Title: Waiting for You

Author: Lovely Lady

Genre: Romance / Drama

Rating: T

Pairing: Cloud / Tifa

Disclaimer: Again, thanks for all of the reviews; it only motivates me to write more! Which is a good thing…I hope. To point out to the observant or confused readers, Laurence Wallace is not related to Barret. I know, I'm stupid (out of all of the random last names to pick, I had to pick Wallace). Please forgive me? And just for the record, I do not own anything in this chapter or story except for Laurence Wallace. With that said and done, enjoy!

Chapter 3: The Week Before

Cloud had been crouched on the floor while fixing some parts on his motorcycle. Since nine in the morning, he had been working on it nonstop. What time was it now? He dug his cell phone from his pocket and glanced at the time. It read: 4:00 P.M. Time really flew by when he worked on his bike. Standing up to take a much-needed stretch, his knees cracked and his legs throbbed from the lack of blood flow. He needed to have his ride working properly so that when Yuffie and Vincent's wedding was finished, he could immediately return to his duties. What duties? Of 'finding yourself,' Cloud? Give me a break. Since AVALANCHE had split up and Cloud had explained that he was leaving, he had spent three years traveling the world and finding what? Nothing. He had spent the past two days riding to Yuffie and Vincent's wedding and yet he was still pretty far from his destination. So for now he was in some place he didn't know with nobody to talk to.

Cloud had spent the night in a cheap rundown motel, but he was used to the environment. Since he had been traveling for some time, his budget wouldn't exactly allow him to spend lavishly and extravagantly.

Cloud wasn't upset that he had to ride all the way to Yuffie and Vincent's wedding. In fact, during his exploration, he had felt random feelings of nostalgia at places he went: his moments with AVALANCHE, his memories of Tifa.

Tifa.

How many moments did he think of her since he had said goodbye to her and left that dreadful night? Too many to count. Despite Cloud's attempts to banish her from his memory, that one night replayed in his mind, his thoughts and dreams. Sometimes he would wake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat because he would see the pained look in her eyes. Those beautiful eyes.

"But I'm here! I've always been here for you! Why can't you see that?"

Cloud shook his head. No, he shouldn't think of her now. Not when he knew she hated him. Tifa would forever hate him. And who could blame her?

"Yes, I love you. I've loved you since we were little kids. I didn't realize it was love until now." She looked at him in his eyes. "But now I know you don't feel the same way, and you never have."

What was he supposed to say to that? Cloud had still been upset over Aeris's death, and he was almost positive he had loved her. So why did Tifa have to tell him that?

Before he had been looking forward to his reunion with the group, especially his reunion with Tifa. But he hadn't really thought of how she would react when she saw him, until now. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to agree to come to this wedding. Who needed him there anyways? Oh, right. I'm the best man.

Before Cloud could reflect any more on the big day, he took a seat on his motorcycle and took off to his destination. Next week's big day was going to be a long one.

---

Tifa's rendezvous with Yuffie had exhausted her to the core and she unlocked her apartment door fully prepared for a nap. She wasn't in the mood to talk to Laurence at the moment, even though they had agreed to talk today. He had told her before she had left for the dress store that he would drop by the market because her refrigerator didn't qualify for his standard appetite.

"Yo, Tifa, what's up with your fridge? There's barely anything for me to eat in here." Laurence poked his head out of the refrigerator to address Tifa, who was busy reading a book.

Tifa looked up from her book to respond. "Right…I almost forgot. You don't eat normal food; all you ever eat is pizza and frozen dinners, while all you drink is beer."

"That's not all I eat!" Laurence quickly tried to defend himself. "That's just mostly what I eat. I'm usually not picky, but look at what you have in here." He pointed to the food stashed in her fridge. "There's nothing remotely unhealthy in here."

Tifa placed her book down on the coffee table, stood up, walked over to her friend and glared at him. "Look, Laurence, might I remind you that this is my apartment, my refrigerator and my food. If you don't agree with what I eat and buy, go out and buy your own food."

