Disclaimer: I do NOT own any part of Final Fantasy VII in any way, shape, or form. I own NOTHING!

A/N: Welcome to the last chapter! I'd like to thank everyone for making this story so special and so very dear to my heart. I can't believe it's finally ending…but hopefully I portrayed these precious characters realistically and did the game justice. And even if I didn't, maybe you can still be entertained! Enjoy!

Harmonies for the Haunted:

Part XXIII

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swaps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all.

Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach.

The world you desire can be won.

It exists. It is real. It is possible. It's yours.

-Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

The kids were sitting side by side in the booth, looking at him expectantly. They probably thought they were in trouble. It looked like they were running through possible scenarios in their heads, trying to figure out what it was they had done that might get them punished.

In their defense, this situation was a bit odd. It wasn't often that he called them down for a talk like this. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he did so.

Cloud sat in the booth opposite them, rubbing at the back of his neck. He had no idea how to go about any of this so he just decided to say it.

"How would you guys feel…if Tifa and I tried to be together?"

Their innocent eyes grew huge.

"Like husband and wife together?!" Marlene reeled but he caught the hint of excitement in her tone.

Cloud grimaced. "I wouldn't go that far; boyfriend and girlfriend, maybe? We aren't getting married. I'll put it like that."

"But you might?" Marlene inquired.

"Maybe. Someday. Not anytime soon though. I… I still have a lot I need to work on." He rubbed nervously at the back of his neck again and looked out the front window unable to maintain eye contact.

"But you love her?"

"…Yeah." He cast his gaze back towards the kids. "Yeah, I do."

"I knew it!" Marlene beamed, practically bouncing in her seat.

Marlene smiled but Denzel was harder to read. He didn't seem surprised or upset but he did seem…unsure? He clearly wasn't opposed to the idea but he wasn't exactly thrilled. He wasn't as pleased at the prospect as Marlene was.

"We'll try to make this…transition as easy as possible. I doubt the two of you will even notice that much of a difference." Cloud figured the biggest changes would be on his and Tifa's side. Very little would change in terms of how they cared for the kids and went about their daily activities. They'd basically lived as a couple for years…but without certain intimacies and titles.

"Are we gonna have to watch you two be all lovey-dovey all the time now?" Denzel's nose crinkled up.

"No. We wouldn't do that to you. But hopefully this will make some of our public outings and interactions a little easier. It'll still be awkward but at least we can say that we're a couple now."

A little closer to a real family…

They both looked a little uneasy and unsure. Marlene was excited but she also seemed a little hesitant. They were still trying to process and see what this actually meant for them.

"If it makes you feel any better, I have no idea how this is gonna go either," he finally said.

"What if you start fighting again…?" Marlene asked softly, sounding very mature. Cloud suddenly felt like he was talking to a cautious preteen.

"Yeah. What if it doesn't work out between you two? What'll happen then?" Denzel added, his tone a little firmer than Marlene's.

"We'll still be a family. We'll always be a family no matter what happens. I promise." He made sure to hold earnest eye contact with each of them so they'd know how sincere he was, how much he meant what he said. He was determined to keep them together one way or another. Some bonds could never be broken.

They seemed somewhat pacified; skeptical and clearly apprehensive but pacified and maybe a little curious?

"So I'm thinking about maybe getting a present for her and I was hoping you two could help me pick it out?" He decided to shift gears.

"What kind of present?" Denzel asked, incredulous.

"An I'm-sorry-I-messed-up-but-I'm-gonna-try-to-do-better present?"

"Can we go out to eat too?" Marlene leaned across the table towards him.

Cloud's lips curved up. "Sure."

As soon as the word left his mouth, the kids were grinning from ear to ear with satisfaction and making their way for the door. However, Cloud knew they would only be smiling and laughing until they started arguing about where they wanted to eat.

"I thought you said you weren't getting married," Marlene declared skeptically as she eyed the huge assortment of rings in the glass case.

