The silence that followed Barret's entrance was the most awkward of anyone's memory. Barret's eyes darted between Cloud and Tifa, his mouth opening and closing silently. Tifa discreetly straightened her suspiciously tousled hair, chewing her bottom lip and blushing mercilessly. Cloud resisted the temptation to scratch his head, a nervous habit of his.

"So umm..." Barret began uncomfortably in his deep voice. "I thought maybe the heater broke 'gain and y'all were here freezin'..."

Unfortunately for Cloud and Tifa, Barret never stayed embarrassed for long.

"But apparently, things have jus' started heatin' up!" he said, face cracking into a wicked grin.

He chuckled at the mortified looks on Cloud and Tifa's faces. Those two're too shy fer their own good... Barret thought, still laughing at their outright embarrassment. Then he thought about the steamy session he'd just interrupted. Maybe shy's not the word... he thought, laughter dying away. Barret cleared his throat loudly and the young couple flinched, as though expecting another mortifying joke.

But luckily for them, someone began pounding loudly on the door. Barret gave a little jerk and his eyes widened in guilty surprise.

"Ohh yea..." he grumbled. "Forgot 'bout Yuffie..."

Temporarily forgetting her embarrassment, Tifa put her hands on her hips and gave Barret a fierce look.

"You forgot about her!" she scolded, marching past him towards the door. "There's four feet of snow and ice out there, and you forgot her!"

Tifa disappeared into the other room to let Yuffie in and Barret and Cloud were left in the room alone. Cloud looked at Barret questioningly.

"Yuffie?" he asked.

"Yea..." Barret grumbled, looking comically grumpy about being reprimanded by Tifa. "She was headin' to Reeve's and got caught in the snowstorm. I picked up her up near Midgar's outskirts..."

Cloud nodded and the two of them were silent for a minute. Then, Barret gave a little jerk and scowled at Cloud.

"But don' think you're off the hook!" Barret said suddenly. "You an' me're still gunna have a little chat before I leave..."

Cloud opened his mouth defensively, but just then Tifa came into the room, dragging a snow covered Yuffie behind her. Yuffie directed a nasty look at Barret and shook some snow out of her short, dark hair.

"You j-j-jerk!" she managed to get out through chattering teeth.

Barret looked a little less grumpy upon seeing Yuffie's miserable condition.

"Serves her right..." he muttered under his breath. "Blabbered the whole way here..."

Tifa helped Yuffie brush herself off, ignoring the small pile of the snow they were accumulating on the floor. They managed to get all the snow out of her hair and clothing, leaving Yuffie slightly damp and shivering. Scowling fiercely at Barret, Yuffie plopped on the sofa and wrapped herself tightly in the fleece blanket that was sitting on a nearby chair. Tifa slowly sat down next to her.

"What brings you all the way out here?" Tifa asked Yuffie, stubbornly ignoring the awkward atmosphere.

Completely oblivious to any social tension, Yuffie leisurely kicked off her shoes so she could curl her feet underneath herself.

"Pops has some business with Reeve." she replied, still trying to find the most comfortable position on the sofa. "But he's too old and lazy to leave Wutai and come himself."

Yuffie muttered under her breath darkly. Knowing about Yuffie's rocky relationship with her father, the others exchanged looks.

"You could have said no." Cloud suggested, looking slightly uncomfortable in his seat next to Barret.

Yuffie's head drooped slightly and she let out a sigh.

"Nah..." she said, shaking her head, her short mop of hair showering them with melted snow. "Then Pops would have gone himself and left me in charge. Last time he did that, I made a mess of everything and he had to come home early just to yell at me."

Yuffie's mouth twisted angrily.

"He owe's me one this time though! First getting stuck in the storm and then getting stuck with this big jerk!" Yuffie raged.

She pointed her finger accusingly at Barret. He shrugged his big shoulders and shifted in his seat.

"You're lucky I even picked you up..." Barret told her defensively. "Haven't had a minute of quiet since..."

Yuffie opened her mouth to make an angry retort but Cloud cut in quickly, knowing that if he spoke up soon enough, Yuffie's short attention span would stop the fight.

"What business does your dad have with Reeve?" he asked quickly.

Yuffie's face immediately transformed from angry to thoughtful. Tifa shot Cloud a grateful look, glad they wouldn't have to break up another fight caused by Barret and Yuffie's clashing personalities.

"He just wants information." Yuffie said slowly. "Reeve sent W.R.O workers to Wutai awhile ago and they've told us some, but I think Pops is tired of secondhand information."

"I'll probably be goin' to Reeve's too..." Barret said, sounding a little weary. "The W.R.O's been providin' funds and workers for the new power source. It's probably gunna take more than we thought to get it runnin'."

"Poor Reeve." Tifa mused. "All of us dumping our problems on him..."

Cloud shrugged.

"It can't really be helped." he said honestly.

"I guess you're right," Tifa replied softly.

