Boss
Author's Note: The following is a scene from what would have been a rewrite of the original Final Fantasy VII game had it included my fan character, Rosie McMurphy. As it turns out, I don't have the time or the motivation to write that fanfic, and I apologize that my readers won't be able to get to know Rosie better. Still, I hope this scene will be enough for you to enjoy what she has to offer, despite how brief it is. Thank you for understanding.
"...Dyne. Me an' you, we're the same...My hands ain't any cleaner... I shouldn't be able to carry... Marlene either..."
There was no reason for either of them to be there anymore. Barret didn't want them involved in this personal matter, so when the fight broke out and the guns were blazing, Cloud and Rosie merely stood to the side and watched. Barret was strong, but Dyne was relentless. He held absolutely nothing back, and there were moments where Rosie and Cloud both moved for their weapons should the worst befall their friend. Fortunately, the battle ended with Barret as the victor.
But when Dyne stepped off of the cliffside, and Barret fell to his knees and released that heartwrenching scream, it really didn't feel like a victory at all. At least, that's not how Rosie saw it.
"...We should leave him alone."
Cloud's voice was so soft and low that she almost didn't recognize it. It surprised her when she detected pity in his tone. So he did care for this man. She should have realized it when he agreed to help Barret face Dyne in the first place. But seeing him as he was now, his eyes reflecting the empathy he felt for his former employer, she truly realized that he wasn't made of stone. It actually made her chuckle.
"Ey," she lightly punched his shoulder and jerked her thumb in the direction of the town. "Ye' go on ahead. Ah'll catch up."
Cloud rose his eyebrows at Rosie's words before stealing a final look at Barret. After a moment, he nodded to her and turned away. Rosie watched him leave, and as he disappeared around the piles of scrap metal and junk, she turned back to Barret. He was still on his knees, clutching that memento Dyne had thrown him before he jumped. His body was stiff, but she could see him shaking. Barret was never one to cry openly. Scream, yell, roar, cuss, shoot at things, but never openly weep. At least not to anybody but his daughter.
So she decided to spare him the humiliation. She didn't need to look him in the eye to get her point across. Instead, Rosie approached him. Her heavy boots crunched on the hot sand and pebbles as she moved closer. Her arms extended and her hands moved onto his shoulders. When he didn't push her away or scream at her, she pulled herself in and rested her forehead on his back.
Nothing needed to be said. Nothing more needed to be done. She held onto him until she felt him relax, she made no comment when he was obviously wiping the tears and snot from his face. And when she felt him rising back to his feet, she pulled back and gave him the space he needed to stand up. Even then, he didn't turn to look at her right away. Within a moment's time, the sadness left her and a smile split across her pale, freckled face.
"Co'mon, Boss." she said to him. "Le's get ye out o' here. Ah'll buy ye a drink."
With that, she turned around and headed back towards the town, unaware that Barret had just turned to look at her.
Despite the tears in his eyes, he was smiling.