Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. If I did, I wouldn't be writing a fanfic! Don't get your panties all in a bunch about me borrowing the characters and messing around with them either. I'll put 'em back when I'm done with them. Honest.

Title: Her Constant

Author: DragonChaos

Feedback: Sure! And a big thank you to the reviewers who encouraged me to write additional chapters, you are all responsible for the continuation of this story. This chapter was harder for me to write because I was unsure as to where I wanted it to go, but my Muse helped me out a bit there. Be sure to review if you want to get more of the story!

Chapter Summary: Cloud causes some trouble, Yuffie gets drunk, Tifa surprises Cid with some an interesting tidbit of information.

Chapter 4: Her Strength

Unwanted Guests:

"Strife, what the hell are you doin' here?" Cid blatantly ignored the hand that Cloud held out to him and pushed himself up from his kneeling position, Max still cradled in his left arm. Now that he was at eye level with the ex-SOLDIER, Cid fixed him with an icy glare, which Cloud returned with an unblinking, unflinching eerie Mako stare. "You got some nerve showin' up here…"

"I'm here because this is my house," Cloud said abruptly. "I can come and go as I please, and the last person I need to explain it to is…" Max suddenly started crying the men's harsh exchange, his face going pink and scrunched. "And why the hell are you holding a baby, Highwind?"

"None of your goddamn business!" Cid said through clenched teeth. Seething and fighting a very strong urge to pound spiky punk senseless, he pushed past the younger man, hitting him roughly in the shoulder as he went by and earning himself an angry green-blue glare.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cloud called to Cid's retreating back. The pilot froze in his tracks, his spine visibly stiffening, his whole body going rigid with obvious restraint. Max was now screaming, his little fists flailing about helplessly and angrily. "This is my house, you know."

"Your house?" Cid responded. "The last time I checked, this ain't your fuckin' house."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," he continued, turning to face Cloud. "It's Tifa's."

"Yeah, well, I went and talked to the landlord today, and he told me my name's still on the lease." Cid stared unbelievingly back at the younger man, suddenly desperately wishing he had a cigarette between his lips. He hadn't felt the urge to feed his nicotine habit even once since he'd stepped inside Tifa's home, which was some kind of record for the chain-smoking pilot.

And now that Cloud was back, Cid felt like he needed to smoke a whole goddamn pack. Maybe even two.

"Will you shut that goddamn kid up!" Cloud winced and pointed to Max with a black leather-clad hand as the screaming continued to rise in pitch and volume.

"That 'goddamn kid' is my son!" A familiar voice came from the doorway, immediately silencing Max and any retort Cid was about to make. Cid turned and felt a wave of relief pass through him when he saw Tifa standing in the doorway, her fists clenched and eyes blazing. He tried to catch her eye, but decided against it when he saw the grim determination in her expression, her jaw clenched.

Oh, Strife was so in for it now.

--------------------

Tifa fought the desire to use Cloud as a punching bag as she clenched and unclenched her fists rhythmically. She felt Cid's eyes on her but refused to look at him, feeling as though this was something she had to do on her own and by looking at him she would be asking him for help. Cloud was the first to break the ringing silence that remained after she'd made her entrance.

"Hello, Tifa." He took a step forward as though trying to bridge the gap between them.

Clench.

"Hello, Cloud," she replied. "What brings you to the neighborhood?" At her icy tone, Cloud paused in his approach mid-step.

Unclench.

"Needed to check up on some things," he told her, his lips turning up in a malicious grin as he gestured towards Max. "So, Highwind knocked ya up?"

Clench!

Tifa's eyes snapped to Cid instantly, only to see him give her a nearly imperceptible shake of his head, silently telling her to not take the bait.

Her knuckles turned white.

