AN: So I've noticed a lot of people are going along the lines of 'Ew Reno and Tifa wtf!" I'm glad though it hasn't dissuaded you from continuing because the story just started. This story is categorized in Cloud x Tifa because ultimately this IS a Cloti; I'm not a Tifa x Reno fan in any way. If you don't want to read it fine by me that is your choice, but if you're looking for a perfectly poorly written fanfic typed story where love and emotions are depicted in black and white then go buy twilight. Good day :)

Just Keep Smiling

Nostalgia

Her head spun, she felt sick and she couldn't open her eyes to meet the bright sunlight shining through her window. She was still dressed in her clothes the sheets ruffled and she laid alone. 'What happened'

She tried to push herself up, but her head was spinning so fast it made her sick. She had to get up, before Marlene and Denzel did; she had to look decent and perfect for those two.

Tifa pushed herself up despite her body's screams of protest. Her fingers, her lips and her whole body was sore. What happened last night? The cold shower seemed to work wonders and as she got dressed flashes of last night came to mind.

"See that aint so bad?"

His lips were once more pressed against her own, she could smell and taste the alcohol on his breath. Her lips hurt from the bruising kiss, her body ached from the crushing hold he had on her, but in her mind he didn't have to be Reno; he could be Cloud. Tifa's arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. Something felt off; his lips lacked the passion she would desperately seek all she could feel was a barbaric lust; a temporary solution to his sexual urges.

"No."

It started off as a small whisper in between kisses as he paused for air, but even the alcohol wouldn't stop her from realizing this was something she didn't want. Her departed friend never lived a single day with regret; Aerith smiled even till that last second when Sephiroth's sword plunged through her back. She would not disappoint her friend's memory- she would not disappoint herself.

"No!"

Her voice stronger and this time the force of her push had the red haired Turk falling back on one her tables breaking the legs. He rubbed his head furious his teeth gritted and his fists balled.

"Stupid bitch, why don' ya jus let yourself b- ugh- be happy for once."

She didn't answer. Tifa crossed over to the door and held it open waiting for the Turk to leave. As he got up and made to leave he paused at the door, fists balled.

"Tch, ya not even worth it."

She did nothing, she was above him and she was a better person than that. She slammed the door behind him and walked to one of her barstools. She rested her head on her folded arms on the counter top her head was buzzing and spinning. 'Ya not even worth it'. Did he realize he hit home with those words? Maybe thats why Cloud was nothing more than a friend... she wasn't worth the trouble of being romantically involved with.

"I am worth it."

She kept saying those words over and over again till she had fallen asleep.

There was still the unanswered question; how did she get to her room? As she prepared breakfast eying the broken table every once in a while, Tifa tried to wrack through her memory, but after falling asleep everything else was blank up until she woke up.

"I probably woke up and stumbled to my room."

It wouldn't be the first time, many times did she fall asleep on the couch in the family room only to wake up to her bed. Denzel had even said that he'd seen Tifa many times walk to her room when he was leaving the bathroom. Tifa had no recollections of any of these walks.

The day had gone by like any Saturday; the kids did their chores they played outside, but the disturbed look Tifa tried desperately to hide seemed to only translate as continued silence. There was the occasional trivial questions, but the kids didn't seem to ask about Cloud, not until they were all huddled around the TV.

"Cloud's getting worse isn't he."

Tifa had been taking a walk down memory lane, the nostalgic feeling cut short by the tiny voice coming from the young child resting her head in Tifa's lap. Marlene shifted her head so she was looking upward at Tifa; those chocolate brown eyes always had a profound effect on Tifa. She stroked the child's cheek, Denzel, who was on the floor leaning back on Tifa's leg while making what seemed to be a paper mache sword, turned his head it he too curious, but not wanting to be the one to ask.

"No sweetie, he's getting better, but he needs a lot of rest. I'm not sad; I'm just a little bit tired."

And like that the two went back to what they were doing, Denzel continued with his sword while Marlene flipped through channels.

"How about we go to the park? We can pack a large picnic and invite all the neighborhood kids?"

The two jumped up and ran upstairs to their rooms, Tifa had been planning for this all day. Lunches already packed all she had to go was get the other children. Maybe the park would get her mind off of last night.

The children ran around playing every once in a while one of them would run up to her and ask for a bottle of water or a juice box; Tifa would only smile while she settled on the . Their carefree attitude became hers, temporarily, and their joy became her joy as short lived as it may become. She didn't want to think about the blond haired man who these children loved dearly, nor did she want to picture those perfect gravity defying strands, those penetrating blue mako eyes...

A flash of a memory came to her mind, it was blurred and it was brief, and she couldn't seem to believe that it was a memory, but rather a dream. Shaking the thought aside she was briefly distracted by by Denzel who was running up to see her waving his arms wildly.

