An Ocean of Roses
By kimetara
Multipart
Sequel to "Waves of Pain" and Red Roses Mean Love. References to "Petals" as a side story.

AN: Alright, I have a few complaints for this site.Besides the fact that my paragraphs are no longer indented, why can I not have two double spaces? Why am I limited to a horizontal line, which I dislike placing actually in the story due the fact it seems far too harsh a divider? I know HTML, I can format it manually myself if you really want me too, just let it work properly! ...meh.

By the way, thank you to everybody who reviewed and told me that my writing's improved. I'm glad ithas, and I assure you,although I haven't beenwriting fanfiction lately, I have been writing continuously in some manner or another (mostly by RPing). So don't worry, I won't be putting down the pen any time soon!

Chapter Two

Tifa stealthily crept through the house, up the stairs, and slipped into Vincent's room. She hadn't even stepped a whole foot in before he turned to look at her, but the expression on his face was worth it.

"What do you think?" she asked brightly, hands clasped in front of her as she waited. She didn't want to let on her nervousness by acting fidgety, so Tifa stood patiently as Vincent took in the Renaissance stain dress, ice blue and floor-length, with a heart-shaped locket around her neck and a pear-cut crystal on her bosom. It took all her self-control not to grin at his for-once-obvious gawking.

Still, she couldn't keep herself from talking. "We wanted something pretty, but not so much it'd risk detracting from the bride's gown, so we chose this and decided to keep the halter top." She lifted a hand to touch the removable fabric. "Just incase."

The movement seemed to startle Vincent out of his shock, and he finally met her anticipatory eyes. "You look beautiful. Stunning." He stopped, probably aware that he'd just been redundant. Tifa couldn't have beamed any brighter if the news had just announced that world peace had gone into effect.

"Thank you." She lowered her eyes the floor in an attempt to be modest, but her tone and smile easily gave away her delight. "It's a good thing they came in early, since Yuffie's needs a few alterations, but that shouldn't be a problem. Oh! And your tuxedo should be coming in within the week too, right?"

"Yes..."

"Perfect." Okay, now she was babbling like an idiot, time to make a graceful exit. She smiled again--she couldn't stop--and began to shuffle out of his room. "I'll leave you to your work then. See you at dinner!" Tifa gave him a little wave and ducked out, still beaming. Even though she knew she ought to feel guilty for interrupting, she loved it when she managed to snatch his attention so thoroughly...and it was the first time in a while she felt as if he saw her as a female, not a friend. It made her feel fantastic.

Did Tifa have a crush on Vincent Valentine? Oh yes. And when she began dropping hints about it to Marianna, the girl had exclaimed, "About time too! I was worried you'd be moping and single forever, and I'd always be stuck with guys asking me for your number!"

And then Marianna proceeded to tell Tifa that she ought to tell Vincent and hook up immediately, much to Tifa's amusement. After all, Vincent had been wonderfully platonic for all this time; how was she supposed to expect that his feelings for her would suddenly revive? Considering what had happened before... She touched the light scar on her shoulder and sighed. Considering what had happened before, if there was any chance at all, she'd have to initiate it. Vincent would never do anything of the sort after that event.

Maybe at the wedding, Tifa told herself. After the ceremony and the reception dinner... She could do this. She would do this. She had promised herself already that she would never again place herself in the position of wondering: If I had told him, would he have stayed...?

But she'd do it in about three weeks from now, when she wasn't so busy going shopping, helping to make invitations, and aiding with the decorations all on top of her regular job. Yeah.

-----

Chaos. You have a photographic memory, correct?

Let me guess, you want to see her in that dress again?

Please.

What do I get out of it?

I asked kindly. If you wish, I could search through your mind instead.

Using coercion tactics, eh? That's the bloody, lowdown ex-Turk I know...

Certain situations call for extreme measures. Now, the memory?

Fine, fine, you obsessed maggot. Here. Go draw it out and make it a photograph.

Lovely idea, but unfortunately I am no artist. Thank you.

...you're creepy.

Again, thank you.

-----

"Tiiiiifa!" Yuffie shrieked, hopping up and down madly in the midst of the crowd around the Highwind. "Viiiinny! Heyyyy! Over here! Out of my way, you stupid people, I'm the Mistress of Wutai!" Yuffie impatiently shoved, kicked, and scrambled her way through the masses to arrive at the foot of the airship's ramp. "Yo, you old geezer! Hi Shera! What took you guys so long?" she demanded, nearly climbing up the ramp after them to rush up their good-byes.

"Sorry, Yuffie," Tifa laughed as she hurried down. "There was a complication with a storm around Nibelheim; you know how it gets in the spring. But we still have two weeks left."

