Author's note: WOW i have a ton of reviews and im only on my fourth chapter. That makes me feel special. Please don't tell me otherwise...i like to believe the unbelivable. Like unicorns and fairies. Well I suppose last chapter wasn't exactly a filler. A friend of mine had read it and told me it was to her. But if you guys didnt think so well then HURRAH for me. But I think this one may be construde as a filer. I dont know. If i write a filer feel free to tell me....Annnnyways.....

I own nothing. Sadly.

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Chapter Four: In the cloak of Shadows

It had been a week since Marlene and Denzel left. A long and somewhat boring week. Tifa was not used to living on her own. There was in fact only one point in her life where she had actually lived alone. And she didn't really live in a house or anything. It was after Nibelheim was destroyed and she was leaving to begin what she thought would be ShinRa's payback. Her hatred of ShinRa had escalated so that night to where she could no longer sit by and take whatever ShinRa had to offer. She had awoke in a field a bit away from Nibelheim. Her wounds were healing from the Cure placed on the deeper wounds. She had no clue who had saved her. At the time anyway. She only remembered blue eyes and blonde hair.

She thought it was Cloud keeping his promise. But her head was so fuzzy. All she did know was Sephiroth killed her father. And ShinRa destroyed her home. Tifa didn't shed tears, she had been way too angry to cry. Instead she allowed herself to heal before trying to make her way back to the ruins of her childhood home. She loooked up at the home that was currently charred and falling apart. She remembered the smell of the destruction. The smell had continued to haunt her until ShinRa and Sephiroth were completely destroyed.

Tifa could not enter her newly decrepet house. All the memories of her life, her pictures of her mother, her clothes, her piano that she loved. All of it was now burnt to a crisp. It took all she had to just to turn and walk away from the life she knew. But she did it. She knew she had to. And she knew she had to be strong. Especially since she wanted ShinRa to pay. Tifa journeyed to different towns and learned new and various things on her way. She was making her way to Midgar. It took her a while to get there. But she didn't mind. She was only getting stronger the whole way. Once she caught sight of Midgar a small thought of hope crossed her mind. Maybe she would find Cloud. Would he know about their home being destroyed? Would he care or was he too a puppet of ShinRa?

Tifa shook her head of old memories. This time it was different. She wasn't traveling by herself but simply living in one place by herself. Taking care of a bar everynight and caring for herself every day. Tifa was layed out on the couch in the upstairs living area. The television was on, but she currently could care less about it. She willed herself to get up and leave the house. Just for the day. Just get your lazy ass up Tifa and go shopping or something. Again she didn't move. She wasn't much of a shopper which pretty much meant she wasn't too much of a girly girl. But after spending the passed few years with more men than anything, she could hardly be to blame.

Eventually she got off the couch and made her way back into her room. Deciding that maybe fresh air would be wonderful right about now. She dug through her dresser drawers pulling out various articles of clothing laying them out on her bed as she went to take a nice, long shower before beginning her day.

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Cloud made his arrival at Edge by mid afternoon. He sighed from obvious lack of sleep. And from being annoyed at some odd noises the Fenrir was making. He had just done a tune up a few weeks ago. What could be wrong now? Grumbling, he took his beloved bike to the nearest mechanic and Cloud waited while the man inspected it. After a few minutes, the man told Cloud he would need to take it for a test drive. Then if the man found out the problem was what he expected it was, Cloud's beloved bike would have to stay with the man until the man could fix it. Cloud once again sighed. Great, now he was down a bike. He nodded in agreement with the man and began to walk away. He traveled through the infinite crowd of people making their ways around.

This made Cloud anxious. He was not much of a people person and being in a swarm of people was not making him feel any better. He looked around for a sort of escape and found an alleyway that he remembered would take him passed the new Wall Market and right to Seventh Heaven. He smirked at the thought of surpising Tifa and the kids.

Cloud snuck through the crowd before heading into the deserted alleyway.

Cloud felt much better and more at ease when he was not surrounded by people. He knew his trip would be that much shorter so he just walked a resonable pace looking down new alleyways as he came upon them. Seeing the chaos he had snuck away from at the end of those alleys. Cloud took this time to think about what he would do with the gift Vic gave to him. What would he wish for? Tifa, naked and wanton on your bed. Cloud stopped walking at that thought. Why was it his thoughts were always perverted when it came to her? He loved this woman. He didn't only want her for her body. That was a plus. But he had fallen in love with her, for her. Her smile, her laugh. Her sense of humor. The way she smelled so damn good. It wasn't just her delectable body. He loved Tifa for everything she was.

But I still want her.

He sighed not really wanting to begin a fight with his subconcious. He came to another alley and walked up in noticing the new Wall Market had few people walking down it. He supposed he could just cut through Wall Market. He came to the opening of the alley and peered over the wall to his right. Before heading out, something caught his gaze. A shine of light brown hair flowing around a woman that made him ache in most areas.

