Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all related characters belongs to Square-Enix.

Note: Well, I've been trying to write a lyric for Tifa's theme for a while. I probably have more than five versions in my laptop, but none to them is suitable enough. But this one is different. I actually… like it! And it portrays Tifa almost perfectly. Well, my only regret is not able to squeeze in some of her friendship with Aerith. I just can't find the right verse.

.::Locked Heart::.

Based on Tifa's Theme, piano version

Lyrics by Asha3

Arrangement by Seiji Honda

Far below the starry sky

(far away, long ago)

Bright, bright stars twinkled above a thirteen years old Tifa Lockheart. She was sitting up the Nibelheim Water Tower, swinging her legs back and forth. She watched Cloud walked back to his house with a wide grin plastered on her face.

Not a few minutes before, they had made a promise. Even though Tifa admitted that it had been a selfish promise on her part, he had promised anyway. He promised to come save her whenever she was in a pinch.

Tifa's grin widened. Cloud turned halfway to her and gave a nervous wave before disappearing inside his house.

The girl sighed in happiness. She never thought Cloud was such a gentleman, and so awkwardly cute. She had never been close to him, although he lived only next door. It was not that she never noticed him, but she never really approached him either.

He was a year older, always quiet and distant. He did not belong to any groups, neither did he ever join the games the other kids played. He sat and observed with a strange look in his eyes. Guiltily, Tifa never asked him to join because the other boys never liked Cloud and she did not want anyone to fight.

Oh… she was such a coward.

If only they have more time, Tifa frowned. Cloud was leaving the village. He was going far away, to Midgar – to join SOLDIER. She probably would not see him again for a very long time.

Almost all the boys had left the village to find a job, and the rest of them will surely follow. Tifa felt left out, but it was never a big deal until Cloud was leaving town. She was afraid that she would be forgotten.

"But Cloud won't," the girl reassured herself. "We made a promise."

She would treasure that single impulsive promise. Not because Cloud will be her knight in shining armor, but because that promise had brought them closer than before. They had gone from nothing to something. That promise was the beginning of her love for him.

When we met again after all this time, I was afraid

As we walk this road, the past that we shared begins to fade

I refuse to say, "You're not that someone from long ago."

Though your eyes are ice cold and indifferent,

I believe.

(You're all I have left)

When Tifa met Cloud again, seven years later, he was different. He was unfriendly, almost to the point of being apathetic. The ice cold mako gleam in his eyes made her uneasy with past trauma. Gone was the sweet boy she remembered from the past, replaced by a bitter ex-SOLDIER.

He almost forgot their promise. Cleary, he had not thought about her for a very long time.

Tifa should have felt embarrassed, she had thought about him almost every day, especially after that fated night when Nibleheim fell apart five year before. But somehow she found herself more sad than ashamed.

Sad and afraid.

Something was wrong with Cloud. His memories did not match up with what Tifa remembered. If she knew better, she should have told him about it straight forwardly, before anything gets even more complicated. But she can't.

Just thinking that the Cloud she was with was not the same Cloud from her memories scared her. He was all she had left. She had to believe Cloud, because without him she will be completely and utterly alone.

I hear you calling from within my dreams of hazy green

Little by little, we will wake the past inside your heart

With hands intertwined, we walk to the light

It's finally dawn

When Tifa fell into the Lifestream after a failure battle with the Ultima Weapon, she thought her life was finally over. She did not know how long she floated in the darkness dozing in and out of consciousness before the voices starts. They judged her, blamed her for not being honest. Part of the reason Sephiroth was able to call the Meteor was because she had kept her past from Cloud.

(Coward. Coward. Coward.)

She closed her ears and fell to her knees, not wanting to deal with the regret much longer. Inside, she was calling for help. She was calling for Cloud.

And somehow, he called her back.

She was suddenly tugged away from the darkness into a whirlwind of hazy green. Before she knew it, she was inside Cloud's mind. The Lifestream had connected their consciousness. She could see him in a junction, sitting helplessly, lost in his own confusion.

He was broken.

Tifa's heart ached for him, half in regret and the other half with her desire to make him right again, happy again.

She reached for him. Little by little, they placed together up his messed up memories. She was trapped in wonder within his point of view. She had never known he had always been looking out for her when they were little. Tifa felt her chest clenched with wonder and irony. Cloud deserved much better, how could she have been so oblivious to his attention?

Tifa had found much more than pieces of Cloud's memory in the Lifestream. She had found her friend back. With the new and true memory, Tifa felt like their relationship could finally move on.

Taking his hand in hers, the two of them swam back to the surface of Lifestream, meeting blinding light and back to the real world.

It was not the end. If anything, everything would start from now on.

Just hold me closer, let me blend in your arms

For words are not the only way to tell someone how you feel

(just let me have this night)

It's almost dawn.

