Epilogue
"In other news, the infamous gang Shinra was apprehended today, thanks to the work of police officer Cid Highwind and his officers. The notorious leaders of the gang, Cloud and Rufus Shinra are currently behind bars awaiting trial. The gang is charged for various crimes from theft to murder. I'm sure everyone will sleep better tonight. Now to the weather, Scott?"
The T.V. clicked off while Cid, holding the remote, puffed contentedly on a cigarette. Shera sat behind him, looking quite relieved and if a bit happy, snuggled next to her husband.
"Well, the least they could have done was interview me." Reno said with a slight snort, settled in a loveseat next to the couple, shaking his head while he upturned his face to Sephiroth, whose mouth was in a grim line. Sephiroth had been a little reluctant to say the least when Cid, or more likely Shera, had opened their home up to the Gainsboroughs, who had no where else to stay, since Aeris had admitted quietly that their parents had been murdered by Shinra. They had also threatened to kill her if she told Sephiroth about his family, which had been their only hold over him.
It was a bit odd to think that Shera would forgive Sephiroth so easily, but knowing Shera, she probably had an alternate motive. Like making him do household chores alongside his sister.
"I was never one for publicity anyway." Tifa said from beside Shera, who gave her newfound friend a veiled concerned look. Tifa had only been released from the hospital a day ago, and despite the doctor said, she still had a flash of pain shoot through her body every now and then.
"I would second that." Vincent said from his place leaning against the wall, his eyes flickering over the scene, Sephiroth not too far beside him, with Aeris at his feet, her long lashes fluttering over her green orbs as she tried to keep awake.
"You people are no fun! Where's the excitement, the adventure?" Reno complained, while Aeris only shook her head, half to wake herself and half to give Reno a slight look.
"I've had about enough adventure for a lifetime. Mrs. Shera do you need help making dinner?" Aeris asked politely, while Shera sighed, but nodded her head. She had tried in vain to get Aeris to stop calling her 'Mrs. Shera' claiming it made her feel old. Both women got up, Tifa following reluctantly, feeling like the odd one out.
"Just set the table. Everything else should be done by now." Shera stated, handing Tifa a stack of plates while she gave Shera an uneasy smile. It was strange, that this woman had also offered Tifa to stay with them, though Vincent had said calmly that she could stay with him. Even though Reno had hooted and hollered over it, Tifa had accepted. She had claimed that she couldn't impose with two people already staying with them.
"Okay." Tifa said, balancing the plates on one hand, walking over to the fairly big sized wooden dinning table, Aeris placing down the silverware, arranging them delicately like she had been taught to do when she was with Shinra. Old habits die hard.
"Hey Tifa." Tifa blinked, looking up, only to see Reno, giving her a serious look. Aeris had disappeared somewhere into the kitchen, though she had no doubt that her friend would probably be listening.
"Yes Reno?" Tifa said, setting down another plate, while Reno shifted restlessly from one foot to the next, his face furrowed into a look she had never seen him give before.
"Look, I think it's nice to see Vampy not moody anymore, but if something happens to you, it'll break him. So what I'm trying to say I guess is be careful, okay? For both your sakes." Reno ended it with a sloppy grin, as if to cover up his seriousness with his mask again. Tifa just stared at him in shock, not sure what to say or how to say it. If she said the wrong thing, Reno might not ever be serious again, and as much as she 'loved' his flirtatious side, Tifa liked hearing her name better instead of 'babe' or some other 'cute' nicknames he had thought for her.
"I can defend myself y'know, but thanks Reno. It's nice to know you care." Tifa said, while Reno just gave her a slight wink and sauntered back into the living room, complaining loudly about being hungry to hide the moment of seriousness, as if it had never happened. Tifa just let a small smile touch her face, shaking her head slightly. That was Reno for you.
"So what did Mr. Reno want?" Aeris asked, the wheels in her matchmaking head already whirling a devious plan to set both of them up, though Tifa shook her head, breaking Aeris's constructed daydream.
"He basically said to take care of the both of us." Tifa said distantly, staring after Reno for a moment, before turning back to her task of setting the table, Aeris pouting slightly. So much for her plan to set the two up, though Tifa didn't mourn that much. Her sights were set on someone else.
