"Dude, I am 100% sure that finals are going to kill me."

Cloud finished zipping up his backpack and acknowledged his best friend.

"Yeah, you're probably right; you are an idiot," he jeered.

Zack punched him on the shoulder and grinned.

"Senior year, though, right?"

Cloud nodded. Yeah, senior year of college. He hadn't confided in Zack that he was utterly terrified of what the future held. He took a deep breath. You've got another semester to figure that out, Cloud. Calm down. Breathe.

"Hey, anyway, I was thinking that we could hit up that new bar downtown on Friday night, you know? Celebrate? The holidays are in a few weeks and Aerith is coming with me to finally meet my folks and you're going back to Nibelheim… You won't see me for like a month, so.."

"Why do you always list every possible reason there is for me to have to do something?"

"Because otherwise you won't do it!" Zack flashed a grin and headed off to his next class.

Cloud picked up his bag and walked to the library; it was his favorite place to study. He loved Zack like a brother and known him longer than almost anyone, but he needed peace and quiet and Zack knew nothing of either. He also knew nothing of the horrible, unshakable crush he had on Aerith since freshman year and he never would. The thought of going out with them on Friday sounded terrible, but he knew he'd never hear the end of it. Cloud picked a seat in the back of the building and set his pack down. He didn't have any assignments to work on since it was finals week and he didn't feel like studying. He browsed the aisles for something to read but nothing caught his eye. He turned to go get his things and head towards the dorm when he saw Nibelheim Village: History and Horrors. Horrors? Cloud almost laughed out loud; nothing terrible ever happened in Nibelheim because nothing ever happens in Nibelheim. He plucked the book from the shelf, grabbed his pack and headed to the counter to check it out.

Aerith giggled and let out a sigh as her head rested on her pillow.

"I'm going to fail every class if you don't leave," she smiled.

"I wish I was sorry," he said as he pressed his lips to her collarbone.

She squirmed underneath him and placed her hands on either side of his face.

"Hey. Stop, seriously! You've been here for, like, oh GOSH, ZACK! You've been here for THREE HOURS and all we've done is…"

Zack stopped her lips with his. His buried his fingers in her thick curly hair; she always smelled like flowers and honey. She was so soft, so perfect, so beautiful to him.

"Alright, we can stop. What'd you need to study tonight?"

"Physics. I'm doomed."

"You're not doomed," he laughed. "You're the smartest girl I know."

"I'd say you're the smartest guy, but your roommate might have you beat," she teased.

"Oh? Oh, Cloud? You want me to get him in here? You'd have to put your clothes back on, not sure he's ever seen a girl in her underwear before."

"Oh, stop!" Aerith smacked him on the arm. "You should be ashamed of yourself. He's not even here to defend himself!"

They giggled together for a minute and then Zack got up to retrieve his books. The smile drifted from Aerith's face when she knew he couldn't see her. She was quite certain that Cloud wouldn't mind seeing her in her underwear at all, but she didn't want to say that to Zack. Most of all she was worried that her eyes would betray the part of her, deep down inside, that entertained the idea the thoughts of being with Cloud. Zack is her first boyfriend, her first love, her first everything and although she loves him greatly, part of her desires… variety.

Zack returned to her bed and opened up his notebook.

"Alright," he said. "Let's review."

"So, Cloud, you gonna brood in a dark corner all night or are you gonna try to finally find a girl?" Zack chuckled as they made their way through the streets of Midgar.

"I'm probably just gonna punch you in the face," Cloud shot back.

Cloud walked a little quicker than the couple behind him so he didn't look too long at the way Zack's arm was casually wrapped around Aerith's perfectly curved waist or the way her hair bounced in a beautiful ponytail or the way -

"How do you think you did on your exams, Cloud?" her voice rang out like bells.

"Well, I've made it this far through college, I'm guessing I did just well enough to make it to the finish line."

"Just one more semester!" Zack cheered.

The group stopped just outside the bar which looked absolutely packed.

"Lots of reasons to celebrate," Zack said gleefully.

"Or mourn," Cloud joked.

The inside was barely lit. Everyone seemed to have a drink in their hand and the music blasted through the place; it was almost impossible to hear one another speak.

"We're gonna go ahead, bud. Aerith sees a friend from one of her classes. Go get a drink; meet a girl!" Zack shouted in Cloud's ear.

"Thanks for the advice!" Cloud responded and rolled his eyes.

He headed towards the bar; the sooner he had alcohol in his system the better. He spotted an open stool and snuck into it before one of the others did. He turned to try and find his friends in the crowd.

"Hey, spiky hair. What can I get you?"

He turned and locked eyes with the most vividly brown eyes… no, not quite brown, maybe a deep red wine color. The young woman before him at the darkest hair that swished around her waist in a loose ponytail. The shape of her body was everything a man could desire, but Cloud noticed the muscle definition in her abdomen, arms, probably legs, too. She was gorgeous, unbelievably gorgeous, but tough. She smiled at him, but he could tell that she didn't mean it; it was just something she was too used to doing. He could see the ridge of a scar poking out from the top of her tank top and again at the bottom where it cut off right above her belly button.

"Gnarly scar," he offered.

She flushed a charming pink and her eyes hardened.

"That's not your business. You want something to drink or not?"

"House scotch, neat."

He turned away from her again and looked for his friends in the crowd. He faintly heard the sound of Zack's laugh but he couldn't locate where it was coming from. When he turned back, the girl was there again with his drink.

"Looking for a girl?" she asked.

"That's not your business," he threw back at her.

"Ooh, spiky hair, spiky personality," she smiled, this time genuine. A dimple popped up on her right cheek. He smiled back at her.

"You're funny. You should quit your job here and be a comedian."

She laughed.

"Who's funny now?"

She set his drink down in front of him and turned to help another customer. He watched the eyes of men devour her, every move she'd make mesmerized them. They whistled, threw disgusting suggestions, grabbed her arm as she set down their drinks. She was stone cold and Cloud had a feeling that she could easily kick the ass of every man in this bar, including himself. As soon as the thought finished crossing his mind, a man reached around the bar to slap her on the ass. As soon as his hand made contact, she turned around and blackened his eye. The men around the bar began shouting, but she was louder.

"The next person to put his hands on me won't have arms and anyone who has a problem with that can get the hell out. And you," she turned to the man holding his drink to his eye. "You can get the hell out right now."

She was small, but fierce. A dozen men got up to leave, including the man she socked. Cloud found himself sitting at the bar alone. A middle-aged blonde man showed up behind the bar.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine, Cid. Sorry. Won't happen again. Unless this guy decides to get handsy," she nodded in Cloud's direction with a small smile. Cid just grunted and left the bar again.

"That your boss?" Cloud asked.

"Something like that. Another drink? Last call is in 30."

Cloud nodded and noticed that her hands shook a little as she poured more amber liquid into his glass.

"So where are you from?" she asked.

"The odds that you've even heard of this place is so small, there's no point in even telling you," he offered.

"Oh, really? I come from a pretty small place, too. A village, actually. Nibelheim."

Cloud stopped mid-drink and almost choked. Red wine eyes, long, dark hair.

"Tifa?!"

"Took you long enough, Spiky."