I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL FINAL FANTASY 7 CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(
Chapter Fifteen
Happy Birthday
"Happy Birthday, Claire."
It had been a week since the fight of Omega and Chaos. The Lifestream had returned to the planet and flowed through the planet normally like it once had. Omega and Chaos both had returned to the planet until their next calling was due.
Everyone had stuck together, cleaning Edge and taking care of the wounded due to Deepground. Shelke had stayed with them, as had Barry, and both now lived in Claire's house next to Jeanne and Cloud's. Both children helped care for the four babies that now plagued their friends as Marlene and Denzel became good friends with them.
Vincent…had yet to show back up. Cloud and Zeke went out to look for him but they had yet to find anything. Claire said nothing about the man in red and no one tried to mention him when she was around; they all knew what she feared.
It was now August 19. Cloud and Claire's birthday. The Strife Twins had taken them on a little picnic to a meadow of flowers and trees with a small little stream rippling through it. Claire had found it on their journey three years ago and this was always where she would go when she needed time alone. This time she wasn't alone, but at a time like this she didn't want to be alone.
Marlene, Denzel, and Barry were running around in the field with Yuffie and Red Xlll, trying to get Shelke back into a child-like mood. She moved after them in silence earlier but now she was laughing and having fun. Jena and Jeanne sat with Liana and Myra as the four of them were given the babies to take care of. Renee sat across from them with Tifa and Elena, laughing and talking together. Barret, and Cid stood with Reeve and Reno, conversing about airships and other things like that as Rufus stood with Rude, Cloud, and Zeke a little ways away as they had their own conversation.
Claire stood under the shade of a tree, watching them all with a small smile on her face. This was how she wanted her birthday to be; it was just missing one thing. A very important thing, And without him there it ruined it all for her.
"Happy Birthday Claire." The woman froze at the voice behind and squeezed her eyes closed before turning to face the man behind her. Tears sprung up in her eyes before she slammed her face into his chest.
"Vincent…I thought…"
"What did you think, Claire?"
"Shh," She told him. "If I'm seeing things then I just want to stand here until you disappear again."
Vincent chuckled and lifted her head up so he could look into her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere." She was silent before he leaned down to kiss her. A burst of cheers and woops erupted from behind them, making them both jump and turn. The others were all watching with smiles.
"About time, Vince." Zeke grinned. "If I had to listen to her complain about you for one more day then I was going to go crazy."
Tifa elbowed her husband in the stomach. "Don't forget that she's the one who caught the bouquet, Vincent. You still owe her a promise."
"If you need a ceremony, just give me a call," Rufus told them. "A little gift for all you've gone through."
"God guys, they're not married yet," Yuffie sighed. "Lay off of them. Give them space."
"Yuffie," Renee began. "Three years; you wait that long that man ain't going nowhere after he gives himself to you."
"And you would know, right?" Jeanne chuckled. "After all, you waited on Cid for nearly eight."
Claire rolled her eyes and turned back to the man beside her as their friends continued to talk. His hand was running over the Cerberus that she wore around her neck again. "I'm not taking it off; never again."
"Good." He told her.
"Vincent." The man lifted his head at Cloud's voice as the blond man moved closer to them. His face was like stone. "She's my sister."
Vincent blinked. "I'll take care of her."
That seemed to be what Cloud wanted to hear. He glanced at Claire, who smiled, and turned away again, returning to Jeanne's side as the woman had sat down beside Barret and Red Xlll to continue eating.
Claire turned back to the man in red. "So, you're all mine now, right?"
Vincent smiled at her soft as he crossed his arms around her. "Yeah. All yours."
She stood up on her toes to kiss him. "Best present ever."
PLEASE REVIEW :)