Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Learning Curve Continuum ❯ Chantilly Lace ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix only lightly traumatized.

 

A/N: Argh. A clutch of plot!bunnies (blatantly encouraged by a very persuasive Kitsune13) began clamouring to use Learning Curve as a base to chart Cloud and Tifa's relationship as it turns from `friends' to lovers' over the course of the game's plotline. These will be in chronological-ish order, but reflect Learning Curve's twist on canon. I'll also cheerfully co-opt Crisis Core's back story as it fits with my ebil plans.

 

The Ultimania did its best to make sense out of the wildly-varying methods by which someone could be selected as a SOLDIER candidate in the Final Fantasy VII universe, but for my own purposes, I'm assuming that the most logical method would be to join the ShinRa forces as a private and then apply to or be invited to join the SOLDIER program. Therefore, despite his assertion in the original game that he's never been inside the ShinRa Tower, there's a reasonable chance that Cloud could be familiar with the Tower's general layout from his time in boot camp, even if he had never actually set foot on the upper floors. After all, he did go to Midgar to `join up'.

 

Warnings: character death (off-screen)

 

Bouquets to my betas, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

 

Learning Curve Continuum

Chapter One: Chantilly Lace

Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф

 

“How much further, Spiky?”

 

I heard the underlying strain in Barret's voice, and knew it wasn't because he was carrying Tifa. “Not long,” I fibbed, smearing trickling sweat and dust out of my eyes as I shoved aside a girder and began hacking a path through toppled slabs of reinforced concrete. We were aiming for a fallen column that was just out of our reach, and I hoped it would allow us to get above the rubble. I also hoped my sword wouldn't break while being used as a demolition tool.

 

Barret coughed violently before grunting in reply and concentrated on where he put his feet as we scrambled through the crumbling ruins of Sector Six, now even more derelict due to additional chunks of Sector Seven scattered everywhere. I stayed on the alert for anything that might decide to take advantage of the confusion and attack, but even the creepy-crawlies were keeping their heads down. I don't blame `em. If I knew that ShinRa could drop an entire Plate onto the Slums on a whim, I'd be looking for a new place to hide - Wutai sounds good.

 

That red-headed Turk is a dead man if I ever see him again.

 

We finally broke out into the relative clear of Sector Five - `relative' because even though the lighting was better, the air was still filled with a bizarre snowstorm of particulate. While pondering the likelihood of future lung disease due to pulverized concrete, I heard Tifa asking Barret something and flinched; I hate hearing her sound so fragile because it makes me feel useless. I saved her life today but couldn't shield her from the rest of her reality. It boggles my mind that ShinRa equipped Midgar with a self-destruct option, but I guess I shouldn't be that surprised. They make their own rules, the bastards.

 

The sound of Wedge's body hitting the ground is gonna stick with me for a really long time.

 

Rather than think about that wet, crunching noise, instead I thought about Aerith. It kinda bugged me that she didn't look all that scared up there in that chopper, despite the way she was being treated. Almost like... she knew that Turk. Maybe from when ShinRa held her in custody? At least, I think Elmyra said something about it the other night. Can't remember; too much crap has happened since then.

 

I led the way across the crevassed surface of what was probably the roof of a three-story building, now compressed to less than one, and hoped the inhabitants weren't inside when it fell. A few minutes later, we literally stumbled into the debris-strewn Park; I took my bearings off the trashed kids' play area and soon we were standing in front of a defiantly tidy house. The curtains were drawn, but light shone through the thick fabric. Squaring my shoulders, I rapped briskly on the door. Marlene's voice immediately chimed, but was just as quickly shushed, before the heavy panel cracked open and I was inspected by a piercing eye.

 

“Goodness gracious! You're a sight!” Elmyra exclaimed as she opened the door.

 

Running my hand through my hair, I grimaced at the grit sticking to my glove. “Yeah. It's pretty bad out there,” I said, stomping my boots as clean as possible before stepping inside.

 

“Daddy!” Marlene shrieked, racing full-tilt towards us, but then put on the brakes when she saw what Barret looked like.

