"You know, that wasn't really my fault. You scared me!"
"So you threw your friggin' sausage up into the air?"
"Guys," said Marlene calmly, "If you keep fighting we won't get the house clean before they get here."
Barret laughed. "Can't argue with you when you're right. Yuffie, why don't you go back to your mopping and leave us be?"
Yuffie stuck her tongue out and stomped off to the living room where she had left her mop and bucket.
"That woman!" Barret growled.
"She likes you, daddy."
"What you talkin' 'bout girl?" He lowered her back down to the floor.
"You like her too." She said with a smile.
"Look, why don't you get to cleanin' the table and I'll get this stove."
Marlene nodded and did as she was told. The bad feeling she had wouldn't go away, no matter how much she tried to shake it. It was an old, familiar feeling. It had stayed with her throughout much of the fight with Shinra, but had ended just after Shinra Headquarters fell. Shinra was gone, so what was the connection to it'd destruction and now? Midgar was being rebuilt, but it had been being rebuilt for the past three years. She took a deep breath and focused on the cool mahogany surface of the table.
"We're here!" Tifa called as she knocked vigorously. Barret rushed towards the door.
"Daddy, your apron!"
The big man struggled to release himself from the clutches of his apron, but ended up ripping it off instead and throwing it aside.
"Ohhh! You ruined it!" cried Yuffie.
"Shaddup!" Barret skidded to a stop at the door and steadied himself. He opened the door as gracefully as his bulky arm could manage.
"Hiya, Barret!" Tifa jumped up and gave him a huge hug before skipping merrily down the main hall into the living room. Cloud, Red and Reeve followed her, each exchanging hellos with Barret, and then with Yuffie.
"Cid's out in the Highwind with telling the crew what to do before they find their hotels," Tifa explained. As she spoke, she turned and saw Marlene sitting quietly on the couch. "Oh! Is that little Marlene? You've gotten so big. You'll be all grown up before you know it!" The red-eyed woman sat with a thump at Marlene's side. Red came over to the girl and sniffed her, then purred loudly as she scratched behind his ears.
"How's life been treating that spiky-haired head of yours, Cloud?"
"Not bad," Cloud said, with a twitch of his lip that was his version of a smile.
Barret looked toward Tifa, "You two married yet?"
Tifa blushed and smiled, letting Cloud answer. "Engaged for this spring."
"I better as hell be invited," said Barret.
"Of course you are!" said Tifa.
Red pulled gingerly away from Marlene's hand and laid down at her feet. "North Coral is looking very nice. It's amazing what you have all done to the place in the last few years."
"Oh, we're pretty proud of it..."
Marlene tuned out the conversation, knowing her father would be talking for quite a while on the subject that Red had brought up. Her bad feeling had been getting progressively worse. Something was drawing her, but repelling her at the same time. Something nearby. Something just outside of their front door. She stood up from the couch suddenly, nearly tripping over Red. Everyone stopped talking and looked at her.
"Um, daddy? Can I go out and play for a while? I want to go see the Highwind." The words came out of her mouth before she realized that she was going to say them.
"I'm sure Cid'll give you a hard time, but go ahead. I don't see why not."
"Thank you daddy!" She gave her father a tight hug and left quickly.
When she opened the door, the intensity of the feeling nearly knocked her off of her feet. She grasped her pendant tight before stepping outside and closing the door behind her. The Highwind was in sight, just outside of the town of North Coral. A group of spectators had formed and were gawking at it. Most of them had seen it before, but that was before it was such a legend. The pushed through the crowd and ran up the stairs that led into the ship. She ran blindly through it, all the way to the bridge.
Cid's jaw dropped, causing his cigarette to fall to the floor. One of the crew members in the small group that he was having a meeting with giggled until Cid's glare put a stop to it.
"What in the hell do you think you're doing in here, kid?"
"M-my daddy said I could."
"I don't give a flying fuck what your daddy said. I don't even know your damn daddy."
"Yes you do," she said calmly, "I'm Marlene Wallace."
The scruffy pilot's eyes widened with recognition. "Marlene! Hell, girl, I didn't recognize ya! Get over here."
She came towards him, walking a slowly. The bad feeling was more than just a feeling now, it was a knowledge. But of what, she didn't know. When she reached him, Cid stood up and sat her down on his chair.
"You just stay here, I gotta finish up with these losers. All right, let's see. Dana, you sweep up the chocobo barn, I don't want that place to stink when everyone--"
He went on with his meeting, giving everyone their different responsibilities. Marlene looked around at them. A few scruffy teenagers and a equally scruffy man, three particularly large men, a young, but tough looking, woman and... another. He caught her attention when she looked at him and didn't let it go. His blond hair hung messily around his narrow jaw. Large goggles covered the rest of his face, but he seemed familiar somehow. He seemed to notice her staring at him and he turned to face her. She wanted to look away, to act as though she hadn't been staring at him, but she couldn't. He smiled slightly and lowered his goggles. His eyes glowed a fierce blue. But there was something else, something behind them. She saw it for a moment, and then it was gone.
Her scream echoed through the Highwind. And then, there was darkness.
