New chapter everyone!

And... wait for it... I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters for they belong to SquarEnix and Tetsuya Nomura. Enjoy reading! :D

The sun began to rise over the quiet streets of Edge. And as the rays slowly crawled into a window above the Seventh Heaven Bar, they danced along the smooth ivory skin of a young woman. Tifa Lockheart began to stretch and yawn, waking up and welcoming the new day. But she knew this was the day that she and her secret love, Cloud Strife would go to the church to seek help from their friend, Aerith Gainsborough, who was taken innocently from the world. Though Tifa was wide awake, she was still slightly tired. She tossed and turned throughout the night because of the dream she had the night before.

Tifa gently sat up on her bed and looked around. She suddenly gasped and covered her mouth with a hand as she looked to her right. There, sitting in a chair which she often uses when she reads a book, was her childhood friend, Cloud, sound asleep. She looked at him for a moment and quietly giggled at how he was positioned on the chair. His head hung low as his blonde hair covered his handsome face. His strong arms were folded over his broad chest, his legs stretched out and his ankles, crossed. Cloud was dressed only in a pair of long, black cotton pajama bottoms.

She suddenly felt her cheeks heat up slightly as she had never seen Cloud without a shirt on. She caught herself looking at his naked upper torso and marveled at how defined his muscles were. She even saw the cut in the middle of his chest where Sephiroth stabbed him. She frowned at the memory, but then smiled when she was saved by Cloud after she herself was slashed by Sephiroth's blade.

'I would've died in that reactor, if it wasn't for him.' Tifa thought to herself.

Suddenly, Tifa was pulled out of her thoughts when she saw Cloud turning slightly to the right, still asleep. She continued to gaze at his face for a minute and saw that he had only that small scar above his left eye where he was shot by one of the Remnants. Then she looked at his lips. How she longed to feel them on hers and over her whole body. She wanted to tell Cloud how she felt for him and how much she loves him with all her heart.

"But he loves Aerith…" she sadly whispered to herself.

She knew that Cloud's love for Aerith was a profound one. There was no way that she could compete with the beautiful Ancient. While on the trek to destroy Sephiroth, she sometimes caught the couple talking amongst themselves. She would see how they would smile and laugh with each other. It hurt her deeply, every time she saw them together but she would put on a smiling face, setting her feelings aside. But when they turned in for the night, she would silently cry herself to sleep.

If Tifa kept on thinking about Cloud and Aerith, she would get upset and that's something that she nor Cloud needed right now. So she wiped away a tear that fell from her eye, quietly got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. She had to get ready to see Aerith and to find out what her dream means. She wanted to know how she and Cloud fit into this whole thing and the two mysterious people along with Hojo and his dangerous companion. Tifa was very nervous about this, but she and Cloud agreed that this had to be done.

Before slipping into the bathroom, she looked back at the sleeping man in the chair. Tifa quietly said, "I love you, Cloud and I'll always be with you no matter what happens."

oOoOoOo

A few minutes later, Cloud woke up to the sound of the shower in Tifa's bathroom. He looked around the room for a moment, then realized that he was in Tifa's room. At first, he felt awkward but then remembered why he was here in the first place. He heard her scream in her sleep last night and his mind began to drift off at what happened during that time.

He first thought that someone broke in and was trying to hurt Tifa. He jumped from his bed, bolted through his door and almost broke her door down. But after listening to what she was saying, he carefully opened her door and saw that no one was around. He immediately calmed down but as soon as he saw Tifa tossing and turning and breathing erratically, he became worried.

Cloud kept on hearing Tifa saying mumbled words. The only ones he could make out were, "Watch out!", "No!", "Stop!", and even heard his name a few times. He moved over towards her bed, sat down next to her and took hold of her hand. At that moment, Tifa relaxed and her breathing returned to normal.

He continued to gaze at Tifa's form as she slept, peacefully. Her hair, her eyes, her body… everything that was Tifa was incredibly beautiful to Cloud. He smiled at her. Every time she smiled at him, laughed with him or at him, scolded him and fought alongside him, he loved her more and more. There was nothing that he couldn't love her for. She helped him regain his memories, helped him fight Sephiroth twice and forgave him for leaving when he had Geostigma. But he still felt that he wasn't good enough for her. He didn't deserve her love after all the things that happened to her and he wasn't there to save her. A frown appeared on Cloud's face as he remembered all those horrible events; her fall from the bridge near the reactor when she tried to go up Mt. Nibel to see her dead mother, Sephiroth almost killing her in the Nibelheim reactor and the attack from one of the Remnants in Aerith's church.

He snapped himself out of his thoughts as he couldn't take the pain any longer. He was here for her now and determined to find out what this dream had to do with himself and Tifa. But Cloud also wondered if there was any chance that he could tell her how much he loves her and wants to give her his whole heart and soul. No one ever had such a strong hold on him than Tifa. Not even Aerith.

