A Father's First Spring

by Tallulah876theremake

After Cloud and Tifa's child is born, Cloud adjusts to life as a father of an infant. During their first spring together, Cloud bonds with his daughter in his own way and struggles to move past the trauma of the difficult birth that brought her into their lives. CW: pregnancy, childbirth, traumatic childbirth

5. The Night Before Summer

By the time Cloud arrived back home, it was getting to be lunchtime. He had borrowed Barret's truck to run errands, and it made for a rumbling ride that conked Thea out the moment the tires hit the pavement. But as soon as he got her out of the car seat, she began to fuss, still half asleep but angry.

Denzel spared a quick glance at the ticking time bomb in Cloud's arms and dashed up the stairs that led from the garage to the house. Likely, headed up to hide in his room before the chaos began.

"Have fun with that!" he quipped, before disappearing.

Cloud followed behind more slowly, trying to rock Thea with one arm and carry the single, bright bloom he had cut in his free hand without crushing it.

Barret waited for him just inside. He held out his arms for Thea while Cloud kicked off his shoes and fished for a vase in the high cabinets that lined the walls. As soon as Thea was passed over, she started to wail, but Barret just bounced her a bit, unbothered.

"I'll give her a bottle," Barret offered before cooing down at the cranky infant. "Look at you. You just want some Uncle Barret time, huh? We'll take it while we can. God knows I won't get a chance to hold you once the others get here."

Cloud placed his shoes on the rack. The girls' shoes were already there, he noticed.

"They back?" he asked.

Barret nodded.

"They're all upstairs," he said. "Yuffie and Marlene are having a fashion show. I'm not invited."

"Devastating."

"Uh huh. Tifa's up in the bedroom. You should go see her." Barret smiled a bit mysteriously, but did not elaborate. "I'll keep an eye on little miss fussy."

"Thanks. Can you take this too? You know where Tifa usually puts it."

Cloud passed over the vase and Barret accepted it with his mechanical hand, taking particular care. A soft look crossed over his face as he examined the flower. He held it just as tenderly as the baby girl in his arms.

Barret then left the laundry room, mumbling to Thea, who was now full on screaming at him. Cloud was not worried. Thea would take a bottle from anybody except for Tifa these days, and nothing made her happier than food. She would be calm again in no time.

As Barret said, the living room was empty. Denzel, as Cloud predicted, seemed to have retreated to his room. Presumably, Yuffie and Marlene were in Marlene's room, doing who knows what. Cloud headed to his and Tifa's bedroom. The door was closed.

"Hey Tifa. It's me," he called softly.

"Oh, Cloud good. You're back." Tifa's voice sounded distant, as though coming from the far end of the room. "Come in, I need your help with something."

Cloud pushed the door open and entered the bedroom. Tifa's back was facing him.

At first, all he processed was bare skin. Smooth with lean muscles. The sharp cut of her shoulder blades and the line of her spine. Just visible were the soft dimpled indentations on her lower back, peeking out from between unzippered fabric.

"Zip me up?" Tifa asked.

Transfixed, he moved toward her, hands reaching before he was even close enough to touch. He cupped one hand around Tifa's hip. Some distant corner of his mind registered the delicate material beneath his hand. With a single fingertip, he lightly traced along her spine until the opening of the dress caught his finger.

He gripped the zipper and as he pulled it up, he pressed his lips against the base of Tifa's neck and moved down, fully intending for his mouth and his fingers to meet in the middle.

"Cloud," Tifa said.

The word was said in a chiding tone, but Cloud smiled at the catch in her voice and the way she shivered beneath his touch. He heeded the half-hearted scolding and pulled his lips away from her skin. He finished zipping her up then released her. Tifa spun to face him.

"What do you think?"

As she turned, the floaty bluish-purple fabric of the dress swished. It was a color Tifa rarely wore, but Cloud had always loved on her. The skirt was slitted, briefly revealing one shapely leg before the long skirt settled into place.

It was a beautiful dress, and especially beautiful on Tifa. Cloud opened his mouth to say so. But as his eyes traveled up, his jaw snapped shut.

When Cloud entered the room, he had accepted the unobstructed view of Tifa's back without question, entirely focused on seeing, then touching. He had not stopped to think about why the heavy fall of Tifa's hair had not been in the way. But as his eyes reached the graceful line of Tifa's collarbone, he did a doubletake, forgetting the dress entirely.

Tifa had cut her hair.

Her bangs were a bit more prominent than they had been before, framing her face. The longest layer of her hair now just barely brushed below her shoulders.

"Do you like it?" she asked nervously.

Cloud reached out a hand, letting the bottom of her strands tickle against his palm. It had been too long to ever do that before. He sunk his fingers into her hair. It was something he often did, when he kissed her or they made love, but usually his hands got tangled. Now, he could run his hand all the way through, the strands silky as they slipped past his fingers.

"It's more practical," Tifa said. "Especially now that Thea's so grabby."

"Practical," Cloud agreed, sinking a hand back into her hair.

"Do you like it?" Tifa asked again.

She sounded a bit breathless.

"I like it," Cloud said.

He wrapped her hair lightly around one hand. It was so light compared to the heavy weight of before. So easy to lift it in his hand.

"Cloud, the idea is that my hair will get pulled less like this," Tifa teased.

"We'll see about that," he mumbled.

Though Cloud did not tug hard, Tifa's head titled back with the motion of his hand, her face angling up towards him. He leaned in, and Tifa smiled as he pulled her face close to his. At the same time, his other hand wandered, tracing just above the neckline of her dress.

"Stop being so touch-y," Tifa whispered against his lips.

"Stop being so touchable," he countered.

His words made her smile, and he grinned back, pulling lightly against her hair. His other hand moved on its own, seeking out the opening of the dress that her leg had slipped out of before. Without looking, he struggled to find it. The delicate fabric bunched and wrinkled beneath his hand.

Before he could kiss her, Tifa made a sound of protest and pulled away. Immediately he let up. He did his best not to pout as Tifa captured his hand and pulled it away from her leg. Reluctantly, he released her hair as well. Tifa took a step back and straightened the dress, smoothing the skirt around her legs. He had been chasing the slit on the wrong side, he duly noted as her opposite leg reappeared and disappeared.

"I mean it," she said, voice firm though her mouth was smiling. "Stop touching. I want to keep the dress nice. I'm probably going to return it."

"What?" he asked.

Cloud scanned her up and down, bewildered. The dress was perfect. It was made for her.

"You're not wearing that tonight?"

Tifa laughed. She tossed her head back as she did, and Cloud's eyes followed the swing of her hair as it moved easily around her shoulders.

"I'm not wearing this tonight," she confirmed. "It's too fancy."

"Too fancy?"

"Yes," Tifa insisted, still laughing at the confusion on his face. "It's too much for a family party. Yuffie and Marlene bullied me into trying it on. It was just for fun, but I guess we got a little carried away. I really should take it back."

Cloud shook his head.

"Don't. Keep it. Please?"

She looked at him curiously, tilting her head.

"I don't have anywhere to wear something like this." She ducked her head, looking a bit embarrassed all of a sudden. "And it was expensive. I really shouldn't have gotten it."

Tifa worked hard. She was good with budgeting and money. And of the two of them, Cloud had always been better than her at spending it. He consistently worked on modifications for his motorcycle, picking up new pieces and parts. During his travels, little things would catch his eye that he would purchase to bring home for Tifa or the kids.

In contrast, Tifa was a practical spender. She knew what the house and bar needed at all times, and made Cloud careful, organized shopping lists. When she shopped, she bartered for the best deal. Though she loved clothes, she was sensible. She bought outfits she could work in. And she knew how to sew, so she mended from time to time, making them last.

This dress was not a practical purchase. As an item of clothing, it was far from sensible.

But she looked really, really beautiful in it. And more than that, Cloud could tell from Tifa's shy smile, the flush on her cheeks, and the way her fingers unconsciously stroked the fabric, that she really, really liked it.

"We'll find somewhere for you to wear it," Cloud pressed.

"You think?"

Cloud nodded. Tifa bit her lip, still uncertain. She looked down to examine the dress, turning her body to capture every angle. The motion had Cloud's eyes scanning her once more, from head to foot. The graceful neckline. The low back, exposing skin that was now freely visible with Tifa's shorter hair. The long skirt with its teasing slit.

"You look beautiful, Tifa."

He cleared his throat. The words had come out a bit hoarse. Tifa stopped inspecting herself and looked up at him. The uncertainty left her face as she took in the slack jawed look on his. A sly smile tugged at her lips as his eyes continued to flick up and down her form.

"I look beautiful, huh?" she teased. "Just like I always do?"

Cloud winced as he recognized his own words from a few days ago. Of course he remembered. The conversation haunted him. He rushed to answer.

"Not like always! Much better than –"

Tifa's eyebrows disappeared under her now shorter bangs.

"I didn't mean better! You just look, ah, different. I mean, the dress – I, uh. It's really beautiful. And you're beautiful, so when you put it on it's like you're double –"

Cloud was rambling like a fool. He recalled his conversation with Denzel earlier that morning. When I was about your age, I got nervous around Tifa. My stomach knotted up. I couldn't even speak to her.

