"A Smile Above Us"

By, ~*~*TiFa StRiFe~*~*

The light finally dimmed and left the eight brave warriors to mentally piece together what just happened. Meteor had struck hitting Midgar dead on. Holy was no help to the people. Instead of destroying the huge rock, it turned against them all and helped with the destruction process. Lifestream, guided by some unknown force and summoned to the upperworld, was the last thing left to protect the people, almost like a last resort that no one had known was coming. It restored everything lost by Meteor and fought the very last and final battle with evil.

Cloud Strife, the leader of the group did not bother looking away from the light. He stood there motionless with a sense of pride unexplainable. After it was over he mumbled something that no one could be sure to have heard correctly. It might have been, "Thank you." Or "Thank you, Aeris."

Tifa Lockheart watched the light until her own emotional pain made her look away. Everyone in the group knew she loved Cloud, but she never admitted it. Now in those last few moments of uncertainty, she dreaded the thought of her not admitting her feelings for him. What was there really to hide? That might have been the last time she would see him, and even then she did not muster up enough courage to tell him her feelings.

Barret Wallace’s eyes could not handle the bright light emitted from Midgar. His friends had perished there in their great effort to help him save the world. Biggs, Wedge, and Jesse would forever live in his heart. His loving daughter, Marlene, is what kept him going in the first place. Her real father and best friend of Barret had given up his life because the past still haunted him. He could not, and would not do the same.

Cid Highwind, like always, had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He watched in awe as that great city’s fate would be determined in just a few seconds. Cid thought back about what he left behind when he decided to fight for the planet. Shera was what would be waiting for him when he returned. Then he knew he would marry her. Somehow there was nothing else that seemed to be more promising then going back to Shera.

Red XIII thought about his parents. He hoped it wasn’t too late to make peace with his father that bravely fought to keep his homeland from being destroyed. He felt in a way that he had made closure on that subject and was proud to be the son of Seto, the great warrior. His grandfather Bugenhagen had moved on to the next world still holding his high official position. Many people around the world knew of Red’s family and respected them. He was now a high holding officer himself and Red thought how lucky he was to be privileged enough to be a part of that monumental family.

Cait Sith crossed his fingers and prepared for the worst. Being full of superstition and fortune telling, which was all apart of an act, he believed that somehow crossing his fingers would help the situation. Right before the light grew to it’s fullest brightness, the body slumped over and lost all life to it being that it was a toy in the first place. Reeve back in his secret quarters sat up in his chair and prepared for the worst.

Yuffie Kisaragi brought a tiny pouch hanging from her side up to her heart. She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes throwing the pouch over the ship’s side. These were of no use to her anymore, leaving with her life was more valuable. She shuddered at the thought of all the effort she put into getting..eh..stealing all this materia. But that was the past now.

Vincent Valentine walked over to the side where Yuffie threw over her most prized possessions. He pulled something out of his cape and examined it over. A perfect red rose like none other anyone had every seen before. He kissed it and looked at it one last time, then dropped it watching it fall into the green waters of the Lifestream below as he said, "For you, Lucrecia." Then he slowly backed away, eyes still on the water, and joined the group in their last time together.

Aeris Gainsborough looked up sweetly from her resting-place somewhere amongst the green liquid. She looked at the people she had came to love over the short time she spent with them. They were the only family she knew of and loved them more than anything. One person she had taken a special liking to was Cloud. He needed her for something, not quite sure what it was though. She knew this day would come, and everyday counted down how much longer they had together. Those last final moments, with her powers diminishing, she talked to Cloud. She was special, an Ancient, and even in death she could do these things.

"Don’t grieve for me, Cloud. Don’t love me because I am gone, there is someone else who you love more than you’ll ever know unless you get over this all. She is right there with you, she is alive. Love her. She loves you far more than you know, and you love her the same. Go to her, and never leave her. Live, Cloud, Live."

He had heard her and he gave her consent to her last wishes by nodding slightly, a silent tear falling from his face. Aeris laid back, the smile still on her face, and finally rested in peace. All would be ok, and Lifestream guided by her took its effect and sank back down below. Her powers were all used up and she no longer had the strength to communicate with the living. They had all seen her smiling face when it ended, just like she promised. She came back for that one moment, just as she promised, when it was all over.

Through her sweet smiling face they all received comfort, just like a mother would give to her child, and it warmed their hearts. The smile reached all the people of the world, even the ones that didn’t know her, and she touched each one of their hearts as they finally let go of their regrets and holdbacks.

It was all over. The light was gone and it was now nighttime. The Highwind had withstood the final blow of Meteor and they flew past all of the cities as sort of a victory flight. Each city they past had civilians waving joyously to the Highwind as a thank you. They waved back and moved onward to the next. All through the night people were celebrating and coming together to have one last final goodbye to the Old World, and a welcoming into the new.

Cid steered the Highwind with pride and glory to his hometown in Rocket Town. He said it would only be a few minutes and that everyone should wait for him. Then he would fly everyone back to his or her own homes and family, then later on they could all take a vacation.

