Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)

Author's Note: Third chapter! Ahhh! I'm getting quite addicted to this!...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter Three: Outspoken Employees and Presidential Requests

Over the following fortnight the young President certainly made good on his threat. She wasn't exactly sure how he'd managed it, though fear and intimidation seemed the most likely candidates.

Tifa wasn't really certain of what she'd actually expected him to do, have her bar demolished maybe? Send crazed assassins after her? Get the Turk's to stalk her until she went insane? No, instead he'd done something much worse, something that would really get to her, emotionally and financially.

For two solid weeks she hadn't had a single customer pass through the doors of Seventh Heaven, no students, middle-aged alcoholics, crazy cat ladies, not even one of the really drunken homeless guys that always found their way in, in an attempt to steal the leavings of other people's drinks.

Every evening she'd prepare the tables, lay out the chairs, knowing full well there'd be no customers to use them. She'd even stay behind the bar, watching the door, as if some small part of her believed it was just a bad run and that familiar faces would be back to enjoy the atmosphere and brilliant drinks she'd put so much effort into creating.

After a while a wave of realisation seemed to wash over the bartender, even though she was hesitant to accept it. Instead she decided to spent the time she should have been using to sort out the mess, mixing new and very experimental drinks, while secretly forming plans to shove one of the rather large cocktail glasses up a certain blonde's way to pert ass, thus making her a rather on edge, not to mention angry, drunk.

She'd gotten so used to the silence and the constant lack of people coming through her door that when one evening someone did, she nearly dropped the glass tumbler she'd been pointlessly polishing and basically yelped at the lanky, yet familiar form.

''Reno!'' Her face reddened slightly as she realised just how delighted she'd sounded at finally having some company.

He looked at her, his expression soft and somewhat embarrassed, ''Yo babe...how ya doing?''

The brunette snapped back at him rather suddenly, ''How the hell do you think!''

''Hey don't be mad at me! It's not my fault...'' He had an accusatory finger pointed at her, even though he did feel rather responsible for her predicament, after all he'd allowed the young blonde to go up to the bar in the first place.

Tifa proceeded to gulp her mouth like a fish for a good few seconds before responding somewhat like a child, ''...Your boss is stupid.''

The red head smirked out of amusement at her silly retort before lazily strolling across to the bar and leaning against the hard surface, ''Well...he's powerful and you pissed him off...what did you expect him to do? Just roll over and take it?''

''Still...this is just ridiculous...''

Reno nodded in agreement, ''True, but what can I say...he's just...he likes to get his own way.''

Tifa grunted while absent-mindedly rearranging the wine bottles that sat behind the bar, ''Hm...so I've found out...''

The young man lowered his gaze and sighed, ''Babe I'm so-''

''If I don't get any customers soon Reno I could really be in trouble...I need every penny from this bar to survive...it won't be long till his little games ruin my life! Again...''

Silence fell around the pair, as red head furrowed his brow in thought, ''I'll talk to him. See if I can...sort it out...somehow.''

''Are you sure?'' She sounded surprised, though somewhere in the back of her mind she'd hoped he would make such an offer.

''Well it can't hurt...'' The pair shared a brief smile before the red head began barking out orders, ''Now you're gunna shut up the bar and get some rest, there's no point just hanging around here hoping for custom...you ain't gunna get any...Rufus has made damn sure of that.''

Tifa laughed lightly before placing a tentative hand on her arm in a somewhat nervous comfort, ''Thank you.''

The young man just gave one of his trademark cheeky smiles before heading out of the bar, ''I'll give you a ring once it's done.''

Rufus tapped his fingers against the polished surface of the rather expensive desk, staring at the opposite wall in some sort of thoughtful daydream.

He was bored, tired of waiting for some kind of retaliation from the young woman, whom since he had shared a heated confrontation with, he had tried so hard to make her regret and realise his authority.

It surprised him how much he seemed to crave the simple dominance over this rather unimportant woman, but what bothered him even more was that it had been over a fortnight and he still hadn't achieved his desired goal.

His thoughts were distracted however when he noticed a familiar red head hovering around his door.

He sighed testily, ''Reno...why are you skulking about like some kind of rodent?''