"Yeah, but you've got so much to do! Come on, Shera!" Yuffie grabbed the wrists of the two women and dragged them off. "Marianna's been driving me crazy, ordering me around here and there! We've got the bridal shower to throw, and the bachelorette party to give, and the wedding to make all nice and fancy-"

"Yuffie, dear, don't worry," Shera reasoned as she was pulled away. "Marianna's sister has already arranged the bridal shower, and the bachelorette party is just going to be a day at the spa since it's such short notice. The decorations and food for the wedding has all been ordered. We just need to practice and make a few check-ups to stay on top of everything."

"Oh yeah? Well tell that to Miss Bride-to-be," Yuffie grumbled, slowing only enough to keep them from smacking into any more random people. "I've been running around everywhere!"

"-excuse me, sorry- You've only been here a few days though," Tifa commented in between apologies to the people she'd been forced to run into.

"And your point is?"

"...Marianna can't be freaking out that badly..."

"Tifa," Shera spoke kindly even as she managed to avoid tripping over somebody's mutt, "it's her wedding. She's probably frantic."

"Oh. Okay."

-----

Meanwhile, back on the ramp of the Highwind, Vincent and Cid had just been greeted by Reno and Rude.

"Hey, guys," Reno waved a hand and casually made his way over. "Glad to see you made it. We've got a car ready for down the block, so let's get going."

"Hey, you flaming jackass, what's got the brat so worked up?" Cid casually replied as he leaned against the ship. Reno shrugged.

"Hell if I know. Let's get going though, Reeve wants you guys to check our your tuxes."

"Very well." Vincent paused and eyed the current Turks. "Are you also part of the ceremony?"

"Pffft." Reno smirked and ran a hand through his hair. "As if we'd be stuck with boring jobs like that."

"We're the heads of the security for the wedding," Rude explained. Reno nodded.

"That's right, you guys. Your lives are in our hands."

There was a moment of silence for that idea to sink in.

"...yeah, just stay !#$)ing sober," Cid grumbled. Reno gave him a cheeky thumbs up.

"Aye aye, captain, leave it all to us! At least until the reception's over; then you guys are on your own. Now," his tone took on a brisk professionalism. "This way to the car, please."

-----

In the flurry of preparations, two weeks turned to one week turned to one day, and before she knew it Tifa found herself at the rehearsal dinner, admonishing Cid and Barret not to drink too heavily (even if it was the toasting party, they were going to be in a wedding tomorrow!). And then...the wedding day.

She helped dress Marianna ("You look perfect! No, I'll pick that up for you, don't risk your headpiece coming out."), seated incoming guests (it wasn't a terribly large wedding, since neither Reeve nor Marianna wanted to attract huge media reports, but there were still plenty of guests), recovered the ice sculpture ("Are you sure you checked the basement freezer?"), and basically ran about and socialized as much as possible (she saw Scarlet across the room, but they both went out of their way to avoid each other, so no harm done). By the time the wedding actually rolled around and she was walking down the aisle, one of Reeve's old company friends walking down at her side, Tifa was exhilarated and breathless. She smiled through the entire ceremony.

In fact, by the time the dances rolled around she was happy and bold enough to grab Vincent's hand and pull him out there with her. It was, after all, customary and polite for the bridesmaids and the groomsmen to dance together after the first dance!

"Loosen up, Vincent," Tifa whispered giddily. "Didn't you practice for the past week?"

"A little." A little her foot. She knew Vincent would have practiced dancing until he could do it in his sleep, he was so concerned about messing up other people's special occasions.

"Then just relax! You've done wonderfully throughout the entire wedding," she chided him, grinning mischievously. He had naturally been as refined and respectful as ever, winning the approval of many of the older ladies. "In fact, you don't even need to dance well in order to gain further appreciation. Many of these ladies are single women, you know."

"Ah... In that case, I shouldn't disappoint them with a sub-par performance," Vincent murmured, an answering smile quirking at the corners of his mouth. Tifa never stopped appreciating being able to see the lower half of his face.

Of course, after that declaration she had no chance. Vincent skillfully took control of the dance, and she was swept into following his steps across the ballroom floor.

-----

Rude stood guard at the door of the reception hall, arms crossed over his chest as he listened to the cheery music and kept an eye out for any strange intruders. With nearly all of the strongest fighters in the world present, he didn't worry too much, but you never knew.

"Yo, Rude," the communicator in his ear buzzed. "There's somebody coming down your way. You might want to give him a personal escort; I'll cover your post." Reno, up in the video rooms with the surveillance cameras.

"What are you talking about?" he responded, puzzled.

"You'll see. Here he comes!"

