Tifa smiled as she arranged the flowers on Elmyra's dining room table, happy to be seeing her friends again. She began humming to herself, finishing the flowers and moving on to set up the lace placemats. Since Meteor, AVALANCHE had disbanded and went back to their homes to lead their separate lives. Some still kept in touch through the PHS and through letters, but it was never the same. After spending day in and day out with a group of people, talking and sharing their innermost thoughts, an occasional email was not enough. Tifa missed Barret and Cid for their constant wise cracks and Red and Vincent for their wisdom, and Yuffie and Cait Sith for being there when you needed them the most. She missed them all and could hardly wait to see them all again and to tell them the good news at the first, of what was to be the annual AVALANCHE reunions.
Cloud paced back and forth in front of the door anxious to get this over with. He had never been good at waiting and since Sephiroth's hold over him had broken, he had returned to his old impulsive, impatient self. He, like Tifa, had not seen his old comrades since right after Meteor and arranged this get together for that purpose. Cloud and Tifa were the only members to see each other on a semi-daily basis in and around the town of Mideel as they helped rebuild. They had many memories in that town and decided to stay there. They were alone in the new world and needed each other. The childhood friends could not leave one another and just yesterday Cloud told Tifa just that…........
"Tifa, I would not be here without you. You are my world." He got down on one knee in front of a beet red Tifa and took her hand. " When I promised you that I would come in your time of need back in Nibleheim, I never imagined where we would be today. I never knew that my blind ambition and stupidity would almost destroy the world."

"No, Cloud. Don't blame yourself," Tifa interrupted.

"Please, let me finish. When I agreed to come along with AVALANCHE after the Sector One reactor bombing, I thought that I was coming to save you. When I met Aeris, I devoted myself to keeping her safe and when she died, I swore my revenge on Sephiroth. Throughout our journey, I kept telling myself that I was doing this because of revenge for Aeris, my mother, the townspeople of Nibelheim, Zack, and the innocent people he killed along the way. And then I was told that I was there because he was controlling me. After the Northern Crater, I was so confused. I tried to sort things out but after all of the lies I told myself, I couldn't, but you sorted through the mess I created. I never imagined how in my zeal for perfection, I could almost lose everything that was truly important to me. When I did not even know who I was you knew and believed in me. Tifa, you didn't need me…..I needed you. You saved me and now I can't live without you, so would you please be my wife? I need to be made whole again." He slipped the ring on her trembling finger. "Tifa Lockheart, I love you."

…Cloud's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Well," he said scratching his head, reaching for the knob. "Here goes nothing."
The phone rang grabbing Elmyra's attention away from the soup on the stove. She answered it. "Hello." The deep voice on the other end began to chatter loudly. Her face fell and her eyes went wide. She put her hand over the receiver and yelled into the dinning room, "Cloud, phone!"

He entered the room with a puzzled expression. "Is it Reeve?"

Elmyra nodded. "It sounds bad." She handed him the phone.

"Hello, Reeve. How's it been?" Cloud asked, cheerfully. He already knew the answer.

"Not good. We have an emergency."
"Ok people," Cloud said, reentering the dinning room.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Barret asked.

"It was Reeve. He said that he was sorry that he couldn't make it but something's going on in Midgar."

"What, Cloud?" Tifa said, rushing up to him. "You seem worried."

"There is a Mako Reactor still in operation near the Northern Crater and-"

"So…its just one reactor," Yuffie interjected.

"Let's blow the damn thing up," exclaimed Barret, slamming his fist down on the table.

Cloud shook his head. "Easier said than done."

"Why?"

"Because Reeve sent in another team and they were not successful."

"So, I would assume that they were killed?" Vincent asked.

"Well if it isn't our resident vampire…."Cid laughed as he lit a fresh cigarette.

Vincent slashed at Cid's face with his claw.

Cid jumped out of the way taunting him. "Ha. Missed."

"Did I?" Vincent said with a smile.

The cigarette fell in two. "What the--"

"I abhor being called a vampire," Vincent retorted.

"Cut it out, you two. We have a situation on our hands," Cloud stated.

"What troubles you, Cloud?" Red asked.

"As I was saying, there is still another Mako reactor functioning…."

Barret was losing his patience. "And as I said, just blow the damn thing up!"

"Let Cloud finish, Barret," Tifa said coolly.

"Thank you, Dear. Remember that other team, well they have not made contact back with Midgar in over forty-eight hours. And we don't know for sure but a friend of mine named Guill Parker was the leader of the first mission. I doubt if he's dead. He's a very resourceful person."

"So there might be survivors?"

"If there are, they would probably be in such bad shape that we might not be able to get them back to a hospital, in time. I mean, if they have not made contact in over two days…" His voice trailed off.

"So after we blow up the damn thing, we gotta save some po-ass, Shin-Ra?" Barret roared.

"Yes, we may-"

"Fuck that! I ain't savin' no damn Shin-Ra!"

"It is a possibility that we may have to keep in mind but please don't over react," Red said trying to calm the large man down.

"I don't care if it is just a fuckin' possibility. I ain't gonna forgive them for what they did in Sector Seven. This is supposed to be an AVALANCHE reunion right? Then where'n the hell is Biggs, Wedge, or Jessie, huh? Like I said I ain't carrying not one damn Shin-Ra out of-"

Tifa slammed her fists on the table and everyone's attention was turned to her as she sat there glaring at Barret. She began to speak but Cloud cut her off.

"I think that you have made your point, Barret."

"Where's Cait Sith?" Yuffie asked relieving the tension.

"That's another problem. He won't be coming with us so we need to find a replacement."

"Ok," Yuffie exclaimed enthusiastically. "I know the perfect guy!"

"Um…that will be alright. We can find someone on our own, Yuf." But before Tifa could finish she was out of the door.

Cloud put his head in his hands. "Vincent would you please take care of finding someone. No offense, you guys, but I think that I could do without another person like Yuffie."

And for once, all of AVALANCHE agreed.