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I DO NOT OWN FF VII

Chapter 6: I never stood a chance

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Tifa arranged for Barret to pick the kids up from school so she could have time to confront Cloud. Once she was off the phone, she and Zack exited Vincent's home and began to walk in the direction of Aerith's home. As they exited, Yuffie turned to Vincent and gave him a wide smile.

"About time someone came to her rescue." Yuffie chimed.

Vincent only shook his head as he watched the pair depart.

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Zack watched Tifa as she walked, she seemed angry and very determined. He could tell a lot was on her mind, but he was unsure how to approach her. Zack smirked as he fell a little behind, Continuing to admire her walk. The way she dressed wasquite intriguing to him. Dark shorts and a tight fitting white t-shirt, red high top boots an red gloves to match. Tifa turned over her shoulder and gave him a stern look.

"Am I leading, or are you?" Tifa asked, annoyed she caught him staring. This was nothing Tifa wasn't used to. Men at the bar constantly gawked at her and her large assets.

Zack shook his head and picked up his pace until the two were side by side, he then lifted his arms behind his head and turned to look at her. "So..if you don't mind me asking, what happened between you and Cloud?" He asked, scared of what lashing may come.

Tifa sighed and shook her head. "It's a long story, Zack. I'd prefer not to talk about it." She started. "How do you feel about Aerith and Cloud?"

"I really prefer not to talk about it." Zack said, sarcastically, followed by a smirk.

Tifa looked at him and rolled her eyes, she then let out a small giggle. "Fair enough." she said. Zack was proud he was able to bring something out of her, even if it was just a little giggle.

"Alright, so if you don't wanna talk about Cloud, tell me about what you've been up to the last few years." Zack asked, doing his best to make any sort of small talk.

"Hmmm..." Tifa thought for a moment, trying to come up with something that didn't involve Cloud, but nothing besides the bar came to mind. "Well, I opened a bar a few years back. It's been very successful so far." Tifa replied, with a small smile. The bar was something she took pride in. It was hers, and hers alone. It's how she supported the family, in case Cloud did run off, she would be ready.

"I can see that." Zack said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Zack racked his brain for other conversation pieces, but much to his surprise, he didn't have to think for long.

"How does it feel to be back?" Tifa asked, curiously. Deep inside, Tifa still felt guilty for the way she treated Zack the night her father died, but she was determined to push through it and remain strong.

"I'm still wrapping my head around it, ya know? One minute you're dreaming you're flying in the clouds, next minute you fall out of a man's closet." Zack chuckled. "That didn't sound too good, did it?" He asked, looking over at Tifa. He could tell, although keeping a straight face, Tifa was still deep in her own thought. Just what has he out you through? This is not the Tifa I remember.

"To be honest, Zack." Tifa started. "I'm glad you came back, for Cloud's sake."

Zack shook his head and sighed. "If there was some reason that I was brought back to life, it certainly wasn't for Cloud. Don't get me wrong, Cloud was my closest friend, like a little brother to me, but.." Zack trailed off, not wanting to revisit the hurt he just experienced at Aerith's house.

"You thought it would be for her?" Tifa came to a stop and looked at Zack. Zack too, stopped and looked down at Tifa. "You should talk to her about it alone. Maybe she's just confused. I know that she loved you." Tifa said, giving him a nod and a small smile.

"Are you saying this because you still have hope for you and Cloud?" Zack asked, bluntly.

Tifa rolled her eyes again, exasperated and annoyed that her effort to comfort Zack had been shot down. "What I said had nothing to do with Cloud and I thank you." She then turned and began walking again.

"Tifa." Zack spoke. He felt a little bad for saying what he had. Idiot. He thought to himself.

"What?!" Tifa asked, annoyed as she turned to look at him.

"Uh.. We're here." He said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

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Tifa clasped her hands together and nodded. She too, was nervous. How could she know what to expect? As Tifa approached the house, she heard a very shocking and rare sound coming from what seemed to be the back yard. Laughter. Cloud's laughter.

"Oh come on, Aerith! You can do it. Try again." Came Cloud's Voice.

"Okay, okay." Aerith replied with a giggle.

He's... Encouraging her? Tifa took a step back, in slight shock.

Zack looked at Tifa, he could see the distress all over her face. He decided to take things into his own hands, he walked to the gate of the back yard and flung if open. Zack then, waltzed into the back yard to find Aerith and Cloud playing darts. Aerith obviously failing miserably. Cloud turned around and looked at Zack, a little surprised.

"Oh, hi Zack." Aerith chimed politely.

Zack nodded to them then gestured for Tifa to come in. Although Tifa was quite agitated at Zack for his previous statement, she now found herself quite thankful he had been there. She was unaware all the emotions she had just been flooded with, would drown her like they did. Tifa walked in slowly and stood next to Zack, crossing her arms to give the appearance of strength rather than complete and utter disarray.

