White Desire

Chapter 27

While Rufus and Tifa had been hiding themselves away from the others, Marlene was having a difficult time resisting the urge to follow after and eavesdrop. She really did want to see the fruits of her labour, although had she thought about it, everything had been initiated by the president. It was still pleasant all the same to see Tifa act in such a manner. She wasn't going to let the older female forget about this. Of course, she had a feeling, this wasn't something that should be openly discussed. She had gotten that vibration once listening to the Turks discuss the new development. The majority sounded as though it disapproved. It was difficult to say, though. Adult situations really were most complicated. Thank goodness she was still a child. It was things like this that made her want to stay a child forever.

Personally, the younger girl would have liked it if things could remain the same for the rest of the night. That meant no interruptions, no disturbing of the president and his secretary, and the amusing show that a very angry Scarlet was putting on. As soon as the blonde had come inside from the terrace with Heidigger, she looked as though she'd been slapped when she found out Rufus had left with Tifa. She didn't even try to hide her hatred for the brunette. She disliked her before. And with each passing moment, she began to abhor her. Tifa Lockhart would pay, and it would be a price most dear. Before she got a chance to start her personal search party, she was pushed to the side by a familiar cape-donning man.

Once the Turks were joined by him, Tseng lifted an eyebrow out of surprised. "Vincent Valentine. What brings you to Shin-Ra's lair?" He definitely wasn't expecting the vampire-like one to ever show his face. Oh, yes. Vincent had quite a past with the Turks and Shin-Ra in general. Of course, that was several years ago, and that had absolutely nothing to do with now. What could he possibly want with us? Tseng's eyes met the door he had come in and then he put two and two together. He must want Miss Lockhart.

Unlike the two brunettes that had come on happy terms, Vincent looked more annoyed than anything. Finding that Marlene was left on her own only caused that irritation to increase. He was being followed by a sputtering Scarlet, who he was more than skilled at ignoring. A nod was given to Tseng and the others before kneeling down to one knee before Marlene and ruffling her hair carefully, as to not mess it up. It wasn't that he held distaste for his former allies. Vincent just had no desire to relive those memories. They'd caused anguish for him and he could do without that for an entire lifetime (if not more). "Marlene, where is Tifa? Why are you here by yourself?" She seemed a little reluctant to answer, so he found his eyebrows furrowing and raising his sights to the other four in blue.

Reno was the first to take initiative. By this time, Scarlet had decided to take her problems aside. She looked like she was waiting for Vincent to be done scolding the others for being with Marlene. The red-haired young man raised his arms above his head and yawned. How exciting. In actuality, it was…sort of. He, too, liked chaos. Hell, it seemed everyone in Shin-Ra was fond of such things. He gestured back towards the door with a hand and sighed dejectedly. "The two love birds went to get away from the rest of us. I told Marlene to leave them alone and stay with us, yo."

Then Rude spoke up, "It was our pleasure, Vincent." He didn't want Tifa to pay any consequences for stuff like that. After all, they really had offered to take care of the younger female. He sighed and nudged Reno a bit, pointing to the rather aggravated Scarlet. Any moment now her head would pop off and she'd define a volcanic eruption. He had a difficult time holding back the chuckles. Then he turned his attention back to the man in red. "It's as Reno said. Tifa and the boss aren't here. Chances are they're still in the building."

Tseng was beginning to know where this was going and he stepped forward. "Should we form a search party, Valentine?" Vincent was probably the only person he ever addressed by last name. He liked to be proper and show good etiquette, so he had always been formal with others who weren't involved with his particular group. However, he still considered Vincent to be an ally, and being half so, he felt it was necessary to call him by such.

The former Turk wondered if it was absolutely necessary. After all, if he did something like that, it might imply there was some kind of emergency situation. He didn't want Tifa to think anything like that. "That won't be necessary. Is there any way that I can possibly get access to the floors here?" He looked around to the others as they exchanged glances with one another. He was well-versed in the company to know that in order to successfully navigate himself around, he'd need to have that special key card. Tifa probably had one since she was Rufus's secretary, but he didn't know where she put it or else he would have used hers.

While the group of people in blue were mentally discussing the consequences of doing such a thing, Scarlet decided it was time for her to enter the conversation...or at least attempt to again. She couldn't lose her job since she wasn't under contract with Rufus. She had no trouble doing something that would make him angry. He'd been doing that for so long it was only fair if she got a chance too as well. "I'll give you access to every place you'd like to go." She enfolded her arms over her chest and nodded, as though to show her reassurance.

Swell. The allies he once had wouldn't help him, but the horrible woman who had caused so many problems was more than willing to drop anything and everything to come to his aid. Vincent wasn't sure what to think of that. Half of him was repulsed that she was just barely touching his cape, and the other half was suspicious as hell. He knew she had her own reason for doing this, and it probably wasn't a good thing. He wondered if it was such a good idea to comply. Then again, he really needed to talk to Tifa, wherever she was. "...Fine. That'll be fine." He reached out a hand and took Marlene's in a rather tight grasp before turning his back to the others and pulling the younger female after him.

Giving a smirk to the others, Scarlet turned her nose up into the air and she gracefully strutted after Vincent and Marlene. Oh, yes. She'd exchange her words with Rufus after Tifa was escorted away. She'd have much more than that as well. It had yet to occur to her that he probably wouldn't listen to her, but she at least needed to say something. Even if he never heard a word, as long as she was screaming at him (whether understandable or not), she would feel better.

