A couple of days have passed, too slowly for Tifa's taste. Vincent is still on a delivery run. She was tempted to call him, but it would have been too uncharacteristic from her part. Of course, they usually get along very well, both of them needing their own space and paying attention not to pop their respective bubble. But they rarely talk on the PHS. And most of the time, when they talk, they only have short conversations. Short but meaningful nonetheless.

During the last days, Tifa realized how she was stucked with Cloud, in a relationship that was going nowhere. Both of them were stucked. She kept hoping for so long, she wonders why she was holding to the idea of them being happy together... Maybe a childish dream. She lost almost everything from her past. Cloud is kind of the only witness of her before life. The only witness of who she was, and the only one able to mirror her how to stay faithful to her authentic self. But authenticity must not be mixed with immaturity... Back then, in Nibelheim, she dreamed of a heroe rescuing her. And Cloud hold his promess. But now that she is a woman, she knows she does not need a hero anymore. She can fight her own battles. She needs a partner, an equal, a lover. Someone dear to share her life.

It is strange... It was love at first sight for her. She felt so attracted to Vincent when she first saw him. Why did she suppressed all those strong feelings? And how?

Cleaning each glass until it shines in the kitchen of her new 7th Heaven, she has plenty of time to turn and turn again those questions in her mind. Until it hits her. She suppressed her feelings because Cloud needed her. Almost like a child needs his mother. Only he did not have his mother back then. But he had her. And she had him. She needed to feel useful, she needed to take care of him. Like if helping him coming back from his madness could bring back all the town's people... at least symbolically. That was the awkward feeling when they were together... it was not only about Aeris. Being the only survivors of their hometown made them a kind of strange familly. They could have never been together. Cloud was probably seeing her as a sister, or even as a mother figure, in his subconscious. And now that she is aware of it, she understands that she kind of has a brother. Realizing how much she loves Cloud and what he is to her, a couple of tears fall on her cheeks. Tears of sorrow as well as tears of joy. Misunderstood love and suppressed needs. She has to remember how this mix is detrimental to her mental health.

She decides to open the window, needing some fresh air. As she sees the sun, she realizes how long it took her to think, find those well hidden feelings and let them pass... Well, at least her job is now done and the bar is ready for the night to come.

Realizing she still has the time to take a nap under the lilac tree, she steps outside towards the garden. It smells so good, she could stay there forever. Her best friend really has green thumbs. Once she lies on the comfortable grass, it takes only a few minutes for her to fall in a light sleep, her mind full of thoughts about Vincent. These are at first about some memories, her mind bringing her back to their first encounter, apparently trying to make her remember how she felt attracted to him. But under this strong attraction, she could even say this visceral attraction, lied a warning. A warning that was making her afraid... but afraid of what? Like if asking the question was triggering the answer, she sees someone who seems to be Vincent, but different... a kind of monster version of Vincent, but not like when he turns into Galiant Beast during battle. A monstruous version of him close enough to make him disapear. And the monster is now threatening her... so she fights him back, until he holds her in a way she cannot hit him anymore. So the only card she has is asking him for mercy... 'Vincent... it is me... Tif..a... please don't do that... to me...' She can see some inner struggle in the eyes of the looking-like Vincent monster. And her friend seems to recover his sanity, for he encloses his large wings around her in a protective embrace, loosing his grip on her, and softly droping her on the ground, before he flies away from her. She just runs behind him. The cartesian part of the warrior thinks it is kind of stupid to run after something that was a threat seconds ago. But she can only run behind him, yelling at him 'Come back! It does not have to be this way! Vincent!' She suddenly wakes up, gasping, like if she had run for real. It takes a few moments before her breaths comes back to normal, and a few more to realize that someone has covered her with a semi-sheer and embroidered soft fabric. It depicts a beautiful landsape of the Nibleheim Mountains, in various shades of green, turquoise and silver, over a backgroud of deep indigo blue decorated with the smallest dots of shiny semi-precious stones as stars in the night sky. A sudden nostalgia spreads slowly in her heart, comforting her in a strange way. Just like her strange dream. Even if the dream ends on an uncertain note. Who put this beautiful scarf over her?

Yuffie told him that Tifa kind of needs a friend right now. Apparently, Strife dumped her another time... or so the ninja says. She told him to hurry back home to their common mansion in Kalm. He was coming back anyway. He always does. Something was odd about how the wutaï warrior was talking to him. He kind of remembers everything of their short conversation.

- Come back home soon, Vinny. We need you here.

It annoys him when she calls him this way. But in the same time, it kind of makes him feel like he belongs.

- Why? Still miss me, ninja?

- Of course I miss you, dumb ass! I cannot sheer her up, this time. I need back up.

- Your her best friend, Yuffie...

- I know, but this time I am helpless... There is something... different, this time, Vinny... I can tell.

- I am surely known as the best entertainer in town.

- Thee! Hee! Hee! See! You make me laugh!

- You are an easy crowd.

At least, she did not see the corner of his mouth begining to rise very subtly for a split second...

- Well, the others are all on duty or away, so make it quick, Valentine.

How did she know that he already decided to try to help? This ninja begins to read in him too easily... Or maybe he just likes to open up with her? He has to admit she kind of fills his need for a little sister to take care of... Looks like little sisters are always annoying and likeable brats.

Anyway, now that he is in Kalm, he can pay Tifa a visit, only to see for himself if the ninja is right. Opening the door, he searches for her in all the mansion. She is nowhere to be found. He decides to go in his own room, vaguely thinking of changing his clothes. The weather is indeed warmer in Kalm than when he was on his run. Once he has put some lighter pants and long sleeve black shirt, he opens the curtains, and, why not, the window. That is when he sees her, lying on the grass, seemingly taking a nap. He decides to take a look, just in case she is having a bad moment. It is hard to tell from here.

A few moments later, he is next to her. She sleeps, her eyes moving quickly under her eyelids. She kind of looks peacefull. Sleeping beauty. It hits him. He missed her. He always misses her when he leaves. She is kind of his anchor. The first human being to care for him. The first one looking at him and seeing a man and not a monster. The first one he wanted to care about since Lucrecia. The one bringing him back from his darkness. Lucrecia surely saved his life... but it was only his body. Tifa helped him to remember that he has a soul. That he is still human. But she does not know how much. He never wants to be a burden to her. Well, maybe he now has the chance to help her pass this difficult moment.

The flow of his thoughts is interrupted by the sleeping warrior. She becomes agitated all of a sudden. It looks like she is talking in her sleep, and her hand is reaching for some unknow target, but he cannot understand a word of what she is mumbling. He decides to put on her the large scarf he brought back for her, which is a first. While he is placing the fabric over her shoulder, he sees the upset expression on her face. So hard to read in her sleep... She probably tries to convince Cloud to come back, like she did so many times before. He has to go before he thinks too much about Cloud. Even if they are friends, he cannot help but want to punch him each time he hurts Tifa. Walking away, the wind moving his hair all around his head, he hears Tifa whispering in her sleep. 'Vincent'. He silently laughs at himself, a sarcastic voice saying in the back of his mind 'Keep dreaming, you fool'. And the more ironical philosopher part of his mind adds ' Interesting how the wind can change someone's word in something we want to hear so bad. Did not know Cloud could so much sound like Vincent'. Anyway, he has some things to do in town before he can see her tonight, awaken this time, he hopes.