Chapter 3 - The Reckoning
It was easy for adults to dish out advice about dealing with bullies – tell a teacher, tell a parent, tell someone you trust. Well, Marlene had tried that, once. She would never make that mistake again.
She had tried to tell her teacher, and the teacher had kept the four of them in for recess to "talk it out." Heather had just batted her lashes and said innocently, "Gosh, Marlene, we didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I tease my friends like that all the time—" Juliette and Annile had nodded in agreement "—and it's all in fun." The teacher had said that maybe they should keep their teasing a little milder if their friends were sensitive about it. The three girls nodded and agreed. The teacher had looked satisfied and then shooed them outside for the remainder of recess.
The trio had utterly ignored her for weeks after that, and then the three of them had some kind of falling-out. The week before break had started, Juliette had approached her. She said that she had gotten sick of Heather and Annile, that they were just too mean, and that she was sorry for her part in picking on Marlene in the past. She said she wanted to be friends, and for the entire week before break, she had waited for Marlene after class and saved her a spot at lunch. Heather and Annile had sat at a different table and glared at them. Marlene had always claimed that she didn't care about popularity, but when it came down to it, it really felt good to be hanging out with one of the popular girls. Everyone said hi to Juliette – she was undeniably pretty, and it was well known that her family was the wealthiest in town. Of course, no one was really rich in Edge – they were living on the edge of the Midgar ruins, after all – but rich and poor are always relative.
Now, it was finally the last day of school before the break, and Juliette caught her arm in the friendly way she had been over the last week.
"Hey!" Juliette chirped. "Do you think you could help me feed these wild baby chocobos over break? I've been feeding them every day on the way to and from school , but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get there during the break."
Marlene was a tender-hearted girl, but she knew better than to interfere with nature if it wasn't necessary. "What about their mother?"
Juliette shrugged. "I think she's dead. She's never been around any of the times I've come around to feed them, and they always gobble up everything I bring them." She looked at Marlene, wide-eyed. "They'll starve if you don't help me, Marlene."
"Oh," Marlene breathed. "Well, maybe I can help. Where are they?"
"They're in the Wasteland. Walk with me. I'll show you on the way home."
The two girls walked along, chatting companionably, until they reached the Wasteland. "Give me a boost," Juliette said.
Marlene linked her fingers together for Juliette to step in, and then hoisted her up over the fence. Juliette dropped down on the other side and looked back expectantly. Marlene found hand and footholds in the chain-link fence and slowly, clumsily worked her way up over the top. By the time she made it to the other side, Juliette looked impatient.
"Hurry up, I have to get home soon," Juliette said before heading into the depths of the Wasteland.
Marlene hurried along behind her, trying to follow the other girl's weaving path through the trash piles. Finally, when the road was completely out of sight, Juliette stopped in a little clearing. They were in the section designated for compost, and it struck Marlene that even baby chocobos should be able to find plenty of food here.
"Where are they?" Marlene asked, looking around curiously.
"Marlene," Juliette said coyly. "Have you ever heard the phrase 'Revenge is a dish best served cold'?"
Before Marlene could even process that, the light had been blotted out and cold and slimy things were sliding down her hair and face. Then she was moving, stumbling to stay on her feet as she was shoved back and forth. It didn't last long before she slipped on something, twisting her knee and falling down. Trying to ignore the pain in her knee, she reached up to her head. She felt something round and cold – a metal bucket. She grasped it and pulled it off, gasping as the rest of the gunk that had been trapped between the top of her head and the bucket showered down over her shoulders – egg whites, shells, coffee grounds, moldy leftovers, and some other unidentified slimy substance.
Shuddering, she tried to brush it off, but then she was being pelted with more. It was Juliette and Heather and Annile, throwing handfuls of whatever garbage they could reach. They wore work gloves – heaven forbid they dirty their dainty hands – and somewhere in one of their indescriminate throws was something hard and heavy. Marlene felt it strike her cheekbone, and then she put her arms up over her face and head to protect her from the rest.
"Come on guys, that's enough." It was Juliette, and she actually sounded like she felt a little guilty.
The onslaught stopped. Marlene peeked between her arms. Juliette was looking away from her, focusing all her attention on the other two girls, but Marlene was sure she looked uncomfortable.
"What? Wasn't that mild enough for our sensitive friend?" Heather asked smugly. Throwing one last handful for good measure, she said, "Fine. Let's go."
The three girls walked away, leaving Marlene to pick off banana peels and egg shells. Hot tears burned behind her eyes. Dontcrydontcrydontcrydontcry. She couldn't stop them. They burned trails down her dirty face and dripped off her chin. That was how Denzel found her.
When they arrived back at Seventh Heaven, Marlene tugged on Denzel's sleeve. "Wait! I can't let Cloud and Tifa see me like this."
Denzel gave her a stern look. He still didn't seem too thrilled about the idea of keeping this whole thing a secret from them.
"Please, Denzel. Just help me," she begged.
He sighed. "Alright, fine. Just go around the corner so you're not right out in the open. I'll go make sure the way is clear, and then you can sneak in and get in the shower before they see you."
