"You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel." -Anonymous

[Ch.8]

Tifa woke to the light of morning feeling as if she had never slept. The duo was determined to get back on the road and ate a quick breakfast in silence. His silence no longer bothered her as much, she no longer felt pressured it to making small talk or spurring amusement. In fact his movements were all the noise she needed. She began to believe that they were deliberate too, a way of speaking to her without words, the rustle of leather, the crack of an abused joint, heavy footfalls, her ears had become accustomed to this quiet.

They packed up their small camp and set back to their search, despite the beautiful day Tifa had lost her optimism. She plotted Barret's eulogy in the back of her mind, she'd tell everyone how he was a good man, a brave man, a wonderful foster father, and a friend to everyone he met. If she could trade places she would. Tifa wondered briefly what people would say at her eulogy, she was a coward, pointlessly stubborn, a traitor, these words rang in her ears. She had let him die because she was too busy romancing the enemy. Tifa frowned darkly, despite the criticism she gave herself she didn't regret her actions with the General, the scorching of her blood wouldn't allow it.

Sephiroth halted ahead; he stood rigid against the scenery like an animal sensing prey.

She froze in apprehension expecting a fight, "What is it?"

"We're being followed."

A chill ran up her spine as she readied herself for anything, despite the sudden surge of adrenaline her logical mind protested a small annoyance. What the hell would possibly be following them here? Some wild beast? It certainly wasn't Shinra and it definitely wasn't the locals. But she quieted her mind when Sephiroth unleashed Masamune, whatever it was it was serious now. Her dark eyes scanned the scenery all around but couldn't make out anything moving; the General's gaze however, stared straight-ahead and unwavering. Then she heard the thing and her heart jumped to her throat, it was approaching very fast, the snapping of twigs and bush told her it was massive.

"Hold yer damn fire!"

A voice bellowed over the treetops and caused Tifa to jump out of her skin, suddenly she recognized it.

"Barret?"

"Who else would it be!"

The barrel of a man came crashing through the under bush, looking rather haggard and worn but still in one piece.

"Barret!"

Tifa charged her comrade into a crushing hug, "Oh Gaia! I thought you were dead!"

"I thought the same of you too, until I seen ol' Captain here waltzing through."

Sephiroth furrowed one brow in distaste.

"We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Well damn, I've been stranded in this piece of shit forest hoping someone would!"

Tifa frowned apologetically her expression torn, " Ah Hell, none of it matters now Teef. We can all get back to base."

Tifa looked to Sephiroth and nodded, "Right."

The General sauntered ahead while Tifa quickly fell in line with her old friend, eager to catch up and apologize frantically a hundred times over. When Barret figured Sephiroth was out of earshot he cast Tifa a hasty look, "How are our Shinra associates?"

"The president is back in town waiting, Sephiroth was the only one to volunteer."

Heavy brows furrowed together suspiciously, "Do you think tall, dark, and evil is catching on? AVALANCHE can't afford such a risk"

A pang of regret surfaced in Tifa's chest, "No, I don't think so."

OOOO

Night had fallen in Fort Condor by the time Tifa and her partners reached the village. A deep scowl apparent on every villager they past told them that the president was making friends in his usual way. The trio was exhausted surely but none so more as Barret, who ordered a rather large serving of food at the local pub and devoured it with ravished speed.

Back at the inn Tifa watched Barret sleep soundly, her tired eyes catching every sturdy breath he took and finding comfort in his movements. Gaia she was happy to have him back alive and well, it surprised her how much she relied on the man he had become a second father of sorts. A loud snore broke her chain of thought, dark pools traversed the tiny room and landed on the president's snoring form. She snorted softly to herself, upon their arrival the fat man had done nothing but complain about everything from the lack of hospitality to the local food. As for their other adventurer, he had taken upon his usual ways and left the inn some time ago. She figured he was traversing the town or contemplating on life in some quiet tavern, the man was a mystery.

A dark sensation collected spitefully in her stomach, tomorrow they were all leaving Fort Condor, tomorrow Shinra and AVALANCHE went their separate ways. Things would be back to normal and the handsome General would no longer be a nuisance in her life, all ties would be severed. Tifa thought she should find some sort of relief in this statement but she did not, in fact it was a suffocating thought. She had come to relay heavily on his presence during their days in the woods and now she felt almost lost without it. Rising to her feet as quietly as she could she set a path for the town, she would find the SOLDIER eventually for Fort Condor was a small settlement. If anyone bothered to ask, she'd just say she wanted to annoy him while she still had the chance.

