They met the rest of AVALANCHE later that day. Biggs was a happy-go-lucky sort of fellow and Wedge was sweet and a bit shy. Jessie was exuberant and quickly became enamored with Zack and Genesis. Tifa learned that the girl was also crushing on Cloud. She was boy crazy, but was a cheerful addition. It was shocking, though, to learn that she was a bomber.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Zack laughed.

"You can be on any side of me you want, sweet cheeks," she shot back.

Tifa coughed to cover her laugh at the look on Zack's face. Cloud was relieved to have her attention on someone else for a change. Barret switched something on the pinball machine and showed them the secret room under the bar. The three newcomers listened intently to what the group had planned.

Zack frowned, however, a little while later. "Why are you focusing on the reactors in Midgar? You're facing the bulk of ShinRa's force here."

"There are many reactors outside of Midgar that would be much more accessible," Genesis agreed.

Biggs leaned forward eagerly. "You know where they are and how to get in?"

And they were off, making plans and arguing until they finally hammered out a strategy. They would do one more big job in Midgar and then begin focusing on those reactors elsewhere.

"Don't forget the supply lines," Tifa pointed out.

"Yeah, if we're working outside the city, the supply lines will be too big of a target to ignore," Wedge said quietly, glancing at Tifa with a blush.

She pretended not to notice, but Zack could sense her unease from his position beside her. Genesis must have caught it as well, because he bent his mouth to her ear and whispered something. Tifa relaxed minutely and gave a small smile. She glanced at him and then pressed her leg to Zack's to reassure him. He patted her knee before turning back to the conversation.

That night, Tifa woke with a start. Scanning the darkness, she saw that Genesis was gone. His place was still warm, so he hadn't been gone long. Zack was snoring beside her on his stomach. Running a hand through his wild spikes, she waited until he cracked one bleary eye open.

"I'll be back in a minute."

Grunting, he rolled onto his side and went back to sleep. Amused, she slipped out of the room and tried to decide where Genesis would have gone since he wasn't in the bathroom. If he were upset, he wouldn't want the rest of the house to find him. He wouldn't leave her, either. Getting an idea, she reentered the bedroom. Sure enough, the window was open. Tifa crawled out of it and jumped onto the roof.

She landed quietly and found Genesis staring at the sky. Hesitantly, she walked to stand beside him, saying nothing.

"I dream, sometimes, of what I've destroyed," he told her quietly.

He looked so lost as he searched the stars that Tifa couldn't help but take his hand. His longer fingers were ungloved and wrapped around hers. He wasn't a terribly talkative man-unlike Zack-but she had a feeling he used to be. It brought that familiar rush of sadness and anger at what they'd endured. She wondered how much his nightmares haunted him of the years his mind was not his own. To be a prisoner in one's own body…involuntarily, she moved closer and leaned against his side, releasing his hand.

Genesis dropped his head to look at her. Their eyes clashed while he searched for something in her. Turning into him, Tifa framed his face with her palms. His eyes showed his surprise. She rarely initiated such intimate touches-even with him and Zack. Stroking his hair out of his face, she gave a small smile that reached into his soul and breathed life into it.

"You are a good man, Genesis Rhapsodos," she whispered fervently.

Then, she shocked him further when she pulled him down to press a gentle kiss on his forehead. His lids slid shut as a shudder wracked his frame. Burying his face in her neck, he hugged her tightly to him, almost desperately. Tifa returned the embrace as he spilled his grief onto her shoulder.

There were no words of reassurance or false promises spoke. It wouldn't have helped and would only serve to cheapen the rawness of the moment. They were simply two broken people trying so very hard to keep the pieces together. Tifa held him as he shattered. Right then, infinite tenderness and protectiveness washed over her. Genesis and Zack had become her family and had pulled her through the darkest points of her life. She'd be damned if she didn't return the favor.

When there was nothing left, Genesis straightened and looked directly into her eyes-unashamed of the tears on his face. He'd been stripped of everything he was, once, and Tifa had seen him then. He didn't even pause at letting her witness his pain.

Echoing her earlier gesture, he cupped her cheeks. "You are stronger than you know, Tifa Lockhart, but I will follow you into the heart of Hell itself."

