Untitled FFVII fanfic project
an excerpt

It was a three day drive from Junon to Edge in the average car, though with Cloud behind the wheel that could be more than halved. Even with all the work the WRO had done it still wasn't safe in the mountains between the two cities, so when Cloud stopped for gas at the last available station and pushed on through the night, Tifa didn't say anything. An odd silence permeated the pick-up; glancing in the wing mirror, she could see Denzel slouched in his seat, staring pensively out the window. The sky was a deep blue with stars like pinpricks of pale light, against which the headlights had almost no effect. Cloud didn't seem to mind, however; she could see his eyes scanning the landscape methodically, the blue glow lending an odd gleam to the interior of the cab. They'd lost the radio signal from Junon after the first foothills, had eaten the last snacks not long after that, and now there was really nothing to do but sleep.

But, like Denzel behind her, Tifa found that she couldn't just nod off, rocked by the shaky suspension. Her thoughts hovered somewhere between the chill of the mountain night and the last blare of a rapidly shrinking cargo ship. She hoped Marlene fared better at ocean travel than Yuffie did. It was so strange to think that they were heading back to Edge – back home – without the fourth member of their patchwork family. The seat behind Cloud was too quiet; she could sense it even with her back turned. She half-wished Cloud would slow down so she wouldn't have to face the empty bar, childish pictures stuck to the fridge with tape and a girly pink hairbrush perpetually on the work surface because Marlene just wouldn't put it ...

The brush had been packed in her carry-on holdall, as had her hair ties, her toothbrush, her favourite doll... It didn't matter how many times Tifa told herself that this was only temporary, a vacation for Marlene to spend with Barret before the school year started again, she couldn't help but miss her already.

"Cloud," Denzel murmured. Cloud cocked his head, the only outward sign of acknowledgment. "How long does it take to get to Wutai?" Tifa smiled slightly to herself; Denzel had asked the question about ten times during the week, and would probably ask Cloud ten times again.

"About sixteen days, depending on the weather," he answered evenly, without even a hint that the repetition was noted.

"Do they have good phone reception there?"

"Yes."

"Do they speak the same as us?"

"Most people do."

"Is there a lot of crime?"

"No more than in Edge."

"Is –"

"Denzel," Tifa interjected gently, "we've still got a long way to go. Why don't you try to get some sleep, hm?"

"Fine," he huffed. She shared a small look with Cloud as Denzel could be heard wriggling around behind them until he was suitably comfortable. "G'night," he muttered.

"'Night," Tifa replied. She listened to his breathing deepen, knowing Cloud was doing the same, until they were both sure he was asleep mere minutes later. It had been a long drive from Edge, and a tiring day to cap it off; Denzel was obviously exhausted.

Tifa heaved a sigh and slouched deeper into her seat. Without saying a word, or even glancing away from the darkened scenery, Cloud reached across to hold her hand in his. Tifa smiled at him and squeezed back. She'd spent so much of the last few years trying to get Cloud to open up and talk to her that it surprised her when, sometimes – in a borrowed truck driving through the mountains during the middle of the night – they didn't need words to communicate.

He had to retract his arm in order to steer the car around some hairpin turns on the steep slope into the next valley. Somewhere down there under the moon was their half-way point. Maybe the Turks would be there this time. It would be nice to see familiar faces again.

"How long until we reach Healin?" she asked softly. Cloud raised one shoulder in a shrug.

"Another six hours, at least," he said. She could hear the tiredness bleed a little into his voice, now that Denzel wasn't listening in.

"You want me to drive when the sun comes up?" Tifa knew that even her martial arts reflexes would not fair against sheer cliffs and blind corners in the pitch of night.

"I'll be fine," Cloud answered, causing her to roll her eyes. She would hate his stubbornness, if it wasn't also something she loved about him. "You should rest," he said, "if you're going to drive later." He shot her a look.

"Fine," Tifa said in a fair approximation of Denzel's tone. Cloud stretched his arm along the back of the benchseat, an open invitation for Tifa to curl up next to him if ever there was one. Nestled against his side with her head on his shoulder, she found she was tired enough to ignore the slight ripeness to his scent after four days on the road. His extraordinary body heat warded off the chill better than a blanket, and it wasn't long before she was drooling on his shoulder, unaware of Cloud's slightly rueful smile.