Disclaimer: Same as always!

A/N: Thanks for sticking with me guys! I know it's been a long time, but it'll be worth all the time you waited! (At least I hope so...)

Just as quickly as Tifa had started the kiss, she ended it. She had no idea what she had been thinking. She turned her face away from him to stare out the window – embarrassed. The brunette couldn't even begin to fathom why her jumbled emotions decided to sublimate themselves through the lure of Zack's perfectly pouty lips. Zack was looking at her with downcast eyes. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel at least a little something for his friend, but it was far too early to be doing anything with her in that respect. Moreover, she was having a hard time coping with all the things that were being forced upon her; it would have been more than dishonorable to take advantage of her when she was so vulnerable like this.

Leaning over the center console of the truck, he tucked a stray lock of Tifa's hair behind her ear and gently brought her gaze back to him again.

"Hey. Talk to me."

"I...Zack...I'm so embarrassed..."

"Look, don't be. It's alright. I know this is a hard time for you and your emotions are a mess. It's fine."

"I didn't mean to do something like that. I just...I don't...Is it okay if you just take me home?"

"No problemo. Just give me the list of the deliveries that need to be done and I'll take care of them after I drop you off. I'll swing by when I'm finished to return the truck and see how you're doing. Okay?"

"Zack, thank you. And I'm so sorry for being such a wreck." She half-heartedly punched the dashboard. "I hate being this weak!"

"There's nothing wrong with having feelings, Tifa. The sooner you see that the easier it'll be for you to find some closure and peace of mind."

The ride home was filled with silence, save the hum of the engine and the wind whipping in through the open windows. Zack concentrated on the road while Tifa continued to stare out the window. It didn't take him very long to get back to Tifa's place where she gave him the names and addresses of the rest of the clients and where to pick up each thing to be delivered. Taking the time to walk her in and settle her with a cup of tea, he assured her that he would be back as soon as he could and that she should call if she could think of anything she needed.

Before Zack started on his errand-run, he decided it might be a good opportunity to pay a visit to his currently least-favorite blonde. Pulling a PHS out of his pocket he dialed Cloud's number. After a few rings his friend answered.

"Hey, Zack."

"Hey, where are you?"

"I'm still at the Wall Market with Aeris. Why?"

"I hate to break up your little date, but could you do me a favor and take her home then meet me at Kalm Cafe? There are a couple of things I need to talk about with you."

"Uh...sure. I'll meet you there in half an hour."

"Okay. See you then."

Cloud turned around to find Aeris looking at him intently.

"Was that Zack?"

"Yeah..."

"What did he want?"

"He wants to meet me at Kalm Cafe. He says there are some things he needs to talk about with me."

"But Cloud, this is our time together. I thought you said you took the day off specially to be with me – the whole day."

"I know, I'm sorry. I really don't think it would be a good idea to blow him off though."

Aeris pouted a little. Even though Cloud was around a lot more now that they were going out, she still had a hard time coping with the demands of his schedule as a delivery-boy. Sometimes he would be gone for days on end; and on those days that he was able to get home before nightfall he was usually too tired to go out and do anything fun with her. She had really been looking forward to spending some quality time with him.

"Is this about what happened back at Mrs. Kang's?"

"I think so."

"He sure is concerned about Tifa."

The green-eyed woman felt a pang of jealousy at the realization. Sure, she had been the one who decided that there was no chance of a relationship between her and Zack, but still – there was something in her that remembered a time when all his attentions and affections were hers.

Cloud felt a stab of the same feeling rush through him at what his girlfriend had said. Even though he knew that he had no right to be upset, there was still a nagging sense of bitterness that his best friend might be getting too involved with a woman who at one point – and in a sense, still was – dedicated to him and a him alone.

Both let the uncomfortable silence pass, hoping the other didn't notice the hesitation.

"I promise I'll make it up to you. I just can't avoid him right now otherwise he's just going to get more upset. You know how he can get sometimes."

Aeris nodded her head sympathetically and grasped his hand in hers.

"Alright. You do what you have to do. But hurry home, okay? Maybe we can still do something after you see him."

Cloud nodded his assent as he led her back to his motorcycle.