Cloud had several places in mind in terms of where he thought they might be able to find something for Tifa, the jewelry store downtown just happened to be the first one they went to after they ate. It was the closest but Marlene was apparently determined to make a big deal out of it.

"We aren't."

"Then why are we looking at rings…?"

"Rings don't always have to mean that you're getting married," Cloud countered, trying not to get too defensive.

"Then why get one?" Denzel challenged as he too eyed the ring display.

Damn they were on his case today. Cloud blamed Barret. They were always like this after they'd spent a significant amount of time with him.

"To say I'm sorry? To show some commitment? I don't know…" Great. Now he was second-guessing himself. "But look for a necklace chain too."

"Why?"

"In case she doesn't want to wear it on her finger…"

"Why wouldn't she want to wear it on her finger?" Marlene threw back.

Cloud sighed and ran his hand down his face. "Because…Tifa and I have a complicated past with rings."

"Did you give one to Aerith?" Marlene asked immediately and Cloud once again found himself privately cursing her acute perception.

"Yes. No. Not exactly. It was for enemy encounters but she treated it like something else and I let her do it because I'm a jackass."

Marlene gawked playfully at his profanity. "You said…!"

"I know what I said and your Papa has said a lot worse. Are you gonna help me find a ring for her or not?!" Cloud's patience was wearing thin.

Marlene giggled and hugged his arm. "I'm sorry. No more questions. We'll be good."

"Thank you," he mumbled as he attempted to bring his focus back on all the jewelry in the store.

They looked at bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and even ankle bracelets but Cloud kept gravitating back to one of the rings. And after looking a brief discussion, he learned it was the kids' favorite too.

"You don't think it's too much?" Cloud asked apprehensively as he took the small black box from the clerk. He knew nothing about things like this.

"I think it's pretty," Marlene declared. "And I'm sure Tifa will like it just because it's from you."

"Yeah. Tifa will be happy with the gesture even if she doesn't like what we picked out," Denzel added, taking the box and peeking inside.

Cloud sighed and made his way out of the store with the kids on his heels. "Thanks…I think."

The weeks that followed ring shopping were a blur. Everything began falling into place and falling in place quickly, perhaps because it all started coming so naturally.

It wasn't long before they were talking about sharing a master bedroom permanently. They agreed that Tifa's room was bigger but that Cloud's bed with nicer, so they compromised. Eventually, Cloud's bed would be moved into Tifa's room and Cloud's room became solely an office. With time, they figured that Denzel would probably want his own room and when that day came, he could have that space but thinking about that day was kind of sad so they didn't dwell on that particular detail for long.

Aside from the sleeping arrangements, very little had changed. They still had their routine and Cloud still had his deliveries but the tension and strain that had once lingered in their household as a result of their relationship's ambiguity was almost nonexistent.

Even the awkwardness that accompanied the 'newness' of their relationship wasn't too bad. Still, Cloud – in true Cloud fashion – had the social grace of a two-year-old, and found things like timing particular intimacies difficult. He worried about things like: Would the kids mind if he hugged her? Should he hug her? Would she be expecting him to kiss her when he got home? Should he hold her hand? What would a normal boyfriend/father do? Would they hear what they were doing even if the door was closed? How early would he need to redress so the kids wouldn't walk in on them? Should they just lock the door? Would the kids be upset if they locked the door? Should they just wait for their weekend with Barret? Could he wait until their weekend with Barret?

The list went on and on but these were things he didn't necessarily mind worrying about, and most of those things were issues that mainly he and Tifa had to deal with. So Cloud was happy to see that (for the most part) he hadn't unintentionally lied to the kids when he said that there wouldn't be much of a difference for them.

Things were just…easier. Yes, they were still complicated and awkward at times but Cloud felt even lighter than he did after their encounter with the remnants, which was saying something.

