Oy vey. First try at a one shot, so be nice. I've had this story swimming around in my head for a while, and I had some free time, so, why not? Please read and review, and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer – None of these characters belong to me, but to Square Enix. However, I take pride in the situation and storyline.

Tifa's Theme

One shot Fanfiction

Evening is here at last. Rufus finished for the day, exhausted from the meetings and talks that he'd had with his board and employees. The phone had been ringing off the hook, and emails came in by the dozens, comprising of business mail and hate mail. How the latter group managed to get his address, he had no idea. Getting out of his seat, he walked over to the office window that over-looked the main center of Edge. It was lit by street-lamps, that were solar-powered by ShinRa, and many people could still be seen walking around busily many stories below. Rufus looked up to see clouds roll across the sky, accompanied by a low rumble of thunder.

Each day, it ended like this. Nothing seemed to make him smile, to make him feel warmth in his heart. He would close his eyes and imagine how he would like things to be. But it was way too perfect.

A knock at the door made him break out of his thoughts.

"Sir?"

Rufus turned to see Elena peeking through the door timidly. Rufus beckoned her in.

"What is it, Elena?"

"Sir? There's, uh... someone here..."

Rufus glanced at her quizzically. "Who? I never scheduled a meeting."

"Uh yeah, about that... it's not scheduled, she just showed up here."

"She?" Rufus was now extremely confused. "Who's she?"

"Tifa Lockheart."

Rufus walked in a daze down the stairs all the way to the main lobby of the ShinRa Building. His thoughts seemed to move around in circles, and the synapses in his brain sparked faster than usual.

What is she doing here?

Rufus crossed the lobby to see Tifa speaking in a low voice to Tseng, who nodded and made the occasional comment as she talked. Marlene and Denzel stood not far off, chirping happily to Reno. Rufus flicked his head back to Tifa, who appeared calm but for the frown that marked her forehead. Rufus breathed in deeply.

I can handle this.

He stepped forward and spoke quietly. "Is there anything I can help with?"

Tifa turned to see Rufus looking at her intently. He took in her features: the hair that fell into her face, the pale complexion that made her worried face seem exhausted. It had looked like she had been crying. Rufus felt a sudden urge to comfort her.

Tifa looked at Rufus and began to cry. She hurriedly wiped her tears away and side-glanced at the children before looking back at Rufus. Elena handed her a tissue.

"I'm sorry..." Tifa stuttered, letting out a tiny sob. "But Cloud's missing."

Rufus couldn't believe what was happening. Had this really happened? Is it a dream? By the time Tifa had told the whole story to Rufus and his Turks in his office, the sky had erupted into a full blown storm. There was no way they could go home in that.

"You can stay here." Rufus said in quietly.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to put you all out..."

"All of us Turks stay here, Tifa, including Rufus. You can bunk with me, and the kids can have Reno's room. Reno and Rude can sleep together."

"Hey! Said Turks are in the room!" Reno waved his hands frantically. Rude cleared his throat, clearly not pleased about sharing his room with his work partner.

Elena rolled her eyes. "You two can stick it out for one night. Besides, Tifa's not bunking with any of you."

Reno sighed dramatically, and looked longingly at Tifa. She smiled a little and Rude elbowed him in the ribs. Tseng arched an eyebrow and interjected his thoughts into the conversation. "It's a good idea, Elena. Go start on it now, all of you."

"Can we come?" Denzel asked.

"Sure!" Elena said, holding out her hand. Marlene took it, and Denzel ran over to Reno, who wrenched him into a headlock and dragged him out of the room, laughing. Tseng followed them out with Rude, leaving Rufus and Tifa alone in the President's office.

Rufus got up from his seat. "I... I'm not sure where Cloud is. I'm sorry."

Tifa nodded. "It's okay. I just felt like I needed to come to someone about this. I maybe thought that you would know, seeing as though you two have talked before. But I guess not."

Rufus nodded slightly, and looked out the window. It was pouring with rain, and lightning flashed across the sky. Rufus heard Tifa yawn behind him. He turned to her.

"You'd better get some sleep."

"I would, but I don't know where to go." Tifa smiled weakly.

"I'll show you," Rufus made a beeline for the door, but Tifa spoke.

"Rufus?"

"Yes?" Rufus looked round to see Tifa standing, her hands behind her back. Her face looked tired, but no longer wracked with worry. Her expression almost seemed like a child. She stepped closer, and kissed his cheek.

"Thankyou."

It was the middle of the night, and Tifa couldn't sleep. Her body wanted to rest, but her thoughts were moving way too fast. Cloud was on her mind. Why couldn't she find him? Why was he missing in the first place? These were questions that Tifa knew she couldn't answer, but she couldn't help but think of them all the same. But Cloud wasn't the only line of thought that night.

