Seventh Heaven

Chapter One

Shattered First Impressions

She couldn't believe it. Cloud proposed to Aeris. It's not that they were engaged that stunned her, it's that Cloud actually asked Aeris to marry him. She thought of how she treated him, always scolding him like he was her child, maybe that's what drove him into the arms of another woman.

"Tifa? Are you okay?" the little girl asked the woman.

"Yeah," Tifa said through the tears. "I'm fine."

"Really? You're crying. I don't think it's happy crying though," the girl said.

"I'm fine Marlene, really."

In reality, Tifa wasn't fine. She felt like someone stabbed her stomach with a knife, and twisted it around a few times. She thought it was unfair. She knew him longer, why would he choose a girl he just met a few months ago? Maybe it was because she knew him longer that he didn't pick her. Maybe he saw her as a friend for too long that it would have been awkward for him to take their relationship to the next level.

Tifa and Marlene finally arrived back at Seventh Heaven. When they entered the bar Barret was there to greet them. Barret is Tifa's good friend; after Cloud rejected her Barret was always there to listen to what she had to say. He was loyal and he didn't judge her at all. Just as Barret tucked Marlene in that night the door to the bar opened. In walked a young man with golden hair wearing a white suit. Tifa recognized the man right away. President Rufus ShinRa of the ShinRa Electric Company was standing in her bar.

Barret was enraged. He hated anything related to ShinRa. It's thanks to ShinRa that Barret lost his arm, and his wife. He could never forgive ShinRa for what they did.

"Sorry buddy but we're closed!" Barret said angrily.

"Well the sign says you're open," Rufus answered.

"We don't serve your kind buddy boy!"

"Really? Even if I have all this gil that I want to spend on a nice drink."

"Let him have a drink." Tifa called out from behind the counter.

"Why are you letting him have a drink?" Barret asked angrily. "He's the enemy!"

"He said he had a lot of gil."

"I don't want that gil! It's tainted! It was touched by that mako-head's grimy paws!"

"Gil is gil Barret. I'll give him a drink, and we'll never see him again."

"Shit, fine." Barret said as he left the room in a huff.

"You seem pretty down," Rufus said as he approached the counter.

"It's none of your business!" Tifa snapped as she poured Rufus a drink.

"Let me guess…Chocobo-Head turned you down in favor of the Ancient? I'm right aren't I?"

"How did you know?" Tifa asked blushing.

"How can you not?" said Rufus. "The two are always holding hands and kissing each other on the cheek." He paused for a second then he spoke again, "still I don't know why he didn't give you a chance, I mean you're beautiful."

"He said I try too hard. He said that I was always on his ass. He…wait did you just say I was beautiful?"

"Yeah, forget Chocobo-Head. You deserve someone who loves everything about you, including your flaws."

Tifa couldn't believe that Rufus was being so nice to her. He was her enemy, but what he said just made her happier than she was for a long time. She was so happy that she accidentally spilled Rufus' drink all over his white suit.

"I'm so sorry!" she apologized. Tifa felt horrible, here she was having a nice conversation, and all of a sudden she just spills an expensive drink all over Rufus' expensive suit. She could feel her happiness flying away from her. It wouldn't be all that bad if she had a shirt she could give him, but since the only man living at the bar was Barret she was in a no-win situation.

"It's no big deal, I can always buy another one," he said back. Tifa breathed a sigh of relief; at least he was being nice about it.

The two continued talking for a little while longer. Before either of them knew it Tifa invited Rufus to join her behind the counter. It didn't take long for them to start kissing.

Marlene came up the elevator yawning, and rubbing her eyes.

"Tifa?" she asked yawning. "Can I have a glass of water?"

Before Tifa could answer Marlene shrieked:

"Papa! A strange man's hurting Tifa!"

"THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Barret shouted from downstairs.

"Shit. Rufus you better get out of here," Tifa warned. Rufus jumped over the counter and ran towards the door. He barely made it out before Barret came up the elevator and starting shooting at him.

"Tifa! You alright?" Barret asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Tifa said. In fact she was better than fine, she finally had someone show a shred of interest in her after a long time of chasing down a man who she could never have.