Final Fantasy VII 1. The End of the Beginning

_Well, this is my first ever fanfic so please…be gentle! LOL, if it's bad…I'm soooo sorry that you had to waste your time reading this….but anyways, on with the story!_

_Oh yea…I don't own anything, Squaresoft does…those rich bastards….Grr…_

Rain.

She heard it falling, hitting the ground with its icy, cold wetness. Could there be anything at all that would save her from this dark emptiness that she had unknowingly fallen into. She sighed a long and grieving sigh, one that touched the depths of her soul and her aching heart. What could she do? If anything at all….

It hadn't started long ago. It was only a few weeks at most, but it seemed a whole lifetime had passed ever since the first day she laid eyes on the man that would turn her world upside down. He was beautiful, there wasno other word that could possiblydescribe what she saw in him. Of course she resisted, in fact she despised his ways, especially his cool quiet charm that he seemed to believewas the key ingetting his waywith anything. But there was something unspoken in his deep blue azure eyes that reached to her, pulling out her soul and soothing all the past pain and hurt she'd endured.

"Rufus…." She whispered desperately.

She couldn't let herself be weak. _Tifa Lockheart was anything but weak_, she thought to herself. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that she lost her only will of happiness….her only way of rebuilding everything she had lost.

"There's numerous ways in saving yourself Tifa."

Tifa quickly turned around and stood face to face with Cloud. How could he come here? Didn't he feel shame that he was her inevitable downfall?

"Cloud! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be with the others…" she said in a quavery voice.

"Tifa, listen to me. You have to let it go. Rufus is gone, he won't be coming back. He told you lies just to leave you heartbroken. None of us likes seeing you sad….you have to make your choices now…or you'll never be free," Cloud said gently.

Tifa felt the tears burning in her eyes, threatening to fall down if she so much as breathed any harder than she was. She wouldn't cry. Not if her life depended on it. She wouldn't let one shameful tear fall down her grief-stricken face.

"So you're making me choose," she said simply.

The rain was falling even harder now as she stepped out onto the threshold of Sid's aircraft. She felt its coolness run through her hair and gently whip her face as a gust of wind passed by. But she felt nothing inside, only this heart throbbing numbness that seemed to only intensify as she conversed with Cloud. His blonde hair was being ruffled by theblowing wind and his blue eyes, observant and perceptive, saw through her façade of being brave. It was all he could do to resist the urge to put his arms around her and comfort her with his embrace. He knew better that her heart was lost to another, and he was too late to stake a claim to her already shattered heart.

He simply nodded, letting his eyes tell her everything.

Tifa slowly turned around, her long brown haircarelessly blowingin the wind. The rain made her hair a darker shade of vibrant brown as the moon reflected the golden shimmers of her strands. She stared out in the horizon, searching for an answer she knew deep in her heart she never would find. Her eyes stung with pain, but it wasn't from the gentle tempest, it was from the hurt and anguish she was feeling. Standing perfectlystill, she felt Cloud's strong but gentle had on her shoulder.

_Oh God it hurts...it hurts so bad. I can't do this anymore._

It was time. But, before she could make a choice, before she ended another tragic chapter in her life, she wanted to remember. To remember everything, starting with the moment Rufus Shinra stepped into her life.

_Well, what did you think? Was it bad, horrible….LOL something even worse? Well if you have any comments on my story, please review if you want to! Thanks for reading!_


	2. Small Talk in the Break Room

_Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews…I had fun…reading them! LOL! But hold on, don't make any assumptions as to what Rufus did to her or if she really left him…haha you know who I'm talking to! Well anyway, here's chapter 2 and thank you for reviewing! I love you guys! _

_-TiNkAhBeLLe_

It started out being the most horrible day of her life.

"This seriously has to be the BEST time I've ever had," Tifa muttered under her breath. Working at her new 7th Heaven Bar was, most of the time, fun! But today, she didn't feel like it could get any worse.

5:30 am: Waking up hearing the fire alarm go off is one hell of a wake up call.

5:35 am: Going downstairs and finding Cloud attempting to cook pancakes and seeing him trying desperately to put out the fire disturbed her peace of mind.

