The city of Edge had always been host to unstable weather. Like Midgar before it, Gaia's newest bustling metropolis could be sunny one minute and pouring the next. To the relief of a certain SOLDIER, monster slayer and delivery boy, the skies were clear as he pulled into the driveway beside his home and bar. Cloud had taken a package to the nearby Fort Condor, having settled back into his regular routine since his time in Costa del Sol. Since he had seen Tifa. And since then, a week had gone by. A week in which not a word had reached the blonde's ears about the woman he was in love with. "It's alright," he whispered with a quiet smile despite the slight tug of grief in his chest. "She's happy."

Choosing to distract himself from the hurt, he headed into Seventh Heaven, unlocking the door with his personal key. Finding it empty, he remembered the excursion the rest of the household had chosen to make before he had left on his job and the conversation that had preceded it.

"It'll be all good! I won't forget to lock up," assured Yuffie happily as Cloud conceded with a smirk, giving the woman he considered to be a sister his full trust. "This is just really important!"

"I can confirm Yuffie's claims," added Shelke calmly with a nod. "The sellers of fresh produce have been regularly informing us of a delivery arriving today that is of exceptional quality. I would like to accompany her to assess their information."

"Alright, he responded as he returned her nod, having developed an odd friendship with the equally reserved lady. "Anyone else?"

Polishing a flagon, Elena decided to add herself as a member of the market trip posse. "I will also be joining them, Cloud," said the Turk formally, having developed a mutual respect and friendly rapport with her enemy turned employer. "I believe the children will be accompanying us as well."

Mm-hm!" yelped Denzel and Marlene from a nearby booth, unable to speak as they munched on breakfast.

"So, everybody but me? We'll be opening late then."

Everybody but Cloud nodded then.

Now, despite the relative simplicity of their task compared to his, everybody but him had yet to return to Seventh Heaven. "Where are they? Did the kids get them to go somewhere again?" he thought with a smirk. "Looks like it's just me."

Preparing to open the bar, he set about making it presentable to customers. From taking inventory to arranging stools to mopping, Cloud performed the chores with an ease he hadn't possessed one year ago. As he finished, the swordsman wiped the almost imperceptible sheen of sweat from his brow as he stowed his cleaning implements. Deciding that Seventh Heaven was clean enough, he flipped the sign on the door to "Open".

Noticing the clock on the wall point to twelve noon, Cloud Strife readied himself for what was sure to be a lunch rush. Within minutes, his suspicions had been proven correct as men and women filed in eagerly, filling the bar to near capacity. Thankfully, the blue eyed SOLDIER's enhancements allowed him to keep up with the onslaught of orders. Some requested the bar's typical fare of food and drinks. These were greeted with confirmation and professionalism. Other requests were unusual and were in recognition of Cloud Strife, hero of Gaia. From photos with customers to autographs on napkins, he met each with a combination of kindness and awkwardness he had carried his whole life.

Soon, the lunch rush had died down and he had seen off the last customer. Sure that he had dealt with the most strenuous portion of the bar's daily clientele, Cloud turned to wash the dishes. Strapping on an apron, the Mako fueled warrior cut a humorous but wholesome figure as he rinsed off a plate before placing it with its fellows on the rack. He had never envisioned this for himself. A home. A family. Domesticity. Kids. His thoughts then turned to Denzel and Marlene's Parent-Teacher Conference. Occurring within the week, Cloud initially hadn't been able to understand the purpose for parents and teachers to meet. That changed with explanations of his children. Now he was ready for an afternoon of goal-setting and behavior monitoring with a woman who had sent him a photo of herself clad in nothing but a white dress shirt and lingerie.

The SOLDIER cleared the inappropriate thought easily by imagining how he and Barret would look as parents. One was a courier and celebrity wielding an almost impractical greatsword. The other was a tough man with a gun for an arm who wore net shirts and cursed as easily as he breathed. Remembering the event from months before that had ended with Reeve's speech, his family with Barret as another father had been hailed as "forward-thinking" and "progressive" by the parents and staff.

