The Day I Found You

Summary: Cloud reflects on the time he first found Denzel outside the church and the time following after Cloud took him home. Nobody knew what the future had in store for them and with the threat closing in, he didn't know if they were all going to make it out okay. Especially when Denzel contracted Geostigma, Cloud held little hope for the boy and his days were numbered, but thanks to Tifa, Cloud may have developed feelings his heart tried so hard to deny toward the boy, toward their family...

A/N: Hello dear readers! :) This little piece was sitting on my computer for far too long (a few years back) and I've finally decided to upload it! I've polished it a bit, but it's still largely the same like I've written it a few years ago!

Plot: Like the summary suggests, this story will be centered around the time Cloud found Denzel as well as following weeks and months of living together with the family (well my take on it), what Cloud initially thought of him, how Tifa and Marlene adapt to the situation and of course how poor little Denzel copes with everything!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot, Square Enix (Soft) owns FF7 and all and any works connected to it!

Enjoy! ^^

Lost and Found

„You're a real handful," Reno's irritated voice just barely registered to Cloud's ears as the door slammed shut and he was left alone in Marlene and Denzel's room, alone to his thoughts.

He looked over his shoulder at Tifa, then he noticed the pictures on the small night desk in between the two beds. It showed them, their family.

Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, him...and suddenly, he was reminded of an old but fond memory...

It was the time he found Denzel, ill with Geostigma, collapsed just outside the church...

Flashback

"Tifa said to take you home, kid," Cloud carefully settled the young child on top of Fenrir, making sure he was sitting right before he carefully mounted his bike and started the engine, the low growling of Fenrir sending a wave of nostalgia over him as he grabbed the steering bars.

"Grab on," Cloud had thought the kid would grab onto him or Fenrir and they would be off to Seventh Heaven, but he only felt how the boy collapsed on his back.

Cloud paused and turned his head, noting the boy's exhausted state, the black ooze gathering at his forehead and the lack of response to his command.

Slowly, Cloud reached behind himself to grab at the boys hand and guide it to his front, pressing it gently against his abdomen and holding it there while he drove Fenrir one handed, however before he could start driving he felt something shaking.

It was the boy, his hand was shaking so hard and it felt clammy and cold. In an act meant to soothe the boy's fears, Cloud gently but firmly wrapped his hand around the small, shaking fist and squeezed gently.

Cloud waited with baited breath, not starting to drive until the boy's shivers stopped. Sure enough, after short minutes, the shivering ceased and Cloud felt the boy lean his head against his back, he passed out.

With another securer grip around the boy, Cloud slowly began driving, not willing to risk endangering the boy behind him by driving too fast. Tifa was sure to have prepared something for their guest by the time they arrived.

"Cloud!" Marlene exclaimed in happiness, until she saw what Cloud was carrying in his arms.

It was an unconscious boy.

"Tifa," with a nod to the barmaid, Tifa motioned for Cloud to follow her upstairs into her room, gently setting the boy down on her soft bed.

"Is he alright?" Tifa's concerned voice cut through his thoughts as Cloud adjusted the boy's legs so he was comfortable.

Cloud shook his head, "I don't know, he...collapsed," he scanned him from head to toe, then noticed something on his forehead, well concealed by his messy bangs but his keen mako eyes still caught sight of something black beneath the tresses.

Gently, Cloud pushed the locks of messy hair aside and his gaze narrowed when he realized what it was. Tifa gasped from beside him, steering Marlene away when the curious girl asked what was wrong.

When Tifa returned again without Marlene, she quietly asked, "...Is this what I think it is?" Cloud gave no verbal answer, but he didn't need to.

Both adults watched with rapt attention how the thick, black ooze gathered at his forehead and slowly trickled down the side of the boy's face.

Cloud didn't even notice when Tifa even left the room, only when she returned with a small bowl filled with water and a wash cloth. Cloud was transfixed as he watched Tifa kneel beside the bed and gently dab at the black liquid at the boy's forehead, submerging the stained cloth in the bowl to wash away what she gathered from the liquid.

"He's ill," Tifa's soft voice rang in his ears and Cloud forced himself to look away, "I'll have to make him something to eat once he wakes up, poor boy is far too thin for his age," Cloud looked up in surprise, watching Tifa clean the boy.