The last time Tifa had met Rufus, he was a stuck up, arrogant, speech-giving egomaniac. Well, maybe not that bad. But he was the enemy. Now... he's different. Almost shy... no, reserved. She walked over to the window and watched the rain splash against the window. She heard Elena mutter something in her sleep and then sigh contentedly.

"Stop it, Reno..."

Tifa had to bite her fist to keep from laughing. She decided to get out the room before she would die from restraining herself. As soon as she shut the door, she let out a giggle. Elena was a jewel, so girly and clumsy. Tifa had no idea what made her qualify for being a Turk. She was a klutz, but so kind and happy and optimistic. Tifa smiled to herself.

Rufus sat at the piano, deep in thought. He was still in his work clothes, for he hadn't come off the piano since he'd told Tifa and the kids goodnight. He'd been working on this song for about a year, but he'd never been able to finish it. But then, that day, after his meeting with Tifa, he'd been inspired.

Now all changes had been made, he was ready for the first try. His hands rested on the keys and gently caressed them as he began the tune. The notes floated around the empty room, and Rufus fell into the slow rhythm of the nameless song.

Tifa stood outside the Elena's room and shivered slightly. She was dressed in some of Elena's night-things; a wool-cotton set of white pajamas, which consisted of a t-shirt that had sleeves that ended just below her elbows, and three-quarter-length pants that ended in the middle of her shins. They were warm and comfy, but Tifa's shiver wasn't because of the cool temperature. The hairs rose on the back of her neck as she heard the gentle notes of a piano reach her ears.

Tifa stood at the end of the dimly lit corridor, and turned to her right to look out of the window. If anything, the storm had gotten worse.

I wonder if Cloud is alright.

The music that Tifa heard got louder, and curiosity got the better of her. She made her way down the carpeted corridor, bare-foot and arms-folded, to find the source of the mysterious music.

Rufus was entranced. Throughout the song, he made no mistake, and kept his eyes closed, only to open them to make sure he was in the right place on the manuscript. He didn't need it anyway; he knew the song by heart.

The room was dimly lit, and only consisted of a black piano and some window seats next to the large windows that overlooked the forested area east of Edge. The floors were polished chestnut boards, and the walls were pure white. The only sounds that came out of that room were the notes of the piano.

Tifa stood outside the room that was directly above Elena's. She had climbed the stairs and reached the highest level of the building on the East Side. The corridor on this level wasn't lit, and it felt cold compared to the one downstairs. She stood in the dark, contemplating whether to go in and find out who was playing that beautiful music, or to just walk away. She took a deep breath and turned the door knob.
Rufus had reached a slow point in his song. He had his eyes closed, and gently shook his head to flick the hair out of his face. He opened his eyes to look at the music, but something caught his eye. He looked up in surprise, and lost concentration. A very discordant triad followed.

Tifa winced. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have come in."

Tifa stepped back and made to open the door.

"Don't go."

Tifa turned and saw Rufus standing, looking at her intently. "Did I wake you?"

Tifa smiled with relief. He wasn't mad.

"No, you didn't. I'm so tired, but I can't sleep. Then I heard you playing, and I… what are you playing?"

Rufus smiled. "I haven't named it."

Tifa opened her mouth in surprise. "You wrote that? It's beautiful."

Rufus sat back down at the piano and looked at the music. "Thankyou."

Tifa smiled and let go of the door. It shut gently, and the click of the latch echoed in the silent room.

Rufus glanced up. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "Would you like to sit down?" He motioned toward the window behind him, and Tifa looked across to see soft cushions on the window seats.

Tifa smiled again at his politeness, and took his offer with quiet thanks.

As soon as she settled down on the seat, Rufus turned to her. "Do you mind if I start again?"

"Sure!" Tifa smiled encouragingly. "Don't let me stop you."

Rufus nodded and turned back to the keys. The song began, and Tifa put her legs up on the seat and sat side-on it. She looked out at the storm briefly, then closed her eyes and let the music wash over her.

Rufus got right back into the music. The song started in a quiet and slow tempo, but soon reached a crescendo that would give him the shivers the first few times he played it. Knowing the song so well, he could play it without thought and concentrate on the one thing that gave him the inspiration, the subject that this music had come from.
Tifa opened her eyes halfway through the song. It was so stirring, that she had to watch Rufus' hand move across the piano. His whole body moved with the tune, as he reached up and down the keyboard. His head nodded slowly and the hair fell into to his face, which he flicked away with a sharp nod of his head. Tifa became captivated with his movement, and watched him intently as he came to a small pause. His hand stayed on the chord and let the notes linger, and then started the next part.

He started to play again, and the song got slightly faster. It was followed by a great crescendo and then the main theme, the chorus, of the song. Tifa closed her eyes again, and tilted her head back and listened to the refrain. The tune was played softly for the remainder of the song, and as Rufus finished, Tifa opened her eyes to see Rufus resting his hands on the keys, and he tilted his head back. Tifa smiled at him and Rufus took his hands off the keys. He turned to see her sitting on the edge of the seat, with her hands between her knees, looking at him with that contagious smile on her face.

