first off - I found someone who did a Tifa vid using the karaoke song from way back in chapter 10 Extraordinary Way over on YouTube. Totally unrelated to my story but it made me happy. Look up CloudxTifa - Extrodinary Way by Kiari002 if you're interested. She also did a georgous ::It's Hard To Let It Go:: vid for the couple as well. All thanks go to Peek-chan for still putting up with my punctuationless plane of existance in her efforts to edit my work and for the comments that always make me laugh. For my best beloveds... zi-ling - my jewel toned consistant one - you made me laugh. Yeah, I thought I might get hunted down and flamed if I left out the last chapter. Glad you approved of the twists though. I enjoyed jealous Cloud myself. Calenlass - I will do my best to live up to your faith in me. Yeah, Leon popped that kiss in there on me too, but it worked so I was pleased. And I'm going to try to bring in most of the game team at least though not necessarily in the way they were in the game. Cait hasn't showed up yet in my head but I know where Vincent is coming in for instance. Hey, the more the merrier, right? Biskitty - huzzah! that must have been a mess of reading to catch up so fast. I'm really glad you're enjoying it though :D Kill them all? Am I that cruel? Well, yeah, I probably am but yeah, I just couldn't leave Tifa like that. Not so early on in the story at least. And Zack... dear Zack, I so have plans for him... Fairheartstrife - yea! you're here! Yep, poor Tifa, how she suffers so with the duel attention, right? lol and here's your answer to what awaits in the mountains too. Glad you're enjoying the mush, I have so much fun writing it I sometimes wonder if I overdo it. Dis - you've got a devious mind. I LIKE it! Yes, yes, breaking Zack would be fun, wouldn't it... Oceanee - hey, welcome along for the ride! Sodas are in the fridge, just sit back and relax. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying it so far and I'll do my best to not disappoint. Yeah, I think we've got a line forming of people wanting to just smack Cloud and Tifa in the back of the head, feel free to sign up ;) And last but never least Ktisis - I do love you guys. And yea! I was wondering how many people actually face palmed at Tifa's 'cloud's just upset because leon shook me'. I love writing stuff like that and as I've said, jealous Cloud was a heck of a fun to write considering how much he usually buries his emotions. And please! stick around. Zack's mystery is probably turning into something just as bad as Cloud's but Cloud's at least had a few years to adjust to his. And awwww, thanks for the thanks. I try to be consistent with my updates. And speaking of which...

Chapter 54: Changes

Tifa was in the process of packing a small bag when Aerith burst into her room early the next morning. It was just after breakfast and her friend had gone to her own room to gather up her stuff and move it into Tifa's. Now she rushed in and Tifa looked up in mild surprise from the food packets she was sorting through while Denzel and Marlene sat on her bed with her and 'helped'.

"You were just going to disappear!?" Aerith demanded and Tifa's brows came down.

"Um, no?" she guessed and Aerith marched over to drop down onto the bed next to her.

"But Zack's got a – and you're packing too! And Zack said you were going with him!"

Tifa paused in her packing and tipped her head to look at her friend thoughtfully.

"You're talking to Zack now?" she asked and Aerith gave her a scowl.

"It's not as if I can ignore him and be polite, is it? And besides – he's going off somewhere with you! You just got here!"

Tifa cleared her throat and ducked her head to look at the food packets to keep herself from laughing. Aerith made it sound like they were running away together.

"Cloud's coming too," she pointed out. "We're not going anywhere except the mountains. We should be back by tonight or tomorrow."

That had been hard, explaining that to her siblings. Explaining that she'd just found them, and now she had to go away again. It helped that 'away' wasn't far or for long but she still felt horrible about leaving them and they were sticking very tightly to her side until then. For some reason when they'd found out she was going with Cloud they'd visibly relaxed a little. Aerith crossed her arms.

"Why?" she demanded and Tifa could tell she wasn't happy. A quick glance told Tifa that she was looking at the kids and Tifa knew she was thinking the same thing Tifa already had. She sighed and sat back on her heels.

"Because there's a man we need to find. He's an expert on mako and the weird experiments Shinra was doing. We ran into that weird creature when we were in del Sol and Cloud thinks it might have something to do with that. Zack's going – because he's Zack. And because he wants to know if Shinra might have done something to his memories."

She had no problem with Denzel and Marlene knowing what was going on. They had a right to know why she was going and what was going on and she'd already explained what she was telling Aerith now to them. Aerith frowned and kept her arms folded over her chest.

"Then I'm going too."

She raised her chin when Tifa looked at her.

"I know how to use materia. And if someone messed with Zack's memories about me, I want to know who did it so I can give them a quick boot in the a-" she noticed the two gleeful pairs of young eyes watching her and finished primly: "-ppendix."

"Kick them in the appendix?" Tifa snorted and her friend just gave her a smile. But then her face got serious.