6:00 am: After helping him put it out and finally being able to go upstairs and snuggle into bed only to hear the fire alarm go off AGAIN!

6:45 am: Yelling at Cloud to never ever cook again and he should go out for a walk really hurt her throat.

7:00 am: In bed again, only to hear her alarm clock go off driving her, simply put, insanely mad.

She shuddered just thinking about the whole ordeal. Not to mention the fact that it didn't help that there were bags under her eyes and she tripped down the stairs. With her life flashing before her eyes, she was this close to nearly breaking her neck. It really couldn't get any worse, but she wasn't prepared as to what else was going to be brought her way.

Just then, Cloud walked in and strolled over to the counter, making his "Hello's" to at least 10 people before reaching Tifa.

"Ehem….hey uh…Tifa, can I talk to you in private for a couple of minutes?" Cloud whispered conspiratorially.

_Oh my goodness, I hope this isn't one of his attempts to tell me how sorry he is for waking me up and almost burning the place down._

"Yeah sure, just give me a sec kay," Tifa nodded to the nearest bar maid to let her know she was going on for a break.

Tifa and Cloud entered the deserted break room, and Cloud told her to sit down. Tifa complied and sat patiently as he paced around, running his hands through his spiky blonde hair. If it wasn't for the worried look on his face, Tifa would have laughed out loud.

"Cloud….you're really starting to scare me…" she said slowly.

"Tifa! That's not funny!"

This time she did laugh. He looked so absurd…. From the heated glare he sent her, she quieted down immediately.

"Here….please, do me a favor and sit down," Tifa motioned to the chair.

Reluctantly, Cloud sat down and stared at her. The look on his face was one of seriousness and pricks of nervous energy ran down her spine. Something had to be wrong, why else would he be acting this way? Finally, when she thought he'd fallen asleep somehow with his eyes open, he spoke.

"Tifa….there's something I have to tell you…" he said hoarsely.

"What Cloud? What is it? You know you can tell me anything!"

For some reason, she knew that whatever he was about to tell her, would change her life drastically. Maybe it was the weather, with all the rain and the dark clouds, or maybe it was the way her day started it out, but she knew that things would never be the same. Deep, deep down, something….she didn't know what _it_ was yet, but she knew things were never going to be the same, starting with this second. She held her breath, waiting for him to speak. As if adding to the dramatic effect of the moment, she heard a loud clash of thunder and the lights flickered for a couple of seconds. The feeling she had raised the hair on her arms at a frightening height.

"Someone's looking for you," Cloud said, oblivious to her growing fear.

Tifa sighed out loud. _Trust Cloud to make everything sound 10 times worse than it really is._

"Cloud…honey, someone's always looking for me. It can't be all that bad," Tifa said comfortingly. She really didn't know about the long term effects of Mako really were, but maybe being a little dumb was one of them.

"No…it's different this time Tifa," Cloud said in a voice that told her this wasn't a time to make light of things.

"Well….wh..who's looking for me?" she stuttered, that feeling of dread returning with a vengeance.

He looked deep into her honey brown eyes and answered her.

"Rufus Shinra."

Tifa's only reply was a sharp intake of breath. Then she gave him her most encouraging smile and gently patted his hand, which had a firm hold on her arm.

"Cloud….sweetie…if you don't recall, Rufus Shinra died about a couple of months ago. Remember?" she said as if talking to a small, young child. Like a ghost was going to come and haunt her. The idea was so silly it was actually laughable.

"No, he's alive. And he's looking for you…"

"Haha, Cloud, where did you hear all of this? I think you need to go lie down an-" But Tifa never finished her sentence because at that precise moment, the door to the break room burst open.

And standing in the doorway was the "supposed to be dead," Rufus Shinra. And with the murderous look that he was giving her, Tifa wondered if she would live to see tomorrow.

