Two Steps

It takes two steps…that's all he needs…the biggest two steps he'll ever take. Really, the distance isn't that far, but the meaning behind these two steps is what is so great.

He's had other big two steps, though…and he knows that those are close to tying with these…but there's something about this, about these steps, that will make everything worth something. Every mistake he's ever made, every sin he's ever committed, it will all be justified and forgiven in these two, small steps.

One of the first, significant two steps he can remember was on a cliff well over three years ago. It had taken two steps to drag himself across the wet ground, soaked by blood and rain, to the still body of his friend. Two steps to reaffirm a grim truth, that Zack was dead, and that he was never going to smile again, or get angry or to be…to just be Zack. It had taken two steps to lose his best friend, and in a way, in those two steps, he lost himself for a while.

It had taken two steps to fall into her arms and into life again. Certainly he hadn't been himself, but without those two steps, without her, his life, her life, the planet's life, it would've all been changed, and probably not for the better.

These steps are easy, compared to the hardest steps he's ever taken. These steps are easy because he knows he has no choice; that he has to take these two steps despite the consequences. The hardest steps, though…he can remember standing in that freezing water, holding her lifeless body. They were the hardest because those were the steps that he had to let her go in and that was one of the hardest things he's ever done. He can remember the last two steps he took on that ledge in the water, because those were the only steps he remembers from that moment. He can't remember the steps that led him to the water, but he can remember those last two steps, because those were the most significant…because those were the last two steps he'd ever take with her, and he'd never see her again after those last two steps.

That's how it is with any memory, though, he supposes. After all, the last two steps are the steps you remember before something significant happens.

Of course, that isn't true for every memory. He can't remember the last two steps to the well, just because he had been so wrapped up in the fact that she wouldn't show up, and how nervous he had been.

Then she had shown up…he wonders now if she remembers those last two steps she took to get to the well.

It's also amazing how much you can think of in two, quick steps. Cid had told him once that when he had gotten married, that brief space in between where the priest asks 'Do you, Cid Highwind, take Shera to be your wife?' and the part where he was supposed to say 'I do.', his entire life flashed before his eyes.

He had been confused about that, because his life has flashed before his eyes countless times, but those have always been in near death situations.

He has taken one step. He has one more step to take; he could stop here, but he can't, he knows he can't, because he'd be breaking his promise. That's one thing he can't do; he won't break a promise, not anymore.

So he focuses on the more recent two steps, the steps that he has taken that aren't marked with blood and tears.

The two steps it had taken to pull Denzel into the healing water…

The two steps it had taken to catch Marlene's arm when she had almost fallen when they'd been ice skating…

Two steps to give her a flower…

Two steps to kiss her…

It suddenly occurs to him that he has taken the second step because he has gotten lost in the two steps it took to kiss her.

He has run out of steps, and that's when she screams.

"Cloud!"

He tries to remember when he actually thought he'd never be fighting someone in a life or death situation like this again. He doesn't know this man, he doesn't care to, he can only hope these two steps will not go on in vain, and he can only hope he can lift his own blade to kill this man.

She's horrified; he doesn't even have to see her face to know this. The blade slices through his skin and burns like fire; he knows this pain though, he has been run through before. This might be the last time this ever occurs though, so he has to make those last two steps count.

He brings his blade up, grasping the blade in his chest tightly to keep the man from running. It takes a heavy strike over the shoulder of the man, and he drops fast. The blade slips from his chest, he crashes to his knees.

She is beside of him in a second.

"Oh God, oh-oh God, Cloud no…Cloud please no," she's crying, her red eyes darting around fast.

He can't find his voice, which is annoying, because there's a lot he needs to say, a lot he thought of to say in those last two steps.

"You idiot," she berates him, "Why? Why did you do that?" her mouth is contorted in a grimace, and her sobs are coming faster.

It took two steps to save her life, and he doesn't care what comes after this, because he kept his promise.

He tries to lift his hand, and she clasps it quickly, cradling his head in her lap.

"Oh Cloud, you stupid, inconsiderate idiot," she cries, tracing his jaw line with a delicate finger.

He coughs, blood bubbling in his throat, and trickling out of his mouth, out of the gaping hole in his chest.

"I hate you," she sobs, "I hate you so much," she shakes her head sadly, her tears curling down her neck.

He tries to laugh, to smirk, to do anything but it hurts too much. He supposes it was a bit selfish of him, a bit selfless and a bit selfish. But how could she expect him to live without her? She's much stronger than him; she'll move on and be fine. He would've clung to her death, like he's done with every other death he's caused, except this time she wouldn't have been there to pull him back up.

"Don't die," she says softly, "Please don't die Cloud."

He squeezes her hand, and her eyes search his face for something, for some emotion or feeling he can't express because it hurts too much to even breathe.

He inhales deeply, sharply, painfully, to gather his strength, what little he has left.

"Tifa," and that's all he says.

Her eyes widen, moving across his eyes and his lips and his body because he doesn't say anything else because he can't say anything else.

It took two steps to save a life, and two steps to end a life. It took two steps to save her life, and two steps to destroy her life; he knows he's hurt her beyond belief and he knows he's selfish for not wanting to live without her because he chose to die before her. But he had to keep his promise. He can only hope she'll have more two steps because he took his last two.

She gasps sharply, her hands shaking, "Cloud?" she whispers.

His last two…it's sort of bittersweet, and his lips twist somewhat between a smile and a grimace.

His grip loosens on her hand, and her eyes dart to it, before darting back to his eyes, "Cloud!"

At least they were important…at least they meant something more than any other two steps.

"Cloud!"

A/N: Do not ask me where this came from...random, eh? The man that kills Cloud? We're going to say he's Genesis since obviously he's probably going to be popping up again...notes random ass secret ending to DoC. I noticed something; with all my tragedies, I always, ALWAYS kill Tifa...I wanted to kill Cloud once...That sounds bad. Well, I've killed him before but you know what I mean! Or you don't...anyways, I hope you enjoyed it!