A story about Reno and Tifa? Why, that's unheard of! There's not even anything in the game to suggest it! Yeah, I know, but hey, that's what makes it fun! Ya know that special little thing we all have called an imagination? It gets pretty good mileage for this couple.

Hey, blame it on Rikku3 from the ACnet forums; she got me hooked :P

Chapter I

The train screeched to a halt as it entered the platform. Inside the car, filled to its capacity, people rose from their seats to join those already standing, grasping handle bars for support. Their faces were blank, devoid of any type of emotion. Even now, almost a year and a half after reconstruction, the great city of Midgar still drained the very life its occupants.

The steel scratched doors haltingly parted, and people mechanically emptied the car, filing out one by one to join their peers in the growing mass of humanity. Out of these doors came a young woman, a grudging resident of Midgar for many long years as the prospect of a real home was naught more but a dream.

Glancing at the crowds, she gave an involuntary shiver and tossed back a curtain of chocolate hair. The collar of her long trenchcoat brushed the tips of her ears as she straightened it and stepped onto the platform. Her gaze swept the area briefly, her heart fluttering against her chest as she wondered if perhaps today....but no. She was fooling herself, as she did every day when she looked for him, hoping to find herself lost once more in those luminescent blue eyes.

Tifa Lockhart walked among the city streets, her hands curled into fists and jammed into her pockets. Cars flew past her, ruffling her dark ponytail, but she was lost within her own emotions. Many a time she had walked these dank streets, head bowed in thought as she recalled her past, and today was no different. How difficult it is to bury the demons of the past when they leer at you every day, she thought, finally coming to a stop.

Looming above, her a neon sign boasted the title 'Seventh Heaven.' Her bar, rebuilt and reopened, more at the urging of her customers than herself.

Tifa pushed the swinging doors open and came to a dead stop. Her gloved hands remained splayed on the smooth wood as she stared at the hulking figure sitting casually at the bar.

Hearing her arrival, the huge black man swiveled on his bar stool to face her and smiled.

"Barret!" she cried in surprise. She snapped out of her trance and hurried embraced her friend and former AVALANCHE leader. Barret chucked soflty and patted her on the back once before releasing her.

"It's good to see you again, Tifa," he said, sitting back down and motioning for her to as well. She declined, gesturing to the customers beginning to straggle in and instead arranged herself behind the bar. Pulling her coat off, she asked,"So, what brings you here? I haven't seen you or Marlene in months. How is she?"

Barret tapped his thick fingers on the counter top and replied, "Marlene's doin' real well. Started school a few weeks ago, but she's happy. She's made a lot of friends already." He smiled in spite of himself, thinking of his daughter fondly. Tifa felt a pang of envy, but quickly brushed it aside. No one had forced her to come back to Midgar; it had been her decision. She picked up a glass and absent mindedly rubbed it with a rag.

The man was silent for a few moments. "So I heard he left," Barret said gruffly. "Red said he showed up at Cosmo Canyon a little ways back and stayed for a few days. Said he looked a little frazzled, but he's okay."

The rag stumbled and stopped at this news. She set the glass on the counter top and sat down. "I'm glad to hear it," she replied with a falsely bright smile. She ducked behind the counter under the pretense of searching for a bottle. Barret cleared his throat uncomfortably, knowing he had hit upon a tender subject.

"You shouldn't worry 'bout him, Tifa. If he's too blind to see he has a good woman waitin' for him here-"

"Please don't." Tifa straightened up and dusted off her hands."I'm okay, really." She smiled again, feeling like a fool."So," she said, her voice taking on cheery tone as she changed the subject. "You never did tell me why you're here. Surely you didn't come all the way from Kalm just for a drink?"

Barret downed the drink he had been nursing. "You're right, but the drinks are worth it." He glanced around, and, evidently seeing no one suspicious looking, leaned in and whispered, "I been thinkin' of startin' up AVALANCHE again." He rubbed his gun arm thoughfully.

The young woman blinked in surprise. Restaring AVALANCHE had been the last thing on her mind.

"There's been strange stories goin' around. Stuff that sounds a lot like what was happening a few years back."

"ShinRa?" An eyebrow lifted casually at the thought.

"I dunno. I heard the Turks have been taking jobs lately. Seems like they've all become mercenaries. Their headquarters is supposed to be in a Sector near here."

Tifa leaned in closer as well. "Turks, huh? I heard they disbanded after ShinRa's downfall."

"'Fraid not. Three of 'em are still at it; that's another reason I stopped by Midgar, to take a look. See if they might give me some answers." He stood. "So, you in?"

She closed her eyes, thinking. "I'd like to sleep on it. Come back tommorow, and I'll give you an answer."

The doors banged open as a few more regulars entered and Tifa resumed her duties once more. It was only after Barret left, after buisness had died down to a lull did she allow herself to consider his offer.

Ok, so I finally got the first chapter up! I know, I know, no ReTi at the moment; be patient, I'll get there!