"Tifa, I love you more than anything this world can offer. I promise that I will never let anything happen to you again even if it costs me my very life. I will not let anyone lay a hand on you." Cloud said quietly as he made a new vow to her.

He got up and made his way back to his room to get ready to head to the church. Little did he know was that he had no top on and he suddenly blushed as he thought of how Tifa may have reacted to seeing him like that. He then shook his head and laughed a bit as he closed the door of her room behind him.

After Tifa got out of the shower and dressed, she headed downstairs to the bar to make breakfast for her and Cloud. She thought that maybe they should eat something before they head out to the church. Not even a minute later, Cloud came down and saw Tifa making some bacon, eggs and some waffles.

Cloud went to sit on one of the barstools as Tifa continued to make breakfast. "Morning, Tif," he said with a small yawn.

Tifa looked behind her and laughed as she caught Cloud yawning. "Good morning to you too, sleepy head."

Cloud smiled at her humorous gesture. "How did you sleep?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Not good," Tifa replied, as she put some eggs, bacon and two waffles on his plate. She knew where he was getting at as she looked at him.

"I see," Cloud said as he was thinking through about what to say next.

"Cloud, why did you come into my room last night?" Tifa asked, innocently.

At first, Cloud blushed a tiny bit from her sudden question but then calmly replied, "I heard you scream in your sleep last night and I was worried what was happening to you. You were tossing around a little so I took your hand and you immediately calmed down. I stayed a little while after and I guess I got too tired and fell asleep in your reading chair."

Cloud slightly blushed again and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck as he confessed to holding her hand. Tifa looked at him genuinely and reached over to take his hand and said, "Thank you, Cloud for watching over me."

He then looked back at her and smiled. When breakfast was finished and the bar was clean and locked up, they hopped on Fenrir and headed off to the church. Once they were at the front of the church, Cloud noticed that Tifa was a bit uneasy."You look nervous, Tif. Are you okay?" Cloud asked with concern.

Tifa looked at him with a slightly worried look, "I am, but just a little. I don't know what to expect when I tell Aerith about my dream. What if she thinks I'm crazy?"

Cloud laughed and said, "Tifa, she won't think your crazy," then he became serious. "But this isn't something we should just brush off, as if nothing happened. We need to know more about this dream and how it involves us."

Tifa faintly blushed at how Cloud referred to herself and him as "we" and "us".

She took a deep breath and said, "Okay, lets go and talk to her."

Cloud reached his hand out to Tifa and she looked at him curiously, "Just to make you feel a little more comfortable." he said as he answered her silent question.

It was a bold move, but he wanted to let her know that everything was okay and that he was right there with her. Tifa smiled back at him and took his hand. She had to admit though, it took off some of the edginess and made her feel a little bit better.

Cloud opened the doors and Tifa gasped at how beautiful the church still remained. As they walked closer she saw that the healing water was still there and noticed more flowers growing along the sides near the floorboards. When Cloud and Tifa got to the base of the pool she noticed that Zack's Buster Sword was stuck in a piece of a fallen pillar on the other side of the pool. The last time she saw it, it was sitting on a cliff where Cloud set it, rusted and worn; but now, here it was newly repaired and polished as it gleamed in the sunlight and hit the water below giving it a crystal-like appearance.

"I cleaned up his sword and brought it here so that Zack and Aerith can be together always this way. I did it the day after all the children were healed from the stigma." Cloud said as he looked at Tifa

She bowed her head slightly, closed her eyes and smiled as she began to weep for their lost friends. Cloud noticed her tears and immediately pulled her to him in a comforting embrace. They stayed like that for a moment.

'What I wouldn't give to hold her like this forever.' Cloud said to himself.

Sadly, Cloud had to break the embrace as he wanted to know more information about Tifa's dream.

"Did I interrupt something?" Aerith said as she smiled seeing Cloud and Tifa slightly jumping away from her sudden appearance but not breaking their hand lock.

"Aerith! Don't scare us like that!" Tifa said as she and Cloud fought to get their breathing under control.

Aerith giggled at their surprised faces, then said, "I know why the both of you came. I was the one that sent the dream to Tifa. It's very much real. This world and another are in grave danger."

Both Cloud and Tifa focused in as Aerith began explaining the dream.

"This other world has an element that is being sought out by two men that came from this world. Cloud, you know one of them as he did experiments on you and Zack many years ago." Aerith saw his face turn sour.

"Hojo," Cloud gritted his teeth. Tifa gently squeezed his hand to calm him and he did as he looked at her. "Go on, Aerith."

"The second guy you're looking for is named Genesis," Zack said as he appeared next to Aerith.

"Zack!" Cloud said, surprised. It had really been a long time.

Zack laughed, "How's it going, Spiky?"

"Must you always call me that?" he said as he looked at Zack with annoyance.

