

Tifa curled up in bed. She was worried about Cloud and now Yuffie. Their phones weren't working and they could possibly be hurt. But here she was, trying to sleep in a comfortable bed. She pressed her face into Cloud's pillow, savoring his strange, unique scent of musk and mako that she would recognize anywhere.

Despite her anxiety as she thought about the future and if Cloud and Yuffie were alright, she began to drift asleep as his comforting scent calmed her nerves. Nanaki was on his way, she thought as she closed her eyes. They would be found safe and sound.