Tifa begins to have strange dreams about an old enemy, which eventually become too real for her to handle, threatening her and Cloud's already strained relationship. Hmmm....I've paired up two characters which you may not have expected...don't hate me for it. I think they go well together....

Tifa Strife sat up straight, her eyes open wide as she tried to see through the gloom of her bedroom. Her heart was thumping in her chest, and she was breathless. She was terrified. She sat perfectly still as her eyes adjusted to the tiny amount of light in the room, which came from the stairs outside her room.

Next to her, Cloud slept peacefully, unaware of Tifa's nightmare. She looked down to him, reassured by his presence. Gradually, her heart slowed down to its regular beat, and she lay back down beside her husband. She smiled as she turned to look at him as he slept. They had been married barely two weeks, and living together for nearly three. It was a short time, but they had known each other all their lives. She twisted the gold ring on her left hand, comforted by the thin gold band, which to her, represented the love he had for her.

She shut her eyes, and frowned as images from her strange dream came back to her. It was as if she was back in the Forgotten City, and she was all alone. No, that wasn't right, there was someone else there.....but she couldn't see them. They were following her, stalking her. She had started off walking through the City, but then had run in terror, trying to escape the person behind her, who had begun to run as she did.

Eventually, she had run up against an altar, which was covered in blood. She recognised it as the very same Aeris had died on, as her eyes widened in horrified recognition, she had heard a deep throaty laugh behind her. She had turned to see who it was, but as she saw his face, she woke up. Undoubtedly, it had been Sephiroth. He was the only person who had ever petrified her like that.

Lying on her side, she put an arm across Cloud's chest, and resting her head against him, fell into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning, it was quiet in the Seventh Heaven. Barret and Marlene, who also lived there, had gone out to visit Aeris' abandoned church. Barret was concerned about the effect living in a bar had on the four year old, who had witnessed more drunken brawls than he had cursed the shinra. She was beginning to use the language she heard in Tifa's bar, and that really worried him. He refused to admit that this may be because he swore more than anybody (with the exception of Cid) and that Marlene was only doing what her father was doing.

Tifa was behind the bar, absently wiping a cloth along the surface of it. Cloud was sitting in the corner of the bar, reading a weapons magazine. He had seen an interesting new weapon...a gunblade. It looked really cool, but he was so attached to his buster sword, he didn't really want to change weapons now. Besides, Tifa didn't really approve of him fighting now...he had explained to her that he was a mercenary, and it was his job, but she just stormed off in a huff. Glancing at his young wife over the magazine, Cloud thought how single-minded she could be sometimes. Then he immediately felt guilty. He loved Tifa. He shouldn't think about her faults.

Just then, the door opened. Tifa didn't look up, but automatically called out that they were closed. There was a deep laugh from the door. Her head shot up, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. His laugh....it was like the one from her dream. Her heart quickened as she looked at Vincent, who stood in the doorway. Then she sighed in relief. Cloud was looking at her curiously.

"Tifa.....why did Vincent scare you?" he asked her. She gazed at him, staring into his deep blue eyes. Vincent walked up to Cloud, and sat beside him. Tifa joined them.

"I had a dream last night..." she started, looking at Cloud. "Sephiroth as in it. He was chasing me, and we were in the....any way, he was chasing me," she said, reluctant to talk about Aeris. However hard she tried to deny it, she knew that if Aeris was still alive she'd have had no chance with Cloud. He put a hand on her arm, looking into her huge brown eyes.

"You don't need to worry about him now. He's dead." he said gently. She nodded, and sighed.

Vincent sat there quietly, looking at the magazine Cloud had hastily put down as Tifa crossed to them. Gunblade....he thought, smiling. Tifa would not like that. He knew that Cloud's new wife had an image of them living happily ever after, with a few kids and a home in Nibelheim to top it all off, with Cloud in a nice stable job. Not a mercenary. She had already sold all his old swords, except the Ultima Weapon, (which had caused their first argument) and was now trying to persuade him, to give all his materia to Yuffie.

