CHAPTER FOUR

"You're Hired!"

Lightning sat across the desk from Tifa with her hands resting on her lap, over crossed legs.

The more Tifa read, the more impressed she was. "This resume is fantastic. It's everything we were looking for!"

"Thank you," Lightning replied.

Tifa closed the manila folder and set it aside, lacing her fingers together. "Now, I have only three more questions for you," she began. "One: Would you mind living in Midgar while you're working for us?"

"Not at all. It's better that I'm as close to my job as possible."

"That's great, because we've got a nice vacant apartment all ready for you… Two: Are you good with kids?"

Lightning blinked. "Excuse me?"

Her reaction made Tifa laugh. "We have two children living with us. Marlene and Denzel. They're not that young; about ten and twelve years old."

Lightning relaxed. "In that case, there's no problem." The truth was that she really wasn't that great with kids of any age, but she'd need to accommodate if she wanted to hold down this job. At least they weren't in diapers!

"Wonderful!" Tifa exclaimed. "Alright, last question: Have you ever had experience as a body guard?"

"On plenty of occasions. Why do you ask?"

Tifa grinned. "Because this job is about more than just delivering merchandise…" She lowered the volume of her voice and leaned forward across the desk. "It's about keeping the women away from Cloud while he's working."

Lightning was so caught off guard that she stammered. "O-oh… I see."

"Don't get me wrong. Cloud's not that type of guy. But most women find him a bit too attractive, if you get my meaning."

"Understandable." Lightning replied. Yep, totally understandable.

oOo

"I can't take this anymore," Cloud told her, almost weeping. "Would you please just move on into the white light, or something?"

"I can't, Cloud. Not until you've got your priorities straight," she insisted.

Cloud grunted. "What's with this 'priority' thing, all of a sudden!"

"I just want to make sure you're happy, that's all…"

That's when the office door creaked as it opened.

Cloud opened his eyes and squared his shoulders, relieved that he was standing in his own hallway rather than in the middle of the meadow that was Aerith's new home.

Tifa was smiling as she and Lightning came out. "Congratulations, Cloud. You now have a new partner!"

Cloud shifted his eyes toward Lightning. "Great," he replied soberly.

She made no reply.

"I'm gonna help her take her things up to the apartment," Tifa said. "Would you mind getting dinner started? I'm sure the kids are starving by now. Oh, and Barret's coming over tonight, so you'll need to make extra, okay?"

As the two women passed him, Cloud kept his eyes on Lightning's back. Apparently, she did have a slight sway in her lips, but not so much to suggest that she had a hidden agenda somewhere in her mind. Besides, Tifa's hips did that same thing too, so he figured it was probably a woman thing.

oOo

A bed, a bathroom, a nightstand and one window.

Not a five-star suite, but at least it was a roof over her head.

Lightning hadn't planned on joining her new employers for dinner. They had already been kind enough to her live with them, so she would feel bad if she took any of their food. Instead, she checked her messages. Almost all of them were from Serah and Snow; she pressed 'delete' without bothering to listen to them first.

After she was finished unpacking, the next task would be figuring out where she'd get her dinner. She heard Tifa mention that there was a restaurant somewhere in this sector. But when she pulled the curtains back and looked down at all the drunk guys that were staggering through the streets, she made a funny face and decided to pass on the day's last meal. Granted, she probably could've taken these drunkards down with less one swoop of her Gunblade. But she didn't want to cause any trouble for the sake of her new job.

A job she wasn't sure how long she'd be keeping.

After a quick shower, she changed into her pajamas and tucked herself into bed. It had been a long day, and she'd need the extra rest for tomorrow.

3:00 AM...

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Lightning's eyes fluttered open. If her clock was right, then someone better have a good reason for waking her up at such a horrid hour. Then again, maybe it was time to go to work. She tossed the covers aside and got out of bed, running her fingers through her hair to make herself look a bit more presentable before answering the door.

She cracked the door open only a little ways.

Cloud was standing right outside her room.