Everyone on the airship waited in the cockpit for Cid to return. Cloud was exceptionally distance, Tifa sat in the corner fidgeting with her hair, Barret was re-loading his gun arm very mechanically, Red XIII paced up and down looking at everyone, Cait Sith’s body had been turned off a while ago, Yuffie was weeping in the other corner grasping her pouch questioning herself why had she done something so stupid, and Vincent looked over the edge of the ship smilinng for the very first time in a long while.

Cid returned an hour later with a very shy and embarassed Shera. She looked more nervous than ever and people sensed what was going on.

"Cid, what took you so damn long?" Barret said hinting his impatience.

Cid said nothing but smiled and put his arm around Shera who was very short compared to him. They looked very fitting as a couple and the people on the ship knew there was something going on. Tifa looked up from her corner and looked at Shera. She was again jealous of other people being happy when she noticed the ring on Shera’s finger.

"Cid, you did it!" Tifa said running over to them.

"Did what. Oh that!" He held up Shera’s hand and she blushed.

Everyone let out a big cheer and congratulated them. All except for Cloud. Even Vincent had given Cid the hearty handshake and wished him luck. Cloud walked off the airship and sat outside for a long time. Tifa was worried and depressed at the same time, not that she wasn’t happy for Cid, she just wished it were her who was the one being cared for.

Tifa silently slipped out of the room not wanting to ruin the atmosphere. She walked to the opposite side of the Highwind and strolled up and down the plains until the sun’s head showed a bit on the horizon. She wished that it were exactly 24 hours ago when she was in the arms of her beloved. She had waited so long for that moment and it came and went so fast. Why did he not love her as she loved him?

Tifa soon found herself near her town of Nibelheim. With half the sky filled with stars and the other half the sun just rising, it certainly a beautiful place to be at that very moment.

"This is what we fought for, this sky, this land. It’s almost perfect except..there’s no one for me to share this place with." She said aloud. All she wanted was for someone to hold her. The world seemed so much more wonderful when there were other people to be with.

"That’s not true, Tif." Said a voice she knew very well.

"Is that so, Cloud? Then who is there for me?"

"You should know that. Me of course."

"You?"

Tifa sat down on a rock. This is it, she thought. She would have to tell him now or never. No other time would be as perfect as this.

"Cloud, I, I"

He sat down right next to her, closer than he would have ever dared before this whole thing took place.

"Tifa, for the longest time..I.have loved you."

Tifa breathed in and held her breath closing her eyes and slowly exhaling. Finally.

"Back there on the ship, then the Lifestream saved us, I was thinking all about you and nothing else. How good you were," he shook his head, "are to me. How I lived everyday really just to be with you. I never knew it till just then, and it killed me that I wouldn’t be able to tell you how I felt."

Tifa felt the tears welling in her eyes even when they were closed. He whole body shivered and her upper lip trembled just the slightest bit.

"When Cid landed in Rocket Town and said he would be right back, I knew what he was going to do. It scared me so much when I wasn’t going to be able to tell you how I felt, and then I had the chance. The second chance of a lifetime, to tell the person I loved how I felt about them."

He grabbed her hand and she accepted it graciously opening her eyes to have the tears spill out of them.

"I would be honored, Tifa Lockheart, if you would spend the rest of your life with me. If you would be my wife."

She could no longer hold in her feelings. A great sob followed right after he said this and she collapsed in his arms. The two of them sat there in the dawning light holding each other for dear life, afraid to let go, afraid to not have each other close by.

"I love you, Cloud. I love you now and always." She managed to choke out with a smile.

He smiled at the thought of having her with him forever. Aeris was right, he did love her more than he knew. And now they would be together, he was no longer alone. They would grow old and live out the rest of their lives in happiness and nothing would bring them apart.

Tifa sat up and looked at him with an expression of pure happiness. He wiped the tears off her face and kissed her cheek then kissing her neck. He was lost in thought about how beautiful she was. She was a gem, his gem. She was a gift from the angels sent down from heaven to help him. She took his head in her hands and kissed him. They fell into a passionate embrace of much kissing and hugging.

It was now nearly morning with still some stars in the sky and the moon still hanging over them as if running away from the Sun. A shooting star appeared overhead and they both looked at it, and then at each other.

"I have already gotten my wish, I don’t need anymore as long as I’m with you." Cloud said looking at her with his mako eyes that flashed in the heat of the moment.

All she could do was hug him and close her eyes smiling. She had gotten her wish too. She found true love that was meant to be, and there it would stay in her arms and heart, forever. As the sun lifted from over the mountains and shined upon them, they couldn’t help but wonder what life had in store for them and the others. They were now famous. Symbols and glory and truth, brave and the strong. They saved the planet from disaster and therefor made into figures of idolization. Although the new life would take some adjusting and getting used to, they no longer felt that they would endeavor these feats all alone. They had each other to comfort them and be there when they most needed it.

"So what do we do now?" Tifa said with enthusiasm in her voice. That voice had not been heard in a long time, what took its place was worry and doubt, but that was all gone now. All that was left of her was the same, but now somewhat mature womanlike optimistic Tifa that everyone loved.

"I don’t know, Tif. I just don’t know." Cloud said shaking his head and cast it down low. She lifted his head with her index finger and brought his eyes to hers and gently leaned forward whispering into his ear.

"We live, Cloud. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to live."

The End.

By ~*~*TiFa StRiFe~*~*