Love is a Funny Word

Chapter Seven: A storm is brewing.

Disclaimer: I don't have time for this shit.

(A/N: WARNING! WARNING! MAJOR FLUFF AHEAD! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!)

Thunder booms loudly, it seems really close to me. I can feel the constant wind hammering me. I slowly open my eyes to take in my surroundings. This time, it's not bright to begin with; the area around me is already dark along with the thunder and lightning. I'm lying flat on my back, instead of walking first. I can feel invisible constraints holding me down, as I struggle to free myself, but to no avail. The cloud appears above me. The pictures begin flipping by, just like last time. I stop struggling as wet raindrops start hitting my face and body. The pictures stop moving, settling on one, that seems to start playing a movie in black and white. I can see two figures, but it's too blurry and fuzzy to see anything. There's a muffled sound, then it goes black. The thunder cracked so loudly, I desperately tried to cover my ears with my hands, but I'm still being held down. The ground starts rumbling and moving beneath me. Screaming, I continue thrashing beneath the thundering black sky and the rumbling earth underneath me. I feel something grab my throat, and my air supply begins to deteriorating. Struggling to breathe, I screamed loudly, and then everything faded to black.

"Yuffie!" The voice is so distant, like the person is yelling a couple of football fields away. Who is that anyway?

"Yuffie! Come on wake up!" Wait, I know that voice, but it coul-I sat up quickly, nearly hitting my head on Squall's. I'm sweating and panting as I realize he was shaking my shoulder, not grabbing my throat. Thunder boomed, scaring the shit out of me. Shrieking, I jump off the bed, landing hard on my foot. Hissing with pain, and holding my foot with both hands; I rolled onto my back, with my eyes shut tight. I carefully climb onto the bed, where he's waiting for me.

"Nightmare?" He asks in a quiet voice, and I want to yell 'No, it was the best dream in the world! And it was just so great; I had an urge to scream out in terror!' But I just nod, gently leaning against the headboard, still holding my foot, which has started bleeding again. Just perfect. Noticing the red forming on my once white sock; Squall got up and walked over toward the table; running into different objects in the pitch darkness of the room. As he fumbled around for the bandages and wash cloth; I tenderly removed my sock, revealing my now bandaged and bloody foot. I glance up to see him making his way back over to me. Why is being so caring? And considerate? I really do not understand him. One moment he's yelling at me like I've given him the black plague; then he's taking care of me because of my own stupidity! He must really like me- WAIT! No, he hates my guts with a passion that's ever present in his dark cobalt eyes. . Doesn't he?

"Earth to Yuffie!" I move my head to look at him, it seems I zoned out for a second.

"What?" He just shakes his head like I'm crazy. I just roll my eyes at this. He leaned down, and began unwrapping my foot. His fingers brushed my hand and we both froze. I slowly looked up at him; he's staring at me, as if daring me to do something. Gulping, I moved my hand away, and then he resumed wrapping my foot as if nothing happened. Maybe he. . .

No, impossible. He would never think of me that way. I close my eyes sadly, after he finished, he lay back down, but I don't move. I draw my knees to my chest, and wrap my arms around them, then rest my chin on my hands. I feel movement next to me, as he sits up, I can sense Squall staring at me.

"What's wrong?" Swallowing the lump that was forming in my throat, and pushing the unwanted tears back, I lift my head and look at him through the darkness.

"I don't want to wake up alone again from that dream." Blushing, I turn my head away; staring hard into the darkness. I jump slightly as warmness engulfing me, and I realized he's hugging me. Not caring about anything else, I turn and wrap my arms around his neck, burying my face in his chest. He had my shivering body pulled right against his, and for once in a long time. . . I felt safe.

[4:02 A.M. (Leon's POV)

We fell asleep in each other's arms; I don't think I've ever slept better in my whole life. I pull her closer to me, and she snuggles closer, burying her face deeper into my chest, eyes still close. I couldn't help but smile, as I re-close my eyes and settle back against the pillow; with the woman I love in my arms. While I listen contently to the constantly pouring rain, I keep wondering what this might mean. Does she . . .? Nah, she couldn't, could she? Shaking these thoughts from my head, I squint my eyes in the dark as she whimpers slightly, and twist her head, and then her head fell back against my arm. I watch as a look of fear was replaced by shock. Then she moaned, and rolled away. I let my left arm, which was on top, fall off; when suddenly her eyes snap open, and she sits up quickly, shaking.

I gently wrap my arms back around her shivering form. She turned in my embrace, and snaked her arms around my neck, burying her face in my neck. I couldn't help but notice how cold she is; like an ice cube. I begin to worry when every couple of seconds, she would violently shake. Until I realized, she's crying as well, I just rocked her back and forth, but I draw her closer, until she is sitting comfortably in my lap. I grab the comforter, and sling it over her shoulders. She snuggles closer into my arms; her shivering gradually deceasing.

"Thank you." She whispered. I leaned back to look at he face. She pulled the cover closer to her; as she looked up to me; no longer leaning against me, just sitting in my lap. She sniffed a couple of times, then shivers as thunder cracks deafeningly.

