*********************** DISCLAIMER************************

ONCE AGAIN; I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS FROM FINAL FANTASY. ENJOY.

The 2 arrive in Midgar City. It became the new destination for the rich after the plate was destroyed. They had built it up on part of the Chocobo Plains on the edge of Midgar.

Aerith felt uneasy of the place they had arrived at. '7th Heaven Bar', she read in her mind. =s She had never been into a bar before. She had never drunk alcohol before either. Did Cloud drink? I hope he's not the type of guy that would take advantage of a defenceless girl! -.-; she thought again, worriedly. Cloud looked at her. Of course, he didn't see anything wrong with bringing her here. This was Tifa's place. And also, the best place for protection.

"We're just stopping here for a while," Cloud informed her.

"Okay," she replied.

He walked towards the bar entrance and she followed.

Inside...

Tifa had made herself a sweet hot chocolate. She sat on the 'customers' side of the bar on a bar stool reading a newspaper, facing left of the bar counter with a leg crossing over the other. Even though she was appearing-ly reading the newspaper (and she was!), her mind kept drifting to the thoughts on her platonic relationship with Cloud.

I enjoyed being with him at the Café earlier. We sometimes spend these little moments together but I'm still unsure about Cloud's feelings towards me. Back then I was so sure... When we were young... We were in love. And it was visible to the eye. But when Cloud left for Soldier, everything changed. I just don't know him any more. She pulled out a cigarette from the box of 10's she had placed on the counter. She lit it up and inhaled deeply. She let the smoke out of her lungs. I want to tell him; So badly. It's just, I don't know if I can trust him. She inhaled from the cigarette deeply again. We were so in love back then. He doesn't realise the impact he had on my life! She blew smoke out once more.

The bar entrance doors swung open.

"Cloud!" Tifa said alarmed. She quickly tapped to out the cigarette in the ashtray nearby and fanned before her face to destroy the evidence and stood up. Cloud knew she was a smoker. But he had asked her to give it up a few months ago, concerned about what it could do to her health. She saw Cloud enter and with him was a brunette. Huh? Who's she?

Cloud stopped a little before Tifa. Aerith standing behind, to the left of him. Who is that lady? She's pretty, she thought before putting on a friendly smile.

"Tifa.-"

Did he ignore it? Or was he so oblivious to her that he didn't see the smoke reside right infront of him. Anyway, she looked at him almost transfixed on his deep blue eyes. She so desperately wants him! She wants to know what goes on in his head, and be able to talk to him like a couple would. But, they aren't even a couple yet. They should be. They should be the closest person to one another than anyone else in their lives. So why are we 'here'? She asked herself. She fixes her attention on what Cloud was saying.

"-This is Aerith." He continued.

"Hi, Aerith." She tried to sound bright.

"Hello," Aerith responded.

He turns to Aerith. "Take a seat, I need to speak with Tifa. Alright?"

"Yeah. Okay." She sends him a smile before taking a seat at the bar.

Cloud went towards the upstairs and Tifa followed. They walked into the sitting room. Tifa rested her lower back against on one of the sofas back and looked at Cloud.

"So who is 'she'?" Tifa asked. Almost scared that he would say she was his girlfriend or something to that effect. It was... Silly paranoia.

"She's the girl from the slums." He spoke.

"huh!"

"The target Rufus told me to kill." He said this knowing that she'd be unimpressed.

"You're kidding!..." She thought of what to say next. "Why did you bring her here?"

"I want to protect her. And I need your help. Some really dangerous men are after her, Tee."

Tee was what he sometimes called her by. When he wanted her. Or that's what she thought. Did he do it knowingly? Or was it just a subconscious demeanour? She wanted to say "No" for selfish reasons, but she didn't want to let Cloud down. Even though, right now she almost felt betrayed. Why was he protecting another woman, going against his job and Rufus Shinra! All she can do is stand by him. Even though her personal duty should be to herself, she knows how important being with Cloud is...

She walks towards him with a worried expression and places her hands gently on the sides of his face.

He looked at her still waiting, expecting her to offer up her help. Because that was who she was. He knows Tifa will always help him. He has good reason to be protecting Aerith and Tee being Tee, she would see that its for the best in their power to protect all innocents.

"Cloud, I don't believe you're going against Shinra. Is there anything that can make you see sense?" She said to him.