The Turk gave a nervous chuckle before entering the room, ''Yo sir...just wanted to-''

''You came to me to talk about Miss. Lockhart.''

The expression on the red head's face was priceless and the President had to fight hard to suppress a smile, ''How did you-''

''My sources told me you were seen entering that woman's bar yesterday...I thought you knew the policy concerning that place...''

Reno shifted about, his eyes darting around the office, looking anywhere but at the blonde, when he finally found his voice it was somewhat shaky, ''Boss...it's her lively hood...don't you think maybe...''

''Is she your girlfriend?''

The young Turk arched his eyebrows in confusion, ''No.''

''Do you want her to be?''

There was a slight pause this time, though his eyebrows remained in the same place, ''No.''

''Then why do you even care?''

Reno's gaze slowly shifted up to meet the blonde's, taking time when he spoke as if to emphasise the importance of his words, ''Because...we get on, she's nice, I like her! And frankly...I feel I have some things to make up for.''

The President's face remained still, though when he spoke he sounded intrigued, ''Like?''

The red head broke the staring contest he seemed to be having with the blonde rather suddenly, as if afraid he might catch the glint of shame that lurked behind his aquamarine eyes, ''Sector Seven. It might not have been my decision but I pressed that button...anyway...I owe her...a lot.''

Much to Reno's surprise, the blonde began to chuckle softly, allowing a smirk to spread across his thin lips, ''I can see Miss. Lockhart has been a bad influence on you.''

''Excuse me?''

Rufus halted his laughter and his tone became suddenly serious, ''You're beginning to speak out of turn, much like she did...and you're my employee...you have even less right to do so...''

The red head's eyes widened and he began to stumble over his rather frantic apology, ''I didn't mean to...you know...speak out...or anything...I mean I'm...I just thought that...I'm sorry Sir...''

''Well done...that was really quite something...'' The President leaned back in his chair, giving a deep sigh, ''Now all you have to do is get the pretty young bartender to do the same.''

''Huh?''

''You...get Miss. Lockhart to come here. I'll give her back her customers if she gives me an apology...that's all I want from her.''

Reno paused for a few seconds before raising a hand in protest, ''I really don't think...I mean I'm pretty sure she'll-'' His ramble was interrupted by a rather impatient looking Rufus.

''If her little bar is so important to her then...she'll do it.'' The blonde removed his gaze from the young Turk and proceeded to turn his attention towards the various files that littered his desk.

Taking this as his signal to leave, Reno strolled swiftly from the office and into his own, dialling a familiar number into his mobile phone as he went.

Tifa lifted her body slowly from the steamy water and smiled as she felt her feet nestle themselves in the shaggy rug that laid by the bath.

She had just began wrapping the large white towel around her damp skin when she heard the familiar high pitched ring sounding from the living room phone.

After quickly tying the piece of bathroom material in place, the brunette tiptoed across the cold floor and grabbed the ringing communication equipment, placing it to her delicate ear rather firmly.

''Hello Tifa Lockhart speaking how may I-''

''Hey babe.''

She recognised the relaxed tone immediately, ''Reno! This is a nice...'' Her cheerful smile faded away as realisation hit her like a brick, ''You talked to him didn't you?''

''Yeah...''

''So...what's the verdict?''

The young man's voice grew nervous and he couldn't help but ramble, ''Well...he seemed to...I think...he said that-''

''Reno just spit it out.''

''He...wants an apology.''

There was a slight pause before a deafening shriek erupted from the young brunette, ''WHAT? An apology! How dare he! I did nothing wrong! My god that man has some nerve! What is his problem? Well apart from having a rather large stick up his-''

Tifa continued ranting down the phone at a rather tired Reno, who held his ear a good way from the receiver, which actually seemed to be vibrating in anger and he couldn't help but wonder if Rufus really knew what he was getting himself into.

A/N= I know not much action in this, but sometimes the little details are needed and the action has to be compromised!

Oh and I'm sensing a 'you always hate the one you love' vibe from Tifa ;)

Is it a little weird I'm sensing vibes off of a character I'm writing for...surely I should be creating those vibes instead of sensing them...weirdness