Yuffie. Vincent hadn't seen her for a while. She'd been at the wedding, but after that she had disappeared. Well, she did have her own life in Wutai. She was now head of the pagoda in Wutai, after beating her father. She had duties as Master (or Mistress) of the Pagoda, but he didn't see Yuffie actually sticking around long enough to actually do them.

As Cloud looked into Tifa's eyes, he remembered why he married her. He felt guilty for being irritated at her earlier, he knew she loved him really. She was perfect, if a little neurotic at times. He had wished that they had left it a little longer before getting married. It seemed as if they had no choice, everyone expected it of them. Cloud and Tifa were together. They were a pair. That was what all their friends thought, and Cloud went along with it. After all, Tifa was beautiful...and what man wouldn't love to be the object of her affections. She was the main attraction at the Seventh Heaven, and since they had got married, he had noticed the jealous looks from the regulars who drunk at the bar.

That annoyed him too. Although he didn't show it, it really got to him how Tifa allowed the men to....practically grope her as she served them. It was inevitable, as she was very well endowed in the chest area, but she actually seemed to enjoy the attention. When they had the argument over the swords, she had almost thrown herself at the men in the bar. She had gone downstairs after their argument, fuming, and had put on her most revealing top before starting work that night. It had taken all Cloud's self control to stop himself dragging her back upstairs.

Sighing, Cloud took his hand off Tifa's arm, and turned to Vincent. The tall man was looking amused. Cloud could swear Vincent was reading his mind. Tifa stood up and went back to the bar. Cloud followed her with his eyes as she stacked pint glasses into a little cabinet. Vincent smirked.

"Trouble in paradise?" he asked sarcastically. Cloud rolled his eyes.

"No. Not really. I'm just getting the feeling we rushed into this. I feel....bored." he said honestly. Vincent nodded gravely.

"Maybe you should come out with us. Me and Cid are going to Wutai to visit Yuffie. Want to come with us? " he asked.

Cloud's eyes lit up. He hadn't actually seen Yuffie at the wedding, the truth was he had eyes for no one but Tifa then, but it would be fun to visit his young friend again. He nodded.

"Sure. That'd be great. When are you going?" he replied. He knew Tifa was listening, and she was hinting that she wasn't happy about it by slamming the glasses down a little harder than usual as she tidied up. He smiled at her. Vincent told him that they were going as soon as Cid got there.

"Tif, I'm going out later. I wont be back until tomorrow." he told her. She stood up straight, and did that pout he knew so well.

"But Cloud, I've already cooked for tonight..." she said, her voice verging on a whine. He smiled innocently at her and turned back to Vincent with a grin as Tifa slammed the door of the cabinet shut.

"Cloud! Glad you could make it!! I thought me an' Vince were going all the *&^% way to Wutai by ourselves!" shouted Cid as he instructed the young pilot on where to go. It was good to be back on the Highwind. It reminded him of what he was missing stuck in Midgar. He couldn't stand having nothing to do but help in the bar. He felt claustrophobic back there. This....being back on the Highwind...it was exhilarating. It brought back the adventure to his life.

In the distance, he could see the huge stone statue in the distance, which he knew was what Yuffie worshipped. When it suited her. To be honest, he didn't think she gave a damn about anything in life. Well, neither did he at her age. When he was sixteen, all he cared about was SOLDIER. And look where that got him.

Sighing, he turned back to Cid and Vincent, who were laughing about something, and looking at him. He guessed it was some joke about married life. He couldn't believe he was sick of it after only three weeks. What a joke.

Yuffie recognised the whirr of the Highwinds propellers before she saw it. She ran out of her house to see if it was true.

"Yes!" she cried as she saw the Highwind touch down on the smooth plain behind her house. Cloud stepped out first. She ran over to him.