The woman frowned, uncomfortable and not understanding. "Genesis, you have to live for you; not for me or anyone else. I don't want you to leave, but I also don't want you to stay out of a sense of obligation."

A smile touched his face. "I stay because it is what I wish, Tifa. My life is my own and my responsibility, but it pleases me to protect you. The three of us are more stalwart together, are we not?"

Heart full, she gave a tremulous quirk of her lips. "I think so."

His countenance was lighter as he rubbed her nose with his own and stepped back. "Perhaps we should return. Zack will be insufferable if he wakes alone."

Rolling her eyes, she walked to the edge of the roof. "I told him I'd be back. He's like a kid."

Chuckling, Genesis handed her down to the window. "So says the woman with anime panties."

Scowling, at him when he dropped into the room, she whispered heatedly, "You weren't supposed to see those!"

A cranky voice cut into the discussion. "Tifa, are you dressed?"

She and Genesis looked at Zack. He was lying on his back with his eyes closed.

"Yes," she answered cautiously.

"Then, you two woke me up for no reason. Go back to sleep."

Wrinkling her nose in agitation, Tifa held out her hands to Genesis. When he silently questioned her, she mouthed 'Ice' to him. A devilish gleam in his eye, he cooled her hands drastically. Crawling beside Zack, she made as if she was settling in. Seeing him start to relax into sleep again, she straddled him and shoved her hands under his shirt.

His eyes flew open as he jumped and squeaked in a completely un-masculine tone. Tifa laughed as she ran her freezing hands on his chest and slipped around to warm them on his sides.

"Shit!" he cursed, hands flying to grab hers and stop the attack.

Growling, he sat up, leaving Tifa to slide into his lap. She smiled innocently up at him and tugged on her wrists. He refused to release them and turned his head to glare at his amused friend.

"I'll deal with you later."

Genesis arched a brow. "What have I done?"

Zack wordlessly held up Tifa's cold hands. The other man shrugged nonchalantly and slid under his covers. Returning his attention to Tifa, Zack frowned.

"Why did you feel the need to make me nearly piss myself?"

She grinned. "You were whining about not getting felt up."

With an amused groan, he fell back. Releasing her wrists, he settled his hands on her waist. "Tease. Get off me unless you're going to make it worth my wile."

With a blush, Tifa slid off him and burrowed under her covers. Zack pouted, but let her steal some of his blanket as she settled beside him. Genesis waved a hand over hers, warming them.

Propping his head up, Zack took in the situation: beds shoved together, sheets tangled, and Tifa between him and Genesis. With a huff of laughter, he dropped his head to his pillow.

"Great. Never thought I'd be in a threesome with another guy."

Said guy laughed as Tifa moaned in mortification. "Is that all you think about?"

"Not with Gen, but at three A.M.? Yeah; sex and busty babes is the extent of my wonderings."

"Perv."

He shrugged. "We all have our talents." Waggling his brows at her, he said, "Want to see mine?"

"Goodnight," she snorted.

Cloud found the three the next day in the yard out back. Tifa and Zack were sparring as Genesis leaned on a post and sipped out of a mug. The older man nodded to him as he approached and then went back to observing his friends. Cloud blinked rapidly and tried to make sense of what he was seeing. They were trading blows and moving so fast he had a hard time tracking them. Zack landed a strike that sent Tifa sprawling.

"Uncle?" she laughed.

"You've gotten tons better," he praised, helping her up and draping an arm over her shoulders. She beamed as they made their way to the porch.

Genesis cast a Cure on them and sipped his tea.

"How did it go this morning?" Zack asked.

Bouncing excitedly, Tifa brought out her Restore to show him. "Up to Cure3!"

Cloud's eyes widened. "Is that Materia?"

Tifa nodded. "Yep. When we get out of Midgar, you'll have to watch Zack and Genesis spar. It's something else."

A confused tilt of his head prefaced, "They can't do it here?"

Zack grinned and a wicked smirk crossed Genesis' face.

"Not if you want any of the buildings in the area to remain standing," she answered levelly.

