Hello everyone...I'm writing from the Gaylord Texan hotel this Christmas!

"I had dream about Christmastime last night," Cloud said. "I was nine then. I'll never forget it."

Vincent stopped scrubbing the walls and ruffled his eyes in confusion. The maids busily worked on the floor and on ladders. Tifa muttered curses as she crouched down and made rough strokes across the floor. Yuffie worked along side.

"We've been cleaning this place for two days now," Tifa whispered. "I shouldn't I have thrown that piece of cake at Cloud. Oh, Reno is so lazy! Why isn't he here? And Cloud gets out of it to teach a measly dance class."

"Teaching a class is harder then cleaning a newly decorated kitchen, I'll have you know."

Tifa stared daggers at Cloud. He shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes, making her angrier. She discreetly gave him the finger.

"As I was saying," Cloud continued, "I had a dream about Christmas when I was nine years old."

"You mean 'the prank'?" Heather asked. "The red and green prank? When I was four?"

Cloud nodded as if he was saying yes to something epic. Heather burst into laughter.

"You were so evil!" she cried. "I can't believe you did that to Scarlet! Bloody amazing!"

"Huh?"

"I pulled a nasty prank on Scarlet when I was nine," Cloud explained to Yuffie. "I snuck red dye paint and green glue into her shampoo and soap…it was the last evil deed I did to her…after that…all of the next Christmases were utterly dull."

"Yeah, right," Yuffie scoffed.

"I've seen a picture," Tifa said. "Ask Marlene to show you."

Yuffie continued to scrub the floor in the midst of her confusion. This place was getting crazier and crazier by the minute.

Cloud's cell phone went off on the island counter. He stopped cleaning the wall and answered it, earning the envy of the other workers.

"Hello?"

Anyone who was near could here incoherent babble coming from the phone. Cloud sighed wearily.

"I'll be there. See you at an hour."

Cloud shut off the phone and began to walk out of the room.

"Tifa…you're coming with me."

Tifa went to rinse the towel in her hand, but Cloud quickly grabbed her arm.

"No time!" he said. "This is urgent."

Tifa followed him out of the kitchen in shock. The others stared in bafflement and jealously. The kitchen was filled with grumbling as they continued cleaning the mess.

Aeris waited inside the small auditorium anxiously, sitting beside an elderly man. A dozen parents sat in the stands, waiting patiently. Their faces were stern. The principal sat in a largest desk in front of them.

Aeris head constantly moved around, forcing her to examine the walls over and over again. She looked at her watch for the third time. Cloud opened the door and let Tifa walk in first. Aeris stood up to met him, but stared at Tifa in shock.

"Why is she here?"

Cloud made a stop sign gesture with her hand. Aeris quietly sat back down. He made Tifa sit down in one of the empty desks. He took his seat beside the elderly man.

"Ah, you're here," said the principal. "Let's get to business. The matter of discussion…is the detention students."

Aeris gulped nervously. The man who sat beside her, however, was as calm as could be.

"And what is the problem, sir?" the man asked.

"We fail to see the relevance in it."

The principle walked toward them, approaching them like an attorney would a witness. Aeris twiddled her thumbs.

"We fail to see how it's helping these troubled students. In my opinion, you people are wasting our and their time…how is it improving them?…"

"And what are you doing to help them?" Cloud interrupted.

The principal scowled. He was more used to people yielding to him. But this man was not moved.

"Are you really concerned about them?" Cloud said. "Or is this about something else?"

"This is about things that are useful," the principal replied. "This 'dance class' is absurd. What is a box step going to do for our kids?"

"Other schools have accepted our program," the elderly man answered. "They love it. Obviously, either they are fools…or they are noticing something that you aren't…Mister Principal."

A low murmur came from the crowd. The principal glanced at the crowd nervously. A hand was raised at the front: the English teacher.

"Umm…" she stammered nervously. "I have some of the detention students in my class…I still have a few problems with Laylia…but she has become more on target with things…Jeremy is not making as much trouble as he used to…and Ferris…he's opened up and started writing poetry…he's been giving them to me on a regular basis…but before…he ran away from poetry. But now, he has become more…confident."