"Ah, but it's a perfect nickname for you," said Zack as he laughed again. His grin curled into a frown when Aerith nudged him in the side.

"Can we get back to what we're trying to tell them?" Aerith said in a slightly irritated tone.

Zack shrugged. "Those two crazies are looking for some crystal thingy," said Zack as he waved one of his hands in the air, clearly not knowing what it is.

"A crystal?" Tifa said, curiously

Aerith shook her head at Zack and sighed, "A crystal that's a gateway between life and death. The Goddess, Etro is the holder of that gate and bestows powers to those who become protectors of it. Those that are given that power claims that they can see 'the Light',"

Both Cloud and Tifa were equally astonished at how this Goddess could give such powers to anyone of her choosing.

"But," Aerith continued, "The only such people that can get these powers is if one has had a near-death experience. There are two such beings in the other world that possess such powers. One of them is the guardian of the last remaining crystal there. The other was once trying to take it as their own but has now taken on the responsibility of guarding it from others in political terms."

"So what are these people like?" Cloud asked.

"Well," Zack intervened, "One of them is a Prince of his realm. The other is one hot, Princess, from her own place. They're in two separate kingdoms and after warring with each other for a while for possession of the crystal, they came to terms with each other with a truce."

Aerith's face was slightly red after what Zack had said about the Princess. She wanted to slap him right in the face but then opted out of it after he explained that they were at war with each other at one point.

Tifa was taken by surprise at how much Aerith knows about these other people. "How do you know about all of this and what part do Cloud and I play in this as well?"

Cloud looked over at Tifa, then back to Aerith and Zack, "There's got to be something behind all of this. What does Hojo and this Genesis guy want with the crystal?"

"To have the powers of Etro," Aerith said, bluntly. "And they have already seized control of a neighboring army and took control of one of the crystal guardians' Kingdom. She fled, with some others still loyal to her, last night to the Prince's Kingdom through underground tunnels."

Tifa gasped, "Did she make it out?"

Aerith smiled, "Thankfully, yes. She did. Two of the Prince's guards and a friend of his, accompanied her and blew up the tunnel before Genesis and the Army could reach her. He wanted her captured alive as he wanted to use her to fight the Prince and his kingdom once again."

Cloud and Tifa let out a sigh of relief.

"Your part though," Aerith said, "is to go to their world and help them fight Genesis and his Army and protect the crystal. The Prince and Princess have been told of your coming. Etro came to me herself and asked if I knew anyone who could aid them. I told her about the both of you and about how you helped save this world many times over. She gladly approved that you two are more than capable to help fight against this threat. Etro showed me what could possibly happen and that's why I sent it to Tifa in a dream."

Tifa smiled and felt proud of herself, while Cloud felt his confidence and pride rise a bit.

Aerith beamed back at them, "I know both of you are strong enough to overcome this together. You must leave as soon as possible. Come back here when your ready."

After everything was told to Cloud and Tifa, Aerith and Zack bid their farewells and disappeared.

"How are we going to tell the others?" Tifa asked as she looked over to Cloud after a short silence.

Cloud looked back at Tifa and replied, "Well, just tell them we're going on a trip for a while and we need to have someone tend the bar, make the deliveries and clean the place."

Once they got back home, they both began going through who would be best to keep their home in one piece and not from becoming nothing but rubble. Cid was out of the question as he smokes and drinks too much. Yuffie would scare the customers away with her hyperactive state. Vincent is too quiet and looks scary as hell. Red XIII really can't do anything since... well, instead of hands for working and cleaning, he's got paws. Cait Sith was a clumsy, incapable robot. Reeve was busy with the WRO so that left only one option. Rufus and his Turks.

"Are you sure you want them to watch our home?" Cloud asked, with a slight annoyance on his face.

Tifa looked back at him, reflecting the same expression, "We have no choice, Cloud. They're the only ones capable of doing it. Plus Elena, Tseng and Rude are well mannered and can keep Reno in line. Rufus doesn't have to be there."

"Alright. But I still don't trust them." Cloud said as he helped Tifa make dinner.

After they finished eating, they gathered up some clothing, money and their best mastered materia and headed back to the church. Aerith and Zack were already waiting outside as they saw them approach on Fenrir.

"Ready to go?" Aerith said, smiling.

Both Cloud and Tifa nodded.

"Good luck you two and hurry back." said Zack, encouragingly.

As the portal opened, Cloud looked behind to Tifa, "Don't worry. We'll see them all again," Tifa looked at Cloud and smiled. "Hold on tight to me. We're going in."

Cloud and Tifa disappeared through the portal, on their way to save another world.

"I hope they'll be alright." said Zack, with a concerned look.

Aerith looked over at him and smiled, "They will and maybe they'll come back as something more."

"Huh? What do you mean 'something more'?" Zack said, confused.

Aerith giggled as she said, "You'll see."