Hey there readers! Thanks so much for stopping by! I want to say thank you to all of my reviewers! I hope that you continue to review and continue to enjoy! It means a lot to me that you all seem to be liking this so far, and thank you to cupofteaforaliceandhatter! I'm thrilled to know you feel as though I am doing well with the characters and their personalities! I really am trying to make sure everyone (For the most part) Stays true to who they are. As for precedent (guest reviewer) I don't have any plans or premeditations to kill Cloud. Sorry! the future can always change. You all are fantastic. Please forgive me that Zack and Tifa's relationship is a slow development. I don't like stories that rush into it. Stay with me though!

Chapter 8:Denzel, meet Zack the soldier.

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The following morning, Tifa rose a bit later than normal. The kids didn't have to be up early, so she decided to sleep until about eight and let them sleep even later. She sat at the kitchen table, her wine eyes staring off into space. She had a lot on her mind. She remembered sitting in this exact place and making up with Cloud. How was she to know the next morning he would take off, never to return again? Her mind then trailed off to last night. Had it not been for Zack stepping in, the Turks probably would've kidnapped her, and the old creeper man who grabbed he a** probably would've had a broken nose. Tifa laughed to herself as she thought about it. She almost wondered if it was more than coinsidence that Zack appeared just as Cloud disappeared, but she wouldn't let her mind think further on the subject.

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Meanwhile, at Aerith's.

"No you don't need to come, I just gotta grab my clothes and get out." Cloud said, looking at Aerith who was looking back at him intently.

"I'm coming. I want to meet your kids and spend time with them and I want to apologize to Tifa." Aerith said, sitting up in the bed, her long hair undone and falling around her. Cloud leaned over and kissed her gently.

"Alright," He said softly. "Get dressed."

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Tifa was just about to begin making breakfast for the family when the knock on her door came, startling her a little. Quickly, she ran to the door, her bare feet making little patters on the cool tile floors. Tifa unlocked the door and opened it slowly, to peak out. When she saw it was Cloud she wanted to shut the door in his face, but she withheld because Aerith was there also.

"Well this is a surprise." Tifa said, placing her hand on her hip.

Aerith looked Tifa up and down and blushed a bit. Tifa had her regular pajamas on, her black short shorts but the top was a bit different, it was a cropped white sweater that hung loosely off her strong shoulders. Well that's an outfit. Why wouldn't Cloud stay with her? With a body like that, who wouldn't want her? Aerith thought, as she began to feel inadequate.

"Hey Tifa." Cloud said sheepishly. "I hope we didn't wake you."

"G..good morning, Tifa." Aerith Said nervoisly.

"Good morning you two. No, you didn't wake me. Come on in." Tifa offered, although she didn't want to. She figured the kids needed to see Cloud, even though yesterday she told them he would be gone another month or so.

Once the couple was inside, Tifa closed the door and looked at Aerith who seemed to be examining the place meticulously.

"Kids asleep?" Cloud asked as his eyes wondered up the stairs in the direction of their rooms.

"Yes, they're asleep. Were you planning to just stop by? Or take them somewhere? Or did you just want to grab your things and go?" Tifa asked as she crossed her arms. She couldn't pretend, she was angry. Who was he to bring her here? Tifa didn't really have anything against her, but this was still fresh in her memory.

Before Cloud could retort, Aerith stepped in and spoke up. "If you don't mind, Tifa, I'd like to take them out for the day With Cloud. I'd like to meet them." She said kindly.

Tifa wasn't sure how to react. She was angry, hurt and tired. She opened her mouth to speak, but she then heard footsteps rushing down the stairs and then saw a flash of purple pajamas and brown kinky hair fling toward Cloud. Cloud stumbled backward and caught Marlene with a chuckle.

"Hi Marlene." He said quietly as he held her. Aerith smiled at the sight, while Tifa was still angry. Even more angry, now that she couldn't say no.

"Are we gonna spend time together today, Cloud?" Marlene asked looking up at Cloud with hopeful honey eyes.

