A/N: Hi peeps! Sorry for the long delay, but a lot has been going on to keep me super busy. As before, I do not own Final Fantasy or any of their characters though I will always and forever wish I did... Hope you enjoy...
Chapter 5
Tifa stood outside the steps leading up to her bar, nervous but happy. Sure she had concerns to deal with, but she was happy to be home. She missed the kids and Seventh Heaven. It was a few hours before opening, and she wanted to get settled before stepping back into her role. Taking a deep breath, she climbed the stairs and opened the front door.
"Finally!" Cheryl ran out from behind the bar to embrace Tifa in a huge hug. She dragged her over to the bar and continued on rapidly, "How was vacation? And what's been going on? I went shopping this morning and what do I see? This! Spill it!" Cheryl blurted everything out so fast that it took a moment for it to register to Tifa.
Tifa looked at the newspaper. It was the same one Reno had been clutching in his hand when she left. "Hold on Cheryl. This is going to take some time to explain."
"Where's Cloud?" Cheryl finally realized that he was missing.
Tifa sighed. "Like I said. This is going to take some time to explain. Let me get settled. First, I want to hear about how things were here." The phone rang and Cheryl jumped to answer it.
"I told you she's not here yet! Quit calling or I won't tell her you called… I don't care if it's urgent… Yes! I have your number memorized now. You've only called like 15 times in the last few hours… Calm down!" Cheryl was scowling at the phone. "I promise to tell her to call you as soon as she gets in. Now good-bye." The phone was slammed down with finality.
"Who was that?"
"Reno. He wants you to call him immediately. Something about needing to know what was going on, and that he wasn't on speaking terms with someone…But don't you even think of calling him before you tell me what's going on." She demanded.
Tifa laughed, wondering why Reno hadn't called her on her mobile, but then she remembered she never gave him the number. "I'm going upstairs to put my bag away. I'll be back down shortly." Slowly, Tifa climbed the stairs, apprehension in every step. She opened the door to her and Cloud's bedroom. Whatever she was expecting to feel—sadness, depression, or anger— never came. She looked around at all of Cloud's belongings and felt… nothing. A smile crept across her face. Tifa wasn't sure if she was just numb or if she was really ok with Cloud's absence, but she wasn't going to question it too much. Tossing her bag on the bed, she took one last look around and went downstairs.
"Please don't keep me in suspense!" Cheryl pleaded. At that moment the door opened and a young attractive man stepped through the door.
"Hi Tifa. Welcome back!" His long brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and he was dressed in a tight black tank top and grey cargo pants. "How was your vacation?"
"Hello Victor." She met the young man's sparkling brown eyes. "It was good. Thanks for asking."
"You still want me to fill in now that you're back?" The young man sounded hopeful.
Tifa contemplated his question. It would be nice to take a day to relax before getting back into my routine. Besides, I know Victor would actually like to work here. He's been begging for months, and his drinks aren't half bad either. "Sure. Come back closer to opening. We've got the prep." Victor nodded and left. "How was everything?" Tifa turned back to Cheryl and reached behind the bar and grabbed two glasses, filling them with soda. As Cheryl recounted her week, Tifa could tell that she was trying to rush through her report. Cheryl was always a bit impatient, and she really wanted to know what was going on with Tifa.
A ringing phone broke into their conversation.
"I'll get it." If Cheryl was right, Tifa knew who it would be. "Seventh Heaven." Tifa answered the phone with a smile; her heart beat faster.
"Tifa! Thank god you're there. I've been trying to get a hold of you. Didn't that waitress chick tell you?" Tifa could hear the irritation in his voice.
"Yes she did. But I just walked in the door." She winked at Cheryl. "What's this emergency?" She asked him even though she knew exactly what he was referring to.
"…You don't know huh? I find it hard to believe that you've forgotten about the newspaper." He replied dryly. Reno wanted answers. He sounded like he was pouting, so Tifa couldn't help but tease him a bit.