Tifa.

She was wearing a tight white tank top. He happily noted she wore no bra, but merely the fabric was a bit thicker. Making him question what it was that held in her bosom. He looked down her and noted that she also had on a crimson skirt that came to above her knees. She was not much for dressing up. But when she did, one could only marvel at her beauty. And that was just what he was doing. He also managed to catch a glimpse of her choice in footwear and he smiled noticing it was still her usual boots she always wore. Same old Tifa.

He just watched her walk, the way her hips moved and her face looked in the sun. She was certainly beautiful. He wished that he could walk over to her and take her in his arms. But he knew that it would probably be awkward. For now he was perfectly content just watching her. Just watching the Goddess that was Tifa. It was times like this that he hated himself. Hated himself for not just telling her that he loved her. Knowing is half the battle.

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Tifa walked down the New Wall Market. It had finally been completely finished a few weeks ago and Tifa had yet to look at the new work. She passed a few random stores. She came to a store that had a few stuffed animals in the window. She could hardly help it when her mind wandered to the kids. Tifa looked at the stuffed toys and sighed. She missed them. That much was plain. But she couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt. They were off having a great vacation and traveling. Tifa felt bad for wishing that they were still here. Somewhat selfish she thought.

Denzel was probably dragging Barret all around the Gold Saucer. Marveling at all the various activities. And probably trying to con Barret into letting him go into the Battle Arena. Tifa couldn't contain a smile that graced her face. If Barret was dumb he would give in and let the teenager fight with the terrible monsters. If Barret was that dumb, Tifa would beat him senseless. It wasn't that she thought Denzel was weak. Just that he was still far too young to enter any contest like that.

Marlene however could get away with anything. Barret was extremely soft when it came to her. And why not? She had been his daughter for a great long time. It was only natural that an adorable little girl could have her brute of a daddy wrapped around her finger. Marlene would be pleading with her dad to visit the Sleeping Forrest. To visit the place where their friend had fallen. Aerith.

Somehow it all went back to Aerith. Cloud's distance and the group breaking up. What reason did they have to stay together now that they were no longer needed. Tifa didn't hate Aerith. As a matter of fact, the flower girl had become a great friend of hers. Sure there was a time when Tifa was distant from the girl. When she flirted with Cloud. But after the two girls got she realized that Aerith simply thought he was someone else. Someone that Cloud reminded her of. Zack. Aerith's first and only love. Tifa remembered him though didn't say anything at the time. Poor girl was often heard sighing sadly wondering what happened to him.

There were a few times Tifa was sure Cloud was in love with Aerith. Times when she saw them together. And after Aerith died, when Cloud would mutter her name in his sleep sadly. Sometimes Tifa wondered if Cloud would have missed Tifa that much. He always was distant to her. And they were hardly close anymore.

Not realizing it, Tifa had begun to walk again and came to a new store that was off to the side of Wall Market. The sign simply said "SKIN". Tifa looked through the window and was shocked at what was on display. The mannequin was wearing an extremely too short for anyone leather skirt with a corsetted matching leather top. Tifa stared at the mannequin for a while before taking a deep breath and walking into the store. She was living dangerously.

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Cloud was in his fantasies of dragging Tifa into the alley to do things people wouldn't dare do outside when he saw her stop. His eyes strayed from her body up to the the window she was staring so intently at. Cloud had to do a double take. His mind immediately flashed to the thought of Tifa wearing such a provactive outfit. For a bit, Cloud stood there back in his fantasies with Tifa now wearing said outfit. He was becoming a perv real fast. Tifa would never wear anything like that. Still, he felt a tightness in his pants. Sighing to himself he spoke, "Tifa would never wear anything like that. She is definetly not that kind of girl." Though the Tifa in his dreams was. Demanding, forward and sexy.

Tifa was not slutty. She was more wholesome and pure. Or so he thought. Just when those thoughts crossed his brains he looked up at her to see her walk into the store. Cloud fell over from shock. Tifa. HIS Tifa. Had just walked into a sexy clothing shop. His mind reeled. "I am such a pervert. Here I am in an alleyway picturing one of my best friends in skimpy clothing." He took a deep breath trying to calm himself. He stood there for what seemed like an hour before deciding to turn and start walking again. He knew it would be dark soon and had other things to take care of before seeing Tifa again. He glanced up at the store once again and saw Tifa walking out. With TWO large bags. His eyes practically bugged out of his head. Wht the heck did she get?! His mind once again reeled.

"Friend! Cloud. F-R-I-E-N-D." He shouted to himself and made himself walk away.

What he would give to find out what she got. Even better if she wore it. For him.

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END CHAPTER FOUR! HM SO IT WOULD SEEM THIS REALLY WAS A TO ME THEN! DONT HATE ME...