Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII. It belongs to Squaresoft. I am just an adoring fan girl.

The Art of Redemption

Chapter Three:

The Interview

It had been a slow night for Tifa at the bar and she was grateful to hear the scraping of chairs signaling to her that most of her patrons were finally heading home. As she began to wipe down the counter and prepare to close, two unexpected visitors walked in. One of them she almost did not recognize.

He wore a sleek black pant with a tucked in, midnight blue buttoned blouse and a black blazer. Of course, his signature smirk told her who he was.

"Rufus?"

"Hello to you too, Tifa." Rufus greeted as he and Reno took seats at the counter.

"Hey babe. I hope you can remember my name too," Reno said.

Tifa laughed. "Hey Reno. Sorry...I was just shocked." She turned to Rufus. "You look different."

"I can sometimes. Mind if I order a drink?"

Tifa couldn't help but be taken aback. She was subconsciously disappointed due to the lack of explanation for the absence of the notorious white suit.

"Sure. What will you have?"

"Glass of red wine."

Tifa cocked an eyebrow. Should she be surprised? "And what for you Reno?"

"A light beer."

Tifa's eyebrow reached new heights. "Since when?"

Reno chuckled. "Since always. I've got to watch the physique." He patted his lean stomach for emphasis.

Tifa laughed. Reno could be a riot. It was hard to imagine that they used to be enemies. She glanced at Rufus who happened to be looking at her at that exact moment. She turned away quickly to retrieve his glass of wine and Reno's beer.

She reappeared a moment later and set both drinks in front of their respective owners. Then she whisked away around the counter to start wiping down tables. She had only been cleaning a few minutes when a voice startled her from behind.

"What can you tell me about that church?"

Tifa nearly jumped out of her skin. She had been so absorbed in scrubbing tables that she completely forgot that people were still in her bar. She spun around immediately and was greeted with an equally startled Rufus.

"I'm sorry. That's becoming a bad habit."

Tifa shook her head. "What?"

"I didn't mean to scare you." Rufus explained.

Tifa shook her head again. "Oh no, don't worry about it. Why do you want to know about the church?"

Rufus didn't feel comfortable explaining that he had a dream about her dead comrade. He was sure it would lead to an awkward conversation and he had more than his fill of those for the day...especially with Tifa.

"Harmless curiosity," Rufus replied. He caught the dubious expression on Tifa's face. "I promise you wouldn't believe the true reason."

Tifa laughed nervously. "I don't doubt that. But harmless?"

Rufus frowned. He was counting on Tifa to be more helpful than this. Deja vu set in as he thought back to his last encounter with Cloud at Healin Inn. He wouldn't let the same outcome happen twice.

"I don't appreciate the doubts you have, but I do understand where they come from. Would you mind sitting down with me somewhere and letting me tell you the truth."

For the second time that day, Tifa was at a loss for words. She was becoming increasingly unnerved by Rufus' intent to befriend her and gain her trust. She accepted his proposition as an invitation to question his motives at a more convenient time and place.

"Certainly, but after I finish closing," she replied.

"Of course." And with those words, Rufus left her alone.

When Rufus took his seat back at the counter, Reno was ready and waiting for him with a knowing smirk. Before he found a way to head him off, Reno laid into him.

"Have you noticed the way that you interact with her?"

"No, but I have a feeling that you're more than willing to enlighten me," Rufus replied coolly. He took a deep sip of his wine and when he set the glass down, fixed a hard glare on Reno.

Reno frowned. "C'mon, don't do that. I'm serious. You and her..."

"Reno..." Rufus' voice was low and threatening.

"Just sayin'..."

Rufus cut him off. "Don't. Look, there's three things you need to understand. One, I'm not attracted to her. Two, it wouldn't work out anyway if I were. And three, just in case there's an alternate universe for the first two, there's still that other thing." Rufus gave him a sharp look, daring him to disagree.

Reno frowned. "I get the first two. But the last one...you can't keep using it as an excuse to not have a relationship. I'm not just talking about Tifa, but with anyone."

Rufus looked away, focusing on the glass of wine in front of him. He didn't like having this conversation. Reno knew this, but he always picked the most inopportune moments to dig it up. He didn't have any room to talk either, with his purely sexual, short-term relationships and the occasional one night stand.