So much for being older and wiser. He recalled another dress, bluish green rather than purple. Tifa, so beautiful beneath the stars. How the words Cloud had really wanted to say stuck in throat, his heart pounding. Years later, and it was just the same.

Tifa stepped forward and silenced him with a kiss, right on his fumbling mouth. Cloud's hands closed into fists at his side as he struggled to keep his hands to himself.

"Alright then," she whispered as she pulled her lips away. "I'll keep it."

Her eyes were shining. She looked happy, and perhaps a bit self-satisfied. She turned back around toward the closet, twisting her arm behind her to reach for the zipper. The angle was awkward, and she only managed to budge it an inch or so.

"Will you help me get this off again, then? I need help deciding what to wear for the party. I bought a few different things. Let me try them on for you, okay?"

Still incapable of speech, Cloud complied. Carefully, he tugged down the zipper. Tifa stepped out of the dress and reached for the hanger, taking particular care as she rehung it. Cloud stood frozen, watching. Dimly, he processed that Tifa was still talking.

"I want to know which ones you like, so I can decide what else to keep."

Tifa had not been wearing anything beneath the dress.

The sight of her jolted Cloud from his inept state and into action. As soon as the dress was safely stored away, he moved closer again, standing right behind her.

"Cloud –"

He placed his hands on her hips and smoothed them forward, tracing the new, silvery lines that the pregnancy had left on her stomach. He dipped his head down to kiss her neck. Her pulse thrummed beneath his lips. Cloud smiled. It was Tifa's turn to lose her words.

But for once, Cloud knew just what he wanted to say.

"This," he whispered. "I like this. You should definitely keep it."

It was some time before either of them thought about clothes again.

By the time Tifa managed to get dressed, she had several missed calls from Cid. She moved to leave the bedroom with a somewhat guilty look on her flushed face. At the bedroom door, she paused to shoot Cloud a look and point an accusing finger at him.

"We're behind schedule now, you know."

Cloud only shrugged, unable to keep the smug grin off his face. Tifa rolled her eyes at him, but she was smiling too.

"I'm going to call Cid back," she said. "If he's not already here. Shera did say they would be arriving after lunch. Surely someone would have let us know if all our friends were here while we were –"

"Wouldn't be the first time," Cloud reminded her.

A new blush bloomed across Tifa's face. She pressed a hand to her cheek, trying to quell it. When she noticed Cloud's silent laughter, she placed her hands on her hips and attempted to scowl at him. It was not quite effective, but it was cute to watch her try.

"Oh just get ready, will you?" she said.

Tifa left the bedroom, already calling down the stairs for Barret before she closed the bedroom door. Cloud flopped back onto the bed. Tifa was right that they were behind schedule. He needed to get dressed for the party and get downstairs.

But he took a moment to savor the looseness of his body and the fullness of his heart. He closed his eyes briefly, calling to mind how Tifa had looked in her new clothes. How she had looked without them. The way she seemed lighter, not just because of her shorter hair, but from the joy of feeling like her old self and managing to rob Cloud of speech.

He really needed to thank Yuffie.

Cloud stretched his limbs and began to get ready. He glanced nervously at his cellphone as he removed it from his pocket to change his pants. It was later than he thought it was, and he had a missed call from Cid as well. Quickly, he swapped his shirt for a new one.

He was digging through the basket of folded laundry for pants, when a frantic thudding distracted him. It was the unmistakable sound of someone racing up the stairs.

A body collided with the door and an anxious fist tapped against it.

"Cloud! Cloud, open up!"

It was Yuffie's voice. Urgent. Borderline panicked.

In the split second it took Cloud to reach the bedroom door, a thousand scenarios shot through his brain, each one more implausible and frightening than the last.

Marlene is missing. Denzel crashed Barret's truck. The baby is sick. Thea was still so little. A thousand things could have happened to her. Someone dropped her. She stopped breathing. It happened sometimes, he knew, for no reason at all.

Or Tifa. She had been fine, better than fine, just moments before, but Cloud knew better than anyone how things could turn in mere seconds. Tifa seemed as healthy as ever lately and her doctor said she was fully recovered but maybe they missed something, maybe she was–

He swung the door open.

Yuffie's fist nearly caught Cloud in the face as she made to continue pounding on the door. She blinked at him, then slapped the hand across her eyes instead.

"Oh gawd, Cloud. Where are your pants? Nobody wants to see your whitey tighties."

"I don't wear –"

Cloud shook his head, his fears retreating. Yuffie would not be joking about his underwear if something were really wrong. Still, she had not been faking the urgency in her voice.

"What is it Yuffie?" he asked. "Are the kids okay? Is Thea alright? And Tifa?"

Yuffie dropped her hand to give him a perplexed look. She made a point of not glancing down. Cloud tugged on his shirt a bit, covering himself with his hands.

"Yeah, they're fine."

"Yuffie, you scared the living daylights out of me. I thought it was an emergency."

"It is an emergency!"

"Then what is it?" he snapped.

Now he was beginning to get irritated. Yuffie glanced behind her, towards the stairs. Cloud shifted back and forth on his bare feet. He tried not to think about his bare legs. Shirt with no pants was far from his most flattering look.

"It's Cid," Yuffie said.

"They're here?"

She nodded grimly. Cloud went back into the bedroom to retrieve and pull on his pants.

"And what? Something wrong with Cid?"

Yuffie cringed at the sound as he zipped up his fly. Cloud ignored her. She was lucky she had not interrupted worse.

"Oh, something's wrong," she said dramatically. "It's a crime against nature. Against humanity."

"Yuffie just tell me."

"It's Cid. He's growing a –"

A shout sounded from the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey, Cloud! Get your butt down here. Or are you too busy shaving your balls to greet an old friend?"

Yuffie grimaced, a look of deep disgust on her face. Cloud just shook his head. He expected no less from Cid. He pushed past Yuffie, ignoring her as she tried to pantomime some sort of message at him. The Highwinds would have bags they needed help carrying up. And if they were here, Red would be here as well. The party had started.

As soon as Cloud reached the bottom of the stairs, Cid came at him, arms spread wide.

Just before Cid had him in a bear hug, Cloud had a split second to process the existence of something on his face. Something that was simultaneously sparse and bushy. Something on his upper lip. It clicked, what Yuffie had been trying to tell him.

Cid had grown a mustache.

As Cid squeezed the breath out of him, Tifa and Shera entered the living room from the bar side of the house. Shera was holding Thea, who Cloud was glad to see was in a happy mood. She looked around the room with interest, seemingly pleased at all the action.

From behind Cid's back, both Tifa and Shera gave Cloud a subtle shake of their heads.

Got it, Cloud thought. We do not talk about the 'stache.

As Cid released him, he clapped a hard hand on his shoulder. Shera moved forward, and they exchanged kisses on the cheek. Thrilled to be sandwiched between them, Thea vocalized loudly. Cloud bent down to kiss her as well.

Thea was wearing a onesie with planes on it, an old hand-me-down from Cid and Shera. There were mismatched socks at the ends of her chubby legs. The bib around her neck was well-used and stained. Already, it was damp with drool.

Cloud exchanged a confused look with Tifa. They had an outfit planned for today. A ruffled little number, pink with embroidered strawberries. Thea looked impossibly precious in it, the red of the strawberries bringing out the tint in her eyes. There was even a little pink bow that Tifa had gotten to secure to the most prominent spike of her blond hair.

Blowout, Tifa mouthed at him silently. She shrugged and smiled. Cloud was not especially surprised. Thea did manage to execute her biggest, smelliest diapers at the most inopportune times. He spared one last, mournful thought for the frilly pink dress.

"Oh, Cloud. She's absolutely perfect," Shera gushed.

Cloud smiled. He could not argue with that.

"Yeah, well, so was ours, until he started walking and talking," Cid mumbled. "Speaking of which, where did the little rascal get off to?"

Just as Cid and Shera's heads turned to scan the room, something small and fast collided with Cloud. A hardheaded little boy who was just about hip height tackled him in a hug, little arms wrapped around his legs. Cloud wheezed.

"Uncle Cloud!"

Cid cringed sympathetically.

"Sorry, Cloud. Good thing you already had a kid, huh?" He punched Cloud on the shoulder. "Shoulda warned you. Sul's of a height these days and he's a bit of a bulldozer. Gotta watch out when this little guy is running around."

"Hey Sully," Cloud said, his voice an octave higher than usual.

Sully cackled. He got gotten bigger and stronger since Cloud last saw him. Cloud almost felt his knees buckling under his embrace. The little boy reached his hand up for him and Cloud lowered his hands to take them, though he was not sure what he wanted.

"That's it, Sully! Just like I showed you." Yuffie's voice called from the stairs, where she was perched. "Do a backflip!"

Backflip? Sully gripped Cloud's hands and leaned backwards, using his feet to climb up Cloud's legs. Cloud winced as his little heels came dangerously close to nailing him between the legs again. He watched as Sully flung his feet into the air, his legs swinging above his head and over.

Shera passed Thea over to Cid just in time to catch Sully as he botched his landing.