"Why would that matter to you? What I do with my personal life is none of your business." On that, Tifa closed the front door and took Max from Cid, finally looking Cid in the eye and giving him what she hoped was a reassuring look. "Oh, by the way Cloud, as for this still 'being your house'…" She turned her full attention to Cloud and squared her shoulders as she clutched Max to her side. "You don't have a room anymore. My goddamn kid took over your room. I suggest you go find other lodging." Tifa didn't miss the smirk that passed over Cid's face as the words left her mouth, nor did she miss the look of shock that quickly passed over Cloud's features before he hastily covered it up with his trademark impassive stare. Tifa kissed Max on his bald head and turned away from the two blondes and headed down the hallway. "Oh, and I'm removing you from the lease tomorrow morning, first thing, so can you get the rest of your shit outta my house?" She called over her shoulder as she went into the nursery to put Max to bed, not waiting to listen for an answer from the incensed ex-SOLDIER.

After a few moments of silence from the living room, Tifa heard Cid's gruff timbre as he spoke, his wicked smile obvious in his voice.

"It's gonna be my boot or the door that hits your ass on the way out, Strife; either way, I'm gonna enjoy it."

Silence, then the sound of heavy footsteps moving across the wooden floor and the sound of the front door swinging open and closed came as a response.

--------------------

"So, cutie, how long you gonna be workin' 'ere?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes for the billionth time that night, wondering exasperatingly how the hell Tifa put up with this every single night. Damn annoying dirty old drunk men.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied with the biggest fake smile she could muster. "A little while at least."

"Maybe I could make your little while here a little more pleasant…" The lewd look the smelly man was gave her a feeling similar to that of when she rode the Highwind.

"How about not," she interjected before he could say more. His expression drooped and he sullenly went back to nursing his drink.

Did this guy not realize who she was? She was one of the Heroes, for Planet's sake. Yuffie sighed loudly.

How could Tifa leave her here like this?

"Gawd!" She slammed her hand down on the counter, making glasses rattle and heads turn. She didn't care. She was tired, and she was sure that Tifa was up doing things with that old pilot that would make a dog throw up. Yuffie shuddered at the thought, and shrugged it off as she knelt down to pull out another bottle of brandy, wrinkling her nose at the stuff. Definitely not her drink of choice, but it apparently was for the only customer who'd been decent to her all night, so she had no problem putting up with her distaste so she could pour him another glass.

There was a loud bang and Yuffie shot back up into her defensive position and froze, her eyes falling on a figure standing in the wide open doorway. The entire bar went completely silent save for the sound of the door banging against the wall as it swung freely on its hinges, and all eyes turned to the newcomer. Her gaze took in the giant sword on his back and his piercing creepy green eyes.

"Aw, crap!" she muttered under her breath. Those same eerie eyes narrowed and focused on her, making Yuffie's blood run cold. He advanced towards her with menacing purpose.

Could this night get any worse?

Making Tea, the Strife Inquisition, and Drunken Ninjas:

"You okay?" Cid's voice drew Tifa out of her inner thoughts. Max had thankfully fallen asleep as she needed some time to collect her thoughts after her sudden encounter with the man who had haunted her life for so long.

"Not yet," she replied quietly. She watched the infant while he slept, how his nose wriggled ever so slightly every now and then, how he gummed his little hands subconsciously. The innocent scene pulled at her heartstrings. "But I will be." She felt two warm, strong hands on her shoulders, gently massaging away some of the tension that had built up there. She leaned into his ministrations, grateful for his nonverbal encouragement. She really didn't feel like answering a bunch of questions right now. She turned her body slightly so she could look at his face over her shoulder. She felt so much stronger when she knew she had his support.

"Come on, I'll make us some tea." His hands left her shoulders and he tugged on her hand, pulling her out of the room.

"You know how to make tea?" She gasped mockingly, her free hand coming up to her mouth dramatically, feigning shock.

"Yeah, yeah," Cid said as he shook his head, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. "First you say I can't handle babies and now you don't believe me when I say I can make some goddamn tea. You're O for two now, Lockheart. You best start believin' me when I say I can do somethin'." His tone was light, but Tifa could hear some serious undercurrent just below the surface. Tifa halted and held her grip on his hand firm, forcing him to stop with her. Cid turned to look at her, his puzzlement evident on his face.