Startled, his brows shot up. "Oh."

"How're your skills these days?" Zack inquired. "Want to go a few rounds?"

"That'd be awesome. Let me get my gear," he hollered as he ran inside.

Genesis let Tifa swipe his tea as he straightened. Barret was coming out with Cloud when he returned. The big man grunted at them in greeting as Cloud followed Zack into the yard. Zack started slowly, allowing Cloud to warm up and gauging his skills. Tifa sighed in contentment. That had been a great match and Genesis always kept his tea the perfect temperature.

"Do I get any of that returned?" He asked teasingly.

Swallowing the last of it, she handed the empty mug back to him. Arching a brow in amusement, he set it on the railing beside him. With a grin, she settled on the steps at his feet.

"Oh! Hot sweaty men!" Jessie shouted gleefully, running to lean over the railing. "Take off your shirts and make me a happy woman!"

Tifa choked a laugh and saw Cloud misstep at the demand. Barret huffed, dragging a hand down his face and glaring at the young woman.

"Ain't you got no shame, girl?"

Her raspberry answered that.

The group would spend the rest of that day and the next getting things ready for their last attack at Midgar. The day before the scheduled attack, Cora found Tifa folding laundry absentmindedly and staring into space. Something was troubling the younger woman, but it didn't seem like something as horrific as she'd witnessed that first night. Making a decision, she stepped into the laundry room and closed the door. Tifa glanced up in surprise and then smiled.

"Hey, Mrs. Strife. I thought I'd pitch in; I hope you don't mind."

The blonde woman laughed. "I never turn away help, dear. Thank you." She moved to reload the washer as Tifa shifted to give her room.

"You seem to have something on your mind."

Tifa blinked and surprised Cora when she blushed heavily. 'Ah,' she thought. That was something she could help her with. Boy problems were something normal. Unfortunately, Tifa's mother had been dead for over a decade. She didn't have any girl friends to talk about it with, either.

As for the currently blushing girl, she was thinking about the previous night.

Once again, Tifa woke with a gasp in the middle of the night. This time, however, it wasn't a nightmare or the absence of one of her friends that did it. The aftereffects of the dream still tingled over her body, making her skin erupt into goose bumps even as the sweat dried. Panting heavily, she shifted and felt an uncomfortable, tell-tale wetness in her underwear.

Feeling shaken and slightly dirty, she eased out of bed. She was trembling and biting her lip, completely lost as to this new revelation.

She'd had a sex dream.

About Zack and Genesis.

Covering her mouth, she closed her eyes and tried to dispel the images her mind had thrown at her. She'd never had a dream like that…it had been so very real. With skin sliding against skin and tongues twining while hands trailed-it had been completely wanton.

And now she was faced with the absolute awareness of her two best friends as extremely attractive men. Sure, she'd thought it before-she wasn't blind-but it hadn't ever really been something she consciously realized. Not on the level she now did. What was she supposed to do with that? It would make everything they'd built awkward and just plain weird.

Fabric rustling drew her attention, causing her to glance over her shoulder. Genesis was rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he walked to her.

"Tifa?" he asked with sleepy concern. He inhaled and a confused look crossed his face. Looking at her, he noted her trembling.

Ifrit, she'd somehow forgotten just how tall Genesis was. He and Zack were huge men with muscles sculpted like smooth marble. They were each almost a foot taller than she. It'd never bothered her, but after that dream, she flinched and stepped away from him.

Genesis caught the movement and a crease formed between his brows. "Are you alright?"

Breathing deeply, she swallowed and looked to the floor. The moon had chosen that moment to peek through the window and bathe Genesis in an otherworldly glow. He was exotic and so beautiful she couldn't bear to look at him. Why did her hormones decide to suddenly drop kick into action?

"I-I'm fine," she managed to stutter. "I just had an unsettling dream."

He studied her for a small eternity. "I can wake Zack."

"No!" she exclaimed, eyes huge and flying to meet his. At his startled look, she forced down her panic. The last thing she needed was both of them questioning her.

"I'm sorry," she managed, clutching her upper arms. "Don't worry, Genesis. This one's just something I need to work through myself."