The principal glared at the English teacher, and she nervously looked down at her feet.

"My point of the matter," the principal continued, "Is that these dance classes are meaningless. They are not doing anything to fix the students' problems…"

"Well for one thing," Aeris added, "They're finally being kept off the streets! That's one thing that's helping them!"

The murmuring in the crowd went up again, but this time louder. The principal became desperate. He raised his hand to the three in question.

"If the purpose of this program of yours has any clarity," the principal bellowed, "then I want all of you to prove it…right here and right now."

There was a moment. The principal folded his arms triumphantly. Then, Cloud raised his hand.

"With your permission, sir."

Cloud got up from his seat and grabbed grabbed a microphone from its stand. He walked toward the stands and stopped in front of the English teacher.

"What is your name, Madame?"

"Mrs. McLennan," the teacher.

"Mrs. McLennan, do you have Ferris' poetry?"

McLennan nodded with a smile. She mentioned immediately that she had one in folder at the very moment.

"Take it out and read it please."

The auditorium became noisy again. The principal was annoyed.

"What does that have to do with anything?!" he yelled.

"I have a point," Cloud said.

The eye contact between Cloud and the principle was definitely hostile.

Mrs. McLennan pulled a piece of paper from her folder and unfolded it. She opened her mouth and read.

Life.

Life is a rhythm.

It means to thrive, vibe, take your own time.

No one can do your rhythm for you but you.

Funny thing is, people tend to want to live someone else's rhythm.

Switch their feet like someone else

Sway their hips like someone else

Bob their heads like someone else

Move their body like someone else

Afraid to find their own rhythm

Cuz people wouldn't like it.

Can't you see the movement?

Can't you hear the music of the world?
It's everywhere…don't deny it!

Everyone's dancing to it…and the brave ones have found their own moves

And no one really helped them…some never even cared.

It's silly to jive someone else's life

It wasn't made for you…get your own.

No one can find it for you, No one!

I'm finding my own rhythm right now

And no one help me…not even you.

The energetic chatter arose. Some began to snap their fingers in applause. The principal became uneasy.

"I have another point," the elderly man finally said. "Mr. Strife…take…the young lady you came with…and teach her a basic Venetian waltz…in front of the assembly."

Aeris thought that the old man had gone bonkers. People nearby recognized Tifa and began to stare at her, taking an interest in her. Tifa usually liked attention…but now…she was swaying her head from side to side and feeling very, very self-conscious. She noticed Cloud's presence and willing let him lead her away to the slaughter. She had no clue how to waltz.

"Don't worry," Cloud whispered. "It's only me."

"That's reassuring," Tifa replied matter-of-factly.

He thoroughly instructed her where to put her arms and how to step. Cloud said that the movements were simple, making Tifa feel a little bit better. But not a lot.

"Ready?"

With a shaky beginning, Tifa kept her eyes on her feet, not wanting step on her partner's. The dance was slow, slightly awkward for a moment. For some reason though, the crowd was impressed by something. Tifa gained more confidence and she became better by the second.

"See?" said Cloud. "You're a natural."

Tifa snickered and nearly lost her focus.

"This young lady," the elderly man began, "Is able to learn how to dance because of two things. She has confidence in her partner…but most importantly…she has confidence in herself. That is the point of the 'dance class'. We do not teach it to make your children learn a box step…we are teaching them a life lesson."

"How many little rooms are in this estate anyway?" Tifa asked.

"Enough."

Tifa found herself in yet another new room, upstairs in the estate: a small wine cellar.

"Don't feel bad," Cloud replied. "Even I don't know how rooms are in this estate. This place is over 70 years old, and there are many secret rooms I've found. Including the bedroom and everything else I've found…there are over sixty rooms here."

"Created by some whacko, huh? How could you even afford a place like this?"

He retrieved the bottle he was searching for and read the name in the light.

"If you haven't noticed," Cloud said, "My family has money…"

Tifa sat on a couch in Cloud's bedroom. She looked at the bottle and read its name over and over again: Aguardiente.

"What country is this from?" Tifa asked.

"Brazil…one of their brandies."

Tifa gingerly took the small glass and began to pour.

