Crazier than Crazy

"I don't want to put a dent in your retirement account." She whispered, letting him pull her. She wrapped her arms around him, her head on his shoulder. No one comforted her the way that Cloud did. She always told herself that it was just sex, but it wasn't. He just got her. In a way that no one else ever would. "His mom, April, she said that Yuffie can stay, but I'm scared. I don't know if Jamie will tell people about her. A lot of people want to hurt me. You know that's why we can never get close to people. If people find out about her, they'll kill her just to hurt me."

Cloud shook his head at her, and he rubbed her back soothingly as she spoke.
"Please, my retirement account can take a couple of dents." he whispered. "So...just in case. And if you want I can threaten Jamie to silence. It'll be okay."

"Cloud!" She laughed, wiping her eye as he held her. "I can't believe you beat the shit out of him." She whispered, amused. "I could have done it myself, you know."

Cloud laughed and he shook his head.
"What can I say." he whispered. "I'll always love you blue eyes. Banging or not. You deserve the world."

Aeris looked like a deer in the headlights. She knew that Cloud cared about her, but loved her? Real, actual love? That wasn't right. She wasn't built for that, she didn't deserve that. She couldn't pretend not to hear him, she was being held by him for chrissakes. She pulled away. He was with someone, he was going to be a father. She couldn't take that from Julia or the baby. Even if it wasn't the way he meant it, she knew now. And god, goddamn, she loved him. She loved him so much. And if she acknowledged it she'd become a terrible person.
"You do too." She whispered, cupping his face for just a moment. "It's late. I'll see you in the morning, old man." She told him, bending to kiss his forehead before she retreated to her room for the night.

Nine months later...

Cloud was the one that was beginning to nest, not Julia. They hadn't decided if he was going to find a place with her, or if she would move in, or if they would just be as they were and play a nice game of pass the baby. In a way it was driving him nuts.

He didn't think he'd take to his role like he did, but when he went with Julia to an ultrasound, saw the little blob and heard his daughters heartbeat, he knew he didn't want to miss anything else. He wanted to raise her, and love her.

Aeris was around to help him figure out some of the things. Like what they would need to buy, what they would need to do when she got here. Aeris was really the best, he didn't know what he'd do without her. Probably go even more insane.

That night, he got the call. Julia was going into labor. He had panicked, almost forgetting his keys not once but twice, only to realize when he got to the car.

Aeris had tried to push her feelings down as deeply as possible. She had been doing it all of her life, so it came rather naturally to her. She had been looking at other apartments in the area, in case Julia wanted to move in with the baby, so that she could give the couple some space. She had a reservation on one, figuring it would be better if she moved out even if Julia didn't move in. She could still watch Emma if they needed her to for date nights or something.

She arrived at the hospital and went to the OBGYN floor, spotting Cloud signing in.
"Hey, don't fuck up cutting the cord." She whispered to him, but she was smiling. "Go get 'em Dad."

Cloud jumped when he heard Aeris and he was a nervous wreck.
"I won't!" he said and then he thought about it. "Do I have to do it? Can't the doctor just do it? Like...thank god it's not a boy..."

Aeris laughed, putting her hands on his arms to steady him.
"Cloud, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do. They'll show you right where to cut though, it's really easy." She smiled. "And then you just get to hold her and be happy and kiss the wonderful mother. The car seat is all set up and I booked a hotel room for tonight if Julia doesn't stay overnight, so you can have the apartment to yourselves." She offered. Just like one big happy family. One that didn't include her.

Cloud shook his head at her, and he shook his head, clearly still nervous.
"You know, I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but...Juls wants you to be the godmother." he whispered. "You're going to say yes of course."

Aeris raised her eyebrows. There was literally nothing holy about her, except her bullet hole scares. She opened her mouth to protest when Cloud spoke, and although she pouted she nodded.
"Alright, yes." She smiled, shaking her head at him. "Stop stalling and go hold Julia's hand. I'm sure she's scared." She told him.