The man didn't seem convinced, but nodded. "As you wish, love. Would tea help?"

That actually sounded like a wonderful idea and she agreed readily. Genesis' concern lightened a bit when she let him do something for her, but she could still see it in his eyes when he brought the beverage. Her shaking hands certainly didn't go unnoticed as he passed her the mug. Cradling it, she closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma of the steeped leaves. The steam warmed her face and the first sip had some of her tension loosening.

"Thank you, Gen."

His smile was small, but sincere. "Wake me if you decide on company."

With one last long look, he crawled back under the covers and tried to return to sleep. Tifa finished her tea and then stood unsurely at the foot of the bed. She slept with them. Mortification swept through her. What if she'd talked in her sleep? What if they'd heard? And how was she supposed to sleep between them now?

She thought she'd lost the inclination-the yearning for intimate touches. Her trust in the two men sleeping was absolute, however, and her body must have taken that as a green light to suddenly sprout adult emotions. It frightened her.

With a heavy heart, she leaned over Zack and snagged her pillow and the blanket he'd kicked off. She couldn't leave them, but she knew she wouldn't sleep beside them, either. Instead, she made a nest on the floor and bedded down there.

"Stupid," she muttered to herself. "You're so stupid, Tifa Lockhart."

She didn't see Genesis watching her or the perplexed look he tossed at the just awake Zack. The confusion turned to acute worry when her breathing evened out and they realized she wasn't coming back to bed. She'd never done anything like this. Whatever she'd dreamed, it had shaken her on a level that alarmed them.

Tifa's mind snapped back to the present when Cora shook out a towel. She'd been avoiding the men all morning, trying to sort herself out. Thankfully, they hadn't come looking for her.

"After Zack got me out of the lab and I was coherent," Tifa began haltingly, "I knew that I had changed. A girl knows her own body, right?"

Cora nodded, keeping her eyes on the clothes she was folding. The younger girl was uncomfortable enough; she didn't want to spook her.

Tifa bit her lip, unsure about telling the other woman, but without another viable option. The thought of telling Genesis or Zack was humiliating. And, Cora had always been kind to her.

"When we discovered that we'd been kept for four years, I nearly freaked out. I was fifteen when I was last functioning. All of a sudden, I was nineteen with a practically new body."

That hadn't even occurred to Cora. She couldn't even image the massive ball of confusion Tifa's and Zack's emotions must have been. They hadn't had the luxury to stumble their way through adolescence and find themselves. Well, Tifa hadn't. If she remembered, Zack was a few years older.

"What did you do?"

The girl shrugged and stared blankly at the dryer. "I guess I just pushed it aside and didn't think about it. We had so many more important things to handle, that just got ignored."

A long pause stretched between them while Tifa folded and refolded a shirt. "I had a dream last night," she admitted with embarrassment.

One glance at her face, and Cora knew what kind of dream she'd had. "That's normal, Tifa," she assured her. "Was it about your friends?"

"Yes. But, it's never been like that between us, Mrs. Strife! I don't…I just…I didn't think I had anything like that left in me."

Someone so uncomfortable with touch would be caught off guard with their hormones. Cora struggled for a way to help the girl understand the new feelings. Her new thoughts must have come in a rush and completely blindsided her. Turning her eyes to the other woman, she saw her hands trembling faintly. She was scared to death.

"It's just that, Zack and Genesis are my family, Mrs. Strife. They're where I belong. I could mess everything up all because I suddenly realize that Zack's mouth really needs to be kissed; or that I get the shivers when Genesis whispers to me!"

Reaching over, she carefully took her hand, waiting to see if that was a mistake. Surprisingly, Tifa stilled and then left her hand there. It looked like it took effort, but Cora was so proud of the girl. Giving her hand a pat, she removed hers-knowing not to push.

"Tifa, it really is normal. However, people have years to grow into these feelings and to learn how to control them. It's what makes our teenage years so difficult. You were denied that and I'm so terribly sorry."