"I know. It's a really good picture isn't it? The detail is so sharp. Rufus looks good."
Reno groaned. "Please don't do this to me."
"You're a silly man Reno. Tifa giggled. Do you honestly believe that rubbish? I mean, it's just gossip."
"It's the not the wild theories inside the article about how you two came to be that have me worried. It's the position you two are in on the cover that I don't like."
"Hhhhmmmm. It does look like we're pretty cozy huh?" she looked at the picture. From the picture's vantage point, it looked like Rufus and Tifa were embracing and about to kiss.
"Tifa, don't play with me." His voice was serious. "Did Rufus put the moves on you?"
Tifa almost laughed out loud; Reno was so endearing. "No Reno."
"I can hear the smile in your voice Lockhart. You're enjoying this aren't you?" His voice was slightly accusing.
"Maybe." She let out another giggle. Wow! She couldn't remember the last time she felt this giddy, particularly over another person. "I went to the villa to find you, but Tseng was there. I tripped when I was leaving and fell into Rufus." She waited for his response, which was a little delayed.
"Oh. Is that what happened?" He sounded kind of sheepish. She could picture him now, hand on head and smiling. She longed to run her fingers through his hair.
"Yes… Why didn't you ask Rufus?" Tifa glanced at Cheryl. She was listening intently with a smile on her face.
"Well… um… we're not exactly on speaking terms right now… I don't want to speak to him." Tifa laughed at Reno's admission. "Actually, I did ask him, but that jerk just smiled and turned away from me. I think he's still pissed at me over that blond woman I set him up with. He's not really talking to me right now either."
Tifa snorted into the phone. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Oh I can think of plenty of things you could do." Tifa's face flushed at Reno's suggestive tone. "But that'll have to wait until I get back."
"I can hardly wait." Tifa responded. She briefly wondered if she was allowing herself to fall too fast for Reno. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him because she was carrying too much emotional baggage.
After Tifa and Reno said their good-byes, Cheryl pounced on Tifa. "Spill. Everything. Now." There was no more stalling. When Cheryl wanted something, she expected to get it. She could be a bit of a pain that way. She listened intently as Tifa recounted her vacation: the wonderful beginning, Cloud's departure, Reno's support, her decision to stay and live life instead of resigning herself to misery. She did, however, leave out the details of the kiss. Some things aren't meant to be shared. After a minute of silence, Cheryl hugged Tifa tightly. "I knew you'd be better off without Cloud."
"Yes, but that brings me to another interesting circumstance. You see, with Cloud gone, I was thinking of hiring Victor on to help relieve some of my burden. We'll need some more help around here; he can bartend and bounce part-time." Tifa knew she'd be stretching her income to hire on another employee. But hey! Even the boss needs a break every now and then.
"Cool." Cheryl smiled. "He's actually a pretty good bartender." She looked slyly at Tifa. "So when is Reno coming back?" Greedy for all the information she could get, she wasn't going to let this drop so easily.
"I think sometime next week. I'm not sure the exact day." Tifa looked around the room. She really did miss the bar. Yet more than the bar, she missed the sound of little feet racing through the house. She was glad that the children were coming back tomorrow. A brief sadness overcame her as she thought of the disappointment Cloud's decision would cause Denzel and Marlene. I'll worry about that when tomorrow comes. One day at a time Lockhart.
"Well. If he's on the same schedule as Rude, then he'll be back next Saturday around two." Cheryl beamed as her face turned a furious shade of red.
"How do you know that?" Tifa asked, her curiosity aroused.
Cheryl smiled devilishly. "I called Rude." As Tifa's eyes bulged, Cheryl continued. "We've talked a few times on the phone. He gave me his number in case I ever needed an escort home again…I was hoping to get some time off on Saturday afternoon."
"Really? I'm impressed Cheryl."
"I agree. Cheryl is impressive." Victor's languid drawl came from across the room. "And so are you." He made his way over to the bar and sat on the stool next to Tifa.