"What?" Cloud's tone betrayed his emotions of surprise, "You're not thinking of keeping him here? With us?" at Tifa's sudden silence, Cloud started, "You know we can't do that-"

Tifa cut him off, not looking at him and not pausing from cleaning the boy's Geostigma, "And why not?" her tone was soft but Cloud sensed her stubbornness in the matter, "Why can't we keep him Cloud? We took in Marlene too when Barret left on his journey, didn't we?" this time, she met his gaze and Cloud marveled at the intensity in her red eyes as she stared him down.

Cloud looked away, "That's different-" again, she cut him off.

"Exactly why is this different, Cloud? Because he has Geostigma?" her voice was soft but her words had a unmistakable edge to it, challenging him to deny the fact that she was right.

Yes.

But the word never left his mouth, he opted to stare at the floor, away from Tifa's burning gaze and knowing eyes.

There was a heavy sigh and the sound of the bowl being placed on the night desk beside the bed as Tifa stood up, "He is still a child," her voice was strong, resolute.

Cloud added quietly, "He has the Stigma,"

"But he is still just a child Cloud! You said you found him collapsed outside the church, right? His parents must have died when Sector 7 was destroyed, he doesn't have anyone to look after him and he has no home to return to Cloud." Her words reawakened something within him, something he swore he wouldn't recall so soon, a sense of nostalgia, of guilt.

The blond ex-SOLDIER met her stare, "We don't have the necessary accommodations for him, Tifa,"

The pugilist crossed her arms, "That's not a problem, we will just buy another bed for him and he and Marlene will share a room,"

"We don't know if we can afford to feed another stomach,"

Her gaze hardened with resolve, "The Delivery Service is going well and the bar is doing the best it possibly can since years, Cloud. Our savings are plenty as well," his own gaze narrowed.

He fought to find reasons, "You know what they say about the Stigma," his lips tightened into a line and he clenched his fists.

Tifa sighed, "I know, Cloud...but would you rather want him to die alone in some deserted alley or let him enjoy of what time he has left with people that care for him?" her words struck a chord and Cloud turned away from her.

"Let's wait until he wakes up," with that, Cloud left the room and closed the door behind him quietly.

Tifa was left alone with her thoughts and the unconscious boy in her room and she turned around to look at him again.

She couldn't really explain it, but something compelled her to save the boy, to give him a second chance. When she first glanced at him, she couldn't deny she saw Cloud in him. The little lost boy who was misunderstood and left to himself because he was different.

Tifa knew Cloud must have seen something similar, she may have told him to bring the boy here, but she knew, even without her words that he would have done it, not because it had been a child that collapsed near his bike, but because he saw a bit of himself in the little boy.

She also couldn't deny the fact that he somewhat resembled Cloud, if his hair were spikier and a lighter shade and he had blue eyes, it would be like a miniature Cloud.

Tifa smiled softly, gently brushing the messy hair aside on his forehead and placed the cool cloth on the skin, pulling the covers over his small body up to his chin. The boy squirmed for a moment, before uneasily relaxing against the soft mattress.

Tifa quietly closed the door behind her and was met with Marlene's concerned face as the little girl stood in the middle of the hallway, looking past Tifa at the door, "Will he be alright, Tifa?" she looked up at the adult.

The barmaid smiled and crouched down to be at eye level with the little girl, smiling softly, "Of course he will, what do you say we go in the kitchen and you help me cook something for our guest hm? He will surely have a appetite once he wakes up," Tifa winked at her, smiling.

Marlene's face brightened and she nodded enthusiastically, "Mhm! I'll go cut the vegetables for the soup!" Marlene was already running ahead and down stairs.

Tifa chuckled and straightened, calling after her, "Be careful with the knife!" she shook her head, resting her hands on her hips.

The door to Cloud's room was ajar and Tifa couldn't help but see what he was doing as she slowly approached it, being sure not to step on any noisy planks despite already knowing Cloud must have heard her coming thanks to his enhanced senses.

She softly knocked on the door, "Knock, knock, anyone home?" Tifa poked her head in and surprisingly saw Cloud there, sitting on his bed and wrapping a bandage around his left arm, the arm where the iconic red ribbon reminiscent of Aerith was usually wrapped in.

"Did you get hurt?" Tifa's attention shifted to the partly messily bandaged limb, down to the scissors and small bandages on the bed.

Cloud tensed, "It's nothing," his reply was curt and short.

"Let me see," Tifa attempted to move closer and inspect his wound but Cloud turned his head to look at her and that made her stop.

"It's alright," Cloud stood up, clutching at the bandaged arm and worry shot through her at the thought he must be in great pain if he clutched at it so protectively.

