A/N: I suppose I could write an apology here, but I don't think it would really make a difference. You'll all still hate me for taking so long to update. So, no apologies, just a chapter. Enjoy! And I won't ask for reviews because you'll probably just yell at me, right? :P
Cloud sat on his bed with his head in his hands, his body trembling. What was he doing? Why was he acting like this? This wasn't him.
"What have I become, Zack?" he murmured to himself, chest heaving with the effort to hold back tears. He didn't want to be like this. He didn't want to hurt anyone. He just wanted his life back!
"Um, Cloud?"
Tifa's gentle voice came from the doorway but he didn't look up at her. She knew who he was, now. He had admitted to being a rejected clone when he saw just how worried she was. He just wanted her to be happy.
"Marlene's been asking about you," Tifa continued, stepping into the room slightly. "She and Denzel don't understand what's going on. And I- I don't know what to tell them."
"Tell them the truth if you want," Cloud said.
"I can't."
Taking more steps into the room, Tifa slowly sat down on the bed beside him. Quickly, he turned his face away from her. So much guilt welled up within him and he felt disgusted by his recent actions. How could he justify what he had done? Had he really believed he would be able to punish himself by punishing the real Cloud?
"Please, Cloud." Tifa laid a hand on his arm. "I want to help."
"You want to help a Clone... who is trying to take over your family?"
"You're the same person," Tifa said. "I can only imagine how hard this must be for you!"
"That's right, you can only imagine. There is no way you could truly understand the pain I feel every single day. I had to watch him go about his life and do so many things I wanted to do myself. I had to watch him screw up every chance with you and ignore the kids he claimed to love. I had to- I had to watch Zack die while he let himself fall victim to mako poisoning!"
"Blaming him isn't going to do any good!" Tifa squeezed his arm gently, trying to calm him down. "You know you're only blaming yourself."
"Just leave me alone," he pleaded softly, his shoulders drooping. "I need to think."
Tifa stood up but continued to look down at him, a sad frown on her face. "I'll be here if you need me, alright? Just downstairs with the kids. Don't be afraid to come join us."
"You're not afraid of me being near them?"
"Why would I be afraid of that? You may not be the real Cloud, but you're as good as," Tifa said firmly. "So once you're done thinking and feeling sorry for yourself, I want you to know that you're welcome to join us downstairs again, just like you were doing before you told me who you were."
Cloud stared down at his hands and tried to fight the desire to ask a question that had risen to his mind. It would only cause him pain to find out the answer to it. Yet, as Tifa continued to stand in his room waiting for some sort of response from him, he found it impossible to resist.
Looking up slowly, he spoke.
"If I'm as good as the real Cloud," he began softly. "Who do you love more?"
Tifa stared at him in surprise, her eyes widening at the question he had just asked her. She knew she loved Cloud, but now that there were two of him? Truthfully, the clone had been the first to show any actual interest in her and she quite liked that he was brave enough to do that, but if they were the same...?
"I-"
"Tifa!"
Spinning around, Tifa looked down at Marlene. The girl had just appeared in the doorway and was breathing heavily from shock, her frightened gaze looking past Tifa to where Cloud was still sitting on the bed.
"What is it?" Tifa asked quickly as she stepped forward and gently gripped Marlene's shoulders, wondering what had caused her to look so scared.
"C-Cloud," Marlene whispered, tearing her eyes from the clone to look up at Tifa. "He's downstairs."
