Live For Me

Clorith

“Cloud, are you there?” Tifa asked, holding her cell phone close to her ear.

Once again she was trying to convince Cloud to come home and this was one of the rare times that he had actually answered the phone. Most of the other calls he didn’t even bother answer and she ended up leaving message after message trying to talk some sense into him.

“Yeah Tifa, what do you want?” He answered back. He sounded as though he was a little bit irritated at the fact that Tifa was constantly trying to get him to come home. She just didn’t get it, he couldn’t come back. He just couldn’t. All the same, Tifa was one of his friends and he just couldn’t hang up on her, although he was really tempted to.

“What are you doing?” she asked back, carefully choosing her words so Cloud wouldn’t just stop talking. He’s been known to do that.

“I’m…” Cloud started. He didn’t know exactly what she wanted to hear but had to be careful with his words.

Tifa re-thought the question. “What I meant to ask is how things with your life are?” she explained. She almost regretted saying that when he didn’t immediately answer. She continued on anyway. “You know you can’t keep running away forever. There are people who still need you and you keep letting them down.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do?” he countered.

“You’re supposed to stay here with Denzel, Marlene, and me! They depend on you like you’re their father. Denzel is becoming more and more like you and I don’t know what to do. I can’t give him what he needs; only you can do that.” Tifa replied almost in tears.

She had felt so helpless lately.

“I can’t help him.” Cloud replied matter-of-factly. The tone of voice showed no room for argument but Tifa was going to try anyway.

“Why can’t you try to help him?” Tifa replied hotly. She was starting to get really mad at him. After all here she was helpless as can be, and he didn’t even care enough to help.

“Because I can’t even help myself.” he admitted awkwardly. He felt really dumb for saying something like that but it was the truth. If he couldn’t do anything to help himself, how could he help others?

“Perhaps you need to look at things through someone else’s point of view.” Tifa suggested calmly. She quickly realized that this battle wouldn’t be won with angry words. She had to be wise about how and what she said for it to work.

“Like whose, yours?” I know what you want from me and I can’t give you that.” He replied curtly.

“No not my perspective, Aerith’s.” She said, knowing immediately that her words had affected him when she her heard him breathe sharply. She bravely continued on. “You should think of what Aerith would want you to do. You know that she would do the right thing. I think that she could help you. That’s something that I wanted to be able to do for a long time, but I… I can’t be her. I….” She was stopped in mid sentence.

“Sorry Tifa, but I gotta go.” He said, interrupting her. He didn’t want to be rude to his childhood friend, but he just couldn’t stand Tifa talking about her. He pushed the end button on his cell phone. The beep seemed unusually longer and louder than usual as though it was trying to tell him that he made a mistake.

7th Heaven

Tifa sighed loudly when she heard the beep from her phone. Once again, Cloud had hung up on her just because she had talked about Aerith. She couldn’t understand why Cloud couldn’t just move on.

“I finally got a hold of him and he wouldn’t even listen to what I had to say.” she muttered softly to herself. She looked up when she heard Marlene coming down the stairs and into the bar.

“Tifa, Denzel’s gone again!” she shouted urgently.

Tifa sighed even louder this time. “Okay Marlene, I’ll be there in a second.” She replied to the little girl. She put on her coat and together with Marlene they went outside to look for Denzel. Tifa couldn’t help thinking about Cloud as she went. After all she blamed him for everything happening.

“Cloud, you’re supposed to be here so these things won’t happen.” She thought to herself angrily.

Aerith’s Church

Meanwhile, Cloud was tending to the flowers at Aerith’s church. This small gesture was all he could do for the flower girl killed right in before his eyes. As he watered the blooming flowers, his thoughts strayed to what Tifa had said earlier.

“Why did she have to bring up Aerith again? I know what she wants, but I can’t do it. I can’t be the person that they want me to be.” He mused to himself bitterly.

“I need to get outta here.” He thought as he stood up and quickly grabbed his glasses. He needed to leave this place, again.

Forgotten City

“Cloud, Cloud where are you?” Denzel shouted desperately.

“I thought Cloud would be here. Tifa said that this is where Aerith was buried and I thought that this is where Cloud might be. I guess I’m never going to find him.” Denzel pondered hopelessly.

“Cloud, why did you leave us? Tifa needs you now more than ever and you’re absence is tearing her apart. Just because someone you loved died doesn’t mean that you can abandon us! You make us feel that not only did she die, but that you did too! Don’t do this to us, this isn’t what Tifa wants!” he shouted harshly, not knowing that the person he was shouting about was right behind him. The person did not look very happy either.

“How could a child like you possibly understand?” he demanded loudly.

Denzel jumped when he realized that Cloud was right behind him and heard everything he’d said. However he felt very happy about it. He’d finally found the person he was looking for.

“Cloud, you finally came. I knew I could find you here and that’s why I came.” He spoke softly.

“Answer me, how would you know what Tifa wants? You didn’t even know Aerith!” Cloud shouted angrily at the young kid, not even caring that he was scaring him. All he knew was that he was talking about Aerith, and that he didn’t like what he was saying. A soft voice spoke in his head.

“Cloud.” the sweet beautiful voice said to him.

He instantly recognized that voice, it was Aerith’s.

“Aerith.” he said softly. Her name was so beautiful to him; he didn’t dare say it harshly.

“Yes, it is me.” The voice replied softly.

“Cloud, what’s going on?” Denzel asked curiously since he couldn’t hear Aerith’s voice.

“Denzel, Go to the Fenrir. I will join you there in a little while; I have some unfinished business to take care of first.” Cloud instructed and Denzel nodded in response.