Cloud turned around and refastened his shoulder armor and the sleeve to it, covering the entirety of Aerith's ribbon and the bandage beneath it.

"I have a delivery to make," Cloud nodded at her and moved past Tifa, she heard his footsteps descend the stairs and how he greeted Marlene on his way out, telling her to be safe and to not wait for him in the evening how she often did.

The sound of Fenrir coming to life and driving out of the garage prompted Tifa to investigate the bandages Cloud had left on his bed. Most were clean, but a few of them had black splotches and Tifa was instantly reminded of the black liquid covering the boy.

"Geostigma?" her thoughts were interrupted by her own giggle, "Of course, Cloud was the one who brought him here, some of it must have landed on him..." still...where did he get injured? She hadn't seen any discomfort on him when he first entered the bar with the boy in his arms.

Tifa shook her head, grabbing the scissors and bandage roll and storing them in the small medical kit in the top drawer she knew Cloud to hoard, after all, one could never had too many first aid kits.

After that was done, Tifa went downstairs to help Marlene make supper for their guest and for themselves.

Cutting the leftover vegetables and meat Marlene hadn't yet, Tifa set a pot with water boiling as she seasoned the meat and waited until the water was hot to first put the meat in and then after the meat had gained a bit of color, the vegetables.

She stirred the stew carefully, adding in seasonings and a bit of the delicious soup powder Yuffie had brought her once from Wutai. She remembered how they talked about what else she needed for the bar and Yuffie had loudly voiced her complaints about Tifa not having an assortment of spices in her cabinet aside from salt and pepper.

The barmaid had tried to explain that seasonings and spices were sparse in Edge, considering the condition most of the populace is in, but Yuffie had waved off her concerns and three days later, Tifa had a small box outside her doorstep containing all sorts of spices Tifa hadn't seen since her childhood, ranging from mild spices to the hardcore spices Wutai was known for – Tifa only used those for when she had patrons with a tough stomach or of Wutaian descent.

Or at times, Cloud, who had mako infused in him which sped up his metabolism far faster than the average. Sometimes, she marveled at how she could mix him one of the strongest drinks that would make even Barret and Cid swoon and he would down it all without batting an eyelash. One had to wonder about what else mako does to the body.

As Tifa waited patiently for the broth to finish cooking, she spied Marlene sitting at the bar counter, drawing something with an assortment of colors.

Tifa leaned against the counter and quietly watched her, recognizing the sticky figure with long brown hair, red eyes and dark outfit. She recognized the braided pony tail with the pink hair ribbon and the dress, she recognized a figure she thought Marlene had no knowledge of until now, bearing dark spiky hair, a large sword strapped to his back and what appeared to be dark clothing or uniform, with blue eyes.

And lastly, she recognized the figure with a large sword, a black outfit, the head of a wolf drawn clumsily on the side of his vest...

And the unruly spiky blonde hair.

"Nghh..." the small hand that shakily moved up to touch his forehead promptly retracted when he noticed something damp and cool covering it.

He shot up, sweat covering his small body as the damp cloth fell on his lap, covered with a warm blanket.

He was in a bed, in a room he never saw before, he looked left and right, seeing some things that would belong to a woman. Where...where was he?

His head pulsed in pain and he clutched at it, gritting his teeth together.

"What...happened...?" the boy looked all around but he couldn't remember how he got here. He remembered collapsing suddenly, pain wracking his skull and shooting through him like a blade.

He remembered that old church...a cool motorcycle he stumbled upon...he also remembered trying to call his home in Sector 7 but...

A dark look crossed his face as he remembered what happened...he had no home...his parents were gone...he furiously rubbed at his eyes as he felt the little tears beginning to form and shakily stood up from the bed, trying to gather his bearings and make the world stop spinning.

Slowly, cautiously, he advanced toward the door, slowly opening it to find a semi-lit hallway, the light coming from a room opposite of the one he was currently in and a flight of stairs that led down.

He slowly walked toward the door that was ajar, light peeking through it as he opened it just a bit wider. When he found the room to be empty, he opened it wider.

There was a desk filled with papers, family photos, a simple bed was also there, in one corner was a dark punching bag and some containers which appeared to be oil of some sort.

A pleasant smell suddenly drifted into the room and he found his stomach growling loudly, he couldn't even remember when was the last time he ate something aside from the few scraps he gathered from that junkyard...

With hesitant steps, he slowly made his way down the stairs, finding purchase against the wall as the sounds of voices grew louder and the smell stronger.

