"Tifa!" Cloud said happily as he walked over and hugged her. Tifa hugged back but was conflicted. On one hand she was happy Cloud was okay, but on the other hand, she wasn't sure how Cloud would feel about her and Marlene. Marlene too was conflicted. She loved Cloud dearly but...she loved Tifa more. She hoped that Tifa wouldn't simply leave her for Cloud now that he was back.

"Cloud, where on earth have you been!?" Tifa asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Cloud responded.

"Well you could still try to tell me." Tifa said as she placed her hands in her hips.

Cloud sighed, "Uh...fighting a war between gods?" He said. Tifa gave him a strange look.

"Um...OK you're going to have to explain more to me later. For now I'm just glad you're home." Tifa said.

Cloud nodded, "Yeah, and I realized something. Something I should've realized a long time ago."

At that, Cloud pulled Tifa in and kissed her, shocking Tifa so much that she wasn't sure what to do, and so did nothing. Marlene looked on in agony as her fears seemed to come true before her eyes. As Cloud pulled away, Tifa was left speechless.

"I love you Tifa." Cloud said. Tifa wasn't sure what to say. Of course she loved Cloud, she always had. But...now Tifa was with Marlene and had fallen in love with her. Cloud's face turned to one of concern as if questioning what was wrong with Tifa.

"I uh...I just need time to process this. I just woke up from a seven month coma and last I checked you were dead for all I knew, and now you're here all of a sudden talking about gods and love. I just need to sit for a bit..." Tifa explained. Cloud nodded and then turned his attention to Marlene, picking her up and throwing her up in the air and catching her. Marlene would've normally love playing with Cloud like that but now things were different.

As the day went on, Cloud spent his time telling Tifa if everything he had gone through while fighting Chaos and Sephiroth all over again. Tifa only half listened. If wasn't that his story didn't intrigue her, more that she was still just so concerned about handling this situation right. She loved Cloud, but she loved Marlene, and she was going to stay faithful to her. But it took so long for everyone to look past her age, so doubtless Cloud wouldn't immediately, if ever considering she was with Marlene now and she wasn't sure how Cloud would take that even if he COULD look past her age.

"Tifa? Are you sure you're okay?" Cloud asked. Tifa looked up at him and nodded, faking a smile.

"Tifa...I've known you long enough to know when you're lying..." He continued.

"No, really Cloud, it's just been a long seven months..." Tifa said quietly.

"That reminds me, what happened that put you in a coma? I heard about that and I'm still really worried, are you alright now?" Cloud asked with concern.

"Yeah I'm fine now, but as for what put me in a coma, you can blame Rufus Shinra for that one..." Tifa said in a harsh tone, obviously still angry at the former president.

Cloud nodded, "Yeah, I was wondering why Rufus was thrown in the Shinra jail." Cloud responded, "But what exactly did he do? And...why?"

Tifa took a deep breath and spoke, "He...shot me. I was protecting Marlene. He was trying to shoot her. And he did that because Marlene... Well she sorta mouthed off to him."

Cloud nodded and continued, "I see...why were you two near Gaia's Cliff? I heard that's where you were brought from."

Tifa suddenly stiffened. After all, how was she supposed to explain that part to him. She couldn't simply say she was there because her and Marlene were running away together. Tifa contemplated what to say, unaware that Marlene was nearby, still eavesdropping on the whole conversation.

"Tifa?" Cloud asked trying to get her attention.

"Oh!" She responded, "Well, Shinra was trying to take her, so I tried to hide her there."

Cloud simply sighed and shook his head slowly, almost as if something had disappointed him. "Tifa..." He spoke, "I know, okay? I heard it from everyone already. I just didn't believe them, so I wanted to hear you say it. Are you in love with...Marlene?"

Tifa turned pale and every thought she was contemplating left her mind all at once. It began to rain outside, almost as if the weather itself felt the fear that Tifa felt right now. Cloud wasn't ready to hear this yet. He had JUST gotten home and confessed his love for her, she couldn't bear to tell him just yet. Soon, but not yet.

"No..." Tifa responded.

The serious look of concern that had been sprawled across Cloud's face gave way to a look of relief and a slight smile.

"Okay. I believe you." He said. Just as he finished his sentence however, the two of them heard the door open and slam.

"No..." Tifa muttered. Could Marlene have been listening? If that was the case...

Tifa shot up immediately and ran out to catch her, Cloud yelling for her to wait. It was pouring rain by now, but Tifa didn't care, she ran as fast as she could. Eventually she saw Marlene down the street.

"Marlene! Stop!" Tifa yelled. Marlene kept going. She couldn't believe Tifa could be so cruel. Why would she say she didn't love her? Did their relationship mean that little?

Tifa pushed herself to her limit, even breaking it, in order to catch up to Marlene. Eventually Marlene's small body could take no more and she slowed down, allowing Tifa to finally reach her. She didn't yell, she didn't say anything, she simply wrapped her arms around the young girl still facing away from her. The raindrops hid Marlene's tears well, but Tifa could feel her sobs.

"Marlene, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it!" Tifa said, trying to raise her voice over the sound of the pouring rain.

"Then why'd you say it!?" Marlene yelled back.

"I just...I didn't want to hurt Cloud..."

"Well you didn't! You hurt me instead!" Marlene tried to break from Tifa's grip on her, but to no avail. Tifa's eyes began to tear up as well.

"Marlene I'm sorry..." Tifa said.

"Why can't you tell him Tifa? It's because you still love him more than me, isn't it!?" Marlene yelled.

Tifa nodded, "I do...love him. I can never say for sure that I won't." She started, "But Marlene... I don't love him more than you!"

Tifa turned Marlene to face her and immediately kissed her. The rain soaked them completely. Marlene was shivering heavily, but the comforting feel of Tifa's lips began to warm her. Almost instinctively, Marlene closed her eyes and put her arms around the older woman, kissing her back. As they kissed deeply, the rain began to subside, and the sun began to peek through the clouds. They finally broke their kiss, and hugged each other closer.

"I'll never hurt you again Marlene. I promise." Tifa whispered into Marlene's ear. Marlene nodded and held Tifa tighter.

Tifa let Marlene go when she heard footsteps approaching. It was Cloud.

"Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed nervously.

"It's okay, Tifa. The others told me the things you've done for her, and seeing you now...I don't doubt your feelings for her." Cloud said.

"But Cloud..." Tifa began.

"It's alright Tifa. I'll be okay. I'm just glad that you're both so happy it seems." He said before she could finish.

Marlene ran over and hugged Cloud. "Thank you, Cloud! It's okay, we both still love you!" She said. Cloud smiled and stroked her head.

"I'll admit..." Cloud started, "I thought you had lost your mind at first Tifa. But I know you. You're heart is what leads you. Since that's the case, I knew you had genuinely fallen for her...you weren't just some pervert like other people may have thought."

Tifa nodded and smiled, "Thanks Cloud." She said happily.

The three of them happily walked back home. As they got inside they put on dry clothes and sat together under a blanket. Even though there was a different couple than the usual amongst them, they were still a family. After staying with Barret for quite some time now, Denzel was eventually brought home as well to make their restored family complete.

All was right for Tifa and Marlene now.