Lost Under the Stars
Final Fantasy VII
By: Bahamuts AngelVII
A/N: Italicized means thinking. Review! Go check out my other FFVII stories while you're at it. And then review!
And basically, Vincent doesn't come in to mend Tifa's broken heart until chapter three, but I hope you all find the first four parts (prologue, chapter 1, 2, and 3) parts well written and stuff like that. Review!
Chapter One
Tifa lazily rode her Chocobo through the grassy plains past Costa del Sol. Her suitcase was secured behind her and she was heading in the general direction of Rocket Town. Her first idea was to visit Barrett in North Corel, but she wasn't sure if he was home with Marlene yet, so she decided to instead drop in on Cid and Shera. She would see them three weeks later for their wedding, but she didn't have anything better to do anyway.
As the wind picked up, Tifa glanced towards the sky and noticed dark grey clouds rolling in. She hurried her Chocobo faster and faster towards Rocket Town, although she was a little farther away that she had predicted. The rain started pitter-patting down on Tifa and as she pushed her Chocobo faster, she enjoyed the stinging sensation of the fierce winds whipping her cheeks.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Tifa arrived at Cid's doorstep. She quickly took her suitcase off her Chocobo and sent it back to Chocobo Farm. She then rang the doorbell. She heard yelling, nagging, a loud thump, and then a scream before the door opened to reveal a very disheveled looking Shera.
"Oh, wow, what a surprise! Tifa! How g-good it is to see you!"
"Hey, Shera. Is something the matter?" Tifa peaked around the doorway to see Cid sitting in his chair with a very red face indeed.
"Oh, nothing. Come on in!"
"Sorry to just drop in on you guys, but I'm traveling around and I was just coming to visit for a day or so, if that's okay."
"Well of course its okay, Tifa! You're like a daughter to me!" Cid barked.
"And besides, we already have a guest." Shera chimed in. "Yuffie just got in a few hours ago."
"Yuffie's here? Where!" Tifa looked around, as if expecting Yuffie to pop out of the pantry.
"Right here!" Yuffie exclaimed, after actually popping out of the pantry, covered in flour and powdered sugar.
The two girls squealed and hugged. "I haven't seen you for six months! What have you been up to?" Tifa asked.
Tifa and Yuffie sat down at the kitchen table with Cid while Shera prepared them tea.
"Well, right after all the celebrations, Cid here dropped me off in Wutai, along with all the materia." Yuffie chirped. "I'm still helping to restore Wutai to its former glory, and it's working now that a hero lives there!" Yuffie said, pointing to herself.
"Don't get all worked up, you little brat, we saved the world too." Cid said gruffly.
"Now, now, Cid. I don't think you should talk to Yuffie like that." Tifa scolded playfully.
Ignoring Tifa's jab and Yuffie's laugh, Cid said, "Damn it, Shera! Where the hell is my tea! And their tea!"
"Right here, honey." Shera said placidly. She put down the three teacups and retreated to her bedroom.
"Geeze, you order around your bride-to-be like a slave driver! Who were you in your past life?" Yuffie poked fun at Cid. "Obviously not Chicken George!"
"You damn brat, no one gives a shit about your fucking jokes!" Cid angrily stormed out of the house into the backyard, where it was still raining as hard as ever.
"So, Tifa, what are you doing here? What have you been up to?"
"I'm just traveling around you know, things to do and people to see." Tifa waved her hand as if she was dismissing her own comment. "I used to live with Cloud in Costa del Sol, but not anymore. Why are you here?"
"Pause. Re-wind. Used to live in Costa del Sol. What do you mean?"
"I mean… Not anymore. But you didn't answer my question."
"Oh, I'm here to drop off Cid and Shera's wedding present early." Yuffie pointed to a large, rectangular package that took up half of the living room. "Don't tell them, but I bought a flat screen TV, and—"
"You bought them a flat screen!"
"Shh, no. You didn't let me finish. I bought a flat screen and then took it out of the box and then put a gift card for 'Marty's Materia Shop' in there. And a bunch of rocks, so it's heavy."
"Oh, Yuffie, you never cease to amaze me."
"Hey, what can I say? I try. But onto more important matters… What happened with Cloud?"
"Erm… Can we talk about this somewhere more private?"
"Yeah. Let's go back upstairs, they're letting me stay in the guest room tonight."
"Okay, sounds good." Tifa trailed up the staircase behind Yuffie holding two saucers with tea cups on them.
Once the two girls settled down comfortable on Yuffie's king size bed in the guest room, Yuffie began pestering Tifa again.
"So, ya know, Tifa, I always expected you 'n little Cloudie to get together after this whole 'I am Sephiroth, I like destructive meteor balls' thing." Yuffie paused. "You know, just forget I added the word 'balls'. But then again, what is with the flowing silver hair? That is surely a fashion no-no." She finished with a serious look on her face.
Tifa burst out laughing at her younger friend's antics. She sure had missed Yuffie.
"Well, it sort of turned out that way, but only for awhile. And then…… Let's just say it didn't go as planned."
"What happened?"
"I told him."
"Ehmagawd! You told Cloud you looooove him?"
"… Yes."
"And!" Yuffie leaned forward in anticipation.
"And then he told me he could never love me because he'd always love Aeris and then I broke down crying and he left that night and put a letter in my hand and it made me cry all over again." Tifa said all in one breath. Yuffie's look of excitement changed to sorrow, confusion, and then anger.
"What! That's crazy! Cloud did that! What a flippin' jerk!"
"I can see what he means. He really loves her. I don't blame him at all."
"Aren't you sad? Mad? Anything?"
