After speaking with Hojo I'd made my way up to my quarters and locked the door. I wasn't going to begin my mission until night had fallen. Going after AVALANCHE would be easier then. Easier to slip in and out of bars, unnoticed in the bustle of people.

I felt bad about it,to be sure, but I'd made up my mind. I had to do it. The lives of a few could not compare to the lives of many. I knew that, but that knowledge did nothing to quell the queasiness in my gut.

My quarters were simply decorated and quite small, housing only a bed, an oak wardrobe and bookcase, a desk and a chair. I did have my own en suite though,something I was thankful for. There was absolutely no way I'd join the other SOLDIERS in the communal showers. I'd go dirty and unwashed before I went anywhere near there,thanks.

I sat down at my desk and opened the sole folder I'd left resting there. I flicked idly through the report on Nibelheim,skimming pages I'd read countless times. That incident had always interested me, ever since Hojo had mentioned it to me with a peculiar look in his eye. He'd given me this report just last year, while mumbling destractedly about expanding my knowledge.

I turned the page and paused, my eyes drawn to the picture of Sephiroth staring sullenly out at me. I let my hand fall away,letting the report rest on the table. How had someone so great fallen so quickly from grace? One minute he'd been the star of Shinra, a young General who'd nearly singlehandedly defeated Wutai. He was the most powerful fighter in the world..and then, he destroyed a town and disappeared. Presumed dead by many and spoken about at all by few. I wish I'd had the opportunity to meet him, but he was before my time. His disappearance took place around the same time I'd shown up at Shinra, and I'd been living in his shadow ever since. In Hojo's eyes anyway. Not that that particularly bothered me. Sephiroth was a fascinating man, and he had done great things. I wouldn't begrudge him that. To even be considered half the SOLDIER that he had been, that contented me.

I remember, one night three years ago I'd gotten so curious that I'd broken into Hojo's office in an effort to find out what treatments Hojo had given him. Unfortunately, instead of using a name for the treatments, each one was coded. Needless to say, it hadn't helped me much. But one thing I'd noticed was that I'd gotten basicly the same treatments as he'd had, only he'd had them over a greater period of time. I'd been caught by one of Hojo's assistants before i could discover anything else. Hojo had me beaten within an inch of my life for that little escapade.

I started thumbing through the report again,stopping once more when presented with a picture of Nibelheim burning. The town was in flames, and a tall man with flowing silver hair had just turned awayy. Someone had snapped off that picture, before dying of smoke inhalation. Shinra had found the camera virtually untouched by the flames. I leant in closely, nose almost touching the paper in an effort to uncover everything hidden in the picture. I couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity I associated with that picture and it troubled me. It was more then just having studied it again and again. I recognised the houses, and I recognised Sephiroth. I remembered him. I leant back in my seat,tilting my chair back further and further as I pressed the palms of my hands over my eyes, forcing my mind back to the black curtain shadowing my memories until I felt certain I could push through if only I tried hard enough. It could be swept aside and I'd remember everything that had happened before I came to this place. I struggled with my mind for what seemed like hours until finally I came away gasping, my skin clammy with sweat, with the image of a photograph. A photograph incased with such startling clarity that I remembered it like it had been taken yesterday. A young girl, me before the mako treatment standing between Sephiroth and a black, spikey haired SOLDIER. I let my chair fall forward again,the front legs hitting the ground with a thump. "Za.." "Zack." Zack! That was his name! I felt elated, triumph coarsing through my veins for a split second before reality came crashing down on me. I was at Nibelheim. I was there when Sephiroth... But why?Why was I there? Why couldn't I remember?! I flicked forward to the last page,and read the last paragraph, a feeling of forboding growing on me.

Subjects X,Y, and Z found inside the reactor. X and Y were later moved to the facility in Nibelheim for further study, before returning to headquarters. Subject Z remained at headquarters. For more information see Project JEN04683.

JEN. That tag had been scattered everywhere in mine and Sephiroth's files. Was I subject Z? There was a small chance that it was just plain coincidence, of course, but I didn't think it was likely. The time frame fit perfectly with my arrival at Headquarters, and I couldn't remember ever having journeyed to Nibelheim.

I slammed my hand down on the desk in frustration. Even this new information did nothing to lift the block in my memories, no matter how hard I tried. That was the problem with Retrograde amnesia, you couldn't force yourself to remember. If my memories were to ever come back then they'd come in their own sweet time, I just had to be patient.

Darkness was pressing against the windows, and I was faced with a difficult choice. Carry on with the mission and afterwards make Hojo tell me what was going on, or cut my ties with Shinra and find that SOLDIER and get the information from him. It was more likely that Hojo knew exactly what had happened,but from my brief recollection in the trainstation I'd concluded from the expression on his face that he'd known me, known who I was before all this had happened. It all came down to what I wanted to know more, and my indecision in that regard could very well paralyse me. How could I possibly choose between the knowledge of who I'd been and the knowledge of what Hojo had done to me?