"I do believe you." She squeezed his hand to emphasize her point. "And I believe in you. Don't ever doubt that, okay?" He stared back unresponsive at her for a moment, emotions swirling in his sky blue eyes. He then scratched the back of his neck and opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words died before they could pass his lips. "Okay?" Tifa prompted. This time, there was an immediate response.

"Yeah."

"Good, now about that tea…" She was silenced by a shoulder that her face was suddenly being pressed against, her words lost in the worn fabric of Cid's blue pilot jacket. She smiled against him and hugged him back, nuzzling into his nape. He kissed her on the top of her head, and pressed her to him once again before releasing her and holding her at arm's length with his hands on her shoulders. They stayed that way for a while, just staring at each other, each trying to convey to the other what words could never express.

Tifa lost herself in his eyes, their churning depths appearing to be endless. He returned her gaze with an impossibly intense expression, one of so many emotions she couldn't describe it.

"Tifa…" Cid's voice trailed off.

"Yes?" Tifa whispered.

"I…I think I…" He stopped again, took a deep breath, and looked down at his feet. Tifa tingled all over, sensing that he was about to reveal something important.

"Yes?" Tifa prompted again, her voice stronger.

"I think…" He looked back up at her, his eyes unreadable. "I need to go make that tea, now." He turned abruptly and walked down the hall to the kitchen, leaving Tifa dumbfounded.

"Tea?" Tifa shook her head, as though trying to clear her ears.

She followed him to the kitchen, still a little dazed, and stopped in the entryway to watch him while he went about putting water into a teapot and setting it on the stove to heat up. She smiled to herself knowingly.

Tea it is, then.

--------------------

"Yuffie, I suggest you give me some answers before I get really angry."

Yuffie stood her ground behind the bar, the only thing between her and a pissed off Cloud.

"You know about as much as I do, Strife, gawd!" She returned, her dark brown eyes smoldering. "I just came here tonight and it's the first time I've talked to Tifa in a while!" She waved her arms around emphatically, as though doing that would prove to Cloud that she was telling the truth. "Besides, you don't deserve Tifa, you sonoffabi…."

The spiky-haired blonde brought down a fist, causing tremors in the wooden planks of the floor and frightening away what was left of the customers.

Oh, Tifa was not going to be happy about this…

"So you don't know that Tifa's got a kid?" Strife demanded, his eyes glittering dangerously. Yuffie's jaw dropped, her eyes going wide.

"Wh-what?" She stammered, her mind reeling.

He's not the one living in the second bedroom…

Is that what Tifa had meant?

"She. Has. A. Kid," Cloud said slowly, as though she were five years-old. "And when I walked in, Cid was holding it."

Oh, gawd. But, Tifa wasn't pregnant the last time Yuffie saw her, and that was a few months ago. Maybe it was Cid's kid?

"He was probably just babysitting, Cloud," Yuffie managed to say nonchalantly. "Don't get yer panties all in a twist." At this, Cloud straightened to his full height, and while he wasn't that tall, he was still intimidating.

Intimidating even to a ninja as proud as Yuffie.

"So who's the father?"

"I don't know, why don't you try asking her?"

"I already did, she said it was none of my business."

"Then it's none of your business." Yuffie looked him straight in the eye. This was not the Cloud she used to know. The old Cloud could be a bit of an ass sometimes, but this was borderline crazy control freak. He'd definitely changed for the worse in his year of traveling the Planet. "Look, in case you haven't notice, you scared away all my customers, so I'd like to close up for the night." She gestured past him to the door, making it clear she wanted him to leave.

With one last glowing glare that contained a hint of regret, he stalked out of the bar into the cold, dark night.

Yuffie sighed and crouched down behind the counter, looking for something.

"Aha!" She cried out triumphantly when she pulled out a bottle of whiskey. She pulled the cork out with a loud pop! and poured herself a glass while still sitting on the floor behind the bar.

After that conversation, Yuffie needed to get drunk.

Very, very drunk.

--------------------

"I wonder how Yuffie's doing?" Cid heard Tifa murmur when she glanced at the clock. He and Tifa sat in her living room on her red couch, drinking the tea he'd made for them. Tifa was sitting so she was facing Cid, her legs tucked underneath her and her arm draped over the back of the couch, and he was sitting in a similar position, one leg crossed in front of him while the other hung over the front of the couch.