 

He straightened up from ducking under the lintel, allowing Tifa to slide from his back as he did so, but he didn't immediately hold out his arms to his adopted daughter as always... and for good reason. We all looked ghostly, the varied colours of our skin and clothing whitewashed by a pale grey coating, but Barret had the most dramatic transformation. Like Tifa, the only dark-coloured features on his face were his eyes. Unlike hers, however, his burned with a scarcely banked fury that privately gave me the shivers.

 

“The whole house shook, Daddy,” Marlene said in a small voice as Elmyra closed the door and bolted it. “We hid under the table until it stopped.”

 

Barret wiped his hand across his face, leaving his skin garishly striped. “Jessie, Wedge and Biggs won't be comin' home with us any more, princess,” he said heavily.

 

Marlene's eyes became very wide and her expression very solemn. For a moment or two, it looked like she was going to cry, but instead she reached for Elmyra's hand. “Aerith, too?” she asked, ready to comfort the old woman.

 

“Aerith was captured by the Turks,” I said, sliding my arm around a visibly sagging Tifa. “We're going after her.”

 

“The Turks? Are you sure?” Elmyra demanded.

 

“Yeah.”

 

She looked relieved. “Then Aerith isn't in immediate danger, so you might as well rest up while you can.” Choosing Tifa to fuss over, she asked, “Would you like a shower, dear?” Tifa only nodded, unable to speak; her encrusted cheeks were deeply channelled by tears. Elmyra urged Marlene towards us. “Why don't you show your friend to the bathroom while I feed your daddy and Mr. Strife?”

 

“Sorry, ma'am... forgettin' my manners. Barret Wallace, at your service, an' this is Miss Tifa Lockhart.” He stiffly inclined his head, not used to the polite gesture. “Thank you for takin' in my Marlene.”

 

“She was no trouble at all, Mr. Wallace; I enjoyed her company. Off you go, Miss Lockhart. Plenty of hot water and a good meal will fix you right up.” Smiling kindly at Tifa, she beckoned Barret and me into the kitchen before I had time to say anything.

 

“Sink's over there,” Elmyra directed as she began setting out cutlery and crockery. By the time we had dunked our heads under the tap and scrubbed our faces and arms free of grime, steaming bowls of rich-smelling stew were on the table.

 

Picking a chair with a clear view of the front door, I stashed my sword within easy reach. “Thanks,” I said to Elmyra when she handed over a slab of bread fragrant with butter.

 

She nodded, served Barret and poured mugs of tea for us before fiddling with the dials of an archaic-looking radio in the corner. “Should hear what ShinRa has to say about all this.” A burst of static made me wince, but that was nothing compared to Barret's reaction to the words that scratched their way out of the speaker.

 

“... reports of damages are still coming in, but it is clear that there has been a catastrophic loss of life.” There was a pause, and then the announcer's voice blared, “Breaking news! The perpetrators of this heinous crime are AVALANCHE! President Shinra's office has confirmed that members of the terrorist organization were spotted tampering with the Pillar moments before the devastating explosion occurred. A brave member of the Department of Administrative Research was badly injured when he attempted to stop AVALANCHE's nefarious plans....”

 

I swear I heard Barret's teeth crack. “Better not let Tifa or Marlene hear that,” he gritted out, and concentrated on emptying his bowl. Elmyra switched off the radio and silently served up another helping.

 

Several minutes later, Marlene peeked around the kitchen door. “Tifa needs clean clothes,” she said hesitantly.

 

“Upstairs, first room on the left. Pick something out of the chest at the foot of the bed... and bring the robe hanging on the bedpost.”

 

Small feet pattered up the wooden staircase and over our heads. There was a thumping and a bumping, and then the return trip easily charted through squeaking floorboards; I finally figured out how Aerith busted me so easily when I tried to sneak out of the house two nights ago. I'd just finished mopping my second bowl with another crust when Marlene guided Tifa into the kitchen and to the chair next to mine, where she quietly seated herself, her hands resting on her lap.