He nudged her in that direction and she hurried around to the side of the building while Denzel slipped inside. She made an attempt to finger-comb her hair, but it seemed that she was only succeeding in spreading the slimy substance. She sighed and gave up. What was she going to do? Clearly this was a problem that she needed to solve on her own, but how? Physically, she couldn't stand up to three girls at once. Maybe she should ask Tifa to teach her martial arts. But as quickly as the thought surfaced, she dismissed it. Violence wasn't the answer.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Denzel appeared around the corner. He joined her in the shadows. "Hold still," he ordered, squeezing his Restore materia in his hand.
A green glow peeked between his fingers. Marlene sighed as the cool, tingling feeling spread over her injuries. The swollen bruise on her cheek melted and faded away. Her knee throbbed one last time and then was quiet. Denzel was getting pretty good at healing, she reflected with a surge of pride. She almost could have passed for normal now, if not for the mess in her hair and shirt.
"Ok," Denzel said, pocketing the materia. "I didn't see anyone, but just stay behind me just in case we run into someone.
Marlene nodded and followed him to the front. Denzel poked his head through the door and looked around, and then motioned for her to follow. They made it across the bar. He pushed open the kitchen door and walked over the threshold, but as soon as Marlene tried to follow she was smacked in the face with the door.
A moment later she heard Tifa's voice. "Hey Denzel! How was school?"
"Uh, fine. Just, you know… a regular day." Marlene rolled her eyes. He was such a terrible actor.
Then she heard the next-worst sound. The front door opened behind her. In fact, it was slammed open, banging against the wall before bouncing back. She pressed herself into the shadows next to the kitchen door, hoping she wouldn't be noticed, but the man's eyes immediately locked on her. He was dressed in a respectable suit, but his face was red with anger.
"I need to see Strife. Right now."
Marlene recognized him from the bar. Jameson Keenan. He hated Cloud with a passion. This could only be bad news.
"Oh. Um...let me go see if he's here," she said, keeping the strain out of her voice. At least he didn't seem to notice her disheveled appearance in the shadows. She pushed against the kitchen door, but it opened only a few inches, smacking into Denzel.
He kicked it back, his voice getting unnaturally higher-pitched. "Hey, actually, can you show me where you got those vegetables?"
Seriously, such a bad actor!
Tifa's voice, quiet but still audible: "I got them from the garden, Denz. Out back."
"Denzel!" Marlene hissed through the door.
"Uh, yeah, I know, but I want to see where they're all planted." Denzel raised his voice and kicked the door again. "We've been learning about plants in school and I just thought they were interesting. So I thought maybe you could teach me about the ones you grow."
"Um, sure, I guess," Tifa said, sounding confused. "Just let me wash my hands first."
Marlene pushed against the door, banging into Denzel's foot again.
"No!" Denzel said loudly. "I mean, they'll just get dirty again. So let's go outside. Right now."
Marlene glanced behind her, wondering if the man was going to say anything about her inability to open doors. He was pacing angrily, not even looking at her at the moment.
Tifa sounded amused. "Ok, if it's that important to you," she said. "Come out back."
Marlene was just about to try the door again when it was flung open from the other side.
"Jeez Mar, couldn't you hear me talking?" Denzel muttered.
"Of course I could hear you," Marlene hissed. "But someone came in behind me and I look like an idiot standing here trying to get through the kitchen door. He asked to talk to Cloud!"
Denzel glanced over her shoulder and saw the angry-looking man pacing in the bar area. "Ok, I'll handle him. Just get upstairs," he whispered.
Marlene didn't need to be told twice. She darted past him and up the stairs.
Denzel walked out into the bar area to greet the pacing man. "I'm sorry, Cloud's not here right now. Can I help you with something?"
The man paused and looked him up and down, eyes narrowed, and finally said, "You must be the boy. Denzel." He spit his name like it was a disease.
Denzel gulped as he got a good look at his face. It was the man from his drawing, and he was even more intimidating in person. He towered over Denzel in his business suit. A drop of sweat trickled down next to a hairline just beginning to recede, and his belly strained against the buttons of the suit as he breathed in and out.
"Um, yes, sir," Denzel stammered.
He was rescued from further interrogation by the kitchen door swinging open. "Denzel, are you coming or—Oh! Hello Jameson! It's been a long time." Tifa put a hand on her hip as she took in his heavy breathing and confrontational stance. "Is something wrong?" The concern in her voice was soothing and the redness in the man's face started to fade.
"Oh, Tifa," he said, his gruff voice becoming more gentle. "Sorry to barge in like this, but I need to talk to Strife. Where is he?"
She gave him a pleasant smile and the man seemed to relax another degree. "He's out on a delivery right now, but he should be back in a few hours. I can have him call you when he gets in."
In his mind, Denzel thanked Tifa for her unfailing ability to calm anyone down.
Jameson sat down on one of the stools at the bar counter. "That's ok. I'll wait."
Tifa blinked, but recovered quickly. People seemed to forget this was a home when it was not serving as a bar. "Oh. Ok, sure. Would you like something to drink?"
"Yeah. Give me something stiff, honey."
"You got it, Jay." She glanced up. "Denzel, get started on your homework."
Sighing, Denzel sat down at their usual table and pulled out his books. He didn't bother arguing that they had the entire break for homework; the rule had always been homework first. Besides that, he didn't have any desire to leave Tifa and this man alone. Jameson shot daggers at him with his eyes, ignoring the glass Tifa set before him. Denzel pretended to be engrossed in his textbook, although Civics was the last thing on his mind at the moment.