Or.. maybe it wasn't such a difficult choice after all. I mean, why couldn't I do both? If this SOLDIER was a part of AVALANCHE then he wasn't known to Shinra, or else it certainly would have been mentioned. On the off chance that he had joined them Shinra's ignorance to his existance might very well provide me with the chance I needed. Aslong as the other members were dead, who was to say he had any connection to them at all? I was almost certain that the man with the gun arm was connected to AVALANCHE, and if I found him,I'd find the SOLDIER. I could speak to Hojo later, and still complete the mission. I smiled. Who says I couldn't have my cake and eat it too?

I studied myself critically in the mirror before adding a slight touch of lipstick. My hair was unbound and flowed freely down to my hips, adding to the idea that I was just a normal girl,out on the town. yYup,nothing out of the ordinairy here. I wore black knee high boots, a black skirt that fell to just above my knee and a black polo neck. No jacket, it was rarely cold beneath the plate. The plate blocked most winds from ever reaching the citiy's underbelly. Apart from my ever present fighting gloves I looked almost normal. Luckily for me, wering sunglasses, even in the pitch dark,ws in at the moment. That was the one time I ever found myself aknowledging and even thanking the fashion gods.

I left my room and took the elevator to the first floor,tapping my foot impatiently as I decended. Why Shinra felt the need to make such ridiculously large buildings I'll never know.

I was on the train heading below the plate in no time, finding a seat at the very back next to a window,so I could ignore the leering glances from the male occupants of the carriage. With a jolt the train pulled out from the station and I settled back and watched as the train left the starlit opper plate and descended into the mechanical purgatory of the lower plate. As you can probably tell,I don't approve of what Shinra had done in Midgar at all.I despised the blatant segregation of the immensely rich from everyone else. In my view it was absurd what Shinra had done; turning things like seeing the sky and feeling the wind on your face into expensive privileges instead of a basic freedom. Everyone should be able to look out their window and watch trees swaying softly in the breeze, or to step outside and feel the soft glow of the sun warm their skin. But Shinra had succeeded in making a profit out of that too. Frankly, I didn't understand why the people below the plate accepted it so readily. I didn't understand why the majority still supported Shinra, why they didn't realise how surreal and ridiculous the situation really was. Their lack of spirit and drive exasperated me to the point where I was almost sympathetic to AVALANCHE. If they succeeded in snapping the population out of their monotonous stupor and gave them life again then maybe theirs was really a worthy cause. Even if they murdered people in the process. People who were guilty only of trying to make a living. Well,the end justifys the mean,right? I shook my head in disgust. No matter what the improvement the people of the slums might experience if AVALANCHE succeeded, it still didn't change the fact that they were terrorists. The train pulled into sector seven station and I joined the throng of people crowding the exits of the carriage.

I stepped out onto the bustling platform and tried unsuccessfully to avoid being swept up in the tide of the chattering crowd. A couple of failed attempts later, I just let myself be carried along, listening in spite of myself to the snatches of conversation that floated my way.

"I'm almost a half hour late!Jeremy will kill me.." "What are you up to tonight? I hear that the girls are all heading down to Barmondo.." "He can talk all he wants,another day like that and I'm quiting,I don't care what anyone says.."

For a moment I felt a deep resentment towards these people, the very ones I'd been damning because they didn't fight to make things better for themselves. They didn't realise what they had, how precious it was to only be concerned with mundane, everyday details and not have to deal with violence and death on an everyday basis. I longed for what they had, resented them because they didn't realise how lucky they really were.

"I'm heading to Seventh heaven later,you coming? You have got to see the freak Barret turned up with on Wednesday. Doesn't talk to no one,cept Barret and his little girl."

"Sure Barret's an oddball himself, makes sense that he'd start bringing 'em home. Don't see why I should go outta me way to see this one."

"This one's a real strange one,though. Got these freaky blue eyes, like one of them SOLDIERS,ya know?"

I looked up sharply, eyes searching for the speaker. I spotted him almost immediately, a guy in his mid thirties, talking to a man about 10 years his junior wearing the faded uniform of a Shinra construction worker. I pushed my way towards them, ignoring the protestations I left in my wake.

"No way, you're probably just seeing things. Barret would never go near a SOLDIER. Everyone knnows how he feels about Shinra."

"I'm tellin' ya, come by and see for youself."

I drifted off,away from the crowd as the two men walked on,oblivous to my inpromptu eavesdropping. No way. This was just too easy. I shook my head before sauntering up to a young guy,dressed like a wannabe Turk leaning against the wall of a nearby store, his expression vacant as he watched the crowd go by. I needed to get directions to seventh heaven.

The bar was fairly empty when I walked in. A small group of men sat at a table on the corner,glancing up at me briefly before turning back to their beers.