They all lapsed into silence. For a minute, Tifa was reminded of the old days when everyone would sit around in quiet companionship before they fell asleep. Sometimes they'd talk about what had happened that day and sometimes Cloud would exasperatedly explain things for the twentieth time, but usually they'd just sit quietly with their own thoughts, a group of strangers who had somehow become friends. Tifa found herself aching for the others: Red, Cid, Cait Sith, Vincent, and Aeris. But of course, she reminded herself, Aeris was gone, Cait had been long since deactivated, and everyone else was scattered around the globe.

As though she had picked up on Tifa's train of thought, Yuffie perked up in her seat and looked around at the others, bursting with something to tell them.

"Guess who I saw on my way here?" she asked them.

Cloud and Barret looked up with mild interest, but Tifa leaned in eagerly.

"Who?" she questioned, hoping it was one of their friends.

"Vincent!" Yuffie exclaimed. "I can't believe I almost forget to tell you guys. I don't think he was too happy that I found him though..."

"Wonder why that would be..." Barret muttered under his breath, chuckling to himself.

"Where was he?" Cloud asked quickly, pulling Yuffie's attention away from Barret.

Yuffie scowled at Barret, but thankfully, let his comment slide.

"Sulking away in Nibelheim." she answered, rolling her eyes. "Right where we first found him! I told him that it was a stupid place to hide if he didn't want his friends to find him."

The other three smiled at Yuffie's exasperation.

"I asked if he wanted to come with me to see Reeve." Yuffie continued.

"What'd he say?" Tifa asked.

Yuffie frowned.

"He made mepromise that I'd go away and never bother him again." she said sullenly. "And he told me not to tell Reeve where he was."

"Wonder why he's avoiding Reeve..." Cloud pondered out loud.

The others shrugged.

"Anways..." Yuffie said, a wicked smile replacing her sullen expression. "You all know how well I keep my promises."

Tifa laughed quietly. Barret and Cloud gave Yuffie apprehensive looks.

"You realize he sleeps with his gun?" Barret asked Yuffie.

Cloud seemed to silently agree with Barret but Tifa rolled her eyes at the two men.

"Vincent's just grouchy." Tifa told them. "I think he needs someone to badger him into leaving that lonely mansion and stop moping around."

"Sleeps too much." Yuffie said, agreeing with Tifa. "That's probably why he's always so cranky."

"Grouchy and cranky aren't the words I'd use..." Cloud muttered, quiet enough that only Barret could hear him.

"Women..." Barret said under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What about Cid and Red?" Tifa asked, eager for news of her other friends. "Has anyone heard any news of them?"

Barret and Yuffie shook their heads. Slightly disappointed, Tifa sunk back into the sofa cushions. Silence permeated the living room again. The old, wooden clock that one of Tifa's customers had given them read half past midnight. Tifa stared at the sofa until all the colors blurred together, but Yuffie's loud yawn snapped her out of her daze. She stood up, stretching a hand out to the younger girl.

"Come on Yuffie, let's get you in some dry clothes." she said. "You can share my room tonight."

Yuffie reluctantly let her blanket fall from her shoulders and let Tifa pull her off the sofa.

"Just like old times, right?" Yuffie asked Tifa through a yawn.

Tifa smiled and nodded. Barret and Cloud watched the two girls disappear up the stairs. When they heard Tifa's door close, Barret settled his gaze on Cloud sternly, and Cloud suddenly wished he had left the room while he had a chance.

"Now..." Barret began tentatively.

"Yea?" Cloud asked warily, aware that this would be an uncomfortable conversation.

"Don't get all defensive on me!" Barret told Cloud, sighing. "I'm not interferin' or anything... I jus' wanna make sure there's nothing fishy goin' on. Just 'cause we're friend doesn't mean I'd hesitate to beat your spiky head if you ever hurt her."

Cloud shook his head.

"You know I never would." he answered quietly.

"I'm jus' sayin'..." Barret said, putting his palms up defensively. "You better be good to her."

Cloud nodded.

"I will." he promised. "Are we done?"

Barret hesitated. Cloud could have sworn he was blushing.

"I also wanted to make sure that...uhh..." Barret mumbled, not meeting Cloud's eyes.

"What?" Cloud asked apprehensively.

"I wanted to make sure..." he began determinedly, "that you were being careful."

Cloud gave him a blank look.

"Careful?" he repeated flatly.

Barret smacked himself in the forehead. His looked up at Cloud, raising his eyebrows meaningfully.

"Don't make me spell it out..." he said through clenched teeth. "You know...careful..."

Barret's meaning hit Cloud like a train, and he felt his cheeks flame. He scratched his head, not sure how he was supposed to reply to Barret. He determinedly avoided his gaze.

"I brought down some blankets and pillows." Tifa's voice cut through the incredibly embarrassing silence.

Cloud and Barret's eyes snapped over to her. She gave them confused looks.

"What's going on?" she asked.

There was yet another long silence. Out of the corner of his eye, Cloud saw Barret open his mouth. Without thinking, Cloud jumped of from the sofa so quickly that both Barret and Tifa jumped.

"I'm going to bed!" he announced quickly. "Night Tifa!"