"So Jameson," Tifa said smoothly, drawing his attention back to her. "I heard that you had started your own company." She laughed lightly. "You always were the entrepreneur of our crew. I can't say I'm surprised."
The man puffed out his chest proudly. "Well, yes, it was very difficult, but I got it started about a year ago—"
Denzel watched them out of the corner of his eye. The bar wouldn't be open for hours, but Tifa was the ever-perfect hostess, and she patiently refilled his drink and chatted casually with him as though she had nothing better to do, like get ready to open the place for paying customers.
Jameson took every opportunity to touch Tifa. He was constantly squeezing her arm or touching her hip. Each time he put his hand on her, she politely stepped away, but he didn't seem to be taking the hint – or if he did, he was still being creepily hopeful.
At some point, Marlene had come downstairs, freshly showered, and pulled out her own textbooks at their table. Denzel tried to concentrate on his homework, but it was hard to block out the voice of the man talking about himself nonstop. Tifa was getting set up for the night behind the bar – at least the part she could do up front – but making the appropriate noises to show she was listening to his bluster.
Denzel no longer ran outside to greet him every time he heard Fenrir, but he always felt a little safer when Cloud came home. Even today, knowing that he was about to get in trouble, he felt relieved at the familiar sound of the engine. He just wanted the whole scene over with at this point.
The door opened and Cloud walked in. It looked like it had been a rough delivery. His face was dirty and there were splashes of blood from some beast on his arm and the front of his shirt. He was wiping at his face with a clean corner of his shirt, so he didn't immediately see the man sitting at the bar. "Tifa," he groaned, "you wouldn't believe what—"
His face dropped into its stoic mask when he noticed their guest, but his voice was pleasant enough. "Jameson Keenan? Good to see you again." He eyed the glass in his hand. "Getting an early start tonight?"
Jameson set down his glass on the bar loudly. "About time, Strife."
Cloud gave him a bland smile. "Yeah, busy day. Did you need something from me?" He walked behind the bar and turned on the sink, wetting his hands and forearms and then slathering them with soap.
"Yeah. I got a beef with your kid."
Cloud continued scrubbing calmly. "Which one?"
Jameson was flustered for a minute, clearly not expecting Cloud to claim Marlene. "The uh…the boy. Denzel."
Cloud turned off the water and took the towel from Tifa's hands to dry off. "Marlene, go finish your homework in your room."
Marlene gathered up her books and papers without a word. Denzel tried to skulk out behind her.
"Not you, Denzel," Tifa warned. "Sit."
Looking glum, Denzel sat back down in his chair and finished putting his books and papers away, and fidgeted with the strap of his backpack nervously.
Jameson seemed to have forgotten his anger while he was busy flirting with Tifa, but he was starting to get worked up again. The redness was coming back into his face. "That's right. You and me and the boy need to have some words." He looked back at Tifa apologetically. "I'm sure you don't want to hear this Tifa. You should leave."
Tifa raised an eyebrow and Denzel covered his laugh with a fake cough. He could almost hear the thoughts in Tifa's head. He did not just try to kick me out of my own bar to have a discussion about my family! Out loud, she only said coolly, "Denzel's mine, too. If he's done something wrong, you can talk to both of us." She took Cloud's hand as they walked to the table.
Jameson's eyes flickered to their linked hands and a look of disbelief crossed his face. He stood up to his full height and tried to look intimidating as he grabbed his glass and followed them to the table where Denzel sat bouncing his foot nervously. The twins' father was taller, but Cloud was an imposing figure of solid muscle and cool blue eyes that could not be intimidated, least of all by some overweight, posturing businessman. The blood still smeared on his clothes probably didn't hurt, either.
Once everyone was seated, he jabbed a manicured finger in Denzel's direction, but directed all his frustration at Cloud. "Your boy is a thug and a bully, Strife. You're raising him to be just like you, and he's a danger to the innocent citizens of this town. I know he was the one who started that big fire. You lured all those beasts into town and he almost burned it down." He was practically quivering with anger. "You know how many houses and businesses were damaged that day? He's just as unstable as you, and he needs to be locked up before he hurts anyone else!"
There was a period of silence following his dramatic pronouncement while Cloud calmly assessed the bigger man. "Did something happen that you'd like to tell us about, Jameson? Or did you come just to call him names and fling accusations?" His voice was low and mild, highlighting the excessive drama of the bigger man.
Jameson's hands formed into fists and a scowl locked in place. "Yeah, I got something to tell you. That little punk assaulted both my boys for absolutely no reason today." He leaned forward and his eyes narrowed on the teen. "He broke Jesse's nose and he practically beat Jason unconscious. And then, when they were both on the ground and helpless, he tried to set them on fire."
Denzel scoffed loudly, but Cloud shot him a warning look, so he closed his mouth.
The burly man redirected his furious gaze to Cloud. "That was a mistake. See, now I know the truth, Strife. You convinced the rest of the town that you didn't start that fire, and you know what? I believe you, too. That kid is just as deranged as you. He is the one who started the fire. I'm going to make sure –"
"Jay, none of us had any fire materia that day," Tifa cut him off, her blazing eyes the only indication that her limits were being pushed. "Denzel didn't start that fire."
