R&R longer note at the end

I floated through the blackness of my mind I wasn't sure if I was dead or just asleep, slowly the darkness began to vanish being replaced with images of events in my life, I was now convinced I was dead. They say before you die your life flashes before your eyes, I watched scenes from my past my childhood, the time I'd spent in the slums, the moment I was in the bar alone with the jukebox really loud dan…let's move on from that shall we, eventually the images slowed landing on a specific moment.

I saw myself going about my usual duties, stock checking, cleaning and then the long trip to order supplies, it was weird seeing myself from this perspective as it I was watching through someone else's eyes is my ponytail really that long? The scene changed again I was now looking down at the bar, I watched my interaction with my regulars as they left.

The scene slowly moved along again as it stopped at the next point my mind seemed to want me to see, the moment I met him, the moment my life changed. I watched as I was hesitant approaching the injured man who had become a big part of my life, sure I had been on guard who wouldn't be?

I didn't know who he was, for all I knew he could have attacked me but seeing him injured like that and then losing consciousness I couldn't just leave him there to die, I'm not that kind of person. I watched myself picking him up dragging him to my home to attempt to treat him, I chuckled I probably shouldn't tell him he was heavy.

XXX

I drifted further on though the images coming to me like some kind of movie of my life, it stopped again this time I was in my room watching this man sleep, I had considered kicking him out when he was fully healed but now that I see it again, I'm glad I didn't it would be like lying to myself if I didn't find him handsome. The scene flew by after I skipped over his story, I remembered everything about it, how he was tortured, experimented on, it wasn't pity I felt for this man it was something else, an emotion that escapes me right now.

The scene stopped as I glared at it, of course mind you had to make me see this moment, a moment I'd rather forget the day I met her. Taking one look at her she seemed like just a normal woman, the way she was dressed flanked by those two people I could tell that her appearance was deceptive. She was out for trouble but sadly I hadn't realised just how out matched I was going to be, to me she was your regular unruly customer the moment she mentioned Vincent however it was as if my instincts took over, I wasn't sure why but I felt like I needed to defend him. Was it the story he had told me?

I watched myself getting beaten by this woman, then it came to me as I smiled paying closer attention to the woman's movements, I'm not sure I'll remember what I see but if I could just work out some kind of trick, a tell, anything that would give me the advantage over this witch. I watched closely seeing nothing her speed and strength were leagues above my own, then I paused the memory as I filtered in some of Vincent's words 'my strength seemed to increase'.

Was that it? Was this woman also enhanced the same way? If so how could I possibly beat that? I let the scene play out remembering the pain I felt from being thrown from my own bar, then the scene changed I was in the medical centre I turned to see Vincent coming in, I had been weak unable to truly see what his facial expressions where telling me.

Now that I saw it clearly I saw the concern etched over those handsome features, he had apologised to me like it was somehow his fault almost like he was regretting meeting me. I watched as he explained his plan of leaving to me, I watched myself lean over taking his hand I remember the warm feeling as if it was yesterday.

I had told him I felt it was because I felt it would be safer for us to stay together, at the time that was true but now well now it felt different, seeing it more clearly reliving these moments I started to realise there was more to it, ok mind let's see what else you have in store for me.

XXX

The scene melted in as I stared at myself looking at the charred remains of the bar, seems I have something else to pay that horrible woman back for, I turned away seeing the caring figure of Vincent next to me, my initial thoughts of this man was he was dangerous but after him visiting me in the medical area they changed.

Seems my mind wishes us to move on so let's do that as the image changed, suddenly it stopped as we reached wall market, I'm feeling like my mind hates me if we have to see that woman again. As if to prove me correct the images slipped into the meeting I had with that blonde bimbo, at least it didn't last long as I saw myself leaving, I smiled as the memory of me breaking the pillar came into view, thanks mind seems you made it up to me.

You know? Let's just quickly watch that again, the scene rewound as I watched once more breaking the pillar, good kick girl. Ok I've had my fun let's move on, the scene dissolved as it was replaced by the image of the two of us sharing a hotel room talking, he's a good listener and understands timing to talk and stay silent.

