A/N: Happy St Patties day everyone! :)

Disclaimer: All Character rights go to Square Enix

Always There

Rated: K

Characters: Tifa&Marlene&Denzel

Setting: None

Always There

Tifa looked up from the counter tops she was cleaning after a long days work. She smiled at Marlene and Denzel as they came through the door back home from Marlene's softball practice, Tifa would have gone if it weren't for her hours at the bar, so Cloud took Marlene and Denzel tagged along. He'd try to find anyway to spend time with his hero and get to ride on the Fenrir.

"Hey, Tifa! Cloud wanted me to tell you he's cleaning up in the garage and that he'll be in by supper!" Denzel ran over to hug Tifa around the waist. Tifa smiled and hugged him back.

"Alright, did you have fun?"

Denzel's smile dropped as he looked over at Marlene who was taking off her sneakers by the doorway. She didn't seem like her typical happy and playful self, this caused Tifa to frown.

"Marlene, sweetie? How did it go?" Tifa asked.

Marlene gave out a huff in response as she kicked off her other sneaker and ran upstairs to her and Denzel's bedroom before Tifa could get another word out.

"She's been quiet the entire way home." Denzel replied with a shrug as he got up to sit on one of the bar stools.

Tifa set down the dish towel she was using to wipe the counter with and walked over to the stove to pull out the fresh batch of cookies she put in about fifteen minutes ago.

She knew that something happened to Marlene today and she wasn't going to forget about this until Marlene was her happy self again.

"Here Denzel, help yourself to some cookies." Tifa said as she took a couple of cookies and set them on a plate. "Just not too much, or you'll get a belly ache and not want your dinner!"

"Yes, Tifa!" Denzel replied with a laugh before helping himself to a warm and freshly baked cookie.

Tifa patted him on the head with her free hand and set a cookie on a plate before heading up to their bedroom to comfort Marlene.

"Hi, Marlene." Tifa greeted as she sat down by her bedside. "Do you want a cookie? They just came out from the oven!"

"No thanks." Marlene mumbled as she hugged her stuffed teddy bear close to her.

Tifa set the plate down besides her and scooted closer to Marlene and hugged her close. "Something's bothering you, would you like to talk about it? Get it off your chest?"

Marlene shook her head and bit her lower lip to keep from crying.

"Talking about it will make you feel better." Tifa replied as she picked up the plate and set it down on Marlene's lap.

Marlene slowly took the cookie with a sigh. She knew that she couldn't resist Tifa's delicious cookies and keeping things from Tifa because she was right. Talking about it would make her feel better.

"I didn't do so good at softball practice today, coach says I need to work on my throws..." Marlene said as she nibbled on her cookie.

"Well, why didn't you just say so!? You know I'd be more than happy to help you! So would Denzel and Cloud." Tifa replied with a small laugh.

Marlene smiled. "I guess I was just to upset...and didn't want to..."

Tifa shook her head. "Nope, there is none of that in this house, understood? We tell each other everything because we're always here for each other, okay? We're family."

Marlene's smile got wider at that. "Even Cloud?"

Tifa giggled. "Even Cloud. Now let's go work on your throws until you're the best player out there!"

Marlene nodded and took Tifa's hand. "You're the best, Tifa!"

Tifa smiled as she followed the girl down the stairs.

"I do what I can."