"Cloud! I can't believe you're all here!" she said in delight. Cloud looked her up and down in mild surprise. It had only been six months since he last saw her, but she had changed a lot. The petite girl had grown taller, and although still very thin, had lost some of her child-like appearance. Her face looked older, and she looked more mature. She could almost be the same age as Tifa, he thought.

She blushed as he looked her up and down, and he smiled in apology, unaware that he had been making her nervous. She didn't act as overly exuberant as he remembered her to be, which was probably a good thing. Yuffie had tended to be a bit on the wild side before. She soon proved not much had changed. She ran to her friends, throwing her arms around each of them, her eyes sparkling in delight. She ushered them towards her house, and told them to sit down in the main room.

Cloud was surprised at how neat her house was. He looked around at the beautiful paintings on the walls, and the decorated scrolls hanging down. He crossed to one, smiling as he saw it was signed by Yuffie herself. It was of a woman standing in a field, while harsh winds whipped around her. It was called 'fujin'. He wondered if the woman was her mother.

Yuffie came back into the room and he stepped away from the painting. He smiled as he saw her attempt to kick an ashtray under the futon without them noticing, as she balanced a tray on her hip with one hand. He crossed the room to her, helping her with the tray. She smiled at him, and he couldn't help grinning back. Yuffie's smile was so genuine, so cheeky and warm at the same time, it made him feel good.

"Cloud, what the hell is it? You're acting all dopy!" she said, turning to Vincent, and giving him a cup of green tea. He took it with polite thanks, and she passed a cup to Cid as well. The warm-hearted pilot wrinkled his nose at what Yuffie had made, tea reminded him of Shera. Yuffie finally gave Cloud his cup, and looked at him strangely as he paused while taking it, his fingers brushing hers, their eyes meeting. She held his ice blue gaze, a smile in her eyes as she wondered why he was acting so weird. Eventually, she dropped her gaze.

Cloud laughed quietly as she shook her head slightly. She looked up at him again, mirth lighting her black eyes. The pair sat down cross legged on the floor of Yuffie's house, drinking their tea. "So, what have you and Tifa been up to since the wedding?" she asked him innocently. The smile left his face, as he remembered the rows he and Tifa had been having recently. He didn't want to admit to it in front of his friends though. They all thought he and Tifa were the happiest couple alive. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

"Cloud?"she prompted him. He glanced at her, curiously. Yuffie...she was so different.

"Yuffie, you've changed a lot," he said honestly. She smiled quizzically, putting down her cup of tea.

"How?" she asked him, a hint of a smile tracing her lips. He looked serious.

"You've grown up." he said to her. Luckily, she took it as a compliment. She looked sad for a moment.

"My father.....he died a couple of weeks ago. I had to take on all his responsibilities." she said quietly. Vincent leant forward.

"My sincerest regrets, Yuffie. I wish we could have been here for you." he said in his deep voice. Cid scratched his neck uncomfortably.

"Yeah...Yuff, I'm real sorry about your dad." he said. She smiled weakly, and waved her hand in dismissal.

"It's ok. Nothing I can't handle. I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, remember? The best materia hunter and ninja in the world." she said, her voice a little shaky. The others smiled sympathetically at her. Cid silently prayed she wouldn't start blubbering. He hated weak women. Yuffie shook her head, as if to get rid of her grief, and smiled round at them.

"So, give me all the gossip!" she demanded. Cid immediately launched into the details of Cloud's stag night, while Cloud himself stared at Yuffie.

She was beautiful. He didn't know why he hadn't noticed this before. Her hair was dyed, but done well, it was now a soft honey blonde all over, instead of the white blonde streaked dark hair she had before. She had matured, her face was longer, and her features less childish, although she still looked cheeky as ever. She had grown taller, and although still thin, less waif-like, her chest was developed, and her legs, which had been stunningly long before, were longer still. She looked like a woman now, instead of a girl. Her black eyes glowed as she chatted with Cid and Vincent, telling them all the outrageous stuff she had done while in Wutai. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

Tifa slept alone that night. Of course, she had many offers of company from the drunks in the bar below, but she would never be that desperate. She sighed, thinking off Cloud, and smiling. She stroked the place in the bed where he should be, frowning when she remembered why he wasn't there. The time difference between here and Wutai was about six hours. It would be about seven in the evening there.