_Well, that's all I have to give for now…haha sorry for the long wait. But I've been so busy with school and all that gay summer homework they give you (like it's the cool thing to do!)! In fact, I should be doing that right now, but I couldn't resist writing this chapter. Haha, please review!_


	3. You Don't Always Get What You Want

_Lol! Well, I would just like to say spankies to Kage3 because I completely forgot about what I was going to do with this story until just recently. I'm sorry I've kept the suspense for almost a full year, but I've gone back to writing, even though I still suck at it Haha, well, enjoy this long awaited chapter 3!_

_Oh and by the way, I own nothing but the story._

_Love always, **Tinkah**_

"You."

This was the only word spoken by the intimidating Rufus Shinra. He looked the picture of perfection as he stood in the doorway while his shocking deep blue eyes penetrated through Tifa's every defense. It made her feel like he could see into her very soul.

"M..m..me?" squeaked Tifa, ruining her normally brave front.

Cloud, still in the small room, looked back and forth between the two like an observer at a tennis match. The intensity in the room was so striking even he felt the charged air sparking.

_Wait..wait hold on, _Tifa thought, _I should be the one in charge of this situation. He's not EVEN REAL!_

With her regular feistiness and spice back, she could now speak with more confidence. Seeing that look of concentration on Tifa's face, Cloud knew she was up to something. All he could do was frantically shake his head no and wave his hands, but it was already too late because despite the apparent warning Cloud was giving her, Tifa completely ignored him. She'd be damned if she'd sit there and feel frightened. Showing more confidence than she felt, Tifa quickly stood up and walked to the doorway and looked right up into his intense cobalt eyes.

"We-e-ll excuse me Mr. Rufus Shinra, but I'm not letting a ghost who's denying the fact that he's passed over into the great beyond come and haunt me," she said, rolling her eyes to emphasize the sarcasm.

But then, she felt it. The ice cool metal that was thrust at her frantically beating heart. The gun hidden inside the sleeves of his perfect-fitting pearl white suit. Tifa never saw it coming and all she could feel at that moment was helpless. Rufus stared intently at her, using his piercing glare as a dare to try anything. His blonde hair, all perfect and in place, except for that one lock always seeming to be forever glued to his forehead added to his overpowering presence. Appearance wise, he looked like a man to be dealt with, but poor Rufus was unaware of one thing. Tifa was _definitely_ a woman to be dealt with and there was no way in Hell one man was going to make her a damsel in distress needing to be saved. They played this intense staring game for two more seconds until Tifa finally decided to make her move. She knew she had to time it just perfectly and do it when he blinked. So she did what she learned from being a kid to beat anyone at a non-blinking staring contest.

She blew into his eyes.

_Yes it worked! Now's my chance!_

Literally, within a blink of an eye, Tifa quickly knocked the gun out of his hand and did what she wanted to do since the first moment he spoke that one single word in such a condescending manner.

She punched him in the face.

He let out a grunt and staggered back a bit, but Tifa wasn't finished there. She kicked him forcefully in the stomach area and the next thing Rufus knew, he was on the ground lying flat on his back. Tifa quickly pounced on him to delay him from getting up and she held his wrists so he couldn't throw her off and attack her. All Rufus could do was stare up at her, at awe with how the force of her anger brought even more color and life to her face.

"You know..I've never played anyone who would pull that sort of trick at a child's game," Rufus calmly drawled, acting as if he wasn't on the ground lying there defenseless.

"Yea? Well, you never played me," Tifa argued back.

But her hold on him didn't last long because all of a sudden, two strong hands roughly gripped her shoulders and pulled her off Rufus. Tifa whirled around and came face to face with Cloud.

"Cloud! What are you doing? I had him trapped," she said through her teeth.

"Tifa, don't you think you're overreacting? The man came here to just to talk and you're beating him up," Cloud whispered.

"Are you on something? Because you had to have seen the gun he pointed at me!" Tifa cried incredulously.

"It's right here Tif. And first of all, it's not loaded. Second of all, its not EVEN real, " he said as he handed the fake gun to her.

"But…but..I don't under.." Tifa started but was interrupted with Rufus's strong voice. While being distracted by Cloud, Rufus got up and regained his composure. He'd never been bested by a woman before and the shock of it was still affecting him.