Jameson shifted his focus to her, softening. "Teef, I'm sure that's what they told you, but he must've had it hidden on him somewhere. Can't you see those two are trouble?" He leaned forward and lowered his voice to an intimate level. "I'm worried about you living here with them. It's not safe."
This time, Denzel couldn't hold back his incredulous snort. Was this guy for real? If he honestly thought either Cloud or Denzel were dangerous, it would have been exceedingly stupid to call attention to that fact right in front of them. It wasn't as if Jameson could stop Cloud – heck, probably not even Denzel – if he were truly a threat to Tifa. Even to a boy, it was a transparent attempt to make himself look like a hero in Tifa's eyes. Unfortunately for him, there was nothing Tifa hated more than to be treated like a delicate flower who needed protecting.
She leaned back in her chair and put her hand on Cloud's knee, claiming and calming him at the same time. Denzel could see the tension in the way Cloud held himself, but he heeded her wordless reassurance and let her handle it.
"I'm fine, Jameson," she bit out.
His eyes were pleading and he reached for her free hand, which she pulled away. "Look, since Marcy died, we have some extra space. You could come stay with us, and—"
Denzel was truly shocked at the man's stupidity. He glanced over at Cloud to see how he was reacting to all this. His face showed nothing, but the bulge of his jaw muscles and the ice in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Jameson. Drop it." Tifa's voice carried a warning that no man would be stupid enough to ignore, even if he missed the clench of Cloud's jaw, and he wisely snapped his mouth shut. There was an uncomfortable silence as they all looked at each other.
Cloud cleared his throat. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about Denzel?" he asked tightly.
The heavy man's face reddened again. "That's not enough?"
"It's enough," Cloud said firmly. "Denzel will be disciplined. Did anything else happen?"
Denzel winced inwardly. That didn't sound good.
"Well, that's…no. I mean, nothing else that I know of." Jameson seemed put out that his pronouncement hadn't triggered more of a reaction. "But to be honest, Strife, I don't have much faith in your 'parenting' ability. So if I ever catch him out on the street, I'll teach that boy a lesson myself!"
Denzel's eyes flickered to Tifa. Strike three, he thought, holding back his smile as he enjoyed Tifa's predictable reaction. She hauled Jameson out of the chair by his arm and stared him down with the fierceness of a lioness protecting her cubs. She spoke quietly, but with a tone that chilled the room. "We will discipline Denzel. If you so much as lay a finger on my child, I will hunt you down myself, Jameson. Now get out of my house."
He looked completely startled by her anger. He really doesn't know her as well as he thinks he does, Denzel thought gleefully.
Jameson struggled to recover her good graces. "Tifa, I—"
Her eyes flared. "Get. Out."
The man was more than a foot taller and at least a hundred pounds heavier than Tifa, but he cowered under her withering look and shuffled out the door after some mumbled attempts at an apology.
Denzel had never felt more proud of his unofficial guardians. They had shown a unified front and made it clear that they wouldn't be bullied. In fact, Cloud and Tifa seemed angrier at Jameson than at him. Maybe this wouldn't be as painful as he'd thought.
He was wrong. So wrong. It was painful. Cloud and Tifa had given him a chance to tell his side, but it didn't seem to make much difference. They were furious with him.
Their anger and disappointment was bad enough to deal with, but the punishment was even worse. Cloud counted out the terms on his fingers.
"No phone, no TV, no video games, no friends, no skateboard. You will bring your sword and materia to me. Tifa will give you a list of chores to complete around the bar and the apartment. During the break, you are not to leave unless Tifa sends you somewhere for a specific task. After the break, you will come straight home after school and work on either homework or the chores."
"After the.." Denzel sputtered. "How long am I grounded?"
"Until further notice," Cloud growled. "Until we're sure you've learned your lesson."
Denzel was reeling. They had never punished him like this before. "But…but I have a date!" he protested.
"Too bad."
"Can I at least call her to cancel—"
"No." Cloud wasn't budging.
"But she—" Denzel tried to interrupt again, and again Cloud spoke over the top of him.
"The answer is no. And if we ever—" Cloud put his palms on the table and leaned forward to make sure he had the boy's attention "—ever hear of you using weapons or magic to threaten another student, we're done."
Denzel felt like he'd been stabbed through the heart. "Done?" he squeaked. "You're going to kick me out?"
Cloud's eyes softened just a bit. "Done training you," he clarified. "Taking away your sword and materia. We're not teaching you these things so you can threaten anyone who irritates you. We're teaching you how to defend yourself and others in a life or death situation."
Denzel felt a surge of anger. He made it sound like some kid had been poking him with a pencil. He'd been trying to defend the man, and he was getting punished for it! "Yeah, but you should have heard the stuff they were saying about you, Cloud! The stuff Jameson was telling them."
Cloud's expression didn't change. "So?"
"So?! I couldn't just let them talk about you like that."
Cloud sighed and sat down at the table, rubbing his face. "Denz, no matter who you are or what you do, there are going to be some people that just don't like you. If you let it get to you, you'll spend your whole life trying to be who they think you should be instead of becoming the person you want to be."
Denzel scowled and pushed back from the table. "Fine, you know what? I don't care what they say about you. I'm never standing up for you again. Are we done now?"
Cloud sat back in his chair and folded his arms. "Yeah, we're done."
The boy pushed back his chair with a screech and stormed past them, too angry to even ask about the black handprints marking the table where Cloud had been standing.