She shut her eyes, trying to block out the feeling of loneliness. She had spent longer than usual locking up the bar, trying to prolong the time she spent with others. She hated being alone. It gave her too much time to think.

Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.

She was sitting by herself, in a beautiful forest, by a glassy lake. The air was warm, and by the look of the sun setting over the lake, it was a nice summer evening. She heard a voice behind her.

"Tifa. Are you happy?" it asked. She nodded. The voice came closer.

"Do you know where Cloud is?" it asked gently. She hung her head, and mouthed the word 'no'. She felt a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

"Cloud isn't faithful to you, Tifa." the voice said. The heartbreaking words were delivered with such softness, such compassion, she could hardly feel sad at them. Instead, she shrugged.

"He...has his own life," she said, knowing it was a weak excuse, especially since she was married to Cloud

"Don't you want someone who will love you completely? Someone who you can trust to do anything for you? Someone who would share everything with you? Like how Cloud was for Aeris?" is said. She gasped, feeling pain then. She wanted that love so badly, it hurt. What she had with Cloud...it was a bare shadow of the deep love Aeris and him had shared. She wanted that love.

"Tifa. Come with me. I can give you that love." it said.

She now knew it was a male voice, one she had heard before. The voice stirred something in her, and she felt instantly attracted to it.

Like a moth to the flame, Tifa moved closer to Sephiroth.

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Cloud slept in the spare room of Yuffie's house. He was surprised that a teenager had such a large home, but her father had been the most important person in Wutai. He guessed now that respect was shown to her. Cloud sighed. No, Yuffie would never be given the same respect of her father. Wutai was a sexist country, women were never treated he same as men. Yuffie would only have the respect of the people until she got a husband. Then she would be forgotten. Cloud rolled over on the soft mattress. From here, low on the ground, he could see outside into the corridor through the two inch gap under the door. Opposite was Yuffie's room. Her light was off, and he guessed she was asleep. Why couldn't he get her out of his head? They had been friends for almost two years, and it was only now he realised he had feelings for her?! What was wrong with him!

He lay on his back, taking a deep breath. Why was he even thinking like this. He was married. He couldn't afford to...fall in love. Love. Love was what he had for Aeris. Love was when your heart quickened when you thought of the person you desired, when you fell asleep with their face in your mind, when you felt hot all over in their presence. When you felt like you could share anything with them, and it would be safe. When you felt safe.

Tifa...Tifa needed him. He knew that. She loved him. But...he didn't love her. He had known that, barely an hour after they were married, he had known he had made a mistake.

A big mistake.

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Yuffie dreamt of Cloud.

She was climbing the Da-Chao mountain again, and he was by her side as she clutched at the sharp rocks, and hauled herself up onto minuscule ledges. He was there, silently encouraging her. They eventually reached the top, and sat together, gasping for air, in the hand of the mountain god. She looked over Wutai, in the setting sun, watching it glint off the roofs of the buildings she loved so much, over the city she would die for.

And he was there with her. She turned to him, his blonde hair glowing in the rays of the dying sun, his deep blue eyes shining. He took her hand, and whispered to her. He made her smile, and she felt butterflies in her stomach as she drew closer to him. She had touched him, let her hand go to his chest to steady herself as they rose in unison, both staring into each others eyes in the golden light. She had shut her eyes, she felt safe with him. He kissed her gently, soft as the rays of light which touched the couple on their mountain stage.