When Cloud finally arrived at the cafe Zack was already sitting with a caramel iced-coffee in front of him. He was leaning back in one of his trademark casual poses, but the blonde could tell from the get-go that the black-haired man was anything but relaxed. Flagging down a waitress and ordering himself a Moroccan mint tea, he almost seemed to shrink into his seat once he and his friend were alone.

"So...what's up?"

"Not much. Just thought we should meet up for a little talk."

"About what?"

"Certain recent developments."

Both men went silent until the waitress reappeared with a mug full of the frothy green drink for Cloud. Thanking her, the blonde fell silent as his steely-eyed friend started in on him in a low, growling fury.

"Just what do you think you're doing Cloud?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

"What do you mean you don't understand? Do I have to spell it out for you like you were a child or something?"

"If that would help me understand exactly why you're so irate with me, then yes. Please do."

"How could you do this to Tifa?"

"So that's what this is about? I thought so...look, why don't you just mind your own business?"

"You ARE my business, whether you like it or not. I'm only telling you this because you're my best friend and I don't want you to look like you're trying to be a bad guy on purpose. But let me tell you something, sending a girl who is hopelessly in love with you on deliveries to a place where you plan to take your new girlfriend out to lunch is not one of the smartest things I've ever seen you do."

"I already explained to you, I didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident – an honest mistake."

"Oh yeah? That's a pretty lame mistake to make if you ask me. What would you do if the situation were turned around? How would that make you feel?"

"Is this even about Tifa? Or are you just mad because I'm with Aeris?"

"Are you kidding me? Are you REALLY asking me that question?"

Cloud was getting angrier by the second. He didn't know why, but there was something that bothered him deeply about Zack's immense amount of concern for Tifa. He wanted to make his best friend hurt, and he couldn't even come up with a reason. Locking eyes with the older man defiantly, he replied.

"Maybe I am."

Reaching across the table and grabbing Cloud by the collar, he yanked the startled blonde across, knocking over their drinks and alarming everyone around them.

"You listen to me, Cloud, and you listen good. I don't have a problem with you dating Aeris at all. I'm happy that you two are getting along so well. So don't you EVER accuse me of trying to pawn off jealousy as concern for Tifa. Are you seriously too blind to see that she's still not over you and that every time she has to face the fact that you're not hers it hurts like Hell? Especially because she was the one who was with you after everyone had thought Aeris had died! Do you honestly lack the fundamental compassion to understand where all that pain comes from?!"

"Excuse me, sirs? C-could you please stop causing a commotion? Otherwise I – I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Releasing the younger man, Zack shot the waitress an apologetic look as she tried to mop up the mess he'd made before swiftly skittering away.

"Zack...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was just really upset because...because I don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"I feel like I can tell you anything, that's why I'm saying this; I realized that something inside of me is kind of jealous that you and Tifa are getting so close. Don't get me wrong – I'm completely in love with Aeris – but there's still something in me that misses Tifa doting on me all the time. And seeing you two together, and seeing how concerned you are for her...it just...it just sets off this strange feeling inside of me."

"I get it. I'm human too, you know. I'd be lying if I said that I don't get a little jealous seeing the woman I loved so happy with you...but you know, these are real emotions we're talking about. You can't just string both of them along because you like the attention. And trust me, I'm not out to make time with Tifa, I'm trying very hard to be a good friend to her. That doesn't go to say that if she doesn't want something more that I wouldn't be interested," Zack's mind wandered back to the kiss earlier in the day, "But there's no funny business on my part. It's all in her hands right now."

"I know you'd be good to her. Maybe that's the part I hate most about it."

"So you've got feelings too, huh?"

Leaning over, he ruffled the already feathery mane of hair atop Cloud's head.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper. Let's all just try to be a little more considerate of one another. Alright?"

"Sounds fair to me. By the way, do you have a shirt I could borrow? This one's got green stuff all over it now."

Zack let a low chuckle rumble in his throat.

"Still a country boy at heart."

Although Cloud didn't really understand the connection between what he asked and what Zack said, he couldn't help but feel as though a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Knowing that Zack wasn't murderously upset at him was a great feeling...but there was also a little part of him that was relieved that the older man wasn't trying to put the moves on Tifa. Even as he licked a spatter of tea off his face that was the same lustrous green as the eyes of his beloved girlfriend, he couldn't fathom why.