That ol' wind

by Diane Kelley

Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, nor do I own the song "that ol' wind." So don't sue me, PLEASE!

Summary: It's been ten years since Kadaj and his gang came and were destroyed, and Tifa is thinking about that ONE night with a certain red-headed Turk who has since moved on to a music career. Sometimes, if one is patient long enough, the one you care for will return to you. ReTi

"Come on, Renny, it's time for school! Hurry up." Tifa called up to her son who was still in the upper portion of the new Seventh Heaven getting dressed for school. Like his father, the child had a wild mass of bright red hair...and like his father he took FOREVER getting out of bed and moving. When he did not appear after 10 ten minutes, she called up again, using that edge to her voice the 9 1/2 year old knew so well. "Rennan Alexander Lockhart, you better get your tail down those stairs RIGHT NOW!"

The boy finally came down the stairs, wearing the cocky grin she knew SO well. . .his icey eyes the color of Mako glittering in amusement. "I'm here., Mom, Jeeze. ." He had his books slung under his arms as he grabbed a toaster tart off the plate his mother had left out.

"That's all you're eating, Ren? You could stand a bit more meat on your bones." Tifa was brushing through her long fall of dark hair as she said this, her eyes the color of fine port wine dancing in amusement.

"No time to eat anything more, gonna load my books in the car." with that, the boy who at 9 was already shaped exactly like his father, 5'6" tall and 90 pounds MAYBE soaking wet, turned and walked out, opening tjhe car door and dropping his books into the floorboard in front.

Tifa came in, climbing into the driver's seat and turning on the radio. As he did, she gasped. . .and her eyes teared. .it was THEIR song, the one he had played the night they'd been together, only this time it was HIS voice. When the DJ announced "Reno Tarshill, tonight at the Midgar Civic Center at 7:30 pm." she just knew she had to find a way to get seats.

"Mom, you allright?"

"Yeah. .."

She dropped her boy at school on time

one less worry on her mind

Then it's off to work and on the radio

comes an old familar song

and then the dj's voice comes on

and says he's back in town tonight for one last show

Tifa drove back, flipping the sign from closed to open as she re entered the tavern, picking up a photograph on the bar of a tall, slender redhaired man in a navy blue suit with the rumpled looking blazer unbuttoned, the wrinkled white dress shirt with its top two buttons undone, a nightstick resting on his shoulder, and his tuongue sticking out. God, could it be ten years already?

Her eyes well up with tears

God, could it be it's been ten years

since that autumn night outside the midgar fair?

Where two strangers shared a night

And in the darkness found a light

that to this day is still alive and burning there.

:"Sometimes I wish I had come with you when you asked, Reno. It's funny. . .you always said Cloud and I wouldn't last, and you were right. It seems you are so much of the time. For someone who seems such a clown you're pretty damn wise." It was whispered as she ran her hand over the photo and set it down.

He asked her twice to come along

And they said goodbye at the break of dawn

'Cause you can't hold back the wind

and if it's meant to be again

Then someday he'll find his way back to her arms

/"Come on Teef. It's not as if Cloud really cares about you as anything but a friend." Reno looked at her with those eyes that held so much yearning. "I know you got roots here, but I absolutely MUST get outta Midgar"

"I can't. ..you knew that before you asked me, I'd bet."/

Tifa picks up the phone, dialing Elena's number. the blond Turk babysat Rennan for her when she needed it. "Hey, 'Lena I need you to watch him tonight. ..yeah, I heard, that's why. Oh, I may not be home tonight, if I'm not just make sure he's in bed by 9. thanks."

The marquee misspelled his name
And not too many people came
But that didn't matter to them

Tifa snorted when she pulled up to the stadium. "How hard is it to spell 'Tarshill' anyway?" Then she was blown away as she walked inside to see HIM standing in the foyer, red hair gleaming under the gaslamps they used to light the large space.As if beckoned, that head swung around, his eyes meeting hers. His lips parted into a small "o" of amazement before forming her name and he approached her, the soles of the Turk issue dress shoes clacking against the marble tile. When he got there he planted a kiss right on her mouth, not caring how many of his adoring fans might have seen it.

They laughed and loved all through the night
And as they faced the morning light
They found themselves standing there again

At the end of the show, Tifa stood with him by the curb as they loaded up the tour bus, and he stared her in the eye, his expression precisely the same one as he'd worn ten years before.

And he asked her twice to come along
They said good-bye at the break of dawn
As his bus left out she cried
With him standing by her side
That ol' wind had once again found its way home

Tifa fairly sobbed as the bus pulled away, her arm around his waist. "You stayed. ..you stayed..."

Reno put his arms tight around her. "I've missed ya babe...more than you'll ever know. I'm done wanderin', yo. Now all I want is me an' you."

Someday he'll tell her about the money he hid.

Someday she'll tell him that the boy is his kid

but for right now they're both in love

the only thing they're thinking of

Is that they're finally where their hearts have always been.