"Well if it's alright with Tifa, yes." Cloud replied.

"Can we, Tifa, please?!" Marlene asked turning to Tifa with the same pitiful puppy face.

Sighing, Tifa nodded. "Yes, Marlene, we just need to get you dressed."

"Yes!" Marlene said as she released Cloud. She then caught a glimpse of Aerith and smiled. "Who's this pretty lady?" Marlene asked Cloud.

"This is Aerith, Marlene." Cloud said with a smile that Tifa had never seen before. She clenched her fists and watched.

Don't take my family, too.

"Pleasure to meet you, Marlene." Aerith said softly as she bent down a little to look Marlene in the eye.

Tifa's eyes widened and she jumped a little when she heard her phone buzzing wildly on the kitchen counter. She quickly rushed over and grabbed it. "Hello?" She answered, a bit winded.

"Well gooooood mornin' Teef! What's your plan for the day, huh?" Chimed the happy Ninja Yuffie.

"Uhm.. I'm really not sure." Tifa replied, scratching her brunette head.

"You sound upset, what's wrong?" Yuffie asked, concerned. She always knew when something was wrong.

"I'm just...I have to get Marlene and Denzel ready, they're going with Cloud." Tifa said quietly.

"Is he there? Is She there?" Yuffie asked with a growl.

"Yes, both. I gotta go." With that Tifa hung up.

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Yuffie looked at her phone with a grumpy frown.

"What's that look for, your BFF didn't wanna see you today?" Zack asked as he walked into the kitchen in Vincent's home where Yuffie was pouting.

"Well she seems upset." Yuffie started. "She said that Cloud and Aerith are there, and they wanna take the kids."

"That doesn't seem right. Seems too soon for that S***." Zack replied with a frown of his own.

Seemingly out of no where, Vincent spoke up, behind Zack who shuttered. "I think she needs our support at this time."

"Holy s***, where'd you come from?!" Zack exclaimed.

"Oh he does that!" Yuffie said with a blush.

"Let's go." Vincent said briskly.

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After the conversation with Yuffie, Denzel emerged from his room and glared at Cloud and Aerith. When he was introduced to her, he knew exactly what was going on, and why Cloud had been gone. He knew that Cloud had replaced Tifa, the woman he viewed as his own mother, with another girl. To him, he viewed Aerith as weak and timid. He didn't like her one bit, and he stormed upstairs to his room and slammed the door, and Tifa ran after him.

"I don't wanna go." Denzel said to Tifa who was sitting next to him on his bed.

"It'll be okay, Denzel. Didn't you wanna spend time with Cloud?" She said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"No! I don't. Not with him, or his new girlfriend. So tell him to go away."

Tifa didn't want to fight with Denzel on the issue. She wasn't going to force him. It might be good for he and Marlene to spend time apart anyway. Tifa stood."Alright," She said. "That's fine, we'll do something together today. Marlene is going with them."

She then walked out and back down the stairs where Cloud and Aerith waited. "He's not going with you." Tifa said sternly. "You're losing him, Cloud. Soon he probably won't talk to you. I think it was too soon for you to, no offense Aerith, bring her here."

"That's none of your business. She has a right to meet them." Cloud retorted.

"Well Denzel wasn't impressed with your actions. After he met her, he knew exactly what she was to you." Tifa said, narrowing her eyes.

"Tifa if we need to, we can do this another time." Aerith said.

"I'm ready!" Marlene said excitedly as she marched down the stairs.

"It's too late now, you guys go and have fun. But when you get back, Cloud, you need to talk to Denzel." Tifa said sternly while hugging Marlene goodbye.

"Alright." Cloud replied. "Let's go, Marlene." Cloud said, extending his hand to her.

Quickly Marlene planted a kiss on Tifa's cheek. "Bye Tifa!" She shouted with a smile before exiting with Cloud and Aerith.