"But I don't know how to go food shopping."

"Well, Laurence, I suggest now's the time to learn. Unfortunately, I can't go with you because I have to go meet Yuffie at 12:00."

Laurence looked at the clock. "You mean, in ten minutes?"

Tifa's eyes bulged as she snapped her head around to stare at the clock. "Oh my gosh, I'm going to be late!" And all Laurence saw was Tifa's fleeting figure race into her bedroom.

But their conversation had been more than a few hours ago. He definitely had to be home, and yet, there was no noise coming from her apartment. Tifa entered her home and quietly shut the door behind her. She shook off her black leather jacket and hung it in her closet with her purse and dress. "Laurence?" Nothing. She spoke again. "Laurence, are you here?"

"Maybe he met a woman along the way," she said to herself. As she stepped closer to the living room, she saw Laurence sprawled out on her white couch, fast asleep. His soft snoring was actually quite amusing.

Tifa breathed out a sigh, while walking over to drape a blanket over him. When he wasn't with a woman, he was either eating or sleeping. This was one of those rare moments to take advantage of his sleeping form, so she took the time to study his features. His soft chocolate brown hair was a little tousled from the pillow and his beautiful green eyes were hidden beneath his closed eyelids. Tifa stared intently as Laurence's chest rose and fell to his synchronized breathing. His white undershirt did little to hide his built chest. How could he have such a great body and yet eat so unhealthy?

"Wow, I never really noticed how attractive he looks when he's sleeping." Stretching her back, she decided to take a nice long bath. She left for the bathroom adjoined to her bedroom. While letting the water run in the bathtub, she undressed herself and soon after she slowly entered the tub of hot water. Breathing out a moan of appreciation, Tifa shut her eyes and tried to relax. Tomorrow was the big day. Before she could think any more of it, she had drifted off to sleep.

Tifa had never thought this day would come; this horrible wretched day. The day she would have to close her bar, her 7th Heaven, for good.

"Tifa, are you sure you want to do this?" Barret had come as soon as he had heard her mention closing the bar. He could be a great friend when Tifa really needed him.

Tifa had been loading bottles of liquor and drinks into boxes for storage when she had called him. Now that he was here, she had just about finished. She ignored his question. "So, Barret, do you want to take some of this alcohol for yourself? I won't let you have it all, but sure, you can take a box or too."

Knowing fully that Tifa was purposely avoiding his question, he let her win for now and answered her question. "Sure, but what are you going to do with the rest of it? Vincent's not much of a drinker and Cloud would only want a box or two. But in case you were thinking, don't give the rest to Cid; he'll become a raging alcoholic if you do."

"Yeah, I know. I'll just take the rest with me to my new apartment. And who knows, maybe I'll eventually become an alcoholic too." Tifa's voice was filled with anguish and Barret knew her gloominess wasn't just from closing down her bar.

"Why are you acting like this? What's wrong?" He walked up to her and took a seat at one of the tables. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Tears were shimmering on her long lashes. She put on a smile despite her feelings. "I know. Thanks, Barret." And she knew she had to tell him the truth; the truth about her feelings for Cloud.

For the next hour, Tifa confessed everything to Barret, and he patiently listened to her reveal her deepest secrets.

The smell of coffee woke Tifa from her dream. Noticing at once she was still in the tub, Tifa panicked. How long had she been in there? The water had gone lukewarm and she inspected her fingers. They weren't completely swollen like prunes, but Tifa had decided she had been in there long enough.

Slowly exiting the tub and noticing the sudden chill from the bathroom, Tifa wrapped herself in her terrycloth robe and dried her long hair with a nearby towel. Her hair had been the same length since she was just a girl. Maybe I should cut it. Shrugging in indecisiveness, Tifa walked into her bedroom and quickly changed into a pair of gray sweatpants and a white tank top.