"Dinner's ready!" Shera's cheerful voice rang out, and like a gong had been sounded, everyone was at the table, Cid and Reno looking particularly happy. Even if they couldn't get along, they were a lot alike, even they would have to admit.
Tifa pulled up a chair, giving Vincent a slight smile, who nodded in return, the exchange not going unnoticed by Aeris, who had salvaged her plan to match make already, scheming about romance.
Dinner was a peaceful event, well, as peaceful as it could be with Reno and Cid's hot tempers flaring, though Shera and Aeris tried their best to calm the two. Sephiroth seemed a tinge uncomfortable, though wore off after he had stomached some of Shera's excellent cooking. It was nice, as if they were all a family, even if they were a tinge dysfunctional, but lovable all the same. A small smile worked its way up on Tifa's face again, as she watched Reno and Cid argue quite heatedly, about who was more annoying. It was strange, she had never had a family before, not really, and it was a bit weird to find one with people who had kidnapped her away from her supposed 'dream life'. But then again, Aeris couldn't be happier, already done with tinkering with her plans of romance, and maybe starting one herself. Tifa amused the thought of Sephiroth playing protective older brother if Aeris started dating, perhaps with Reno.
The grin widened as her and Vincent headed to the door, Reno hanging back to help, though Tifa had a suspicion it had something to do with the green eyed vixen still there, though she didn't voice her thoughts. She slid in the passenger seat next to Vincent, and to his amusement, still buckled her seatbelt and scolded him to do the same. Some things never changed.
"Ready?" He asked softly, and she tilted her head to the side. Ready to leave Cloud and everything behind? Definitely. She gave him a slight nod and smile, and the car screeched off into the night.
~*Author's Notes*~ J I feel the love! Sorry it wasn't all romantic and everything, but I tried to balance out action and romance, and toward the end I really didn't feel like a mushy ending. It just didn't seem right. I loved the last sentence anyway. I really hope you enjoyed this, since Vin/Tifa rules! *grins* Ignore me. Anyway, thank you so much to all of you who read and reviewed this junk and loved it all the same. Read and review please, and thanks again!
"In other news, the infamous gang Shinra was apprehended today, thanks to the work of police officer Cid Highwind and his officers. The notorious leaders of the gang, Cloud and Rufus Shinra are currently behind bars awaiting trial. The gang is charged for various crimes from theft to murder. I'm sure everyone will sleep better tonight. Now to the weather, Scott?"
The T.V. clicked off while Cid, holding the remote, puffed contentedly on a cigarette. Shera sat behind him, looking quite relieved and if a bit happy, snuggled next to her husband.
"Well, the least they could have done was interview me." Reno said with a slight snort, settled in a loveseat next to the couple, shaking his head while he upturned his face to Sephiroth, whose mouth was in a grim line. Sephiroth had been a little reluctant to say the least when Cid, or more likely Shera, had opened their home up to the Gainsboroughs, who had no where else to stay, since Aeris had admitted quietly that their parents had been murdered by Shinra. They had also threatened to kill her if she told Sephiroth about his family, which had been their only hold over him.
It was a bit odd to think that Shera would forgive Sephiroth so easily, but knowing Shera, she probably had an alternate motive. Like making him do household chores alongside his sister.
"I was never one for publicity anyway." Tifa said from beside Shera, who gave her newfound friend a veiled concerned look. Tifa had only been released from the hospital a day ago, and despite the doctor said, she still had a flash of pain shoot through her body every now and then.
"I would second that." Vincent said from his place leaning against the wall, his eyes flickering over the scene, Sephiroth not too far beside him, with Aeris at his feet, her long lashes fluttering over her green orbs as she tried to keep awake.
"You people are no fun! Where's the excitement, the adventure?" Reno complained, while Aeris only shook her head, half to wake herself and half to give Reno a slight look.
"I've had about enough adventure for a lifetime. Mrs. Shera do you need help making dinner?" Aeris asked politely, while Shera sighed, but nodded her head. She had tried in vain to get Aeris to stop calling her 'Mrs. Shera' claiming it made her feel old. Both women got up, Tifa following reluctantly, feeling like the odd one out.
