"Ronnie," Mariel sighed, bracing the inebriated ranch hand against the bar counter. "How many times I gotta' come get you?"

"Oh, Boss-daughta'," Ronnie murmured, petting her head fondly. "You always here ta'help me out."

"Come on, Ronnie. Let's get you home."

"Home?" Ronnie was leaning all his weight on her, and Mariel wasn't sure she'd be strong enough to make it all the way outside, let alone get him on her horse.

"Yeah, Ronnie, Khan's going to take us home."

She bit her lip a second later, cursing her big mouth.

"Khan? That nag! I ain't goin' nowhere near that stallion, he gonna' kick me 'gain."

"He ain't gonna' kick you," Mariel soothed, scrambling to get a better grip on Ronnie's shirt. "Come on, Ron," she pleaded under her breath, slinging his arm around her shoulders and hoisting him up as well as she could. Two seconds later, the weight disappeared.

"You can take him in back, if you'd like, Mari Vice," Toby, the bartender was saying under his breath. "Just don't make it too obvious. Take him on out the back."

"Of course, thank you Toby!" Mariel breathed, and turned to whoever had Ronnie. "Thank you so –"

For once, it seemed, those familiar, electric, blue-green eyes had no trouble meeting her own.

"– much," she finished. Cloud had Ronnie's arm clamped down around his neck and was holding the unconscious man up easily.

"It's no problem," Cloud grunted. "Which way am I going?"

Mariel led him through the crowd that had gathered to witness another of Ronnie's spectacles and through the doors. Once they'd rounded the corner of the building and escaped the view of the bar inhabitants, Cloud stooped, letting Ronnie's limp body sag over his shoulder, before rising again. He carried on behind Mariel as though he hadn't just thrown a full-grown drunk man onto his shoulders without straining once.

Mariel shouldered the back door to the bar open, and held it for Cloud. Following him in, she gestured with a hand towards a small, lumpy cot in the corner of the little storeroom.

"You'll be alright here, Ronnie," she murmured once Cloud had relieved himself of his cargo. "I'll come get you in the morning."

Ronnie let out a loud snort, but was otherwise unresponsive. Mariel straightened and followed Cloud out the back door. They stopped in the front, and Mariel thanked Toby again. Cloud threw a couple coins down on the counter before following her out.

"So, how are you?" Mariel asked as they ambled down the street. She held Khan's reins in one hand and gripped his bridle under the chin with the other. Cloud had his hands stuffed deep into his pockets.

"I'm alright," he said, looking up at the bright sky. It was early evening, but the dying sun had cast splatters of colors all over the blue canvas – bright oranges and pinks, and near the tops of the far off mountains, a deep bruised purple. As if sensing her next question, Cloud continued; "I came to drop off a package at a ranch down the road," he explained. Mariel stopped herself just in time. She held her tongue for a moment, allowed herself to think.

"At, uh, Mr. Fielder's ranch?"

"Fielder, yeah."

"Ah, I see."

They walked in silence for a moment. Khan's occasional snuffles accompanied the steady beat of their combined footsteps.

"How are the kids?" Mariel asked.

"Fine," Cloud answered simply. They meandered further before he finished. "They miss you."

"Oh," Mariel replied lamely.

"Miss Anuska Ibatini isn't quite what they're used to."

The surprised laughter exploded from Mariel in a snort. Cloud wasn't exactly known for his sense of humor. The snort was followed by giggling when, upon looking up, she found Cloud watching her, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"I know," she murmured, still chuckling. "But she was all I could find short notice, interested in trudging through a snow storm to Midgar."

"Mmhm," Cloud expressed softly, evoking more quiet laughter from Mariel.

"How's Tifa?"

"Good." Cloud paused and took a deep breath.

"How are you-and-Tifa?" Mariel asked timidly a moment later. She wanted him to know that she'd understood his anger last winter. Seventh Heaven was his territory. Its occupants were his family, those closest to his heart.

Cloud took another deep breath.

"She's seeing someone," he said almost inaudibly.

"No kidding!" Mariel gasped. She shuffled the reins in her hands so that she had one free. She laid it lightly on a brawny bicep. "I'm sorry," she offered, as kindly as she could manage. Cloud gave her an odd look.

"It's fine," he mumbled, and stared down at the gravelly ground passing slowly beneath his feet. The last of the sun's rays were disappearing. The oranges and pinks that had previously painted the sky were rapidly being eaten up by deep purple.

"Hey, I don't want you to be caught in the dark. Why don't you head back now? I'll be fine," Mariel asked. Cloud kicked at a rock.

"It's fine," he repeated, though he spoke lowly, as if to himself.

"I know my way," Mariel assured him, and stopped Khan. Cloud halted a few steps afterwards. "You on the other hand, don't."

He stared at her rather blankly for a moment. Mariel threw the reins back over Khan's sleek neck, and reached a hand out towards Cloud.

"Come on," she called. "I'll take you home."

Cloud eyed the horse. He swung his head around to gaze down the street. They'd managed to cover a respectable distance walking. He swung his head back around to fix Mariel with another stare. She gripped a chunk of Khan's ebony mane and pulled herself up into the saddle.

"Get on the horse," she barked and slid forward as far as she could. Cloud accepted the hand she offered with obvious suspicion. He pulled himself on behind her and she sensed his inner turmoil over where to put his hands. "Ever ride a horse before?"

"No," Cloud said shortly. "Chocobos."

Mariel gave a dignified snort. "Those oversized chickens are for sissies," she grunted, and swung Khan around. "Hold on with your legs," she advised casually, and reached a hand back expectantly. Khan had begun to amble forward a little, and when she pressed her heels lightly into his side, he leapt into a quick trot. Cloud's hand practically shot into her own, and she grinned as she pulled it forward to place on her waist. "Hold tight," she called back, and closed her calves around Khan's sides. The hard, bouncy trot bled into a smooth canter that had them flying down the road.

Before long, they'd reached the bar. The orange-y glow of the sky had almost completely disappeared when Cloud pried his hands from Mariel's waist and slipped off onto solid ground.

"Thanks," he called up, and offered a rather awkward salute that put a smile on Mariel's face.

"At ease, Mr. Strife, you're very welcome," she grinned, and nudged Khan back into a gentle trot.

"G'night, Mari."

"Sweet dreams, Cloud! Give my love to the kids and Tifa!" she called back over her shoulder. Mariel didn't catch his reply, but sat back in the saddle and let Khan have his head. The stallion stretched his neck out, and picked up his hooves. The languid canter brought them all the way home.