Eternal Dream
By: irish d' salmon luver
Author's Note: Thank you all for the reviews!!! Now let's continue to the story!!
Disclaimer: You know I didn't own any character from Final Fantasy VII.
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As part of you has grown in me,
together forever shall we be,
never apart maybe in distance but not in heart.
And when I thought the distance between our hearts is gone
You brought him back to me
Chapter 02: The Life Goes By… So The New Family
Days to week. Weeks to month. Months to year.
Her life just went day by day.
Just like passers-by.
But it just a passing wind.
It meant nothing for her to losing him.
At least, she wasn't alone.
There was Vincent, standing beside her.
Always comforting her.
Maybe…
That was the reason why she fallen to him.
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Flashback
"Why are you crying?"
"No…"
Tifa shook her head.
"I'm really fine…"
She kept shook her head wildly.
"I said -sob- I'm fine -sob- why -sob- you don't -sob- believe me?"
"Tifa…"
"I'm crying -sob- because I'm -sob- happy… can you -sob- understand that…"
Tifa looked upon him. She stopped sobbing, but the tears still flowing.
"…Can you understand that, Vincent?"
Vincent looked back at those wine colored eyes.
"Yeah, it's hurt. True, it's so hard to let him go. But I'm truly happy for him."
"…"
"I'm crying because… Vincent, can't I become egoist? Can't I get Cloud only for myself?"
"…Yes, you can…"
"That's why I'm crying. Because I don't want to lost something precious to me."
Tifa wiped her tears.
"But I'm also crying because I feel… glad. Glad that Cloud can find his own way. Glad that Cloud can move ahead for his life. I'm glad for him, I'm happy for him."
Tifa held up Vincent's hands with hers. Vincent felt a bit uncomfortable at such humanism contact at first, but Tifa's soft and slender hands soothed away the negative feeling and replaced them by warmth.
Tifa gave him a warm, yet weak smile. She asked to him sheepishly.
"Vincent… please stay in here forever… I need your support to get through with my life… and the kids need you too… I always dreaming to make a new family, and I hope you also join this family. What do you think?"
"I…"
Vincent looked at Tifa's face. He saw honesty and also…
Hope.
It was something that he abandoned long, long ago.
If he accepted Tifa's request, could he get it back? Or maybe he only fell deeper into the abyss of despair?
What should he answer? Yes or…
Vincent made his decision.
"…Yes, Tifa. Together we get our hope."
End of Flashback
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Tifa smiled.
She looked at her left ring finger. A ring, different from the last one she wore when Kadaj and his gang appeared. That ring was from Cloud. But now, another ring replaced it.
It was an engage ring.
From Vincent.
It was an important thing for her. It was a symbol, a sign that she kept moving on her life. She left all her feelings to Cloud, and opened her heart for Vincent. Vincent was always by her side, always comforting her and supporting her.
Wasn't she lucky to get such a kind, loyal, and devoted man to be her husband?
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"Finally!"
Tifa just closed her bar. Today the bar really crowded. Tifa barely felt her hands and feet. Vincent met her at living room. Tifa pecked him on lips and then sat down at comfy seat. Vincent handed her a glass of water, which she took it gracefully, and then he joined her. Right now, Vincent didn't awkward every time he tried to show his affection towards her. He caressed her softly, and Tifa leaned closer to him.
How she really enjoyed this time. Both of them sitting together, no words were exchanged, just a comforting silence. It always made Tifa thinking that it was too good to be true. This condition wouldn't last for too long, she was sure of that.
"Hey, Vince… do you know?"
"No."
Tifa smiled.
"Silly," she hit him lightly.
"You're not telling me yet, how come I know what you're going to say?"
She laughed softly. Since he lived with Tifa and the children, he got some of his sense of humor back. Maybe living with kids gave him a good influence.
"It's about 2 months till our wedding date, right?"
"Hmm…"
"Are you happy, Vince?"
"Yeah…"
"I can't see that on your face," she pouted.
"How can I show it?"
"Smile."
"Like this?" he pulled his lips upwards. Tifa giggled.
"No. It's not a smile. It's a vampire's smirk."
"You know I hate it when people called me vampire."
Now Vincent was really smiling, holding back a laugh, and then went silent. They kept embracing each other, feeling comfy with their lover. Suddenly Tifa broke the silence.
"It's kind of hard to assured the children."
"Yeah…"
"You think Denzel and Marlene really agreed with our wedding?"
"For Marlene, maybe she doesn't have problem with that, since she such an open minded girl. And she won't live with us for too long. Barret once said to me that he would pick her up to their home in Coreel after he finish with the administration of his new oil field."
"I see…"
"But Denzel… he's difficult."
"…He's looking at me as his mother. And he's looking at Cloud as his hero, since Cloud was the one who found and save him. He thought that nobody is good enough for me except Cloud."