The scene changed into the time I was at the gym, ah yes the day my anger took over and I broke their equipment…oops. At least they weren't angry at me so that is a plus, the scene quickly snapped to me and Vincent walking the dull grey hallway of the arena of course this would be here, the day everything really kicked into high gear.

XXX

The fight with the Behemoth had been truly intense, a worthy rival you were but just not good enough, I have to admit it was weird to me, I was so use to fighting alone but teaming with Vincent from our first fight all the way to the last felt so natural, we matched our movements, breathing, positioning. It felt like I knew his movements before he made them, then it all changed the Behemoth was beaten but I knew that horrible blonde tramp always had some kind of plan, enter the fray, witch and her two stooges.

I was ready for her this time but as normal fate had other plans, dropping from the ceiling came the smoke bombs of course the most important thing to me was what happened before that. It was kind of a surprise at first but one of those nice surprises, the feeling of a strong protective arm pulling me out of harm's way of course I am not the type of girl who needs protecting but it was nice none the less.

We started running him keeping me close, I couldn't help but smile it was rare for someone who wasn't drunk to care about me we dived into the elevator, at the time I didn't pay much attention to the two with us, who would? It was a free for all and everyone wanted out, it wasn't until we got out that I really focused on the two guys, even now seeing them again I know them but from where?

Perhaps somewhere in my past but let's not search now, we are so close to the end let's push on through, which is exactly what we did when we forced our ways through the crowd following the two men. Wait mind pause, the image stopped as I stared at the image, why did they want use to follow them? OK let's move on, we can circle back to that soon I'm sure, moving on we flashed through the scene of the camp, the strange little girl attacking her colleague, her nickname of me. What was it again?

As if answering my question text appeared along the scene like subtitles in a movie, 'Who are beauty and the beast?' I chuckled as I read it, thank you mind of course it was beauty turning to look at the image of Vincent in my mind I smirked, those yellow eyes he really could be mistaken for a beast, a very handsome one that you can't bring yourself to leave.

XXX

The memories flew by as they stopped, of course the end of the movie that is my life, our fight with the mysterious director. Wait mind go back a few scenes, slowly the memories slipped back as I pinpointed the one I wanted, there play this one. It was our meeting with the director, the meeting that led to the fight, where is it?

Ah there you are, that line he said that his people helped us escape wall market stuck out to me even then. Why did they help us? Was it just coincidence? Was it all planned? Ok let's move on, it's not like I can find out the answers now anyway, I watched as once again I fought against someone who I was outmatched by. Here it comes I say to myself as I watched the final hit, I looked toward Vincent wondering what look was on his face. Was it concern? Would he miss me? I got a look at him as the memory faded to black vanishing, slowly I heard the sounds of beeping, light played at my eyes lids as they fluttered open.

Wait? I looked around the hospital room, the softness of the pillows and mattress pressed against my skin. I'm alive? How? I thought he had killed me for sure, I felt the presence of someone else in the room, a heaviness at my side, turning my head to the left I looked down, a smile on my lips. There laid next to me his untidy black hair, his red cape and black outfit was Vincent, I wondered how long he had been there, perhaps he had never left my side.

Slowly my tired eyelids closed again as I began to drift off to sleep, the last thought I had as the image of Vincent by my side was one that made my heart beat a little faster.

I think I love this man.

So here we have it the chapter that took me a while to plan out properly, the reason it took me a while to put together was the fact I made it point of view for Tifa and honestly I'm very pleased with how it turned out but a few points

1. The reason I included parts from previous chapters was due to how the chapter needed to go, while writing the chapters that were referenced I was focused on moving the story along so doing this meant I could give more context to Tifa's inner feelings

2. I felt like it was truly time for Tifa to admit to herself that she was falling for Vincent which helps me to be able to lead the story into a more natural love confession rather than trying to just force one

3. The reason Tifa believed she was dead was due to the way of the fight she hadn't realised it was the hilt of the blade that had hit her

Anyway now that is out of the way I hope you all enjoyed