Her eyes roam around for a while, watching the light from the lightning dance around the walls with the pattern of the glass on the balcony doors. I move my hand from her back to move some stray hair away from her pale face. Her eyes finally find mine, as my hand falls from her face. She almost looks nervous about something. She swallows, then takes a deep breath.

"So, what does all this mean?" I stare into her eyes; lost for words. What does all this mean? She's waiting for an answer. I just sigh, and close my eyes.

"I don't know." I open my eyes to see sadness and grief fill her eyes, along with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She roughly pushes away; standing up on the mattress; the comforter long forgotten. Her mouth hangs open in a silent scream. She clenches her eyes shut, and I instantly regret what I said to her, why the hell did I say that? You inconsiderate asshole! Look at her! She slowly opens her eyes, to stare at her feet.

"I knew you could never. . ." She trails off, speaking so softly, I can barely hear her. I can't stand this any longer. Tell her! Tell her! I stand up, getting ready.

"No, pl-"But she doesn't allow me to finish, she ran through the doors, and I can see her small figure disappearing into the pouring rain. All I can do is stare at the rain, thunder cracks, and the balcony door slamming brings me back to reality.

Falling to my knees, I place my head in my hands, clenching my eyes close. Four words escape my lips as lightning appears through the never ending down pour, splashing against my body, leaving shadows behind chairs, the table, and my heart.

"What have I done?"

Every step you take, it's like walking through a wall of water, but she doesn't care. She keeps running; her feet making a splashing/pounding sound on the rain-soaked pavement; the sound echoing in the deserted street. Her running never ceases as she pushes the doors to the 1st district open as fast as she can; panting, she finally stops. Breathing hard and near tears, she turns head to see Cid's shop about six yards to the left. Shaking from not only the freezing weather, she begins running again, heading for the shop. (The rain had slowed down, now it's just really really cold.)

Finding the door locked, she set out for the secret back door. (Which doesn't really exist; just work with me here people.) Finally stepping inside, she shut the door with her back, then slowly slid to the floor; drawing her shivering, wet knees up to her chest. She refused to cry but her body shook from not only the cold, but her internal anguish.

XXX

Whistling, Cid flicked his cigarette onto the sidewalk. He made his way to his shop at about 6:30 in the morning. He pulled his keys out as he stops in front of the door. He slipped the key into the keyhole, and then turned the door knob, pushing the old oak door open. He stepped inside, kicked the door shut with his foot, and made his way over to the counter; where he promptly drops his keys and pack of cigarettes. He sighed, turning his face upward mouthing the words, 'Not again!' as thunder boomed loudly. The signal that rain is indeed coming. The poor townspeople never get at least an hour without rain before it starts again.

"It's getting fucking annoying," Cid muttered to himself as he made his way to the back room. He returned a couple minutes later with his prize, his lighter that has some not so fully dressed woman decorating it. He dropped it to the counter as he reached it. He spins around and for the first time noticing a blanket clad lump on the couch next to the empty fireplace. Furrowing his eyebrows, he slowly wandered over to it. Upon reaching the couch in question, he realized that the lump indeed is a certain young, dark haired ninja.

Sighing and shaking his head, he walked over to her and stood next to the couch. She's curled up in a ball, wrapped in a purple and blue quilt. He leaned down and gently shook her shoulder. She groaned and turned over facing away from him.

"Come on kid, get your ass up." He said gruffly, turning back around and walking back to the counter. Moaning she pulled the blanket up and burrowed herself deeper; succeeding in hiding her head. Cid, who had sat down behind the counter reading the newspaper; shot his head up as the front door flew open as a very out of breath Aerith. She skidded to a halt, almost tripping over herself in her haste. Trying to breathe normally, she got in front of Cid, and finally caught her breath. Cid had closed his paper and had watched her with an amused expression on his face along with raised eyebrows. Wondering what the hell her problem was.

"Ha- hav- have you seen Yuffie?" Aerith asked, still short of breath. Smirking, Cid slowly shook his head.

"Why?" He asked, not even looking like he cared; since he looked back down as he flipped the newspaper back open. Sighing loudly, Aerith threw her hands up in the air in annoyance.

"What's the problem anyways? She can take care of her self." Cid pointed out without looking up from the paper. Aerith tiredly turned around to come face to face with a smiling Yuffie. She screeched and fell back; as Yuffie fell back laughing. She had been standing behind Aerith the whole time. Still chuckling, she turns around and leaves.

"I have to go, bye." Cid looked down to Aerith who was staring after Yuffie's retreating back. Cid sighed, "What the hell was that about?"

(Original A/N: Oh my gosh! That was so bad! And I'm so sorry for the wait. There you go another twist to my very twisted tale. Have fun with it. Peace out! Oh and a note to Himaco, the date she stood up is coming, I just wanted some Squaffie fluffness first. Sorry!)

7/12/07 I never finished this story, so I'm going to try now, I know its been three years, but what the heck. Here goes.