Ok so i don't try to make any claim that i have any kind of ownership what so ever of FF7, Square Enix or the characters ... DONE!

So I found this, it was something I wrote a while ago, but when i stumbled upon it just a short while ago, i found that with just a few tweaks i fit perfectly as a prolouge to my this story so the one shot gets some addition. My name doesnt sound it nor do the other things but I am a romantic at heart ... kind of weird for a dude but whatever that is me so here give this a read ... hope you like it.

This is set a few months before chapter one. Chapters are not Chronological ... just deal with it.

Several months before.

It was Christmas Eve and pretty late at that when I finally got home. I knew Marlene and Denzel were with Barret but I still tried to stay quiet; Tifa would be quiet irritated with me if she knew I was back this late, not that I could control it. On the way home from my last delivery there was a nasty snowstorm, normally weather wouldn't have stopped me but when the winds are pushing me off the road and the snow is covering what little I could see of that very road, it generally would be better to pull over than to spend Christmas buried in snow. I parked my Fenrir in the garage on the side of the bar and very slowly, and with the stealth I never knew I had, I made my way into the bar. I began to notice that even such a new bar in good clean condition can be quiet treacherous when trying to remain ever silent. Each step I took my boots sounded like crashing pieces of metal; I made my way to a booth and took off my boots; I figured it would make getting through to my bedroom much easier. I continued on up the stairs and down the hall upon entering my room I quickly changed into light sleep pants and got ready to lie down. My bed felt so soft as I laid down in it, the way it just sunk in enough made all of the day just feel better or at least it did when I was this tired; I had gotten up early in effort to finish my deliveries and make it back to see the children off and to help Tifa wrap gifts, although just my luck that storm had to hit just when I was heading back, making me loss not only two hour and a half hours but also phone reception. I did take solace in the fact that Tifa would be very cheery in the morning, as she is every Christmas and just like each Christmas she would be awake before me, and have a great breakfast waiting for me as soon as I woke up. I lay awake often thinking of how kind Tifa is or how she is so supportive and helpful or just thinking of Tifa in general; although I wouldn't ever tell her of how I think of her, how I care for her. I simply can not tell Tifa, not that I am frightened of any outcome or not due to me being unsure of her feelings it is simply due to some twisted sense of duty, twisted being the key word. I want so much to tell her, because I know that she feels the same but that damned twisted sense of duty gets in my way; the real kicker is that I realize it is a twisted sense but I still adhere to it for it my code. I am to protect Tifa and the children from now on, and although I can take help now much better than in the past I simply feel that sharing my feelings her would only hurt my ability to protect them; in what possible way I do not know but I can't shake that feeling and it truly drives me crazy, I so often wish for some kind of sign, something to just give me that push through that blasted sense of duty and let me tell her or show her; but alas hoping and wishing has done little good in the past at least in this subject. I continued to lie awake for a few minutes before I heard a sharp howling sound, I slowly got up knowing exactly what it was, a window had been left open and was letting the wind in; most wouldn't care but I realize how light of a sleeper Tifa is and how she can get cold easily so I decided I had to find it. I walked up and down the hall trying to hear the sound but again my luck would have it that the wind stopped blowing when I reached the hall, I moved silently up and down the hall until I heard the sound again, I was standing outside of Tifa's bedroom door and heard the sound coming from inside and through the slight crack of the door. I pushed the door open silently and slowly made my way to the window; pulling the window down and shutting it made just enough noise to stir Tifa, but not awake her. I moved over and looked at her sleeping just for a moment as I realized she wasn't covered completely, so I pulled her blanket up to her chest and a faint smile spread over her face. I studied her face, just for a moment, being childhood friends had taught me everything I needed to know about Tifa and more; I instantly knew something was up.

"What are you doing Tifa?" I asked softly.

"…" A sly smile slowly but noticeably made its way across her face

"Tifa…"

"You know me to well," Tifa replied opening her eyes, which glowed beautifully even in the dark room only lit by the faded moon outside.

"What are you doing?" I asked again, keeping my voice ever soft.

"Honestly I don't know, I woke up as you closed the window and didn't want to let you think you had woken me up." Tifa replied

"Oh, I am sorry to have woken, I heard the wind blowing and figured I would shut the window." I stated still gazing into her deep hazel eyes.

"It is okay, but Cloud; did you just get home?" Tifa asked softly

"Yeah a short bit ago." I replied, almost lamenting myself for not being able to lie to her.

"A lot of deliveries?" Tifa asked as she sat up.

"No actually I was done a good few hours back, but a snow storm came in and forced me to stop at a little town on the way back, I had to wait for two and a half hours but then the snow on the roads caused me to drive slower." I explained shifting my gaze from her, "Sorry I didn't call but my reception died, I tried to make it back to see the kids off but weather just wouldn't let me."

"Its alright you couldn't do anything and at least you made it back for Christmas." Tifa replied softly.

"… What have done with my friend Tifa?" I said with a smile.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Well most of the time you are angry or upset if I am late and I mean it is Christmas Eve I would have thought you to be even more upset." I replied, still smiling.

"Yeah, well it is Christmas Eve and I am really tired so I will kick your ass when I get up tomorrow." Tifa said with a laugh.

"Can it at least wait till after breakfast?" I asked jokingly.

"Oh, what makes you think you still get breakfast?"

