Summary: Cloud comes back to 7th heaven after working away from home for a while to a new face. Repairs need to be made, and a life style needs to be changed. Summary sucks, but story will be great as more chapters show up!!!
"Cloud, we kinda need you at 7th heaven, soon." The message from Tifa said. "We kinda need some repairs in the kitchen, and Denzel is too young to do it, and Barret is still out of town. Come home soon, ok?"
"You have no more messages." Cloud's phone bleeped. Well, new phone. The one Tifa had made him buy after he didn't show back up in 7th heaven for a few weeks.
"Guess I can take a break and go see them," Cloud thought, putting his leg over his bike, "Besides, Tifa will have a fit if I don't fix what's broken……." He sped off toward Midgar, waiting to see what was waiting for him.
**a little while later**
Cloud stood in front of 7th heaven as long as he dared. If he stood to long, people would think he was a stalker person, and would probably tell Tifa.
"Well, here goes…" cloud thought, opening the door to the welcoming bar.
"Morning sir." A new voice said from behind the counter. He looked up at the face of a young girl with spiky black hair, and 2 little buns.
"Oh, it's Cloud. Tifa!! Clouds back!" the girl shouted into the kitchen. Cloud saw Tifa's head peek into the bar through the round windows in the doors.
"Thanks Lyn." Tifa said, handing her a tray of food. "Ok, so get these orders to tables 3, 4, and 8, and then I need you to bus tables 2, 5, and 6. And then go and check on Marlene. Can you do all that?"
"Tifa, I can do that faster than you think. Hey, we're closing early today, right?"Lyn said, taking the tray, and placing her hand on the counter.
"Yah, 'cause we really need to do some cleaning in the kitchen." Tifa said, grabbing a bus tub full of dishes, and turned towards the kitchen, motioning for Cloud to came with her.
"Cool, and around what time?" Lyn asked, bouncing from foot to foot, acting like she had somewhere to be. Technically speaking, with the customers.
"As soon as tables 3, 4, and 8 leave." Tifa said, opening the kitchen door. Cloud flipped up the movable part of the bar, and held it open for Lyn, but, instead, she put her weight on her hand, and hopped over the counter, not harming the tray at all. Cloud watched her go to the tables in awe. He hadn't seen anyone do that since Yuffie had to prove to Tifa she should be a waitress. She ended up spilling a lot of alcohol in the process. Cloud walked into the kitchen, to Tifa filling the sink with soapy water.
"We need to talk." Tifa said, putting the bus tub next to the sink, and grabbed some of the dishes and started washing. Cloud grabbed a towel, and dried and stacked as Tifa cleaned the dishes. Just like they used to.
"You said after the Reunion that you would be around here more." Tifa said, whipping a plate towards him. Cloud caught it, and dried it, thinking of the right thing to say, so that Tifa wouldn't end up crying, like at the end of their last argument.
"I'm not trying to do it. But I keep getting deliveries that are really out of town. And I am getting more than I used to, now with more people moving." Cloud said, taking the plate that Tifa had rinsed 5 times now, and drying it.
"But when I call, your phone is never on." Tifa said, almost dropping a glass onto the floor.
"I always forget to charge it. I think it's been dead for a week." Cloud replied truthfully.
"Well, that does seem like you." Tifa giggled, grabbing the last of the dishes. She dumped them in the sink, and Lyn walked in, holding another full bus tub.
"I gave them all their food, they are happily munching. Oh, and I'm going to go and check on Marlene." Lyn said rapidly, Cloud barely hearing what she said.
"Ok, but take the stairs up this time, ok?" Tifa said.
"How would they get up any other way?" Cloud thought, taking a couple of dishes. He and Tifa worked silently for a couple of minutes more.
"Oh, what are those repairs you needed me to do?" Cloud asked, putting the dry plates away.
"Well, look up and you'll get my drift." Tifa said. Cloud looked up, and almost fell over in shock. There was a hole in the ceiling, going into the guest room above the kitchen, and the hole was huge. Big enough that Cloud could have fallen through it lengthwise.
"I'm scared to ask how that happened." Cloud said, putting his head in his hands. That was going to take a long time to repair.
"Nothing bad. Barret's gun malfunctioned, and it shot into the ceiling. It is better than it going into the bar." Tifa said jokingly.
"Geronimo!" a shout came from above. Cloud looked up, just in time to narrowly miss getting hit in the head by a pair of black boots.
"Thanks for the warning Lyn." Cloud said sarcastically.
"You're welcome!" she replied with a smile. "Marlene is coming down as soon as everyone is gone to help with the cleaning. And she has a bunch of pictures she wants to show Cloud."
"Ok Lyn. Hey, go check on the last tables." Tifa said.
"Gottcha!" Lyn said. She threw open the doors to the bar, and as they closed, Cloud saw her hop over the counter. Again.