Putting aside a basket of clothes, she leaned on the washer and sighed. "There is nothing I can say to make it better, dear. You'll have to figure it out yourself. But, those two boys love you-I've seen the way they treat you. You love them, as well. All three of you are young and attractive, so this would most likely have come up between you at some point. I know that I can't understand what you've been through, but I know that it has left scars on you. A relationship with either one will inevitably be complicated."

Tifa blushed again, looking down.

"You don't have to act on your attraction, though, Tifa. You can appreciate them from a purely aesthetic point of view. I suspect what is confusing you are the trust and friendship that you already shared. When you add attraction to that, the result can be rather unpredictable." She ran a hand through her hair, wondering if she was even making sense.

"You have considered the possibility that they are equally as attracted to you, right?"

Mako blue eyes were large as they jerked up to meet her own. Cora smiled and wondered if she'd been this innocent when she was twenty.

"I don't know," she hesitantly answered. "Would that be a good thing?"

She couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her at that. "Well, I would have certainly found it to be a good thing when I was your age." Calming herself, she straightened. "There are two things I can tell you that I know are absolutely imperative. One: don't push them away. You told me they are your home. Don't throw that away because of embarrassment and fear. Don't cheapen your feelings or theirs by doing that."

Sighing, she twirled her wedding band that she still wore. "And, Tifa?" She waited until the girl met her eyes so that she would understand the seriousness of her words. "The second thing is: don't lie to them. Be as honest as you can be. You don't have to spell out everything, but secrets have a way of hurting people we can't foresee. It might be awkward, but have faith that your bond is strong enough to handle anything. Don't think for a moment that you're not just as important to them as they are to you.

This kind of strength is infinitely harder to obtain that physical strength. It takes courage to trust your heart to someone else." She held up her hand with the band. "My husband died when you were just a baby, but I wouldn't change a moment of my life with him. You've had so much time stolen from you; don't waste the rest of it on fear."

Tifa blinked away tears. "Thank you, Mrs. Strife."

The other woman beamed. "You're very welcome, dear. Now, stop hiding in here. Your boys have been worried all day."

Smiling, Tifa squeezed by her and exited the room. Cora was right: her relationship with Zack and Genesis was stronger than a childish fantasy. Besides, the woman had pointed out that she didn't actually have to do anything about it.

She ran into Aerith and Cloud in the bar. Both of them greeted her happily when she entered.

"Zack and Genesis have been insufferable," Aerith stated with a concerned tilt of her head. "Did you fight?"

"Not exactly," she admitted. "Do you know where they are?"

Cloud chuckled. "Barret kicked them out when it was clear they were going to be useless today. I think they went to their room."

"Thanks," she tossed over her shoulder as she headed to the stairs.

They weren't in the room, but the window was open. Climbing out, she leapt to the roof and found them in a heated discussion. It cut off, though, with her arrival. Guilt welled up in her at the relief that flooded their faces. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she nervously walked over to them.

"Hey, guys," she said, looking down.

"Are you okay, Tifs?" Zack asked, shifting as if he wanted to touch her.

He held back, and she noticed that Genesis was more reserved as well. He must have told Zack what happened the night before.

Screwing up her courage, she nodded. "There were some things I hadn't dealt with that slapped me in the face last night. It's embarrassing."

Genesis studied her, silent support in his eyes. His mind was eased with the knowledge that she had decided to tell them.

Fidgeting, she looked at her clasped hands. "Hojo took me when I was fifteen."

Zack blinked. "Yeah."

"And when I got out, I was nineteen." She could still see that her vague ramblings weren't clearing anything up. "My hormones had been suppressed," she finally just blurted, furiously red and not looking at them.

Whatever they were expecting, that wasn't it. For a minute, the men tried to process that statement and all its applications. Genesis thought back to the night before and realization hit. He hadn't imagined the scent of sex, after all.

"Ah, your dream."

She really wanted the roof to suddenly cave in or something because she was sure she was going to melt from mortification. Bursting into a frenzy of explanation, she tried to spill everything at once, in the hopes that the discussion would end sooner.

"I couldn't help it! I mean…I don't have dreams like that and then suddenly I did. And Mrs. Strife says that I didn't have the normal years to grow into myself and so I just got everything all at once and it was weird and I sleep with you two and it's humiliating! I can't…I don't know how to sort through everything and I don't want things to be wrong between us!"