Marlene didn't remember her real parents. They had died when she was too young to recall their faces. Barret had been "Daddy" for as long as she could remember, and she knew he loved her, but she had come to accept that he simply wasn't capable of providing her a stable home. He had too many demons of his own and it seemed that he needed to deal with them without the burden of a little girl to care for.
In the beginning, she had wanted to believe that her living situation with Cloud and Tifa was just temporary. Every time Barret came to visit, she packed her little pink suitcase and waited hopefully for him to say "C'mon, Marlene, let's go home." Every time she felt the stabbing pain of disappointment as she unpacked her suitcase after he left.
In her fantasies, she had imagined that he would take her to a tidy little house with a white wooden fence and lots of pets. Then one day, her fantasy changed: Barret took her home, but when she went inside, all she could picture was Seventh Heaven. To her, home was round bar stools that she had to climb up to reach, that she would sit upon and spin in circles until she was too dizzy to stand. Home was the designated "family" table in the bar where they gathered every morning and evening; the little bedroom where Denzel had drawn chalk pictures on the wall to make her smile and they sat up late whispering in the dark; the bathroom where Cloud had made his first sloppy attempt at braiding her hair, and then did it over and over until she was satisfied; the big industrial-size kitchen where Tifa cooked fabulous meals; the garage filled with the smell of grease and oil and the sound of clanking tools on metal; the leather seat on Fenrir where she felt Cloud's solid frame at her back, the safety of his arms on either side of her, the wind flying through her hair.
In her new fantasy, Barret was there, but in the background. Home was Cloud and Tifa and Denzel, and wherever she went, it would no longer be home without them.
Once she understood and accepted this, she still looked forward to Barret's visits, but with one fundamental difference. In her mind, they were only visits. Her place was here, and she knew that she would always have a place here, no matter what happened.
Of course she knew that a bar isn't an ideal environment for raising a little girl, but she really couldn't have asked for a better role model than Tifa. Marlene learned about hard work and responsibility; she learned when to use a soft touch and when to stand up for herself. She also learned how to observe and read people.
She knew that adults underestimated her because of her small stature, wide eyes, and her sweet voice. She was not above using this to her advantage, and adults' perception of her as naïve and clueless meant their tongues were looser than they should have been around her. As she bussed tables and swept the floor, they assumed they could talk over her head and she wouldn't understand. On the contrary, behind her innocent front was actually an extremely sharp, observant mind. She blended into the world of adults seamlessly, which may have been the reason that it was harder for her to fit in with kids her own age. Kids had different motivations. Their reasoning was different. She just didn't understand them the way she understood adults.
In the bar, Marlene watched the townspeople come and go. She watched how Cloud and Tifa and Denzel interacted with each other, with acquaintances and strangers. She knew the personalities and habits of everyone who regularly crossed the threshold of Seventh Heaven, and as such, she knew that the real conversation would take place after Denzel left the room.
After dutifully finishing her homework in her bedroom, she had decided that it would be a nice gesture to clean the kitchen. Hadn't she noticed that the stove could use an extra good scrubbing? If she happened to be close enough to overhear their conversation, they couldn't possibly fault her for wanting a nice clean stove, right?
By the time she was within hearing distance, the angry man had left, and Denzel was in the middle of having his punishment handed down. Cloud was really mad. Marlene felt a little sorry for her brother when he stormed up the stairs without even noticing her in the kitchen. Cloud and Tifa both lowered their voices, and she noticed that the counter nearest the swinging door looked a little dirty, too. She crept closer, using Denzel's stomping footsteps as cover for her own.
Tifa's voice sounded strained. "..you know Jameson carries a lot of weight with the council. I'm afraid he's going to make trouble for Denzel."
"He won't," Cloud said firmly. "I'll go talk to the council. I'm going to take credit for the fire."
"Cloud, you can't! He's already convinced a few people that the monsters are being drawn in by you. He can make a case to get you kicked out if—"
"I know! I know. And that's why I let you talk me out of it before. But I'm not going to let him use Denz to get back at me." His voice softened. "You heard what they said at the town meeting. It won't be easy for him to turn everyone against me after—"
"Yeah but—"
"Do you have a better idea, Tifa?" Cloud interrupted harshly. "Because you know Jameson is dangerous and we have no idea what he's going to do. At best, he could easily get Denzel taken away from us."
Tifa sounded shocked. "At best?"
"Yeah," Cloud murmured. "At worst…he could get him locked up, prosecuted, or arrange a tragic accident when he's alone."
In the kitchen, Marlene shivered. She had recognized the man. He served on the board for Reconstruction of Commerce in Edge. She knew he had lost his wife in some kind of accident years before, and that he still considered the barmaid 'his Tifa'. She knew that he had grown up with Cloud and Tifa, that the relationship he boasted about with Tifa was much closer than Marlene had ever observed, and that for some reason he seemed to think Cloud had stolen her away from him.
He really hated Cloud. Marlene overheard him ranting to his friends at Seventh Heaven on more than one occasion, but it was awfully hard to turn people against the Hero of Midgar.
Still, it was hard to believe that Jameson would do something so vicious to a 14-year-old boy. Then again, Barret was fun and loving, but no one wanted to be in his way when his little girl was threatened.
Tifa spoke hesitantly, drawing Marlene from her thoughts. "Give me a few days. I can fix this."