"Hey Victor." Tifa greeted the man and mentally switched gear. "You know, I was wondering if you'd like to work here permanently." Tifa waited for the smile to appear on Victor's face before she issued her condition. "But I'm still not quite sure. So here's the deal. I'll be here tonight to watch you and see how things go. If I like you, then I may consider hiring you." She wanted to make sure Victor was going to fit in before she made her final decision.
Victor looked thrilled. "Thanks Tifa! I really need the job." He gazed at Cheryl before letting his eyes return to Tifa. "I won't be a problem. I swear." He flashed a rather dashing smile. It made Tifa nervous, for it reminded her strongly of a certain mischievous red-head.
I can almost smell the trouble brewing. Tifa pushed the thought back. She had another task to attend to—packing up all of Cloud's possessions.
The night went smoothly, so Tifa decided to hire on Victor as a part-time bartender and bouncer. In the morning, she spent her time tidying up the house. Time slowly trudged along, for she was impatient because she wanted to see the children so badly. Every few minutes she'd walk by the large window near the door to see if Barrett's truck was pulling up. She felt herself going stir crazy. "I've got to stop this!" She announced to no one in particular. Her excitement was mixed with nervousness. She still wasn't sure how she was going to handle Cloud's absence. She suddenly wished Reno was here, so she could vent some of her anxieties. A couple of hours later, Tifa could hear the sound of running feet and laughter coming from behind the front door.
"Hey Tifa!" A booming voice called out. "We're here." A large black man appeared in the doorway with a pretty little girl on his shoulder.
"Barrett! Marlene!" Tifa ran forward and scooped Marlene off Barrett's shoulder in a tight hug. Denzel ran forward and wrapped his arms around Tifa's waist. "Denzel! Oh I've missed you guys so much!" Tifa almost felt complete—her kids were back. Even though Tifa wasn't their biological mother, she loved the orphans as if they were her very own.
"Tifa! It was so fun! I wish you and Cloud could've been there with us." Denzel gazed affectionately up at his "mother."
"You'll have to tell me all about it. Why don't you two take your things upstairs first?" Tifa suggested and the children complied eagerly.
Barrett embraced Tifa in a bone crushing hug. "How's my favorite couple? Where's Spiky at?" He glanced around the room.
Tifa took a deep breath before answering. "He's gone, and I'm not sure if he's ever coming back."
"What? The hell you say!" Barrett smashed his metal fist into the palm of his other hand. "Where'd that boy go? Somebody gotta talk some sense into him." He growled.
"I'm not sure." Tifa shrugged her shoulders. "And frankly, I'm not going to worry about it anymore. Barrett, I'm tired of waiting around for something that isn't going to happen. I want happiness. I want a family." She paused, gauging his reaction before she continued. "I've given up on Cloud. He can't give me what I need. I can't base my life on lies and hope they come true."
Barrett remained silent, but he understood. Tifa and Cloud had been through a lot; he just wished it could've worked out. Tifa was exactly what Cloud needed in a woman if he could just allow himself to be happy. "Whatever makes you happy Tif. But if you need anything, you know how to get a hold of me."
"Thanks Barrett." Tifa was grateful for his understanding.
"Cloud! Cloud!" Denzel ran downstairs. "Where's Cloud?" He asked Tifa.
"That's something I need to talk to you and Marlene about. Can you get Marlene and come back downstairs?" Denzel frowned but was back within a couple of minutes with Marlene in tow. Barrett silently stood by Tifa. "Ok… Well, I'm not sure how to put this exactly, but something happened with Cloud, and he had to go."
"When's he coming back?" Marlene asked. "Will he be gone long?"
"I'm not sure Cloud is coming back. You see, it's not that Cloud doesn't love you two…" Tifa wanted to make sure the children didn't think they were the cause of their problems or that Cloud didn't love them. "He and I… well… sometimes when things don't work between people, they have to be apart. I'm really sorry." She hated the pained look in their eyes.