Zack held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, Tifa! Slow down for a minute. We're not going anywhere and whatever comes up between us, we'll handle, okay? Now, walk me through this so I know I'm on the same page. You had a wet dream last night?"

Burying her face in her hands, she nodded. Zack really wanted to grin and tease her, but he knew that she was telling him more than she had a naughty dream. She'd never flat out avoided them before.

"And, you think that your hormones had been suppressed until then?"

Another nod. "I haven't really felt anything like that since I've been out. I thought I might not ever, since I make such a huge deal over anyone touching me." Her head lifted a bit. "It must be something wrong with me since you don't have a problem with sex, Zack."

He coughed and glanced to Genesis for help.

"Zack was eighteen when he was taken, Tifa," the older man stated calmly. "He'd had three extra years to become familiar with his hormones and the changes to his body. With the SOLDIER enhancements on top of that, he was past pubescence. His hormones had developed already."

Gently, he took her hands away from her face. She let him, but stared at the buckles on his chest. Leaning down, he forced her to meet his eyes. In them, she saw only sincerity and affectionate support.

"You, on the other hand, were captured just when your hormones were blossoming for the first time. The physical and emotional trauma you endured during that time would have a profound effect on your hormones. Yours and Zack's inability to be comfortable with touch is a psychological condition of equating touch with pain. It took great trust for you to feel secure that neither Zack nor I would hurt you. That feeling of security and trust most probably triggered the release of your hormones."

Zack frowned. "That was no reason to sleep on the floor, though."

Tifa swallowed as a blush again filled her cheeks. "It was really vivid. I think I would have died if I'd woken one of you up like that."

Rolling his eyes, he slung an arm around her and squeezed her sideways. "Hey, your hormones can wake my hormones up anytime. Seriously, though, what can we do to help?"

"I don't know. You can't stop being gorgeous."

Even Genesis had a smug grin at that. "I think we've established that we find you highly attractive, Tifa. I can assure you that our dreams are not always chaste."

She gaped at them and saw a devilish glint in their eyes. "Wait, there's a whole lot of attraction being thrown around. What does that mean?"

Zack chuckled. "It means we're cool with you ogling us as long as we get to do the same."

Laughing, she elbowed him in the ribs. "Great, just what you need: another inflation to your ego." With a sigh, she glanced between them. "It just caught me off guard and overwhelmed me. It was frightening, actually."

Now, Genesis' face became concerned once more. "Not to be indelicate, but your feelings frightened you, or being intimate?"

She swallowed and turned that thought over. Her aunt had explained the basic mechanics of sex to her, so it wasn't really the unknown. And, in her dream, she'd been with one or the other of her friends. With them, she knew the touch issue wouldn't come up.

"My feelings," she settled on.

Zack let out a breath he'd been holding. "We can work on that. If you'd been scared of sex, well…" he rubbed the back of his head, trying to find a way to word what he wanted to say.

Genesis nearly snorted, but caught himself. Seeing Zack try to be tactful was rare.

"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, Tifa," he said to halt whatever Zack was going to end up blurting. "When you aren't overanalyzing, you have allowed yourself to be emotionally intimate with both Zack and myself."

Another flush crept up her neck. "I was usually waking up from a nightmare or one of you were."

Zack nodded. "Yeah, but you did let yourself be vulnerable. Just don't read so much into every single detail. I promise, Genesis and I will always be honest with you."

"Thanks. I'm sorry I avoided you today. I just felt stupid and you two are huge, you know that?"

The men blinked and laughed at that. "Come on, I'm starving," Zack said as he walked to the edge of the roof. "Feel free to enjoy the view while you follow me."

Tifa chuckled and glanced to Genesis as he came up beside her. "He never changes."

"And that is both our blessing and our misfortune."

AN: Hope this wasn't too weird or anything. Tifa was captured during puberty. That had to have impacted the development of her hormones. Now, though, she's totally aware of the hotnessity of her best mates. Let the sexual tension begin! Mwahahaha. Let me know what you guys think. :)