A/N: This fic has been nagging in my brain and so I just had to write it. Now, it's kind of deceiving in the beginning as to what intentions are from whom and what exactly is going on. Hell, I'm not even sure where I was going with this plotline but I just had to try something new. Again, feedback is always welcomed and needed in this case to know what you think of this perspective, per say. As always, Square-Enix rules all in the Final Fantasy universe and I thank them for giving me little playthings for my stories.

"More To Life"

By MakoRain

Chapter 1

The bar was bustling with customers and Tifa Lockheart was kept busy on her feet, preparing drinks while Yuffie and Aerith quickly did the waitressing thing. She had such great friends to work for next to nothing and not complain, knowing that Tifa was just getting things back in order after the repercussions of Geostigma. Thankfully, Cloud was helping make ends meet with Strife Delivery Service back in business and doing daily deliveries throughout the recovering sectors.

Yuffie broke through her thoughts with another large order from table 3 and she dutifully refilled the mugs, not bothering to glance at the occupants in this mad house. Around their fourth round she did get curious and asked Zack to cover the bar since he'd been hovering around her, giving pointers at how to do her job.

"That screwdriver needs more orange juice, unless you want the poor soul who drinks that to fall off his stool."

"Here Zack, why don't you take over for a sec while I take these," she'd said, lifting the glass laden tray in one hand while pointing to the waiting customers Zack had yet to serve.

"Sure sure, leave it to me," he said before getting down to business, whipping out bottles and glasses behind the bar like a squirrel on speed, but with more agility, or so she hoped. Tifa just laughed at his enthusiasm and made her way through the crowd, only bumping into a couple regulars and not spilling anything; after working and running a bar, you learn these things.

"You boys seem to be pulling out all the stops tonight," she said, sliding the glasses to each recipient when she finally got a good look.

"You three again? Aren't you supposed to be out on a quest or something instead of drowning your sorrows?"

"What do you care? We're helping you out, you ungrateful bitch." Kadaj spat, forcing Tifa to check her anger to not hit him; even if he was an old enemy, he was now a customer, but maybe not for long.

"As you can see, I don't need your help so it might be time to cut you off." Just then Kadaj did something not so smart when he grabbed her arm and stood to face her.

"We'll leave when we're ready." She could hear the chatter subside around her and the ceasing of glass moving alerted her to Zack's attention, followed by the audible charge of Barett's arm gun.

"Kadaj, don't make me embarrass you in front of all these people by beating your ass." Her eyes burned into his hand still on her arm and she brought her free fist up but it never made contact with his face, instead crushing into Loz's hand that suddenly appeared.

Not this again, Tifa thought as both hands were now rendered useless to her and Zack unsheathing his blade was a welcomed sound to her ears.

"I think it's time you boys went on your way…maybe you'll be able to find Mother."

Loz, drunk and vulnerable, squeaked "Mother" before letting out a sob and that was Kadaj's cue.

"How could you be so cruel?" he asked in his drunken state before leading a bawling Loz out into the streets of Midgar and leaving their third brother behind.

Tifa massaged her arm with her sore hand and glanced down at the silver haired man, so much like his brothers and Sephiroth in appearance but more quiet and cunning. As if feeling her eyes on him, Yazoo whispered, " I'm sorry Miss Lockheart for their behavior," before turning his cat like gaze onto her and she felt an odd sensation, like that of prey just being eyed by its predator.

"Its fine," she said more calmly than she felt before walking away, her back turned to him nervously. He won't do anything, not with this many people, she thought, trying to comfort herself but not succeeding.

"Hey, you okay Teef?" Zack asked, watching her movements carefully while still being able to pour drinks with ease.

"Yeah, I'm all right guys, thanks."

"I would've blasted them but figured you didn't want to lose furniture…or customers." Barett said, giving her a smile before returning upstairs to check on Marlene and Denzel on his way to his own room.

"Should expand and make this an Inn," Zack commented, somehow always able to read her thoughts. Maybe he picked that up from Cloud; or it could be the other way around, one never knew with those two. Aerith popped in and agreed with her husband, nodding her head excitedly.

"You really should! You could add on to the back and maybe another floor put on to make three stories for guests. I could decorate!" she clapped her hands happily, almost bouncing with glee.

"You gotta love her." Zack chuckled and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Yes, to put up with Aerith you really did, Tifa agreed silently before being ambushed by Yuffie on her other side.

"Practicing some sneaking skills?" she asked the ninja off handedly.

"I'm learning from the best," she answered, pointing and waving to Vincent in the corner who might have smiled behind his hand on his face, clearly under stress with the ninja's ideas of stealth and subtlety severely clashing with his own. Yep, Yuffie was one as well that you had to love to be able to handle her hyper antics and overactive imagination, so Vincent must feel something for the young girl and it made Tifa smile to think of her friends and their happiness.

Zack and Aerith had each other, Barret had Marlene and Denzel was pretty much his adopted son now that he was there for the kids all the time; Yuffie had Vincent…well, sort, and Tifa…Tifa had Cloud, in a sense. They weren't involved romantically but they'd never been better friends since he had come back and given their family another chance, a family that seemed to be growing and yet dividing simultaneously.

