The years came and went like the warm sunny summers and the blustery cold winters.
The city of Edge began to resemble a civilized place of dwelling rather than a huge scrap yard.
Work was plenty, and commerce was bountiful. The new bar that Tifa and Cloud ran was more than successful. As time went, so did the word of Tifa's amazing bartending skills. Even Barret began to return more often than for visiting Marlene. He always enjoyed coming to have a drink and to talk about his mercenary monster hunting business and how well things were going for him. He would always bring hundreds of gil to help with any expenses for Marlene.
Reeves was another who showed up on a regular basis, always giving Tifa a sympathetic ear while listening to Marlene and Denzel talk about their school lessons and what they learned.
Cloud would always ask Reeves about any nefarious business taking place within the city when it came to Shinra. Reeves would always assure Cloud that Rufus had really cleaned up his act, and the Turks were busy with many charitable organizations. Cloud still had an involuntary twitch whenever he heard the name Shinra. Sometimes to Tifa's and Cloud's surprise, Reeves would be accompanied by Yuffie. Still possessive when it came to her materia, but she was busy back in Wutai with all kinds of happenings and other obligations.
Cid and Shera would also sometimes show up out of the blue. He still cursed like a sailor and drank like a fish. Shera would notice Tifa's annoyance when the kids were around and would ask Cid to watch his language. Cid would become flustered and would get up and say with his face multiple shades of red, "I'm steppin' outside to have a smoke..."
"He hasn't changed much has he?" Shera shrugged.
Vincent and Nanaki were the couple who made the least appearances. Maybe it was due to their nature, or they just enjoyed their solitude. They had both made it perfectly clear that if they were needed not to ever hesitate to let them know. Vincent and Nanaki shared the dreadful feelings of how it would feel to one day lose everyone they cared about due to their unaturally long lives. Both had spoken about this issue at length, but Tifa would still scold them because it was not an excuse to stay away for so long.
When things are good, time flies. Tifa and Cloud watched Marlene and Denzel grow from small children to adolescents. The time had finally come where Denzel would go with Cloud on his own bike and help with the delivery service. Marlene on the other hand would help Tifa in the bar once she turned 13 in the earlier part of the evening. Marlene was turning into a fine young lady.
Denzel got a bike a couple years earlier for his birthday and a first class soldier sword that Cloud had specifically obtained for him.
Denzel was eager to learn Cloud's sword techniques. He would ask and beg Cloud to train him. Cloud definitely had intended to do so, and do so he did. Denzel was hard on himself when he could not accomplish less than stellar training.
"You must not be so hard on yourself, you have to have confidence. That is one of the most important ingredients in being a successful swordsman!" Cloud would repeat.
"I want to be able to master the braver move like you"
"In time you will, just don't lose that determination"
"Yes Cloud!" Denzel would train long and hard with Cloud behind the bar in their fenced in area where they had plenty of space. Sometimes Tifa and Marlene would come out and watch. Tifa's heart would feel so warm and fuzzy. She and Cloud's relationship had become much better. Cloud would take Tifa on long rides out in the crags beneath the stars. Just the two of them, talking, remembering, and embracing each other, and kissing. Every year Tifa noticed Cloud was maturing more with every obstacle they overcame. The time had brought them closer together. One night while Tifa and Marlene were doing their own training, Tifa began to notice changes in her body. Tifa was shocked! The next day Tifa shared the news with the rest of the family.
"I have an announcement to make" Marlene was wiping down the bar while Cloud and Denzel were both rearranging the tables. Everyone looked attentively to Tifa.
"We are going to have a new member to our family" Tifa said with glee.
"Tifa!" Marlene stopped and ran to hug her.
"We are?! That's awesome!" Denzel said in amazement.
"What!?" Cloud's mouth dropped to the floor.
"Yes, I'm pregnant" Tifa confirmed.
"Um... that's good..." Cloud was a bit apprehensive at first
"I hope you have a boy so we can make us another first class soldier!" Denzel laughed.
"Well I hope it's girl, we could use another set of hands here at the bar" Marlene disagreed.
"It will be, whatever it will be kids" Tifa shook her head.
"Wow!" was all Cloud could say.
"Speechless?" Tifa smiled.
"Uh-huh! I would say so!" Marlene laughed.
"I-I just wasn't expecting... I mean..." Cloud couldn't think of the right words fast enough so he would just stop and wouldn't say anything.
"I'm just as surprised as you are" Tifa confessed.
"You are? I-I mean you are! Well, don't worry, well make room and prepare for our newest-
family member" Cloud said just a bit awkwardly trying hard to smile.
Tifa saw through him easily, but didn't care, this was the Cloud she knew and loved and this was just his way of expressing himself in situations like these. Even she wasn't quite sure how Cloud would react to such news.
"We got to tell the others! Have a party!" Marlene said festively.
"Yes, why not?" Denzel agreed.
"No, no, no, no... this is family business" Cloud immediately interjected.
"Yes, Cloud's right, let's keep this our secret until the time is right" Tifa agreed.
Both Denzel and Marlene reluctantly agreed. The time came and went like a windswept summer's day. As Marlene and Tifa sparred in the basement with the kick boxing equipment, the time came when Tifa could no longer spar with Marlene for obvious reasons. Tifa began to depend on Marlene more and more at the bar and would need Denzel to stay behind and help too. Marle decided she was going to come and stay and help Tifa once she confided that she was pregnant.