"Cloud's always leaving us! He promised he wouldn't leave anymore." Denzel shouted, his eyes mirroring his inner hurt. Marlene looked like she was about to cry.
Tifa scooped the kids in her arms. "Cloud loves you both very much, but he's going through some stuff right now that he needs to take care of on his own. I know it's hard to understand, but we're going to be ok." She released them and looked at both kids with a warm smile, hoping she sounded more optimistic than she felt.
"Listen to your mama. She needs your help now." He turned to Denzel. "You the man of the house now." He clapped his large hand onto Denzel's young shoulder. "I'm depending on you." Denzel responded with a terse nod. He took Barrett's request seriously. "Now come give me a hug. I gotta get back to the oil fields." Marlene and Denzel ran into Barrett's open embrace.
"Take care." Tifa smiled at Barrett as he walked out the front door. She turned to the children and asked, "So what do you want to do now?"
The following week progressed too slowly for Tifa. Denzel and Marlene were still moody from Cloud's desertion. Denzel was acting distant towards Tifa. Maybe he thinks it's my fault…Marlene couldn't be cheered up either, but at least she was still trying to play with Denzel. Hopefully that was a good sign. The nightly phone calls with Reno were the bright spots of Tifa's week. She always felt better after talking to him, for he was not only a great listener, but he was constantly making her laugh. Finally, she also finished packing the last of Cloud's possessions, so she stored them in the basement. Tifa couldn't bring herself to get rid of them. We've been through so much. He may have hurt me, but he'll always have my friendship. I wonder if he'll ever come back…
Patience was never one of Reno's strong points. He sat in the car next to Rude as Elena drove everyone back from Junon. They were almost to Edge, and the closer they got, the more impatient Reno became.
"Chill out." Rude told his partner. His fidgeting was getting on his nerves.
"I just want to get back. I got somewhere I need to go." He stared out the window, trying to ignore Tseng and Rufus' conversation in the back seat.
"Are you sure?" Tseng asked him again. Maybe he had heard wrong, but Rufus only smiled and shook his head.
"We need to go there immediately. This is too good to pass up. This could change everything!" Rufus was determined, and nothing was going to change his mind. Of all the luck! I can't let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers. He immediately made some hurried phone calls.
"Elena." Tseng's voice cut through all conversations in the car. "Change of course. I'll enter the new coordinates in the GPS."
Reno was barely paying attention. All he wanted to see was the outside of Seventh Heaven with a beautiful brunette standing in the doorway waiting for him. My brunette. He thought possessively. My brunette with the soft lips and jasmine hair. Buildings sped by, but Reno still wasn't paying attention until he noticed the car slowing and a familiar big sign over the front of his favorite bar come into view. He looked at Rude questioningly, yet his friend just returned the look.
"Um… What's going on boss?" He twisted in his seat; however, Rufus and Tseng were already exiting the car and making their way up to the door. He saw Tseng go in while Rufus waited nonchalantly out front. For some inexplicable reason, he couldn't move from his seat. A minute later, Tifa appeared, looking a little confused.
Tifa was surprised by the appearance of Tseng. She was even more surprised at his request to meet Rufus outside, but she complied. Maybe Reno is with them. A tremor of excitement ran through her. As she stepped outside, Rufus brought his arms up and lightly grasped Tifa's arms, drawing her close.
"Tifa. I heard what happened with Cloud, and I just want to say that I'm sorry. If you need anything at all, please let me know." Before Tifa could reply, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.
Tifa was too shocked to do anything but stand there with her mouth open. She experienced déjà vu again when she was blinded by another light. When she finally came to her senses, Rufus was already leaving and a struggling Reno was being restrained by Rude.
A/N: Well, let me know what you think! Too slow? Too boring? Too good? (Ha! I wish!) No, seriously, please review and let me know what you think. It's the only way I can possibly know how I'm doing and where I need to improve. Thanks!