"Before you go bury yourself in it," Cloud said, "I have to warn you…it is very strong…you can't drink it quickly, because you aren't used to it…and you can get drunk on it fast."

"And what is the occasion for this strong drink?" asked Tifa.

"Victory."

Without paying heed to Cloud's warning, Tifa drank a large amount of the brandy. Her throat immediately went on fire. She quickly set the glass back on the table and began to cough violently. Cloud began to pat her on the back.

"We're you listening to me?" he scolded. "I told you that it was strong. All dark drinks are strong…don't you know that?"

Tifa wheezed for a moment and pounded her chest.

"What's the occasion again?" she asked.

"Victory…we just won a war back at that auditorium."

Tifa gained her composure back and sat up straight on the couch.

"That principal has been trying to oust our program from that school for the past year. The audience was the Parent-Teacher Council of the school. We have earned their favor…and the principal can't get rid of us anymore."

"Why the hell would he want your program out of the school?" Tifa questioned. "It sounds a little unreasonable…especially since it's doing so much good."

To Tifa's envy, he took his small glass of brandy and drank the whole thing a single gulp. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"That's exactly why he didn't like it…he's one of those…fancy-aired…low-life…arrogant...insecure menwho can't stand to see anyone stepping into the light."

"Cloud!" Tifa replied teasingly. "That's not very nice..."

"I'm not being crude," Cloud replied. "I'm just being honest."

Tifa snickered and carefully sipped the rest of the brandy.

"Who was that old guy, anyway?" Tifa asked. "The manager of Aeris' studio?"

"That was the founder of the organization...Pierre Dulaine himself…he came to the school to help defend his program…and we bloody well succeeded too."

"And you never told the students too," Tifa replied mockingly. "How humble."

Cloud took Tifa's glass and poured more alcohol into it.

"There's no need to tell them of the battle."

Tifa examined her glass and saw that she received less of the drink.

"Hey!" she whined. "How come you gave me less?"

"I already told you," Cloud said. "You can get drunk very easily on it…it's for your own good."

"I thought we were 'celebrating'!" Tifa shouted. "Why am I even celebrating?"

"Because you helped…trust me…if you get wasted on that drink…you will for surely regret it."

Tifa slouched in her seat and scowled angrily. She felt that she was being treated like a child. In the matter, Cloud had put his foot down.

"How do you know that I'll regret it?" Tifa muttered.

"I made the mistake of letting my friends shovel it down my throat," Cloud answered. "All I remember is waking up the next day on the floor wearing big, pink dress, make-up, and a red-head wig…I don't think I want to know what happened that night…"

Tifa fell over to her side, laughing really hard. She landed on Cloud's lap and continued to laugh hysterically, not noticing where she was.

"You were wearing make-up?!" she yelled.

Tifa finally realized that she was resting on Cloud's legs and pulled herself. She scooted away as far as she could on the couch. Cloud, also feeling slightly uncomfortable, got up from the couch.

"I'm going to check on something," he announced.

Before he left, he gave Tifa a stern look.

"Don't do anything foolish while I'm gone, okay?"

Tifa waited for the sound of the door shutting. As soon as she heard it, Tifa gulped her shot of brandy down, and braced herself for the effects. She waited until she coughed and sputtered and then poured another drink. Tifa could not resist the dangerously delicious brandy.

Marlene slept restlessly in her bed. She turned over from side to side, whimpering and sobbing. Her hands clenched and unclenched into a fist while she gritted her teeth.

"Mama…papa…where are you? Where have you gone?"

A hand gingerly took her small one and squeezed it. Marlene stopped moving, but she continued to whine. Another hand lightly brushed her hair off of her face.

"It's alright…everything's going to be alright…I'm not going to leave you…"

Marlene finally relaxed and slept peacefully. Cloud let go of his sister's hand and stared at her for a moment. Quietly, he walked out of the room, through the small living area, and into the hall.

Reno briefly walked past him as they went in the opposite directions. Cloud acknowledged his presence and continued onward. Reno kept walking for a few minutes and stopped for a moment. He tried to listen for Cloud's footsteps, but he heard none.

"Creepy…" Reno thought.

"You just had to try it didn't you?" Cloud asked. "As soon as I leave, you go and drink yourself senseless…I told you that you could get drunk fast!"