"I need to come too, Tifa. I need to know what happened to the man I was in love with once."

"The scientist might not know anything. Zack's just guessing. We just know he knows about Jenova."

"Well, saving the planet from horrible monsters is important too," Aerith agreed brightly and Tifa had to laugh.

"I guess I'll go ask Barrett to watch the kids for me then," Tifa looked over at her siblings. Who were suddenly looking much more cheerful than they had before. They knew they could get away with all kinds of things with Barrett that Aerith never would have allowed. Tifa figured it couldn't be helped and mentally consigned Barrett to both sainthood and hoodwinkery for the rest of his life. If you couldn't keep up with a Lockhart, you pretty much deserved whatever you got.

Barrett wasn't happy about her going off again so soon either when she talked to him but he agreed to watch the children. Despite the mischief, her siblings were easy kids to take care of and Tifa knew that Barrett enjoyed being around children that didn't think having a gun grafted to your arm was unusual or scary. Marlene and Denzel tagged along with Tifa until the very end though.

"Hey, Lockhart," Zack greeted her from where he was standing outside in the courtyard with Cloud and Red. He nodded to the kids. "Mini-Lockharts."

"Hey, Zack," Marlene was already charmed by the dark haired ex-SOLDIER after spending the day with him and even Denzel gave him a shy smile before moving past him and over to where Red and Cloud were to tug at the blond warrior's gloved hand. Cloud very seriously went down to a knee for the younger boy.

"Aerith is coming," Tifa told Zack and his eyebrows went up a little. He turned his head to the brunette.

"O-kay."

Aerith didn't apparently see the need to explain why and since Zack didn't feel like he had a right to ask apparently either, Tifa got off without having to get in the middle of anything. Which worked just as well for her. She started to turn her attention to Denzel and Cloud when Marlene suddenly grabbed her hand and started talking.

"You'll be careful, right?" the younger girl asked. "Cause there are monsters up in the mountains. I've heard people say so. And Aerith's got a PHS now – so you'll call us if something happens."

Tifa had a sneaking suspicion that Marlene was distracting her from whatever Denzel was up to with Cloud but she couldn't ignore her sister's questions. They'd been torn apart and lost to each other once already and Tifa herself knew the bone deep fear of it ever happening again. She wasn't leaving her sister and brother behind lightly. It was just – she had to go with Cloud and Zack. She had to know what was going on. She thought her siblings understood that – Lockharts understood that 'family' didn't have to share your last name. She also knew that rational thought didn't get in the way of scarred emotions though.

"You know I'll do everything in my power to always come back to you and Denzel, Marlene." Tifa went to her knees in front of her sister, which actually made her a little shorter than the girl. Gentle she wrapped her hands around the younger girl's shoulders. "Everything and anything in the world. I thought I lost you once – I won't go through that again. I'll come back. And if I'm not going to be able to make it back tonight, I'll call you both on Aerith's phone so I can tell you goodnight and let you know what I've done today. I'll do that every day from now on that I'm not going to be with you both. I promise. We're not going to lose each other again."

Marlene's eyes were watery – Tifa's were as well – and she knew even if her sister was distracting her on purpose the tears were real. She pulled the younger girl into her arms and held her tightly and a moment later she felt Denzel's body impact with the back of hers and he wound his arms around her throat from behind. She stayed that way, buried by her siblings, for a very long moment.

"I'll be back. Everything will be fine. You'll see."

They had known she'd been in danger and they'd known she was wandering the planet somewhere away from them before…

but Tifa had thought she'd lost them for the rest of her life. She had no intention of ever going through that again and surviving. Very softly, just for their ears she added:

"And – Denzel – Cloud will tell me what you talked to him about if I ask."

Denzel, face buried against the back of her shoulder, made a hiccupping noise and she smiled. And then the smile froze as Denzel confessed:

"I just asked him if he remembered he'd promised us he'd protect you. He said he'd already made that promise years before I even asked."

"oh…" it came out a tiny noise and Marlene rubbed her face against Tifa's throat and stated in a fierce whisper:

"Leon didn't do that. Cloud takes better care of you than Leon. He's the one that saved you."

It made Tifa's heart twist. Because she knew it was unfair to Leon that the children were comparing him to Cloud. Leon had come to rescue her, Cloud had just had the advantage of having Zack and having done it already. But more…

She knew what her brother and sister were doing and – it made her heart hurt. Because she wanted what they wanted too. One word.

Cloud.

But things didn't work out that way. And it didn't matter how badly they wanted him to be a part of their family as more than a friend or how much Tifa wanted him to fall in love with her – life didn't work that way and she couldn't make up his heart for him. She squeezed her eyes shut and held Marlene and Denzel's arms tightly. All Tifa could do was love him for the rest of her life and make sure he always felt welcome in her family. It was going to have to be enough.