As the door closed, Tifa grabbed her head and let out a loud sigh. "Why is he such an idiot?!" She said to herself. She was extremely angry that he hadn't called, and even more angry he brought Aerith in without even asking Tifa if it was okay. Her eyes began to sting with tears, but she hated to cry. She clenched her fists, trying to hold herself together, but she couldn't help it. They fell. She felt angry, confused, hurt and every other emotion there was to feel. "Why am I not good enough?" She whispered.

"Tifa?" Denzel whispered from beside her. Somehow, he managed to come down the stairs without her realizing. Tifa gasped and quickly wiped her tears away.

"Hey, Denzel." She said quietly as she looked over at him.

"I'm sorry he hurt you." Denzel said, wrapping his arms around her.

Tifa held him tightly, trying her best not to cry anymore in front of him. She didn't want to make Cloud seem bad in front of him, but she didn't have to. Cloud had done that plenty on his own, and Denzel saw straight through it. Marlene was always quick to forgive, and quick to love, so she couldn't see as easily. "Don't you worry about me, Denzel. Hey," She said, pulling away and looking down at him. "What do you want for breakfast? Pancakes?" She asked with a forced smile.

"Well, maybe... Maybe we could go out to breakfast?" Denzel asked with a small smile of his own.

"That's a great idea." Tifa beamed. She knew it would be nice to get out and have some one on one time with Denzel. "Go get ready, and we'll go." Tifa said, nudging him toward the stairs.

"Okay!" He said, turning and rushing up to ready.

Moments later, Yuffie barged in the front door with a wide smile. "Well hellooooo beautiful!" She chimed. Soon after Yuffie entered, Vincent followed, and lastly, Zack.

"Don't you people knock?" Tifa asked, a little embarrassed that Vincent and Zack were seeing her in her pajamas.

"Good morning to you too, Tifa." Vincent said quietly.

"Sorry, it's been a rough day so far. Good morning you three. What brings you by?" Tifa asked curiously.

"Yuffie said you were distressed. These two thought it would be a good idea to visit you." Zack said with a smile as he leaned against the wall near the door. His blue eyes wondered up and down Tifa discreetly. He admired the way she looked, no make up, hair a little out of place, and of course, very little clothing. To him, she was one fine woman, and for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why Cloud up and left such a masterpiece behind.

"Yeah, and since Cloud took the kids, we can all go out and do something!" Yuffie said with a smile, she was hoping for a double date of some sorts.

"Well, actually..." Tifa started. "Denzel didn't want to go. So he and I are going to breakfast, sorry guys."

"Yuffie?" Denzel asked as he reached the last step of the stairs.

"Hey buddy!" Yuffie exclaimed. Denzel quickly made his way to his ninja companion and hugged her.

"Hi Yuffie." Denzel said, letting her go. "Hi Vincent, who's that?" Denzel asked, pointing to Zack.

"Oh him? That's Zack, Denzel." Tifa replied with a small smile.

"The soldier?" Denzel asked, looking to Tifa. Zack quirked an eyebrow and stood up straight.

"That's the one." Tifa replied.

"No way! You're the one that did all that cool stuff and saved Cloud?" Denzel asked in excitement.

Zack was a little taken aback. "Well, I guess you've heard of me, huh?" Zack asked with a cunning smile. He then knelt down a but and extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Denzel."

Denzel took his hand and shook it with a smile. "Cloud always said you were a superhero." Denzel said with sparks in his eyes.

Tifa shook her head in awe. It was shocking to her that Denzel was so angry with Cloud, but he was taking so well to Zack. It was almost as if she was looking at a different boy.

"Well I don't know about that." Zack chuckled.

"Can they come to breakfast, Tifa?" Denzel asked excitedly.

"Well I'm not sure they'd want to.." Tifa started as she looked at her friends.

"I'm always down for food!" Yuffie chimed, she then turned to Vincent. "You're payin for me right?"

"When don't I?" Vincent said, almost annoyed.

"I'm pretty hungry." Zack said, looking at Tifa with a smile.

"I'll get dressed then." Tifa replied.