A young man, the most famous and yet unknown man in the world, turned the corner and walked down towards the door. "Excuse me, Rude," his soft, but definitely male voice announced, "I'd like to be allowed in."

His hair hadn't gotten any less wild, Rude noted absently to himself. "Hello, Cloud."

"Hello."

"Do you have an invitation?"

Cloud shook his head. "You know I don't, but I'm pretty sure it's okay."

Rude nodded. "We've got men set up along the way. I'll go with you."

"Thanks."

-----

Vincent was actually enjoying himself. In fact, truth be told he was enjoying himself immensely. The dull roar of background chatter, the soft lighting, the music, the dance, even the woman in his arms--it was ironic, but this was the surrounding he was comfortable in. This was what he had been trained for, as back then, a Turk was still a respected guest at a social function. Besides, it was easy to get lost in the crowds here, to become just one of many with a lovely partner in his arms. As he told her before, she was absolutely stunning, and with her simple jewelry and elegant hairstyle... Well, Vincent was adamant about informing the male crowd that she was already taken care of with all those subtle signs she missed and the other men didn't. And some of them not so subtle... (the glares he'd given to those two college students discussing her cleavage came most predominantly to mind).

Naturally, that didn't mean he was any less alert. He kept a casual scan and track of all the guests present and an evaluation of the security of the room, which was a high as possible for this sort of gathering. When the music ended, he courteously guided Tifa off the dance floor and towards Elmyra, where she easily became engrossed in a conversation. Vincent furtively slipped away.

"Welcome to the party," was his low greeting to the newest guest.

Cloud started and whirled around, then grinned. It wasn't quite heartfelt. "Hey, Vincent. As observant and stealthy as ever, I see... How has everything been going? You looked as if you were enjoying yourself."

He's back, he's back again... Chaos sang and sniggered. Vincent shrugged. "All is as to be expected. And you? Are you still searching?"

Cloud paused, then shook his head. "No."

Vincent waited, but when Cloud didn't elaborate he didn't press for details. "I see. I'll leave you to enjoy the festivities."

"Wait." Vincent paused reluctantly, already sensing that sick turmoil in his stomach beginning to rise. "Do you know where Tifa is?"

He knew it. He knew it, but that didn't stop the cold glare he turned on Cloud, their former leader and guide to the ends of the earth. "Now you wish to speak with Tifa?"

Cloud winced, but he hadn't stood up to Sephiroth due to a weak will. "Yes. I'm sorry, Vincent, and she especially deserves my apology. Besides, we...need to talk."

"If you wish to speak to her so desperately," Vincent replied curtly, "find her on your own. This is not a large gathering."

Cloud cocked his head to the side. "I'm not desperate," he objected, mystified. "Why do you get that impression?"

Sometimes, it was good to have a reputation of being cryptic. Vincent merely gave Cloud a glance and disappeared into the masses, safe in the certainty that his lack of response would simply be chalked up to typical Vincent-y behavior. Because in truth, he didn't have an answer for Cloud.

Cloud was not desperate. Cloud was regretful, quiet, and determined, but not desperate. That was an adjective that belonged to Vincent.

"Rude," he imposed himself in the Turk's path to the door, "I will aid in guarding this party."

"...sure. Follow me," Rude replied simply and continued on.

Outside the ballroom, the doors muted all sound to nothing but a hum of noise, and Vincent and Rude took up guard positions on opposite sides of the hallway.

"...I'm guessing you saw Cloud," Rude finally commented.

"Yes."

It's amazing how much can be said in six words.

-----

As instructed, Cloud set out to find Tifa himself. He wasn't the least bit surprised or angry with Vincent's demeanor; he had left Tifa fully of his own accord, and so he deserved to find her fully of his own accord. In a way, Cloud wholly agreed.

It always surprised him to see Vincent nowadays though. Somehow, deep in the back of his mind, he expected Vincent to still be wearing those strange clothes and acting just as he had before. In two years, he'd gone from metal-toed boots, black army wear, and the red cape to black dress shoes, slacks, and white or crimson dress shirts. The bandanna was gone too, replaced with a simple ponytail. And to see him dressed up in a tux, surrounded by a crowd of people and listening to girls swooning over him...the difference was mind-boggling. (Not to mention Cloud was still unused actually seeing Vincent's jaw.)

The fact remained that everybody had changed. He'd been gone for so long, he could see clearly how Yuffie had matured into a young woman (lady was still perhaps too strong a word), the lush mane and powerful physique Nanaki had developed, how both Cid and Barret had become clean-shaven, how much Marlene had grown up... Time stood still for no one, not even the Savior of the Planet.

Cloud didn't regret the choice he made, but sometimes...sometimes he couldn't help but wish there had been no choice at all.

AN: As always, reviews are lovely and well-appreciated!