For some reason table three caught her attention, one lone occupant getting tangled in her web of thoughts. Who did Yazoo have? There were her brothers…who'd just left him here so that couldn't be going smoothly. Sephiroth was defeated and only lived as a memory so that was out of the question. It appeared that Yazoo had no one, no person to share his thoughts with, his words, and his life. Well, it's part of a bartender's job so…

Once the crowd thinned out, Tifa wiped down the bar and made her way over to table three. Yazoo hadn't moved all night and she had grown rather curious as to why he hadn't left…what was going on inside this young intelligent man? With more courage than she could remember gathering, she pulled up a chair and watched him turn his eyes to watch her, eyes so full of keen sense but clouded with a touch of alcohol.

"You doing all right?" Tifa asked, motioning to the drink he was still nursing in his hand and he pushed it aside, focusing on what looked to be initials inside a heart that a previous sentimental customer had carved into the table's surface instead of looking at her.

"The liquor does not affect me as much as it does my brothers. They drink out of anger…defeat, unlike me."

"Why do you, then?" she asked, intrigued despite herself.

"I drink to numb the pain."

"Pain? Pain of what?"

Yazoo looked at her pityingly, seeing that she didn't understand. "How would you like to exist just because someone decided it was so? I've had one purpose in my life, and that has fallen apart."

Tifa took in his words and hollow eyes, the meaning of his perception sinking in.

"There's more to life than just being, Yazoo. Once you find something worth living for, the days get easier. Trust me." She lightly squeezed his hand and made to leave but his voice brought her back.

"Is that how you do this? Live?" He really was lost, ad looked at her with pleading eyes, begging to understand where it all went from here. She sighed and tried to explain it to him as best she could.

"I have my friends, my job, my life. The rain that makes things grow…the snow that makes things die to start anew another day. All of these things, great or small, make my life worth living. I wouldn't trade that for anything in the Planet."

Tifa smiled and Yazoo contemplated a moment before asking, "That's how you survived your battle with Loz. But why? Things were so different then…sadness ruled your life."

She looked surprised at his observation but didn't deny it; things had been different months ago when Geostigma had threatened to take Denzel away. Cloud was gone, almost to the same fate unbeknownst to her…she had to take care of Marlene but Tifa'd had no one to take care of her, to lean on, and it took all her will to carry on to the next day.

"Things were harder then, but I believed in better days to come and they did." She finally replied and Yazoo blinked.

"You don't really believe that."

"Call me naïve, but I do. And I try to find the good in people, even you." She said this jokingly and Yazoo smiled along with her jest before he suddenly sobered.

Her attention turned to the front door that had just opened. Since it was just about closing time she knew of no regulars that would stop by for a night cap and looked to see Cloud's azure gaze lock with hers and they shared a secret smile, hers welcoming him home and his of gratitude paired with thankfulness for her caring.

"Even if you fall into the same trap, time and time again?" Yazoo's words cut through her thoughts of Cloud to come in sharp focus on his meaning. It was no coincidence, him saying this just after Cloud's return home.

"I believe in second chances, Yazoo. People can change."

"They can try to change but never will completely, Tifa. Keep that in mind."

With that and a final squeeze of her hand he stood up, preparing to leave. She eyed him questioningly as she got up and followed to the door, preparing to lock up after his departure. Once there, Yazoo stopped and turned around to face her one last time before leaving.

"Thank you, Tifa. You have shed a new light on life for me."

"It's what I do." She said with a warm smile that he genuinely returned before walking out and melting into the night.

Cloud appeared out of the corner of her eye, just coming out of the pantry from where he'd no doubt been listening.

"You could have stayed in plain view, Cloud." She said offhandedly while putting the chairs upside down on the various tables spread throughout the room. He joined her with a smile letting the silence pass between them until he broke it.

"What did he want?"

"Hmm? Tifa asked, dwelling on Yazoo's parting words. "Yazoo? He just needed someone to talk to, Cloud. Even our once enemies need guidance."

"I know, but why from you?" He asked, watching her out of the corner of his eye, thinking she didn't see it.

"Why not me? I give advice all the time, to customers, our friends, you." The last word she emphasized, reminding him of how many times she had been there to make sense of his jumbled life.

"I suppose," he admitted finally, and she relaxed until he had to add, "Is that all, I wonder…" in a thoughtful tone. He always had to have the last word. Stubborn till the end, she thought grudgingly.

"Yes, Cloud. To my knowledge, all he wanted was guidance. You happy now?" Tifa stood in front of him in her annoyed pose, hands on hips and chin jutted out which he knew he should fear but he couldn't help smiling; she was adorable when she was angry… maybe that's why he didn't mind making her mad all the time.

"I guess."

A sigh of relief escaped her lips at his boyish resignation and walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his solid from.

"Welcome back, Cloud." She whispered into his shoulder, his face in her hair.

"Thank you, Tifa. There's no place I'd rather be."