"No! Let me go!" Marlene screamed as she struggled to break free from Barret's powerful grip. Barret said nothing. He simply walked, dragging Marlene along forcefully. Marlene continued screaming and struggling to no avail.

Barret had made an appointment at Shinra to meet with Rufus once more, but he couldn't get it until the next day, so he took Marlene to a hotel for the night before. He hadn't slept too well since Marlene had made numerous escape attempts during the night. It was all going to be over soon though. Aerith had mentioned to him before that Rufus agreed to have his new scientists wipe Marlene's memories, and Barret was going to do just that. Today was the day, and he was getting her there whether she liked it or not.

Marlene eventually drained all of her strength and gave up fighting.

"Daddy please..." She muttered as she began sobbing. Barret turned to look at her, tear in his own eyes and looking furious.

"Don't you say that... Don't you talk like an innocent little girl, cuz you ain't no more!" Barret yelled. He then looked away once more and continued dragging her.

Marlene looked down, "Is this because of what I did to Shelke?" Marlene asked.

"It's cuz of all the shit you doin!" Barret responded angrily.

"But daddy...I only did that to get back at you for not letting Tifa and I be happy..."

"I don't care WHY you done it! I just care that you went and fuckin DID it! Hell...I don't even know how the hell you even learned what rape was..." Barret continued.

"It was at the library where Tifa and I were caught. While I was sitting there, I got bored and looked at some adult books too. I took some back to the kid's aisle with me. I read up on what sex meant, what it REALLY meant." Marlene explained.

"Huh...then you know you gone and done wrong don'tcha?" Barret interrogated.

"I know what rape is now, and yes I know it was wrong..." Marlene looked away and continued, "I know how much I really hurt Shelke...but I just figured it was worth it if I convinced you to just let me be with Tifa! I won't be happy without her daddy!" Marlene said.

"Listen Marlene, you're eight. You don't even know WHAT you want yet! Trust me, when you get in yo thirties, you gonna finally understand and thank me for this." Barret said hopefully.

Marlene shook her head, "No I won't!" She said, "When I'm that old, sure maybe I'd see if as a mistake I dodged, but I'd also see you as a controlling father that never let me learn for myself! And I won't forgive that! What's worse dad, me making a mistake that I can just fix later, or me never making that choice and hating you the rest of my life for it!?"

Meanwhile, Tifa called a few of their friends to find out where Barret was going, since he wasn't answering her calls. Not a surprise though, she figured, after all he probably hated her guts now for all she had done. She had found out Barret was seen heading back towards Shinra, and so she raced in that direction. It took a bit longer than she wanted, as by the time she saw them they were just a block or two away from New Shinra Building. Tifa quickly ran over to stop them.

"Hey! Barret stop please!" Tifa shouted. Barret heard her loud and clear, but kept on walking. Tifa, determined, simply sped up until she finally stopped in front of them.

"Tifa!" Marlene yelled, happy to see her love.

"The hell you want!? You ain't fuckin Marlene again you bitch!" Barret shouted angrily.

Tifa caught her breath and spoke, "Barret listen. I know you're angry but I just want to talk, okay?" She begged.

"Talk!? About what!? About you defiling my little girl!? Or maybe about how you and your fucked up friends messed with Marlene's mind so much that she went and raped someone!?" Barret responded furiously.

Tifa shook her head, "Look, none of that matters right now. What matters now, is what's going to happen to Marlene that would make her life happiest."

"Yea? And what's that? Let me guess, fuckin you!?"

"Barret please! Just talk to me calmly for one minute! Look, if we erased Marlene's memories, we're gonna have to hide the truth from her the rest of her life. She's a smart girl, you think she's not ever going to figure out we're hiding something? And when we don't tell her, when YOU don't tell her, she's not gonna trust you anymore! Can you really live with that?"

Tifa had a point, but Barret was far to angry to admit it.

"You know what? I'll live with anything except for my little girl fuckin everything that moves!" Barret responded.

Tifa continued as if Barret hadn't said anything, "But! If you just let us be together...I promise you Barret, I swear on my life, that I will protect her, take care of her, and make her as happy as I possibly can! I know this isn't how you pictured Marlene finding true love, I know how wrong this seems, but just TRY to look at it without considering her age! I love her for who she is and she loves me, I only want to take care of her and make her happy, and she is very happy when she's with me!" Tifa begged and pleaded with all her might desperately trying to convince Barret.

Barret didn't know what to say now. It was finally starting go get through to him just how much Marlene and Tifa meant to each other. But...it's wrong, he thought, isn't it? It doesn't make it right just cuz they care so much about each other and understand what it all means...does it?

Barret hesitantly spoke, "But...it's wrong..." He muttered.

Tifa walked closer and put a hand on Barret's shoulder, "But maybe, for Marlene's sake, we can make something right out of it." She said.

Barret was about to speak when they were interrupted by a voice.

"Hey! Back off of the girl!" The voice shouted, a voice they recognized to belong to Tseng of the Turks.

"Why does he look so angry?" Tifa asked.

"Daddy told them everything Tifa! Now they think they're gonna protect me by keeping me from you!" Marlene shouted.

Tifa didn't think for a second, and moved. It was purely out of instinct. She picked up Marlene and ran as fast as she could. Barret watched, but couldn't bring himself to stop her. He had far too much on his mind, and didn't know anymore whether or not he should keep them apart. His thoughts were shattered however, when he heard a gunshot and a bullet whizzed past his ear. He looked angrily in Tseng's direction and stepped in his way, allowing Tifa to escape.

"The hell ya think your doin!? You could hit Marlene!" Barret yelled at the Turk.

Tseng simply lowered his gun and shook his head, "It doesn't matter. We have to medical technology required to hell her with that. If it meant we could stop Tifa and take Marlene from her, it wouldn't have mattered." Tseng looked up at Barret, "Isn't that what you want?"

Tifa and Marlene managed to get far enough away and Tifa finally stopped.

"Are you okay Marlene?" Tifa asked, still shocked that Tseng would actually shoot at them.

Marlene nodded, "Are you?" She asked.

Tifa simply nodded and took Marlene's hand.

"C'mon!" She said as she started jogging once more.

"Where are we going?" Marlene asked her.

Tifa new that as long as they remained in Edge, the Turks would find them. She didn't know for sure if she had gotten through to Barret or not, but right now she knew that she and Marlene needed to get away or else they would be risking Marlene's memories and their happiness.

Tifa smiled reassuringly at the small girl, "We're going far away."