When Cloud and Sephiroth arrived back on the surface they were very surprised to see Tifa there.
"Tifa!" Sephiroth exclaimed. Tifa ran forwards and hugged both of them.
"I missed you both" she cried hugging them tightly.
"Where were you? I tried calling you" Cloud told her.
"I know" Tifa said, tears spilling down her cheeks "I never got to the phone in time and I couldn't call you back"
"I know" Cloud said hugging her tightly.
"At least you're back safe" Sephiroth told her. Tifa stepped back from them
"Oh, this is Kadaj, he saved me" Tifa explained to them. Kadaj shook Cloud's hand then Sephiroth's.
"I guess thanks are in order" Sephiroth said smiling.
"Yeah, thanks" Cloud told Kadaj who merely nodded
"It was nothing" Kadaj said. Yuffie ran over and threw herself into Sephiroth's arms.
"I thought you had died too" she whispered into his coat.
"It would take a lot more than that to kill me" Sephiroth told her. Tifa looked back at the others then started
"Lucrecia?" Tifa wondered. Lucrecia nodded and beamed
"I don't think we've had the privilege" she said. Tifa stepped forwards to shake her hand. A loud crack echoed around the garden and Tifa hit the snow covered floor. Tifa cursed while Lucrecia merely rubbed her bruised knuckles
"That's for playing my son and Cloud against each other" Lucrecia told Tifa before storming off. Nanaki was trying to keep himself composed that had been one of the funniest things he had ever seen. Barrett held out his hand and helped Tifa to her feet.
"Well ya pissed Lucrecia off, I thought that was impossible" Barrett noted. Tifa cursed and rubbed her jaw where Lucrecia had punched her. Tifa was amazed to find that her eyes were watering but she was not sure if that was from the punch or from the guilt of causing an argument between Sephiroth and Cloud. Tifa turned to Cloud but he had already gone into the mansion. Cloud walked into the kitchen but quickly stepped out when he saw Sephiroth and Yuffie kissing.
"It was only a matter of time" Lucrecia whispered in Cloud's ear. Cloud grinned and walked towards the kitchen again, rather noisily. When he reached the kitchen Yuffie and Sephiroth were on opposite sides of the kitchen.
"Sephiroth" Cloud said putting out his hand "I guess an apology is in order"
"Yes, from me" Sephiroth said bowing low to Cloud "I overstepped the mark when I kissed Tifa, I knew that you and she had past and it was a stab in the back from me"
"Yeah well, I apologise for, you know, hitting you back there" Cloud told Sephiroth.
"I deserved it" Sephiroth laughed. Cloud and Sephiroth shook hands.
"So then, how is this going to work?" Lucrecia enquired as she entered the kitchen "Whose living where?"
"I have my mom's old home" Cloud told her "Someone can live there with me if they like"
"I gotta get back to Midgar" Barrett explained as he entered the kitchen with Nanaki and the others, Tifa kept well back.
"Lucrecia, Sephiroth and I can live here, but if anyone needs a spare room, we could always convert the safe room and the basement" Vincent told the room.
"May I stay here? I find it, peaceful" Nanaki enquired as he looked up at Lucrecia
"I would not have it any other way, Nanaki" Lucrecia said kneeling down so that they were at the same height. Nanaki nodded in thanks.
"Can I stay?" Yuffie asked Lucrecia. Lucrecia beamed
"Of course you can, we need someone to keep Sephiroth in check" Lucrecia smiled and Sephiroth groaned sarcastically
"Oh, please no" he joked making Yuffie hit him in the stomach.
"I gotta get back to Rocket Town, Shera will be will be worried sick 'bout me" Cid told the room.
Tifa wiped the tears from her eyes, she felt like an outsider and so she turned and walked out of the manor and over to her house. Tifa closed the door once she was inside and placed her back against. In despair Tifa slid down the door and put her head against her knees as tears poured down her face again. In her heart she felt worse than she had done when Cloud left when they were kids. Wiping her tears and trying to compose herself Tifa got back to her feet and stumbled up the stairs before throwing herself onto her bed. In actual fact this made her feel an awful lot worse and she cried softly as she recognised Cloud's scent. Cloud had spent so much time in her room that his aftershave was clearly present in the air. Tifa could not help the tears and so she plunged her head into the pillow to try and mute her piteous whimpers.