"Thanks for that, Yuffie."

She sighed as she carefully set Sully safely back on his feet.

Sullivan Highwind was a sturdy boy with Cid's brash, crooked grin and Shera's light brown hair and eyes. A terrifying combination of his mother's intelligence and his father's daring, the child had been born fearless. It gave Cloud whiplash sometimes, though, how he could shift from wild to sweet from one moment to the next.

Accordingly, Sully leaned into his mother, an adoring smile on his face.

"Remember what we talked about, Sullivan?" Shera said patiently. "We're going to play nicely at Cloud and Tifa's house. You have to be a good example for the baby."

"Yeah!" Sully hooted. Then he looked around curiously. "Baby? Where the baby go?"

The second question came out as a demand. His eyes eagerly followed Shera's finger as she pointed up at Thea. Sully reached up and Cid bent down to lift him with one hand. He settled the little boy against his shoulder so he had a good view of Thea, who was lounging in the crook of his other arm.

Thea looked at Sullivan with big, round eyes. Likewise, Sully looked at the baby, his face unusually solemn and focused.

"Baby," he whispered.

Sully reached out a hand.

"Gentle!"

Cid and Shera said it at the same time, but the warning turned out to be unnecessary. Sully only patted Thea right on her rounded belly.

"Whatcha think big guy? You gonna say hi to baby Thea?" Cid asked him.

"Hi," Sully said. "Hi baby Thea."

Though Sully was speaking a lot more, and much more clearly, than when Cloud had last seen him, his voice still had a sweet little lisp. Thea's name came out closer to Fee-a than Thea. They studied one another for a long moment, each clearly fascinated with the other.

Next to him, Shera sighed. Cloud turned away from the sweet scene before him to glance at her. There was a wistful look on her face as she gazed at Cid with an infant in one arm, and her toddler son in the other.

Cloud nudged her gently with his elbow.

"He looks good like that, huh?" he whispered conspiratorially.

Shera shoved his elbow away, grinning. But Cloud could read the look in her eyes as clearly as if she had spoken. It was the same way Tifa had looked at him, watching him across the room the first time Cloud held Sully as a newborn. He wondered how long it would be before he got to meet another Highwind.

"Aaah!"

Thea was starting to get excited, kicking and vocalizing in Cid's arms. Sully's mouth dropped open in surprise at Thea's proclamation.

"She talked!" he said. "Baby Thea talked to me!"

"That means she likes you," Cloud told him.

"How 'bout that?" Cid said.

With uncharacteristic shyness, Sully slapped his hands over his face. The adults all laughed and the sound of it seemed to break the spell. Thea made a fussy sound of protest at the sudden noise and Sully glared at them all, deeply offended that he did not understand the joke. He pushed against his father's shoulder.

"Put me down," he demanded. "Where Nana go?"

"Do you want a snack, Sully? We have plenty of bananas," Tifa offered.

She came around Cid's other side to peer at Thea, confirming that the baby was once again settled. Cid shook his head at her as he bent down to release Sully to the floor.

"No, no. He's not looking for a banana, he wants –"

Denzel walked into the living room, Nanaki at his side.

"Nana!" Sully yelled.

Cid grabbed the back of his shirt, preventing him from racing forward. Sully's sturdy little legs skidded uselessly beneath him, his socks slipping against the wood floors. He growled in frustration at his father. Cloud tried not to laugh again.

"Nana has earned a break," Cid said, holding on tight. "He's done his time."

"It's no bother," Nanaki said.

Cloud noted though, that he did look a bit tired. It was a long trip from Cosmo Canyon to Edge. He could not imagine that a seemingly obsessed toddler made it seem any shorter.

"How goes it, Red?" Cloud asked.

Nanaki padded over, offering Sully a quick nudge with his nose. The little boy dug a hand into his fur, calming instantly. Shrugging helplessly, Cid released him and backed away.

"I'm good, Cloud. And you?"

Cloud made to answer, but Nanaki seemed distracted as Sully wrapped his arms around his neck, clearly attempting to climb onto his back. Cid and Shera both made moves to intervene, but Denzel got there first, tapping the little boy on the shoulder. Sullivan froze, looking up at the older boy with interest.

"Hey, Sul. Tifa got some of my old toys out. Wanna go see?" Denzel offered.

"Toys?" Sully said hopefully. "Yeah, toys. Go play with toys?"

Denzel nodded, holding out a hand. Sully took it, and the two of them headed back to the bar area. The smaller boy looked up at Denzel with something like veneration. Nanaki heaved a sigh. Though he had reassured Cid that he did not mind the attention, he seemed relieved that Sullivan had, at least temporarily, found someone else to fixate on.

"Remind me to put extra cash in that kid's birthday card," Cid muttered.

Tifa caught Cloud's eye. Her smile was soft and proud. Cloud understood it completely. He watched as Tifa placed a hand on Cid's arm. Cid took the hint, handing Thea back over to her. Tifa settled the baby against her and knelt on the floor next to Nanaki.

"Here, Thea. Meet your uncle Nana."

Nanaki gave Tifa an unamused, but resigned look. Clearly the name was going to stick.

He moved closer to sniff at Thea. The baby's fingers opened and closed in his direction. Nanaki stood very still as her little hands settled against his muzzle. Though Cloud knew how surprisingly painful those little hands could be when she got grabby, Nanaki did not seem to mind as she managed to capture and tug on one ear.

"Hello," he said formally.

Thea gurgled. A spit bubble popped on her chin. Nanaki nodded gravely, as though she had responded with something wise. He glanced up at Cloud.

"She's a lot like you," he said.

"Yeah, I know." Cloud scratched his head self-consciously. "She has my hair."

Nanaki cocked his head curiously, looking between Cloud and the baby.

"Does she? I hadn't noticed."

He looked thoughtfully at Thea again. Carefully, he bumped his nose into her stomach. To Cloud's surprise, she released his ear and offered him a gummy smile. Tifa smiled as well and reached over to rub Nanaki's ear apologetically.

"I think she's like Cloud, too," Tifa confided.

Tifa stood, ignoring Yuffie's mumbled god help us all from the stairs and Cid's snicker. Shera poked Cid in the side disapprovingly, and Cloud smiled at her with gratitude. His friends liked to give him shit when they all got together. It was all in good fun, but still, Cloud did not take his allies for granted.

"So," Cid said, clapping his hands together. "Drinks?"

His face lit up when Tifa nodded. Though it was barely three o'clock, Cloud understood the need. He had spent only a few minutes with Sullivan, but he could see how a drink might be necessary after two long days of travel with the exuberant little guy.

"You all go on," Cloud said. "I'll get the bags."

"I'll help!" Yuffie chirped.

Cloud and Cid both gave her bewildered looks at her offer to help, but Yuffie serenely ignored them, prancing over to grab two of the bags. Tifa motioned to the others, and they followed her out of the living room and into the bar. Cloud lifted the remaining bags and followed Yuffie up the stairs.

Yuffie waited for him in the hallway, with an expectant look on her face.

"Well?" she said.

"Huh?" Cloud asked, before he remembered the monstrosity on Cid's upper lip. "Oh, right. Yeah. It's bad."

"What do you think happened? Did some animal crawl onto his lip and die?"

Cloud shoved at Yuffie's shoulder as he moved past her to put the bags in the nursery, where they had set up temporary beds for the Highwinds. There were not any bags to carry up to Denzel's room, where Nanaki would be bunking. Their friend traveled lightly.

"Give Cid a break," he said, the happiness at reuniting with his friends making him feel unusually generous.

He thought about Tifa's short hair and her discomfort with her old, pre-baby clothes. The way he felt when Denzel and Marlene teased him for being a goofy dad, and how he worried he might be losing his edge. It was not easy, sometimes, to get older. Clearly, Cid was dealing with it in his own, somewhat unfortunate way.

And besides, Cloud figured that perhaps the mustache might distract from the usual, relentless jokes about Cloud's hair.

"What will you give me if I do?" Yuffie asked.

"Nothing," Cloud replied. "I already owe you. Can't really afford to be any more in your debt."

"Hmm. In my debt, huh?"

Yuffie was smirking at him, but Cloud only nodded seriously. He took a step toward her, and she shifted a bit nervously. She squawked in alarm as he leaned down to peck her cheek, then pulled her into a hug. When he did not let go, Yuffie reluctantly squeezed him back.

"Thank you," he said. "For Tifa."

It was not the most eloquent expression of gratitude. Cloud did not quite have the words to express how he felt, seeing the playful spark in Tifa's eyes again. The confident way she had teased him, beautiful in her new dress and comfortable in her own skin.

"Oh. You're welcome. She's happy?"

"Uh huh," Cloud replied. "Very happy. Actually, very very happy."

Yuffie squirmed out of his embrace and buried her elbow into his gut. He released her with a pained oof. She glared at him as he rubbed his stomach.

"Perve," she accused.

But she smiled and looped her arm into his.

"You know," she said. "I saw all that materia in your weapons closet. Seems like you have more than you know what to do with. Maybe we could take a look at it later?"

