Light...
A soft, comforting white light...
Warmth...
Such tender, embracing warmth...
It was all she could see, and all she could feel...
She tried to think...
Any thought would do...
But there was nothing...
She couldn't think...
Come to think of it, she couldn't breathe...
But...she didn't need to...
She couldn't feel anything...
Not her arms...not her legs...
Not a need to breathe, not a need to blink...
No hunger...no worry...
But wait...
Marlene.
She remembered Marlene.
What would Marlene do without her? Could she really just leave her like this?
She would be sad. No, she would be broken. She knew how much Marlene loved her. She could feel it every time they made love. She could see it every time she looked into Marlene's eyes. She could hear it every time Marlene uttered the words "I love you".
"I love you..." She could hear Marlene say it as if she was right there with her.
"Please...if you...I'll...never again..." The sound of Marlene's voice continued. It was hazy, almost as if she had bad signal on a cell phone. But why was she hearing her voice?
"Tifa...came back...worried about you..." Marlene's voice continued, still broken up. Tifa didn't know why, and she didn't know how but she could hear Marlene. If only she could just get to her, or at least the close enough to hear what she was saying.
"...months now...ever wake...handle this...need you. Tifa, I love you." There! She could hear it clearer! Now she just needed to get even closer...closer...closer...
"...here! Tifa...now!...Help!" Was Marlene in trouble? She needed to know, she needed to get there and she needed to get there now. Come on, she thought, wake up...wake up...
"Tifa! Wake up!" One final sound from Marlene sounded as the light and the warmth left Tifa's senses. She could feel herself again, but where was she? It was too bright to see anything, but she felt...soft, and warm. A bed?
"Tifa! You're awake!" She heard. Marlene's voice, she'd recognize it anywhere. Finally her vision started to adjust. They were all there. Red XIII, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, Aerith, Zack, Cait Sith, Barret, the Turks, and...Marlene.
"Welcome back to the land of the livin." Cid said to her. Marlene hugged her, tears filling her eyes.
"How...long have I been out?" Tifa asked as she hugged Marlene.
"Bout seven months." Barret responded. Tifa couldn't believe that. But more so she couldn't believe she was even alive. Speaking of which...
"What happened to Rufus?" Tifa asked, noticing he wasn't with the Turks.
"Oh, well he's...predisposed." Elena said.
"And by that, Elie means we got his ass taken out of power. Elie and I are in charge now! Oh, and we're kinda a couple now." Cissnei said happily as she put an arm around Elena, causing Elena to blush bright red.
Tifa nodded, "Oh I see..." She muttered.
"Tifa...a lot has changed since you fell into a coma." Vincent said.
Barret nodded, "Yeah..." He said, making Tifa question.
"What is it Barret?" She asked. Marlene looked up at her and wiped away her tears to reveal a smile.
"Daddy said it's okay!" She said happily.
"Daddy said what's okay?" Tifa asked in confusion.
"For us to be together!" Marlene answered. Tifa sat up, a look if disbelief in her face.
Barret nodded, "I still don't like it." He said, "But you DID save her life, and hell ya almost died for her...guess I can't deny how much ya care for her...and that's what I wanted most for her." Tifa nodded and smiled.
"Thank you, Barret!" Tifa said gratefully and then pulled Marlene in for a deep kiss, one Marlene happily responded to. As their kiss came apart though, Tifa couldn't help but question.
"So...what about the rest of you?" She asked their friends.
"Well..." Vincent began.
"It's fuckin weird! What ya expected us to jus be okay with this all of a sudden!?" Cid retorted.
"But we still love you both and...well we trust Barret's judgement. It is his daughter after all." Red Xiii chimed in.
"That and since half of US have slept with her too, we can't really say anything..." Yuffie said with a pout.
"Don't fuckin remind me of that!" Barret yelled, "It's hard enough for me to forget about Tifa! I don't need to think of all the other bitches she fucked! You luck I like to asses, or I woulda destroyed you by now!"
Yuffie shrunk down in her seat as Aerith giggled a bit.
Tifa simply smiled. Everything was okay now it seemed. Suddenly one more thought popped into her mind.
"Wait...what about Shelke?" Tifa asked. Barret looked away and huffed.
"We god damn lucky about that one..." He muttered.
Marlene continued his response, "I went and apologized to her. Between me working to make it up to her and Shalua comforting her, she's fine now."
"A little too fine..." Vincent muttered.
"Oh yeah they're a couple now too!" Cissnei added.
Tifa giggled, "Sheesh, love is being found is some weird places lately." She said. She then looked at Marlene and smiled, "But you know, I won't judge them. Love is love. You don't choose where you find it, it chooses you."
Barret scoffed and left the room. Tifa was grateful for him accepting their relationship, though she figured it would take some time for him to be happy about it.
"So!" Cissnei started, "With all that settled, you're hereby invited to mine and Elie's wedding!" Cissnei said. Elena looked at her in shock.
"Wedding!?" Elena shouted, turning redder.
"Oh crap, forgot to ask you about that..." Cissnei said as she fumbled in her pocket. Cissnei pulled out a ring and handed it to Elena, who turned about as Red as a tomato.
"How were you so sure I was gonna say yes..." Elena muttered.
"Well is it a no?" Cissnei asked.
"Well no, it's a yes of course but..." Elena started but was I interrupted by Cissnei.
"Well that's why!" Cissnei said. The rest of them laughed a little.
"Well Marlene, let's go home." Tifa said to the small girl. Marlene happily smiled and nodded. Tifa was given vitamins and a strict physical therapy schedule and was sent home. Tifa and Marlene happily walked most of the way. As they walked, Marlene looked up at Tifa and spoke.
"Hehe hey Tifa..." She said. Tifa looked over. "I've uh...got some new tricks I wanna show you..."
Tifa giggled, "Is that right? You naughty little thing you. Now I can't wait..."
As the girls walked into the house and bar, Tifa and Marlene were both shocked at what they saw waiting for them.
Tifa gasped, "Cloud!?"