Disclaimer: No part of the Final Fantasy series belongs to me. I just write pathetic little fanfiction stories for it sometimes.

Note: I'm not threatening you…but I'm not lying…if you don't review, I don't know if anyone's reading it, so I take down the story. It's like that. So if you read the story can't you at least spend thirty seconds or so writing a short little review? Please? I love my reviewers! Anyone who's reviewed so far gets a virtual cookie! Here! Take it out of my virtual cookie basket!

Second Note: There's no CloudxTifa in this fic…don't believe me? Don't worry! This chapter should explain what I mean.

Chapter 4: Clearing Things Up

"There is…something that I have to ask you, Tifa. I apologize in advance if my question is too personal. If that is the case, you do not have to answer," Vincent said, standing in the doorway of the room Tifa had assumed was the living room. The light was dim and shadowed the man, but the brunette woman could clearly see his crimson eyes. That gave her captor a chilling air—a mostly shadowed face, but glowing, red eyes. His shining golden arm with sharp-looking claws and gunmanship that could kill anyone (except for, of course, Sephiroth) with a single speeding bullet made him formidable even when he was your friend. When he was your captor, even if he wasn't going to kill you, his appearance was that of a villain.

Or, to Tifa, almost that of a villain.

"Ask away," she muttered, pulling the blanket she had been provided tighter around her.

"…Is Cloud your boyfriend?"

Tifa's jaw dropped slightly. Whatever question she had been expecting, this wasn't it.

"Well, uh…" She scratched her head. "Not really. I mean—yes, we're close, very close. But he's not my boyfriend…I trust him more than I trust anyone, and I consider him my best friend. He's like my older brother and I love him in that way but no, he's not my boyfriend. And if he is, he's never treated me like it."

Vincent nodded. Either way, it appeared to him that Tifa was very valuable to Cloud. So why hasn't he made any signs of trying to find her that the crimson-eyed man could see? He had gone to Rocket Town while Tifa was asleep a few times—very quietly, very late at night, in demon form, when everyone was asleep. There wasn't any movement, and it almost seemed, in the eyes of the demon he used, that they weren't doing anything to bother recovering the girl.

Of course, that was probably just his demons playing tricks on him. Vincent was more than sure that was the case. After all, they wouldn't just leave her…would they?

Cloud absently stared out the window. The sky was completely void of clouds, and the deep, crisp, cerulean color of it almost seemed to shine. He wondered if Tifa was somewhere under the same tranquil sky, whether she could see it. He sighed. People often got the wrong idea about him and Tifa. Did he love her? Yes, he did, very much—but not the type of love that a boyfriend felt for a girlfriend, and not the type that a husband felt for a wife, either. He had to admit: He'd felt that way for her in the past…but not now. Now…he didn't know HOW he felt. But he knew one thing: He cared about her. A lot.

"Cloud," came a gruff voice from the doorway.

"Yeah?" the spiky-haired man sighed, turning to face Red XIII.

"Cid's almost done preparing the airship. I think everyone else is just about ready to leave," the red dog-like creature said.

Cloud nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Red."

Red XII nodded, and glanced down the hallway. "Great," he muttered, spotting Yuffie. She wielded a comb and some hair ties in her hand, and that could only mean one thing: Braids.

"R-Red! Wait up!" Yuffie called, chasing her beloved doggie companion down the hallway.

Cloud rolled his eyes. If only the world could be as carefree as Yuffie…

Yumesuta: Okay, short chapter, I know…I just felt I had to update it, since I normally update this fic pretty quickly. Anyway, REVIEW PLEASE!