Cloud's face paled when he saw Tifa. She was also wearing his favorite outfit, which flustered him. He knew this was coming, he just didn't know when she would find out. Aerith paled even more, she had always been slightly terrified of Tifa, and she knew the capabilities Tifa had.

"Can we talk, Cloud?" Tifa asked as softly as she could, although everything within her wanted to strangle him with harsh words.

Cloud hated and detested when she said those three words. Can we talk? It usually ended very badly. "Yes." He replied, looking to Aerith who gave him a nod.

Tifa then turned and walked out of the back yard around to the front of the house, Cloud followed.

While the two exited, Zack took the opportunity to both listen in, and engage Aerith in a conversation like Tifa had suggested. Even though he had died, he still had the enhanced abilities he did before his death occurred, for that he was quite thankful.

"So, Aerith.." Zack started "Did you know that Cloud and Tifa haven't officially split up? You're quite the little home wrecker." He said, teasingly.

Aerith, used to his sense of humor and personality, was aware he was teasing, but his words still stung. The last thing she wanted was to come between a family, torn or fragmented, they were still a family. She also felt the guilt of being in a relationship with Cloud, before knowing that Zack would also return. "I know," she started as she looked down. "But... Cloud explained everything to me. I told him at some point he had to apologize to Tifa. And I will too."

"Is this what you want, Aer.. Uh.. Aerith?" Zack caught himself. She was no longer his, what right did he have to act comfortably with her any longer?

"Well, to be honest, Zack, I do love you. I just feel as though Cloud and I understand one another better than you and I did. If you and I had met under different circumstances, we both know we would've walked right past each other, am I right?"

"I tried to make it a point not to let just any beautiful woman walk past me." Zack said, smiling through the hurt.

"Zack." Aerith said, shaking her head. "Cloud and I fell in love a long time ago."

"Ouch." Zack said, placing a hand to his chest. "Well, like I said before, I understand.".

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Meanwhile, at the front of the house.

"Why couldn't you have just called?" Tifa asked as she sat herself on the front porch. Cloud walked around and stood in front of her. It broke his heart to see Tifa this way.

"I'm sorry Tifa, I was afraid of what you'd say." He said, sheepishly as he rubbed his arm.

Tifa looked at him annoyed, hurt and frustrated. "And what do you suppose I'd say?"

"I wish you wouldn't talk to me like I'm a child, Tifa." Cloud said, crossing his arms.

Every ounce of Tifa wanted to strangle him and scream at him, but the last thing she wanted was a fight. How did it get this bad? Why am I always angry with him? He acts like a child, that's why I talk to him that way. "Cloud, I talk to you that way because... you act like one. What kind of grown man doesn't have the guts to just tell the woman he's been with for ten years that he's done? Unless you plan on stringing me along some more?!"

"Any man who would be dealing with you, Tifa!" Cloud snapped back, angry she would compare him to a child. He was anything but a child. He'd been through far too much to be compared to anything close to a child.

Tifa was taken aback by the statement. Was she really that bad? Had she been the cause for all of this? Tifa put a trembling hand to her forehead. Anger filled her as her heart broke even more. Tifa thought back to when she and Cloud met Aerith. That's when things changed. Cloud was smitten with her, and it all changed with Aerith. Her warm and sweet smile, her innocent modesty. Tifa had none of those things. "I never stood a chance." Tifa mumbled.

"What did you say?" Cloud asked, unsure of what he just mumbled.

Tifa stood to her feet and narrowed her eyes, looking at Cloud sternly. "I never stood a chance to hold your heart, Cloud. I was competing with her even when she was dead, how stupid of me to think that when she came back to life we would still be together. I'm just sorry I wasted all this time with you." Tifa did her best not to cry as she spoke to him, the realization finally set in."I'm done." Tifa had heard enough from Cloud, she shook her head and walked away from him, tears finally finding their way to her eyes.

Zack had heard their entire conversation, he settled things with Aerith and quickly ran after Tifa. He knew she was probably hurting, but her statement about Cloud loving Aerith more was true. Zack had seen the way Cloud looked at Tifa when then they were just teens, but that just wasn't there anymore.

"Tifa!" Zack yelled a he ran after the brunette.

"Go away." Tifa said with a wave of the hand. She was angry, and very upset. Although she desperately wanted to stop crying, she couldn't and she hated to have anyone see her that way.

"Come on, Tifa." Zack said, finally catching up to her. His brown hair falling a little out of place as they walked briskly.

"I said go away!" Tifa yelled,looking up at Zack. As she looked up, a gust of wind blew her hair out of her face, her cheeks were pink, face was flush and her eyes were red and swollen as tears streamed down. Zack absolutely hated to see any woman cry, and it made him angry to know it was his best friend who caused it.

"Tifa." Zack whispered as his hand stretched toward her face to wipe her tears. Tifa angrily pushed his hand away.

"Stop it!" She Screamed. "I don't need you!" With that, Tifa turned and began running toward her home.