"Just set the table. Everything else should be done by now." Shera stated, handing Tifa a stack of plates while she gave Shera an uneasy smile. It was strange, that this woman had also offered Tifa to stay with them, though Vincent had said calmly that she could stay with him. Even though Reno had hooted and hollered over it, Tifa had accepted. She had claimed that she couldn't impose with two people already staying with them.
"Okay." Tifa said, balancing the plates on one hand, walking over to the fairly big sized wooden dinning table, Aeris placing down the silverware, arranging them delicately like she had been taught to do when she was with Shinra. Old habits die hard.
"Hey Tifa." Tifa blinked, looking up, only to see Reno, giving her a serious look. Aeris had disappeared somewhere into the kitchen, though she had no doubt that her friend would probably be listening.
"Yes Reno?" Tifa said, setting down another plate, while Reno shifted restlessly from one foot to the next, his face furrowed into a look she had never seen him give before.
"Look, I think it's nice to see Vampy not moody anymore, but if something happens to you, it'll break him. So what I'm trying to say I guess is be careful, okay? For both your sakes." Reno ended it with a sloppy grin, as if to cover up his seriousness with his mask again. Tifa just stared at him in shock, not sure what to say or how to say it. If she said the wrong thing, Reno might not ever be serious again, and as much as she 'loved' his flirtatious side, Tifa liked hearing her name better instead of 'babe' or some other 'cute' nicknames he had thought for her.
"I can defend myself y'know, but thanks Reno. It's nice to know you care." Tifa said, while Reno just gave her a slight wink and sauntered back into the living room, complaining loudly about being hungry to hide the moment of seriousness, as if it had never happened. Tifa just let a small smile touch her face, shaking her head slightly. That was Reno for you.
"So what did Mr. Reno want?" Aeris asked, the wheels in her matchmaking head already whirling a devious plan to set both of them up, though Tifa shook her head, breaking Aeris's constructed daydream.
"He basically said to take care of the both of us." Tifa said distantly, staring after Reno for a moment, before turning back to her task of setting the table, Aeris pouting slightly. So much for her plan to set the two up, though Tifa didn't mourn that much. Her sights were set on someone else.
"Dinner's ready!" Shera's cheerful voice rang out, and like a gong had been sounded, everyone was at the table, Cid and Reno looking particularly happy. Even if they couldn't get along, they were a lot alike, even they would have to admit.
Tifa pulled up a chair, giving Vincent a slight smile, who nodded in return, the exchange not going unnoticed by Aeris, who had salvaged her plan to match make already, scheming about romance.
Dinner was a peaceful event, well, as peaceful as it could be with Reno and Cid's hot tempers flaring, though Shera and Aeris tried their best to calm the two. Sephiroth seemed a tinge uncomfortable, though wore off after he had stomached some of Shera's excellent cooking. It was nice, as if they were all a family, even if they were a tinge dysfunctional, but lovable all the same. A small smile worked its way up on Tifa's face again, as she watched Reno and Cid argue quite heatedly, about who was more annoying. It was strange, she had never had a family before, not really, and it was a bit weird to find one with people who had kidnapped her away from her supposed 'dream life'. But then again, Aeris couldn't be happier, already done with tinkering with her plans of romance, and maybe starting one herself. Tifa amused the thought of Sephiroth playing protective older brother if Aeris started dating, perhaps with Reno.
The grin widened as her and Vincent headed to the door, Reno hanging back to help, though Tifa had a suspicion it had something to do with the green eyed vixen still there, though she didn't voice her thoughts. She slid in the passenger seat next to Vincent, and to his amusement, still buckled her seatbelt and scolded him to do the same. Some things never changed.
"Ready?" He asked softly, and she tilted her head to the side. Ready to leave Cloud and everything behind? Definitely. She gave him a slight nod and smile, and the car screeched off into the night.
~*Author's Notes*~ J I feel the love! Sorry it wasn't all romantic and everything, but I tried to balance out action and romance, and toward the end I really didn't feel like a mushy ending. It just didn't seem right. I loved the last sentence anyway. I really hope you enjoyed this, since Vin/Tifa rules! *grins* Ignore me. Anyway, thank you so much to all of you who read and reviewed this junk and loved it all the same. Read and review please, and thanks again!