CHAPTER 17

Tifa walked away as fast as her feet could. Her heart was thumping and she was breathing hard. She felt as if she had finished a marathon. "I knew it was a bad idea to come here," she murmured under her breath.

Once she saw Elena's car, she trotted to it as she fished out the keys. She quickly entered it and locked the door, feeling insecure. She took off her hat angrily and put the glasses on the dashboard. "No use," she said as she started the engine.

Without waiting any longer, she gave signal and drove away from that place. She had never felt like this. It was like she was on the run for some crimes. Tifa looked at the rear-view mirror and was glad when she saw no one was following her.

She took a turn into a long and deserted road. She tapped her fingers on the steering. In her head, she couldn't get the image of his eyes shot directly into hers. It was like he knew she was there.

Tifa sniffed back her now runny nose. "Perfect," she complained but she was disturbed by the headlights from the vehicle behind her. She glanced at the rear-view mirror and could guess it was a bike. "No way!'

Only one thought crossed her mind. She stepped on the gas as hard as she could and the car gave a loud roar before it dashed. Tifa couldn't focus on the road as she kept on glancing to the back.

"Don't let it be him!" she prayed silently but as the headlights turned brighter, she knew that was him.

"Why must he bring along his bike to his concert?" she spoke to herself and pressed the pedal even harder. But it seemed like the rider wasn't going to give up as he sped even faster.

Seeing the bike closing in, Tifa concentrated her thoughts on the road. The rider was next to her, giving her signal to slow down. She ignored it totally.

From outside, Cloud sped his bike to keep up with the car she was driving. Although she never turned her head to look at him, he knew that was her. There was no mistaking it.

The way she let her hair covered the side of her face was already familiar to him.

"Slow down!" he yelled, trying to fight off the noises from the car and his bike. She didn't respond to him. He knew she wasn't going to be easy on him.

He held his bike's handles tighter and resorted to one last move. He closed in and took over the car.

Tifa stepped on the brake as Cloud suddenly took over the car and swerved his bike to block her way. Her car was going so fast that she couldn't stop it in time. She heard the sound of metals banged and the loud noises of screeching.

Tifa panted as she looked at the road and could no longer see him on the bike. Rather, he was on the road, lying face down. "Oh my god!"

She didn't think twice, the image of him lying in a pool of blood clouded her mind. She turned off the engine and pulled out the keys. She unlocked the door and ran towards him.

Hearing her footsteps towards him, Cloud supported his body using his elbows, in order to get up.

The first word that came out from her mouth was, "What the hell were you thinking?" and she bent down to help him. Cloud wasn't seriously injured but he scratched his bike for sure. Cloud caught his breath while trying to get up.

"You were going fast and you're not stopping," he replied. Tifa blew out her breath, "And that was stupid."

She helped him to get up but half way, his eyes met hers. It was as if the time stopped moving. Tifa could see the questions in his eyes and the pain. She contributed to that.

She averted his eyes quickly and let him stood on his feet. Seeing that he was able to get up, she turned to get to the car. "Wait!" he said while pulling her right wrist.

"Let go of my hand," she commanded and it sounded as if he was a poison to her. Cloud looked at her hand and then her fingers. His eyes gleamed a little, 'So, there's still hope.'

They were interrupted by the sound of vehicles coming from their back. "Oh shit! That's them!" Cloud cursed as he recognized that van immediately. Behind it was several other media vans, obviously they were following him.

Tifa tried to pull her hand but his grip was tight. It seemed like her cold wasn't her priority right now. Getting away from this man was.

"Let's go," he said and pulled her with him. Tifa stopped halfway, "I have my car!"

"Those are the reporters, and it'll be easier to run away with a bike than with a car," Cloud said in a way that made it sounded like it was true.

Tifa didn't oppose when he pulled her again and he lifted his bike. He started the bike, "Hop on," he said and she followed. She felt as if she was betraying her own words.

But then, when he started to speed off, she clutched on the back handle to keep herself on the bike. It was thrilling to feel the night wind against her skin. Her hair was flowing freely and she was sure that she would end up like a banshee.

