Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. It all belongs to Square Enix. (Unfortunately :/)

A/N – So, this is my first multi-chapter story and I'm very happy with what it is turning out to be, since I originally started writing it to be a one-shot. Unfortunately it won't be a long one. I'm still on my writing tests process. This is dedicated to my dear cousin who seems to be the only one that actually reads what I write haha. Please, let me know what you think! Salutes! :)

Tifa's Theme

Chapter 1 – Dilly Dally Shilly Shally

Tifa Lockheart opened her eyes and looked up at the sky to see a beautiful and sunny day in Midgar. The warm breeze tickling her face. All that light seemed to blind her for a moment but she didn't really care. She blinked at the brightness of the sun, the movement leaving black spots clipping her vision; it made a small smile curve up her lips. There were no longer traces of green in the sky since the Mako production has long been stopped. It was still a strange concept to the people of the city, the clean sky popping above their heads, but with all the crisis following the past years, the plate that once covered all the sectors in Midgar was now long destroyed. Darkness didn't follow their path anymore, at least not when it was supposed to be day light instead of night. They actually had a moon to enlighten them.

Even though people would eventually get used to the welcoming sky, Tifa would never cease to admire it. It remained her of a long forgotten childhood and life at her home town up in the mountains. Nibelheim. The thought still brought a knot to her throat, so she shocked her head instead. No point in reminisce on the past anymore.

"Tifa!"

Marlene's cheerful voice caught her attention and woke her from her daze.

She turned around and looked down to the girl in front of her. Marlene was now 10 years old and almost high enough to reach up her chest. She used her hair loose now, right bellow her shoulders with a thin pink ribbon adorning it. She wore a sleeveless white dress with a pink bow around it and white sneakers. Her face still carried soft childish features and Tifa was glad for that. Children seemed to grow so fast and she didn't want that innocent look out of Marlene's face.

"Are you ready, sweetie?" She extended a hand to Marlene, which she gladly took it.

"Yes!" She beamed at Tifa. "I've been waiting the whole week to visit that new shop they're all talking about! They say you can find just about anything in there and there's even–"

She listened to Marlene's carefree chatter, still smiling at the warming sensations the sun brought to her skin.

" –not only do they sell it but it also grants a wish to the person who bought it! Isn't that wonderful? The thought just give me the thrills and I wan– Hey! Tifa!" Marlene cried. "Are you even listening?"

Tifa looked down at Marlene to face the girl's indignant look. She wasn't really listening since sometimes she lost track of the girl's constantly animated blather. Not that she didn't liked to hear her talking, she always did. Marlene had a way to keep everyone hooked at what she said. Today though, she couldn't really fathom why but her mind seemed only vacantly aware of her surroundings. She'd been lost in her thoughts and memories.

"Sure, honey, you were telling me about the thing you want that grants wishes." She took a guess as she caught parts of it after all.

She tangled the girl's arm with hers, comfortably with the touch, while they walked through the streets.

Most of it had already been rebuilt, though some parts had yet to be done. ShinRa Electric Power Company was mostly responsible for it; with all the events from the past and dirty business involving them reveled, the president, Rufus ShinRa and the remaining of the Turks took a role on redeeming themselves with the people in Midgar and the population around Gaia. They have worked along with WRO, still in action and commanded by their fellow friend and former hero, Reeve Tuesti, to repair all of the damage and suffering that ShinRa had done.

With the Mako production stopped, they had to rely on new energy sources to supply power and heat for the entire planet. Barret Wallace had traveled around many places and had discovered Oil out of lands. The new idea was easily harnessed and exploited. It was still new for them and in a way still harmful for the planet, but not as much as sucking away the Lifestream from it. Wind and solar energy were also new exploitable sources they had on the line. ShinRa had agreed on helping with the researches and with developing the ideas and were also providing the necessary equipments for its uses.

Her answer seemed to satisfy Marlene because she kept on track and continuous to elaborate more on the subject of her clearly interest.

"Right!" Marlene exclaimed excitedly. "They say you can have your wish granted with it, but only if you have a pure heart and good intent on it. I wonder– Tifa!" She halted and looked to Tifa expectantly. "What would you wish for?"

