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Premonitions: Uncut	By : Hippo_and_Friends_with_Benefits Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 3901 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
- 74
- 75
- 76
Chapter 75: Skeletons
The waves crashed on the beach as Cloud and Aerith strolled hand in hand. They were foot-deep in the water, with Cloud in his black trunks and Aerith in her red bikini. They had had a quiet day, where the simply stayed indoors for most of the time. Eventually, though, Aerith had grown bored, and requested the beach walk that they were now taking.
Aerith seemed happy, but it also seemed as if she had something on her mind. There had been a lot to talk about since she had returned, but there was one thing that was not settled. She was wondering whether she should discuss it, or if it was way too early. The last thing she wanted to do was make her man uncomfortable.
Cloud, meanwhile, noticed her silence.
"What's on your mind?" he asked.
"Just thinking," Aerith replied with a smile.
"About what?" he asked.
"Just something I haven't asked you yet," she answered.
"Well," he said, "ask away."
Aerith then felt her stomach tighten.
"I don't know," she said as she stopped and shook her head. "I'm not sure we're ready to talk about it."
"Why not?" Cloud asked. "We've talked about every other thing."
"It might be too early, and it might make you uncomfortable," she warned.
"After our conversation in the bathtub back at Bill's, what could possibly bother me?" he asked.
Aerith sighed. She realized that there was no way around talking to him about it.
"Okay, here goes," she sighed as she looked him sincerely in the eyes. "How many kids do you want?"
"I'm not sure," he replied.
He had not seen that coming, but he was not too surprised, considering how she was already talking about getting married. Children would naturally follow.
"You do want them, don't you?" she asked, with concern in her eyes.
"Of course I do," he quickly replied.
Truthfully, he was not sure, but it was so obvious that she did that he did not want to spoil the moment.
Aerith then took his hand and resumed the walk.
"I was hoping to have at least two by now," she continued. "Every since I was a little girl, I've always wanted a big family."
She then stopped again, turned, and gazed toward the ocean.
Cloud was wondering what she was thinking; she seemed happy. She was getting what she wanted in life; a life she was not even supposed to have.
Maybe I can be flexible, he thought. She deserves it. She really does.
And then, Aerith opened her mouth and began to scream.
"Cloud, look!" she cried.
Cloud quickly turned to see Sephiroth rising out of the ocean, sword in hand. He was glaring directly at Aerith.
"So he does have another avatar," Cloud whispered.
"You," Sephiroth snarled.
His hair was drenched, with salty ocean water dripping from the bottom, as well as from his sword, but he had the same determined look on his face as he always had.
"Me?" inquired the puzzled Aerith.
She was indeed frightened; she was well aware that this man wanted to kill her. He had already made the attempt.
Sephiroth scanned Aerith's exposed midriff, and continued to glare.
"There's no scar," he observed as he moved closer and closer to her, with his sword aimed at her. "You did trick me!"
"Yes, I did!" she admitted proudly. "But did you think I had a choice? You were going to kill me!"
"You will not trick me again!" Sephiroth swore as he stopped a mere two feet from Aerith. He pointed the sword at her chest. Then he turned to Cloud. "If you come any closer, she dies."
"It looks like you're going to kill me anyway," Aerith said, with her heart pounding in her chest so hard that she could almost hear it. "But you're too late. I've already summoned Holy. You were even too late the first time."
Sephiroth smiled.
"I'm not really here," he said. "I'm actually at the core. This is an avatar made out of Jenova cells that I'm controlling from there. I'm no different than your friend, Cait Sith."
"You're a lot different," Aerith said.
Sephiroth snarled but a moment as he prepared his sword. Another moment, and one jab in the chest, later, and it was all over.
Aerith floated on her stomach, bobbing lifelessly with the waves.
"Look at that," taunted Sephiroth as he stood proudly with his bloodied sword. "You're too late."
Cloud watched helplessly as the current carried the still-bobbing, lifeless Aerith away. He did not heed the sound of splashes drawing closer.
Cloud then turned to see Sephiroth standing a yard from him with his sword drawn, ready to attack.
MOMENTS LATER...
Cloud opened his eyes. He was laying on his side, and the sound of the waves crashing was gone. He wanted to kick himself; he had gotten himself worked up over a nasty dream. He had not realized it was a dream, but he should have. They had never traveled to the caves as they had said they would; that alone should have given it away.
He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. Although it had only been a dream, he realized that Sephiroth was indeed still out there. He was still in the core, and there was always the possibility that he had one or more avatars patrolling the surface.
Cloud wondered what Sephiroth would do if he discovered that Aerith was alive. He realized that she really did trick him, and that Sephiroth would likely come after her to finish the job. He wondered if he would be able to protect her. He certainly had not been able to do so the last time, so there was no reason he could now. The thought of that caused him to shudder, wiping sweat from his forehead.
He then realized that the dreaming had not stopped. He was no longer on the beach with Aerith and Sephiroth; he was once again in the field, dreaming the sad dream he had dreamt thrice before.
Cloud rose to his feet slowly, taking care not to awaken himself. The bees and butterflies were there as usual, as were the flowers and reeds. The path leading downhill was also present, as was the shrub that concealed where the path would bend. Gazing further, he could see the shadow of the standing figure behind the shrub.
There would be no more mystery after today.
"This is it," Cloud said to himself. "Tonight, I'm going to find out what this dream is about. I'll find out who or what that shadow belongs to."
He took one step, and the sadness immediately intensified. He paused for a moment before he recalled that the exact same thing had happened the last time. The sadness would no doubt get worse as he approached the shadow.
Preparing himself, Cloud took one step forward, then another. He felt himself walking downhill, closer and closer to the bend. The sadness got worse, as Cloud expected, but he kept moving. He could speculate no longer; he needed to know what this was all about.