Cloud turned slightly to the brunette behind him. She seemed to be enjoying the ride. At least she wasn't resisting any more. Cloud smiled a little. The truth was he didn't even know where they were heading. All he knew that he wanted to be alone with her.

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Tifa wondered where he was taking her to. She looked around at the unfamiliar place. 'Where is this place?' she wondered in her head.

Tifa leaned forward a little, "Stop the bike," she said out loud against the wind. Cloud heard her but he decided not to listen to her. He was heading to a place only he knew existed, a place where the whole of Midgar could be seen. A place where he often went whenever he felt out of it.

"Stop the bike!" Tifa repeated, this time half shouting. Cloud just smirked before he pressed the handle more, "Hold tight!"

Tifa felt like she was going to fall any time soon. Was this the way he rode his bike? It was a surprise he was still in one piece.

Tifa just let him took her to a secluded place, as his bike pulled to a stop near the edge of a valley. Tifa quickly got off the bike and stood a little farther away from him.

"Where's this place? What do you want?" She shut her mouth when she noticed how harsh it sounded. Cloud on the other hand just remained on the bike while looking ahead with a peaceful look on his face. Tifa followed his gaze. It was Midgar, and from where they stood, it looked majestic.

"So, this is your secret hideout?" she asked but she silently agreed with him. It was a splendid sight.

"You're ruining the air with your questions," Cloud replied, looking at her direction.

Tifa just remained quiet when he looked at her. Cloud noticed the difference in her voice. Maybe she caught a cold.

"I'm sorry," she said almost immediately but then she realized he was the one who should be sorry. "Wait! Why am I apologizing? You're the one who kidnapped me and brought me here," she said.

Cloud crossed his arms, "Well, if you don't suddenly showed up in front of me after disappearing for more than 2 years maybe I wouldn't have kidnapped you," he replied with the same amount of sarcasm.

Tifa just looked away and grunted. "As if."

Cloud blew his sigh in defeated. "Fine, I'm sorry for what happened that day. I should've thought better," his voice contained guilt. When he saw no respond from her, he approached her slowly.

Then, she started to speak, "I understand why you choose AVALANCHE. If I were in your place, I would've done the same. That's what you guys had been doing ever since you met each other."

Cloud stopped right behind her, looking pass her shoulders towards Midgar. There was a moment of silence between them.

"But what you said that night made me realized it," she said and paused, playing back the memories in her head. "You said you made a mistake." There was a long pause and Cloud's brows ceased.

"For you it's just a mistake. But I…" she stopped and released a heavy sigh. "I never regret anything. Not a single thing."

Cloud blinked his eyes in disbelief. Then, he remembered the ring. He took her hand and raised it to his chest level. Tifa turned to him in confusion.

She eyed him suspiciously. He placed her hand on his chest right on top of his heart. Tifa felt his steady heart beats and looked at him. Cloud didn't move and neither did she. She wasn't sure if she should pull her hand back or just let it be.

"Feel that?" he asked. Tifa thought it was a weird thing to ask. Of course she felt that. Unless he's dead then she wouldn't feel it. Tifa nodded but still not moving her eyes from him.

"I thought I lost you when you left. You were so determined for us not to cross path again," he said in a serious tone. Tifa slowly pulled her hand back. She took a step back.

"Let's not start that again," Tifa said softly. She took more than two years of occupying herself with work to get him off her mind. She wouldn't want to repeat that ever again. Those two years were the longest and hardest time for her.

"Tifa," he started but she cut him off, "I've had it already." Cloud watched her intensely. Why wouldn't she give him any chance to say anything? "I don't think I can keep up with your ways anymore," she admitted.

"I've been in love with you ever since you came to my house on the day my parents died. I thought 'Yeah, he's the one. Only he can hear me,' and you've been very nice to me since forever. But you know lately, I think it's not working this way. No matter how hard I tried, I can't seem to see things your way," for the first time in her life, Tifa said something that came from the bottom of her heart.

"I got nothing to lose now Cloud," she said as she looked to her side. "Not you, not myself, not anyone."