"Dammit Reno...you're impossible," he muttered in frustrated defeat. After a second or two, Rufus looked back at him only to find Reno staring at him with a monstrous grin.

"I know. It's what makes me so endearing." Reno replied.

Rufus grimaced and took another large sip from his wine. "I'm going outside for some air. Don't follow."

The cool night air of Edge was a welcome relief to his nerves. He had felt so tense in there. Outside, he was able to relax and think more clearly. He wanted to go back to that church, but he needed to know more about it first. More than what a vague, dusty old file and a couple of Turks had been able to recount to him. It was disconcerting for him, the fact that he suddenly felt an odd, intimate connection to the church since his dream just a couple of nights ago. Although, he had to feel that it was better than having an odd, intimate connection with the Ancient. He would have found that far more disturbing; but he would have to understand the significance of her as well.

He wasn't alone with his thoughts for long before Tifa appeared outside beside him. She wore a thin sheen of sweat on her face and smelt very strongly of alcohol.

"Wow, it feels really good out here," she commented, fanning herself with one hand. She looked up at Rufus. "Sorry for taking a while. I tried to hurry."

Rufus couldn't help a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I can tell. But there was no need to rush."

Tifa shrugged. "Well, I did. I'm eager to hear why you've suddenly taken an interest in the church."

"Honestly, I'd like to know that too," he replied. Shockingly, and quite embarrassingly, he found himself enjoying the quizzical look upon Tifa's face. "Would you mind if we walked and talked?"

Tifa nodded. "Sure." She still held her earlier reservations about Rufus trying to gain her trust.

They walked for a few seconds in silence before Rufus spoke again. "Last night, I had a dream. It took place in the church." He purposely left out that the Ancient had been there too. He would speak to that later, if it was warranted.

Tifa looked at him, willing him with her eyes to elaborate. "And?"

"I had fallen there. I landed in some bed of flowers." He paused. He had forgotten about the bed of flowers. "It seemed weird that they were blooming there. I felt that they shouldn't be able to survive there, because everything else around me looked dead or ruined."

"You shouldn't have survived," Tifa replied simply.

Rufus stopped walking. Tifa stopped as well and looked him dead in the eye. "You're still alive, even though everything else is either dead or ruined around you."

Her words hit him like a ton of bricks. They made astonishing sense. He had never thought about the dream metaphorically. He suddenly felt very exposed, vulnerable even. He wanted to go back to the bar immediately.

"It stings, doesn't it?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" Rufus cocked his head slightly to the side, wondering where her question came from.

"To lose your entire company. To lose your command over the world and only be left with a few lousy Turks that stuck around to help you pick up the pieces. To have everyone think you're dead or powerless." She stopped, figuring she had poured enough salt into the wound. She didn't know where those words came from or why she felt compelled to say them out loud, but she figured it was something he needed to hear.

Rufus stared at her hard, the muscles around his jaw tightening. He tried not to let her leave him speechless, but her words were irrefutable. He had nothing to say to her because it was the truth and it did sting, no matter how much he didn't want to admit or even think about it.

"Don't look at me that way, I'm just trying to relate," Tifa said, not appreciating his silent glare. "I've lost family and friends. I've lost contact with most of AVALANCHE. I have nothing left to fight for, except for the friends and family I've lost and the members of AVALANCHE that I still care about. You and I are one in the same, as much as that startles both of us."

Rufus laughed, but it was completely void of mirth. It was hollow and forced. "Do you really think so?"

Tifa quirked her head to the side, thinking for a moment. "Honestly? No, but I'm trying damn hard to wrap my mind around it and I think you should too."

"Do you always make it a point to be this brutally honest with everyone? Or do you just find me very special?" Rufus deadpanned. So far, the words coming from her mouth kept rubbing him the wrong way and he was growing weary of it. This suddenly seemed like such a bad idea.

Tifa heaved a frustrated sigh. "Everyone. But I find you exceptionally deserving."

Rufus rolled his eyes. "I think I've enjoyed enough honesty and sharp wit for tonight. I'll head back to the bar now." He turned away from her and began his short trip back to the bar.

"And do you always runaway or shut out the people who try to tell you the truth? Especially when they may be trying to help you?" Tifa hollered at his retreating back. She watched him stop. She walked towards him quickly and stopped right in front of him.

