50 Chapters, I can barely believe it. I have been enjoying writing these new chapters and going through old chapters to try to bring together everything as cohesively as I can. A bit more action this chapter and once again I hope it's easy to follow and keeps your interest. Thank you for continuing to come back and read chapter after chapter. It means so much to me.

I want to say a quick thank you to animefreak9058 for putting this story on follows and favorites lists, that is very kind of you. As always if you can take a few moments to review and give feedback I would very much appreciate it. Thanks again to every one of you for your support.

Disclaimer: Square Enix owns it, I just get to have fun with it.


"UGH!"

Tifa was slammed to the ground, taking a hit for Barret as he healed by jumping in front of the dragon on the right's tail as it slapped her right in the stomach. She felt the combination of stones and gravel scratching all over her skin. Not the smartest move she had ever done, but it had just been instinctive, Barret had indured a lot of the physical attacks from both dragons while Tifa attacked with magic. Her gloves did decent damage but the scales on these dark dragons did make her punches less effective. But then she saw that Barret began to stagger and needed to heal and with needing to give her magic time to replenish she had put herself between the dragons and Barret.

Unfortunately that had put her in a terribly dangerous position. While on the ground she felt a claw go across her back and she screamed out in pain. She couldn't see but she guessed that both dragons had turned their attention to her. They both were so massive, she would have sworn to anyone that the species had gained in size and strength since the last time she saw this type of dragon in the Northern Crater years ago.

She could feel her eyes going out of focus and she could hear Barret yell her name, but he sounded as if he were miles away. The double attack had put her body into shock and she was about to pass out...this is going well, she thought...then as the darkness hit her she felt a hand on her back...

"Tifa, you are going to be okay...I'm right here with you."

The hand brought warmth to her back...so warm, so soothing. Was she in a hospital? Was it a warm washcloth? Then her body started to tingle. Oh I'm dead, I must be entering the lifestream she thought. As for how she felt about dying, she wasn't sad per say but she was worried about her friends, would they be able to take out all the dragons, and where was Cloud? Was he going to be alright? And Reno...there was so much more she wanted to say to him...so much more she wanted to experience with him...did he find Rude? Was Rude alive?

"Tifa Lockhart, even close to death you are thinking of others. I wish you could see how special you are. But we will have to have that conversation another time. Now get up!"

"Tifa! OMG! TIFA!" Barret was beside himself with panic, he had managed to paralyze both of the dragons temporarily and was shaking Tifa hard.

"I'm all right stop shaking me or you'll end up giving me whiplash."

"I..."

Barret hugged her so tight, she could feel him shaking...she must have scared him pretty good.

"Don't you EVER scare me like that again!"

Tifa hugged him back, "Yes sir, she joked. But he was still rattled so she tried assuring him.

"I'm okay Barret...really."

"I don't understand, they surrounded and attacked you. I saw you collapse...the claw marks..." He said breathlessly.

Barret had let go of Tifa and that's when she realized she wasn't in any pain..she touched her stomach and there was no pain...not even tenderness. Barret looked at her back..no marks.

Then he smiled and at that same moment tears began to brim threatening to spill over out of her ruby eyes as Tifa realized what had happened as well.

Aerith...

The roars behind them shook them out of the moment, the dragons were coming out of paralysis and not happy.

"Excuse me assholes can't you see we were having a moment?" Barret bellowed.

"Man I am so going to enjoy kicking your ugly scaly asses all the way back to the Northern Crater!"

Tifa smirked and re-adjusted her gloves.

"Oh Barret I just love when you get all poetic."

Barret just takes a moment to flick her off before they both start a barrage of attacks including grenade bomb and meteodrive limit breaks. After some time has past it seems as if the dragons were weakening...but the problem was that Barret and Tifa's supplies were almost out. Plus close to death dragons means that they would unleash Ultima...together.

"So you think we are gonna be able to get two miracles in one fight?" Barret asks between gasps.

A moment after he said that both he and Tifa hear what sounds like a motorcycle coming up the mountain.

"Well well, it looks like someone finally decided to show up for the party." Barret exclaims.

Within moments they turn to see Cloud Strife jumping off his bike and landing in between them.

"Well it's about damn time." Tifa stated.

"Sorry I'm late...so, dragons?" Cloud asked.

"Dragons." Barret and Tifa said in unison.

"Perfect." Cloud smirked.

Cloud begins to do several sword attacks while Tifa gears up for her Final Heaven limit break. Once she is ready, Cloud gives her a boost and Barret tosses her so she lands in between the two dragons and releases her limit break. This finishes one of them ad the other is just barely holding on. Cloud breaks into a devious grin and releases his Finishing Touch limit break which finishes off the other one.

Tifa then turned to Cloud.

"Not that I am not grateful for your timing, but how did you find us?"

"Yuffie and Reeve. They were putting Godo in a security vehicle when I rode up. They were about to go help Cid, Nanaki, and Vincent so they asked if I could try to find you two. Luckily your trail was easy to spot."

"So what now?" Barret asked.

"I need Cloud to head with me to Jenova Hope's Headquarters." Tifa without hesitation.

"I was afraid you were gonna say that, stay out of it Tifa..it's a Turk operation."

"It is NOT just a Turk operation!" Tifa said with vitriol in her voice.

"The Turks have had adequate time to rescue Rude with all this we have dealt with. But Iotola...what he wants to do..."

Tifa's voice cracked, even now she had a hard time even speaking of the possible horrors that could be in store. Cloud stayed silent but she could see the anger rising in him.

"Plus Reno..."

Again her voice cracked. She had been so focused on the dragons and surviving that it was just now occurring to her that she had no idea if Reno was okay..or if he may have already killed Iotola.

"We may be able to get to him before he kills Iotola...I want answers for myself".

"Me too." Cloud said quietly.

"Anyway, like I said, this is not just a Turk operation." Tifa's voice was still unsteady and so she decided that was enough talking and it was time to go. She headed toward Cloud's motorcycle.

"Wait, Tifa, you and I still need to have a serious conversation about-" Barret paused looking at Cloud.

"I mean you and I still need to come to some kind of understanding...from the arguments we keep having over...certain subjects."

Tifa couldn't get over it, as mad as Barret was at her over Reno, he apparently did not want her to have to take on Cloud and him at the same time. Plus he knew Cloud was probably just barely keeping it together since they were about to try to get a hold of Iotola. He was an amazing man and too precious to her to lose over the situation with Reno. Somehow they would have to find a way to come to a compromise...or as Barret had just put it, an understanding.

"I hear your Barret, and we will have that conversation, I promise when this Iotola mess is handled, we will talk." Tifa put out her hand and Barret grabbed it and held it tight.

"Okay Tifa, you two be careful."

As Cloud and Tifa started to drive away, Barret realized where that left him.

"Aww shit I am gonna have to walk all the way back down aren't I?"

Cloud chuckled. "The man will fight against dragons for as long as it takes, but then bitch about having to take the scenic route back down the mountain."

"Says the dick who came in at the end after his friends carried most of the load."

"Work smarter not harder." Cloud said casually.

"Oh just get the hell up out of here before I beat your spiky haired ass!"