Two months after Cloud had found the letters, his legs had fully healed. Although he couldn't move them, he was able to feel. His right color bone had healed weeks before. But no one was expecting Cloud to walked. He got into the habit of sit ups when he woke up and pull ups before he went to sleep.
Cloud pulled himself up over the bar of his flipped up bed. Sweat trickled down his head and bare back. His had slipped from the bar and Cloud fell to the floor. He lay on his back, trying to catch his breath.
"Trying to break your legs again Cloud?" Yuffie asked. She stood in the door way, holding Artemis.
Cloud look up at Yuffie, "You could say that. Any leads on Tifa?"
Yuffie shook her head, "Nothing,. But we're not giving up."
Cloud nodded, "Hey Yuffie, was anything salvaged from my house?"
"Yeah. The books, obviously. There were a few dishes that survived as well. And we found a box of keepsakes." Yuffie answered.
"What was in it?" Cloud asked.
Yuffie walked into the room and set Artemis down in Cloud's lap. "I'll go get it." She turned and walked out of the room.
Cloud looked down at Artemis. Artemis crawled out of his lap and over to the flipped bed. He grabbed the bars and slowly pulled himself up. Cloud pulled himself towards the bed. He gripped the bars farthest from him and pulled himself up. He grabbed the next bar, like he was climbing a ladder, until he was standing on his feet. Cloud slowly let go of the bars. He stood again! Artemis grabbed onto Cloud's leg, knocking him off balance. Cloud fell back onto the floor, with Artemis still on his leg.
"Did I just see what I think I saw?" Yuffie asked. She stood in the doorway in aw. She held a wooden box in her hands.
"Depends on what you saw." Cloud replied.
"Did I just see you stand?" Yuffie asked.
"If you call that standing." Cloud pulled Artemis off his leg and hugged him.
"Daddy." Artemis said.
"He's so like you Cloud." Yuffie said.
"Yeah, he is." Cloud replied. "But it's time for bed."
Yuffie put the box down and took Artemis from Cloud, "Wave bye bye." Artemis waved at Cloud, which made him laugh. "Need any help with your bed?"
"Nah, I can fix it." Cloud answered.
Yuffie stood and left the room. Cloud sat on the floor, the box sat only feet from him. Cloud hesitantly lifted the box into his lap. He unlatched the top and opened it. The first thing he saw was a letter to him, from Aerith. Cloud pulled out the letter and opened it.
My dear Cloud,
If you're reading this, then I did not live from my illness. I wrote this incase you found the box and I did not survive. There are a few things in life that you will now have to face alone. The most important one is Artemis. This is the time when you are needed the most. I know you can raise him right. The second is Tifa. Cloud, she loves you so much. Don't shut yourself from the world. You can open up to her, like you did me. There is a letter from Tifa for you. I would've given it to you myself, but things happened. I did not intentionally keep you from it, though. I'm sorry things turned out this way.
Aerith
Cloud folded up the letter, So, now it all makes sense. Cloud put the letter aside and looked through the box. He found several old photos of Aerith and him when they were dating. He never had a smile once. Another was a wedding photo. Cloud never thought he could look that ridiculous in a suit, but he was more amazed at how beautiful Aerith was. Deeper in the box were nic naks that Aerith had apparently collected over the years. Cloud found his old lion broach and earring. I was wondering where those went to. and a bracelet. Cloud took out the bracelet and examined it closer. He had given Aerith the bracelet as a Christmas present their first Christmas. It always gave you good luck.
Cloud put everything, but the bracelet, back into the box and shut the lid. He crawled to the side of the bed and pulled it onto the floor. Cloud pulled himself onto his bed and stretched. Cloud held the bracelet over his head and looked at it closer. The bracelet was made of nine charms. Each one was a four leaf clover.
Flashback
Cloud sat on the floor next to the Christmas tree. He watched the stairs, waiting for Aerith to come down. He had gotten up early to make breakfast, since Aerith could hardly get out of bed now. He heard the bedroom door opened. He watched as Aerith walked down the hall and down the stairs. Cloud quietly stood and walked behind her. He placed his hands over her eyes.
Aerith gasped and grabbed her face, "Cloud? What are you doing?"
Cloud turned Aerith around and kissed her cheek, "Just wishing you a Merry Christmas. And I got something for you." Cloud rushed out of the room.
"Already?" Aerith asked. She walked to the couch and sat down. Cloud came back into the room, arms behind his back.
"Close your eyes." Cloud said. Aerith did as she was told. Cloud brought out a large blanket. It was pink with small flowered patterns on it. Cloud Wrapped it around Aerith on the couch. Aerith opened her eyes.
"Oh Cloud, it's beautiful." Aerith said.
"I thought you could use a little something to keep you warm with the baby coming." Cloud explained.
Aerith smiled and kissed him. "Thank you."
"Well, should we eat breakfast before it gets cold?" Cloud asked.
