Lol! Well, I would just like to say spankies to Kage3 because I completely forgot about what I was going to do with this story until just recently. I'm sorry I've kept the suspense for almost a full year, but I've gone back to writing, even though I still suck at it Haha, well, enjoy this long awaited chapter 3!

Oh and by the way, I own nothing but the story.

Love always, Tinkah

"You."

This was the only word spoken by the intimidating Rufus Shinra. He looked the picture of perfection as he stood in the doorway while his shocking deep blue eyes penetrated through Tifa's every defense. It made her feel like he could see into her very soul.

"M..m..me?" squeaked Tifa, ruining her normally brave front.

Cloud, still in the small room, looked back and forth between the two like an observer at a tennis match. The intensity in the room was so striking even he felt the charged air sparking.

Wait..wait hold on, Tifa thought, I should be the one in charge of this situation. He's not EVEN REAL!

With her regular feistiness and spice back, she could now speak with more confidence. Seeing that look of concentration on Tifa's face, Cloud knew she was up to something. All he could do was frantically shake his head no and wave his hands, but it was already too late because despite the apparent warning Cloud was giving her, Tifa completely ignored him. She'd be damned if she'd sit there and feel frightened. Showing more confidence than she felt, Tifa quickly stood up and walked to the doorway and looked right up into his intense cobalt eyes.

"We-e-ll excuse me Mr. Rufus Shinra, but I'm not letting a ghost who's denying the fact that he's passed over into the great beyond come and haunt me," she said, rolling her eyes to emphasize the sarcasm.

But then, she felt it. The ice cool metal that was thrust at her frantically beating heart. The gun hidden inside the sleeves of his perfect-fitting pearl white suit. Tifa never saw it coming and all she could feel at that moment was helpless. Rufus stared intently at her, using his piercing glare as a dare to try anything. His blonde hair, all perfect and in place, except for that one lock always seeming to be forever glued to his forehead added to his overpowering presence. Appearance wise, he looked like a man to be dealt with, but poor Rufus was unaware of one thing. Tifa was definitely a woman to be dealt with and there was no way in Hell one man was going to make her a damsel in distress needing to be saved. They played this intense staring game for two more seconds until Tifa finally decided to make her move. She knew she had to time it just perfectly and do it when he blinked. So she did what she learned from being a kid to beat anyone at a non-blinking staring contest.

She blew into his eyes.

Yes it worked! Now's my chance!

Literally, within a blink of an eye, Tifa quickly knocked the gun out of his hand and did what she wanted to do since the first moment he spoke that one single word in such a condescending manner.

She punched him in the face.

He let out a grunt and staggered back a bit, but Tifa wasn't finished there. She kicked him forcefully in the stomach area and the next thing Rufus knew, he was on the ground lying flat on his back. Tifa quickly pounced on him to delay him from getting up and she held his wrists so he couldn't throw her off and attack her. All Rufus could do was stare up at her, at awe with how the force of her anger brought even more color and life to her face.

"You know..I've never played anyone who would pull that sort of trick at a child's game," Rufus calmly drawled, acting as if he wasn't on the ground lying there defenseless.

"Yea? Well, you never played me," Tifa argued back.

But her hold on him didn't last long because all of a sudden, two strong hands roughly gripped her shoulders and pulled her off Rufus. Tifa whirled around and came face to face with Cloud.

"Cloud! What are you doing? I had him trapped," she said through her teeth.

"Tifa, don't you think you're overreacting? The man came here to just to talk and you're beating him up," Cloud whispered.

"Are you on something? Because you had to have seen the gun he pointed at me!" Tifa cried incredulously.

"It's right here Tif. And first of all, it's not loaded. Second of all, its not EVEN real, " he said as he handed the fake gun to her.

"But…but..I don't under.." Tifa started but was interrupted with Rufus's strong voice. While being distracted by Cloud, Rufus got up and regained his composure. He'd never been bested by a woman before and the shock of it was still affecting him.

"Ms. Lockheart, I apologize for scaring you with that gun, it's for protection you see. I'm not used to people being so physically close to me," the slightly disheveled Rufus spoke.

"Oh so you think that it's all going to be okay now? Just because you said you were "Sorry," Tifa retorted.

"Tifa!" Cloud nudged her, "Be nice. He's not here to fight, those days are over."

Tifa shot him a heated glare that made Cloud feel as if he were on fire. He knew then it would be wise if he didn't say anything from now on. Cloud definitely didn't want to be put under her relentless wrath, especially after this particular morning.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, you think just because you say you're "Sorry" everything is just damn peachy?"

"Well…yes." Rufus said simply.

Tifa's eyes bugged out. This guy really didn't think it was just going to be okay like that did he? What's wrong with men of the world today? They think that everything is so easy!

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble Mr. Shinra, but you must be living in a box. And anyway, answer me this, aren't you supposed to be DEAD?"

"Well if I'm dead, how am I standing here right now?" Rufus answered.

Ohh…he wanted to play the smart-alec game. Fine Mr. Rufus Shinra Extraordinaire, you started this game so you better be prepared to finish it.

Tifa didn't know why but something about Rufus was itching on her every nerve. She hated the fact that he was in her bar, she hated the fact that she was talking to him, and she definitely hated the fact that he was being such..a BOY. As if he wasn't just holding a gun to her heart, ready to shoot her dead if she so much as blinked. It didn't matter that it wasn't loaded or even real, he used it to scare her. He used it for that sick thrill of being in control of someone's life. That, more than anything else, pissed her off the most.

"I don't know Mr. Smart Guy, if I knew that, I wouldn't have asked you," Tifa replied. She felt like such a 9-year old talking to him like this. But then she considered it and decided to blame it all on him. He had to be the reason why she was acting this way.

Narrowing his eyes, he spoke slowly. "You're right I suppose. But this is neither the time or place for me to tell you my life story. I came here for one thing and I won't stop until I get it."

"Well, whatever it is you want, you're not going to find it here and if it is here, you're never going to get it," Tifa spat back. "You can't just come here and expect everything to go the way YOU want."

Then, without any warning, the lights went out and all was dark.

Lol. Well, I hope that was a bit longer than the others. A lot of conversation I know but you get to know more about the character through reactions and what they say. Haha, well I hope it's going good? I hope..if it's really bad, just tell me what to fix because I really need help on this story. LOL..Omg! Hahaha, well but yea, read and review kay?

-Tinkahbelle