 

A dark pink robe gave Tifa's pale cheeks some colour, while a swathe of delicate lace drew my attention to the notch at the base of her slender throat. Her wet hair had been messily braided; long strands had already come loose, framing her face. She looked absolutely drained, and if I can get my hands on President Shinra any time soon, his punk kid'll be coming into his inheritance a helluva lot sooner than he expected. Reaching under the table, I gripped Tifa's hand, and felt quite a bit better when her fingers slowly laced with mine, although her smile was wan as Marlene brought her a steaming bowl of stew.

 

Elmyra had sharp eyes, but she didn't say anything about our private moment as she poured more tea. Marlene, who can get away with being nosy because she's little, was more direct. “Cloud, is Tifa your girlfriend?”

 

I tightened my hold on Tifa's fingers and coolly replied, “She's my friend... who happens to be a girl.”

 

Marlene scowled, looking uncannily like her adoptive father; how does that work? “Then is Aerith your girlfriend?” she demanded.

 

Persistent little brat. “No... she's a friend, too.”

 

“Which of your girl friends do you like best?” Marlene persisted.

 

I flashed my most charming grin, the one that never fails to make Tifa go all fluttery. “You, squirt.”

 

Marlene gave me a jaundiced look that clearly stated I was so full of shit that my eyes should be brown; however, she quit bugging us and tucked into her food. I squeezed Tifa's hand once more before letting her get on with her dinner.

 

“Now, you two boys hit the shower.” Elmyra put her hands on her hips and eyed Barret up and down. “You're a big fella, but I'm sure that I can find something for you to wear afterwards.”

 

He again rubbed his hand over his face. “We need to rescue the missy.”

 

“I told you... Aerith's fine,” Elmyra insisted. “They've been trying to recapture her for years because of her havin' Cetra blood an' all, but they won't hurt her.”

 

“Cetra?” Tifa asked, looking up from her bowl.

 

“Mr. Strife didn't tell you?”

 

“Er, things have been a little crazy since the other night,” I hedged.

 

“Cloud got turned into a girl,” Marlene piped up; the look on Elmyra's face was priceless.

 

“A spell went sideways,” I hastily supplied, shooting Marlene a glare. “I'm back to normal.”

 

“That musta been some spell! Was Aerith involved somehow?” I grinned wryly; she chuckled heartily before re-telling the story of who Aerith was and how she came to live with her in Sector Five for Tifa and Barret's benefit... and this time I paid more attention.

 

“So Aerith was orphaned by ShinRa, too,” Tifa whispered, staring at the tabletop. “Like me and Marlene.”

 

“Marlene?” Elmyra asked in surprise, glancing at Barret.

 

“He's my adopted daddy,” the little girl said proudly, hugging the part of Barret closest to her, which happened to be his gun-arm. “He's awesome!”

 

“Awesome he may be, but he and the rest of you need some sleep before you tackle ShinRa,” Elmyra declared. “Marlene, finish your milk and take Miss Lockhart up to Aerith's room. You boys can make yourselves comfortable down here.”

 

Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф

 

When I exited the bathroom in a cloud of steam and a towel, I first obeyed Elmyra's directive and headed into the front room. However, as soon as I saw the dark expression on Barret's face, I changed my mind. The big man slumped in an upholstered chair, staring into the empty fireplace, and I decided that he shouldn't be alone tonight... and neither should Tifa.

 

Feeling exposed without my clothing, considering that I was heading into a form of hostile territory, I picked up my armour, shouldered my sword and made as much noise as I could climbing the stairs; Elmyra was waiting for me at the top. Her arched eyebrow took the place of a pointed question but I was determined. “I'm here for Marlene.”

 

Her sceptical gaze pointedly moved from my armour to my sword to my bare chest before again staring me down.

 

I did my level best to appear sincere. “Tifa lost most of her second family and her home today; if she has a nightmare, Marlene won't be able to help her.”

 

“She suffers from nightmares? Poor thing.”

 

“Tifa's had a hard time of it,” I pressed, sensing an advantage. “She needs me.”

 

“Does she, now?” The chilliness was back.

 

“I promised to protect her; fending off bad dreams is part of the deal.”

 

“Hmm. Very well, Mr. Strife. Kindly keep in mind that's my daughter's bed you're sleeping in.”