"Hm?" Cid replied as he sipped some tea, looking at her over the rim of his cup.

"I put Yuffie in charge of the bar so I could come back early…" Cid coughed violently and spat back out some of the tea he'd been drinking.

"You did what!" The pilot stared at the woman before him as though she'd grown a second head.

"She can handle it, Cid," Tifa said defensively, shooting him a few daggers before calmly drinking some more tea.

"Oh, she can handle it all right," he told her, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "She'll handle everything valuable in that bar…"

"She wouldn't steal from me!" Tifa exclaimed, her pitch and volume rising. "She came here tonight for help, and I don't doubt her sincerity or her friendship!" She slammed her cup down on the coffee table, causing the dark brown liquid to slosh over the side onto the wooden surface. Cid blinked in surprise at her outburst.

Way to go, Highwind. She's already had a shitty night and you go an' make it worse.

"What did she need help with?" He asked cautiously, hoping his tone sounded neutral.

"She had an argument with her father about her relationship with Vincent and he apparently kicked her out," Tifa said, somewhat more subdued than moments before.

"What about Vince?"

"Well, Yuffie'd told Vincent that she'd already talked with her father about what was going on and when he found out Yuffie'd lied to him, he left without a word." Cid nodded in understanding.

"Sounds like something he'd do." He reached over and tentatively put his hand over hers, giving her an apologetic grin. "Look, I'm sorry I was an ass, okay? Yuffie just…gets on my nerves sometimes."

"And I'm sorry I jumped on you." She smiled back, but blushed when she realized what she'd said.

"Now, if you'd jumped on me, there'd be nothin' to apologize for," he told her as he waggled his eyebrows at her, a playful grin on his face. She turned even redder and looked down at their hands that were resting in her lap. "But that, unfortunately, was not the case, now was it?" He let out a dramatic sigh, eliciting a giggle from his beautiful companion. "So are we okay?" He asked seriously, his free hand coming up under her chin so he could look her in the eye.

"Yes, we're okay," she responded. She leaned in and gave him a swift kiss on the lips before standing up and picking up her nearly empty teacup. "I think I'm going to go check on Yuffie. Would you like to come with me? We could bring Max down and introduce him to her."

"Sounds good ta me."

--------------------

On their way down the stairs to the bar, Cid discovered that he enjoyed watching Tifa walk way too much. She was holding Max over her shoulder, the little tyke's cheek resting against her collarbone, his eyes shut and lips parted ever so slightly. While that was cute, Cid couldn't help but be mesmerized by the way Tifa's hips gently swayed as she walked. What he liked even better was when he walked next to her and she let him put an arm around her waist, resting his hand just above her hip. He then felt her shift Max so her arm was free to wrap around his waist.

Sweet.

"Do you mind if I have a smoke, Tif?" Cid asked as they reached the door to Seventh Heaven. He expected a reproachful look, but instead she just gave him a curious one. "I mean outside while you go in and talk with Yuffie." The barmaid shrugged and smiled, giving him a nod as she went inside.

Cid pulled out a cigarette from the box he had tucked into his goggles and lit it, the orange light from the burning tobacco lighting up his features in the darkness just for a moment before it faded into a soft glow.

Ah, nicotine.

He gazed up at the stars that shone brightly in the velvet sky, the smoke from his cigarette drifting up towards the heavens.

Cid needed a moment alone to collect himself after the past day and a half. He'd been so out of sorts that he'd nearly broken down and told Tifa…something…that neither he nor Tifa were really ready for yet. And, to top it all off, he'd almost told her just after Cloud had come by and made a mess of things.

Smooth, Highwind. Really smooth.

He took another drag on his cigarette, considering what he should do next. He and Tifa had already worked out that they were an item, so to speak. They were together. He found it somewhat odd that he wasn't bothered by Max's presence. Before, he'd never really been comfortable around kids, but this was different. He liked this feeling of responsibility he had, the feeling of someone depending on you for everything. It was a very fulfilling feeling. But he still felt he had to keep his distance. What if things didn't work out? He didn't want the poor kid thinking Cid was his dad only to watch Cid leave if he and Tifa ever had irreconcilable differences. That just wouldn't be fair.

