Four months later, Cloud and I were inseperable.

I was still working at the book store, and Cloud got a job at the local coffee shop where we had our first date. Sora came by to visit more often now that I knew he and Riku were together, and Sora fell in love with Cloud. Not literally, of course, but Sora and Cloud became like siblings themselves, spending time together when I was at work.

Cloud and I spent every weekend together. Yuffie told us we were going to get tired of each other after awhile, but I just snorted.

"How is it possible to get tired of that angel?"

Overall, life had gone back to being routine, with a few surprises here and there due to Cloud. I was becoming more and more attached to him, and my heart had never felt so alive.

A tragedy did occur, however, in the first month we were officially together.

Cloud's father died of carcinoid tumors, a type of cancer that infects your lungs. The tumors grow slowly and show few related signs, so being diagnosed with the cancer comes almost too late. If the tumors grow and infect the lungs to a certain extent, the results are fatal. It was too late for him.

Cloud was crushed.

We spent the entire second month of our relationship helping with the funeral plans, family coming in and out of town, and the emotional strain that was put on both Cloud and his mother. I was at Cloud's every day, comforting both him and his mother. Roxas taught me how to cook when there was nothing else for me to do (Cloud's talk seemed to help soften his hard, outer shell), and Cloud's mother grew to be like the mother I always wished I'd had.

I became a member of the family.

It was a Friday at the end of the fourth month we were dating, and Cloud and I had plans to go ice skating that night. Granted, I had never been ice skating in my entire life, but I figured, if Cloud's two year old sister Namine could do it, so could I dammit.

My shift would be over in a matter of minutes, and I found myself peeking around the corner of the entrance to see if Cloud had gotten here yet. Yuffie snorted as she passed, her short hair flipping out today, piles of books in her thin arms. I assumed she had a date tonight too, considering it would be pointless to dress up for her two gay employees. "He'll get here, Squall. Chill out." I made a very msture hand gesture at her as she turned around and watched the clock, not paying attention to the paper work I was supposed to be filling out. Who needed tax references, anyway?

"Squall, I personally don't think flipping off your boss is the best way to keep a job."

I grinned, recognizing the honey like voice anywhere. "Psh, like she would fire me. No one else wants to work in this dump, anyway." I hopped over the counter, a sudden bounce in my step, and pulled Cloud by the arm up next to me to give him a light kiss. I had gotten more comfortable doing that in public, but I had the feeling if it was anyone but Cloud, I wouldn't be caught dead being romantic at all.

I could tell Cloud was excited. The second my rough lips left his, he took my hand and pulle me out of the store. "I'm stealing Squall for the afternoon, Yuffie!! He'll be back for work bright and early in the morning!" Yuffie just waved, somewhow magically balancing the books in one arm. "Of course!! You two have fun!! Loooots and loooots of fuuuuun!!" She winked, emphasizing every word in the most awkward way possible. I shot her a glare before Cloud forced me outside, and I soon forgot my insane boss with Cloud's jabbering. He can do that to people...make them forget the rest of the world just discussing what he ate for lunch.

By the time we arrived at the rink, it was mid afternoon, and there were lots of groups of families and tweens, there to have family bonding time or for birthday parties. Cloud kept a strong grip on my hand anyway, and I felt weight stronger than normal pulling against my shoulder. It felt odd, as if Cloud was using me as a support, but I eventually got used to the feeling as we rented our skates and put them on (with some difficulty on my part). Cloud walked gracefully over to the rink, still using me as a support, and stepped slightly onto the ice, gliding almost as soon as he was on it. I, however, wasn't quite as angelic. I grabbed onto the metal siding, working my way slowly but surely towards Cloud, who was giggling breathlessly at me a couple of feet away. I was tempted to trip the group of mini skirt clad girls laughing at me as they skated by, but I figured Cloud wouldn't appreciate that.

I finally made my way over, getting the hang of the feeling of being weightless. Cloud smiled, apparently proud of the fact that he had just taught a grown man how to ice skate. "Good job!" He praised, grabbing my hand again and slipping his fingers through mine. His hands were cold, his grip tight.

We skated around the rink a few times until I felt comfortable enough that I could have released Cloud's hand if I wanted to. I felt his fingers slide out of mine, and I figured he was letting me try skating on my own. I went forward a few feet easily, and turned around to boast my accomplishment. "Hey, I guess I don't need your help after a-" I was interrupted by a scream. No, not just a scream, a bloodcurling, rip through your senses shriek.

I felt something stab me, right through my heart. A grip of terror yanking a hold of it and pulling it out of my chest, leaving me unable to breathe or think clearly.

Cloud was flat against the ice, a stain of ruby red seeping and contrasting against the silvery white of the ice. His eyes were closed, his mouth open and filled with blood.

I opened my mouth, but all that came out was a sick, dry cough resulting from the lurch of my stomach.

"Someone call 911!! He's hurt!!" I heard someone yell. My brain didn't want to believe it, though. My world was stopping around me, all I could concentrate on was Cloud. Images of his father, pale and sullen, in his coffin were flashing in front of my eyes, making me sick. Medical personell were rushing by me, putting a mask on Cloud's perfect face, lifting him onto a rolling stretcher. THey were taking him away.

No. Not without me. No one takes Cloud without me.

I felt myself screaming, the noise ripping through my throat, as I pulled against the personell, begging them to not take him away. My vision was being blurred by wetness, and I was choking on my own words. I somehow concentrated for long enough to understand that they were letting me go with them. They kept reassuring me that everything was going to be fine, that they were going to take good care of Cloud. But that didn't make any sense.

How could everything be fine when my angel was in pain?