Cloud now looked at her confused. She moved her hands down, from his cheeks to his neck. Her eyes wandered from his eyes, to his nose, to his lips...

"... I just hope... that you're making the right decision here." She said before removing her hands and folding her arms. She stepped back a few steps from him.

"I am." He stepped forward, a little. "I wouldn't put you in any unnecessary trouble. This is for a good cause. I need you to help me with this. I could do it on my own but I thought it would be better doing it with my friends. We've always done these things together once its for the right reasons."

Tifa thought for a second. She didn't feel that what he was saying was valid enough to make her want to help him. But ofcourse, she wouldn't let him down. "alright. You have my help."

He smiled caring-ly. "Thanks Tifa." If there was anyone's help or assistance on anything that he wanted, it would be Tifa's; His childhood friend. They'd come a long way together and he couldn't see himself going far without her.

"So what exactly do you plan to do with her?"

"The guys' after her will come looking. We've just got to make sure they don't get her. Saying that; I need to go see Shinra. Will it be okay if I leave her here?"

Tifa gave a slow nod as she looked towards the floor. Cloud moved closer to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll be back as quick as I can." He told her and walked down stairs.

Tifa just froze for a moment. Oh Cloud! She thought. Her eyebrows came together in hurt as she put her fingers in hair and clenched on it for a moment...

Cloud saw Aerith who was sitting alone on the bar stool. He now caught her eye. "I'm going somewhere and I have to leave you here for a while"

" =s Um, okay?" she said slightly confused. She hadn't expected to be brought from her home and be stashed in places! "May I ask where you are going?"

He looked at her for a moment, thinking of an answer... "You'll be safe here. Tifa is a skilled fighter and will protect you if anything goes wrong." He said. He obviously didn't want her to know he was going back to the person who wants her dead. But after a while he felt like it may be unnecessary to hide it from her. "I'm going to see my boss Rufus Shinra. I'll be back in a little while." He leaves the bar.

Aerith sighed -.-

"Hey beautiful!"

Aerith looked at the owner of the voice to her right, slowly. O_O'

"What's a pretty girl like you..." His eyes blinked one by one then he continued. "-doing in a place like this?" He hiccuped.

Aerith almost shrieked at the drunk man, holding his drink in his right hand and staggering against the bar counter. "Uh-I... Get away from me ."

"Leave her alone, Abe -.-+" Tifa appeared from the stairway. She moved behind the bar and stood infront of them.

"I was just" He swallowed. "Talking to the pretty lady. I've never seen her in these parts before." He grinned a little. "Maybe I could buy you a drink?"

Tifa immediately picked up the newspaper she was reading before Cloud came and whacked him on the head with it. The man, Abe, ducked his head like a retreat as he backed away from the 2 saying "ow".

Tifa looked at Aerith with a small smile. "I hope he didn't bother you too much"

"^_^; no... not really... I guess ¬-¬. So how long have you know Cloud?" Aerith asked.

She paused before answering. "We're childhood friends. He told me he met you today. And that you were his target from Shinra. Don't you think you should stay away from here? Him!"

"Yeah!" She now looked uneasy. "Strange, huh. But I feel like he can protect me, ya know? Like he's a safe person to be around."

I know.. I know all too well how it feels to be around him. Ive been around him long enough. I know what its like to feel an inch of his love... True love that was pure, not tainted like these recent affairs. I miss how he used to be; When he was honest, and thoughtful, and caring. "Yeah. I know." I wonder if this was my fault? Did I not do enough for Cloud? Was I not enough for him, to know he had someone to come home to...

Aerith didn't say anything as she could see Tifa was in deep thought with herself, looking down at the counter. Suddenly Tifa receives a phone call on her mobile.

"Hello." She answered.

"Hello Tifa." Rufus replied.

"Sir?"

"I need you to find Yuffie ASAP. She's about to get herself into trouble."

"Yuffie? Why? What is she up to?"

"She's on her way to some very dangerous people. Tifa. You must find her and avoid contact with this group. It is vital that you do so. She does not understand the power these men have. Do you understand?"

"Yes! =s" Tifa was a bit bewildered. She knew nothing about the remnants... She hadn't even comprehended that these were the same people Cloud were protecting Aerith from. "I'll let you know once I've done the job"

"Good." He said about to get off the phone.

"Oh, sir?" She speaks quickly.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Send over Rude and Reno." She told him.

TBC