What Lies Beneath

Chapter 14

The Heartbreaking Goodbye

Tifa Lockehart washed the dishes from her breakfast and lunch. She had already clean and reorganized the apartment to stop herself from worrying. Where was Cloud? Why had he not come back? She knew he wanted to be alone but the waiting was agonizing. The sound of ringing echoed throughout the apartment, awaking her from her daze. Tifa turned off the faucet and wiped her hands dry. Walking into the bedroom, she found the phone ringing.

Taking a breath she picked it up. Hoping it was Cloud, she said, "Hello?"

For a moment she waited and there was no answer but someone was on the other end. She heard his soft breathing.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Then after another minute she heard his voice say her name. "Tifa," Cloud said.

Tifa felt relief wash over her and her worry being to fill with overwhelming joy.

"Cloud!" she replied happily. "Where are you? Are you okay? Are you coming home soon? I'll make you something to eat."

Cloud ignored her questions. On the other end he was holding a phone to his ear as he tried to calm himself so he could say what he needed to say. He wished he could have done it face to face but he knew one look from her and he would want to stay with her and he knew he could not.

"Tifa," he said softly again. "I know the truth."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, confusion in her voice.

Painful memories flashed in Cloud's head as his hand gripped the phone tighter, needing some stability.

"It was sunny that day," he remembered. "You and I were talking about our future together. We planned to move out of Nibelheim together. We would get a place together, work together and then someday we would get married."

"We can still do that Cloud," Tifa said.

Cloud closed his eyes. He knew it could not be true. It could never be true.

"No, don't hurt her!" Cloud's voice shouted, begging. "Please!"

Cloud lay on the ground slowly dragging himself as he watched a man hold Tifa up by the neck, blood dripping down from her mouth. He had been thrown to the side his entire body numb from the shock of the fall. Tifa tried to defend Cloud after foolishly trying to fight him for her things was now in his clutches.

"We were walking home late," he whispered, forcing out the words as painful as they were. "When a man appeared, he wanted our valuables. When he tried to take your things you fought him. You were always a strong fighter Tifa but when he pulled out that knife I couldn't move fast enough."

Cloud screamed hysterically as the man repeatedly stabbed Tifa, puncturing her stomach, her chest, slashing at her throat. When he let her go, she fell to the ground, choking on her own blood that welled up in her throat. The man had vanished taking her things.

Cloud crawled to her lifted her body into his arms and begged her to stay with him but she was already gone, lifeless and cold. Cloud cried out in pain, anger, and sadness. His hands were covered in blood as he sobbed hysterically into the night. This was the scene when the other townsfolk found him.

It took much effort to force Cloud to let Tifa go and when he did he clutched his head, tearing at his blond spikes. He sobbed unable to comprehend what had happened.

"Tifa... you died."

He admitted it, as painful and heart-wrenching as it was, he admitted the truth. Tifa died that day and he could do nothing to stop it.

"Cloud where are you going?" someone asked, a townsperson.

"I'm leaving!"

"But Cloud... you..."

"She left me! She left me! I can't stay here anymore not after all this."

"I couldn't comprehend... I couldn't handle what had happened. The townspeople wanted me to stay begged me to get help but instead I lied to myself. I lied to protect myself. It was easier to think that you didn't want to be with me than..."

Cloud leaves his hometown wanting to change everything around. He did not want to be around the beauty of nature, he wanted to be in a large city where it was impossible to know everyone. He chose the farthest one he could get to, Midgar.

Cloud opened his eyes and there were tears there. Several slipped down his cheeks before he wiped them away. Then he continued.

"It be easier to forget than to live with the pain. Then thinking you returned to me it... it made me happy to be able to hold you one more time. I can't hold onto you anymore."

Cloud felt his heart clench again and twist painfully.

"Everyone has a reason... whether they know it or not." he recited Aerith's words. "My reason was you."

Cloud held is breath.

On the other end of the line the phone landed on the floor with a soft thump. Green swirls of light moved about the room before vanishing leaving the apartment empty. Had anyone been there they would have heard Cloud's final words.

"Goodbye Tifa."

There was a click and then the sound of a dial tone echoing the empty room.

X, X, X,

Author Note- Unedited Version- This chapter was suppose to be short so I decided to post it. Thanks for reading.