“Ok Cloud, I will wait for you there.” He replied before walking over to Cloud’s motorcycle.

Cloud was alone now, except for the voice speaking to him in his head.

“Aerith.” he said softly.

“Do you want to know what I want from you?” she questioned curiously.

“I want to know more than anything.” He replied.

“I want you to live out my life for me. I can no longer be there for the people I love. I need you to be what I can no longer be. I will not have you living life like nothing matters anymore. I want you to cherish the things I cannot have. I want you love the people I can no longer love anymore. I want you to be able to look back on your life when it’s over and to be able to say that you don’t regret a single thing.” She explained carefully.

“But I already regret my life.” Cloud replied sadly.

“Leave those things behind you and start over. Please do this for me Cloud.” Aerith instructed carefully.

“Even if I do that there will be one thing that I will forever regret.” He replied.

“What is that Cloud?” She asked.

“That I never told you that I loved you.” He answered softly.

“You, you what?” Aerith said in a shocked tone.

“I love you Aerith.” Cloud repeated again.

“Cloud, I had always loved you as well. I am so sorry that I am not there for you anymore. However, I want you to move on in life Cloud; I want you to love again.” She said.

“I don’t want to, I cannot.” He replied.

“What do you mean Cloud?” Aerith queried.

“I’ve tried so hard to move on but I can’t. Thoughts of you are constantly in my mind. Everyday I wish so much that I could hold you in my arms. I miss you so much Aerith.” He replied almost too softly to be heard.

“I miss you too Cloud, but you have a life to live. You have to continue living it to the fullest. You cannot keep doing what you have been doing lately. There are so many people that need you.” Aerith said to Cloud.

“I can’t do it though Aerith, I need you.” Cloud said sadly.

“I need you to do this for me Cloud, will you live for me?” She asked hopefully.

“I can do that, for you.” Cloud replies in a bit louder voice.

“Thank you Cloud, now I believe that there are some people waiting for you.” She says in a pleasant tone.

“But I don’t want to leave Aerith.” He replied plainly.

“You have to Cloud, but don’t worry; I will be always watching you and I’ll be here if you ever need me.” Aerith said reassuringly.

“Good bye Aerith.” Cloud sighed softly. He placed a flower picked from Aerith’s garden and placed it into the pool of water where Aerith had been laid to rest. He felt warm tears fall down his cheeks, watching as they fell into the water, causing it to ripple. After composing himself he stood up and walked back to the Fenrir to check on Denzel.

“Are you done Cloud?” he asked curiously.

“Yes Denzel, Let’s go home.” He climbed on the motorcycle and started it. Together they turned onto the lonely road and headed home.

7th Heaven

Tifa and Marlene walked back inside the bar after having searched the whole town. Unfortunately nobody had seen him.

“I’m sorry Marlene.” Tifa told the girl compassionately.

She didn’t seem sad though. “It’s ok, he might be with Cloud.” She said optimistically.

“There isn’t a chance of that.” Tifa thought to herself. She heard the door to the bar open behind her and looked over to it. She was surprised to see Denzel walk inside.

“Tifa, Marlene I’m back!” he shouted.

“Denzel, where have you been? You had us worried sick.” Marlene demanded angrily.

“I went to the Forgotten City to find Cloud.” Denzel replied honestly.

Tifa almost gasped in shock.

“How in the world did you get back?” Tifa asked, recovering from the shock of what Denzel had said.

“Cloud drove me home.” He replied directly.

“He did what?!” Tifa shouted loudly.

“Yep, he drove me home. He told me that had to go over to the church for something and then he would be back. I knew if I went to find him he would finally come home. Aren’t you glad Tifa?”

“I, I…” Tifa tried to reply but she was speechless. She had just re-gained the ability to speak when she heard the door open again. Her mouth opened as a blonde haired man walked inside.

“I’m back!” he shouted happily.

“Cloud, it’s really you!” Marlene shouted, running up and giving him a huge hug.

Tifa half expected to him to push her away but he didn’t. Instead he actually hugged her back.

“Hey Marlene, I missed you.” he whispered to her.

“I missed you too Cloud, don’t ever leave us like that again!” Marlene demanded, causing Cloud to laugh.

“Okay Marlene, I won’t leave again. I promise.” He replied in a positive voice.

“Denzel, Marlene, can you please go upstairs for a little while? I need to talk to Cloud alone.” Tifa asked politely.

“Sure Tifa. I bet you’re glad to be back home Cloud.” Marlene shouted to him happily. She and Denzel then ran up the stairs to their bedrooms.

“Tifa.” Cloud started, knowing exactly what was going to come next. Tifa was going to lecture him.

“Why did you come back Cloud?” she demanded curiously.

“I did what you told me to, I looked at life from a different point of view, Aerith’s.” He began explaining. “I was able to talk to her at the Forgotten City and she helped me to see what I’m doing to myself and how it affects all of you. She wanted me to live her life for her and that’s what I’m going to do.”

“Cloud?” Tifa asked curiously.

“Yes Tifa?” He replied.

“Do you… um… do you still love her?” She questioned curiously.

“Why do you ask?” He replied to her question with one of his own.

“I just want to know, that’s all.” Tifa said softly.

“Yes, I still love her.” He replied. “I can never stop loving her. Even though she’s gone she will always be apart of me. I’m going to live for her.”

“OK, but I’m glad that you finally came back to us.” Tifa said softly. “I was worried that you were going to act like this forever.”

“Nah, anyway I think we should go up to see Denzel and Marlene. I owe them a lot of time.” Cloud said, his voice still had that tone of regret, but he also had hope. A hope for the future.

“You’re right, thank you Cloud.” Tifa replied happily as Cloud began to smile.

Fin