Hello, it's Adolis. I just wanted to apologize to everyone who has been waiting on a new chapter. I've been unbelievably busy the past few weeks, but I'm just about dome with chapter 18 and will post it shortly. I will likely have trouble posting regularly until after graduation, which is May 30th where I live, and I wanted to let you guys know. I want to thank everyone who has been keeping up with my story thus far and I hope that you continue to enjoy After Advent whenever I have time to post. Thank you, and I apologize for unwittingly creating suspense.

Adolis

Orphan

The next morning, Tifa, Cloud, and Zell woke to an overhead announcement that the ship had docked and was in the process of getting people who had a stop at the small island off the boat. Tifa sat up and stretched her back, and the resounding crackle of vertebra popping into place made Cloud need to stretch, although his back was much quieter than Tifa's.

Tifa lowered her arms, "You ready to go?" she asked.

"Yeah," Cloud checked on Zell, then got out of bed and grabbed his day clothes before heading to the bathroom.

Tifa stood and looked at the sleeping baby she would have to give up today and almost cried. This wasn't right! Why of all people, did Zell have to be in the care of someone who couldn't take care of him? Cloud was right, of course. Fighting and wars would continue until people got used to their new world and others stopped trying to usurp power. As soon as the last coup was over and done with though, Tifa would come back and adopt Zell if someone hadn't taken him already. He was such a sweet and cute child, however, that Tifa knew he would be gone by then. Tifa finished getting dressed and picked Zell up, then went over to the bathroom door and knocked.

"I'm done."

Cloud stepped out and pulled Tifa close to him as soon as he saw her face, "I'm sorry, Tifa. I'm sorry I can't make sure Zell stays safe."

"No," Tifa replied in a safe monotone, "It's not any more your fault than mine. We're too…involved in our own time to even think of taking care of a baby. When the world is in trouble, we're always the first ones to know and we're always expected to take action. People depend on us too much already, I can't imagine being able to have m-," Tifa cut herself off abruptly, "a baby."

Cloud was silent. He didn't want to imagine how that realization hurt Tifa. Unsure of what to do, Cloud simply rubbed her back. Between them, Zell woke slightly and snuggled into the pocket of warmth that Cloud and Tifa made.

What a sweet picture. Just as long as you take out the context, that is.

Tifa backed out of Cloud's embrace, "We should go."

Cloud nodded, a bit hurt, "Right."

The pair gathered their things quietly and left the room.

As they were leaving the boat, Tifa noticed a child sitting on a chair, apparently waiting to get off the ship. A bit younger than Marlene, her feet dangled several inches off of the floor. She had dark brown hair cut short at her neck and dark brown eyes and the girl was cradling a small baby wrapped loosely in a blanket. Curious, Zell leaned over and tried to pull the blanket away, but Tifa held him back and the girl shimmied to the edge of her chair.

Tifa reached a hand out to the girl, "Where are your parents? You shouldn't get off without them."

The girl looked at Tifa sad brown eyes, "My parents died when I was little and Raine died when she had Squall and Unca Laguna stayed behind to help people in Esthar and Winhill isn't safe."

Tifa blinked in shock. This girl's story reminded Tifa of her own early life. And wasn't Esthar on the Galbadia continent? The Sorceress' War was still going? When the war against Sephiroth had started, several other wars had broken out on nearly every continent on Gaia, and casualties were everywhere and in every form, "So you're going to Edea's orphanage, too?"

"Yeah."

Zell reached across and tried once again to pull the blanket off of who Tifa assumed was Squall, but the girl turned and flipped Zell's hand away. Tifa passed Zell to Cloud and Zell started screaming. He reached over and tried to get Tifa to hold him again.

"Zell!" Tifa cried as Cloud smacked a hand over the six-month-old's mouth. The girl giggled.

"What's your name?" Tifa asked as Cloud stood and worked on silencing Zell.

The overhead above crackled and a voice rang across the deck announcing that vehicles were available for pickup and that any passengers who needed to get off should do so now. Cloud handed Zell back to Tifa and left to get Fenrir. Zell quieted immediately and tried once again to get Squall's blanket. Tifa stood.

The girl looked at Tifa after the announcement faded, "I'm Ellone, and this is Squall."

"It's nice to meet you, Ellone. I'm Tifa, and this is Zell. The one with the spikey hair is Cloud."

Ellone hopped off of the chair and stood somewhat close to Tifa as she started toward the exit.

"Did you take care of Squall the whole way down here?" Tifa asked while they walked.

"No. Someone was always helping me, but they said that I could ride the boat and take care of him all by myself."

Zell started crying and bouncing in Tifa's arms. Tifa sighed, "Can we see Squall, Ellone?"

Ellone nodded and widened the hole around Squall's head. Much to Tifa's surprise, Squall was wide awake, despite his total silence. The tiny boy had deep blue-gray eyes and a shock of fuzzy, nearly black hair. He stared up at Ellone, then looked around and drank in his surroundings.

"How old is he?"

"He's about a month old."

Tifa smiled. As sad as the situation was, Tifa couldn't help but love the orphans a little bit.

Once the small group got off the boat (Cloud, Tifa, Ellone, and the babies were the only ones getting off), Cloud stood next to Fenrir and looked at Tifa. He glanced at Ellone.

Tifa understood and turned to the girl, "Would you like to ride with us? There's enough room for you and Squall if you make sure to hold on tight to Cloud. I'll sit behind you so you won't have to worry about falling off."

Ellone shook her head, "No, thank you. I want to walk."

"Do you want us to walk with you?" Tifa asked, "There are monsters on this island and you can't protect yourself and Squall at the same time."