Unsure of what they meant, he had gone to the executive a second time that evening. The WRO Commissioner had found difficulty in his stifling laughter upon realizing the intent of the complements and elucidating their meaning for the swordsman. After an enlightening conversation, Cloud and Barret had resolved to stand a respectable and platonic distance apart at all following school events. Allowing a tiny but amused smile to grace his features, Seventh Heaven's temporary bartender finished off the last plate, setting it onto the dish rack before moving onto the flagons and glasses.

Counting them as he passed them beneath the flowing water and soap, Cloud remembered how a number had been broken due to events from a few nights ago. Thanks to Yuffie's special Wutai brew, several bad decisions made by mentally addled bar goers had led to a raucous chugging competition. The result was the current lack of drinking materials. The blue eyed bladesman smirked slyly as he remembered his punishment for the kunoichi. He had simply left her unconscious form atop the counter, covered in alcohol and food after she had passed out drunk for the first time in her life. She woke up the morning after nursing regret alongside an aching head and back.

He had settled in nicely into this life, managing his work and his home. He had found a family. He had moved past his guilt and had finally grieved for his lost years and loved ones. The pain would never cease. But he could live with it now. Cloud Strife had become the best version of himself. Aloof and stoic but still caring and thoughtful, this awkward mix of attributes had come to embody him. They always had. It had just taken him time to realize it.

But there was one thing he would never be able to leave behind. Silky dark locks. Vibrant carmine eyes. A curvaceous but athletic and powerful form. But most of all, a kind and beautiful face that he treasured despite the legion of women seeking him. Tifa Lockhart filled his thoughts then. He remembered his mother urging him to find an older girlfriend to take care of him. With a half smile, Cloud realized that he had found a loving woman to care for him. Despite being younger than him, she had given her everything to him. Her home. Her patience. Her heart. And despite his apology and promise, he knew she would not return. With a sigh, the blonde returned to his chore. As he scrubbed the last glass, he heard Seventh Heaven's door open. A customer.

Untying his apron and setting it aside, he greeted them calmly as he wiped away the remnants of used soap and water from the sink.

"Welcome to Seventh Heaven. I'm Cloud," he said as he continued to play bartender, his back turned still turned to whoever was now sitting at the counter. "Can I get you anything?"

Her turn to speak had come.

"Give me something hard."

Hearing her voice, the young man from Nibelheim couldn't help but smile. Small. Honest. Boyish.

"Corel wine? It's a favorite," he replied timidly, turning to face her but not meeting her gaze as he set a flagon on the counter and poured.

"Please do," said the girl, her voice as small as his. "By the way, you look like a boy I knew."

He smirked, passing her a flagon filled with her drink of choice. "Do I?"

"You do. He made me a promise when we were kids. He said he would be my hero. I made him do it," she admitted with a chuckle. "But I guess I wanted to know what that was like. To be rescued by a hero."

He leaned on the counter, nearer to her now than he had been in their year apart. "You're a beautiful lady, miss. I think he had a crush on you. Only reason a boy would say that."

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she continued with a blush on her cheeks. "I think you're right. We got together two years ago. But I left last year. I thought he wasn't in love with me. I was wrong. He was. He just didn't know how to show it. I know that now."

He gazed upon her, azure eyes shining with all he felt for her, noting with delight the familiar black shorts and vest she wore. "He still is."

"I know that too," she said softly, eyes on the countertop as she sipped away at her wine. "But I never apologized for leaving him. I shouldn't have done that. I really am sorry though. For hurting him. Even before I was gone. I hope he knows I'm still in love with him too."

"He does now. He doesn't blame you for leaving either."

She smiled, her glow returning to warm them both. "I was scared to go back to him. To come home. I was lucky though. Some friends encouraged me."

"These friends of yours," began the boy. "Were they at the market?"

"Yes, some were," the girl said with a sheepish but melodic laugh. "Some were from where I went. They understood I had to go back."

He laughed too before asking her one simple question. "But why would you come back?"

Both fell silent then, unsure of what to say next.

"He made me a new promise a week ago," she started slowly. "He came to see me. He promised to stop running. To be with me. Our family."

She let her eyes travel throughout Seventh Heaven, taking in the life filling it. Life he had brought to it with their family. "He really did mean it. I see it now."

A simple answer.

Feeling the heat of his eyes on her, she let her gaze meet his then. After being apart for so long, carmine melded perfectly with sky blue.