"…"
"Do you remember the first time we told him that we're going to marry?"
"He locked himself at his room for two days,"
"And almost die of starvation."
Silence again.
"I hope Denzel will understand that Cloud won't come back to us, and I need to move on with my life. He had to know that I had find the perfect man to spend my life with."
"You flatter me."
"I know."
"He'll understand you. I love him just like my own son, and I hope he will love me back. Just like a real father and son."
For a second, Vincent's expression saddened a bit, and Tifa noticed this.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he gave her a faint sad smile. "Just remember something in my past."
"Oh, sorry…"
"It's okay, don't mention it."
Once again, silence crept between them, but now it was an awkward silence. Vincent felt a bit uneasy; he quickly changed the topic.
"How about you take a shower while I prepare something for you to eat?"
Tifa nodded slowly.
"What would you like to eat?"
"Anything you made."
"Okay, now you go shower, and I'll make some soup for you."
"That sounds lovely."
Tifa stood, broke away from Vincent's embrace reluctantly. She walked slowly to the bathroom upstairs. Vincent went to the kitchen. His mind filled by his past; when he was still a Turk and was in love with Lucretia. But then Lucretia married with that freak scientist Hojo and gave birth to her soon-to-be-a-murderer-and-destroyer-of-Planet son.
"Like a real father and son… huh?"
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That night, Vincent slept restlessly. Cold sweat damped his pillow. Hands clutched the comforter.
He dreamt about someone from his dark past.
He dreamt about Lucretia.
"Vincent," her sweet and gentle voice filled the air.
'Lucretia?'
"Yes, it's me, Vincent."
'What are you doing here?'
Her face grew sad.
"You hate me."
'…'
"Vincent, I'm sorry. If only I could turn back time, I wouldn't married Hojo… If I knew that he only made Sephiroth to be like that, I left him, together with my baby."
'But you didn't leave.'
"You know Hojo… he would made us into his object of his wacky experiment rather than kill us. And I like to die better than become his sample."
'…'
"And Sephiroth… I'll do anything to save him from his suffering. Even if I had to ask you…"'What exactly do you want to ask me?'
"Vincent… Sephiroth's still alive."'What?! But The Turks didn't find him when they searching at the Northern Crater again!'
"I hide him. He's badly wounded and in a comatose state, yet he still alive. I need someone to help him."'…And then you want me to help him? I'm just no one, not someone.'
"…Vincent, I'm sorry…"
'What are you sorry for?'
"…There's something… I hide from you until now…"
'Hide? You dare to hide something from me? Until now?!'
A tear fell from Lucretia's brown eye.
"Just… listen to me now… Vincent…"0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
The next morning, Tifa woke up from her slumber with an uneasy feeling.
"Vincent?" she called him, but received no answer. She got up from her bed, opened her bedroom door, and then walking to Cloud's previous room (now it was Vincent's room). She knocked the door, but she still got no answer.
"Vincent? Are you there?"
Silent.
"Can I come in?"
Still silent.
Tifa opened the door slowly. She looked inside the room, but she found no one.
"Vincent?"
She shivered a little when she felt morning breeze touch her skin.
Wait.
'Breeze?'
She quickly looked at the window.
It was opened.
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Ever since Vincent suddenly disappeared, Tifa closed the bar, and it already one week after he gone. Tifa desperately tried to cheer herself, but even Denzel couldn't draw a smile on her face.
"Come on, Tifa, he certainly come back! For God's sake, I know sometimes he can suddenly missing and then creeping from nowhere like a ghost or vampire, but he must had a reason!"
Although Tifa felt a bit irritated to hear someone talked about Vincent like that moreover the person was Denzel, she couldn't hide her smile. And Denzel felt a bit proud to finally get Tifa's mind drifted from a certain person for a while.
"I'm sure he should be alright, Tifa. He's one of Planet's Heroes, after all, like you and Cloud."
"Yeah… but still, why he didn't tell me where he went and what was his reason to suddenly disappearing like that?"
"If you can't understand what he's thinking, then how can I?"
Tifa silent. 'Denzel is right,' she thought, 'How can I ask a child about Vincent? I'm the one who should know all about him, not Denzel.'
Denzel broke the silent. "I'm worry about you," he said.
Tifa looked at Denzel. He pouted, and Tifa realized that it was one of the cutest faces Denzel ever had. It made her felt sorry to make such a cute child like him worried about her. Rather than tried to cheer her up, Denzel could play with Marlene or another kids. Poorly Barret had picked Marlene up to spend holiday together in Gold Saucer, just a day before Vincent gone. Before that, Marlene already asked Denzel if he wanted to come along, but Denzel insisted to stay at home.
"To make sure Tifa canceled her wedding, or at least delay it," he gave his reason. Marlene just shrugged and then ran after her 'daddy' after she bid farewell.