Tifa rolled on the floor of his living area, in a drunken laughing fit. Cloud sighed and helped her get on her feet.

"Then again it's my fault," Cloud corrected. "I should have known better than to give some to you."

"It was soooo tasty!" Tifa squealed. "I want more! MORE!"

Cloud gave her good shake but in vain. Tifa began to giggle like an elementary student.

"You've had quite enough," Cloud answered. "You're going to bed now."

"NO!"

Tifa shoved him away and ran into another room, giggling. Cloud followed in dismay. He found Tifa rummaging through his things.

"And what have you found?" Cloud asked.

Tifa cooed and found a rug that was formerly the fur of a panda bear. The fur of the head was still intact and in its original shape.

"I didn't know you had a pet," Tifa said with glee. "What's her name?"

"It's whatever you want it to be," Cloud answered.

Tifa walked out the room, Cloud still following her, and stood up on the couch.

"Her name is Cassandra," Tifa declared.

Tifa flung the panda on her like a cape.

"Don't stand on the furniture, Tifa."

Tifa got on the bed and stood on it, with 'Cassandra' wrapped around her. She stared at Cloud in haughtiness.

"Cassandra likes it here," she said.

Tifa hopped off of the couch, flung 'Cassandra' on the floor, and lay down on it. She began to cuddle with the flattened panda bear. Cloud sat down on the bed beside her.

"Where did you meet Cassandra?" Tifa asked in a high voice.

"In China…it was a gift from the government…I helped stop an opium trade that was organized by the Triads."

"That was really nice of them!" Tifa said. "You must be really nice too."

"Nice is one thing," Cloud retorted. "Over-generosity is another."

Tifa untangled herself from the panda and lay down on it from her side.

"You know something?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"You are a liar and a scoundrel, CLOUD-SENSEI!"

Cloud decided at this moment to play along with her antics.

"And why is that?"

"I know what you've done to me," Tifa said slyly. "You wanted me to get drunk…then at the end of the night…tally-ho! No more virgin…"

"I assure you," he answered. "My intentions were honorable."

Tifa laughed again and rolled over. She grabbed the panda's head and whispered loudly to it, just enough for Cloud to hear.

"If he tries anything funny," Tifa said harshly, "You must attack without mercy!"

Tifa rolled back and sat up. She put her hands on her hips.

"You can't do anything now," Tifa teased. "I have a knight."

"I see," Cloud answered.

Tifa struggled to get up and walked to a small desk. A picture frame sat there, showcasing a mother, a father, and a young boy.

"Who's this?" she asked.

"Those were my parents and I when I was seven."

Tifa took the picture from the desk and turned it upside-down. Cloud chuckled and shook his head. Tifa crawled back onto the panda rug and scooted over to Cloud. She put her arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You have your dad's pretty brown eyes!" she shouted.

Tifa tossed the picture onto the panda. Getting up on her knees, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him into her chest. Tifa could hear muffled cries of protest.

"I wish I got be with my real mother and father, Cloud-sensei."

Cloud managed to unbury his face and make eye-contact with Tifa.

"Technically," Cloud answered. "I've never had a real mother and father…I wasn't born…I was created."

Tifa smiled happily. "So in a way, we're the same?"

"Yeah…"

Before Cloud could he escape, he was on his back. Tifa collapsed on top of him and immediately meshed her lips with his. Not knowing what else to do at the moment, he awkwardly kissed back. Suddenly, Tifa rolled over to 'Cassandra' and grabbed her head.

"You lazy animal!" Tifa shouted. "You were supposed to attack him!"

Cloud slowly sat up again, his hand over his mouth and eyes blinking over and over again.

"I did nothing wrong!" Cloud whined.

Tifa quickly crawled over and pushed Cloud back down on his back. She rested her head on his chest and finally relaxed.

"No one wants to protect me," Tifa said sadly.

"That's not true," Cloud replied. "I do…besides…it's just been a very hard month…and you've had too much to drink."

"But the brandy was so good!"

Cloud brushed her bangs until they were neat again.

"Which is why I shouldn't have given it to you in the first place…I hope you will forgive me for that."