Cloud grunted an affirmative, wondering how much lighter his supply would be by the time he gifted himself out of Yuffie's debt. Arm in arm, they walked down the stairs to join the others.

Down in Seventh Heaven, drinks, food, and conversation were all flowing. Yuffie left Cloud almost immediately to run behind the bar and help herself. She grabbed for the cocktail shaker and Cloud made a mental note to watch what he drank. He could rely on Tifa's drinks to be carefully measured, but if she was letting the others play bartender, you never quite knew what you were going to get.

Shera was holding Thea again. She was sitting with Barret at a booth, who had a frosty mug of ale sitting before him on the table. Barret was gesturing dramatically as he talked to her. Cloud was certain by the wetness in his eyes, that he was saying something about Marlene.

As for Marlene, she swept over to Cloud from another corner of the bar where she had been helping Denzel entertain Sullivan.

"Hey, Cloud. Did you hear Thea pooped her dress?"

"Uh huh. I see you managed not to poop in yours. Good job," he replied.

Marlene made a face at him before patting her dress self-consciously. Her hair was down, which was rare for her. Marlene preferred function over form and almost always asked Tifa to braid her hair out of the way. With her soft waves around her shoulders, and her brightly colored sundress, for the first time, she actually looked like a teenager to Cloud.

"Do you like my new dress?" she asked.

A teenager, perhaps. But there was a tender, childlike awkwardness to the way she asked the question and hunched her shoulders beneath the dress's ruffled straps. Cloud reached out a hand to her and she took it, giggling as he gave her a twirl.

"It's pretty, Mar. You look pretty," he told her. "When exactly did you grow up?"

Though Marlene was smiling and pleased, she stabbed a finger at him. It reminded Cloud uncannily of Tifa.

"Don't you start!" she warned.

Simultaneously, they snuck glances at Barret. Shera was nodding sympathetically at him as she bounced Thea in her arms. Although they could not hear all that he was saying, they could very clearly hear the words my little baby girl amid his rambling. Cloud snorted, and the sound had Marlene dissolving in giggles again.

"I'm going to get some of my cupcakes out of the freezer," she said. "Tifa told Cid that they're the best she's ever had, and he wants to give them a try."

Glowing with pride, Marlene dashed off to the kitchen.

Cloud did a quick scan of the room. Denzel was helping Sullivan build a ramp for the wide variety of toy cars, trucks, and motorcycles that Tifa had dug out of storage. Sully's tongue stuck out between his teeth as he tried to hold a piece of cardboard in place while Denzel taped it down.

Yuffie had joined Shera and Barret at their booth, though she looked like she was already regretting the decision. Her face brightened with relief when Cid and Nanaki entered the mix. She lifted her overfull cup into a toast, sloshing just a bit of it onto the floor.

Well, Cloud thought. The floors have been sticky before, and they'll be sticky again. The party was not even supposed to have officially started for over an hour. That would be far from the first drink to spill.

Cloud noted the glass in Cid's hand. There was a single swallow left of a clear, crimson liquid. A Cosmo Canyon. Tifa may not have been in charge of making all the cocktails, but this one, she had surely made. He looked over to the bar and was unsurprised to find Tifa smiling behind it, shaker in hand. He walked over to the bar and Tifa poured a drink into the glass. She slid it toward him, into his waiting hand.

"The house special," she said. "The Cosmo Canyon."

Tifa grinned as he raised it in a toast, already knowing what he was going to say.

"Beautiful."

Cloud sipped the drink carefully, savoring its familiar flavor. Nanaki must have brought Tifa extra salt from Cosmo Canyon. Although Tifa could get away with making it without, the cocktail always tasted better with its finishing touch.

"Feeling nostalgic?" he asked.

Tifa nodded, gesturing at the table of their old friends.

"How could I not?" she replied.

She then glanced behind her, to the vase displayed in its usual place of honor on a shelf. The yellow flower inside looked cheerful.

"Thank you for getting it."

Cloud returned her soft smile, and Tifa reached out to cup his face in her hand.

"How sweet," she whispered. "When did you get so thoughtful?"

Nostalgic, indeed.

"A guy can change," Cloud replied.

He placed his hand on top of hers and leaned in over the bar. Tifa met him halfway, kissing him sweetly on one corner of his mouth before fully capturing his lips. Cloud braced one hand on the bar as Tifa's hand tugged his face even closer.

"Oi!"

The shouted protest had them breaking apart. Cid, now holding the baby, put on an expression of moral outrage, placing a hand over Thea's eyes to block her view. With the wide smile on his face, he did not fully pull off the act.

"Did you invite us here to watch your kid so you two could ignore us and flirt all night?"

"Sounds like them," Yuffie quipped.

"They're always like this," Barret added.

Tifa rolled her eyes and poured more drinks to carry over to the table. Cloud was not quite sure that they deserved them. But then, he recalled that Barret had in fact been watching his kid, giving his baby a bottle, and taking care of her while he had played "fashion show" upstairs with Tifa before the party.

Meekly, he picked up one of the extra drinks and carried it over to the table. When he reached it, he traded Cid one of the drinks for his daughter.

"Having fun yet?" he asked her.

Thea made a happy sound as Cloud blew a raspberry into the rolls between her neck and shoulder. Surely there had never been another baby so deliciously plump and content. She was in an especially good mood, clearly thrilled at all the new faces, activity, and attention.

This was far from the first time they had gathered as a group at Seventh Heaven. Their parties followed a familiar and comforting pattern. Of course, teasing Cloud and Tifa for being all over each other was an essential part of the routine. An essential part that had already been implemented, though Cloud was sure it would happen again.

Next, were the stories. Once drinks started flowing, so did the stories. Barret and Cid were fond of telling the most outrageous and harrowing ones. The details, Cloud always noticed, had evolved over the years. If an escape had been narrow, it got narrower. If a battle had been bloody, it got bloodier.

Sully sat on Cid's lap. On occasion, Cid placed his hands over the little boy's ears, to block out the darker parts. He seemed unbothered by his father doing so, continuing to race Denzel's old toy cars across the table. With Cid's mouth, Cloud imagined that covering Sully's ears was a regular occurrence in their household. Denzel and Marlene swatted Barret's hands away when he tried to do the same to them, utterly absorbed in the stories.

Yuffie liked to tell stories too, focusing on the funny ones. It was a bonus if she could tell a story that made Cloud, Barret, or Cid look foolish. Unfortunately, she had plenty to choose from, and they seemed to accumulate over the years. Cloud supposed her background in espionage was worth something. She never forgot something that made her laugh.

Tifa and Nanaki liked to reminisce. They told old stories that made everyone smile or wipe their eyes. Good times that they had shared together. Tifa liked to remember Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie. Nanaki would sometimes tell stories about Bugenhagen, or stories that Bugenhagen had told him. And they both liked to remember Aerith.

Cloud would chime in with bits and pieces from time to time, but mostly liked to listen to the others. As he listened to tale after familiar tale, he held Thea tight. On occasion, he snuck looks at Denzel, Marlene, and Sullivan's awed faces.

These are our stories, he thought, somewhat amazed. He wondered if years from now, the children would tell these stories to their children or even grandchildren. Would they believe that any of it had been real?

At some point, they were interrupted by the sound of the garage opening. Cloud glanced up at the clock. They never sat down for full meals at these gatherings, preferring to graze as they went. As a result, it could be hard to keep track of time. Cloud was surprised to see that it was past six o'clock.

"Must be Reeve," Tifa said. "I gave him the code to the garage. I think he gave Vincent a ride?"

Immediately, Yuffie began making fun of Reeve's car. It was electric. Top of the line and energy efficient. And it was quite small. Yuffie stole one of Sully's toy cars to demonstrate, imitating what she thought Vincent might look like trying to squeeze his tall frame inside.

Cid and Barret howled with laughter. Even Nanaki, Shera, and Tifa were tittering, though Tifa covered her mouth with her hand, cheeks flushed and looking remorseful. Again, Cloud glanced at the clock. They had started early, and it was early for them to be this rowdy.

Of all of them, Cloud had drunk the least so far. He figured he could give Reeve and Vincent the courtesy of a warning.

"I'll go get them," he said.

He passed Thea over to Tifa. The baby squealed with delight as Tifa accepted her into her arms and kissed her all over her face.

"Sweet, sweet girl," Tifa sang. "Daddy is going to have to give you a bottle!"

Cloud eyed Tifa's empty drink. Indeed, he was. Though Tifa always drank in moderation, she was out of practice from her pregnancy and nursing. Her drink had gone straight to her head. Cloud could tell by the silliness of her smile and the singsong tone of her voice.

Making a mental note to switch to water so at least one adult would be sober, Cloud headed toward the garage. But before Cloud could even enter the laundry room, he could hear the sounds of a man who seemed to be bargaining for his life. Alarmed, Cloud picked up the pace, forgoing shoes and racing into the garage in his socks.

Cloud flicked on the light using the switch at the top of the stairs. Reeve looked up at him, startled at first, but then relieved. He was cowering atop the hood of his tiny car.

You are so lucky I'm seeing this and not Yuffie, was his first thought. Where the hell are you, old Jack Attack?, was his next.