"Tifa! Tifa! Can Matt come over and make a sword too. I still have supplies!"

Tifa wordlessly nodded her head with a smile. It was always a good feeling to keep the children happy. And once more she was swept up by the memories of the past, Aerith's death, Meteor, Holy and the life stream. She could remember feeling her presence, feeling safe, warm and at peace. And then it was all over

Wordlessly packing she gathered the kids and returned to the bar, making sure everyone got home alright, Denzel's friend stayed with them; the two pretending to battle with imaginary swords... she saw Cloud in the young boy; every so often he would turn to Tifa and give her a bright smile.

"You know Tifa can fight too! I bet if she and Cloud went at it with their fists she'd win!"

Marlene crossed her arms over as if her word was final. Tifa had never tested the theory, Cloud was trained by Shinra, but she learned from the greatest Martial Artist, maybe she could win.

"Yeah, but Clouds a man and men are stronger than women!"

Marlene had turned to Tifa as if waiting for her to settle the argument.

"I couldn't say I'd never fight my own friend."

The continued debating, Tifa only occasionally listening it but a distant figure caught her eye. The frightening appearance of what looked like a man made Tifa's brow furrowed. She didn't have a good feeling and as Marlene looked up to Tifa the other two boys followed Marlene's gaze who seemed to also squint at the figure.

"Spiky hair? Is that..."

No it couldn't be Cloud, but the figure stayed hidden in a shadow far off in the distance. Tifa could feel it, an ominous fear that crept up on her features and the children responded by remaining silent. The sun was slowly starting to fade away. She moved forward her hands already gloved the strain of leather made her hits that much stronger... not that she needed it.

"Hide behind those crates, take my phone. If I fall you run and call Barret. You know the number."

Tifa highlighted Barret's number, not taking her eyes off the shadowed figure. What was odd was that the only movement it displayed was the gasping breaths her trained ears could hear. She tossed the phone to Denzel who pulled his friend and Marlene to the crates in the nearby alley. The figure seemed to respond to the children's movements, because it slowly started to move towards Tifa.

Tifa moved to the side, stepping in front of the alley; it only quickened the persons movement speed. He moved like Cloud, his hair seemed to defy gravity's like Cloud, but the darkness that engulfed them still permitted her from seeing who it was.

A quick walk turned into a jog which became a quick dash. Tifa held her arms up, taking up a defensive stance. Whoever this person was... he was here to hurt her, but when the figure was only steps away and shrouded in the small amount of light... she was caught off guard.

Tifa had been lucky enough to pull her arms crossed in front of her blocking the punch received from her assailant. Her breathing was heavy, not from the impact, it had pushed her back a bit, her balance jeopardized for a split second, but the scared cries from behind her only made the adrenaline rush. The kids wouldn't recognize the face, but Tifa found it hard to believe.

Zack stood face bare of any emotion or recognition; his blank mako green eyes darting from the children to Tifa. No... this wasn't Zack there was something off. Tifa inspected his hand, they were not normal, but mutated; somehow she felt like the mutation was incomplete.

His finger's were triple the normal length. Long and pallid white, but as her eyes followed his fingers to his hands, the white melted into a pink which turned red. The red stopped just before his elbows blending into his pale looking skin. What was more disturbing was the patches of skin splotched and almost burned looking on his arm; he was caught between a mutation. His whole arm resembled that of-

But his finger shot out before she could fully grasp the situation extended to wrap itself around her body. If she jumped out of the way it would hurt the kids. She raised up her arm, his fingers slithering around her wrist and as he tried to tug and pull; Tifa dug her heels into the ground , leaning back to keep herself from being lifted. If he got the upper hand- no what happened in the church last time she fought was not going to be repeated. The kids would be unharmed.

With her free hand she grabbed his finger and pulled with all her might. Zack fell forward and with her right leg she delivered a blow to his head she side stepped the man who resembled the SOLDIER. It was still hard to process, but the frightened children and the adrenaline that pumped in her veins made her fight first and question later.

Waiting for the next blow, she stiffened her legs, not wanting to be knocked off, but his finger extended past her reaching for the children behind. Reflexively, her left hand grabbed his finger while her right arm twisted around the pallid fingers and tugged them away from the kids; she watched as his fingers extended further, but she twisted her body underneath winding his fingers tighter around arm. Tifa dashed to the side calculating the length of his extensions and when he could extend no more his finger contracted and she let go as the returned to their previous size.

"Zack, stop! Why are you doing this."

But the man before her was not Zack, a hallow shell with a shallow deep and cold voice.

"Terminate... Martial Artists... take child... mission in progress..."

It was robotic, unnatural and it curdled Tifa's blood. Whatever this thing was; using Zack's body like a vessel;it was not here for her, but for the children... or one of them. Her eyes turned to the kids who had backed up away from the fight. Marlene holding onto both the shirts of Matt and Denzel her head buried in Denzel's shoulder, but she was still watching. Tifa didn't want Marlene to see her like this.