"Look, don't ask why, but I would like to help you and whatever fascination you have with the church. I'll be there tomorrow and we can continue this then."

Rufus looked down at her, trying to think of an excuse not to forgive her and just head home, forgetting that any of this ever happened. To his dismay, he turned up fruitless.

"Take back what you said about the Turks being lousy," Rufus replied.

Tifa stared at him, baffled beyond words. "What?"

"Earlier, you stated, and I quote, 'a few lousy Turks that stuck around to help you pick up the pieces'. Now, I don't mind what you have to say about me, but the Turks...they're off limits." By the expression upon her face, Rufus could tell that she didn't understand how serious he was being. "AVALANCHE," he continued. "Your group, those people you said you cared about. Do you think they're lousy?"

Tifa suddenly felt very nervous under his piercing blue stare. The question was not out of rhetoric. He was expecting her to answer.

"No, never. Of course not," she replied hastily. "But I get your point and I take it back. I just didn't realize..."

Rufus sighed. "It's fine." He looked away, averting his gaze up towards the sky. Then he looked back down, quickly.

"I'm getting there by helicopter again. Would you just want to ride with us?"

Tifa, who had taken the opportunity to look away as well, looked back at him, startled by his offer. She had forgotten about what she said before. "Sure, why not?"

Rufus smirked. "Is 8:00 in the morning fine with you?"

Tifa returned the smirk. "More than fine. But only if you let me go back to the bar and get some sleep."

Rufus raised an eyebrow. "Let you? You were waiting on me?"

Tifa laughed. "No, but I doubt you would have let me just walk away."

Rufus suddenly felt his head swim in a dizzy motion with deja vu.

"So you're just going to runway?" she asked.

"I don't want to, but I doubt you would have let me just walk away." he replied. He had his back turned to her for a reason. He didn't want to see her cry. But he heard her cough and sniffle. It was pointless. He turned around...

"Corinne?"

She had walked away; out of the bedroom, out of the house, and out of his life. And he hadn't realized how much of him she had taken with her...

"Are you okay?" Tifa asked.

Rufus shook his head in an attempt to get rid of the memory. "Yes, I'm fine," he replied. "Let's get back to the bar."

Tifa had her doubts, but decided to leave it at that. They walked quietly along the street, letting their thoughts and feelings of each other hang between them as an awkward silence. The events that had transpired in just the past day definitely altered the relationship they had before, or lack thereof. Before, there was very little they had in common and even less when it came to reasons for being civil towards each other.

When they arrived back outside the bar, Reno was waiting for them, leaning against the door with both hands in his pockets. He made a pointed look towards Rufus.

"Nice to have you back safe and sound," he chided, somewhat jokingly.

Rufus smirked. He lifted up the left side of his jacket to reveal a nice, shiny handgun.

Reno scoffed and feigned having his feelings hurt. "Oh wow, guess you don't need me anymore. Can I retire now?"

Tifa laughed, but was unsure if she really should. She looked over to Rufus and she caught a small smile on his face.

"Don't be like that," he replied, sticking both hands in his pockets and mirroring Reno by leaning against a nearby streetlight. Tifa kept watching him, almost intrigued by his mannerisms at that moment. She hadn't realized he could act so...normal. He suddenly turned his head towards her and she felt embarrassed for just staring at him.

"So 8:00?" he asked.

Tifa stared blankly at him for another moment before remembering the little rendezvous they had planned. She didn't know why she kept forgetting things from just a few moments earlier.

"Yeah, 8:00," she replied. She hesitated with her next words, hoping they wouldn't sound too awkward once they left her mouth. "Do I need to meet you somewhere...or will you pick me up...?"

"We'll pick you up," he replied.

Tifa missed the soft laugh Reno let out, but Rufus heard it and shot him a dangerous look. "Reno."

"Yes, boss?" Reno replied cheekily.

"Let's get out of here."

Tifa watched the odd exchange take place and also watched as the pair walked down the street to a nearby inn.

Once they got further down the street, out of Tifa's earshot, Reno nudged Rufus in the side. Rufus looked at him and was irritated to find a huge grin taking over Reno's face.

Rufus glared at him. "Not a word."