Starting from the bottom floor, the three began to scale the building, with the Turks following far behind. Everyone knew there was something going on and this entire situation seemed quite bad to just about all of them, except Marlene. Each person was thinking about how to scold either Rufus or Tifa (or both of them, if applicable) and the consequences that would come from such. And at the sixty-fourth floor, they found their answers to all of the unspoken questions.

In the dim light of the cafe, the familiar silhouette of the couple could be seen. The two were still rather enwrapped with one another (metaphorically and physically speaking at this point). And then the softest masculine voice was heard, saying the types of things that no one else except those special ears should have heard. In reponse to such whispered sounds was a soft coo that came from the brunette. Vincent and Marlene exchanged glances between each other. Unlike the young girl, the long-haired male wasn't quite as thrilled. He held out an arm to prevent Scarlet from rushing forward to do something she might regret. Then his other hand released Marlene's and rose to his lips as he cleared his throat. "Tifa."

Rufus's companion heard her name and she quickly raised her hands to the blonde-haired man's chest to push him away. Then she brought her hands to her outfit to regain her composure. Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! My life is so completely over! Thank goodness it was a little darker in there, because no one except Rufus (probably) could see how red she was turning. "V-Vincent, what are you doing here?" She was trying not to sound angry, but it was difficult, since she was so humiliated at the current moment. At this rate, she'd have to go run off somewhere. She couldn't show her face in the company or at her own bar anymore.

He was still trying to think of what to say. He'd walked in on a more than awkward moment. The last thing he ever wanted to see was Tifa in the arms of another man...especially the arms of this man. And he hadn't wanted to see what followed either. No wonder Cloud had been so angry the day he walked in on those two together. He was beginning to understand just how and why the other blonde felt the way he had. This was like a complete repeat of Lucrecia and Professor Hojo. He wasn't entirely sure if he was angry with Tifa or Rufus. More than likely, it was the latter. Finally, Vincent spoke up, "I came here looking for you because Cloud protested you weren't answering your cellular phone." He approached her, reaching a hand out to her face, brushing his fingertips over the soft flesh, trying to purge from his mind that Rufus had probably done that already. "Are you all right?" He shot a rather narrowed look at her blonde-haired accomplice, "Keep your presidential hands off of her. She may be your secretary, but that's all she is and that is all she will ever be." With that said, he turned his attention back to Tifa, who was trying to protest. "Tifa, we're going back to Edge. Now."

"...T-that's not fair!" The brown-haired female shook her head quickly. She reached out her hands and began to shake Vincent back and forth by the shoulder. Of course he couldn't understand the situation or where she was coming from. She wasn't some little girl who'd gotten caught with her boyfriend. For Goddesses' sake, she was twenty-two years old! He couldn't play the role of her father. "You don't understand! He...he didn't do anything! He didn't hurt me at all!"

So rarely did he raise his voice at her. She wasn't hearing him, was she? This meant what he was about to do was completely within reason (or so he thought). "That's not the point, Lockhart! We're going home, now! If you don't, I will tell Cloud and the others about everything. And I do mean...everything." There was no mistaking that tone. Tifa knew he wasn't teasing. She reluctantly nodded and as she looked back at Rufus, she gave the most apologetic look. The trip home she was going to have with Vincent and Marlene was bound to be one of the least enjoyable she'd ever had.

Without even waiting for a response from either of the two who had caused such an uproar, a very dispirited Tifa was escorted past Scarlet, and later on, the group of Turks in blue. She didn't even have the ability to raise her head and meet eyes with anyone. She was too hurt, too upset to even think about speaking with other people. The idea of talking to Marlene didn't make her feel any better either. In fact, if she hadn't said anything to the younger brunette, she wouldn't have been so easily swayed by her words and none of this would have happened. It was wrong to blame her, though, so Tifa had to take responsibility for such things.

Marlene, on the other hand, was more than a little confused with the entire situation. Why was everyone else upset about this? What was the point of getting angry? From what the young girl had thought, one couldn't help who he or she fell in love with. This situation was no different. She wanted nothing more than to reach out a hand to take Tifa's, but her fellow female companion looked so upset that she didn't want to bother her. Vincent looked so angry that she was fairly certain as soon as the three were far from the headquarters building he was going to begin yelling. She would be ready for it, though. Once that happened, her hands would raise and cover her ears, and she'd give him three minutes before begging him not to be angry with Tifa.

Back in the headquarters, Rufus had been continuously followed by a Scarlet who screamed bloody murder over the incident. Behind her were the Turks, silent and resigned as they could possibly be. They weren't really sure how to handle this situation either. Personally, the group thought Rufus knew what he was getting himself into and as long as Tifa didn't overstep her boundaries, then there would be no reason for them to teach lessons. From what they had seen, they were aware the president was fond of his secretary. Tonight was the first night they had ever seen her react in the same way. Tseng, of all the others, was vaguely pleased with the result. The president needed someone or something to lighten himself up a bit. It was possible that he wouldn't be quite so hard on the group now. At least, that's what he was hoping.

Although the words being yelled at him were rather jumbled, Rufus wasn't even hearing them. He was far too concerned about Tifa. She looked so different from what he was used to. If he could have, he wouldn't have let her go off with the caped man. He would have preferred for her to be close to him. Finally, pushing the lovely brunette off to the side, he turned to Scarlet, shaking his head slowly. "Talk to me about this tomorrow. I am much too busy to deal with you tonight." Not waiting for a response, he left the rather shocked blonde female at her office door, excusing himself. He really wanted the shock of this to be over as soon as possible. He'd come up with a convincing lie the follow day. After all, he couldn't have people knowing what he was truly thinking or feeling...right?