Quick summary; Tifa is found ready to close the bar, everything is completed; until she finds the door to open and meets eye to eye to the person she least expected to stand in the doorway of SEVENTH HEAVEN.

Disclaimer: None of the characters or anything that revolves around Final Fantasy 7 has ever belonged to me but will always be credited by Square-Enix.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seven – Fate keeps twisting & turning

What a long day, indeed it was to the raven hair beauty as she finally dropped the moist cloth on her counter and looked around. Marlene and Denzel were put to bed, check. The bar's customers have all left, check. She cleaned up after any visible or invisible mess in the bar, check.

"Seems like I can call it a day" she noted softly as her fingers began searching through her pockets as one of the two finally pulled out a group of keys all together in a key ring. Jiggling it as it was an old habit she never died from; she finally made her way to the door to lock the place up, turn the OPEN sign and rest her tired head on the soft pillow waiting for her upstairs.

The matching key was jammed at the keyhole; turning it as she heard the click that proved she had locked the door she soon raised her head to stare at the expected empty world outside the building, she watched something else outside her door.

"Hey" she said softly at the figures face that had only the glass between them stopping them from greeting each other physically.

The person allowed a nod to be seen as he waited calmly outside. Noticing her quite quiet he began to speak, "Am I too late to discuss something with you?" He asked hoarsely as if it had been a while since he had spoken to anymore for the matter.

"Oh! I'm sorry, yes it's alright" she stuttered sheepishly as she unlocked the door and allowed the person to enter. Turning on the shut off lighting in the bar, she nodded at the bar asking him silently what he wanted; he shook his head to point out he wasn't thirsty.

"How have you been doing?" She asked as she scanned him for anything different about his appearance.

"Life has given me better days to remember" he stated calmly slightly emotionless as he crossed his arm and kept his head.

"Marlene & Denzel are fine. They've been asking about you, but they also miss him; have you seen him these days?" Tifa asked her old friend as she tilted her head as he voice was slightly soft to avoid walking up the innocent orphans.

"I'm glad to hear that they have been through a time without sickness, as for seeing him; no sign of him in my journey" he muttered as he allowed his golden fingers to stretch and shake for a minute.

"Yuffie was here a few minutes ago, the Turks were also here" Tifa noted as she seemed to be the one making the topics of the conversation not the male of the two.

"I have fallen to her tracks a few weeks earlier, she seemed healthy and happy enough for me not to worry about her, as for the Turks well beings; I honestly don't care" he continued stated facts as he waited for Tifa to bring something else up.

"So why did you come?" Tifa asked finally bringing the main question she set in her mind upon seeing his face for the first time in two months.

"Gut feeling you could say" he stated as it seemed like he had a humor in his sentence, wait; him talk humor? This was something new…

"Is that all? For I know you well enough to not believe in such things like 'gut feelings', Vincent" Tifa told him with her soft smile resting upon her face.

"You know me too well, Tifa"

"Everyone seems to be saying that to me these days" she said with a soft laugh before bringing him over glass water. "Here, at least have a sip; that won't kill you" she noted still holding her laugh as she left him to decide if he was going to listen to her words or just hold onto the cold glass.

He honestly didn't know how to say the true reason why he was there, he just didn't know how. Vincent Valentine was never great with words; he was better of with reciting facts formally…He never knew how to speak from the prospective of his emoticons only.

"This is calming" Tifa said breaking the ice quietly as she closed her eyes and allowing herself to take a deep breath and let it out before opening her eyes. "I always enjoyed your company even when you had nothing much to say. It made you unique from everyone else for me" she said as she was glad he was the one who came to visit her at such a time; anyone else she couldn't have been to handle for her other comrades were known for being quite the loud mouth's.

"I'm glad I could help you in such a way" he muttered before saying nothing else.

"Vincent…?"

Her question seemed tricky and caught him quite off guard; he expected nothing more to be said. He expected in a few minutes he would be on his way to wherever else he needed to be, but her asking such a hidden question made him wonder. He gave a nod for her to continue her question that she was willing.

"I was just wondering…." Tifa muttered as she looked up staring at him strangely.

Options raced through his head, she could be saying anything next.

"…If you could help me out with the inventory before I close the place for the day?" Tifa asked hopefully.

He was lost, did she honestly say that? Nothing more? He shouldn't have allowed the thoughts in his head to keep his hopes up…Speaking of the devil;

Vincent what are you trying to do with the poor girl?

He ignored the awakening of the creature deep down as he gave a nod to the grateful female as she led him towards behind the counter and followed her commands.

"Just need to make sure I have enough of everything for tomorrow and if I need to do some shopping tomorrow" she noted as they went through the assignment as Tifa called a name out loud and Vincent allowed his crimson eyes to search as he nodded at the direction of the bottle when he found it.

Finally finished, he allowed him to stand there for a moment before he stared at the door.

"I think I need to leave now" he muttered making his way before he noticed Tifa walk in front of him. Her fingers soon reached onto his cheek. He was lost, what was she doing?

"Tifa" he warned under his breath as he felt her fingers trace upwards then downwards his pale cheeks. But wait, why her finger was so moist confused him even more.

She was now on her tiptoes due to the height difference as she kept on rubbing at his cheek with her thumb, she finally spoke.

"Stubborn mark" she muttered as Vincent finally got it, she was cleaning dirt from his face, so why did he lean closer.

You can't speak with emoticons but are even worse when it comes to physical movements

The monster teased him with a sigh as he soon felt slightly tense, lifting up his own hand upwards he soon pushed it down with disappointment when he noticed the Spiky haired figure enter the bar making Vincent gently pull Tifa's hand from his face with more dear disappointment.

Poor Vincent, worst timing. But then again you were always bad lucked when it came to romance.

"Cloud!" Tifa said happily as she finally noticed the new stranger enter and left Vincent regretting to tell Cloud that they should meet up only fifteen minutes after he talked to Tifa. There would be next time; yes next time to try and bring up his courage.

-TOBECONTINUED-

Author Note – I see Vincent as the cute, hopeless romantic mostly ever since his experience with Lucrecia; correct me if that's too out of character! Next chapter is with Cait Sith and Red XII when they meet up with…-Drum rolls- Cid Highwind!