Yuffie awoke with a gasp, still feeling the slight pressure of his lips on hers. She raised a hand to her mouth, touching her own lips absently, as if to reassure herself it hadn't happened. It had been so real.... She lay back down, her honey-coloured hair spreading over the pillow, making it look as if she had a halo surrounding her head. Cloud...what was this she was feeling? Before...he had treated her as if she was a little sister..but now?

She knew she had matured, become almost a woman. Well, as much of a woman as you can at eighteen. She knew she was attractive, she had countless offers from the young men of Wutai. But to Cloud?

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Tifa took his hand. The pale, porcelain skin of his hand contrasted with her tan. His deep green eyes looked into hers, his infinitely wiser, further seeing, picking up on all the subtleties she, as a mortal, missed.

It was strange, she didn't feel afraid with this man who she knew had caused her so much pain in the past. What she felt radiating from him now was not hate, but love. And a desire for her. She stepped towards him. His long silver hair flowed in the breeze, enveloping her in a silken curtain, pulling her closer to him. She felt lost in his deep green eyes, which had the glow of both mako, and of the Ancients in them. They were eyes she could float in forever, but she didn't know if she wanted to.What about....her husband?

Suddenly, all thoughts of Cloud went out of her mind as Sephiroth kissed her.

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Vincent was troubled. He was lying awake, he never slept at night. Not that he could tell the others that, they would just comment even more on his 'vampire' like traits. He sensed something was wrong though. Some.....discord in the group. There seemed to be a cloud of emotions waiting to burst over them. He could tell something was going to happen. It was like the calm before the storm. Someone was going to get hurt.

Getting to his feet (difficult when tired and sleeping on a futon) Vincent walked to the window, pushing aside the paper screen. He breathed in the fresh air, his red eyes glinting in the moonlight. He pushed aside the long strands of hair which fell in his face, and gazed at the full moon. He wondered what was going on. Doubtless, by the time they returned to Midgar they would know. But he couldn't help being curious.

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When Tifa awoke, she was gasping. Her heart was thudding, and she felt her stomach churning. She felt immensely guilty. She had been...dancing with Sephiroth. Laughing with him. He made her feel dizzy, and gave her a sensation of ecstasy when he kissed her. He had promised her deep, beautiful love, and she had wanted it. She wanted him. Tifa shut her eyes, a strange smile on her face as she imagined Sephiroth in Cloud's place, loving her in all the ways Cloud had loved her. She had never felt like this before. It was a completely new sensation. "Sephiroth," she moaned aloud, wanting to be with him again. Then she forced herself to remember. All the death he had caused, how cold and cruel he was, and how unfaithful she was being to Cloud. However hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. Tifa cried silently as the guilt ate away at her inside.

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Yuffie was in a good mood that morning. She hummed as she cooked pancakes, making them into little sandwiches with a special cherry filling she had made herself. She loved cooking, which was strange for a girl like her, who was in no other way homely. She sang softly as she piled them up onto four plates, and carried them through into the living room. She pulled back the blinds, letting the early morning sunlight flow into the room. She turned, and gasped.

Cloud sat in the chair opposite her. He was smiling at her surprise. Yuffie put a hand on her chest, indicating that he had startled her, and moved to hit him playfully.

"Yuffie!" he laughed as he dodged the blow easily. She smiled at him.

"You're up early." she said. She didn't know, but he had already been for a run that morning, a luxury he couldn't have in the slums of Midgar. Here, the countryside was fresh and clean, perfect to wake you up.

"Yuffie, I had a weird dream last night," he said. Yuffie blushed, remembering her own dream. She looked at Cloud, letting her eyes drift over his lips, wondering....

"Yuffie?" he snapped her out of her day dream, and she looked startled. He smiled at her.

"Yuffie, I was going to tell you about my dream," he said. She nodded, and sat down near him.

He took a deep breath, and began.

"We...we were climbing a mountain. I don't know where, but we definitely were. I was beside you, and we finally reached a ledge at the top. The sun was setting, and I took...."

"My hand. Then you whispered to me how beautiful I looked in the setting sun." she said, dreamily, her face pale, and her voice shaking.