"Okay."

The group of five started toward Edea's house. Cloud and Tifa made sure to steer clear of the spot where Temple of the Ancients used to stand. They eventually came out of the forest to find an ornate group of buildings made out of white stone. The front entrance was made of two buildings on either side and a main house at the back. Climbing ivy had recently been planted around the pillars supporting the side buildings and reached up about a foot in some areas. It all felt very peaceful. A child poked her head out from behind a hiding spot and ran inside, calling for the Matron. A young woman emerged a moment later with a small clutch of children following her. She walked up to Cloud and Tifa and smiled.

"You must be Cloud and Tifa. Is this Zell?" she asked, playing with the boy's hands.

Tifa nodded, "Yes, that's us. You'll be sure to take good care of him?"

"Of course," Edea said with a smile. She knealt down to Ellone's level, "And you must be Ellone and Squall. I'm very glad to meet you."

Ellone nodded silently. Tifa saw that Ellone was trying her best not to cry.

"I'd be happy to show you around, if you'd like," Edea offered.

Cloud nodded, "Sure. Coming, Tifa?"

"Yes. Do you want to look around with us, Ellone?"

"No, thank you. I'm sleepy."

Edea nodded, "Alright, sweetheart, let me show you to the bedrooms. Would you like to stay with your brother?"

Ellone opened her mouth, about to say that Squall wasn't her brother, then closed her mouth and nodded, "I want to stay with my brother."

"Okay," Edea turned and looked at the group of children who had been listening, "Well, go on now," she said, shooing the kids away, "Ellone needs to rest up before you all pounce on her," the children giggled and ran off to play somewhere. Likely by the ocean; Cloud could smell it from here and it gave the air a crisp, clean feel.

Cloud, Tifa, and Ellone followed Edea through the house. Some parts of it reminded Cloud of Modeoheim. Specifically of Modeoheim's bathhouse, except for the fact that it was much warmer here. No way would Cloud ever choose to live in a place as cold as Modeoheim.

Colder than a witch's tit up there…

Cloud paused, then snickered that the saying had popped into his head. As true as it was, it was still a funny idiom. Tifa glanced at him. He waved his hand, "Nothing."

It doesn't apply to you.

Cloud clapped a hand to his mouth to stifle laughter, and luckily succeeded, although Tifa glanced at him again with a raised eyebrow. Cloud cleared his throat and looked around at the rooms.

"Alright, here we are, Ellone," Edea said upon entering a small room with a set of bunk beds and a pair of cribs, "You can have either of the bunks. This room isn't being used at the moment."

For the first time since Tifa met her, Ellone smiled a bit, "Okay," she climbed onto the bottom bunk, laid Squall down next to her, and removed his blanket, revealing a cute little onesie with a cartoon lion sewn onto it (the onesie was too big for him) and booties. Squall stretched his skinny little arms above his head and kicked his feet, apparently enjoying not being wrapped. Then he made one of those cute 'new baby' sounds and relaxed, limbs splayed. Zell stared at the tiny baby on the bed, then once again tried to grab his blanket, although Tifa was too far away for Zell to even get close. Zell whined in frustration as Squall fell asleep on the blanket next to Ellone. Ellone yawned and got under the blanket of the bed, then moved Squall up next to her head and looked at the adults.

Edea nodded, then took Cloud and Tifa from the room and guided them around the rest of the orphanage. Cloud couldn't help but notice that Tifa was wanting a very long and detailed tour and had not offered to let Edea hold Zell even once.

"Well, that's everything," Edea finished once they got back to the entrance. The group had walked through every room that wasn't a child's or Edea's bedroom and had stopped to look at anything interesting.

Tifa blinked in surprise, then nodded, "You have a lovely home, Edea."

Edea smiled, "Thank you."

Tifa hesitated, and Cloud excused himself and Tifa for a moment. Edea assured that she didn't mind and left the room.

"You know we can't stay here. Reeve needs us back as soon as possible."

Tifa nodded, "I know…but Zell is…"

"I know. It's tough on me, too. But it's better for him here. He's a great kid. Someone will adopt him and take just as good care of him as you have."

"…As we have," Tifa corrected.

"Y-yeah, I suppose…" Cloud's face pinkened, "But that doesn't change the fact that we need to give him up."

"I," Tifa's voice came out weak and she cleared her throat, "I know."

"Come on," Cloud took Tifa back to Edea.

Tifa looked at Zell, "You be good, now. Don't bother Squall too much, that's his blanket, not yours," she kissed him on the forehead and gave the baby to Edea.

"Hey, there, honey," Edea smiled at the boy, but Zell leaned away out of Edea's arms toward Tifa and started whining.

"Mama…"

Tifa's breath caught. So he did call her 'Mama' at Reeve's safe house.

"Buh bye, Zell. Be good for Ms. Edea, okay?" Tifa turned and stiffly started walking away.

Cloud rubbed Zell's head, and Zell reached towards him and blew bubbles, "Dddddddd…"

"Sorry, Zell. You're safe here, and you'll have lots of fun," Cloud patted the boy's head and turned to leave. Cloud rounded the corner and met Tifa. Her eyes were lackluster and her face was blank. She silently faced him and took a light hold on his hand, then started walking towards Fenrir.

Behind them, they could hear Zell start to throw a fit.

Tada! Is a long chapter a good apology for tardiness? So sorry for the wait, but among the things I listed at the top of the chapter, I have lost my memory stick, which had not only this story (Thank goodness I had it published here, or every chapter past 5 would be lost forever) but all of my other little stories I have been working on. Thank you for reading and hope with me to find a Memory stick the size of a button!