Sorry for my lateness. Here is the long awaited finale.

-o-o-o-

The strange sense of urgency drove Cloud on. He hadn't meant to visit the church tonight, but something was drawing him near. Confused, he hadn't felt the need to go to Aeris for sometime. Talking to Zack and rarely receiving advice in return had been enough.

Tonight there was no Zack, but he had gotten what he needed off his chest. There was no need to speak with Aeris again. Yet an ache brought him here. Unable to ignore it, Cloud stopped Fenrir and looked up to see the church door open.

His eyebrows came together in confusion. Curious he opened walked through leaving the door open behind him. Blue eyes scanned the room, but were drawn to the still water in the center of the church were the flowers had once grown. In the center of the pool was a black figure.

Something inside Cloud told him to move posthaste. Pausing not to consider the water, Cloud walked into the water and his eyes widened as he recognized the figure. "Tifa," her name was drawn from within him.

The water in the pool was as always warm, but Tifa's body was cold and unnaturally still.

Gently he lifted her body from the water; holding her closely, he hoped his own body would warm her. Though how this would help, he was unsure. When he rose back onto the wooden floor, he knelt Tifa still in his arms. It was then that he realized he heard no heartbeat, felt no breath.

Tifa was not alive.

On her face was a distinct look of peace. There was no blood, no wound. Cloud did not believe for a moment that Tifa drowned without a fight.

He looked around; the church was in ruins, but no more than the last time he visited. And yet her limp form in his arms proved that something had gone terribly wrong. Anger starting building up within him, but with no one at which to direct it the anger crumpled inside him into raging despair. He knew Tifa would not want him blaming himself. If she were alive right now she'd yell at him for the pity that was clear behind the tears.

Taking a deep breath he forced down the sadness and despair. Instead he brought Tifa closer to his chest hiding his face in the crook of her neck. He had to say something, needed to, but he couldn't say he was sorry. She won't blame him, unless he blamed himself. He knew her and no one knew him better than she did.

"I'll miss you." He said the words without thinking about them. They were honest. They were the truth. They were everything she needed to know. For years he regretted not saying goodbye to Aeris; he refused to lament any moment he spent with Tifa.

He felt a warm breath on the skin of his shoulder. Picking up his head he found her eyes flickering open. "You won't have to miss me yet." Cloud's eyes widened as she opened her eyes and met his. "I had the strangest dream."

Cloud's lips lifted in his almost smile before he pulled her back to him. "Dream? Tifa, you weren't breathing. You weren't…there was no…" He could not find the words, but this time it did not matter. She was here, alive. True he had many more opportunities to mess up with her. But he also had another chance to show her why she was so special to him.

He stood up with her still in his arms. "Can you walk?" She nodded and he set her feet on the ground. "You're alright?"

"I'm fine." She smiled, but it was somehow different as if she the dream took away some of the past, some of the pain. The door was still open she took a step toward it, but he stopped her. "What is it, Cloud?"

He held her one last time. "I thought you died."

"I did."

-o-o-o-

For some time they avoid speaking of that day. Cloud almost suffocated Tifa for a week afterwards until she sent him away on a long delivery. He returned in a timely manner and found his way home. One night the bar endured a very clumsy drunk and Tifa spent most of the night mopping the beer from the floor. She was still wiping down the bar in the dim light, when Cloud came through the door.

Sluggishly he pulled himself onto a stool. "Long day," she smiled.

He nodded and even through his exhaustion the hint of a smile remained. Tifa finished and stood in front of him. "What are you thinking?"

"You're not going to leave, are you?" The sadness etched itself on Cloud's features.

Tifa put her hand on one of his gloved ones. "It took me a while to find that answer. I am supposed to be here."

"I don't want to lose you." His honesty made her smile.

"You haven't."

-o-o-o-

Okay, yell at me if you want to but here is the final chapter/epilogue/whatever. Hope you enjoyed. Thank you to the review you reminded me to post this. Oh and thanks to everyone who read, reads, or will read. Leave a comment on your way out, if you like.