No, for now, he'd be Uncle Cid. He'd just follow Tifa's lead as to what his role in Max's life should be otherwise.

"Cid!" Tifa's anxious voice came through the thick wooden doors. "Cid, I need your help in here!" He threw his half-smoked cigarette on the ground and scrunched it with the toe of his boot before heading inside. He was greeted by the site of the profile of Tifa's bottom peeking out from behind the bar. Cid cleared his throat.

"Whatcha need my help with?" His voice cracked and he resisted the urge to smack himself in the forehead.

"Come here!" Her hand came up over the bar and waved to him. He did as he was told, coming up behind Tifa as she rose to her feet. "This isn't good," she said as she pointed to where a crumpled figure lay amongst several bottles that looked as though they used to contain whiskey. Cid squinted and leaned in closer.

"Hey-hic! old man…" The voice was slurred, but sounded vaguely familiar. "How'sh it hangin'? Nyuk, nyuk-hic, nyuk!"
"Yuffie!" Cid exclaimed. "What the hell…?"

"I had a nicesh liddle chat-hic! with Shtrife not too long ago, old man," Yuffie rambled on. "He'sh a real jerk, ya know-hic! that?" Cid agreed with the drunken ninja, but kept wisely silent, not wishing to upset Tifa any further than she already had been.

"Come on, kid, let's get you somewhere more comfortable," Cid grunted as he picked her up to carry her in his arms, noting that she weighed a lot more than she looked. "Goddamn, Yuff, you drink the whole fuckin' ocean!" He breathed out in a huff.

"I had four bottlesh-hic! of whishkey…" At this point, Yuffie started gurgling slightly, causing the pilot some uneasiness. Tifa continued to look on worriedly, Max safely secured on her shoulder as he was before.

"Wow, four bottles?" Cid decided it was best to keep talking to her to keep her conscious, at least until he got her to the couch in Tifa's apartment. "You must really like your whiskey, Yuff." He shook her slightly to wake her up a little as they went outside and made their way back around the building and up the stairs. "Didn't know you drank that stuff."

"I don't, but it-hic! getsh me drunk real quick…" Her head lolled to one side and settled against Cid's shoulder, and she began muttering unintelligibly and nuzzling against his jacket, making him slightly uncomfortable.

Damn ninjas can apparently have their cute moments, too.

Envy, Desire, and Tidbits:

Tifa opened the door to her apartment for Cid and he marched directly into the living room. He laid Yuffie on the couch and covered her with some woven blankets that had been placed nearby. Tifa went to the bathroom and returned with a waste pail. It was set right by Yuffie's head so all she had to do was roll over a little, just in case.

"Now, I guess we let her sleep it off, eh?" Cid said quietly as he double-checked the sleeping arrangements.

"Yeah," Tifa responded in a hushed voice. "I kind of envy her." Cid barely heard her last statement. He was unsure as to whether he should respond to it, but he decided to go for it and cocked his head to one side as he spoke.

"Why's that?" She looked up at him in shock, as though she were surprised he'd actually heard her. He moved closer to her unconsciously and took her hand in his. She blushed but held his gaze, her eyes betraying her uncertainty.

God, she was beautiful when she looked that vulnerable. And she would so kick your ass right now if you told her that, Highwind.

"She got to feel what it was like to be held by you like that," Tifa whispered, her words barely audible.

"I doubt she'll remember that in the morning, Teef," he told her matter-of-factly. She dropped her gaze and Cid knew he'd said the wrong thing.

Open mouth, insert boot.

Well, there was one way he knew to make it up to her; he scooped her up into his arms and hugged her close to him, her expression melting from fear at the sudden action to happy and excited. There was something else in her eyes, too, that made Cid shudder.

Desire. Well, there was fear, too, but there was definitely a large amount of undeniable desire was waiting in the depths of her garnet eyes, and he couldn't even begin to fathom how deep her feelings ran.

