A/N's - I've noticed that I'd messed up on the start of the story after I've had time to look back at it. Thanks Carla for showing me that one. So I guess you guys like this one so I'll try to amuse you one last time and give you Cloud's reaction. Sorry ahead of time if it's some what rough but it's the first time in almost a week I took a break from playing the sims university ( sheesh, Maxis & their addictive games) I thank you all for the reviews, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and mush and such. So I welcome what you guys think of this, and sorry ahead of time for the shortness to this story

Disclaimer- Not that I'd ever own anything,… okay so I own some clothes, two birds & a box of cereal. But not anyone in this fic so if you sue me, I sure hope you can get along with two budgies & a half box of opened Fruit Loops…

Anyways, on with it already!

Tifa exhales a short breath while crossing her arms in defense & preparing for what will inevitably be one hell of a fight. Cloud blinks looking back at her while the words seeped into his head for a moment. Unable to read his reaction at first, Tifa knits her brow in frustration.

"Well?" she asks breaking the moment of silence.

Slowly the corners of the thin lips began to rise as the smile parted & showering her in a burst of frantic laughter. This wasn't at all what Tifa had expected from him. The more he laughed and carried on, the more anger she felt.

"Oh..oh Teef…" trying to catch his breath between laughing and speaking, "Good one…you had me there at first…" Cloud stops short & straightening his stance, he quickly brushes the back of one hand across each lid of his eyes. "That was one hell of a joke.."

"I wasn't joking." the words cut back into his sentence forcing him to silence his obnoxious behavior. "If there is one thing I'd never kid about, it'd be having slept with that man." she shakes her head slightly more or less thinking to herself than allowing the words to be heard from the man standing a few feet from her.

A veil of silence slips back over Cloud as he looks back at Tifa with eyes she could only guess were of agitation. She shifts her frame to balance her weight on the tired legs begging her to sit. Suddenly Cloud replies, "No.. you just didn't say you slept with…" his voice trails off as he shakes his head quickly and spats out in utter disgust , "..Sephiroth?"

"It wasn't like I'd planned on sleeping with that man! It just happened!" Of course that was a lie. She had every intention that day to give him anything he wanted from her. Any girl for that matter would have freely flung themselves at the generals feet.

"No, no.. no.." Cloud takes in a quick breath to collect himself, " Cutting your finger while sharpening a blade 'just happens'! Or accidentally printing a wrong date on a service form 'just happens' sometimes but you! You fucked the one man that…"

Tifa cuts in "It's not like I screwed his brains out after he went off the deep end of the planet Cloud!"

"Oh so it makes it right for you to have banged him any other time?" he spats back breathlessly looking at her with bewildered eyes.

"I told you before it was in my past! And it should have stayed there dammit!" her cheeks now flushed, Tifa anger ran deep throughout her limbs and exploding the words back at the man equally enraged. Cloud turns from Tifa and starts to pace…

"For the sake of savior Tifa… why him? Of all the planets people, … him!"

Shaking her head, Tifa sighs looking back over her shoulder when she hears her last name shouted from the ground below. Looking down at the small gathering in the field, Tifa distinguishes that Cid singled her out.

"You comin' down here Lockheart or are ya just going to stay on board all night?"

"I'll be down in a minute!" Tifa calls back to the captain and turns her attention back to Cloud. "I've said what I needed to say so I'm leaving."

"Oh no, hell no we are not finished talking yet.." Cloud starts for her but Tifa turns and starts her exit from the Highwind.

"Yes we are Cloud, now just drop it please.." Tifa breathes looking back over her shoulder as he is right on her heals storming the exit ramp.

"No I'm not about to drop it!" he screams back at her. Soon as their feet were planted on the fertile soil, Cloud grasps a hold of Tifa's left bicep and quickly spins the woman around to face him. Glaring back up at the man, Tifa shoves both hands into his chest which he quickly releases his hold.

"Stop it!" she insists.

The rest of the group looked back at the two quarreling but as soon as Tifa's arm was grasped, Barret quickly came to her defense.

"Aye, watch it Spike" the taller of the three gave Cloud a look & then back at Tifa "You okay"

"I'm fine, Barret.. I just want to go home." she breathes back barely above a whisper while facing the AVALANCHE member.

Cloud's hand claims Tifa's right wrist just before she could take another step. Tifa stops short and turns her head back looking at him. "Let go"

"Not until we finish this."

"There's nothing else to say about it now let go of me!"

"Let her go now Strife" all eyes turn back to the solitary form that blended with the evening shadows.

"Stay out of it Valentine." Cloud says shortly and looks Barret square in the eyes, " And you too Wallace. This is between Tifa and myself."

"I said drop it already!" Tifa snaps her wrists free as she glares back up at the cool blue gaze.

"Not until you tell me why Teef!"

"I don't know why! I just did it okay? It was only a one time thing anyways"

"Oh well that's a relief" Cloud mutters sarcastically crossing his arms against his chest. Tifa narrows her eyes and with a shake of her head she stands for a moment debating to say anything else or to let it go and just walk away.

"Could you guys tell us what's goin' on already?" the dark haired teen asks

"No!" Tifa snaps back at her as Cloud smirks and opens his mouth to speak. Tifa quickly realizing what he was intending to do, she tries desperately to silence him. It's not like it was any of their business, or his for that matter.

"Cloud I said to drop it & I mean it!" giving him a wide eyed look, Tifa stares him down as Cloud let's a light chuckle escape. So that was it? She's scared that her little secret would get out he thought. Hmm, fine then…

"What Teef? Scared that everyone here is going to hate you for sleeping with him?"

"Cloud…" Tifa breathes his name low as her hands flex the numbing fingers. "Don't.."

Yuffie perks at the whim of gossip. "Ooooh Tifa's got a boyfriend? Ooo who is it?" the teen asks excitedly.

"Piss off…" Tifa snaps. This wasn't her. She didn't mean to be so rude to the girl. In fact she rather liked the spunky ninja. Aside of stealing, she was a good ally. Yuffie looks back at the older woman and blows a short breath at her.

"Sheesh, take a chill pill.." she mutters and turns her attention back at Cloud. Yuffie pushes more wanting to know who it was. She starts naming off everyone in the party. Even Aeris. Cloud shook hishead andreplies no to all the names as Yuffie continues mouthing off. Tifa sighs watching the two go back and forth for a moment but sees the small window of opportunity of escape.

Turning, Tifa starts walking towards one of the pre-saddled chocobo's they'd kept onboard for their missions. She freezes when she hears the one word scream out into the night. She could feel all eyes on her now. If she ran, she'd be a coward. If she stayed,… she have to face them all. Now would be the ultimate test of all their friendship. She stood her ground now terrified of the outcome. Damn him. Damn Cloud Strife in the spot he stood.


fin