He raced up to his room, taking two steps at a time. Tifa watched him in astonishment and then turned suspiciously to Barret, hands on her hips. He cowered under her gaze and took the blankets from her with a weak smile.

"Thanks for the blankets Tifa." he said meekly. "I better go to sleep too."

Tifa shook her head slowly.

"I'm not going to ask." she said decisively.

Pretending she didn't see Barret's shoulders slump in relief, she turned to go up to her room.

"Night Tifa!" Barret yelled at her retreating back.

"Goodnight..." Tifa replied, her tone exasperated.

Men...she thought, rolling her eyes.


The sun rose over the Seventh Heaven a mere six hours later. For the first time in days, the sky was clear and blue. The sunlight glinted brightly off the powder white snow, lightly melting the surface. Every now and then there would be a muffled thump as a large mound of melting snow fell of the roof and onto the road.

Cloud groaned and pulled his covers over his head, trying to block the merciless light pouring through the blinds on the window. He desperately tried to fall back into the lovely, deep sleep he'd been enjoying minutes before. He sighed desolately as he heard his bed creak under the weight of another body. He winced as a small finger poked his shoulder.

"Go back to bed Marlene..." Cloud mumbled sleepily.

Marlene gave his shoulder a more insistent shove.

"Cloud wake up!" she whispered urgently. "There's someone in Tifa's bed!"

He sat up quickly, startling Marlene.

"What!" he snarled, fists clenching.

But then he remembered the previous night and fell back into bed, hiding under the covers again.

"It's just Yuffie..." Cloud mumbled to the anxious little girl.

He rolled over, turning his back to Marlene, his eyes closed in hope of sleep. He sighed as he felt Marlene poke him between his shoulder blades.

"Hey Cloud..." she whispered. "Wake up!"

Cloud groaned.

"Go downstairs..." he urged Marlene. "There's a surprise for you."

"What kind of surprise?" Marlene asked.

When the only reply she got was a grunt Marlene sighed and got off the bed. She tip-toed down the hall to the stairs and peered down them. Curiously, she crept down the stairs. She entered the living room, but it was empty. The sofa had blankets piled on it as though someone had slept on it the previous night. She smelt breakfast being made in the kitchen and heard Tifa talking cheerfully. It wasn't until she heard someone reply in a low, gruff voice that she realized what her surprise was.

"Papa!" she shouted, running into the kitchen, her bare feet slipping on the hardwood floor.

Marlene threw her arms around Barret's neck and he grunted as her small body hit him at full running speed.

"There you are!" Barret said, lifting her to his knee. "I was beginnin' to think that you were gunna sleep all day!"

Marlene giggled as Barret kissed her cheek.

"Your whiskers tickle!" she said, hiding her face in his shirt.

"How's my girl been?" he asked her.

She looked up eagerly and launched into an expressive and highly dramatized narrative of the past few months. Every now and then she'd turn to Tifa for conformation and Tifa would stop making breakfast for a second to nod. Sometimes, when Marlene over-exaggerated to the extreme, Tifa would smile and shake her head slightly at Barret over Marlene's head.

Halfway through Marlene's narration, Yuffie came into the kitchen, her short hair wild and tousled from sleep. She yawned and tugged at the pajama pants she'd borrowed from Tifa. Tifa swatted her hand away as she tried to dip her fingers into the pancake batter Tifa was stirring. Yuffie shrugged and grabbed a juice box out the fridge.

Marlene stopped her story as Yuffie sat down at the table. She watched Yuffie curiously as she jabbed the straw into the juice box. Yuffie stopped mid-sip as Marlene continued to watch her.

"Hi..." Yuffie said uncomfortably.

"Hi..." Marlene said shyly.

Barret and Tifa rolled their eyes at one another. It was hard to belief that Marlene was capable of being timid and quiet.

"Marlene," Tifa said. "Do you remember me telling you that Yuffie has cats?"

And just like that, Marlene's shy streak ended and Yuffie was bombarded with questions about her cats, their names, where they lived, how many she had, and if she could maybe come see them sometime. Yuffie answered all the questions looking slightly unnerved at having Marlene's complete and undivided attention.

But she was saved from Marlene's unending questions as Cloud and Denzel entered the kitchen, both of them blinking sleepily, clad in plaid pajama pants. Denzel hid behind Cloud, shy because he barely knew Barret and Yuffie, and cranky because it was so early.

But Marlene ran behind Cloud to grab Denzel's hand and pull him into the chair next to her. Denzel stumbled sleepily, and sat down, hiding his eyes shyly under his tousled hair.

"Denzel remember Yuffie?" Marlene asked, forcing him to look over at Yuffie.

Yuffie waved weakly.

"She has like a bajillion cats!" Marlene told him enthusiastically. "And she said I can go visit them sometime..."

Marlene chatted unceasingly and eventually Denzel relaxed enough to ask Yuffie a few shy questions. Tifa looked up from the stove a minute and caught Cloud's eye. They exchanged smiles. It was nice to see their friends again.