After she had finished dressing, Tifa walked to the kitchen, where she found Laurence drinking a cup of coffee at the table. He smiled as soon as her saw her.

"I was wondering when you'd be out of that bathroom. I was starting to get a little worried."

Tifa turned her back to hide a small blush and strode to the coffee machine. "Sorry, I kind of fell asleep in the bathtub." She took a mug from one of the cabinets and poured herself a cup of coffee. After adding sugar and cream, she took a seat across from him and grinned. "Thanks for worrying about me though."

Laurence waved off her comment. "Ah, it's nothing."

Tifa smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Yuffie's request in the dress shop suddenly came into thought. "Oh yeah, Laurence, before I forget, I have plans next week for my friend's wedding. And since I'm going to be her maid of honor, it would look more presentable if someone accompanied me." She frowned like a six-year-old would when they desperately wanted something. "So, would you do me the honor of being my escort?" She laughed inside at the thought of him sitting through a wedding.

"Ugh, I don't know, Tifa. Didn't we just discuss a few days ago about me hating weddings?"

"I know, but Yuffie really wants to meet you, and I'm sure you'd love to meet everyone there. Plus, everyone who's going to be there really means a lot to me. They're like my family." She gave him that familiar pleading look that was impossible to ignore and deny. "Please?"

Laurence sighed in defeat. "Fine." Before he knew what hit him, Tifa ran around the table and gave him a hug.

"Thanks, I owe you one." And as quickly as she had hugged him, Tifa ran out of the room into her bedroom.

Grumbling under his breath, Laurence walked over to the sink to dump out his coffee. His words were barely audible, but the words "women" and "can't live with them" were made out.

---

12:30 a.m. Yuffie and Vincent's Wedding Day…

Tifa was nervous. No, she was more than nervous. She was scared. She had thought she would feel this way when she was standing at the end of the aisle, but certainly not now. Not when she hadn't even left her apartment yet. She heard Laurence's footsteps approaching from the wooden floorboards, but temporarily ignored them. Instead, Tifa remained seated at her vanity and fastened one of the chandelier earrings on her ear.

Laurence's footsteps halted right behind her. "Tifa, remind me again why I have to go to this wedding." Laurence had been whining nonstop since last week when she had begged him to attend the wedding with her. In the beginning she would have accepted his blatant refusal not to go, but Tifa needed someone to accompany her. Plus, she was having fun watching him whine like a child.

She turned around to face him. "Because, Laurence, I already told you a million times. I would feel so much better and safe-"

"Bullshit." Laurence narrowed his eyes and leaned his head towards Tifa's in speculation. "You're lying to me. I know you are. There's another reason that you're not telling me, and I want to know right now." Boy, was he stubborn.

Tifa wasn't going to tell him the real reason yet. "What? Of course I'm telling the truth! What other reason would I have? And why would I hide it from my best friend?" Trying to change the subject, she rose from her seat to pinch Laurence's cheek. "Oh, you're so annoying when you whine like a little boy." She walked over to her full-length mirror to check out her dress.

Falling into her trap, Laurence followed her and unknowingly forgot about his question. "Did I mention by the way that you look absolutely stunning in that dress?" His gaze found hers through the mirror.

Tifa smiled at his comment and fluttered his eyes. "Why thank you, Laurence. I didn't know you would try and use your charm on me."

He lightly punched her in the arm. "Well, at least I know you're not completely immune to it." Then with a grin he said, "Plus, it's not as if any woman can resist my charm."

She chuckled and grabbed her purse on her bed. "We should be going; we have to be there early." And taking his arm, she locked her apartment door and left with Laurence to her friend's wedding.

Author's Note: Tah-dah! I'm done Chapter 3! Well, what do you think? I know the story is going a little slowly, but I promise it will pick up the pace. And I'm really sorry for the long update. I've been trying to spend more time on my stories, but it's been difficult. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I look forward to hearing from you…or not.