"You will not touch them!"

She had rushed forward, ready to deliver an uppercut to his jaw, but his mouth flew open and a burst of flame spat out at her. If not for her instincts, she would have been burned. Instead she had knocked his jaw upward, hand sliding up into the flames. She shook off the burnt glove sustaining only minor burns. In that moment the abomination had kneed Tifa in the ribs her hands keeping her from being flown to far back as the dragged on the ground she was crouched and doubled over, this was no person this beast had an unnatural strength; through the pain she knew she had to end it and fast. Bringing her leg up she was about deliver a fatal blow to his head, but 'Zack' stumbled back he fell to his knee's clutching his throat. Eyes went wide a wild look in his eyes. And as if by some unseen force had struck him down, he lay on the ground lifeless.

Tifa didn't move; she remained in her stance ready to attack in case it was a bluff, but when the body lay still unmoving, she kicked it over and realized that 'Zack' was no more.

Her stomach sunk and her b dy collapsed; head buried in her hands. What happened? What was it? What was going on? The questions remained unanswered as three pairs of little hands wrapped around Tifa and those questions disappeared from her mind.

"Are you guys alright?"

The three nodded their heads in unison, the fear in their eyes. Whatever was going on; Tifa had a bad feeling.

Tifa had called the orphanage caring for Matt, they seemed to be alright with the arrangement of him staying with Tifa for the time being. Whatever that person was, he seemed to have a mission and if Matt, Denzel or Marlene were targets she couldn't afford to have the other children from the orphanage's lives at stake; she would defend Matt better if he stayed with her. The kids had sat wordlessly on both sides of her. Marlene grabbed an icepack and the kit from the kitchen. Tifa wordlessly cleaned her burns removing the devitalized tissue wincing at the pain, but turning away from the children. When gauzed and wrapped she leaned back and placed the icepack on her ribs, wincing.

"Do you have my phone?"

She took sharp intakes of breath as Denzel shakily handed her the phone. Each child seemed to be in a different world; innocent children shouldn't have to witness that and she felt sick to her stomach. Whoever it was behind the attack would have to pay.

Tifa tried Cloud's phone eyes shut tight and teeth biting down on her lower lip. A ring turned to two and then three, but the phone went dead and she was taken to voice mail. Tifa mentally swore; when they needed him the most he was never there...

"Who's Zack! Why would your friends attack us! Where's Cloud!"

Tifa's face contorted in pain as she tried to shift to look Denzel straight in the eye.

"I don't know darling; I don't know."

Her eyes pleaded with him to understand, but he was a child and so Denzel stormed off to his room she could see the hint of tears in his eyes and a slam of a door. Matt looked apologetic before running off after his friend; Marlene remaining by Tifa's side.

"There's materia under the sink, get me the green cure one.

Tifa closed her eyes memories flashing in her head of the earlier fight; Zack's face burned into her mind. But another memory went in and out of focus.

A figure carrying her sleeping form, his face she could not concentrate on and she was laid to sleep on her bed. Her body curled up in a fetal position on it's side and as she slowly opened her eyes she could barely make out a pair of bright blue eyes and spiky blond hair.

"Cloud."

Tifa shook her head as a tap on her arm made her open her eyes. Marlene held the materia up and Tifa had healed herself. The burn was still aching her and even though most of the skin was probably healed, there was still some healing that only the gauze could fix.

Picking up her phone she dialed Barret's number the booming voice on the other end made her flinch.

"Gather the team and meet at the bar as soon as possible; we have a big problem... she's fine."

Tifa snapped the phone shut; Barret understood by the tone of her voice how dire the situation was. His first concern would always be Marlene and when she assured his safety he understood what he had to do... further communication wasn't necessary. Tifa was too worn to speak; the battle took an emotional toll on her possibly more so than physically. It dawned on her she wouldn't be able to lie about Cloud'd disappearance anymore. Lies were not going to help and the kids deserved better than that she would have to tell the team everything.

"Please be safe... please be alright..."

Her heart was heavy with worry; it couldn't have been a dream. She saw Cloud that night, he picked her up and laid her on her bed. She could almost feel his arms cradling her. Her eyes shut once more as Marlene stared blanly at the TV screen. Whatever was happening it was not going to be trivial to understand, but all she wanted was for him to be safe.

A/N: Is it Zack? Whats going on? Harley are you crazy? Who knows but all will be revealed in due's time! Well... some of it on July 12th. I hope you liked this chapter I had fun writing it and I'm sure the whole "Turk got rejected" will have a few of you dancing in joy (yes I initially planned it this way don't think a couple of angry reviews would change the course of my story!). Thanks for all the reviews and yes ALL of them they were all appreciated!