FFVII: Chaos Within Ch1

Final Fantasy VII
Chaos Within
A FanFiction Dedicated To "Final Fantasy VII"

   "Which is it? A memory? Or us?"
                                                             - Tifa Lockhart


        Chapter One
            " Him "

Cloud.....all she ever wanted is to have him love her like he did "her".
Her...Aerith, she took Cloud from her, She felt thier friendship growing fainter and fainter with every step she took,  but she musn't blame Aeris for it. That wouldn't be wrong. She coldn't blame her friends. She was to good a person for that. But still she longed for him, needed him, and deep down, she hoped for the day that the need would overcome her and she could finally tell him. But the day never came, she never felt the urge to tell him, but no matter what she would never give up on him, never.

The bar had the usual glow of the morning sun shining down through the windows. The chairs were still stacked on the table from yesterday, after closing. There was a pile of dishes next to the sink also from last night which she had neglected to do.  She walked over to the sign on the door and turned it so that the open sign was facing towards the buzy public. She walked back to the sink and started to wash the dishes before anybody came.

A few minutes later she heard the small footsteps of the two children she and Cloud cared for, Denzel and Marlene.
"Tifa! Cloud is comming home today!" They both shouted, Tifa smiled at them.

"I know, Im excited to." She replied, Denzel came behind her and grabbed a box of cards and the to of them started to play Go Fish.

She smiled at them, when she looked at them she thought of her and Cloud when they were kids. They could always trust eachother, he would never hurt her. One day he told her he was leaving to join SOLIDER and they made a promise, a promise he has never broken.

The door opened and Tifa's heart leapt, she almost dropped the plate she was holding.

"Hey guys!" It was Yuffie. She was wearing her big grin as usual.

"Hey Yuffie, have you heard from Cloud yet?" Tifa asked, but immediatley regretted asking so soon because Yuffie gave her a suspicious look. Tifa looked away hastily.

"No, not yet, but dont worry he'll be here."  She walked up to Tifa and patted her on the shoulder. She smiled back at her.

"So what are you guys up to hmm..?" She put her elbow down on the counter and observed Denzel and Marlene's card game. Tifa  countinued to wash the dishes with fear rising in her. Was he really comming? Was he alright? Did something happen? She needed to calm herself down, she knew he would be okay he had to be.

The rest of the day was pretty much the same as always. Drunken men picking fights, others reaching out to pinch her side, and some people would call her rude names because she had to kick them out, but she took it well, I guess you couldsay she was used to it. She would sometimes get swung at, slapped or pushed into tables but she took it as if it were nothing. She would occasionally come out of a hard days work with a few bruises but it was nothing she couldn't handle. She is a very strong girl, she has to be for Marlene and Denzel, even for Cloud.

After she said goodnight to Denzel and Marlene,  she went and sat in the window of her bedroom ,  watching the city turn to twilight in the suns dying light. The fear was still with her as she waited paitently for the sound of Clouds motorcycle pulling up to the bar. It was midnight, and she was starting to fall asleep, so she got up and started to get ready for bed, she heard it, the rumble of the engine, then it fell silent. She rushed downstairs forgetting that Denzel and Marlene were asleep, and she pushed the door open and started to run towards him.

"Cloud! Your back! Oh, I'm so glad your alright." She ran forward and hugged him. He nodded and gently wrapped his arms around her.  They stood together, letting the chilling wind pass through them. Tifa didn't even notice untill they broke apart. She looked into his eyes, the same sorroful, pained eyes that she had remembered. They were a magnificent blue, like the sky. Everytime she looked into they she seemed to drift away, she would become lost in his eyes, there was no other place she would rather be lost.

"You okay?" He questioned her as she continued to stare at him.

"What? oh, yeah sorry haha. So how was your trip?"  How embarrassing! she thought as they walked back in together.

"Not bad, just long. It's good to be back." He sighed, she knew he was tired. She felt bad for him, he worked so hard and never got anything in return except for critisisim for his appearance, or for how he acted. He's not exactally the most sociable person you could ask for, but when he doesn talk to other people, like Denzel and Marlene, he tries to be happier than he is but we can all see it, you just have to look into his eyes and it's right there, the sorrow, the guilt.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" she asked him as she walked behind the counter. He walked over to one of the armchairs and when she looked back he was fast asleep.