Tifa smiled to Denzel as she patted his head. "I'm sorry to make you worry, Denzel," she said. Denzel still pouted. Tifa could see his eyes began to water. Without warning, Denzel hugged Tifa so tightly that she could barely breathe. He buried his face on her chest, and began sobbing quietly. Uncertain what to had to do, Tifa stroked his head gently.
"You barely eat anything," Denzel whined, "You spent most of your time looking through the window, waiting for Vincent. Just like what you did if Cloud gone."
Tifa shocked. Denzel's word felt like thorns inside her heart.
Denzel kept continued, "You said that Vincent was the best man for your life and happiness. You also said that he was different from any other man, especially Cloud. But seeing you like this, what's the different when you still with Cloud?!" he shouted to her, but it seemed like Tifa didn't care about it. She heard every word Denzel said to her, and each word made her more hurt. Is it true that Vincent is the right man for her? Is it true that she will be happy with Vincent? What if Vincent just going to leave her alone, like Cloud?
Denzel was no longer cry. His eyes were red, and there were streak of his tears. He looked up at Tifa, and frowned to see her blank expression. "Tifa?" he called out, but her expression indifference. "Tifa?" he called her again, louder this time. Tifa started, and she blinked twice. It seemed that she lost on her thoughts.
"I'm sorry… I'm truly sorry…" Tifa shook her head. She embraced Denzel. "I'm sorry to make you worry. I'm so selfish; I don't care about your thoughts… I'm failed to be a good mother for you." She let go of Denzel, a small smile plastered on her face. "Thank you for worrying me. Even if Vincent wasn't as good as I thought, I still have you beside me."
Denzel smiled back. "Of course! I'll stay with you forever!" Tifa giggled, "So you won't leave me even if you had marry? You still want to live with me altogether with your wife?" Denzel blushed.
"Who knows…?" he murmured. And then he beamed again.
"But Tifa, you wrong in one thing!"
"Huh?" she bewildered.
"You're not a failure. Yeah, it's true that sometimes you don't care about what I'm thinking, but you still a good mother to me. No, you're the best mother in the Planet!"
Tifa could feel a tear fell from her eyes. She embraced Denzel again, tighter this time, but not crushing.
"Thank you so much, Denzel… you're the best kid I ever had."
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It was late night when Tifa finally got out from Denzel's room. She sang a lullaby to him until Denzel fell asleep. The same lullaby her mother always sang to her when she was a kid. After she closed the door, she went downstairs. She sat on one of the comfy seat on living room, and she took a glance at the window. Winter had come early this year. Tifa just stared blankly at the sky when she sneezed.
"Winter certainly comes earlier this year. It must be frozen outside. Hell, maybe it's going to snow tonight. I better get my coat," Tifa said to herself and then she climbed up the stairs. Just when she was about to wear her coat, Tifa heard someone knocked the door.
'Is that… Vincent?'
She rushed to the downstairs and opened the door to saw something red blurred her eyesight. It was Vincent's cape!
"Where have you gone?!" Tifa quickly hugged him tight, unaware of the other person beside the man.
"I'll tell you everything once we inside. It's getting cold out here," came a deep voice from her left side.
Wait.
The voice was Vincent's, and it came from her side. Then the person she was hugging tightly right now…
He was certainly not Vincent. Tifa could tell that the person was a man, judged from his height and his broad body. His smell wasn't Vincent's; his smell was… full of Mako. Tifa slowly let go of him when she caught a glimpse of long strand from silver hair. She immediately pushed the man. Vincent caught the man on time before the man's head touched the porch's floor. There, looking so weak was The Mighty Ex-General Sephiroth, shrouded in Vincent's red cape.
Tifa was shaking badly; her face was the palest one Vincent ever seen. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. When she finally managed to speak, her voice was only a mere squeak.
"Why?" her mouth trembled, "Why is Sephiroth here?"
"Tifa, it's a long story…"
"WHY! Cloud killed him! TWICE! Why is he still alive?!"
"Tifa, listen to me." Vincent tried his best to hold the woman. She wriggled beneath his arms, even Vincent out of breath just to hold her.
"Why," she tried to hold her tears, "Why do you have to bring him here? Of all the place, why you have to bring him here, and of all the people, why it have to be HIM?"
Vincent spun her around so he could face her, "Tifa, listen."
Tifa Looked up at those bloodshot eyes, her eyes held confuse, fright, and anger. Vincent took a deep breath before he spoke.
"Sephiroth… he's my son."
From the corner of her eyes, Tifa saw the first snowflake fell from the dark night sky.
Suddenly it felt so cold.
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A/N: Lame, I know. Cliché, I KNOW! But if I didn't write the story this way, it won't do any good. Just believe me, trust me, have faith in me (?) that I'll make this rubbish story into a good one (for me, at last…). Right now you just have to review. Review. Review. Please review this story…