Author's Note: Sorry about the long wait, but hey, it could've been a lot worse! If there's one thing you should know about me, I can't always work straight through a story. I like to work between stories when I feel the inspiration. So if it takes a while for me to post, I apologize beforehand. You have been warned.

Author Note # 1 ½: And a special thank you goes out to Juli-J for the encouragement. Thanks for the boost, man!

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own. That is all.

Part 5

"Tifa, we're back!" Cloud and the children peered into the quiet bar. Tifa turned around in her chair after breaking discussion with Sigmund and waved to them. "Guess who came back?" she smiled over at them and Sigmund gave a half hearted wave. Selena approached them and Sigmund tilted his head. "Selena? Where's your gown?"

"Well, since I was going with Cloud and the children," she gestured to them "I needed to look somewhat human." Sigmund snorted and shook his head. "Does it matter how you look Selena? I think you're beautiful no matter what." Selena rolled her eyes and replied "It's not how beautiful I look, it's so I can blend in to the crowd better. Anyways, you missed going to the park! I was on a swing and Cloud pushed me-"

"Pushed you?!" Sigmund panicked, but Selena quickly smoothed it over after explaining how a swing worked. Sigmund grinned sheepishly and gave a soft "Oh…" before listening to Selena chatter about going to the park. "It seems like you had fun…I guess…"

"Oh Sigmund, don't be such a spoiled sport about it! Next time, you can come with us." She stated and hugged him. Sigmund snorted "I'm not being a spoiled sport! I just don't like the idea of you leaving the bar with a mortal that's all." Selena's eyebrow arched as she pulled away to cross her arms skeptically. "Riiight…So you're saying that these mortals, the same mortals that drove off Silver Back, are weak, am I right?" she mused as she carefully circled him and Sigmund sat completely still as the goddess studied him.

"Do you want me to lie or be absolutely honest, Selena?"

"Don't lie to me."

"Alright, then yes, I don't think they're strong enough to protect you." He said calmly as he fixed his icy lupine eyes on her. Selena shook her head and replied "You're doing it again, Sigmund. 

You're underestimating our friends and one of these days you'll be very sorry for doing that." Sigmund rolled his eyes and laughed. "I'll make a bet with you: if I beat spiky over there, then I'll take back what I said about mortals. However if he wins, well then…that's up to him."

"Anything to pick a fight! Honestly Sigmund, what makes you think he'd agree-"

"I'll take him on."

Selena and Tifa's jaws dropped as their gazes flickered from Sigmund and Cloud, both grinning cockily. Tifa approached Cloud's side and shook his arm. "Cloud, you can't seriously mean that!" she exclaimed, but Cloud didn't take his eyes off from Sigmund.

"If it's a fight he wants, then I guess I have no choice but to accept. However, he better not run to Selena cryin'." He replied calmly and Sigmund scoffed darkly.

"I doubt it sunshine. Chances are you'll be the one cryin' in the end, now are you gonna stand there and talk, or are you gonna get down to business? Let's go!"

Cloud looked a little surprised. "You can't seriously mean you want to fight me here? We'll bring the place crashing down around us." Sigmund rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Easily replaceable! Now, if you're not gonna make the first move I will!" he snapped and was about ready to lunge, when all of a sudden…

CRASH
Thud

Cloud and Tifa looked from each other with wide eyed expressions to the broken beer bottle in the stern Selena's hand.

"I guess I hit him a little harder than I thought! Oh well, if it extends Cloud's life just for a little while, I guess everything's okay, right?"

Cloud frowned a little and responded "I guess…but you didn't need to knock his ass out before I could do it." Selena rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You and Sigmund should get along just fine, but not today. Now run along and do whatever it is you mortals do, while I go put my puppy to bed." Without another word, she picked up Sigmund as if he were nothing other than a small child and lugged him upstairs, while Cloud stood with a confused look on his face.

"Did she just call him a puppy? He's more like a mean dog to me."

"Cloud, be nice!" Tifa frowned and Cloud rolled his eyes. "I'll be nice when Selena's friends stop looking like their out for blood. Anyways, I'll be outside if you're lookin' for me."



"But Cloud-"

"Later"

Tifa watched the blond disappear out the door and roughly placed a hand on her hip only to scowl at the door. "I don't believe him!" she snapped then sighed.

"Don't believe what? What did I miss? Hey, what's all over the floor?!"

Tifa shifted her attention to the young ninja standing at her side, currently fighting with a Chinese Finger Trap. "Yuffie, how many times have I told you to use-"

"Use the door, I know, I know, but I'm in a really big bind Tifa! This thing that Cait Sith gave me an hour ago isn't coming off!" Young ninja howled as she held the little trap out to Tifa. Tifa examined it before finally coming to the conclusion of pushing Yuffie's fingers together and holding the middle. This allowed Yuffie to free her pointer fingers at last.

"Ah! Free at last! Thanks Tifa…So what just happened?" she piped cheerfully and Tifa shook her head.

"Never mind, it's a long story…Would you mind helping me clean up a bit? I don't want that beer that Selena spilled to soak into the floor." Yuffie gave a brief nod and both women set to work.

"Hey Tifa?"

"Yes Yuffie?"

"Has Cloud asked you out yet?"