The family cat had retreated into seclusion during the past couple of days of party prep. Jacky was quite affectionate with their family and had even got used to the crowds of strangers that came in and out of the bar.

But the old cat had been a stray. Novelty could set him off and Cloud could tell that he sensed the anxious energy in the days before the party. Something was coming. He prowled the hallways suspiciously, hissing at the extra beds being made.

Then, Barret had accidentally trodden on his tail while carrying a load of bedlinens down to the laundry room for Tifa. Jacky did not especially like men. He tolerated, sometimes even enjoyed, Cloud. Barret was another story. Quite large and loud. Jacko had only recently gotten to the point that he could be in the same room without growling.

One misplaced foot had undone all of that. Marlene had yet to let Barret live it down. Poor Jack Jack had not been spotted in over a day, though his kibbles still needed to be refilled, and his litter box needed scooping. He was around, only hiding.

But now, Cloud was certain that Jacko was here. He was the only one who could have cornered Reeve in the garage like this. The garage was, after all, part of the cat's territory where he hunted rodents at night. Now, he hunted bigger prey.

"The cat?" he asked Reeve.

Reeve nodded, embarrassed.

"Sorry," Cloud said. "Trust me, I've been there."

Cloud moved down the stairs and was greeted by a growl that turned into a hiss. Glowing eyes watched him from beneath Barret's truck. Jacko was crouched beneath it, prepared to launch a new attack.

"Come on, Jacky. It's just Reeve. Not Cait."

He looked at Reeve suspiciously.

"Right?" he asked.

Reeve nodded hastily.

"I would not make that mistake again," he confirmed.

Cait had entered Cloud and Tifa's home only once since they welcomed Jacko. It had not gone well. The cat had been grievously offended at what he had clearly taken to be an abomination. A mockery of a true cat. His fur had puffed out to twice his size. Cloud still had a scar along his arm from blocking an airborne attack.

"I think, somehow, he knows," Reeve says nervously. "He can smell it on me or something."

"Mrrawr," Jacko complained.

Cloud sighed. He was glad he was wearing long pants, but lamented how thin the fabric was. For a moment, he considered the weapons closet at the top of the stairs. Perhaps this situation called for armor. Perhaps it would call for healing materia as well.

"It's fine, Reeve. I've got him. Come on down and go straight up the stairs."

He moved to stand close to Barret's truck, ready to intercept. Cautiously, Reeve climbed down from the car. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he sprinted toward the stairs.

"Mew, mew!" Jacky chirped, excited.

Slipping in his socks, Cloud cut him off, blocking him from the stairs as he darted from beneath the truck. The cat collided with Cloud's legs, yowling as he did so. Cloud winced as a needle-sharp claw perforated his pants then released him.

"You good, Cloud?"

Reeve sounded concerned for Cloud, but also relieved for himself. Jack Attack cleaned his paw and gave Cloud an unimpressed look, like what did you do that for? Cloud lifted his pant leg to investigate the damage. A raised scratch, but no blood. He knew better than most that it could be much worse. Still, it stung.

"I'm telling Marlene to withhold your sardines," he muttered darkly.

Jacky looked supremely unconcerned as he jumped up onto the hood of Reeve's car. He flopped onto his side and started flicking his tail. Cloud and the cat both knew that he would be getting exactly the same number of sardines that he always did.

"I'm good," Cloud said, following up the stairs. "Looks like you'll be staying here awhile."

Reeve looked nervously at his car before slipping out of the garage and into the house. Cloud ushered him into the living room.

"No Vincent?" he asked.

He gave Cloud a dark look.

"Vincent walked right in," he said. "Even gave Jacko a pet."

Cloud looked around. Vincent must have managed to get past Cloud unnoticed as well. Typically, such a thing might have startled Cloud and make him wonder if he were losing his touch. But it was like Vincent to creep around. Silent and unseen. Kind of like Jack Attack. Perhaps Cloud should not be surprised that Jacko seemed to like Vincent.

"Just a heads up," Cloud said as Reeve followed him through the house. "We, ah, started pouring drinks about three hours ago."

Reeve's lips twitched.

"Noted," he said.

"Oh, and one more thing. About Cid. He has a, uh, mustache."

"He has a what?"

Cloud was saved from further explanation as they entered the bar, and Reeve was swarmed with overenthusiastic greetings.

Tifa and Shera both kissed him warmly on the cheek, likely still feeling a bit guilty that they had laughed at Yuffie's description of his car. Yuffie, on the other hand, seemed entirely shame free. She waved at Reeve with one hand and lifted her drink to him with the other.

"Hiya boss!" she called.

Cid and Barret grabbed Reeve on either side, steering him toward the bar. Nanaki followed, happy to see Reeve, but also perhaps a bit concerned for his safety.

Reeve looked behind him to make quick eye contact with Cloud. Mustache, he silently mouthed, pulling a yikes face. Cloud tapped a finger to his lips and shook his head once. We're not talking about the mustache.

Cloud moved over to Tifa, who was watching the exchange with amusement.

"The baby?" he asked, noting her empty arms. "Oh, and Vincent. Reeve said that he –"

Grinning, Tifa pointed over to the far corner of the bar.

Vincent was leaning against the wall. In fact, he was where he usually lurked during such gatherings. Nearby, but also separate. Nobody was ever offended by Vincent's standoffish ways. It was just how he was. They were happy he showed up at all.

But Vincent was not alone. Thea was perched in his arms, looking up at him and around the room with interest. Vincent was tall. His arms made for a good vantage point.

"He wanted to hold her?" Cloud asked incredulously.

Tifa shrugged.

"I don't know. I just handed her over."

She pecked Cloud on the cheek, then left him to go supervise the chaos unfolding behind her bar. Perhaps she was beginning to regret giving their friend license to mix their own drinks. Cloud watched for a minute as Tifa regained control of the cocktail shaker. Barret and Cid retreated, looking disappointed. Reeve and Nanaki looked relieved.

Cloud walked over to Vincent, lifting a hand in greeting.

"Hey, Vincent. Do you want me to take –"

"Your baby is hungry," Vincent said.

Cloud looked at Thea. She had a hunk of Vincent's dark hair in her fist. Lips smacking, she waved her hand in front of her face. A string of saliva stretched from her fist as she waved it to and from her mouth. Vincent's head jerked slightly with the motion.

"Ah, sorry about that," Cloud said.

He reached toward Thea to try and free Vincent's hair. The taller man leaned away from Cloud's hand, frowning as if offended.

"She likes it," he explained.

"Gaah ooaah."

Thea gurgled in agreement, gnawing hungrily at her fistful of hair. And this is why Tifa cut hers, Cloud thought dryly. But Vincent did not seem to mind.

"Alright, then. I'll go warm up a bottle. You're good with her for now?"

Vincent only raised an eyebrow at him. Cloud nodded and left for the kitchen. His daughter, he supposed, was in safe hands.

The evening continued.

Marlene's cupcakes thawed enough for them all to have a taste, then a second. And everyone ate enough of Tifa's cooking to sober up a bit, though it did not diminish the joviality of the party. They carried on with all their usual activities.

Teasing Cloud and Tifa. Telling old stories. And it would not be a party if Barret did not burst into at least one song that made Marlene hide her face in mortification. Sullivan clapped along, offbeat and happy while Denzel reveled in Marlene's embarrassment.

And everyone lavished attention on the baby. She was passed easily from person to person, content as could be. Thea gurgled. She drooled. On occasion, she fell asleep. But nobody wanted to put her down. They sang to her. Cooed at her. Carried her around. Rocked and bounced her. Thea's fussy hours came and went without so much as a single cry.

Thea was especially entranced by Sullivan, who appeared to be ignoring the fact that the baby was not quite big enough yet to play with him. Cloud watched as Tifa and Cid sat together on the floor, Thea on Cid's lap, Sully on Tifa's. It was getting late, and each child was now wearing soft, footed jammies.

Gravely, Sully held up car after car to Thea, seemingly explaining something important to her about each one. He then methodically handed each toy to Cid, so that he might give Thea a closer look.

"Sweet, aren't they?"

Shera bumped Cloud's arm with her shoulder. Cloud smiled at her, nodding in agreement.

"He's saying goodnight to each car," Shera said. "I imagine that's what's happening. He does this at home with his toys. It takes forever to get him to bed these days."

"Hopefully Thea doesn't pick up on the habit," Cloud laughed.

They watched together for a moment, their children and the people they loved.

Tifa's new haircut swung around her face, making her look light and unencumbered. The dress she was now wearing was not as fancy or elegant as the first one. Its fabric was more durable, much better for holding babies or sitting on the floor. It had a flexible neckline that was convenient for nursing and a pretty floral pattern that was perfect for hiding stains.

She looked just as beautiful in it.

Shera smiled at Cloud knowingly.

"Tifa is looking wonderful," she said.

Cloud nodded.

"She is," he agreed.

"She's been doing alright?"

Again, Cloud nodded.

"I'm glad, you know. I was so worried," Shera continued. "After she had so much trouble with the birth. That kind of thing can be hard to bounce back from. She said that the doctor told her she had recovered well?"