Cloud looked at her solemnly. The damage she had was so much more than he had. At least he had Zack, Vincent, Cid and Yuffie. Even Barret, Marlene and Denzel sometimes would pay him a visit. They all knew about her and they all tried their best to cheer him up.

"Let's just let each other go. I think it's best for us not to meet again. I don't think I can forget you but then, there's more to life than having someone you love to love you back right? There are many sources of happiness in this world. And I'm contented with what I have now," Tifa said and slowly retreated.

There was a deep look in her eyes. They both know she was hiding the truth.

"And I can't see how the way you look at things either. So what?" It was Cloud's turn to speak. Tifa met his eyes. "I don't see what's so important for you to see things my way. Tifa, you're you. And I'm me. We're 2 different people. You're the opposite of me, we completely have nothing in common except for the fact that we're from Nibelheim."

"And you know what? That difference that draws you to me." He took a step forward to her. Tifa just looked away, feeling defeated. The feelings that she restrained for the past two years came back flowing in without caution.

"And most importantly Tifa," he paused and Tifa felt as if he was hovering over her like a predator. Without warning, he pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. It was so firm that it almost made her belief that the ache she felt during those two years was false.

He held her hair and her waist closely, feeling her comforting presence at that moment. He breathed against her hair and closed his eyes. Then, he felt her sobbed. She didn't push him away, so he took it as a good sign.

"Why do you always like this?" her voice was low, he barely could hear her. He didn't say anything but he just held her tighter. He brushed her hair and they bodies swayed a little as she sobbed.

"Why do you always like this?" again she repeated but this time, she cried. She sniffed against his shoulders. He was crushing her with his embrace but she felt safe and warm. "I can't let you go Tifa," he whispered back and it only made her cried even harder.

Tifa couldn't gather any strength anymore, not when she's with him. She broke down like when her parents died and she depended on him to stand. Cloud didn't seem to mind. He was hoping that would happen, hoping that she would find him reliable and depend on him.

He let her cried her heart out and he was sure what his feeling was. It was not just him being protective or looking out for her like he had been since high school. It was something deeper and strong.

When her cries subsided to only sobs, he parted a little to look at her face. She just looked down and cleaned her face with both of her hands. Cloud was sure she was blushing and it made her seemed more fragile.

"I can't let you go Tifa, ever again." He stated in a soft tone. "Because I love you," his words were nothing more than a whisper but she felt as if a thunder had just struck her heart.

Seeing her shocked expression, Cloud thought, 'I knew words aren't enough to convince her.'

Still with one hand on her shoulder while the other one on her waist, Cloud closed the distance between them as he kissed her slightly parted lips. Tifa wasn't sure what shocked her more, his words or his kiss. 'Why does he always do this?'

She didn't respond, it was expected, but Cloud didn't stop. He loved to taste her; he loved how his lips brushed against her soft ones. Tifa's heart nearly stopped when she felt his lips boldly landed on hers. Not only that, he seemed confident and determined.

Tifa took all of her logical senses to pull her head back and broke the kiss. As his kiss was broken down out of the blue, Cloud's eyes snapped open. There was hurt in those blue eyes. His breath was warm against her cheeks.

Tifa saw his expression. "No, it's not like that. I'm having a cold," Tifa reminded him and relief filled his heart. "That's why I stopped you," she said awkwardly.

Cloud just looked into her eyes with a smile on his face. She thought too much. "I'll have more time off then," he replied. Tifa's eyes widened at his reply but it was temporary.

Tifa brushed away his bangs that were covering his face. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she added while trying to hide a smile. Cloud looked around for a while. "It won't be often for us to have a moment like this," Cloud said and turned back to her.

He didn't waste any more time and claimed back her lips. Tifa felt sure right then, 'He's really the one.'

She kissed him back and her hands curled his neck to make the kiss more firm. The ring on her finger felt as if it was radiating heat from him into her.

A/N – There you go… final Cloti moment… this is the second last chapter and the next will be the epilogue. But I still don't have any idea of what to write in it. Thanks for all of your time to read and review this story… I had so much fun writing it and I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I did. Please enjoy all the songs that I've used in this fanfic too.