 

“Yes, ma'am.” I saluted with my pauldron; she merely sniffed before disappearing into the room opposite. Waiting until I heard the lock snick before entering the other door, I barely made it one step inside Aerith's room before my jaw dropped.

 

White frills and pink bows festooned every surface, including the window, the small dressing table and the half-canopy draped over the bed. I stared around in shock; the contrast between this girly space and the plain room I'd shared with Tifa was almost blinding. Propping my sword against the wall, I set down my pauldron on the dressing table next to Tifa's elbow guards and nearly knocked over several dainty blown-glass flasks in the process. Shit. I'm definitely not cut out for inhabiting boudoirs.

 

Turning to the bed, I couldn't help but smile at the way Marlene was snuggled up to Tifa. Re-knotting my towel to avoid embarrassment, I carefully extracted the little girl out from under the covers and discovered that she was wearing a fancy pink nightdress that was far too big for her. The excess length trailing over my arm like a princess' train, I carried her out of the room.

 

Marlene woke up half-way down the stairs. “Where're we goin'?” she mumbled, scrunching up her face and burrowing into my shoulder.

 

“Your daddy needs a hug, squirt.”

 

“'Kay.”

 

Despite wearing what appeared to be a bed sheet, Barret's forbidding glare was every bit as intimidating as usual as I approached, but I was on a mission. “Brought you some sunshine,” I said and nestled Marlene into the crook of his arm. Barret cuddled his daughter close, his fierce expression softening. “I wanna be with Marlene, but I gotta fight to protect the Planet, because that's the best way to protect Marlene; it's all a big fucking circle, and I'm giving myself a headache. Pass that blanket, Spiky.” When I handed over the brightly-knitted throw, Barret gave me one of those looks. You know the one; along the lines of `touch Tifa and die gruesomely'. “You goin' back upstairs?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Be good, ya hear?”

 

“Always.” I turned to leave, but Barret wasn't finished.

 

“They ain't gonna get away with this,” he rumbled. I didn't bother pointing out that Reactor One's destruction had killed equally large numbers of innocents, so merely nodded agreeably. Barret's next words caught me by surprise. “Don't know when we're gonna be able to pay ya.”

 

For a very brief moment I was tempted to take the `out', but my sense of responsibility, not to mention a promise made to a certain curvaceous martial artist kicked in. “I'd be a pretty crappy bodyguard if I didn't rescue Aerith... and I'm sure as hell not allowing Tifa to go up against ShinRa without me.” Barret seemed satisfied with my answer; closing his eyes, he gave every appearance of going to sleep, his cheek resting against Marlene's hair. They were too damn cute, but rather than cooing, I doublet-timed my freezing ass back upstairs because a warm bed occupied by a warmer Tifa was calling.

 

I tried not to cringe at Aerith's ultra-feminine decor as I closed the door. I have no idea what kind of guy thinks this girly shit is a turn-on, but it sure as hell isn't me. Don't get me wrong; I like frilly bits when the girl's wearing them, but I don't want to be surrounded by it all day. Huh. I wonder if the first guy Aerith liked, the other SOLDIER, was a pink sorta guy? Dropping my towel on the bedside rug, I prepared to invade Tifa's space while hoping she wouldn't freak out too much; hopefully she got over the whole `eek, he's naked' thing this morning. However, when I lifted the blankets, I immediately wished that there was an icy mako spring in the vicinity. Tifa wasn't nude - I wouldn't be that lucky - but her borrowed nightdress fit her extremely well.

 

If I didn't know better, I'd swear that Marlene was trying to give me a heart attack by picking out this particular garment.

 

Lace clustered softly at her throat and draped over her full breasts; below that, gauzy fabric clung to her generous curves. The shielded light cast deep shadows that tantalizingly hinted at more intimate places, and I had to restrain myself from pouncing. Workin' on that trust thing again. Glancing down at my erection, I very briefly reconsidered putting myself in such close proximity to temptation before shrugging off my hesitation and sliding between the sheets. The bed was narrow; I carefully worked my arms around Tifa, eased her head onto my shoulder and cradled her close.