Again, Cloud nodded. But unexpectedly, he felt his throat going tight. Of course, he never forgot about the events of Thea's birth. But it was not something he liked to call to mind. And he still found it difficult to talk about. Tifa had tried with him, several times.

But when Tifa spoke about the day Thea was born, she did so with awe. For her, the trauma of the birth was blurry. Between blood loss and pain, adrenaline and hormones, Tifa could not recall many of the worst details. She told Cloud it was not uncommon.

What Tifa did remember was seeing her daughter for the first time. The way she had looked into Thea's eyes and immediately known her name. How much joy she felt to hear her cries and feel her weight against her chest for the first time. To have Cloud right at her side as she brought their child into this life.

Tifa's memory of the day was beautiful, borderline magical, despite its difficulty. Cloud could not bear to burden her with all that he remembered. For him, the memories were not blurred. They were sharp. He could still smell the blood. And worse than the blood, was how he felt. The all-encompassing fear and despair.

He refused to taint Tifa's memory with it.

After a moment, Cloud realized that Shera had been watching him. She placed a concerned hand on his arm.

"And what about you, Cloud?" she asked.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. How have you been?" Shera gave his arm a squeeze. "It must have been awful for you. Have you been doing okay with it all?"

Yes, of course. Tifa is fine. The baby is fine. What else could I be, but fine? That had to be the only possible answer to Shera's question. Cloud was the luckiest man alive.

He surveyed the room once more, full of his family and dearest friends. The woman he loved and the baby girl they had made together. Their adopted children, who were kind and strong and good. This life, that they had built together and fought for.

He cherished each and every person that was here. But again and again, his eyes were drawn to Tifa. She was the center of it all. The center of his heart. Without her, surely it would all collapse into darkness, like a black hole forming with the death of a star.

"Cloud?"

He shook himself. Shera's brow was furrowed, and she looked ready to probe further. Cloud was not sure he could bear it. He offered her a brittle smile and patted her hand before removing it from his arm.

"I'm fine, Shera. Excuse me for a minute?"

Though he could still feel the weight of her concerned gaze following him, Cloud needed to get out of there. He needed a moment. He needed to get some air.

He moved through the office and into the living room. There was a small front stoop outside the front entrance to their home. The street would be quiet at this time of night. And it was the last night of spring. The air would still be slightly cool in the evening. It might ease the sudden tightness in his chest and the sweat on his brow.

As Cloud opened the front door, he was surprised to find that his front porch was not empty. Barret's back greeted him. Cloud had not noticed him slipping out, although now that he thought about it, he had not seen Barret since his singalong.

Barret did not turn to face Cloud as he sat down beside him. The two men sat in silence for a bit. After a moment, Cloud felt like he could breathe again.

"Needed a minute?" Barret asked him.

Cloud nodded, not quite ready to talk. Barret, however, seemed to be.

"Me too," he said.

Barret looked down at the half-filled drink in his hand, swirling the liquid contemplatively. It was unusual for him to be so subdued at this point in the evening. The singing was more like him. Usually, that marked the beginning of a rowdy night.

"Funny, isn't?" Barret asked. "Sometimes the happiest moments can make you think of the worst. You're enjoying yourself and then all of a sudden, wham. There it is."

Cloud looked over at Barret curiously, but he did not look up. He heaved a heavy sigh, still fiddling with his cup.

This type of thing happened to Cloud all the time. He was the moodiest and most melancholy of all their friends when he really set his mind to it. But the sentiment surprised him coming from Barret. Usually, Barret was one of the people who snapped him out of it. Never before had he joined him when he was in his feelings like this.

"We had a party like this after Marlene was born."

It was not something Cloud thought about very often. Barret's life before they were friends. Cloud and Tifa had a past too of course, but most of it was theirs together. And Cloud had lost five years of his life, between being a teenager and an adult. Tifa had been robbed in a different way, spending much of her teens working in the slums.

Barret was older than them. He had already done this before. Built a life. Made friends. Gotten married. Found happiness. Likely, he had thought it would last forever.

And he had lost it all.

"She was a fussy baby," Barret said, smiling a bit sadly. "Nothing like Thea. Myrna and I were toying with the idea of kids, but we second guessed it a little bit when we saw how exhausted Dyne and Eleanor were. She screamed almost the whole party."

Cloud could imagine it. Marlene was strong. A willful child, who would grow up to be a powerhouse of a woman. It made sense that she had been fierce as an infant as well.

"We talked about it a good bit. Myrna thought maybe it'd be enough for us. To be auntie and uncle. Borrow our friends' kids. Sleep in on the weekends. Travel the world. Go on adventures. If we had each other, we didn't need anything else."

Barret shook his head.

"It woulda suited us. Never imagined I'd end up being a dad. Me and that fussy baby against the world. The only ones left."

Though grief tinged Barret's voice, there was a note of amusement in it as well. Still, his words made Cloud's chest ache. He had never imagined himself as a father either, but anything felt possible with Tifa by his side. An image came to Cloud's mind, unwelcome and unexpected. Cloud, alone with Thea. Their life together, if Tifa had not survived.

"How?" he choked.

Barret glanced over at him, shocked at the emotion in Cloud's voice. Cloud cleared his throat, trying to shake off the sudden intrusion of his darkest imagination.

"How did you do it?" he managed. "How did you survive it?"

"Part of me didn't," Barret said simply.

Cloud could tell by the careful way that Barret was looking at him, and the gentleness in his voice, that he knew that Cloud was thinking about Tifa.

"I'm not the same man that I was. For a while, I was my worst self. Angry. Hopeless. Reckless. Acting like I was trying to save the planet, but really just chasing death."

The comment might once have surprised Cloud. But now, he found he knew exactly what Barret meant. Barret looked at the understanding on his face and sighed.

"But I survived it because I had to," he said. "Marlene was counting on me. I couldn't let her down. Or betray Dyne and Eleanor's memory like that. No matter how much I wished that I'd been taken instead of Myrna. Or that we'd gone together."

He shook his head, chuckling ruefully.

"Not that I did a good job of it, mind you. Like I said, never imagined I'd be a father. Much less that I'd be doing it alone. Wandering around half dead myself. Marlene, just a little thing in dirty socks with a sad excuse for a man instead of her loving parents."

Cloud looked at him, shocked.

"You're a great father, Barret."

Barret shook off Cloud's reassurances.

"I do alright most days," he said. "But what I'm trying to say is, it wasn't easy. I did a shit job of it at first. Still do, sometimes."

He looked at Cloud, his face serious.

"But I make it work. Because I love that girl with my whole heart, and when I look at her, I see them. Myrna, Eleanor, and Dyne. Everyone I loved and lost. Marlene looks just like her, you know. Her mother. Eleanor. 'Specially now that she's getting older."

"Tifa…" Cloud started. "Tifa thinks about her mom when she looks at Thea."

"I'm sure she does," Barret said. "And I bet every time you look at your little girl, you think about Tifa. Always will. You'll always have a piece of her in those kids of yours."

Barret's words made Cloud think of it again. How he had come so close to losing Tifa. The awful, intrusive images of what it would be like to raise the children alone. Left only with the memory of Tifa, glimpses of her eyes whenever he looked at his daughter.

"Is it enough?" Cloud asked.

Barret considered the question, then shook his head.

"No," he said thoughtfully. "But you know what almost makes up for it?"

He paused for a moment, a soft smile appearing on his face. Barret looked Cloud right in the eyes as he answered his own question.

"Family. That's what makes it enough. I never would have been able to raise Marlene without Tifa. And you two, this home and family." Barret shook his head, momentarily overwhelmed. "I couldn't do it without you, you know?"

"We couldn't do it without you either, Barret. How many times have you had to pick me up off the floor? How many times have you been there for Tifa –"

Cloud cut off. Again, unwelcome images were swarming his mind. Blood and a blanket and Barret holding Tifa in his arms. Screams of pain. A hospital room and a distant look in Tifa's eyes. Doctors yelling. Strong arms around him while he cried.

"Tifa almost died, Barret."

"I know."

They let the words hang in the air. Words that Cloud had repeated in his head, over and over again, but had not said aloud until this moment. Something released in his chest as he said them. A knot of pain and fear. He wiped his face, then let out a breath. He could almost feel the words blow away.

Barret gripped him on the shoulder. Gave him a bracing, affectionate shake.

"But she didn't die," he said gently. "And even if she had, believe it or not, you would have survived it. Because you love those kids in there."

He let go of Cloud's shoulder to jerk his thumb in the direction of the front door.

"And those kids love you. They need you. No matter how much you wanted to give up, you'd never let them down. And even if you tried, we would never let you. That's what family is for."

Family.

It was a word that carried responsibility and burden. Cloud felt it every time he looked at the children. Denzel, who looked up to and wanted to be like him. Marlene, who faced life with an admirable boldness despite all she had been through in the world. And his baby girl, who knew nothing yet except that she was loved and cared for.

The weight of their family did not belong to Cloud alone. The love he felt for them did not belong to Cloud alone. Nor was Tifa the only one who shared it.

Cloud and Tifa had a family who would always be there for them. Who would always be there for their children.

