Cloud drove his car down Neibolt Street, without paying much attention to his surroundings. However, this quickly changed when a woman came running out of an apartment building and, without looking left or right, ran across the street. Cloud yelped in shock and hit the brake pedal hard, but it was raining, the streets were wet, and the car didn't stop as fast as it was supposed to. The woman got thrown over the cowl and landed on the street, where she laid motionless.

"Dear God!" Cloud screamed while he pushed the car door open and jumped out of it.

"Are you crazy? Did someone shit into…" His hollering at the woman stopped when Cloud realized who laid there.

"Tifa?!" he called out surprised. There was no response. "Oh God, I killed her!" Cloud thought to himself while he knelt down next to the brunette.

"Tifa, can you hear me?" Just then, Cloud saw that Tifas shoulders were shaking. She was crying.

"Hey." The inspector spoke softly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you hurt?" At last, Tifa looked up at him, her tears mixing with the rain water. She shook her head no, but didn't say anything. Cloud helped her getting to her feet and offered:

"Let's get you into my car, before you end up all wet." Tifa just nodded, and Cloud led her over to his car. He opened the passengers door for her and helped her get in before he jumped in himself and drove off. While he rode his car home, he kept shooting worried glances at Tifa, who was leaning against the door, crying. The teacher of Police Academy had told Cloud that nothing on earth could defeat Tifa, and if she was so miserable now, something really bad must've happened.

"If that Johnny guy did something to her, I'll kill him." Cloud swore to himself. Finally, they reached his house. Cloud parked the car and gently spoke to Tifa:

"We're here. At my place. Want to come in with me?" Tifa just nodded and got out of the car. Her hair and clothes were dripping wet, and Cloud had to force himself to keep his eyes away from the curves that were visible through the wet shirt the brunette wore. The inspector quickly unlocked the door and held it open for Tifa, who walked into the house with her head down. Cloud led her into the living room and advised her to take a seat on the couch while he would make some coffee. The brunette just sat there, wetting the expensive leather and stared at the floor, still crying. Finally, Cloud returned with a cup of hot, steaming coffee, sat down next to Tifa and asked:

"What happened?"

"Johnny, he…" Tifa started, then stopped as a heavy sob shook her body. "I came home, and he…he was in bed with my best friend…"

"What?" Cloud asked, shocked. "Oh, Tifa, I'm so sorry…" Tifa looked up at him, surprise in her eyes. She just realized that Cloud had been calling her Tifa instead of Lockheart since he almost overran her with his car. That fact encouraged her to make a request that took Cloud completely off-guard:

"Could…could I stay here tonight, Sir?" Cloud just stared at her, wide-eyed, and she quickly spoke on:

"I don't want to go home now…"

"Umm…yeah, if you want to, you can sleep here." Cloud finally said "You can have the bed, I'll take the couch." Tifa gave her boss a thankful look.

"Thanks, Sir." She softly said. Cloud's next words took her completely off-guard:

"Please, call me Cloud. Tifa."

The next morning, a lot of gossip started when some police officers saw Cloud and Tifa arrive together in Cloud's car.

"Think they have something going on?" Scott asked Logan during the morning coffee break. Logan shrugged.

"I dunno. She calls him Cloud, and no one was allowed to do that before…not even William, although he's working for him since five years."

"What are you gossiping about?" a familiar, female voice suddenly came, causing both Scott and Logan to flinch. They turned around only to see Tifa standing behind them, smiling sweetly.

"Nothing!" Scott quickly exclaimed while he grabbed Logan's arm.

"We have to go now, there's work waiting for us." Logan lied, and they quickly left. Tifa remained next to the coffee machine, chuckling, the pain Johnny had inflicted to her forgotten. At least for a moment.