"I don't know if Jameson is going to wait that long."
"I can deal with Jameson. He still has a soft spot for me—"
"Really?" Cloud muttered sarcastically.
"—and I'm sure I can talk him into some leniency."
"…Talk?"
"Yes, talk." Her voice was clipped, offended by what he was insinuating. "But in the meantime…I think you should keep Denzel out of sight. Out of town." She hesitated for a moment. "And you, too."
"No way, Tifa!"
"Honestly, do you think I can't handle that man?" Marlene couldn't see her face, but she still imagined the look she was giving Cloud.
"Of course not. You'd have him knocked out before he knew what hit him if he tried anything."
"So what are you so worried about? Besides, he still holds such a grudge against you…it's almost like he can't listen to reason when he sees your face. I think if I can get him to calm down, he'll listen to me.
Cloud sighed. "I don't know about this, Tifa. Where are we supposed to go?"
"Abe's been asking you to make that delivery to his friend way out in the mountains, right?"
"Yeah," Cloud snorted, "and it's a three day drive mostly through undeveloped wilderness."
"Exactly," Tifa said. "Tell him you'll take the job, and take Denzel with you. It will buy me some time to get Jameson calmed down." She paused. "I need you to trust me on this, Cloud."
There was silence on the other side of the door, but Marlene knew them well enough to understand that Tifa had won the argument. She walked quietly halfway up the steps and then loudly back down again. Pushing the swinging door open boldly, she walked carelessly out into the bar area. "Oh, hey guys. I'm done with my homework. Are we eating anytime soon?"
Tifa quickly painted a smile on her face. "Yeah, we're having leftovers. Cloud and Denzel need to hit the road before it gets any darker."
Marlene acted surprised. It was a craft she had perfected, knowing far more secrets than anyone suspected. "Really? Where are they going?"
"Cloud has a long-distance delivery, so they're going to make a camping trip out of it."
Denzel caught the tail end of the conversation as he came down the stairs. "Excuse me? Do I get a say in this?" he asked moodily.
Tifa gave him her sternest look. "No, you don't. You two need to have some guy time."
"Really? Sounds like a blast," he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. "All day on the bike and then sleeping on the hard ground at night."
"You're grounded all week anyway, Denzel. Would you rather be stuck in the house doing chores?" She asked it in the form of a question, but her tone made it clear that there was only one right answer.
Denzel scowled. "Yipee. Can't wait for guy time."
They all ate quickly that evening. The boys were exempt from cleanup because they needed to leave as soon as possible. Marlene grumbled about it being Denzel's turn as she brought the dishes back into the kitchen. Of course she knew why they needed to leave right away, but that didn't stop her from complaining about the extra chores.
"Marlene! Wait!" Denzel caught her by the arm and held out a folded piece of paper.
Marlene set the dirty dishes in the sink and took the paper suspiciously. She unfolded it and scoffed. It was a phone number and "Alicia" written in curly script. "Why are you giving this to me?"
"I need you to call her tomorrow," he said, his eyes pleading. "I'm grounded from the phone and I need to tell her that I can't make it for our date this week."
Marlene raised an eyebrow. "You want me to call your girlfriend and tell her you're ditching her," she said dryly.
"No! Just tell her I had to leave town unexpectedly and that I'll call her when I get back." Marlene didn't look convinced, so he made an attempt at her big puppy dog eyes. "Please, Mar!"
Of course Marlene would do it; he had been a huge help after school and she wasn't going to refuse him a favor, but that didn't mean she had to sound too willing. "This is going to be the mother of all awkward conversations, but…fine. I'll call her tomorrow."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Marlene!" He gave her a big, loud kiss on the cheek, which she promptly wiped off with a grimace.
"Oh, here." She reached over to the hooks by the back door and handed him the helmet. "You know Fenrir doesn't have a speedometer."
"Yes it does," he said, making a face as he put on the helmet and secured the strap under his chin. "Cloud just doesn't know how to read it. How come he makes us wear one, but he doesn't have to?"
"Because he's not breakable," Marlene smirked as she patted the top of the helmet. "Have fun, Denz."
The sun was already setting by the time they packed their few bags in Fenrir's compartments. Denzel couldn't believe he was being forced to go along with this stupid trip. He was already angry with Cloud, and the idea of putting up with him for a week straight sounded like the worst possible way to spend the school break. Maybe they had decided this would be a better punishment for him.
"Uh, why are we leaving tonight? It's already getting dark. Why don't we sleep in our beds for one more night and leave in the morning?" Denzel was trying his best to sound diplomatic, but he was so irritable that he didn't think he pulled it off.
"No," Cloud said shortly. "We need to leave tonight."
"We're just gonna have to stop in an hour anyway. What's the point?"
Cloud adjusted his goggles and started Fenrir. "Get on, Denzel."
If he hadn't already been in so much trouble, he might have argued further, but Cloud was clearly not in a negotiating mood. Arguing would have only made things worse for Denzel. He sighed and sat on the seat behind Cloud and held on tight.
"Marlene, I need to go out for a while," Tifa said as they cleaned up the breakfast dishes the next day. "I need to go talk to a friend. I'll be back in an hour or two."
"Talk to a friend?" Marlene said innocently. "Can I come with?"
"Um, no, I don't think that's a good idea this time," Tifa hedged.
