"You know Tifa, when I asked about a job and you said you had an open position. I thought it was something more than scrubbing a toilet. Like a bartender or a waitress or something else?" I said as I stood outside the bathroom stalls with a toilet brush in hand. Tifa gave me a smile shaking her head as her eyes glimmered with mischief, and her dark hair swayed side to side.

"I'm sorry Alyssa, but there wasn't anything else for you to do and it sounded like you needed the job pretty badly so I just made something up." She said while I rolled my eyes and leaned against the bathroom door.

"So you felt bad for me and just randomly gave me a job that wasn't necessary?" I asked as she nodded. We both stood there staring at each other then a second later we both burst into laughter.

"You're too good to me, Tifa." I said as she shook her head at me, then began to move to the door.

"Ah-huh and as your friend I'm gonna have to ask you to get to cleaning. Because we're going to be opening soon and I don't want to hear customers complaining about a filthy bathroom." She said with a light laugh as she stepped out of the room leaving me behind as I smirked. Same Tifa. Even if Tifa had said there wasn't any open positions I still would have came. But I'm getting ahead of myself, you're wondering who I am right? Alyssa Roselea. Tifa and I had met when my family was passing through her town when we were six years old. I didn't think very much of her at first but as our parents got along better we began to see each more often and our bond grew. We were almost like sisters you could say, she showed me around and introduced me to her friends. One in particular was very…different. He was a gangly little blond kid who looked completely lost but was obviously crushing on Tifa. His name was Cloud Strife. My family traveled a lot so years would pass when we'd see each other but we always tried to write to each other…then we never spoke. My parents died in a car crash when I was fifteen, I was an only child and left to defend myself. I stayed at home and never tried to travel or make contact with anyone, so in a way it was my fault we had lost contact.

It was a long time till we met again almost three years and it was only by an accident that we finally got to see each other. We had both changed so much, she had matured and had gotten even more beautiful while I stayed the same. I was visiting the city of Edge when I accidentally bumped into a small dark haired girl, she smiled up at me and said excuse me in a sweet voice. I shook my head apologizing when Tifa walked up and it was history. Of course that happened after the whole end of the world calamity, but it seemed like Tifa wasn't fazed by it. We talked for the next hour and would have talked much longer when we were interrupted. I stared at our interrupter in surprise and with intrigue. Beautiful sky colored eyes, soft blond hair and a muscled torso. When Tifa re-introduced us, I could barely make out words. Cloud Strife had changed from a lanky boy into a SOLDIER. Although he had the look of one And just like Cloud had once crushed on Tifa, I began to have a crush on Cloud. We went our separate ways after that but kept in touch much more efficiently with the wonderful technology of cell phones.

In our many chats Tifa asked me to come stay with her, I continuously said 'no' but…things began to feel really depressing at home. I couldn't figure out why…then I realized it. I didn't really have a purpose. I was just barely making it, and the only time I could honestly say I had fun or smiled was when I talked to Tifa. Although my pride is what truly kept me from staying with her, so when I asked about a job she instantly said she had a position opened and I agreed to come. Of course I didn't know that the job was bathroom duty, but I didn't complain. I was actually having the most fun I had in a long time…

"Alyssa? Tifa said to come up for dinner." It was Marlene who came into the room as I finished scrubbing the floor and wiping down the toilets. Marlene was the sweet girl I bumped into, she lived with Tifa and Cloud along with an orphan called Denzel. She stared at me smiling brightly while I nodded and began to take off my gloves.

"I'll be up in a minute, Marlene. Thanks. I'm just gonna wash up right quick." I said as she nodded then dashed out of the room, her footsteps echoed as she ran to the second story of the building to tell Tifa I was coming. I stood up stretching my stiff back from being hunched over, standing in front of one of the mirrors I looked at my appearance. Dark ebony bangs hung over my forehead and long hair cascaded down my back. Pushing back a loose strand of hair my hand lightly rested on my cheek and instantly my thoughts turned to Cloud. Would he even notice me? I shook my head as I placed my hands on the sink.

