Chapter 1 - Sunset

Tifa’s left boot touches the earth, followed by the other as she releases the rope ladder. She begins to walk off in one direction, away from the magnificent Highwind airship hovering up above. Then Cloud’s feet hit the ground lifting up a small amount of dust as he jumped off the ladder. He proceeded to follow Tifa.
 
As the two walk off into the increasing dusk, a myriad of thoughts begin to flood Cloud’s mind. He thought of all the events that transpired on his journey. Battling his way out of the Midgar metropolis. Braving the mountainous midwestern continent. Laying the lifeless body of Aerith into the lake of the Forbidden City. Joy and wonder. Pain and sadness. All the while chasing a man of extraordinary power and attempting to save the world from a falling meteor.
 
Hours ago, Hojo had just paved the way for the heroes by piercing the protection field at the North Crater. With the airship, there was nothing standing in the way of their final pursuit of Sephiroth into the unknown depths of the world and settling things once and for all. But the crew was exhausted in body and in spirit. The ordeals that they have shared together were harrowing and would have undoubtedly killed normal men and women. There was just one final task to do. But it may prove to be impossible. Take on a monster who has grown in considerable might from the planet? Then after that, somehow release the Holy power he holds prisoner in time to counter a gigantic astronomical body on a collision course with the world? Can they really do it? What are they fighting for?
 
==
 
“All of you. Get off the ship and find your own reasons,” Cloud had told them of the bridge of the Highwind.
“I want you to reassure yourselves. And then I want you to come back.”
 
“Maybe ain’t none of us’ll come back,” Cid said matter-of-factly.
“Meteor’s gonna kill us all anyway. What’s the point in any of this useless struggling!”
 
Cloud said, “I know why I’m fighting. I’m fighting to save the planet and that’s that.”
“But besides that, there’s something personal, too. A very personal memory that I have.”
 
Tifa, who had been looking into the distance off the airship bow while Cloud was addressing everybody, had her ears perk upon hearing those words from him.
 
“You can’t fight without a reason, right? If you can’t find one, that’s fine, too. I won’t hold it against any of you if you don’t come back.”
 
==
 
Tifa stopped walking. She was facing north toward the Crater, toward their final destination. Cloud stopped in his tracks, a few yards away from her. The harsh noise of the airship’s engines was still audible, albeit far away enough not to be deafening and some of the sounds of the wild could be heard. He stared at her back for a moment, then turned away toward the mega city glowing brightly in the darkness. For the first time in years, he was truly alone with her. But even though she was almost in reach, she felt light-years away.
And then Tifa broke her silence.
 
“Everyone's gone.”
 
Cloud allowed that fact to sink in and steeled himself to reply to her.
“Yeah,” he said meekly. “And we don't have anywhere or anyone to go home to.”
 
“You're right.” Tifa looked down at the grass.
“But...I'm sure they'll come back! I mean…don't you think so?”
 
“Hmm...I wonder. Everyone has an irreplaceable something they're holding on to. But this time, our enemy…”
 
Tifa took a deep breath in.
“It's all right.” She cracked a faint smirk. “Even if no one comes back. As long as I'm with you...As long as you're by my side...I won't give up even if I'm scared.”
 
The tender words hit Cloud. He swung his gaze back to her.
“Tifa...”
 
She closed her eyes, still facing away from Cloud.
“No matter how close we are…we were…far apart. Before this.”
Her eyes flicked open. She stared down to the grass again, holding her hands behind her. She began to feel a flutter in her heart.
“But when we were in the Lifestream, surrounded by all those screams of anguish, I thought…”
She breathed in.
“I thought I heard your voice.”
Tears began to form in her eyes. She tried to lightly sniff them back.
“You probably don't remember this...But deep in my heart I heard you calling my name...Or at least I thought I did.”
 
Cloud closed his eyes for a second.
“Yeah...
At that time I heard you calling me. You were calling me back from the stream of consciousness in the Lifestream.”
He felt a light surge of pride.
“After all, I promised. That if you were in trouble, I would be there for you.”
 
Hearing about the promise overwhelmed her inside. But Tifa was doing her best to keep her composure. Facing away from Cloud kept him from reading her accurately and she deflected.
“Cloud...Do you think the stars can hear us?” Her eyes drifted upwards and slowly panned the sky.
“Do you think they see how hard we're fighting for them?”
 
“I…
I dunno...
But... Whether they are or not, we still have to do what we can. And believe in ourselves...”
Cloud took a step toward Tifa.
“Someday we'll find the answer. Right, Tifa? That's what I learned from you when I was in the Lifestream.”
 
“Yeah...That's right.”
 
A light dusk breeze brushed past them both. Cloud was motioning himself toward Tifa, step by step. More thoughts were flooding through the jumbled mess in Cloud’s conscious. He froze after two steps.
 
“Hey Tifa...... I...... I, uh…”
Cloud’s heart began to race mildly.
“There are a lot of things I wanted to talk to you about.
But now that we're together like this, I, um… I don't know what I really wanted to say.”
Cloud closed his eyes and shook his head in self-disgust.
“I guess nothing's changed at all...*chuckle* Kind of makes you want to laugh.”
 
Suddenly Tifa turned around to face him, her eyes fixed.
“Cloud…”
 
He managed to look up and their eyes were locked together. Tifa steadily closed the distance between them. When they were finally face-to-face, she reached out her hands to caress his face. His mouth opened up a bit as he felt her warm touch.
 
“Words aren't the only thing that tell people what you're thinking.”
 
Eyes slowly closing, her hands pulled Cloud’s face and brought his lips to hers. His eyes flicked open wide with shock. Immediately, Aerith flashed in his mind instantaneously. But why? Had he not realized already that the affection he was feeling for Aerith was channeled from living Zack’s legacy?
 
Tifa pulled her face away to look at Cloud. He still had a mild surprised look on his face.
 
“Tifa, I…”
 
She put her hand on his mouth. The tears began to flow freely from her eyes now.
“I know. You still may have Zack’s affection for her.”
Cloud felt a pinch in his soul, like the feeling when being caught in a lie or red-handed committing a crime.
“But in the Lifestream, I saw it. I felt it! I know that deep within you, you still feel something for me, too! Right!?”
 
He stared into her eyes for a moment. He lightly brushed away the streams flowing down her face. He then leaned in and kissed her closed eyes and drew her close into his embrace.
 
“Oh, Cloud.”
Tifa’s heart flutters now reverberated throughout her body.
“I don’t care if what you’re feeling right now is meant for her.”
Cloud lifted her chin and gaze to his.
“Just… Whatever you’re feeling…”
Her hand guided his upward until it met her breasts.
 
“…Give it all to me, now.”