A young man dressed in an odd assortment of mismatched army clothes with a mop of black hair was standing behind the bar,chatting away to a little girl sitting on the counter. I walked up to them and sat down on one of the stools.

"Hiya. Welcome to Seventh Heaven. So,what'll it be?"

I skimmed over the faded drinks list pinned to the wall behind him. "Give me...A black russian."

"No problem, it's coming right up."

As I settled myself back onto my stool to wait I noticed the little girl was staring at me.I smiled. "Hi there."

She considered me for a moment,before turning around to face me. "Hello." She said shyly. "What's your name?"

I hesitated for a second."My name's Tifa,what's yours?"

"I'm Marlene. I'm helping Biggs with the bar." She added proudly.

I bit back a laugh. She was adorable! "That's very nice of you, Marlene. I bet without you Biggs wouldn't know what to do,huh?"

She giggled and shook her head.

"Here you go,lady." Biggs passed me my drink. "That'll be four gil." I pulled out five from where I'd tucked my money into my boot.

"Keep the change." He nodded his thanks to me as I took a sip of my drink.

"Tifa?"

"Yes Marlene?"

"Why do you wear sunglasses? It looks kinda weird!"

I paused, and noticed Biggs trying not to look like he was listening to my every word. "Well I like them."

"Oh.. Well... Ok."

I glanced at Biggs again, and decided to risk it." So Marlene, where's your dad got to?I know Biggs needss your help, but it's kinda late for you to be up,don't you think?"

"Oh he's off with Mr.Cloud talking to the guys in the weapons shop. That's where they go to have grown-up fun. Besides I'm a big girl now,I can stay up late if I want. Daddy says so!"

Biggs started towards me. "Excuse me, Ms-"

He was interupted by the door to the bar banging open and a man bellowing "Ok!Everybody out!Bars closed!Get your asses home now!" I turned around to look as grumbling, the rest of the patrons made their way to the door, past the watchful eye of the man from the trainstation.

"Daddy!Daddy!" Marlene jumped off the counter top and ran over to the man, Barret, I assumed. He swept her up in his arms. "Hey,how's my little girl doin?" He caught sight of me, the lone person still in the place,apart from Biggs. "Hey!didn't ya hear me? Bars closed!" Behind him, a man with glowing blue eyes entered the bar.

"Oh daddy,don't be silly!That's Tifa! She's a really nice lady." Barret eyed me suspiciously.

"Still honey,bar's closed. You know that." The ex-SOLDIER strode forward, grabbing hold of my arm as I stood up. I could feel my heart beating madly, echoing around my head like a drum. "Tifa?" He leaned closer. "Tifa... Is it really you?I...I thought you were dead." I stared up at him,frozen as he reached forward and plucked my sunglasses away from my face. Here was the man who could answer all of my questions and I wasn't even able to form words. I was paralysed, staring up into his face,remembering a younger version of this man, talking me while we sat on top of a well. Telling me he was going to join SOLDIER.

"..Cloud?" His eyes widened,when he saw the mako glow in my eyes. Unfortunately,he wasn't the only one who noticed. Barret pushed Marlene to the side,telling her to stay under the table. She complied, whimpering in fright.

"Shit!It's a %&$£ SOLDIER! Biggs,Cloud get the hell away from her!" He raised his gun arm. Cloud looked towards Barret,confused.

"No,wait Barret-" I didn't give him a chance to finish. I rolled my wrist,jerking free from his grip as I punched him in the jaw,sending him reeling. I went like a shot,running for the door, Marlene's plaintive wails chasing me out,before they were replaced with the sharp rat-tat-tat of Barret's gun arm. I dodged,throwing myself into a front roll through the door of the bar. Once I was outside I ran around the side and jumped,grabbing hold of the roof of the bar and pulling myself up. I lay on the roof,making my body a flat as I could,to minimalise the chance that they'd seen me. Below me I could hear curses as Barret ran outside after me. He shot a cursory glance around the sides of the bar before he was off,running in the direction of the pillar.

I lay,tense for what seemed like hours before I heard him come back in again.

"I lost the stupid £$%." He slammed the door behind him.

I relaxed and silently leapt back onto the ground.Well, I thought ruefully. That went well.

Authors note: Well that took longer than expected.I know I said I'd have it up really soon,but I was struck down with all sort of catastrophes,honest! First I lost where I'd written this chapter,so I had to re-do it. Then I got really sick and couldn't write anything. And THEN I messed up my hand really badly when I was fire spinning and so I've had to type everything one handed.But I got there in the end. Thanks for all the nice comments! Will Tifa leave Shinra for avalanche?...I'm not telling! You'll see. Next chapter will be good. I promise. Pairing is Seph and Tifa,because I love that pairing and I'm obsessed with writing a believable fic about them. I know the format is a bit messed up,I don't know why that keeps happening but I'll try to fix it later. And I will,of course watch my tenses(wow,the jack of spades reviewing my fic!heehee!).Thanks everyone! Read and review!