"Get a grip on yourself, Alyssa. He's just a friend nothing more." I said to myself although I knew every time he looked at me my stomach would flip and tumble. The first few days I couldn't even look at Cloud because the second I did my face would flush and my eyes would change to a soft pink. That was another thing. My eyes were like a mood ring, it would change with what ever emotions I was feeling. But slowly I got used to being around Cloud so now being around him wasn't nearly so difficult or maybe the word should be nerve wracking. With a firm nod of my head I washed my hands then went upstairs for dinner. Denzel and Marlene were getting forks and knives while Tifa was serving the food, Cloud was no where in sight.

"I'll take that!" I said grabbing a plate from her hand and taking it to the table when Tifa turned from the stove and looked over at me.

"Hey, Alyssa. I've decided that tonight we should have the night off. You know relax? Go out and have some fun." She said with a tilt of her head while Marlene and Denzel cheered with hope in their eyes.

"Yeah! I though I heard some of the kids say that there's going to be some fireworks tonight! Can we go Tifa?" Denzel said happily as he ran up to her, Marlene began to spin in circles her hair slapping against her shoulders.

"Oh can we Tifa! That sounds like fun!" She said while Tifa laughed at the two then looked at me…then I realized she was looking past me and towards none other than Cloud.

"What do you think Cloud? Wanna go see some fireworks?" Tifa asked while Cloud looked out the window then slowly began to smile.

"I don't see why not." The sound of Marlene's and Denzel's happy cries echoed through out the bar along with our laughing. I smiled then began to head towards Tifa again as the kids began to settle down.

"Alrighty then but lets eat first. I don't want you, kids, to be asking for food when we get back. So eat everything on your plates…that includes you too, Cloud." Tifa commented as we turned back to the kitchen while Cloud stared at us then pointed to himself in fake shock. Although we all tried to eat normally, everyone was pretty excited about seeing the fireworks. And it wasn't long till we were among the throng of people looking for a good place to see the light show.

"Hey guys I think we should head this way!" I shouted over the throng of people as I glanced down a less populated street but when I turned back around only to find that everyone was gone. I blinked in shock. They left me behind. Biting my lower lip I walked a little ways trying to see if I could find Tifa or someone but no such luck. Before I even knew it, I was alone in some strange place. I must have wandered too far or something because it was like one moment I was in the crushing crowd and then it was like I was the only one in the world.

"Well this is just great." I muttered as I kicked at the ground, it was sunset already and the fireworks were about to start any minute and I was lost in the middle of nowhere.

Alyssa…

I turned around at the sound of someone calling my name, their voice seemed …familiar.

"Tifa? Marlene? Denzel? Cloud? Is that you? Where are you?" I called out but received no reply, just the soft whistling of the wind…but there was something strange about it. The wind…it sounded…melodic? Like someone was whistling a tune. I stayed where I was and listened to the sound…it was definitely someone whistling.

"H-hello? Is someone out here?" I said but once again lacked a response. The whistling continued but this time it sounded like it was coming from some collapsing building. I began to walk towards it as the whistling slowly began to get louder and chills began to go down my spine. I heard that tune before, once upon a time…

It was a church. An old church but a church none the less. I stepped inside cringing at the sound of my footsteps, I didn't want to go inside but the whistling. I had to see if it really was who I thought of…but I couldn't see anything or anyone. And the moment I stepped inside the church the whistling had stopped. It was strange…I knew I heard the whistling coming from the church and I knew it wasn't just the wind. I stumbled blindly in the church, night had already fallen but I couldn't hear the fireworks either. Things were beginning to get creepy.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" I called again as I slowly continued forward then shivered as I felt a breeze rush past me. Instantaneously I wrapped my arms around me to fight off the chill

Alyssa. You came…

I whirled around trying to see where the voice came from but once again I found nothing and I had lost my balance and fell backwards. I expected to land on the cold hard floor…but instead I fell into what seemed like a pool. Normally this would be a problem, but it was dark, I began to panic…and I couldn't swim.

Yep, I'm going to do a little bit of FFVII...I know, I know I shouldn't do so much, but meh, I'm just crazy like that! LOL! Anyway when I think of this story I think of the song 'Angels' by Evanescence...strange. Thanks for reading and please review! Note that I will not do Yaoi, cursing, Sex or anything under those terms, please do not request them or mention it in your review IF you review. Thank you and have a great week! ~God Bless!~

PS- This is set after Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children!