Despite all the good things happening and the newfound effortlessness to their relationship, Cloud still hadn't given Tifa her 'I'm-sorry-I-messed-up-but-I'm-gonna-try-to-do-better' present and he wasn't really sure why. He kept it hidden in one of Fenrir's many compartments where it was unlikely Tifa would accidentally stumble upon it.

Maybe a part of him was scared of how she'd take it. Maybe she wouldn't like it. Maybe it was too soon. Maybe it was too serious. Maybe he still wasn't entirely sure of what he wanted it to really mean. There were at least a million ways that it could go wrong. So, Cloud being Cloud, decided to be inactive, to sit on it until he felt the time was right.

He had lots of ideas for how he might go about it. He even discussed a few of them with the kids. Once Marlene even drew out an illustration complete with a diagram, but none of the ideas they talked about felt right. They were either too over the top or they didn't feel like him. Then the problem became – what did feel like him? He wasn't really one for grand gestures…

With the kids' help, he'd decided simpler was better. So, dinner and a night out were the result. Luckily, Yuffie was free and agreed to babysit without asking too many questions but he figured the kids would tell her everything as soon as they got the chance.

He'd taken the gift with him in his pocket in case he felt spontaneous but that spontaneity never came. They went to eat at a small café. He even bought a fancy desert that they shared but it didn't coax his hand into his pocket.

Eager for some inspiration or maybe even some courage, he decided to go to the still-under-construction park. Maybe here he would get the urge to pull that box out of his pocket.

They walked around for a while since neither of them had really gone here before. It was nicer than the old park in Midgar but still wasn't that nice. Still, he supposed it was better than nothing.

It had all the basic elements one would expect of a park: monuments, swings, a jungle gym, a small path, a slide, and even a few street lamps. However, because it was still under construction, concrete slabs, trucks, and chunks of wood were scattered throughout as well.

After exploring all the almost-park had to offer, they settled on a bench by what almost qualified as a fountain. It was already filled with gil where people had blindly thrown their wishes into the water. In fact, in the short time they'd been sitting there, he'd seen several people come up and do so.

"A few years ago, people wouldn't have bothered wishing for anything," Tifa mused as she put her hands on her knees and leaned forward on the bench. It was as if she'd read his mind.

"Yeah. It's nice to see people hopeful again," he agreed.

"Mm." She nodded and cast her gaze toward the sky. "I always liked wishing on falling stars more though; probably because we didn't have fountains in Nibelhiem."

Cloud couldn't keep himself from leaning back and looking up at the stars overhead. He couldn't remember the last time he'd bothered to look at them, really look at them. God, he really was like a child. Sometimes it still felt like he was a babe experiencing things for the first time.

Sure, he could probably dive into his brain and unearth some long forgotten memory where he enjoyed the stars but he wanted to be…present. He didn't want to waste any more time being haunted by the past in any way, shape or form. He no longer saw the point in dwelling on it. There was no longer a need or purpose to rehashing the past and talking to ghosts. The light of the present was no longer too bright and he no longer flinched at its aura nor did he simply tolerate it. He almost basked in it and he didn't need ghosts or the past as a crutch.

As he continued to contemplate this, the stars seemed a little brighter, especially considering that they were near the city. Stars usually couldn't be seen this far out. But he wouldn't really know. This was coming from a man who barely noticed anything like this, a man who rarely took the time to notice because he hadn't cared. He was too busy torturing himself and drowning in the guilt and pain of the past.

"Anything you want to wish for?" he simpered.

Tifa grinned. "Nah. I'm pretty content."

"Yeah. Me too."

Cloud wasn't one for public displays of affection but when Tifa laced their fingers on that bench, he couldn't bring himself to let go and allowed her to squeeze his hand all the way back to the spot where they left Fenrir.

On the ride back to Seventh Heaven, Tifa rested her head between his shoulder blades, using his build to shield herself from the wind. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he prayed that she wouldn't feel the box bulging in his pocket.

