Chapter Five

Every nerve ending screamed in agony with the movement of her head as Tifa turned to see Marlene standing very still with the guy who kicked her ass looming over her. Why was she just standing there?

A muffled scream passed her lips as he bent over and lifter her towards him by her leather vest. Hopefully he would end it soon so she wouldn't have to see his big dumb smile at his victory over her.

A thunk sounded as a small glowing ball fell to the grass after making contact with the guy's skull and he dropped her to the ground as if she were no threat at all. In all actuality she probably wasn't anymore and as he turned his back, she begged for the strength to end his smug existence before he got anywhere near her little girl.

Small whimpers escaped with each shift of her body as she tried moving towards the two figures in the distance, her vision blurring from the motion. The electricity was doing a number on her, short circuiting her body with it trapped inside of her like a deadly version of ping pong killing her nervous system.

The pain was too much to bear; her form could move no more. Before she let it claim her, she forced all of the air out of her lungs.

"Marlene, run!"

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Clunking black boots made contact with what was left of the hardwood floor before gaining speed until they were muffled from the grass of the garden. Strong hands and firm arms lifted her body resting partially against him. The pain brought her to, the termers of burning agony igniting to try and destroy her from the inside out. She couldn't let that happen, not until she opened her eyes…

"Tifa!"

Tifa blinked half heartedly and then opened her eyes all the way to take in the anxious face of her best friend. Cloud's voice was urgent and threaded with worry as he held her broken body close, protecting her from the outside world away from everything but this.

"You're late."

Even with her last breath, there was no way she'd ever be able to pass up poking Cloud's ego. He ignored her jibe and looked deep into her eyes for his request to be taken seriously.

"Who did this?"

Always need to find the enemy first, she thought slyly and would have laughed if her lungs didn't feel as if they were clogged and would never clear to allow her to speak. A few coughs made it able for her to speak hoarsely.

"He…didn't say."

It was so hard to breathe in and out, feeling as if sand filled her lungs each time she tried. Tifa saw him for the last time, that was all she could ever hope for but just before she was willing to let her body uncoil, a memory made her snap forward.

"Marlene?"

Did she get out okay? Where was she? Who WAS that guy who attacked her? Did he take Marlene with him? Did the little girl even have a chance to run?

The questions swam through her head as her body rejected being forced to sit up and retaliated by giving out on her completely, the feel of Cloud's arms catching her body the last lucid thought Tifa had and his curse making her smile before closing her eyes for what felt to be the last time.

"Damn!"

Cloud held the fallen woman in his arms, cradling her carefully. Tifa looked so fragile and defeated, her chest barely rising with the faint breaths she still took. He was thankful for that at least but this small hope was diminished with the thoughts of trying to live on without her looming over them like a storm cloud.

Could he do it? Could he really live without her?

She hadn't been in his life so to speak for the last two years besides as a recording on his voicemail every day, asking him if he was okay. He lived for those messages and every time he heard her ask, he felt that yes, he was okay, just because she still cared enough to ask.

Reality crashed in and he couldn't hold it anymore, almost falling atop her in his grief. He had to get her out of here; he needed to bring her somewhere safe. He couldn't save his other friends but he could save her. She meant so much to him.

With no strength to stand, rational ideas ran through his head but his body would not obey. With a blinding light, he didn't have a choice as he found himself lying in the grass beside his beloved with a sense of calm claiming him in a blanket of warmth and sleep.

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Aerith stood in her whisping spirit form watching her friends sleep. Cloud loved Tifa so much it was hard to think of what he would do if she died. She couldn't deny it, Tifa was dying, her heart unable to sustain this physical form any longer.

Aerith had died once and she had been freed; Tifa didn't deserve to die like this, in the flower maiden's small church among the wreckage of something once so beautiful it hurt to look at and for no reason at all. Cloud didn't deserve to watch his soul mate grow cold and lifeless among flowers, mocking in their joyful hues.

A gentle push was all that was needed to send Tifa's spirit soaring towards the Promised Land and sensing the loss, her body sucked Aerith in like a breath of fresh air.

It would be her last.