Marlene's birthday finally had come and she got the usual celebration with a cake and some new outfits. Later that night, Cloud went to her room upstairs and woke her up.
"What is it Cloud?" Marlene answered her door wearing her long pink pajama gown.
"I found another gift I want you to have" Cloud whispered showing her a long silverish metal pole that had engravings at both ends with an elegant handle in the middle.
"Wow! Where did you get this...? Marlene asked with surprise. All she had to do was look Cloud in the eyes.
"This belonged to Aerith didn't it?" Marlene instantly said as she took it in her hands feeling the cool sensation of the mythril silver and how lite it felt in her hand.
Cloud didn't answer but only smiled.
"Cloud, have you been going back to the church lately?"
"Once in a while, when I feel... I don't know how to explain it..."
"You still miss her don't you?" Marlene asked a bit sympathetic.
"Of course I do, but I love Tifa now and nothing will change that" Cloud said confidently.
"No, I'm not doubting how you feel about Tifa, it's just that I want to go to the church too. We all owe her so much and I feel safe there too"
"Well do you like it?" Cloud redirected her attention.
"Yes! But where did you find it?"
"I found it one day when I was at the church...praying. I was straightening the place up a little and it was there" Cloud shrugged.
"Could you train me how to use it?" Marlene asked seriously all the sudden.
"I'm not the best guy to teach you about staves, but I could try"
"She's watching over us" Marlene closed her eyes holding the rod. All the sudden the rod began to have a light pink glow all around it.
"Marlene?" Cloud reached out.
Marlene didn't respond, almost as if she went into a trance.
"Marlene?" Cloud whispered a bit louder.
"Oh sorry..." I must be tired.
"What just happened?" Cloud asked a bit surprsied.
"What do you mean? I must have dosed off, I'm going back to bed, but thanks for this"
Marlene quietly went back into her room leaving Cloud in the dimly lit hall.
Cloud thought about telling Tifa about what he saw, but decided against it.
The time finally came when they could not hide the fact Tifa was pregnant anymore. Marle stayed up the later hours of the bar and ran it while Tifa needed her rest.
"You can't" Tifa argued.
"I can, and I will, you know better than to argue with me" Marle explained.
The next day Barret showed up and could not believe his eyes.
"You dirty dog you!" Barret whispered to Cloud taking off his shades to wink.
"This calls for a celebration!" Barret said loudly for everyone to hear in the bar.
"Drinks on me for everyone, a toast to a new member of the family!" Barret shouted while Tifa was not really wanting to make a big deal of it.
The news spread fast over town. Reeves heard, and he quickly came, and not too long after he showed up, Rufus came with Reno, Rude, Tseng, Shotgun, Cisnae, and Elena in towe.
They each had gift boxes wrapped. Reno and Rude carried a much bigger box with a cribb.
"Oh thanks guys! You didn't have to!" Tifa exclaimed so humbled by all the outpouring of support.
"It is the least we can all do to support two of the heroes who saved the planet" Rufus said humbly.
"Well that's the nicest thing I've ever heard a Shinra goon say!" Marle exclaimed drawing a mixed reaction from everyone.
"It's very much appreciated Rufus" Tifa assured.
The gifts were stacked in an entire corner of the bar. The outpouring of support was surprising and overwhelming at the same time, but it was appreciated. Although Tifa and Cloud were business owners, they weren't rich.
A couple months later that fall, Tifa gave birth to a baby girl. Marle was very protective over Tifa and the baby. Cloud thanked Marle multiple times for her support.
"You just remember to be a good father and husband to Tifa" Marle would remind him.
Denzel and Marlene had always called Marle grandma.
"I think I will name her...Aerith" Tifa decided a day later while holding her in bed.
Marle ended up staying with them longer than she had planned, but it was ok.
This was the help Tifa needed. Cloud appreciated her very much too. She was witty and wise. Denzel continued to help around the bar and with Cloud. Marlene seemed to become slightly a bit more withdrawn. She practiced a lot with that silver rod spinning and twirling it and holding it up in a defensive position. The moves came naturally to her.
Two more years went by, Marlene was now 17 and Denzel was 19. Denzel and Marlene had decided they would talk Cloud into staying at the bar with Tifa and Marle and help take care of baby Aerith while they did Cloud's deliveries.
"Are you sure you can do this yourselves?" Cloud asked a bit unsure Denzel and Marlene would be ok.
"After what you have taught me, I think I can defend myself and protect Marlene"
"I can protect myself" Marlene pointed out.
Cloud observed his two children he helped raise now all grown up. Marlene wore green skirt that came to her knees with a pink pullover. She was almost as tall as Tifa.
She wore her hair in two braided pigtails.
Denzel had actually become slightly taller than Cloud and had filled in just as Cloud had at that age. He wore a lite blue shirt and pair of black slacks. Cloud could not believe these kids had now become these people standing in front of him.
Cloud had grown a lite beard and his skin looked a bit more red from being in the sun working. He was now 33 years old.
"Ok, it's a dangerous world still, be careful and always vigilant"
Cloud advised and nodded. Then they both finished loading up a truck and disappeared down the road into the traffic.