Cloud decided to take the long way home, once again hoping that he would get some inspiration but as expected, they were back home before he'd made any mental or emotional progress.

As he dismounted Fenrir, he knew that Yuffie and the kids would never let him live it down if he crossed the threshold with that box still sleeping in his pocket. In fact, they were probably watching intently from one of the windows but he tried not to think about whether or not they were or weren't spying on them.

Tifa turned on Fenrir, preparing to get off as well but Cloud managed to stop her before she stood.

"Wait…" He blocked her way with his body, clumsily digging around in his pocket as he did so.

Seeing that Cloud wasn't going to let her by and that he was looking for something in his pocket, she obliged, getting comfortable sitting horizontally across Fenrir's seat. Clearly intrigued, she watched him expectantly with a hint of a smile on her lips.

He was too nervous to smile back. There was a lump in his throat the size of a chocobo.

"Here." He put the box in her hand.

"What's this?" she asked curiously and a bit skeptically but her pitch suggested that she was kind of excited too.

"Just…open it." Cloud began pacing. He couldn't watch at first but when he heard the little screw on the back of the box creak open, he couldn't keep himself from looking back at her.

Tifa blinked a few times as if she were trying to ensure what she was seeing was real. Seconds later, she was pulling out the chain and the ring attached to it.

"Cloud…" Tifa sounded almost breathless, clearly concerned, confused, and dumbfounded. "What—"

Cloud got as close to her as possible without literally crawling into her lap or sitting astride her hips. He didn't kneel but got down on both of his knees next to her and Fenrir as if he were preparing to beg because he probably would be begging before this was over with.

"Just…let me get this out before I can't…"

Tifa looked at him cynically, her dark brow furrowed and bemused, her smile long gone.

"I'm gonna be honest and say that I have no idea what I'm doing." He sighed and took both of her hands in his and stared at her knuckles as his thumbs slowly flowed back and forth over each one. "And I don't know how to do this or how this kind of thing is even supposed to work but…"

He paused and looked at the ring she held in her hand, its chain coiling around it in her palm like a snake. He'd wanted it…versatile in the event that she didn't want an engagement ring but still similar to an engagement ring so she'd know he was suggesting they were in this for the long haul.

There was no gaudy diamond in the center. It was made of black stainless steal and titanium like the wolf ring she already wore on her right hand. In its center, however, was a small diamond that was almost the same size as the alternating pearl-like stones and tiny black gems sleeping on each side of it. The way the stones were imbedded in the ring, it almost made it seem more like a band than a ring. It was unique and beautiful but subtle, like Tifa. That was what had drawn them to it.

Her eyes were suddenly big as saucers but she never uttered a word.

"But I… I do know that I love you and…I want to be with you…" He chuckled dryly. "In a way, I guess I always have."

"Cloud…" she murmured again.

"It doesn't have to be an engagement ring. Even though I guess it technically could be…but we've talked about how we feel about marriage before…and it's also kind of soon even if that weren't the case…so…it's mainly a promise ring? I guess. I don't know. I don't know how promise rings work… All I know is that I want it to mean something. I want it to mean someday. I'm promising…someday…"

For the love of all that is Holy, I wish I could stop rambling… I usually can't get anything out and now I can't shut up!

"It's my way of saying that you're mine and that's exactly what I want you to be…for as long as you'll have me. Preferably as long as both shall live or…however that goes." He smiled, attempting to be charming and judging by the curve in her lips and the flush on her cheek and neck, he'd succeeded.

Cloud secured the ring and necklace within her palm before coaxing her hand closed around it. "Wear it however you want. I bought the chain with it so you could wear it around your neck if you want…or you don't have to wear it at all… If you want to wait, you can put it away until you're comfortable with the idea of –"

"No. No, I want to wear it." She protectively held the ring to her chest as if he were seconds away from taking it all back.

He released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and smiled up at her.