 

When Tifa didn't awaken from being handled, I began to relax. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I couldn't help a contented sigh as I soaked up her warmth; even Aerith's floral fragrance on the bedding couldn't overpower Tifa's comforting scent. I could totally get used to this... especially since cuddling up this time didn't involve being fried by a damn Zolom first.

 

Although, if we keep this up, I'll need to find out if Cure fixes blue balls.

 

Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф

 

A few hours later, a hand bracing itself on my chest woke me up in a hurry, but I kept my eyes closed to see what Tifa would do if she thought I was asleep. A guy can always hope, right? Unfortunately for me, Tifa's a nice girl and her first impulse was to put as much distance between us as possible. Fortunately for me, she's also tender-hearted and wasn't about to solve her problem by dumping my ass out of bed. She tried surreptitiously freeing herself, but I quickly executed the snuggle-restraint method by tightening my grip. “Where you goin'?” I murmured, peeking through my lashes.

 

“This is Aerith's bed!” Tifa hissed, wide awake and panicking.

 

I cast a fake-sleepy glance overhead at the beribboned canopy. “Yeah. So?”

 

“But...!”

 

“Elmyra knows, so relax,” I yawned, firmly reeling Tifa back into my arms while trying to not snicker at her horrified expression. “Barret's okay with it, too.”

 

“What if I'm not?” she demanded.

 

“You'd rather sleep on the floor because it's me instead of Marlene? Seriously?”

 

She bit her lip, blushing. “No... it's just....”

 

“We're just sleeping... or at least, we were. What woke you up?”

 

“Um, a bad dream.”

 

“That's a relief. I thought I'd have to get up to hunt down a strange noise, and I'd really hate to do that because it's nice and warm in here with you.”

 

“Too late to change my story, huh?”

 

“Yep.” I rolled onto my side and firmly tucked her under my chin. “C'mere... you seemed to sleep better last night when you were in this position, so let's see if it works tonight, too.”

 

“Your chest was softer last night,” Tifa muttered.

 

Chuckling, I concentrated on making her feel comfortable and safe. Loosening the braid securing her hair, I began stroking through the soft strands, removing knots with my fingers. I know she likes this... hell, I liked it when she brushed my hair, but I'll never admit it. Well, not unless I'm really drunk, and that hasn't happened since boot camp ended. It took a while, but Tifa finally exhaled deeply and some of the tightness left her shoulders so I switched to rubbing light circles on the nape of her neck.

 

Just when I thought she might have dozed off, uneven breathing and a trickling sensation on my chest announced otherwise. I hate it when she cries, because I feel so damn helpless. Can't exactly kill whatever's bothering her, which is my preferred method of consolation. Trying to think of something appropriate to say, I whispered, “Thinking about Jessie and the others?” and then immediately regretted it when bone-deep, wrenching sobs abruptly shook Tifa's slender frame. Way to go, Strife; you always pick exactly the wrong thing to bring up. I curled myself around her and held on until the desperate sounds trailed off to painfully raw hiccups. When she was limp and trembling, I gently wiped her wet cheeks and kissed her softly. Tifa tried to speak, but couldn't; when I urged her to nestle closer, she didn't resist, instead slipping her arm around my waist to hold me just as tight.

 

Until she finally realized that I was naked.

 

I let her retreat, but not too far. “What's the matter?” I innocently asked.

 

“Where are your clothes?”

 

“Being washed - like yours.”

 

“Oh... er, right.”

 

Giving her a tolerant look, I smoothed a dark strand behind her ear. “Why so jumpy? We've slept naked together before.”

 

Tifa opened her mouth, then closed it again. With a deep sigh, she appeared to give up and obediently tucked herself back under my chin, but she was careful to keep her hands above my waist. Since she couldn't see my expression, I grinned triumphantly and made a point of petting her hair as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Within moments, Tifa fell fast asleep, judging by the way her body became pliant and curved into mine, so I closed my eyes and followed suit, because only the Planet knows when we might enjoy a full night's sleep in a comfortable bed after tonight.

