A/N: Hello readers. This is the first time I'm wiritng about these people and hopefully not that OOC. Please enjoy!

Warning: English is not my first language so readers are bound to find errors. Please do correct me if you guys find any. Thanks!

Chapter 1: Marlene's Midnight Adventure

She tried to close her eyes to sleep.

She changed her sleeping position, instead of facing Denzel on the opposite bed, she turned to the other side to face the door.

She tried to lull herself to sleep by humming the melodies Tifa thought her whenever she suddenly woke up from a nightmare.

She even tried to read the multiplication table, backwards.

But sadly, her bladder just couldn't let her get a shut eye.

'I blamed myself for drinking that slushie all by myself, and not leaving some for Denzel.' She sighed. 'I really need to pee, but I'm too scared..' Images of monsters from a scary TV shows she secretly watched with Denzel played in her blank mind.

For a 10 years old Marlene, getting up from bed to pee at 3 am was a big challenge. There were so many things going on in her 10 years old head.

'What if the monsters lurking in the dark from the bar downstairs suddenly decide to show themselves while I'm peeing?'

'What if I lock myself in the bathroom and no one can get me out from it, so I need to wait until morning, and, and I need to sleep alone on the cold tiled floor?'

"Ughhh.." She ducked her head under the pillow.

She could try to wake Denzel up, but she knows, that boy will called her a scaredy-cat for days, or maybe months, and she could actually picture him teasing her with his raised eyebrow;

"Told ya you shouldn't finished those slushie 10 minutes before our bedtime. That is why you should share!"

But to her defence, Cloud bought two cups of slushies (Tifa is brain-freeze intolerance, Cloud said) for both of them and Denzel finished his seconds before her and she did not get to taste even a sip from his cup.

She racked her brain for a solution regarding her bladder situation so she tried to map the house in her mind.

'So uh, the toilet is on the far left of the hallway, opposite to Cloud's room. I can try to wake Cloud up to accompany me but then I need to walk through the hallway alone to reach his room, and from the hallway, if I take a peek I can see the bar downstairs..'

She tried her best to keep away images of monsters lurking in the dark (Thanks to Denzel's made-up elaborated stories, plus the scary TV shows).

"Uh-uh! I could try waking up Tifa! Her room is nearer to ours on the right!" She lightly tapped her head few times for not coming up with this idea sooner. But then she realized its 3 am and her brain is supposed to be sleeping at these hours of the night.

She slowly slipped out of her bed and walked slowly towards the door. She stole a glance to the other occupant of the room, and she faintly heard him mumbled "Mr. Thornberry" in his sleep. She opened the door to her room only to be greeted by the yellow hallway lightbulb that flickers every three seconds and with that every three seconds the urge to pee increased by ten-folds.

'Gulp'

She ran to the nearest room on her right while closing her eyes shut, and when she was about to knock on Tifa's door, she heard her faint scream, as if a whimper on the other side of the door.

"Nghh…"

Marlene eyes were wide opened as she heard it. 'Tifa sounds like she's in pain!' Hurriedly she knocked on Tifa's door.

"Tifa.." She knocked again. "Tifa, are you okay?"

".….."

"Tifa, it's Marlene. I heard you screamed just now. Are you having more nightmares?"

Marlene wrapped her hands on the door knob, ready to twist it. "I'm coming in Ti—"

"No! Don't come in Marlene!"

She halted and released the doorknob. 'Does the monsters from downstairs had come for Tifa?' Her 10 years old brain working their gears. 'It must be! She wouldn't want me to come in to face the monsters!'

Before she knew it she was already running towards the other end of the hallway to Cloud's room. She knew her hero could help Tifa. He is the only one who can defeat the monsters that made Tifa scream like that! All thoughts of peeing had gone from her being as she speed up, but she did squinted her eyes a little while running to avoid herself from peeking downstairs. As she reached Cloud's room, she let out a huge gasp when she found out the door was slightly ajar and the said room was empty.

"Cloud's gone? Does the monsters got him too?!" Her voice raised an octave at her sudden conclusion.

"Marlene!"

She turned around to see Tifa running towards her.

"Tifa! You alright! But Tifa, the monsters got Cloud!"

As Tifa reached her, she kneeled to her level and enveloped her in a bear hug. "I'm okay, darling. There are no monsters. We are safe in our home."

"But Cloud's gone." She was on the verged of crying as she rested her forehead on the crook of her guardian's warm neck.

"I'm here, Marlene."

The tear that almost escaped her eyes stopped as she looked up to see her other guardian standing in front of her.

"Cloud! I thought the monsters got you!"

The blond male let out a chuckle. "There are no monsters here, Marlene. And I'm not that easy to be caught by monsters."

"I should really monitor what TV shows you and Denzel been watching these days."

At the warning tone of the older female, Marlene stepped back, and wearing her best sad puppy-eyed face, she started to speak in the faintest voice she could ever pull.

"I'm sorry. I was scared. I want to pee but I don't want to wake Denzel up. That's why I went to your room to wake you up to accompany me." She channelled her gaze to Tifa.

Tifa raised her eyebrows, but seconds later her façade soften as she guided Marlene to the bathroom door, only a few steps away from their little scene.

"It's okay. I'm here now. Go on. I'll be standing guard."

The girl slowly slipped inside the bathroom.

Outside the bathroom door

"That was close.."

"Shh.. She might hear you."

"You should keep your door's lock, Tifa."

"I did lock it, until you cam—"

Their hushed conversation was cut short when they heard a flush sound. Few moments later, the little girl slowly peek out.

"I'm done." She announced as she walked out from the bathroom. "Um, Tifa. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, darling."

"Why are you wearing Cloud's t-shirt?" Her innocent eyes searching for a pair of dark crimson orbs. "And, Cloud, why are you shirtless?"

End.

So how was it? Hope you enjoy my shabby writings. And ofcourse, reviews and constructive criticism is highly recommended!

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