"I love it," she whispered, her voice wistful. "Thank you."

"You're welcome…"

They remained immobile in silence for a while as she eyed every detail of the ring and matching chain. She looked contemplative but also happy.

"Will you put it on for me?" she asked, holding the ring back out to him.

Shakily, he took the ring from her and looked at her and her hands expectantly. He didn't want to make any assumptions about where she may or may not want this thing…

When he continued to look at her questioningly, she stood and pulled her hair over her shoulder so he could secure it at the back of her neck.

Relieved, Cloud got to his feet and took the ends of the necklace from her.

There was something extremely satisfying about putting that ring around her neck.

Slowly, she turned back around to face him, squeezing the ring that now hung from her neck. It suited her. It was kind of like it belonged there.

"Someday, whenever we're ready, we can move it to your ring finger."

"You mean…when we want to get married?" she breathed, her brow furrowed and her eyes suddenly distant.

He nodded. "Someday… If that's what you want…"

"Think we'll ever get there? To, you know – someday?"

It was still kind of hard to grasp. They'd been denied so much for so long and so much had gone wrong… They'd hurt so many people, damaged so many lives. There was so much wrong with the Planet that it felt trivial and wrong to even humor the idea of marriage. But Tifa and the kids had a way of filling him with a hope to wish for otherwise impossible things and he knew they did the same thing to her.

"Yeah, one way or another. It probably won't be the traditional route though. We've never really done things the normal way." He suppressed a scoff.

She snickered. "Normal is overrated."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close so he could rest his forehead against hers.

"Normal is overrated," he agreed softly.

Tifa giggled a little before pressing her lips to his, giving him a sweet, chaste, yet somehow intense kiss.

"I love you, Cloud," she whispered as their lips parted and he knew without a doubt no sweeter words had ever been spoken.

"I love you too."

Over the years, Cloud had learned there were many different kinds of love stories. Some were happier than others, some were sappier than others, and some were sadder than others, but the happier ones weren't any better than the sad ones. A love story was a love story, regardless of content. One wasn't necessarily better than another just because it was simple and shiny. Love was love and happiness and gloss didn't make one love better than another or any less real.

Cloud loved Tifa and the road to that realization had been hard. He'd tortured himself and her. They'd suffered but they had persevered. They had always had each other. Their story wasn't necessarily happy but it was real. He'd had a crush on her for years. He'd joined SOLDIER for her. He'd promised to come for her if she were ever in trouble. He'd gone running into danger for her more times than he could remember and she'd done the same thing for him. She'd helped him through Mako poisoning, through Mideel, through the Lifestream, she'd helped him find himself time and time again and he'd tried to do the same for her after Meteorfall when their sins threatened to consume them. All of that was real, very real. It was dark and unpleasant but it was them. It was who they were. It was a testament to who they were together.

It wasn't pretty but it was theirs and it was every bit as real as the happier stories and more real than the fake ones in books and plays. He loved her as much as someone could love another person even if he didn't love in a traditional way. And that was finally, finally enough.

A/N: Whew! We made it, guys! And while this is the end, it isn't REALLY the end. I have another somewhat follow-up/sequel planned that will hopefully be able to answer any lingering questions. A lot of you have asked for different points of view and in the next installment, I plan on providing that for you!

With stories like this, it is kind of hard to give the ultimate happy ending while still staying true to canon events and characterizations. To me, it would feel like betraying the game/source material but hopefully, you guys are happy with it or at least accepting of the way this story came to a close. And if not, that's okay too! Hopefully you'll still be keeping an eye out for the follow up! Which, by the way, I have no idea when I'll finally get up… But I do know that it will be set several years after Dirge of Cerberus and the last chapter of this story. That's all you're getting out of me!

Thank you all SO MUCH for going on this journey with me! I can't put into words how much all of you mean to me. You guys are the best! Leave one last review on your way out! Goodbye for now!

- M