"Why? Which friend are you going to see? Doesn't your friend like me?" She turned her big brown eyes on Tifa.
Tifa softened under the force of those eyes, as always. "No, of course he doesn't dislike you, sweetie. It's just going to be a very serious talk."
Marlene was getting frustrated with how vague Tifa was being. "Are you going to go visit that angry man that was in here last night about Denzel?"
Tifa looked startled. "Well, yes. I am. And it really should be a private conversation."
"What if he tries to make a move on you?"
A startled laugh escaped from Tifa before she could suppress it. "Make a move?"
Marlene scowled. "Yes. I saw the way he was acting before Cloud got home yesterday. I don't trust him alone with you."
Tifa put her hands on her hips, looking irritated. "Really, Marlene, do you think I can't handle Jameson by myself?"
"No, I think you would kick his butt if he tried something."
"Exactly, so—"
"And that would just make him madder, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, probably, but—"
"And you need him to not be mad at you. Right?"
Tifa sighed and her arms dropped to her sides. "What's your point, Marlene?"
"Well, he wouldn't try anything in front of a little girl, would he?"
Tifa considered the girl thoughtfully.
"Wouldn't it be best to avoid that kind of situation altogether?" Marlene prodded.
Slowly, a smile spread across Tifa's face. "You know, you're really wise beyond your years, little girl."
Marlene smiled smugly. "I'm not really a little girl anymore. But I know that's how Jameson will see me anyway."
The smile faded slowly as Tifa tucked a lock of hair behind Marlene's ear. "No, you're not, are you?" she asked quietly. "Ok, let's go," she said, holding out her hand. Together, they went to save Denzel.
The twins and their father lived only a few blocks away from Seventh Heaven. A minute after Tifa rapped confidently on the wooden door, it was opened by a sullen-looking teen with a swollen nose and a black eye. "Hello Jesse," Tifa said pleasantly. "Is your father home?"
Jesse ignored her and studied Marlene. "You look better than the last time I saw you," he said suspiciously.
"You don't," Marlene retorted.
Jesse scowled and turned around. "Dad! Door!" he yelled. Without another word, he walked into the depths of the house, leaving the door open with the girls standing on the doorstep.
"What's he talking about, Marlene?" Tifa asked.
"Nothing," Marlene muttered.
"We'll talk about this later," Tifa whispered as Jameson came into view in the darkened house.
"Tifa!" he boomed grandly. "Please, come in! It's so nice to see you! Oh, and your little girl, too." He leaned over and patted Marlene on the head like a dog.
Marlene kept her eyes wide and her smile plastered on as Jameson ushered them inside. "Coffee? Tea? Lemonade? Something stronger?" he asked, winking at Tifa.
"Coffee would be wonderful, thank you." Tifa said pleasantly.
"May I have some lemonade?" Marlene asked sweetly.
Jameson squatted down in front of her with difficulty. "Of course you can. What's your name, sweetheart?"
"Marlene," she said, batting her eyes again for good measure.
"Coming right up, honey. The boys are playing video games in the family room if you want to join them," he said. "I bet you get bored listening to grownups talk, don't you?"
"Umm, I don't really like video games. But I brought some coloring with me," she said, letting her mini backpack slide from her shoulders onto the floor. "I'd rather stay close to Tifa."
"Oh. Of course." Jameson grabbed the chair and used it to pull his bulk back up. "I'll be right back. Have a seat," he said, smiling.
Tifa and Marlene sat down at the small, round table, and Marlene pulled out a coloring book. Tifa gave her a look as if to say 'Laying it on a little thick?' but Marlene just smiled serenely and started coloring. To her credit, it was an intricate design that she was neatly filling in with colored pencils, not really a child's coloring book. She hadn't actually said or done anything that looked like she was intentionally misleading him about her age, so was it really her fault if he made incorrect assumptions?
Jameson returned with their drinks and sat down across from Tifa. "I'm glad you came to see me, Teef. Where is uh…Strife?" His voice was neutral enough, but Marlene heard the strain underneath it when he mentioned his name.
"Cloud and Denzel are out of town," Tifa said lightly. "They're making a delivery way out in the mountains."
Jameson seemed to relax a little. "Is that so? That drive must take days. Won't you be lonely?"
"Not at all," Tifa said. "Marlene will be with me." She smiled down at the girl.
"But it will be just the two of you?" he persisted. "I hope you don't plan to advertise that. Some people might try to take advantage of two ladies alone."
Tifa set down her coffee and crossed her arms. "Really? Yesterday you were worried that Cloud was dangerous. Today you're worried that I'm in danger while Cloud's gone?"
Jameson sighed heavily. "Yeah. I owe you an apology. I might have overreacted yesterday. You don't know what it's like when something happens to your kids, though. You just go into this super-protective mode and—" He flinched at the look on her face. "Sorry, I guess you probably do know," he said, glancing at Marlene. "Anyway, at least I know that no one would dare try anything when he's around. But if he's gone…"
"You really need to get this stupid idea out of your head, Jay. Since when have I ever needed a bodyguard?"
Tifa's voice had taken on an edge that made Marlene nervous. 'Keep your cool, Tifa,' Marlene begged in her head. 'Don't make him mad…'
Luckily, Jameson diffused it himself. "You're right, Teef. I'm sorry. I know you can handle yourself. It's just, Marcy was so fragile, and sometimes I forget you're not her."