 

Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф

 

I woke up first the following morning, and happily discovered that I had acquired an extra covering in the form of Tifa draped over top of me. Her long hair trailed across my chest and off the side of the bed, while the nightgown had rucked up around her thighs; her bare legs were comfortably entwined with mine. As pleasant as the sensations were, I had a healthy respect for her reaction if she woke up and jumped to conclusions as to how she ended up in that position. I suppose I should've tried to move her... but an unconsciously-affectionate Tifa is something to be enjoyed.

 

However, I lost control of the situation within a second or two when Tifa stirred. I couldn't see her face, only the crown of her head, so when her lashes fluttered against my chest as she slowly blinked several times, I had to imagine the sleep-mist gradually clearing from her beautiful eyes. Fingertips flexed against my ribs, and I just managed not to squirm as she shifted, stretched... and the nightgown rode up another inch. Short, soft curls pressed against my thigh and it suddenly became highly imperative that I put some distance between us because my morning wood grew from `sapling' to `old growth' in a split-second.

 

Seemingly unaware of her indecent exposure, or my body's enthusiastic response, Tifa propped herself up on one elbow and blinked down at my undoubtedly red face. I quickly raised my free hand in a gesture of innocence. “I woke up with you like this.”

 

“I must've followed your heartbeat,” she mumbled as she blushed and slid off; I quickly covered my erection with my other hand because, as I mentioned, the bed was rather narrow. However, I didn't really have to worry, because Tifa was out of our nest like a flash - luckily for me, because my libido really appreciated the way that the clingy fabric emphasized her erect nipples before she quickly wrapped herself in the pink robe.

 

“Brrrrrr! Chilly in here,” she commented.

 

“Just like home,” I said, making a point of snuggling down into the warm bedding.

 

“Home?”

 

“Nibelheim.”

 

A shadow passed across her face. “It's been a long time since I've thought of Nibelheim as `home'.” Briskly knotting the robe's belt, Tifa continued, “I'll get our clothes. Don't fall back asleep.”

 

“You could kiss me awake,” I suggested.

 

“Maybe... if you were a handsome prince.”

 

“I'm handsome!”

 

That earned me a smile before she whisked out the door. She left it slightly ajar, so I was able to overhear the conversation when she met Elmyra at the top of the stairs.

 

“Here you are, Miss Lockhart.”

 

“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Gainsborough.” An armload was transferred, and then Tifa said, “Um, thank you also for allowing Cloud to stay with me last night. I really appreciated it.”

 

Elmyra's voice softened. “Losing one person that you care about is hard enough; I can't imagine losing three at once.” A pause, and then, “There, there, dear. How about a nice cup of tea?” Tifa's reply was too subdued to hear, but when she came back into the room, her head was bowed and it stayed that way as she laid out our clothes on the foot of the bed.

 

I can always tell when she's stressed, because she hides behind her hair. Sitting up, I caught her hand and tugged her closer until I could brush aside her bangs. Tifa smiled bravely enough, but there was darkness in her gaze. Using my grip on her hand, I pulled her down to sitting and wrapped my arms around her. Despite the awkward angle, Tifa willingly leaned into my embrace and returned it. I wanted to tell her that everything would be all right, but the words stuck in my throat, so I just hugged her tightly instead.

 

We stayed that way for some minutes until Tifa finally let go. I reluctantly released her, but felt better about it when her soft smile reached her eyes and she lightly kissed my cheek. Before she moved out of range, I bumped my nose against hers and murmured, “Leave it to me.”

 

Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф

 

After Tifa helped me buckle my pauldron and sword harness into place, I earned a frosty glare when I slyly offered to adjust her suspenders. However, I won back her good opinion a few minutes later by brushing her hair; it's amusing how after only a few strokes she almost starts purring. She fussed about cleaning Aerith's hairbrush afterwards, while I checked over what supplies we had left before we headed downstairs. Elmyra served up strong tea and bowls of hot porridge; by unspoken accord, we waited until Marlene had skipped off upstairs to get dressed before discussing our plans.

 

“How much do ya know about the ShinRa Tower, Spiky?”

 

I nudged Tifa's shoulder, giving her a significant look because she spent more time stirring her cereal than eating it. “Not much, but I do know that the high security cells are on the upper floors.”