Finally, he reached the spot where the path bended. The shadow was clearly visible, although its origin remained concealed behind the shrub. The sadness, by this point, was overwhelming. Yet Cloud knew that he was only a few steps away from his destination. This was it.
He closed his eyes. He took several steps forward. He turned to the left and took a couple more. He knew he was now facing the owner of the shadow. The sadness now stung every part of his body. Now, it was time. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
Tifa was standing there, her eyes gazing into his. She was dressed as she usually was, and she looked no different than when he had last seen her. But she had the saddest look on her face.
"Cloud," Tifa began as tears threatened her beautiful, chestnut eyes, "I know I did something wrong, and I'm sorry. But if you take me back, I promise I'll never, ever do it again."
The tears began to fall.
"Tifa…" Cloud began. But he could not think of what to say.
"Please," she tearfully continued. "Just come home to Nibelheim with me. We can still have a life together. I love you, Cloud."
Cloud looked at her in empathy. He had indeed been happy when they were together. But...
"What did I do wrong?" she continued. "Was it something I said?"
He began to get a sick feeling in his stomach. He had acted on principle. She had done nothing wrong. She was innocent.
"Was it because I wouldn't have sex with you?"
"N-no," Cloud stammered.
Sex was never the issue. He had committed to Aerith first. But she was innocent.
Just then, Cloud felt a tug on his pant leg.
He turned to see the thirteen-year-old Tifa standing there, looking up to him. She was wearing the jeans and crop top she had worn when they had gone bowling.
"Was it because I made you spy on my dad?" she asked. "Or was it because I got you accused of bringing me to the mountains?"
It was neither. He had punished an innocent person; one who loved him more than life itself.
He then felt a tap on his back.
Cloud turned again to see the fifteen-year-old Tifa standing before him, dressed in her skirt, crop top, and hat.
"Or was it because I didn't thank you enough for saving my life?" she asked. "I blacked out. I never knew. If I had known, I would have kissed you. Whether you liked it or not, I would have. You deserved it."
He then turned to face the twenty-year-old Tifa once more.
Her face was now a mess with tears, and her eyes were bright red.
"Cloud," she uttered. Then, she slowly faded away.
Cloud stood before the empty space where Tifa had once been standing. He realized that he was now crying himself.
MOMENTS LATER...
Cloud opened his eyes, with darkness greeting him. He could feel his bed, along with the cold sweat that was absorbing him. Aerith was next to him, still sound asleep and breathing heavily.
This has to be reality, he thought to himself as he sat up in bed.
It was the fourth time he had had that dream, but this was the first time he had been given full disclosure. He had had some suspicion of what the dream was about, but it was now confirmed. It was about Tifa.
Realizing that he would not easily go back to sleep, he quietly got up out of bed, taking extra care not to disturb his sleeping girlfriend, and walked out of the bedroom. He exited the house through the back door, and stepped onto the wooden deck. He rested his elbows on the wooden ledge and stared into the ocean.
He thought for a long time.
"She's not doing this," Cloud said to himself. "All she wanted was for me to be happy. No, this has to be something else."
He thought about how sad Tifa was in the dream. She had every right to be, but it did not explain why these dreams kept coming. He was unwilling to admit it, but he spent time every day wondering how she was doing. He was sincerely hoping she was okay, although, dream or not, he was certain she was not.
"I did abandon her," he continued. "She did nothing wrong, and I left her. We were perfect for each other in every way, but..."
He suddenly heard the patio door open.
"Cloud?" asked a familiar soprano.
He turned to see the groggy, pajama-clad Aerith standing before him.
"Who are you talking to?" she asked as she cracked her neck.
"Sorry," he said. "I had a nightmare."
"That dream about the field again?" she asked as she continued to stand in the doorway.
"You got it," Cloud replied. "For the fourth time."
"The sad one?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes.
He nodded.
"I think you need a hug," Aerith said as she walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around him before kissing him.
"Love you," she said softly.
Cloud then turned toward the sea and rested his elbows on the wooden railing again.
Aerith did the same, pressing her shoulder against his.
"I've never heard of anything like this," she said. "What do you think it means?"
"I dunno," he replied. "But, I finally think I have an idea."
"Really?" she asked as she placed her hand on his.
"What if I did something really, really wrong?" he asked. "Like, in my past."
"You think bad memories of something are causing it?" she asked. "If it's a recurring dream, it doesn't surprise me." She paused. "But why now?"
"It's a good question," he answered. "But there is a lot about my past that I still haven't mentioned."
Aerith turned to face him and gently stroked his hair.
"I'd love to hear it," she said. "But, Cloud, you need your rest. We have a cave to explore tomorrow." She then placed her hands on his shoulders. "Sleep in my arms," she continued. "That way I'll be able to tell if you're having that dream again."
He smiled.
"But, Cloud," she continued, "why didn't you wake me?"
"I didn't want to disturb you," he replied.
Aerith sighed.
"Cloud, I'm your best friend and girlfriend," she insisted. "I'm supposed to be there for you. Wake me next time, okay?"
"Okay," he agreed.
Smiling, she took his hand, led him inside, and closed the patio door behind them.
"And Cloud?" she continued.
"Yes?"
"The next time you go out on the back patio," she said, "you should wear some clothes!"
Cloud gasped in the horror of realizing that he was still naked from when they had been skinny dipping the previous evening. Aerith had put her pajamas on before bed, but Cloud had not bothered.
"Don't be embarrassed," Aerith assured him. "Nobody saw you." She then smirked. "Except for me, of course. I could've started at you on the patio all night."
Moments later, he was back in the bed, with Aerith's arms wrapped around him.
He felt safe.
Whether he felt at home was another story.
- 74
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Premonitions: Uncut