Cloud nodded, laughing at her pout. He playfully shoved her before he followed the nurse to get prepped. When he was done he headed over to Julia who was sitting there with her eyes closed. When he moved to grab her hand she opened them, smiling at Cloud.
"Hey..." she whispered.

"How are you doing?" Cloud asked.

"Oh you know, just about to push out a tiny human through my vagina...nothing special..." she chuckled.

The doctor came in a few moments later to check her out.
"Alright, Ms Lopez, you're dilated. You can start pushing." he said.

Julia looked to Cloud in a panic, but she did as she was told. Another hour later, Emma came into the world screaming and crying. Cloud even managed to cut the cord without messing up. Once Emma was all cleaned up she was swaddled and placed on Julia's chest. She held her, finger running through the tuft of brown hair, and looking at all of her fingers.
"She's amazing." Julia whispered, tears in her eyes.

"Yeah she is." Cloud whispered. After another five minutes Cloud went out to bring Aeris to meet her.

Aeris was nervous, nearly pacing in the waiting room. She had kept it together for Cloud, but she really hated hospitals. When she saw him emerge in his blue gown and mask she smiled, running up to him.
"Well, is she the cutest baby on the planet or what?" She asked.

"She's the cutest baby on the planet." Cloud laughed. "Come and meet her."
He took her hand and lead her down to Julia's room. She looked up when she saw Aeris and she smiled.

"Hey!" she whispered.

"Hey!" Aeris said excitedly, heading over to Julia. She made sure to be quiet, peeking down at the blanket that held a small Emma. "She's gorgeous." She whispered. "Congratulations, cutest kid ever. And I usually hate babies."

Julia laughed and she nodded.
"I know right." she chuckled. "I didn't think this would ever happen to me."

Aeris's eyes softened, and she nodded. Julia was lucky. Aeris always told herself that this would never be her life, and it was true. She wasn't cut out for domestication or boyfriends or babies. She knew that she was jealous, none the less.
"Lucky girl. And lucky little girl, gets the best parents." She smiled.

Cloud shook his head at her.
"Well...we still have time to ruin that." he mumbled.

"You wanna hold her?" Julia asked Aeris, making a face at Cloud.

Aeris laughed, shaking her head at Cloud.
"Leave it to the old guy to ruin it." She whispered, before she raised her eyebrows. "Oh no, I can't-" But she caught the look Cloud gave her and she nodded, carefully taking the baby. She offered Emma her finger, smiling. "She definitely looks like her mom, so that's a relief."

Cloud shook his head at the both of them, moving out of the room to grab something to drink.

Julia smiled as Aeris held Emma. Emma cooed softly, gripping Aeris' finger tightly.
"You're a natural." she whispered.

Aeris shook her head, looking at the baby as she cooed. She noticed she had grey eyes, just like Julia. They were beautiful.
"I had practice with my sister." She smiled. "So I'm sort of cheating right now. I shouldn't keep you too long, I'm sure you're exhausted."

Julia chuckled softly, and she nodded. She didn't realize how tired she was. She felt like she could sleep for days.
"I have a feeling you two are going to be close." she whispered.

Cloud came back a moment later with a coke, having heard the last bit.
"Oh yeah, Aeris is totally going to spoil her rotten."

Aeris looked at Julia as she spoke. Could she do that? Maybe. She adored Julia, and Emma was a blessing, and she loved Cloud. So maybe it wasn't exactly what she had pictured, but they were her family. She smiled, nodding, trying not to tear up.
"Y-yeah. I'd like that." She whispered, laughing when she heard Cloud. "Only sometimes."

Cloud chuckled and he shook his head at her.
"Yuhuh, we'll se about that in a few years." he smirked.

Aeris bit her lip, shaking her head.
"Maybe she can meet Yuffie someday." She told him. "I'm keeping your lady awake when she should be resting." She told Cloud, setting Emma carefully in the bassinet. "I um...I did buy her a giraffe. It's not spoiling though I swear!" She told the couple. It was a pink giraffe with white spots, soft and cuddly.