"Hey, thanks so much." Tifa said as she walked in, smiling sadly.

"No worries." Cloud said, giving Marlene and Denzel a half smile. Denzel lowered his head, taking quick, short breaths. "Hey, it's okay to cry." Cloud put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"Why aren't you crying?" the boy challenged, refusing to look up.

"I... didn't know them very well." Cloud admitted softly.

"Me neither." Denzel whimpered. Without saying anything else, he rushed forward and clung onto Cloud, refusing to let go. Bending slightly, Cloud picked him up and carried him off to his room, Tifa following with Marlene.

As Cloud put Denzel to bed, Tifa worked beside him tucking Marlene in.

"All they wanted to do was find you." Denzel murmured against his covers.

"What?" Cloud asked, frowning slightly.

"They wanted to find you. That's why they came here in the first place." Denzel said, lifting his head slightly so that his words were clearer. Cloud stayed silent for a moment as he looked down at him, then he ruffled his hair.

"Don't worry about it. Just get some sleep, okay?" Denzel nodded and rolled over, closing his eyes.

Tifa and Cloud left the room quietly and headed to the kitchen where Tifa told Cloud she'd make them some hot chocolate.

"Tifa, I need to tell you something." Cloud began softly as Tifa got out the mugs.

"What is it?" she asked, turning to glance at him and then going back to what she was doing.

"Reno's here." He noticed Tifa's flinch and moved slightly closer to her. "He's on our side."

"You spoke to him?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, and he wants to help us." Quickly Cloud told her what Reno had told him, watching her reactions to it all as he spoke.

Taking a deep breath, Tifa nodded slowly. "Do you believe him?"

"Yes."

"Then I do too." Tifa handed Cloud one of the mugs and smiled slightly, trying to look convincing.

"I'll protect you Tifa. I promise." Cloud said, not taking his eyes from hers as he showed her the raw truth in them.

"I know, Cloud." Tifa said softly, her smile wavering. Cloud moved towards her again, reaching to place his mug down on the bench behind her. She stared up at him, a small blush creeping into her cheeks at his closeness.

"I promise I will never let anyone hurt you." he said, placing his hand cautiously on her shoulder.

"Cloud..." Tifa whispered, her breathing speeding up. Biting her lip nervously, she put a hand on his chest and leaned up. She saw a flicker of disbelief cross Cloud's face before she closed her eyes.

"Ahem."

Hurriedly stepping back, Cloud turned away from Tifa to face Reno. Tifa turned her head to the side, staring at the ground as her face flamed up into a colour that was close to that of Reno's own hair.

"I explained everything to her." Cloud said quickly, not wanting to allow the moment to become too awkward for anyone.

"I see." Reno said, leaning against the doorpost and folding his arms.

"For now, we should probably just get some sleep." Cloud said, turning back to pick up his mug of hot chocolate again. Instead of keeping it, he handed it to Reno and then walked out of the room.

Tifa turned around to face the bench and sipped nervously at her own drink. She felt awful for Reno, as he obviously liked her as well, but she also felt terrible for actually trying to kiss Cloud. He had walked off so quickly. Did he really like her in that way or not?

"Tifa, you have to believe I didn't want this to happen." Reno said. The position of his voice informed her that he hadn't moved from where he was standing. Her thoughts hurried to catch up with what he was talking about.

"I... I know. It's okay, Reno." she said quietly.

"I'd take it back if I could." he added.

"So would I." Slowly she turned around to face him, still with a slight blush on her face. "Reno, why didn't you tell me?"

"What kind of a question is that?" Reno asked, pushing away from the doorpost so he was standing upright. "If I told you, I would've had to stay and not go back there at all. If I'd gone back, they would've killed me! That's why I didn't tell you! Because I hadn't made up my mind yet! I'm a stupid turk who's had the loyalty lecture one too many times and seriously believes he's doing something stupid by betraying his team!"

Tifa stared at Reno, and he stared back at her. What could she say to that? Was there anything she could say?

"Reno, I'm sorry-"

"Don't worry. I am too. I shouldn't have gotten all fired up." Reno quickly downed his now lukewarm hot chocolate and put the mug on the bench, shooting a glance at Tifa again before walking out as well.

~~*~~

Cloud hadn't slept at all as he had been constantly worrying about whether or not someone would come back to finish the job or to find Reno. He had simply stayed up, allowing his thoughts to run away with him as he dwelt on everything that had happened since he left to join SOLDIER.

He had thought about Tifa, and how whenever he was around bad things tended to happen to her. He had followed her up the mountain – she fell from the rope bridge and went into a coma; he joined SOLDIER – she came to find him and was exposed to many of their horrors; he came to find her after being gone for two years – two murders occur at her house.

Everything was his fault, and by being here he was only making it worse. Tifa had made it clear that she liked him by what she had done in the kitchen. That would make it hard for him when he tried to leave, but he would be able to do it.

He had to do it. For her.

"Cloud?" Cloud looked up sharply, meeting the gaze of Denzel who stood in the doorway. "Are you coming down for breakfast?" the boy asked, his eyes still overcast with sadness.

"Yeah. I am." Cloud stood up from sitting on the edge of his bed and walked over to Denzel, putting a hand on his shoulder and walking with him down to the table.

"I hope you like bacon and eggs." Tifa said, putting a plate with said food on it on the table in front of Cloud.

"Thanks." Cloud said, nodding slightly. He caught Tifa's eyes for a moment and quickly looked down again as he saw the blush on her own face.

"It looks great!" Marlene said.

"Thanks, honey." Tifa smiled, grabbing her own plate and sitting down next to the girl.

"I was wondering if you'd ever show some signs of life." Reno muttered across to Cloud.

"I wonder who's fault that would be if I didn't." Cloud shot back, and instantly regretted it, glancing over to Tifa and then looking down again.

There was silence for a while as everyone ate their own food and kept to their own thoughts, but eventually Tifa broke it as she stood up.

"I'll um, start the water for the dishes to be washed in." she said as she turned and walked into the kitchen. Cloud and Reno both glanced at each other before taking their dirty dishes to the kitchen as well. On his way, Reno took Marlene and Denzel's too.

"Here, I brought the kids' stuff." Reno said to Tifa as he put them down next to the sink.

"Thanks." Tifa said, turning the taps on and putting the plug into the sink.

"I'll be in the office." Cloud said, putting his bowl down as well and then leaving. Shaking his head slightly as he climbed the stairs, he told himself firmly that if he avoided her as much as possible it would be easier when he left.