Deep in her heart, Tifa knew she should forget about Cloud and let Leon try to win her heart. It was just that Tifa's heart was stubborn and it had already given itself away so that there was nothing left to win. She could go through the motions for Leon and she did like him as a friend. He might even accept that. But… Tifa never would. It was all or nothing with her heart and the way she lived her life. Maybe she still didn't think it was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all, but it was better to be true to yourself than pretend you could do anything else. She was the kind of girl that would rather be alone than with the wrong person. She exhaled and gave her siblings a tight squeeze before untangling herself and standing up.

"Don't take advantage of him," she told them firmly and anyone listening would have thought she was talking about Barrett. She and her siblings knew she wasn't. Then she tousled both of their hair. Red came over and sat down next to Denzel and Tifa gave him a smile of thanks. Then she turned to the others that were now waiting for them and gave them a bright smile.

"Okay," she announced. "Let's go find a mad scientist."

Zack started to chuckle and, for just a moment, she saw the glint of laughter in Cloud's blue eyes as well as he drew them back from intently watching her and her siblings. Aerith caught up to her on the way out the back gate as the team headed out.

"I bought you a PHS too," she palmed it into Tifa's hand, looking over at her with bittersweet green eyes that were still smiling. "Because I thought we should keep in touch better."

Tifa was just in the process of giving her friend a one armed hug when Cloud, in the lead, came to a sudden stop. Cloud didn't come to sudden stops unless it meant trouble. Tifa and Zack both moved in front of a clueless Aerith at the same time.

"Wha- " Aerith began. And then Cloud's voice, low and emotionless, came. One word. And Tifa's throat went dry.

"Cissnei."

"Hello, Cloud." The auburn haired woman stepped away from the building she'd been standing in the shadow of. Her head turned and she looked at Zack in surprise before blinking and giving him a nod. "I should have known when you went missing you'd be with Strife."

Zack stepped forward.

"Yeah, about that – " he started but she shook her head.

"I can't tell you anything. Zack." Tifa heard the way her voice softened on the name but she thought she saw sorrow in the other woman's eyes as well.

"What do you mean 'you can't tell me anything'!? This is my life we're talking here, Cissnei!" Zack wasn't content with her answer. But he still hadn't gone for his sword even if his voice had dropped into angry. The petite woman turned her attention from him however and focused on Cloud. To Tifa it looked like it was against her will but she couldn't seem to help taking another step to be closer to the blond warrior.

Tifa knew the feeling.

"They knew you'd come back here," she told him and Zack was quieted by the threat to his friend. "You just took longer than they expected." Her eyes shifted past Cloud's shoulder to focus briefly on Tifa and then she looked back up at him.

"How long do I have?" Cloud asked low and she took one more unwilling step to stand in front of him, head tipped as she met his eyes.

"I'm the only left. Everyone else is on other missions now. I'm supposed to call in when you arrive and keep an eye on you until the others get here."

Cloud's head lowered as he looked at her and Tifa felt her heart clench at the extra rumble his voice took on as he softly asked:

"How long?"

Tifa watched the other woman's hands clench and she turned her head away. Strands of cinnamon hair fell across her delicate face.

"I haven't phoned it in yet."

Cloud exhaled silently and gently touched her shoulder. Tifa watched the other woman jerk an inhale. Even as clueless as Cloud was about women, Tifa couldn't believe he didn't realize the one in front of him was in love with him.

It hurt deep in her chest because she suspected Cloud was in love with the delicate woman too.

"I need your help," he told her softly and her face rose to his. Tifa didn't have to be all that observant to see the hope and fear and heartache in the other woman's eyes.

"I can't keep – "

"Gast. I need to know where Gast is hiding."

Not the question she'd expected and her thin brows went down.

"I can't tell you that."

"Cissnei," his voice was very low on her name. "I think Sephiroth is alive. I need to find Gast."

Her eyes went wide then.

"Sephiroth? But he's dead."

"I thought so. But we fought Jenova birth the other day."

Her face went pale and her brows drew down over her eyes.

"But we quarantined – why wouldn't I know if the seals had been broken?"

"Maybe because you didn't 'need to know'. Cissnei – Gast."

Her eyes rose to his again and she looked young suddenly. Younger.

"The statue of Da Chao. There's an entrance behind its left ear. He's been hiding there."

Cloud nodded and his voice took that wonderful dip.

"Thank you."

"I – I have to call you in," she warned and Cloud nodded.

"Give us three hours."

"Two."

Cloud nodded again. That single dip of his head.

"Two."

Then he was moving again, heading forward, and Tifa caught Aerith's arm to remind her to come along. The red headed woman watched her as she walked past and Tifa glanced over to make eye contact. Was that what attracted Cloud? A woman that was brave and competent and good hearted?

And then they were past and headed down a street that Tifa knew would lead them out of town and into the mountains. Her legs fell into the familiar stride of traveling with Cloud and Zack but her head didn't find the usual comfort in it.