OOOO

Fort Condor was quiet at night, the only signs of life being the light that radiated softly from the townhouses, and of course the quiet murmurs from the local tavern. Tifa eyed the open pub with a thoughtful eye, somehow the General didn't seem the type to enjoy the environment a bar would offer, or more like the bar itself didn't suit him. She chuckled at the thought and gave up on her plight, finding Sephiroth would be like finding the wind, it comes to you when it pleases and not the other way around.

Tifa took a seat on the nearest bench and opted to watch the nightlife around her, it was so much quieter than Midgar. She breathed in, noticing the way the air smelt of crisp mountain and was instantly struck with a wave of homesickness. Nibelheim and Fort Condor were similar in their ways, both were dirt poor, both people were strong and fierce, both struggling under the oppressive reign of Shinra, both good places to raise a family. Tifa's mind wandered in and out of Fort Condor and Nibelheim and soon enough the day's exhaustion caught up to her, the girl's body became foggy with sleep and her head rested on a loft hand, she drifted off into sleep.

OOOOO

Something or someone was shaking her roughly, Tifa's mind protested such a rude awakening and she had half the mind to tell them too. Dark eyes opened slowly with a scorn on her face before she took the sights in around her, several townhouses, a lamppost in the distance, dirt beneath her feet – Oh Gaia! Had she actually fallen asleep outside! Her eyes snapped to her whoever touched her, praying to the Planet that it wasn't some psycho. Mako green eyes looked down on her coolly and she suppressed a shudder, "What do you want?" She retorted as coldly as she hoped it sounded.

"Sleeping outside a tavern? Really, what kind of act of desperation is that?"

A heated blush chased away the chill she felt on her face, "I wasn't slee – it was an accident honestly."

"I worry about your state of mind more and more each day Lockhart."

"And why would the great General have to worry about pointless me?" She took his offered arm and pulled herself up.

He said nothing to this but Tifa was becoming more aware of the man's ways, she caught the heat of his stare and felt the rigidness return to those shoulders, silence was sure to be the death of him. She fell into step beside him, absorbing the presence she had sought earlier and feeling invincible yet utterly small next to him.

"And what kind of person wanders around town in the dead of night?" She asked, taking a stab at his previous statement.

"Someone who finds the snoring in his shared room unbearable."

Tifa laughed at this, partly by his observation and in part by the mirth that danced across the General's eyes. The streets were empty and devoid of light, yet Tifa followed the man beside her confidently, wherever he stepped she followed. Eventually they reached the inn, its only source of light being a lone candle burning near the door. Tifa came to a complete stop eyeing the inn with what little light she had. The frame of the building seemed eerie and desolate, an odd reminder that their time together would all end tomorrow morning. The words she wanted to say were all at a complete loss somewhere in her throat, whatever she was supposed to do it would have to count.

Sephiroth sensed her hesitation, stopping before the door and throwing her an inquisitive look

"Still prefer to sleep outside?"

So maybe she would never be able to form the words that would express how much she needed him, but feelings and action was something even he could understand. Another second of complete hesitation passed before Tifa made her final plea. She drew near to his solid frame not giving an answer to his mockery, watching the impassive expression change slightly to one of mild confusion. Perhaps he thought she had gone insane or possibly even delusional, Gaia knew she felt like she was. Her hands moved quickly, even quicker then the great General expected as the girl reached for his face and pulled him down, her lips finding his by instinct in the dim light.

Action weighed heavier than words indeed, her doubtful test had ignited a blaze within the man. Her body had no time to compute his movement before his hands were roaming in her hair, pulling her body to his with an almost crushing display of sheer force. Tifa felt the searing heat of his tongue in its battle for dominance, feeling lightheaded but still daring she bit his bottom lip, taking more when he tried to pull away. She wanted words now, she demanded it of him. His hands were on her hips and swiftly traveling up her back, even from underneath the fabric of her shirt. Tifa grabbed for them, pulling them back to cover the erratic beating of her heart. She had to know and she wanted to know now.

"Come back with me," He half whispered half moaned to the crook of her neck.

Tifa had her answer now and it absolutely terrified her.

Author's note:

So I wrote another chapter just as a tiny little Christmas present, Happy Holidays dear reader!

P.S: Rating change in future chapters? Yay or nay?