"I... I was sad. But... I mean I should move on... I'm not mad… I was, but now I know I don't have a right to be mad." Tifa exhaled heavily. Although she claimed not to be that sad, Yuffie could see right through it. Tifa was troubled deeply inside, and it showed, because every time she tried to smile it just wouldn't stay.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Tifa." Yuffie abandoned her position across from Tifa and pulled her into a hug. "I hope you feel better soon."
"Thank you, Yuffie. You're a good friend."
"I don't want to see ya sad! After all, you're like a big sister to me."
Tifa smiled. Sometimes, Yuffie said exactly the right thing.
"Thanks. I see you like a little sis too."
Yuffie grinned. "So… You said he wrote a letter. I hope you burned it! Burn everything he has!"
"I didn't burn it, Yuffie. I keep it."
"… But why?"
"So every time I come up with some hope that he'll fall in love with me, I can look at it to remind myself it'll never happen."
"That doesn't sound like you're on the healing process to a Cloud-free life… But if you want to do that, I understand. Um… Can I see the letter?"
"… Sure."
"Okay, pass it here!" Yuffie exclaimed as Tifa pulled the letter out of her pocket. She stuck the letter into Yuffie's outstretched hand. It was already worn and faded, with stains that Yuffie suspected were from Tifa's tears.
Yuffie opened the letter and read it to herself. She read it again. And again. Finally, she looked up in horror at Tifa's tear-filled eyes.
"Oh, wow… Tifa, I had no friggin' idea!" Yuffie threw the letter onto the bed and pulled Tifa into a tight hug. She gasped again and pulled away. She threw her hand to her mouth. "I totally forgot! I saw Cloud at Icicle Inn the other day while I was snowboarding! He looked so detached and depressed…"
"…Yuffie? Can we not talk about this right now?" Tifa asked sadly.
"Ehmagawd. I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about how you're feeling right now! I'm soooo sorry, Tifa!" Yuffie picked up the letter and placed it back in the envelope. Then she handed the letter back to Tifa, who wiped away the tears in her eyes. Tifa took the letter slowly and put it back in her pocket.
"It's alright."
"So… Um, where are you going to next, Tif?" Yuffie asked, eager to change the subject. She silently scolded herself for hurting Tifa's feelings even more.
"Umm, well… I guess since the wedding is coming up soon I'll stay kinda local. I'll probably go to see Barrett and Marlene once they come back from New Midgar." Tifa replied, acting like the last five minutes didn't occur. She was good at that.
"Sounds fun, can I tag along? Pleeease?" Yuffie asked, when she saw the reluctant look on Tifa's face. When Tifa still had that look, Yuffie added, "Oh, come on! What did I do?"
"I'm only kidding. Of course you can come!" Tifa's face relaxed and she let out a soft laugh. "It'll be awesome."
The two were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Shera opened it slightly and Yuffie nodded to show it was okay if she entered. Shera came in smiling and closed the door behind her.
"Hello, Shera. The tea was awesome! What's up?" Yuffie chirped.
"Barrett just phoned in and said that he's back from New Midgar and wanted to see everyone again. I told him you two were here and now he's on the phone downstairs. He wants to talk to Tifa. Care to talk to him on the phone?" Shera directed the question to Tifa.
"Oh, of course! Tell Barrett I'll be right down."
"Alright." Shera exited the door and Yuffie immediately bounced off the bed.
"So I guess this means we can go see him pretty soon, right? And we'll get to see the little kid too!"
"The little kid is Marlene, and yes, we get to see them soon. Come on, let's go downstairs."
Tifa didn't wait for a response and instead ran down the staircase. She was satisfied as she heard the footsteps of Yuffie pounding down the stairs behind her. Tifa giggled and thanked Shera for the phone as she handed it to her. Tifa put the phone up to her ear.
"Barrett?" Tifa asked breathily.
"Tifa!" Barrett said scratchily from the other end of the line. "Tifa how are you?"
"I'm fine. How are you? How was New Midgar?"
Barrett laughed his signature trademark laugh. "It was fun. And I'm doing great. So listen, you gotta come visit since you're so close now. Marlene's missing ya over here! She keeps buggin' the hell—"
"Barrett!"
"… The heck out of me. She wants to talk to you… So hold on."
"Okay." Tifa smiled and waited while Marlene got on the phone.
"Tifa! I miss you!"
"I miss you too, Marlene."
"Are you gonna come visit me? I want you to meet all my friends! And you make a better breakfast than daddy does, but don't tell him I told you."
"Of course! And I'll bring Yuffie along too. I'll visit you tomorrow, okay?"
"Really? I can't wait! You better not be lying, Tifa, or I'll be mad..."
"Of course I'm not! But I have to go now, I'll see you soon!"
"Bye, Tifa!"
"Bye-bye now, Marlene."
Tifa clicked off the phone. Yuffie was smirking behind her.
"What? What's with that look?" Tifa asked.
"Nothing at all. You should consider adopting a kid or something, though." Yuffie remarked.
"What exactly do you mean?"
"You're just so good with little kids!"
"Haha… Thanks. But we're leaving tonight."
"We are?"
"Yeah, I wanna go see Barrett and Marlene as soon as I can!"
"Sounds good, but I was expecting to stay here awhile longer…"
"Sorry, Yuffie." Tifa said playfully. Yuffie sighed and placed her hands on her hips.
"The only reason I'm gonna go is because I want to go to Gold Saucer!"
"Hahaha, okay, sure."
"Oh, my little Tifa-bear. You underestimate the wonders of gambling."
A/N: Okay well… There's no Tifa/Vincent romance YET, but bear with me, okay? I've got this story all planned out and I swear it'll be good. Just review and keep reading, please! And I know this chapter seems kinda pointless and all, but it'll get better and have a point eventually… Don't forget to review!
