I would just like to correct myself in the last chapter. There should be 9 keys to the promise land including Barret and Tifa. You'll see where these keys come in later, but for now all you have to know is that there are in fact 9. Sorry about that. And also the Inn at the Wall Market is actually the Shanghai Inn. Sorry about that one too. Well here is Chapter 3. Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Sephiroth Reveals the Next Step of the Journey and the Second Key

Tifa decided not to dispose of Barret's body. It would be a couple of days before anyone would find it, or even be in the church. When someone found the corpse, she would be long gone. Maybe she would even build a reputation as she collected her 7 other keys. Barret was only the first. She smiled to herself as she washed all traces of Barret's blood from her body and from the dagger. When she was clean, she stowed the vile of blood in a bag along with the dagger, the poison, the handcuffs and the chains she had used.

Tifa was tired after her long days work. Her muscles ached from dragging Barret all the way to the church where Cloud had first met Aeris. She wanted to go back to the inn and sleep. Then a sudden thought occurred to her. Marlene...Marlene had no one to look after her now. Tifa could take her to the Promise Land with her. Somehow she knew that Sephiroth wouldn't mind. She could pick Marlene up tomorrow on her way out of Midgar, but she needed to go back to Barret's house to find the address that Marlene was staying at tonight. It wouldn't be safe for her to go back during broad daylight with people all over the place. She should also pack a few of Marlene's things. The little girl would surely want to take her toys and things along. Tifa headed for Barret's, taking the long way to avoid any people that might be out and about at this late hour.

A few minutes later she was at the door. She tried the door knob, to see if it was unlocked. Of course it was. She had left in such a hurry with Barret that she hadn't had time to think about locking the door or anything. Why would she? She had after all murdered the people, except for the little girl, that lived in the house. Tifa walked in and turned on a light. The house was still relatively clean, but she began to ransack the entire house looking for an address. Finally she found one with Marlene's name as well as the address she was staying at. Tifa quickly went up to Marlene's room and found a bag and began to pack as much as she could into it. When the bag was full, she quickly searched the house for extra gil, including Elmyra's corpse. She took what she found. After all she would be worrying about Marlene now, and would need the extra gil to take care of the both them. She left the house shutting and locking the door behind her.

Tifa made her way to the Shanghai Inn and collapsed onto the bed. Soon she was in a deep slumber, dreaming of her dark prince again.

Tifa stood on the deck of a ship. She was dressed in a short black mini skirt and an emerald green strapless top. Her boots had a two inch heel and went up to her knees. Her beautifully bronzed arms were crossed on the rail of the ship, and her long slender hands dangled over the edge lazily. Her long, dark hair was pulled into a low pony tail that tumbled down her back in gentle waves. Her dark brown eyes looked out over the clear, blue, ocean water, gazing at the stars. She was waiting for someone.

A man dressed in a pair of black jeans, black combat boots, and a sapphire shirt left open at mid chest, walked out to meet Tifa. His long silver hair flowed freely in the warm ocean breeze as he silently made his way towards her beautiful figure, silhouetted in the light from the moon and stars. He walked up behind her and wrapped his strong, muscular arms around her. She smiled longingly. Then she turned and looked into his deep, green, MAKO eyes. Again she felt as if she was hypnotized, but she wasn't.

"Sephiroth, what do you want me to do?" Tifa asked.

"You have to collect all the keys, Tifa, my love, in a certain order," Sephiroth replied.

"How will I know...," Tifa asked.

"I'll tell you, love. Trust in me. Believe in our love and the plans that I have for us," Sephiroth said, lovingly stroking her cheek.

"But, Sephiroth, you haven't told me what your plan is for us," Tifa said.

"All in good time beloved," Sephiroth said laughing softly.

"I was wondering...," Tifa began.

"If you could bring the little girl Marlene along," Sephiroth finished her thought.

"Yes... how did you know...?" Tifa asked astonished.

"Tifa, I know everything about you. I know your heart, your desire, your pain. I am always at your side. Don't worry love; I will keep you safe from harm and heartache. As for the girl, yes, I think you can bring her along. It will be the start of our family," Sephiroth told her soothingly. He captured her lips in a long, deep kiss.

When the kiss had been broken, Tifa looked deep into his eyes. "Where shall I go next?"

"Listen closely darling and I will tell you," Sephiroth said. Tifa was lost once again in those MAKO eyes. As she was losing herself, Sephiroth began to speak to her without moving his mouth. It was as if he was right inside her head. He told her the Second Key, and how to go about getting it. She listened enthralled with his deep voice, and hypnotized with his eyes.

Tifa turned over in her sleep. "The second key. In Junon. Yes, Reeve...," she sighed in her sleep. Then nothing escaped her lips for the rest of the night. She slept the sleep of the dead, with a smile on her face. She was lost in a world of pleasure and fantasy.