"What now I don't get your wonderful food? You would do that to me?"

"Yeah, yeah just go to bed kiss ass and you can just see what you get for breakfast." Tifa replied with a laugh.

"Ok," I said as I walked to the door, holding on to the door knob I turned back around and looked at her, "Good night Tifa."

"Good night Cloud." Tifa replied just before I closed the door and headed to my room. My exhaustion hit me like a hammer almost as soon as I laid down in my bed.

I woke up the next morning to the sun pushing its way into my room. I flipped over and rolled out of bed catching myself just before hitting the ground. I am so very graceful in the mornings. I pushed myself up off the ground and walked over to my closet, I pulled out a pair of pants, a shirt and a light jacket, the morning was very cold. I walked down the hall toward the stairs and could smell the sweet scent of Tifa's Christmas breakfast. I silently walked down the stairs wearing just a pair of socks as it was cold enough to need them but didn't want to where my boots. I turned the corner into the kitchen and watched Tifa sway back and forth cheerily cooking breakfast. I mental criticized myself, how could I not say anything to her? She was putting for all that effort just to make breakfast for just me and her when she could easily just sleep in and enjoy a nice relaxing day. I reached into my pocket to find the present I had gotten for her, I could only hope this one year mine would be better than the one she got for me, I always felt so bad she always got me something so deep and I just got something I thought she would like but not this year. I walked up behind Tifa and stood there taking in the aroma of her sweet cooking.

"What are you doing?" Tifa asked.

"Damn, you noticed me. I was just taking in the sweet smell, you always go all out for Christmas," I replied with a laugh.

"Yeah well, that is simply because, I enjoy Christmas," Tifa said.

"Why the mornings though? It is always just you and me, the kids are gone," I mentally slapped myself.

"What, I am not allowed to enjoy your company, I am sorry I shall stop as of this moment," Tifa replied with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, funny are we?" I said with a laugh.

"That I am, now sit! You got here just in time, to not do any work but to get it right off the pan," Tifa said.

"I always do, I wait just for the right time to not work but get it at its freshest," I said with a smile as Tifa brought two plates of food over to the table, I sat across from her.

"Yeah I figured as much, no one could be that lucky every single time I make a great breakfast," Tifa said taking her seat.

"Nope and definitely not me, my luck is terrible," I replied.

"Yeah well you shall owe me one of these days," Tifa said with a smile.

"I shall keep that in mind, Tifa," I replied with a mouth full of food.

"Cloud! I swear at times you can be worse than those two kids!" Tifa said scolding me for talking with my mouth full.

"Sorry," I replied with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah just eat," Tifa said again smiling at me.

After breakfast I aided Tifa in cleaning up, which took all of five minutes due to it just being the two of us. We walked over to the small tree in our living room and sat down on the couch. Tifa bent forward from the couch and grabbed a small box out from under it and handed it to me.

"Open it," Tifa said as she handed me the box. I complied and opened the box to find a new pair of riding goggles which I sorely need from when my other pair were broken, although it was some time ago I never got around to getting a new pair, now it seemed like a great idea.

"Thanks, Tifa, just what I needed," I replied as I put the goggles to the side and pulled her present out of my pocket, "This is for you."

"Thanks Cloud," Tifa said.

"Open it first," I replied with a laugh. Tifa complied and held the box up in an effort to make it look like some kind of secret as if I didn't know what was in there.

"Cloud, this box is empty," Tifa said sounding confused.

"Wait, what?" I said taking the box from Tifa, I looked inside and indeed the present I got for her was not inside the small box, "Tifa I am so sorry, I must have taken it out at some point and forgot to put it back in, I am really sorry."

"Don't worry about it, I don't need a present," Tifa said with a laugh. I felt the guilt surface into me, she had gotten me a gift to open then and the great one I got for her I had lost. I felt like a moron, but in that moment of idiocy and acceptance, something clicked and I realized how I could recover.

"Listen, I will find it I promise ok; but I think it is unfair that I have something now and you don't, so," I began.

"Cloud stop, please don't worry it isn't the item it is the thought behind it, so more of the gesture than anything, so just re…" Tifa was cut off as I pressed my lips against hers. For a moment I had almost regret doing it; for a split second which felt like an eternity, she seemed stunned and my idea that she felt the same way back seemed to go right out the window. But she quickly snapped out of it and kissed me back wrapping her arms around my neck. I broke the kiss to take a breath.

"I will get the real present, but I hope that will do for now," I said with a small grin.

"Screw the present!" Tifa said as she tackled me to the couch. After a few minutes I remember looking up at the ceiling of the living room thinking to myself as Tifa rested her head on my chest. It had been just about the best Christmas, a single act could light up both of our spirits and it was because I finally was able to push it through my thick skull to finally say something. Odd as it is, I could have fought for the world a thousand and one times, be called a hero and brave and what not but it took so long to do one simple thing, that I ended up being right about in the end. Today I live, making yesterday but a memory and not caring for tomorrow, because now is what I care about. But who knows where it will go from now, because now I don't care, I am living and keeping a promise I made so very long ago.

"Merry Christmas," I said still staring at the ceiling, all the while with a huge smile across my face.

"Yeah it is, by the way, you don't owe me for not helping with breakfast anymore," Tifa said with a laugh.

Yeah, today is life and life, life is good.