The boy straightened up and stood before her, his hand held out with a soft smile. He was still looking up at the window. "I like to think I've gotten better. Keeping promises isn't too hard for me anymore, Tifa."

"I know, Cloud." The girl smiled back down at him. "I forgive you. And I promise to stop running too."

She took his hand. Intertwining her grip with his, she climbed over the counter clumsily. They shared a gentle laugh as she stumbled slightly. But then she lost her balance, toppling over as she prepared to meet the cold floor. Instead, the girl felt strong arms hold her to him.

"My hero."

No. He was wrong. She wasn't smiling down at him.

Embracing the girl, he pulled her closer, their faces inches apart.

She was standing beside him. They had learned to stand side by side. They always would.

Closing the distance between them, Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart made a final promise to each other that day, both finally at home together and for the many years to come.

THE END

THAT'S IT! WOOH! THANK YOU FOR READING UP UNTIL HERE! =) PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND IF I WRITE ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE, I HOPE YOU'LL CHECK IT OUT TOO! Being completely honest, I've only dabbled in fanfiction. Been reading it on and off for a few years. All of a sudden I chose to write a story. Why? Guess 'cuz a fic I read about inspired my own ideas on the Cloud and Tifa dynamic post FF7. Now that was something I had to get out. I'd been hearing about hate for Cloud because he left in AC. People saying what he did was selfish and he didn't deserve a happy ending with Tifa because my guy was some sort of coward and/or manipulative prick. Considering everything he's been through I'd beg to differ so, here and now, RANT INCOMING.

From growing up in a town where he was ignored/bullied by everyone except his mom and Tifa to getting slapped in the face by failing to get into SOLDIER, Cloud's image of himself was already screwed up enough. That was only compounded by the burning of Nibelheim and his torture at Hojo's hands. Then let's not forget Zack and Aerith's deaths, failing to find a cure for Geostigma and then getting Geostigma which allowed Sephiroth (*plays One Winged Angel* SEPHIROTH!) to mess with his head. I mean it's not surprising to see him shut down like that. But he handled it all. He is far from weak. Never once did he quit for some alone time to rest and recover. Nope, Cloud forged ahead and saved the Planet and his friends no matter what crap he had going on in his head. Don't lowball him by calling him a weak dick like that. He makes mistakes but he doesn't let them slip by. Cloud makes up for them.

Same thing with Tifa. Everytime I see her relationship with Cloud post FF7 prtrayed sadly, it all feels the same. He's emotionally manipulative and scared? Well, this poor girl is just his victim waiting to be swept off her feet by Vincent, Rude, Reno, Barret or any other available dude on Gaia. Or maybe she'll straight up leave him. But let me be clear: Tifa Lockhart is no one's victim. She found it in herself to be a friend to the one kid no one but his mother loved. She waited two years for him because of a childhood promise. And in that time, she became a kick ass martial artist. Let's also not forget what happens after. Town burns? She makes a new life for herself in Midgar as a cool bartender. She and Cloud reunite to take down Shinra and Sephiroth with AVALANCHE? She's there every step of the way for her friends and for the life she lost. And when she and Cloud take care of Denzel and Marlene but he leaves? She stays. Because she knows that the only way for them to get over their issues is to be a family. She's not obligated to. Tifa stays because whether or not you think she and Cloud are a thing, they care for one another. She stays because she has faith in him, herself and their kids. Their family. Don't treat her like some damsel in distress. She wants a hero, sure, but she doesn't need one.

Heck, Kazushige Nojima (scenario writer for AC) even says that when conceptualizing for the movie he had one thing on his mind: "Inside, I felt one thing was for sure: Cloud and Tifa would be together. Everybody would be back home where they belonged" (FF7 Reunion Files, pg. 70). It's not meant to take away from any other pairing if that's your cup of tea. Last thing I wanna do. But I just think this shows that a happy ending for Cloud and Tifa as more than friends post AC is valid. And that's why I wrote this story. To work through their issues and give them a happy ending. It's not canon at all but it was the most fun I've had in a while. Aside from finally playing the original this year. If you read this story, thank you so much. If you read the rant, thank you again (whether or not you actually agreed). But if you enjoyed this story and didn't just read it? I can't thank you enough. Hopefully we'll see each other somewhere else, eh? =)