"Don't worry I'm sure he will be fine once he wakes up and eats something," a soft female voice sounded just before he reached the last step.

"But Tifa you said Cloud found him outside the church, right? What was he doing at the church?" another younger voice asked the older one this time. He rose an eyebrow, a mother and child? Where was he? In a family home?

The woman, whom the little girl called 'Tifa' answered her, "I don't know, sweetie, I don't know,"

A floorboard squeaked and the boy shied back in fright, "Wait, I heard something! Did Cloud enter through the back?" came the voice of the little girl as light footsteps drew closer.

"But I didn't hear Fenrir outside-" Tifa rounded the corner and saw the boy there at the steps, looking lost and entirely too uncomfortable, "Oh, hello there," Tifa gave him a soft, warm smile, bending down to look at the boy directly in the eye, "Had a nice nap?" she winked at him playfully.

The boy blinked, dumbstruck, he looked nervously at the woman with the soft voice and next to her stood a little girl with bands covering her forehead and a curious but sweet smile, "Hi there! I'm Marlene!" she waved at him happily, "Are you alright?" she looked at him in concern upon noticing his dazed state.

"I..." he looked nervously at the adult woman, before swallowing, "Y-yeah..." he looked back at 'Tifa', "What...what happened?"

Tifa smiled softly and held her hand out towards him, "Let's talk about it over a nice, warm meal hm?" the boy looked at her hand, unsure, before he slowly placed his smaller one within her own. Her hand was warm as she squeezed his smaller one and led him around the corner towards where the bar was. He looked all around, it looked like a typical bar but he could see a door which he assumed was leading to the kitchen.

He was proven right when Tifa opened the door and a delicious smell washed over his senses, prompting his stomach to make its intentions known with loud growls. He quickly covered his stomach, embarrassment filling him as he looked at Tifa's amused expression.

"You must be hungry, huh? Come on, eat a little then we can talk," she gestured toward the chair next to a table filled with food, food he remembered his mother used to make too, among other things.

Hesitantly, he looked at the little girl beside him, who nodded encouragingly and smiled brightly. He swallowed, taking a seat and watching how Tifa set a plate for him and nodded toward the food, "Knock yourself out, I've made a lot," she grinned.

He nodded mutely, before finally finding his voice and forcing himself to speak, "Thank you..." if Tifa was surprised that he finally spoke, she didn't show it, her smile only brightening and directing her attention towards the sink where dirty dishes still waited for her.

She gestured for Marlene to eat too and the little girl only happily complied, filling her plate and eating with a big grin on her face. Silence stretched over the small kitchen until Marlene broke it with a bright, joyous, "Tifa always cooks the best food in Edge!"

The woman in question turned her head and chuckled, "Oh you little rascal," she turned toward the sitting boy, "It's not quite like that, 'the best' may be stretching it a little," she winked, laughing to herself.

Marlene shook her head, leaning in slightly and cupping a hand over her mouth, whispering to the boy opposite of her, "She's just being shy," the boy nodded mutely, realizing how carefree they were.

He looked at the fourth, unoccupied chair and wondered where that man was that had brought him here. He remembered the male voice asking if he was okay, he remembered strong arms picking him up and setting him on his motorcycle and he remembered the gloved hand that squeezed his shaking one tightly, as if to reassure his anxieties.

"So, from where are you? What's your name?" Marlene asked excitedly, big brown eyes shining bright in excitement and barely sated curiosity, "How old are you? You look the same age as me..or maybe just a bit older," she rubbed her chin in thought.

Tifa's voice interrupted the girls musings, "Marlene, let him eat in peace and if he feels like talking he'll tell us everything, okay?" her voice was gentle but firm, prompting the girl to look slightly guilty for overwhelming him with questions.

"Right! I'm sorry...uhm..." she looked a bit uncomfortable and that made him sad.

"D-Denzel..." he muttered, wishing he could say more to make her feel better.

"Denzel huh?" Tifa approached him and rested a hand on the chair behind him, smiling, "Nice to meet you Denzel, I'm Tifa, I own this bar," she smiled, gently sweeping away the wild strands partially obscuring his eyes.

Denzel remained still as she did so, mildly afraid she would have hit him, but he shook his head at the irrational fear. He only nodded at her introduction, taking a slow bite out of the vegetables she cooked.

They were delicious.

A penny for your thoughts? Reviews are what keep me alive! Thank you for reading! :)