Tifa softened at the wistful look on his face. "It's ok. Actually, I owe you an apology, too. I shouldn't have been so…abrupt when you came to see us."
A smug smile flickered on his face.
"I meant what I said," Tifa clarified sharply. "You won't lay a finger on Denzel. But…maybe it was out of line to kick you out like that."
Jameson stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Everything's forgiven, Tifa. I suppose you can't help but be influenced by those ruffians living with you."
Tifa's muscles tensed, but her voice stayed level. "Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that, too. About Denzel. I told you we would hold him responsible for the fight with your boys, but he's really not a bad kid. He didn't do anything wrong on the night of the attack."
One of Tifa's hands was wrapped around her coffee mug and the other lay next to it on the table. Jameson reached over and held the unoccupied hand. The hand on her mug twitched, but she didn't pull it back.
Her leaned forward and looked at her earnestly. "Tifa, I know you've done your best with those orphans you take in. You are truly an admirable woman, the way you try to help those in need. Times are hard for everyone, yet you put everyone else before yourself. You've always been that way, even when you took Cloud in all those years ago."
Tifa's brow furrowed. "Jay, Cloud was hired by AVALANCHE as a highly trained specialist for their operations. We worked together. I didn't take him in. And when we were all traveling, he was the leader. If anything, he was taking care of me—of all of us, really."
Jameson scowled slightly. Marlene supposed he didn't want to ruin the deliberately crafted image he had in his head of Cloud – dangerous, needy, selfish. "My point is that you can't save everyone, Tifa. Sometimes you just get a bad seed…or two…and they're just beyond help. It's not your fault that you couldn't save Cloud or that boy." He squeezed her hand emphatically.
Tifa pulled her hand away to pour a dollop of cream in her coffee, although Marlene knew she drank it black. Her hand shook as she tilted the cream toward the cup.
"What did Denzel do that was so bad?" Marlene asked quietly.
Jameson looked surprised to hear her speak. "Sweetheart, you're a little too young to—"
"Jay thinks Denzel started the fire on the night of the monster attack," Tifa said, grateful for the girl's interruption.
"But he couldn't have," Marlene said serenely.
"What do you mean?" Tifa asked, tilting her head.
"He was already unconscious by the time the fire started." Marlene kept her eyes locked on Jameson's. She knew how people looked when they told lies, and she knew how they looked when they told the truth. She needed him to see the truth in her eyes.
Jameson scoffed loudly. "You couldn't possibly know—"
"She was right there," Tifa interrupted. "Marlene is a gifted healer. She was helping with the fight."
Jameson's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "Yeah but…how do you…I'm sure he was just pretending to be out—"
Marlene sat up straight and gave him her most sincere look. "He was lying face-down on the ground, not moving, while a chuse tank was carving chunks out of his back. Trust me when I tell you: Denzel was unconscious. There was no possible way he started that fire."
Jameson's eyes flickered back and forth between the two girls. Marlene kept the innocent look on her face; she could almost see the thoughts in his head. If he wanted to continue blaming Denzel, he either had to discredit this perfectly behaved, well spoken little girl, or somehow prove that she was mistaken. In her mind, she dared him to try. She would welcome the challenge.
Finally, he got his thoughts together. "Fine. If the boy didn't do it, I still suspect Strife. Everyone knows he could do it easily."
Tifa sighed wearily. "Yes, everyone heard your argument at the town meeting. The elders said they believed Cloud's statement that he had no materia."
"Hm. Well, we'll see," Jameson said mysteriously.
Marlene gathered up her colored pencils and book and stowed them in her backpack. "Tifa, we're going to miss my lesson if we don't leave soon."
Tifa latched onto that. "Right. Well, thank you for your hospitality, Jay. I appreciate you hearing us out."
Jameson smiled as he stood, but the smile was sour. "You know you're welcome in my home anytime, Teef." He walked them to the door and held it open, but caught Tifa's wrist as she exited behind Marlene. "I mean it, you know. You should visit more often. I miss you," he murmured softly.
Tifa smiled kindly. "I'll check my schedule, Jay."
"Wow, could he be any more pathetic over you?" Marlene moaned as soon as they were out of sight.
Tifa frowned down at her as they walked. "It's really hard to have feelings for someone who doesn't feel the same way back, Marlene. Try not to judge him too harshly."
"Oh," Marlene said, looking abashed. "Is that how you used to feel about Cloud?" When there was no response from Tifa, Marlene smiled sweetly. "Well, he can be kind of slow sometimes. It just took him a little longer to figure out that he loved you."
Tifa laughed out loud. "You know, you are quite the perceptive girl. By the way, thanks for your help with Jay back there. I get so worked up when he insults my family like that. I lose focus."
"You're welcome," she said happily. "So did it work? Is Denzel off the hook? We can call the boys and tell them to come home already!"
"Hm. Probably not quite yet. Jameson will stew on what we said and he'll come up with something else. I'm pretty confident we'll win this one, though. We can talk him out of anything else he comes up with."
After walking in silence for a few minutes, Tifa mused, "Denzel really clocked Jesse good, didn't he?"
"Yeah! I felt bad for him. Do you think we should offer to cure him?
Tifa snorted. "Heck, no! I want to make sure that kid learned his lesson." She looked sharply at Marlene. "Don't you dare tell Denzel I said that."