"I like that idea." Aerith answered. She pulled the blanket off her and grabbed the arm of the couch. Cloud walked around and took her other hand. Together, Aerith was able to stand. "What would I do without you?"
"I'm not sure." Cloud replied./ He lead her into the kitchen. The table was already set and the food was in place. Cloud pulled out a chair for Aerith. Aerith sat down and looked at her plate. A small box sat in the middle of her plate. Aerith eyed Cloud and slowly opened the box. Inside was a bracelet. Nine four leaf clover charms decorated it. Aerith lifted the bracelet out of its box to examine it better. The clovers were colored in three. Three blue, three green, and three dark pink.
"Never thought in my wildest dreams, would you ever go back into a jewelry store." Aerith said. She looked at Cloud with a beautiful smile.
"I'm luck that creepy woman was off that day." Cloud replied. Aerith laughed. Cloud watched as Aerith attempted to put the bracelet on her wrist. Cloud laughed at her failed attempts. Aerith gave up and looked at him.
"A little help please?" Aerith asked. Cloud reach over the table and latched the bracelet onto Aerith's wrist.
End Flashback
Cloud set the bracelet on top of the books and closed his eyes. From the moment he did, he could see something. It wasn't a dream, more of a vision. Tifa lay in a room. She was strapped to a metal bed. Barely covered with a thin sheet. Her face looked beaten and covered in dirt. Her stomach had begun to develop.
Tifa opened her eyes, tears rolled down her face. She seemed to look directly at Cloud. But her was of fear, not relief. Cloud turned, he then knew what she was afraid of. Sephiroth stood in the doorway of her room. His smile was one that sent shivers down Cloud's spine repeatedly. Sephiroth walked into the room and stopped at Tifa's side. His hand touched her cheek and slid down her body to her stomach. Tifa seemed to cringe at his touch.
"Get away from her!" Cloud yelled, but no one could hear him. He watched in fury as Tifa struggled to get free. Sephiroth's hand struck Tifa across the cheek.
"You should just give up." Sephiroth said.
"Cloud will stop you!" Tifa yelled.
"Cloud is dead. No and in a few months, so will you. Unless your child is not a boy, then we'll simply have to try again." Sephiroth replied. His hand slowly trained from her stomach to her thigh. His grip tighten around her thigh. Tifa tried to resist the erg of screaming. Sephiroth gripped it harder, causing Tifa to scream in pain.
"Cloud!" Tifa screamed.
"Tifa!" Cloud bolted upright. He was back in his room at the lodge. It couldn't have bee a dream. It was too real. Cloud's breath was shallow and fast. His heart was racing.
"Yuffie!" Cloud yelled. Still trying to catch his breath.
Yuffie stumbled into Cloud's room, "What is it?"
"Get everyone together, I've got some news for them." Cloud ordered.
0000000000000000
"Wait a minute, you saw this while you were sleeping? How do we know it wasn't just a dream?" Barret asked. Everyone had gathered around in Cloud room. Cloud sat on his bed, facing everyone else.
"Does it matter or not if it was real? Tifa's running out of time! If we don't find her, Sephiroth could kill her!" Cloud replied.
"Why would Sephiroth want a son anyways?" Cid asked.
"So he can raise him as a strong fight, like himself." Vincent answered.
"Hard to imagine Sephiroth as a father figure." Yuffie stated. She sat on the table next to Cloud's bed.
"That's why we need to be sure we find Tifa before the child's born." Cloud said.
"What happened if Tifa's child isn't a boy?" Barret asked.
"The child will die-"
"And Sephiroth will try again." Cloud finished.
"Where do we even start looking for Tifa?" Yuffie asked.
"Cloud, was there anything that stood out to you?" Vincent asked.
Cloud thought fro a moment. Then it hit him, "Some of the equipment was from the SOLDIER Program. There's a possibility someone must've seen Sephiroth."
"That'll work. Cid and I'll head to the ShinRa HQ and talk to the people there." Barret said.
"Try not to hurt anyone important." Yuffie pointed out. Barret gave her the thumbs up and left, Cid followed behind him.
"What are you going to do Vincent?" Cloud asked.
"I'll head back to Midgar and inspect the remains of your house. Maybe I can find something in there." Vincent answered.
"Try and find Cait Sith and Reid. They might be able to help out." Yuffie said.
Vincent nodded and left the room. Yuffie turned to Cloud. She jumped off the nightstand, "Well, lets get started."
"Started with what?" Cloud asked.
"You're the only one who stands a chance against Sephiroth. We'll need you able to walked. So as of right now, you're learning to walk again." Yuffie explained.
Marlene and Denzel peaked their heads into the room. "We even got Cid in on this plan. He helped us build something's for you."
Yuffie helped Cloud to his feet, "You're going to be as busy as everyone else, or busier."
TBC
could i be any crueler with the storyline?
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