 

“Hell, I coulda told ya that. Yer SOLDIER, ain't ya?”

 

“Yeah... but I never had a reason to visit the cellblock.”

 

“We could pretend that we were your prisoners - that you'd captured two senior members of AVALANCHE - and they'd take us right to the cells,” Tifa suggested, her voice gone hollow again.

 

“Or shoot you on sight,” I said flatly. “They don't need a live eco-terrorist at this point; a dead one would suit them even better.”

 

“He's right, Tifa,” Barret sighed, as if it pained him to agree with me. “Not only that, but the grunts last night were definitely lookin' for Spiky - unless there happens to be another blond SOLDIER carryin' a chopper rotor on the loose.” He shot me a considering look. “They said you was dangerous... and a deserter.”

 

I smirked arrogantly. “A SOLDIER, First Class is dangerous.” He chose to not pursue the second comment; good thing, because I couldn't remember what kind of discharge I'd had.

 

“So, how we gonna find the missy?”

 

“If we try a frontal attack, we'll have to fight every step of the way up the Tower; I'd rather save my energy for bustin' us back out, so that means we sneak in from the rear.”

 

“We're gonna take the stairs?”

 

“It's better than being trapped in an elevator when they cut the power.” I tapped the tabletop to keep Barret's attention. “We go as high as we can via the service stairs, then I'll try to bluff my way into the cells. If that doesn't work, we start kicking ass… so long as you don't lose your cool.”

 

He gave me a beady-eyed look before rubbing his hand over his face. “Best we can do, I suppose.”

 

“What about Marlene?” Tifa asked.

 

Elmyra offered, “I'll keep her.”

 

“I don't know when or if we'll be back to pick her up,” Barret said tightly.

 

“You're risking everything to rescue my Aerith. It's the least I can do,” Elmyra declared. “Besides, if Aerith ends up leaving Midgar with you folks, Marlene'll be good company for me.”

 

Barret bowed his head. “I'm in your debt, ma'am.”

 

“Pish-tosh.”

 

While they exchanged tips for the care and feeding of the spirited wildlife that answers to the name of Marlene, I prodded Tifa again. “Eat up,” I commanded quietly. “If things go sideways, there's no telling when or where we'll find our next meal.” She obediently ate the last few spoonfuls, but it was obvious that swallowing was difficult.

 

Marlene arrived at that moment, her hair tied back with a pink ribbon that looked suspiciously like it had been liberated from Aerith's decor. Clambering up onto Barret's lap, she asked, “When are you leaving?”

 

“Soon, princess.” He rested his massive hand on her small head. “Mrs. Gainsborough has offered t' keep ya, but I don't know when we'll be back. It could be quite a while until you see your ol' daddy again.”

 

“The soldiers will be after you, too, won't they?”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

She fixed him with a serious look. “You be careful, Daddy. The soldiers have guns.”

 

As he nodded, Elmyra said, “We'll be just fine, Mr. Wallace.”

 

Giving Marlene a long, tender hug, Barret set her on her feet. His eyes were suspiciously moist and his voice gruffer than usual as he said, “Wish us luck in rescuing your princess, ma'am.”

 

“Just don't get yourselves killed,” she admonished.

 

I stood up and slung my sword onto my back. “Let's get this done.” Ruffling Marlene's bangs on the way past, I gave Elmyra a confident grin. “Keep the kettle warm.” Making sure that Tifa and Barret were occupied with putting on their boots while saying their goodbyes to Marlene, I pressed a small bag of gil into Elmyra's hand. When she fussed, I folded her fingers over the pouch. “Take it. Your widow's pension from ShinRa can't be that generous.”

 

She gave in then, slipping the coins into her apron pocket. “Thank you, Mr. Strife.”

 

Winking, I patted the hilt of my sword before beckoning to Tifa and Barret. “Time to storm the Tower.”

 

Elmrya and Marlene waved us off; as we walked away, I caught Tifa giving the cozy little house one last, longing look and could easily read her mind. Dropping back, I slipped my arm around her shoulders and kept her close as we headed into the dust-filled shadows.

 

To say that things went sideways is an effin' understatement.

 

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