"Does she ever go out the normal way?" Cloud asked as he closed the cupboards.
"Nah, she like going over better. She likes doing things differently. That's why she likes going through the hole so much. And it is kinda in her room, so it is more convenient." Tifa replied, finishing the last of this load of dishes.
"Cloud!" Marlene shouted, coming down the stairs straight to his arms.
"Hey kiddo." Cloud said ruffling her hair. "Hey, Lyn says you have some pictures for me."
"Yah!" Marlene said, handing him a pile of drawing paper. "I made lots of new one with everybody while you were gone, and I wanted to show you the best ones!"
"Well then, let's have a look." Cloud said, looking at the first picture in the stack. It was of him, Denzel, Marlene, and Tifa, standing in front of 7th heaven. She had also drawn someone at the edge of the picture, holding a sword like Zack's.
"Who's this?" Cloud asked, pointing to the person.
"That's Lyn, and all of us. I wanted to draw a picture of all of us, and when she showed up, I wanted to add her as part of our family!" Marlene said, making Cloud flinch at the "family" remark.
"That's a good one Marlene," Cloud said, flipping nonchalantly to the next picture. This one was of everyone; him, Tifa, Barret, Yuffie, Cid, Reno, Rude. And then, she had Zack and Aerith in the picture too, along with what he now knew was Lyn, holding Zack's hand. "And is this one of everybody?"
"Yah, and I put everyone with their fighting buddy. I put Reno and Rude next to each other, you and Vincent together, and Yuffie and Tifa. And I was going to draw Cid and Aerith next to each other, but I didn't know if they had ever fought together, and I didn't want to ask Tifa." Marlene babbled.
"And that's why Lyn and Zack are next to each other?" Cloud asked.
"Yah, I think they look like they would fight together well, since they have matching swords. And, besides, I didn't know if I could put you and her together, because you work with Vincent a lot."
"Well, I guess I do work with Vincent a lot." Cloud said, remembering the Reunion.
"Look at the next one, go to the next one!" Marlene said impatiently. Cloud flipped to the next picture. This one was a true Marlene picture, with lots of colors. It was a picture of Tifa in a really pretty dress, and Lyn in a pretty outfit.
"Oh, that's a picture of me and Tifa when we were shopping, isn't it Marlene?" Lyn said, looking over Cloud's shoulder. Cloud jumped, not hearing her come into the kitchen.
"Yah, but I wish you had gotten them. They were really pretty. And then you could show Cloud what they actually look like!" Marlene said to Lyn.
"You got them down pat, Marlene. Did you show him the one with everybody?" Lyn asked.
"Yah, and I showed him the family one too." Marlene replied ecstatically.
"Well, that is very nice of you. How about you take the rest upstairs to show him later? We need to finish the dishes so we can start the cleaning."
"Ok. Wait, it's Tuesday, isn't it?" Marlene said curiously.
"Yes it is Marlene, why do you ask?" Lyn said, ruffling Marlene's hair.
"Aren't you going to go and practice today with Trin-san today? Every Tuesday, you guys go and practice." Marlene replied smartly.
"Well, Trin-Chan doesn't want to practice with me anymore. So I'm most likely going to go and practice by myself later." Lyn replied.
"Well, is it because he never wins?" Marlene asked with a silly grin.
"You could say that." Lyn said. "Now, let's get you changed into your cleaning clothes so we can start cleaning."
"Ok!" Marlene shouted, rushing towards the stairs. Lyn followed, probably to make sure she actually changed instead of starting to color again.
"She has a sword?" Cloud asked, helping Tifa put the clean dishes away.
"Yah. Kinda like yours. Big, heavy, and the kind of one you are surprised she can fight with. Actually." Tifa said, thinking. "It's more like Zack's. It is a single blade, black, and silver. But her handle is purple and black instead of red and silver."
"And she practices in the woods?"
"Usually with Trin, the boy down the street. But she complains that he keeps going easy on her. She seems like Yuffie sometimes."
"Well, I could practice with her. I kinda want to get my sword out and practice a bit, incase something happens."
Tifa looked at Cloud contemplatively. "Well," she said, "I guess that is better than her being out there alone."
"Seriously?!?!?!" Lyn shouted, jumping through the hole, having heard their entire conversation.
"Fine. You can go. But I want you to wear you shoulder guards Lyn, and Cloud, you better get some heal materia. 'Cause I'm not cleaning up blood." Tifa said.
"Woot!! Thanks Tifa!" Lyn said, embracing Tifa. "Cloud, I'll meet you out back in 10 minutes. I need to get on my gear and clean my sword."
"Meet Yah back there." Cloud replied, turning towards the stairs to the basement. He was going to grab the materia, cause he knew just how hard it would hurt without it. And he didn't want Tifa to get pissed……