Cid and Shera, who helped them navigate their relationship, then pregnancy, then life with an infant. Yuffie, who showed up and settled into their lives like it was her second home, and reminded Tifa of her old self again. Nanaki who listened, who despite not being human, always truly saw and understood. Reeve, who watched out for them and sent their children gifts. Vincent, who despite his distant ways, never failed to be there.

And Barret.

Barret, who had knocked sense into Cloud so many times. Who held and protected Tifa when Cloud had not been there or did not have the strength to do so. Barret, teaching Denzel to drive his old, rickety truck. Barret, helping Tifa, Cloud, and Marlene build this home with his own hands. Barret, who was now Uncle Barret, lifting Thea into his arms with one big hand and falling asleep with her in his chair.

This family might not exist without him.

"Thanks, Barret."

The words were not enough. But Barret's smile also told him that no matter how much Cloud felt the need to say them, there were also not necessary. He waved away Cloud's gratitude, embarrassed like he always was when someone acknowledged him.

"I mean it," Cloud insisted. "I don't know what we would have done without you. We're gonna have a hard time around here when you go back."

Tomorrow was the first official day of summer. The big kids had already been out of school for over a week. Usually, Marlene would be headed off to spend the summer with Barret in Corel by now. But this year, they delayed the trip until after the party. It would be easier, anyways, to hitch a ride with the Highwinds.

Marlene loved her summers with her father. Barret, of course, loved it too. And it was important for her to connect with her roots. Still, it was always bittersweet. The house felt a bit lonely with her. And this year, it would be especially so. They had all gotten used to Uncle Barret being around.

"Eh, about that."

He was looking even more awkward than he had when Cloud had thanked him. Cloud gave him a questioning look.

"Already talked to Tifa about it but…" Barret's voice was hesitant. "You know that little shop down the street? Sells home goods, and some kitschy kind of things?"

Cloud thought about it. He thought he knew the place Barret was talking about. It was a small shop in a larger building. The owners came into the bar often, though Cloud could not remember their names. Older couple. Tifa, of course, would know.

"Yeah," Cloud said. "I know the place. Think they've been struggling a bit. Tifa said something about them trying to rent out the building."

Barret gave him a meaningful look. Cloud blinked at him.

"You want to open a store?" he asked him.

A sudden and strange image rose in Cloud's brain. Barret selling doilies and decorative saltshakers. Though Cloud personally had never entered the store before, much less spent money there, that, he would pay to see.

"No, you idiot," Barret said impatiently. "I want to rent the upstairs apartment."

Despite his impatience with Cloud's slowness, Barret's face was earnest. He looked as though he was seeking approval, or perhaps even permission. He continued to explain, his words coming out in a self-conscious rush.

"Dunno if you saw me talking to Reeve earlier, but he offered me a job. With the WRO. Office of Energy Efficiency. Still would need to travel to Corel fairly often, but the home office is in Edge." He made a self-deprecating sound. "Me! Working in an office."

Cloud looked at Barret for a moment. Considered the possibility. Barret typically came to stay with them in Edge from time to time, though not on any consistent basis. He always showed up for important dates – Marlene's birthday or big events at school – but it was not quite the same as it had been over the past three months, with Barret living here fulltime.

It had been good. Better than good.

Having another adult around who loved the kids and could help out with the chores of day-to-day life. The cooking, the cleaning, the chauffeuring around of teens with unnaturally busy social lives. Another pair of arms to hold their baby, who seemed unlikely to ever nap in a crib. Someone else to bounce ideas off of when parenting seemed an impossible task, who helped them stand their ground against two willful teens.

And it had been fun.

"I think it's a great idea," Cloud said. "Perfect, actually."

Cloud's enthusiasm seemed to relieve Barret. His shoulders relaxed and he gave Cloud a reluctant smile.

"You really think so?"

"Of course. When do you move in?"

"After the summer," Barret said. "Need some time to transition. I'm keeping the place in Corel but I gotta find someone to take over for me since I won't be there as often."

Something occurred to Cloud, and he frowned.

"You don't want to stay here with us? We could redo the office, you know."

Barret shook his head.

"Gotta stand on my own a bit, know what I'm saying? I wanna be close for Marlene, but this is you and Tifa's place. If I'm gonna be in Edge, I need to start a life of my own." He grinned suddenly. "But that doesn't mean I won't be over here all the time."

Cloud could see it. Barret walking over for dinner most days to their place. Marlene running over to Barret's whenever she had a disagreement with Cloud or Tifa. Barret marching her back over to apologize. That part, he could only imagine too well.

"Tifa agreed that it would make sense for Marlene to stay here with you all as long as you're okay with it. She's happy here. She belongs here," Barret said softly. "Besides, we just redid her room."

"Of course I'm okay with it."

Cloud thought about Marlene's sketches. The floorplans and designs she had drawn after helping Tifa decorate the nursery. He spared a quick, pitying thought for Barret's new apartment. Cloud imagined that Marlene would have ideas.

"That's that then," Barret said. "We'll tell Marlene tomorrow."

They sat together, the silence between them no longer heavy with the past, but light with the thought of new beginnings ahead. After a moment, Barret stood up, groaning as he stretched, stiff from sitting on the hard steps. He finished off the neglected drink in his hand and looked down at Cloud.

"You good now, man?" he asked.

"Yeah," Cloud answered. "You?"

"Good. Or I will be once I get a refill. You coming back in too?"

Cloud shook his head.

"In a minute," he said. "You go on ahead."

Barret opened the door but hesitated before entering. He seemed close to reaching down to drag Cloud inside with him, when a voice called out from inside the living room.

"Barret? What are you doing out there? Have you seen –"

Tifa's voice was not yet concerned, but it was getting there. Cloud heard her huff of relief as she appeared in the doorway and saw Cloud. Apologies were on Cloud's lips, and he was getting ready to stand, when Tifa pushed past Barret and onto the front steps.

In one graceless motion, Tifa dropped herself onto Cloud's lap. Cloud's breath left him in a startled oof as she miscalculated the drop and landed hard. He wrapped an arm behind her back to steady her as she teetered. Tifa giggled, grabbing onto his shirt.

"There you are!" she said.

Cloud brushed his fingers across her forehead, fixing the strand of hair that had fallen across her face. He let his hand linger on her face.

"And there you are," he replied.

Barret groaned.

"And that's my cue," he said, moving into the house. "Just remember this is a family neighborhood, will ya? I'll turn the hose on you two if I have to."

He closed the door behind him, but not before Cloud heard him muttering to himself. And this is why I need my own place. Tifa paid him no mind, settling herself more securely atop Cloud's legs. She nuzzled her head beneath his chin.

"I was wondering where you went," she said. "What happened to you?"

"Just needed some air. Then Barret and I got to talking."

"Hmm."

Tifa lifted her head to look up at him. Her face was serious, and she looked ready to ask him more questions. But as she leaned back to see his face, the movement almost made her fall off of his lap. She started giggling again as Cloud pulled her close.

"And what happened to you?" he asked.

Cloud gripped her chin lightly, examining her face. Her skin was a bit more heated than usual beneath his fingers. Tifa's hair was tussled, her eyes bright, and her cheeks flushed pink. Their faces were close enough that he could smell the bite of liquor on her breath.

"Yuffie and Reeve made me do shots with them after I put the baby down," she confessed.

"Reeve?" he asked. "Shots? As in more than one?"

He raised his eyebrows at her, and she shrugged, grinning.

"Just two. That's only one more than one," she explained, holding up two fingers.

"Uh huh. Guess that math adds up."

Tifa shoved at his shoulder.

"And yes," she said. "Reeve. Yuffie's schmoozing. She's trying to negotiate a raise."

"Is it working?" Cloud asked.

"Surprisingly, yes. Oh wait! Barret should get in on this. Barret…!"

She twisted on Cloud's lap to call out at the door. But then, she turned back to face him, slapping a hand over her mouth. She looked at Cloud guiltily. He laughed, pulling her hand away and holding it in his.

"Barret told me about the job," he said.

Tifa breathed a sigh of relief. Cloud shifted and helped Tifa down onto the lower step between his legs. She relaxed her upper body against him, and Cloud wrapped his arms around her from behind. He rubbed her bare limbs, already loosing heat in the cool late spring evening air.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" she sighed.

"Uh huh," Cloud agreed.

"I told him he should move in with us permanently," Tifa said. "But he insisted that he needed his own space."

Cloud tried not to laugh, thinking about Barret's temporary bedroom in the office across from Cloud and Tifa's. The shared bathroom on that floor. How once, grumpy and dirty from a long day, Barret had pounded on its door for his turn while Tifa smothered giggles against Cloud's wet shoulder. Barret's eye roll just now when Tifa had plopped onto Cloud's lap.

Barret could not be more thrilled for Cloud and Tifa. Their happiness together after the hard road to get there. He teased them like all of their friends did, but Cloud knew he was one of the staunchest supporters of Cloud and Tifa's relationship.

Still, Cloud thought about the longing in Barret's voice when he talked about Myrna. How it might ache to, day after day, bear witness to a type of happiness that had once been yours, but then been lost. He thought about how wistful Barret had sounded when he spoke of starting a life of his own.

