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Hired Help

Chapter 4: Hard Day's Night

Closing the door to her condo behind her, Tifa threw her jacket on the couch and headed straight to the shower. Undressing, her thoughts returned to the burning question that had erupted in her mind after the day's big incident.

' What if purchasing the bar was a bad idea? What if Cloud was right? Maybe I should just relax for a while. No. I need some excitement. Hell, I'm only 21, I've still got my whole life ahead of me.'

With that, she turned the shower on and stepped in. The shock of the streams of water felt good on her tired, over-worked body.

Unfortunately, not enough shock to disrupt her pessimistic thought about her life.

'So Tifa, what are you gonna do till then? You won't be old for another, oh 40 years or so. Where do I go from here? I want to keep the bar but, I just.........need some help. I could ask Barret...he always took care of troublemakers back at Seventh Heaven....but, no, Barret's still in North Corel with Marlene. I don't want to bother them. I refuse to ask Cloud. It's usually bad for business when a customer gets his head lopped off by a big honkin' sword just cause he got drunk and hit on the owner. Not to mention that working with Cloud could .....distract me......Cloud......NO! No thinking about Cloud allowed. Bad Tifa! I've gotta get this figured out. God, I hate asking for help. It makes me feel like some feeble-minded damsel in distress. I guess I could just put an ad in the paper. I'll probably end up with a buncha pedifiles on steroids, but it's worth a try.

Her outlook brightened, Tifa turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around her hair. After dying off, she slipped on her red silk pajamas. A quick visit with her hair dryer, the turning off of the lights, and she pulled up her red velvet covers to her neck after she lie down. Gazing at the stars, she was glad she'd had the 6x6 ft skylight installed above her bed. Closing her eyes, she finally began to drift off.

Night. Gold Saucer. Just her and Cloud, on the gondola ride. Looking her in the eyes, Cloud took her hands into his.

"I've got something I want to tell you.........Tifa, I bring you." Cloud said softly.

Tifa's eyes widened. "What?"

"I bring you Tifa."

"What?!"

BRRRRRRIIIIIIIINNGGGG

Bolting upright, Tifa realized where she was. At home. In bed. Dreaming of Cloud. Again.

BRRRRRIIIIIIINNGGGG

Picking up the receiver, she sleepily asked, "Hello?"

"........Tifa...."

"...Yes...?" She thought she heard snickering in the background.

"What are you wearing?"

"Excuse me?!"

"Uh, you lonely tonight?"

"Who the Hell is this?!"

"Ohhh....keep talking dirty baby, you're makin' me hot." The voice sounded muffled, as if the mouth was covered by something.

Someone laughed aloud on the other end. Speaker phone.

"So......you wanna shag?" Someone chuckled.

"Look Reno, I'm getting sick of this. Next time you do this crap, I'm beating the living Hell outta you!"

"Wha-" She hung up the phone.

Laying back down, Tifa Lockhart finally drifted off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Authors Notes: It's 1:15 in the damn morning. I'm goin' ta bed.