"And then I kissed you," he finished, the smile leaving his face. They gazed at each other for a while, each wondering what the hell was going on here.

"Did you enjoy it?" Yuffie asked bluntly. She felt scared, she didn't know what was going on.

Cloud didn't smile at her, but stepped closer, the tension between them palpable. She shook her head almost imperceptibly as he moved close, as close as in her dream.

He didn't know what was going on. It was as if he was on autopilot. Every ounce of sense in his body was screaming for him to stop, but he couldn't. Her black eyes seemed to swallow him, and his eyes were drawn to her lips. He wanted to taste her, like he had last night. He wanted to hold her like he had on the mountain.

So he stepped towards her. He saw fear in her eyes, and he felt like a predator. He didn't want to scare her, he just wanted to show her what it could be like.

She opened her mouth slightly, and she didn't know whether she did it to protest, or so he could kiss her. Whatever her reason, no words came out. She felt Cloud's hand on her upper arms, his fingers caressing the skin there, and she met his crystalline gaze, pleading silently for him to explain to her. Instead, he leant towards her, and kissed her full on the mouth.

He kissed her deeply, and felt exactly the same sensation as in his dream. He knew she wanted it too when he felt her hands reaching up to him, to his neck, pulling him closer to her, and when he felt her kissing him back. She buried her fingers in his thick blonde hair, urging him to kiss her deeper. He did, and they were lost in each others arms. Yuffie slid her other arm around him, running her fingers down his spine absently as she kissed him. He had one hand on her arm, the other on the small of her back, pulling her body closer to his.

Vincent watched from the doorway, a stony expression on his face.

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Yuffie broke away from him, breathless. She stared back at him, her dark eyes wide with shock at what they had just done. Then, she felt another presence in the room. Turning, she saw Vincent standing there in the doorway. She gulped, and felt inexplicable tears springing to her eyes. Cloud's hand dropped from her arm as he too saw their friend standing there.

"Have you forgotten your wife, Cloud?" he asked. His words rang harsh in the couple's ears, and Cloud stepped in front of Yuffie.

"I haven't forgotten her, Vincent. I...I couldn't help It. It wasn't Yuffie's fault. It was mine." he said, meeting the other mans cool stare.

"I never blamed the child." said Vincent, his words hitting Cloud hard. But Yuffie leapt in.

"I am not a child. I am eighteen, and it was as much my fault as Clouds. I wanted to kiss him." she said. Vincent gave her a look of pity.

"I knew something was going to happen within our group. But never did I expect this. You have betrayed Tifa, Cloud." said Vincent. This infuriated Cloud.

"No, I haven't. It was one kiss. Yuffie and I are friends. Anyway, I wouldn't put it past Tifa," he added bitterly. Vincent's red eyes widened in surprise.

"What do you mean?" he said, the coldness gone from his voice. Cloud shook his head and turned away.

"Nothing." he said coldly, and turned to leave. Yuffie opened her mouth to speak to him, but instead bit her lip as she watched him leave. She turned to Vincent.

"I'm...sorry," she said, not really knowing why she was apologising. Vincent gazed at her.

"He took advantage of you," he stated. Yuffie shook her head.

"No! You know Cloud would never do anything like that." she protested. Vincent sighed, and nodded.

"I know." he admitted, staring after the fading figure of Cloud through the window as the blonde walked towards the mountain.

"I know he wouldn't force you to do anything against your will. Yuffie, do you love him?" he asked her. She frowned, and sat down, feeling exhausted.

"I...don't know what I'm feeling. If I did love him, it would be awful," she said, her soft voice breaking. He felt sympathetic towards her. She was so young, naive despite the front she put on of an experienced thief and warrior.

"Yuffie, if you do love him, don't tell him. Try and hide it. Otherwise...more hurt will be caused than you can imagine." he said, his voice sounding far away. She gazed at him, Her black eyes glassy as they filled with tears.

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