"He's right," Cloud said. "He needs his own place. Might be hard to make his own life here with us cramping his style."

Tifa processed his words for a second, before looking up at him with a bright interest in her eyes. It made Cloud feel slightly nervous. For himself, but more so for Barret.

"Hey, Cloud. Do you think Barret is interested in dating again?" She gave his knee an insistent shake. "Is that what you two were talking about out here without me?"

"No, we weren't talking about that. But yeah, maybe."

"Hmm. What do you think Barret's type is?"

Cloud thought about it. Barret, he knew, had been a bit wild before he had settled down with Myrna. Cloud had gotten drinks with Barret and Cid too many times to not know the sordid details of Barret's early dating days.

But even though he had been with Tifa for years now, even though he told Tifa everything, and she knew the deepest, darkest secrets of his heart, Cloud found that he could not bring himself to tell her that Barret was a self-proclaimed certified ass man.

"Someone, uh, sturdy," he said instead. "But still spontaneous. They'd need to be, to keep up with Barret."

Someone who wanted to travel, maybe. Someone who wanted to go on adventures. Someone who understood loss and heartache, but still dreamed of a new start.

"I know women," Tifa said, getting excited. "Lots of them. From the gym. From the bar. All kinds of women. Single women. Sturdy ones, spontaneous ones. Do you think I should –"

"Hey, Tifa."

"Mm?"

"Be cool," he said, grinning.

Tifa huffed but smiled, as Cloud fired her words back at her from days before. It was hard to resist the temptation to meddle in their friends' love lives. After all, their friends had all witnessed and meddled in theirs. They would try to be cool, but Cloud sensed that Barret was not off the hook. Tifa, and likely Marlene, were bound to try and play matchmaker.

Feeling a brotherly allegiance to Barret, Cloud changed the topic.

"Thea go down okay?" Cloud asked.

"Oh yes," Tifa said. "She's all tuckered out. Sully too. Nanaki told them a bedtime story. He's good with the kids. Even Denzel and Marlene listened."

"Uncle Nana. Think he'd babysit for us?"

Tifa giggled at the sweet, silly nickname.

"Maybe when she's a bit older and doesn't need to be held so much. But that reminds me, Red did invite Denzel to come stay with him for a bit this summer. I think they really got on when the kids went to Cosmo Canyon for school."

Cloud could see that. Denzel had plenty of friends in Edge and was popular with the other kids. More so, certainly, than Cloud had ever been. But Denzel was a serious boy. He had always been more mature than other kids his age or even the ones who were slightly older.

Nanaki would be a good friend for him. And more than that, Denzel would be a good friend for Cloud and Tifa's old friend. Though Red was chronologically older than even Vincent, he hailed from a species that lived hundreds of years. While Cloud, Tifa, and the others grew into adulthood, Nanaki was somewhat left behind, stuck in an extended youth despite the wisdom of his years.

"Sounds good to me," Cloud agreed.

"So maybe we can find a different sitter for the baby. Maybe Vincent?"

Cloud laughed, remembering the unlikely scene of his slobbery, adorable infant daughter up in against Vincent's intimidating, somber frame.

"Thea did seem to like him," he conceded.

"Jacko too," Tifa added. "I caught them on the sofa together. Jacky was purring. On his lap!"

Cloud shook his head. Somehow, it did not surprise him. It happened with Cloud sometimes too. The more you pretended not to be interested in animals or kids, the more they seemed to be attracted to you. But even if he was a secret baby and cat whisperer, somehow Cloud suspected that Vincent was not campaigning for a babysitting job.

"Maybe Cid and Shera would be better," he suggested.

"You're probably right. I think they could use the practice. See what it's like with two."

Cloud nodded, remembering the way that Shera had looked at Cid. Cloud knew that look. It was what had gotten Tifa and him in trouble in the first place. The best kind of trouble, Cloud thought, picturing his baby girl. Still, it serves Cid right.

"Speaking of Cid…" Cloud said. "Since you cut your hair, do you think I should grow a mustache?"

"What?" Tifa yelped.

She looked around at him, face horrified.

"All the cool dads are doing it," he said.

Grinning, he placed a finger along his upper lip, then puckered up. Tifa laughed, pushing his face away as he tried to land his lips on hers to give her a big, mustachey kiss.

"No, please don't," Tifa pleaded, breathless with laughter.

She squealed when he managed to catch her on the cheek. Frowning playfully, Tifa reached up to peel his finger away, brushing her thumb against his lips.

"No mustache," she said.

"No mustache," he promised.

Tifa dropped her hand from his face and leaned back against his chest. Her body was soft against his as she leaned into him. Loose from drinks, laughter, and happiness.

"Why the sudden interest in a sitter anyways?" Cloud asked.

"You're taking me somewhere," Tifa reminded him. "So I can wear my new dress."

"That's right. I did say that. Where should we go then?"

Tifa sighed contently, tilting her head up toward the sky. The streets of Edge were well lit. Between the streetlights and the moon reflecting off the clouds, it seemed unnaturally bright. He wondered if, like him, Tifa was imagining a different sky. Resplendent above a water tower on a dark night.

"Somewhere we can see the stars," Tifa whispered.

Her eyes flicked from the sky to Cloud. Though the sky was starless, it seemed to Cloud that Tifa's eyes were filled with stars. They were sparkling with happiness, from the fullness of the joyful life they shared together, and the excitement of everything still ahead.

He kissed her. Much like the fireworks that had exploded behind them the first time Cloud had dared to place his lips on hers, he was sure that stars were bursting inside his heart.

By the time they pulled themselves away from each other's lips, it was getting a bit chilly, and it was getting late. It occurred to Cloud that they should likely be getting back to their guests. Tifa must have been thinking the same because she shifted a bit in his arms.

"We should probably go back in," she said.

Cloud pulled her closer, the feeling of holding her in his arms bringing back the feeling of nostalgia that had been with them all night long.

"Give me a little longer," he begged. "Just a little bit longer."

Laughing softly, Tifa conceded.

"This day will never come again," she whispered. "So let's just have this moment…"

Later that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, Cloud found himself wandering around the house. He gathered stray glasses and put them in the sink. Placed lids back on bottles that had been abandoned on the bar. Swept up crumbs that stuck to a floor which, as Cloud had predicted, had grown increasingly sticky as the night progressed.

In the living room, he placed a glass of water on the coffee table by the sofa next to Reeve. Shooed away Jacko who was watching him sleep with murderous intent. Wondered if he would remember in the morning the bargains he had made with Barret and Yuffie.

Upstairs, he carefully shut the office door, which Barret had left open, to block his alcohol enhanced snores from waking up the Highwinds who were hopefully fast asleep in the nursery. He paused at the bottom of the stairs to the third floor, listening carefully around the snoring for any sounds. All seemed to be quiet.

Marlene and Denzel had both been up way past their usual bedtimes. They had certainly made it later than Yuffie, who Cloud had half carried up to bed after she had fallen asleep against Vincent's shoulder. Although Vincent had not been bothered by Thea, it seemed he did not extend the same courtesy to Yuffie drool. Nanaki had escorted them, pleased to have a reason to go up to bed himself.

Cloud entered his and Tifa's room, trying not to make a sound. Tifa was in the same spot where Cloud had found her a little while ago. Still pleasantly tipsy, she had whispered promises in Cloud's ear that made his head spin, before leaving him to make up a bed for Reeve on the sofa as fast as he could manage. But despite his haste, by the time Cloud made it upstairs, Tifa was half-dressed on top of the covers, fast asleep in bed.

Sighing but smiling, Cloud pulled the blanket up over Tifa's shoulders, trying not to think too regretfully of promises unfulfilled.

Before Cloud got into bed, he checked on Thea, still sleeping soundly in her bassinet. Her lashes were long and dark against her round cheeks. Her hair was especially mussed, the way it sometimes got when she slept particularly well. Cloud placed a light hand on her stomach, closing his eyes and feeling her breath.

He recalled another night, nearly three months prior, when Tifa had been in bed recovering and he stood barely awake in this same exact spot. His heart tender and aching, still hurting from the fear of losing Tifa, still afraid to fully know and love his newborn baby girl.

Already, so much had changed since that night. Thea took bottles, she smiled, and earlier that day, she had even laughed. Their baby was starting to sleep through the night, and soon they would move her into the nursery. Thea had grown so much. And Cloud's heart had grown too.

Nights like these would soon be over.

And this day would never come again. He remembered how Tifa had once said that to him. How she had begged him for another moment, and he gave it to her, because at the time, it was all that he had to give. Now, they had so much together.

Tifa had been so certain that night that they would never again have a time like this. And of course, Tifa had been right. That first night they spent together beneath the stars had been singular. He had never felt anything like it.

But Cloud had also never imagined a time like this. A sleeping baby girl with his hair and Tifa's eyes. A house filled with his family and friends. His eyes were drawn to the clock on the nightstand. It was long past midnight. Spring was over and summer began.

This day would never come again, but he had the rest of his life ahead of him. And he was certain that there would be many more times just like this.