Marlene was watching Tifa with curious eyes again. What was it that she said again? Ah! Yes. What would she wish for? Indeed. She hadn't put any thought on it, at least not anymore. She always had wished for her life back home again, that the incident on the reactor had never happened, but after all she's been through it just didn't seemed fair. Look at all of the things she did; they did, together. How many lives had been tangled with hers and might've been changed? Either for better or worse, she could never tell. Marlene and Denzel for example, she would never have met them in the first place since she wouldn't need to move away from her town. They were her family. She couldn't imagine her life without her family and friends. It would only be selfish to try and change the past. But still… What were the possibilities and especially, what were the consequences?

The image of her father popped in her mind. It seemed like forever that she had last thought about him. She missed him dearly and… Her mother… Tifa felt her heart twitch. She couldn't even remember her mother's face anymore. How long has it been? A part of her mind would always wish for a different past; would always wonder.

What could have been?

Would she have had departed to Midgar to join AVALANCHE and help saving the world if her father hasn't died on that incident? Would her hate for ShinRa somehow grow over other not so selfish reason that would trigger her to take some action? Would Sector seven not have been blown off and Denzel's family would still be alive? Would Sephiroth not have gone mad, after all? Would Zack and Aerith not have been killed? Would she have met Cloud again?

She forced her mind to stop; a dizziness threatening to overcome her.

"I really don't know, Marlene." She shifted uncomfortably. "What was it that Denzel asked you to buy for him, again?"

She averted her eyes from the girl and quickly changed the subject. Marlene didn't seem to notice her discomfort with the question and she was thankful for that.

"Hmm…" Marlene was thoughtful for a moment and then just shrugged. "He asked me to buy him a Daily Planet Heroes' Comic Book. Whatever that is." She grimaced. "Boys!"

Tifa nodded and forced her body to relax. She didn't notice when was it that it had become to be so tense. Luckily, her mind was back to the present.

It was funny how, despite all the things the kids had gone through; they still managed to have normal lives now, and act their own age. Even though it was impossible not to notice how mature they have become over the years.

Denzel had grown into a fine teenage boy. He was 14 years old now. He used his hair a little shorter now and peaked and even assembled Cloud a little, with its own spikes, not defying gravity the same way Cloud's did, but still. He continuous to help Cloud on his routes for the deliveries of the day the same way he always did. He even helped him a little more, with almost everything in hand, like the packages, bike's repair, etc. Denzel was also a loving older brother to Marlene, even though he would never admit it, always teasing her around just about anything. He cared deeply for her, the same way she did. They were an arranged family, but a happy one nevertheless.

Their friends were also a constant in their lives, even though they had kept going with their owns. Nanaki had returned to Cosmo Canyon and took his grandfather's place as local mentor. The town was now an openly known planetarium. Yuffie Kisaragi, the single white rose and princess of Wutai had also returned to her home and along with her father were restoring the glory of it, now that ShinRa had permanently left their lands never to return again. Barret Wallace, despite his quests around the world, would always drop by to make sure Marlene was okay. Vincent Valentine was now openly helping Reeve on WRO's subjects along with Shelke that had volunteered to help as well.

Cloud had kept his delivery service on the run and made a good profit out of it. Transports and mailing were still a problem around Midgar and all over Gaia. He even managed to start a partnership with Cid Highwind to support with large scale cargos. Shera was put up to good use. He had married Shera by the way.

Cloud still lived with her and the kids above Seventh Heaven and you could say that they had progressed a lot with their relationship. They were actually a couple now. It had started innocently, but with time they had come to terms that the walls that separate them were unbearably to be kept. He was not much open about his feelings yet and would still keep shut and monosyllable sometimes, but then, there would be times when he would just hold her face in his hand, so she could drown herself and get lost on the pool of his beautiful cerulean eyes locked on her own mahogany ones; who would make her whole body tremble to the slightest of his touch, and then the same hands would begin to softly caress her cheeks and go down to draw the lines of her lips with the trace of his fingers in it, and gently come closer to seal his lips on hers; and then, his thong would…

"Tifa!"

Marlene caught her daydreaming again. She had a funny look on her face and was chuckling while staring at Tifa. Oh my God! Was she drooling? The thought made her unconsciously raise her free hand to her mouth to clean invisible traces of slobbers.

"What is it, sweetie?" She asked, clearly embarrassed. Cheeks flaming.

"We're here!" Marlene grinned.

They were right in the front of the door to their destination and it would probably have bitten her if it was a living thing instead of rigid, solid and stoic, and she wouldn't even have felt it. Oh, dear! Where was her head, again?