"That's okay," Tifa said cheerfully. "I forgive you."

The druken storm was officially over.

"Are you willing to go to bed now?"

Tifa nodded sleepily. Cloud got up and Tifa scooted off. He picked her up in his arms and carried her out of his bedroom.

"That's it, Miss Lockhart," Cloud whispered. "Sleep off the booze."

Surprisingly, Tifa did not wake up with a headache the next morning. Sleepily, she dragged herself out of bed and stretched. Tifa looked at herself and noticed that she had normal clothes on.

"Why am I still dressed?"

Tifa sat back on her bed and tried to remember what happened on the previous night.

"I remember Cloud giving me that super strong brandy but everything else is sketchy."

Tifa rubbed her head and thought harder.

"Wait a second," she said. "I remember finding a stuffed panda rug somewhere or other…and I recall a bed…and falling on someone…"

Tifa clasped her hands over her mouth and gasped. In a few seconds, Tifa was running through the halls like a madwoman.

"Cloud?!" Tifa screamed. "Where are you? Cloud!"

Tifa bumped into a maid and stopped.

"Miss?"

"Where is Mr. Strife?!" Tifa screamed.

Tifa grabbed the maid by the shoulders and shook her frantically. The maid was startled but not afraid.

"I believe he went back to room, miss. Is there something the matt…?"

Tifa was already running away in the opposite direction toward the master suite. She burst through the doors and searched left and right. No Cloud in sight.

Tifa took a deep breathe and calmed herself down.

"Relax, Tifa," she said. "You're overreacting…nothing probably happened…you're just coming to conclusions."

No one was in the living area. No one…except for the panda rug that lay comfortably over the couch. Tifa definitely remembered that.

"Hello? Cloud? Are you here?"

No answer. Tifa continued searching and found a door to the bedroom.

"Cloud?"

The bedroom was empty. A set of clothing was laid out neatly over the bed, which was already made up.

"For an eccentric guy," Tifa stated. "He sure is tidy. Or is that what eccentric people do?"

Tifa noticed the framed picture on the nightstand. Curiously, she walked over and picked it up.

It was a strangely simple picture; the father was embracing his wife and son on a picnic. For a moment, Tifa flashed back to her memoirs and dreams. This time…she did not shake her head.

"Where are your mum and dad?"

The creaking of a door sounded and Tifa turned around in fright. A bathroom opened halfway, and a relieved sigh was heard. Out of the door, Cloud came through, stark naked, drying his face with a towel. Tifa stared wide-eyed and paralyzed. Cloud took the towel off of his face and saw Tifa.

"Why are you in my bloody bedroom?" he asked calmly.

Cloud quickly wrapped the towel around his waist. The corner of Tifa's mouth twitched. Her brain rebooted, and she gasped. She rushed out of the room without a word.

"You really shouldn't go into people's bedrooms," Cloud said. "It's breach of privacy, you know."

Tifa stared at him strangely. This was an uneasy walk down the hall…with the very man she had just seen without his clothes on.

"Last night," Tifa said.

"Huh?"

Tifa took the second deep breathe of the day.

"Last night," she repeated. "Did anything happen?"

"Not really," Cloud replied.

"What do you mean 'not really'?"

Cloud shrugged his shoulders.

"You did knock me down and kiss me," Cloud replied, "but nothing 'happened'."

Tifa covered her face in shame and horror. A groan escaped from her lips.

"I'm so sorry," Tifa whispered.

"Forget it…you were intoxicated…I shouldn't have gotten the brandy in the first place…"

"But you also told me to be careful."

Cloud stopped walking and rubbed his head in mock-thought. Tifa kept walking for a moment and looked over her shoulder. She strolled back.

"Maybe you're right," he said. "Maybe it was your entire fault."

Tifa put her hands on her hips and scowled angrily.

"Feel free to disagree with me when you want!" she shouted. "Sometimes you have some nerve!"

"I've already told you, Miss Lockhart," Cloud replied. "I'm a radical philosopher."

"Don't give me that 'radical philosopher' crap! You're just plain obnoxious…and why are you calling me 'Miss Lockhart' again?"

"Because I feel like it."

I disappointed someone today, didn't I?