Thank you, Kitsune13, Mayonaka no Ame, and FREALTA for your wonderful reviews on chapter two. It pushes me to write more and more and I dedicate this chapter to you three.

I hope you enjoy this, I fancy this chapter for various reasons although there are a few points which trouble me but I believe this little chapter will suffice.

I tried adding some warmth and feeling and such to this chapter, with Cloud and Tifa's relationship being slightly complex at is.

I hope this chapter meets everyone's expectations.

Anyways, enjoy.

A pregnant silence developed between the two, foot falls quiet and light as they passed Marlene and Denzel's vacant room. Cloud's eyes grew narrowed and perplexed by the slight askew condition of the children's room. He stopped and took it upon himself to further investigate thinking that the kids were actually awake and hiding from his presence; probably a cross attempt to surprise him, or as Marlene liked to put it "scare him". His eyes ghosted over the two single beds and shifted over to the open closest, noticing the disheveled piles of numerous toys and trinkets. Cloud even went to his knees and gave a quick scan under both beds, only to come up without any success.

Panic rushed to meet his eyes as he quickly discovered neither Marlene or Denzel were hiding from him or even present in the room.

With a familiar fear resonating in his mako-blue eyes he spun from the room and with having assumed the worst his heart clenched at the possibilities manifesting in his head.

"Tifa-!"

She was no longer in the hall, Cloud's brow drew together in a worried expression.

"Tifa?" He called softer, approaching her room hesitantly while tensing the muscles in his arm and back; prepared to fight. He was the Hero after all. So he cast a direct glimpse inside the woman's room.

"Tifa-"

"Ssh Cloud." She hissed, spinning around to fix him with a halting glare with her hands braced on her hips. Her unpretentious and yet flattering attitude nearly wrestled a laugh out of him, his earlier frightened statement was released in a awkward hot whoosh of air that clearly took Tifa off guard. The panic and fear was still lingering in his sudden gaze but with it came a sense of warmth and humor. The martial artist regarded the warrior for a moment before she swooped low and gathered up the small packages in her arms; offering a teasing smile; she understood the situation now. "Tifa- I-"

"Ssh," She scolded once more and brushed past him with a quiet chuckle. "You'll wake them, now come on." She whispered while nudging Cloud's calf with her foot. "It's very late, and I'm ready to head off to bed." Her voice lacked the appropriate annoyance for her statement, it seemed oddly displaced with her stifled laugh.

Cloud knew better than to react the way he did, but then it was only natural as a maternal figure. Tifa was perfectly capable of handling any situation or invaders on her bar and home; Cloud trusted her with Marlene and Denzel's upbringing and lives. He should've known better than to panic as it was almost an insult to Tifa's responsibility of a mother. He silently battered himself when they entered his office, placing the assorted packages and papers on a long, slim wooden table braced against the wall Cloud began thinking of some humble apologies to the beautiful woman standing behind him. He could feel her warmth and therefore it distracted him, if only slightly. Cloud realized that Tifa was laughing.

It was nice to hear her life, and see her smile, it made Cloud's lips rise up at the corners into a soft and bare smile. He joined in quickly on her laughter, unable to resist the contagious sentiment of the playful moment.

"I'm sorry Tifa," He began with a deep chuckle, "I know-"

"Oh hush Cloud." She scolded with a delicate twinkle captured in her cinnamon brown eyes. Cloud's expression softened when the laughter subsided and was replaced with a strange warmth that neither ignored or could clearly distinguish. It was then that Tifa felt whole, complete and secure. With Cloud standing in front of her and obviously carefree and relaxed she felt accomplished and favored, it made her already bright smile even more so glamorous and Cloud was transfixed.

But it was the late night hour that kept him from acting on the strange impulses hammering down on him.

"Good night Cloud," Tifa said breaking the silence and warmth although traces of it remained present.

"Good night Tifa." He replied, offering her another smile to which she responded with a quietly spoken confession.

"I'm so glad your home Cloud."

So am I Tifa. So am I.

She had fallen asleep easily, with a new lighted feeling settled within her and the joy of seeing Cloud so happy and carefree. She smiled secretly for Cloud, she wanted to see more of that smile.

Tifa was snuggled with Marlene nestled beside her and Denzel of course tangled in the light blue sheets and one arm draped over the bed's edge. Tifa had managed to sleep comfortably despite the added company in her bed she enjoyed the simple fact that Marlene and Denzel were so attached to her. It made her feel wanted and loved, important in their lives and responsible and needed in their futures. Having children, especially unique individuals like Marlene and Denzel, had been a secret fantasy Tifa had decided to make it happen.

Although this outcome had not been what she envisioned so many years ago in her adolescent youth she none the less enjoyed it all. Tifa had planned on sleeping in, after all she had been up well past the norm and she needed to make up for the hours lost. She pulled the blankets up her chin lazily and settled in to catch much more needed sleep.

Tifa's dreams were hazy but not undistinguishable, more so like a mesh that settled over her eyes to obscure her subconscious vision. She could easily spot Cloud in the distance, with his mako glowing eyes reaching hers and that sweet smile he revealed. Her hands automatically reached out to him, a gesture that had been occurring more often as if Cloud was drifting further and further; out of her reach. And he was.

She panicked then but didn't scream nor run to him.

Not this time, not in this dream.

Cloud instead ran to her, his eyes were wide with a foreign horror, a sudden realization perhaps that terrified him. His hand were tight around her arms, his slender fingers digging into her flesh. She winced.

This frantic and scared Cloud was a bit off, too much for Tifa's mind to process. She watched his eyes scan over her quickly before they rested on her own.

"Tifa I-" Cloud fell to his knees before her, his eyes pleading and beseeching to her, the question resting on his lips. The confession there but not spoken. Tifa shook her head she couldn't think, couldn't breath. Her dream became lopsided and her head throbbed painfully.

"No, Tifa!" She didn't respond, only a ghostly chuckle sounded through the sudden wide space of her dreams. She ran away, feeling a tug at her limbs and head. She couldn't understand the ominous sensation around her, she pushed herself further, battling this dream; wishing she could wake up. It was too hard, too much for her. Her lungs starved for air, her vision became further obscured by the strange mesh over them, her heart threatened to split open.

It was such a strange feeling.

"Tifa…" Her name rested on his lips. Her name and image filled his head, her presence consumed him. Cloud was scared of this feeling, the unsettling urge and want that speared through his chest. He didn't understand any of it he could not process the thoughts rumbling through his mind.

"Tifa…" He mumbled again, rising from his head with a steady push of his arms. There was a warmth that had settled inside his body over night from their light hearted laughter, a simple moment that had shifted the tables and course of everything.

But Cloud was unfamiliar with these feelings, these emotions rapidly switching back and forth. He was confused. Truly and deeply confused. Cloud didn't have a proper reaction to this peculiar morning, his eyes were deeply troubled and filled with a deep warmth and slight fear.

"Tifa…"

I don't know what to do, Tifa.

But I know that I have to do something, I have to do something now.

So did you enjoy it?

I enjoyed writing it.

Something to anticipate in the next chapter:

What is Cloud going to do now, what is this something that's he thought of. Will he go through with it?

And why were Reno and Rude actually hanging around Seventh Heaven, and so late at night?

Find out in chapter four.

-Namuu