Cloud had announced so and Tifa had no choice to wake from her sleep, stirred by his tender voice. He apologized for waking her. She gave him a weak smile.

"Give me a little longer, just a little bit longer," she murmured, her eyes closing again. It was the morning before the final battle, and might be the last morning for everyone and the Planet. Tifa snuggled closer to his chest, relishing his smell of earthy rain. "This day will never come again, so let me have this moment," she whispered again dreamily.

When they were together, like this. Tifa felt like nothing could go wrong. He was all she need and all she had left. That was enough. Subconsciously, Tifa tightened her hold on his hand.

I love you, the words remained unsaid.

He squeezed her hand back.

Tifa sighed in contentment. Indeed, words are not the only way to tell someone how you feel.

Somewhere down this road, those strong emotions (are) lost once again

Though you're far away, my feelings for you will still remain

I believe in you, you're still that someone from long ago

Cloud left Tifa almost two years later, when the Geostigma epidemic was getting worse. They had a fight the night before; his continuously worsening mood had finally snapped her composure. She regretted that fight and wanted to go after him. She did not understand what had made him so unhappy. He had been happy with her, Marlene, and Denzel - before he started the delivery business.

She wanted him back home, because there was a huge hole in her heart whenever he was not around. However, she could not go after him. She had a family as well as a business to take care of now. With Cloud gone, Denzel and Marlene were confused and sad. Tifa wanted to be with them as much as she wanted to be with Cloud.

'Cloud can take care of himself,' Tifa constantly reassured herself. She did not have to feel worry, instead she should believe in him. He would find his own way, like he did in the Lifestream.

Believe in Cloud. Not because he was the only thing she had left, like she thought two years before. Tifa believed in him because he was her friend, her family. He was the boy who promised to protect her that long ago and the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Just hold me closer, let me blend in your arms

For words are not the only way to tell someone how you feel

(Yes, now we'll be alright)

The battle with Kadaaj and the others was over, Aerith had cured the Geostigma, and Cloud was finally smiling.

Tifa could feel her heart swelled in pride. She returned his gaze with her own smile. He was smiling again. It was like before he left home, but somehow it was different. She had never seen such a peaceful smile on him,

Maybe he had finally find peace… he finally realized that he can be happy.

As the dusk grew near, the whole team had crashed back in Seventh Heaven, celebrating their victory as well as their reunion. Marlene was so happy to see her father again. Denzel were getting along with the team, the boy quickly fell entranced with Yuffie's enthusiastic story telling about their past achievement. RedXIII was hovering nearby, giving occasional remarks because the little ninja tends to exaggerate the story. The rest of the team was busy getting drunk, except Vincent who was astonishingly busy tinkering with his new phone.

The party had barely been going on for half an hour when Tifa saw Cloud slipped away from the crowd, heading toward the balcony. She followed him, wanting to give him a proper welcome home. However, when she finally reached him all words died in her throat.

He was leaning against the concrete bar, looking up to the glittering night sky. He looked so peaceful, she did not have the heart to disturb him.

It was then Tifa realized how much she missed him. She stepped beside him on the balcony, mimicking his posture. Her eyes moved slowly from his relaxed frame to the starry sky. A comfortable silence fell between them.

"Penny for your thought?" she asked after awhile.

He did not reply immediately, like he was considering his words. "Do you think the stars can hear us now?" he started slowly, "Do you think they are proud of us?"

Tears welled up in Tifa's eyes but she brushed it away quickly. "Of course," she replied, her burgundy eyes met his mako blue. "I know they are proud. Your mom, Zack, Aerith… all of them will be proud."

He smiled at her, hand reaching out for hers. He gave a gentle squeeze.

I love you, she squeezed back just as gently.

Promise we made

Far below the starry sky

(Far away, long ago)

.

When we met again after all this time, I was afraid

As we walk this road, the past that we shared begins to fade

I refuse to say, "You're not that someone from long ago."

.

Though your eyes are ice cold and indifferent,

I believe.

(You're all I have left)

.

I hear you calling from within my dreams of hazy green

Little by little, we will wake the past inside your heart

With hands intertwined, we walk to the light

It's finally dawn

.

Just hold me closer, let me blend in your arms

For words are not the only way to tell someone how you feel

(Just let me have this night)

.

{Instrumental}

.

Somewhere down this road, those strong emotions (are) lost once again

Though you're far away, my feelings for you will still remain

I believe in you, you're still that someone from long ago

.

Just hold me closer, let me blend in your arms

For words are not the only way to tell someone how you feel

(Yes, now we'll be alright)

.

~End~

End note: Thanks for Cilla who helped me grammar checked this. I hope you all enjoyed this story. This is my first fan lyrics, by the way. Now let's sing along! One, two, three!