"That was beautiful," she whispered.

The corner of Rufus' mouth curved upward. "Thanks. I still don't have a name for it."

Tifa stood up and looked over his shoulder at the music. Rufus leaned backward and blinked at her closeness. She brushed his shoulder as she reached forward and pointed at the music.

"It's very stirring," Tifa began, touching the manuscript. "What were you thinking when you wrote this?"

Rufus hesitated with his answer. He flicked the hair out of his eyes and picked up the manuscript.

"I was thinking of a woman."

Tifa ducked her head to see his face. There was a slight red tinge on his cheeks, and Tifa giggled.

"You're in love?"

Rufus gave a feeble smile. "This song is about her, her life, her personality, and her heart."

Rufus moved along the piano stool and motioned Tifa to sit next to him. She nodded and sat down.

"I finished the song tonight. I was inspired, and I had to write it down before I could forget."

Tifa looked at him warmly. Rufus noticed her gaze, and he looked back at her deeply, memorizing her features.

"She's beautiful," Rufus began, "but I can see the sadness from behind her eyes. I can tell by the way she carries herself that she has a broken heart. She wants to cry, but she always holds back, because she has to stay strong for those around her. She's constantly waiting for things to be alright, but the time never comes for her to stop her anguish. Her heart has been broken by the one thing that she longs for. She's taken those pieces of her heart and stowed them away, so that it can't be broken any more. But by guarding her heart, she's making it impossible for it to be healed. Her heart… is locked."

Tifa stared at him, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She struggled with her emotions, and saw that Rufus was staring at her intensely. She let out a shuddering breath as he reached out and touched her cheek.

"Tifa... I want to help her," Rufus spoke softly. "I want her to give me the chance to give the one thing she's desired. I do love her, and I want her to know that I care for her deeply. But unless she's willing to open her heart and be willing care, I can't help her."

A single tear slid down Tifa's cheek, and Rufus wiped it gently away with his thumb. She let out a gentle sob, the tears overflowed and Rufus couldn't take it. He pulled her close, and Tifa clung to him, weeping. He stroked her hair gently, and rested his cheek atop her head. He shut his eyes and breathed in her scent. As he held her, he told himself he would never let her go.

They held on for what seemed an eternity before Tifa pulled back slightly. Rufus studied her face. "Will you... give me a chance to take care of you?" He cradled her face delicately, and stared into her eyes.

Tifa looked at him, wondering is he was real. She saw the way he looked at her, like she was a precious jewel. Tifa felt cherished. She smiled peacefully and nodded.

"Yes."

Rufus's beating heart paced faster. He let out a sharp breath and his hands went behind her head. He gently tugged at her hair is he ran his fingers through it. Tifa closed her eyes and rested her head on his arm.

Tifa opened her eyes to see Rufus' face close to her own. Tifa leaned closer and closed her eyes once more.

"I've thought of a name for your song," Rufus whispered.

Tifa's eyes fluttered open again as he smiled down on her. She watched him as he bent his head, his lips gently brushing past her own.

"Tifa's Theme."

Tifa sighed and let Rufus kiss her tenderly. As they kissed, Tifa's emotions overflowed with strong feeling and affection for the man she hardly knew. Rufus held her gently in his arms and kissed her with the love he had long harbored in his heart.

After an age passed, they pulled apart and looked at one another, regarding the new-found devotion that they had given one another.

Rufus pulled Tifa from the piano stool and took her over to the window. The rain was still falling, but the sky was a powerful orange. The sky looked as if it was on fire. The clouds were few, and reflected the fiery light. The stars were still out, and the moon was low in the sky, just above the tree-filled horizon.

They both took in the beauty of the dawn. Rufus looked at Tifa first. He took in her delicate features and felt enchanted. Had this all really happened? It was too good to be true. His dreams were reality. He sighed inaudibly.

Tifa looked back at him, and touched his face lightly.

"Promise me one thing." She spoke breathlessly.

Rufus bent his head. "Anything," He whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist and caressing it.

Tifa put her arms around his neck. "Stay with me."

Rufus chuckled softly. He kissed her forehead and spoke with no hesitation.

"Always."

Mushy, I know. I like writing Rufus as a cheeky monkey and Tifa as a shy little woman who needs a man, but I wanted to put a different aspect on this couple. I wanted this to be romantic, innocent, and hopeful. Rufus is the power-hungry maniac he always his, but he has his moments. After all, who knows him better than his No. 1 fangirl?

And about Cloud... who cares about Cloud? This is RufusxTifa country, Cloud is just the reason to bring them together. Kind of like a scapegoat. :D In other words, I have no idea what has happened to Cloud. I'll leave that up to you.

I'll be going back to A Place Like Heaven now that I've gotten this out of my system... Please review!

—Christie