Tifa stopped what she was doing and looked at the ninja incredously. "Of course not! Why would you ask a silly question like that? After all, Cloud and I are just friends, that's all." Tifa said defensively and Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"Said the Moogle to the Chocobo. I know you better than that Tifa Lockhart so don't go trying to trick the great ninja Yuffie Kisaragi!!" Yuffie crowed triumphantly and Tifa blushed.

"Honestly, Yuffie you're being ridiculous!"

"Nope, I'm just being honest, surprisingly. Anyways, when are you going to tell him?"Yuffie put a hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow at the lovely bartender, who just rolled her eyes and laughed. "Oh Yuffie, let's put it this way…When you stop being a ninja, it will be the day I spill my guts to Cloud." Tifa laughed.



"Ewww, if you plan on spilling guts, let it not be in my presence. Thank you very much."

Yuffie and Tifa turned around to look at a slightly disgusted Selena, dressed in her original attire. Selena wrinkled her nose and asked "Anyways, why would you want to spill innards in front of Cloud? Wouldn't that gross him out, or is he into that kind of stuff?" Yuffie snickered and Tifa shot her a dirty look as Selena watched them with a puzzled look on her face. "No, he's not into that kind of stuff at all. We were just ending the conversa-"

"No, we were talking about how Tifa and Cloud haven't gotten together and I was just trying to help Tifa realize-"

"Yuffie, there's nothing to realize! You're just-"

"Admit it Tifa! Everybody know you love Clo-"

"Yuffie I'm warning you! Don't push it!!"

While the two of them argued Selena decided to sit and watch, being ready to intervene if a cat fight should break out. Suddenly, the door behind Tifa and Yuffie opened, but the only one to notice was Selena. Why? Because Tifa and Yuffie's previous argument began to escalate into a shouting match.

"I TOLD YOU WE'RE JUST FRIENDS, DAMN IT!!"

"THAT'S RIGHT, LOCKHART! JUST KEEP DENYING IT!!"

"I'M NOT DENYING ANYTHING, YOU CRAZY NINJA!!"

"YOU ARE TOO!!"

"AM NOT"

"What the hell is going on?"

Both girls rounded on Cloud and shouted in ugly unison "STAY OUT OF IT, CLOUD!!"

Cloud took a step back as both women panted and huffed. Then a wicked glint caught in Yuffie's eyes.

"Well, if you won't start something, then I guess I'll just have to give you a push in the right direction. You can thank me later." Yuffie smirked and bounded over to Cloud. Tifa's eyes widened and she dashed after Yuffie only to put her in a head lock. Selena sighed and marched over to Cloud.



"I think you better go back outside and just leave this to me." She said quickly to him as she guided him back out the door. After she shut the door, her eyes glowed as she yelled "THAT IS ENOUGH!!" Tifa snorted and unceremoniously released Yuffie, who fell to the floor with a thud.

"Is this how friends should behave? I understand Yuffie can be overly eager at times, but there's no real good reason to put her in a head lock!" Selena chided at Tifa, who suddenly glared daggers at her.

"Selena, just leave it alone. It's no big deal." She growled before she started to stalk off. Selena helped Yuffie off from the floor and said softly "If it's no big deal, why get defensive about it? I mean, if you really didn't feel that way towards Cloud, you should have let Yuffie babble on. I mean, he doesn't take her seriously, does he?" Tifa stopped in her tracks and her hands clenched into fists.

"Damn it…Why…why do I always…"

"Tifa?"

Tifa shook her head and marched off into another, slamming the door along the way. Selena's eyes soften and she looked down at Yuffie.

"She really does love Cloud doesn't she?...Hmmm…"

"Do you think we should try to get them together, or is that the wrong way to go about it?" Yuffie asked. It was rather strange to see the ever so confident ninja look so unsure. Selena shrugged.

"I guess we could try, as much as I'd rather let them work it out on their own…Hmmm…Well, let's wait a bit and if nothing happens in a few days, then we'll commence our plans. In the mean time, let the scheming begin!" she chirped as she tugged Yuffie off and thus, the masterminds began their revolutionary plans.

Meanwhile…
Tifa sat quietly in her room looking at the photographs of Cloud and the others. "Why?...why can't I say what I feel?...It shouldn't be that hard…" she sniffled and looked away from the pictures. She silently ran her fingers through a strand of her hair and thought about what had just happened. Surely, she could have handled it better, right?

Who does Selena think she is anyways? She couldn't possibly understand.

She shifted uncomfortably at such an accusation. And then the lobbying began…



I think she does…maybe I did over react back there…hmmm… maybe I should-no! I can't go back there! I won't…I can't let them see me like this…and if Cloud comes back…what would he say? Oh….I'm such a fool!

She bit her lip and just laid down on her bed. Maybe a little nap would help. She kicked off her shoes, lifted the blanket and curled up for a nice little afternoon nap. Little did the love stricken bartender realize someone had been watching. An enemy's sights hand locked themselves onto Lockhart.

Author Note #2: I know it's a wee bit said and there hasn't been a whole lot of action, but just bear with it for a bit. Everything will work itself out in the end.

P.S.: Sorry about the shouting match between Tifa and Yuffie. I could almost see them doing that and I found it rather amusing. Thanks for readin' !