"There, how's that?" His voice was almost a growl it was so low. She smiled timidly at him and nodded.

"I like this," she murmured, her warm breath tickling his neck and making him shiver with goose bumps. "Aren't you going to carry me somewhere?" She asked, somewhat shyly but with a hint of coyness in her voice.

"Where shall I take you madam?" Cid responded lightly, his fake dignified accent causing Tifa to snigger slightly before she managed a reply.

"Why, to the bedroom, good sir!" She pointed dramatically towards the hallway and more giggles escaped and Cid's grin grew bigger. He took a few steps in the direction she'd told him to go, but he faltered a bit when he realized the implications of her words.

She wants to be carried over the threshold into her bedroom.

…Ho boy.

Cid looked down and realized she was staring at him, waiting patiently without saying a word. He gave her a small smile and began heading towards the bedroom again.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, you know." Tifa's words broke through his thoughts like a bulldozer crashing through a brick wall, but he didn't stop walking. He blinked at her a few times while he processed this information.

"I want to," he informed her bluntly. "But it will change everything, and I don't know if you're ready…fuck, I don't even know if I'm ready."

"It is a bit sudden, isn't it?" She gazed thoughtfully up at him, but she didn't seem bothered by the prospect. They reached the bed and he set her down on her feet, her body sliding down his slowly and deliberately as she brushed against his groin, causing him to let a low groan escape his lips.

Well, Highwind, at least now she knows just how much you want to.

He stared at her face for a few seconds, pondering her expression and trying to work out what was going through her mind, but then he couldn't wait anymore; Cid bent over and kissed her, long and hard, pushing his tongue past her open lips and invading the sweet corners of her mouth, determined to affix her taste firmly in his memory. Tifa responded instantly, mimicking his actions and equaling his passion with her own. She moaned softly into his mouth, which only sent more sparks of pleasure down to his loins.

Cid felt her hands slide underneath his jacket onto the soft cotton of his undershirt and the planes of his chest, her fingers gently massaging his pectorals. Gently, she pushed off his pilot jacket and ran her hands up to his nape, lightly scratching where his light blonde hair met his neck. He shuddered in response, his own hands doing their own exploring of her body, first gripping her hips and holding her closer to him, then slowly making their way north to her breasts. Cid kneaded the soft flesh he found there, receiving inexorable pleasure from the gasp she released into his mouth when he did so. He smiled against her lips and she smiled back, all fears and doubts gone within this one moment.

He pulled back for a moment to gaze at her, loving her passion-glazed eyes and dilated pupils.

"Tifa, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he said slowly, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead and giving her a hug. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure she was real, to make sure that this wasn't all a dream.

"Cid, I…need to tell you something before we keep going…" He pulled away again so he could look at her, and what he saw in her fearful expression brought back all the previous doubts and concerns he'd had before.

"What's wrong?" He asked, the worry evident in his voice.

"Nothing's wrong, per se, it's just that…" She looked down at his stomach and her voice level dropped several notches. "I'm a virgin." Cid froze.

Well, that was an interesting tidbit of information.

"A…virgin?" He repeated, wanting to make sure he'd heard her right. She nodded mutely, her cheeks tinged with that familiar pink she seemed to get a lot these days. "Hey," he said softly as he lifted her chin up so she'd look at him. "It's okay if you're scared, Teef. This doesn't have to go any farther if you don't want it to." He gave a reassuring half-smile, and she smiled hesitantly back. She reached up and took off his goggles, placing them gently on the end table next to the bed.

"No, I want to keep going, I just…wanted you to know so you'd be…gentle with me," she told him, her voice quavering ever so slightly.

"I can do that," he whispered. He placed his lips on hers, kissing her deeply as he wound his arms around her waist.

Cid couldn't help the surge of possessiveness that came over him:

She was all his.

He laid her back onto the bed and stretched himself out over her, the feel of her beneath him ecstasy in his book.

They kissed again and time became meaningless to both of them as they engaged in the oldest ritual of lovers in all of history: the art of making love.