"Ms. Lockheart, I apologize for scaring you with that gun, it's for protection you see. I'm not used to people being so physically close to me," the slightly disheveled Rufus spoke.

"Oh so you think that it's all going to be okay now? Just because you said you were "Sorry," Tifa retorted.

"Tifa!" Cloud nudged her, "Be nice. He's not here to fight, those days are over."

Tifa shot him a heated glare that made Cloud feel as if he were on fire. He knew then it would be wise if he didn't say anything from now on. Cloud definitely didn't want to be put under her relentless wrath, especially after this particular morning.

"As I was saying before I was _rudely_ interrupted, you think just because you say you're "Sorry" everything is just damn peachy?"

"Well…yes." Rufus said simply.

Tifa's eyes bugged out. _This guy really didn't think it was just going to be okay like that did he? What's wrong with men of the world today? They think that everything is so easy!_

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble Mr. Shinra, but you must be living in a box. And anyway, answer me this, aren't you supposed to be DEAD?"

"Well if I'm dead, how am I standing here right now?" Rufus answered.

_Ohh…he wanted to play the smart-alec game. Fine Mr. Rufus Shinra Extraordinaire, you started this game so you better be prepared to finish it. _

Tifa didn't know why but something about Rufus was itching on her every nerve. She hated the fact that he was in her bar, she hated the fact that she was talking to him, and she definitely hated the fact that he was being such..a BOY. As if he wasn't just holding a gun to her heart, ready to shoot her dead if she so much as blinked. It didn't matter that it wasn't loaded or even real, he used it to scare her. He used it for that sick thrill of being in control of someone's life. That, more than anything else, pissed her off the most.

"I don't know Mr. Smart Guy, if I knew that, I wouldn't have asked you," Tifa replied. She felt like such a 9-year old talking to him like this. But then she considered it and decided to blame it all on him. He had to be the reason why she was acting this way.

Narrowing his eyes, he spoke slowly. "You're right I suppose. But this is neither the time or place for me to tell you my life story. I came here for one thing and I won't stop until I get it."

"Well, whatever it is you want, you're not going to find it here and if it is here, you're never going to get it," Tifa spat back. "You can't just come here and expect everything to go the way YOU want."

Then, without any warning, the lights went out and all was dark.

_Lol. Well, I hope that was a bit longer than the others. A lot of conversation I know but you get to know more about the character through reactions and what they say. Haha, well I hope it's going good? I hope..if it's really bad, just tell me what to fix because I really need help on this story. LOL..Omg! Hahaha, well but yea, read and review kay?_

_-Tinkahbelle_


	4. Thoughts of Sweet Revenge

_Well, to be truthfully honest, I've had absolutely zero time to continue my love story between Tifa and Rufus. I guess senior year just whizzed by so fast and not to mention incredibly busy. But, considering now it's the dead middle of summer and having the worst kind of case of insomnia, I find myself sitting here prepared to write a worth 4th chapter of this tale of tragic love. Hopefully I'm successful?_

_-TiNkAhBeLLe_

Voices.

"Tifa…Tifa…Can you hear me?"

"Do you think she's dead?"

"Of course not, look she's breathing Cloud!"

"I was just testing you Marlene…I know she's not dead, I'm blonde not dumb."

"Shh…she's opening her eyes…"

Tifa found herself on a makeshift bed near the break room window. From what she could see through the cracks of her lids, the stormthat wasbrewing outside earlier, had for the moment, passed. Bringing herself to consciousness, she began to realize, was no easy feat. Without having any clue as to how, Tifa had the biggest headache in life's history. Turning her throbbing head to the people that were in close proximity to her face, she tried desperately to follow their rapid chatter. In her piteous attempts to say "Slow down," she probably ended up looking even more ill than she felt. Of course, she could only come to this solid conclusion by the reaction she received from Cloud's livid face.

Becoming adjusted once again to reality, her tired eyes blinked once, then twice as she focused intensely towards the flurry of movement that began with Cloud running in 3 different directions at once (if that was even possible) trying, no frantically, searching for something that was apparently out of view.

_Geez…you'd think there was a fire in his pants that he didn't know how to put out_, Tifa thought.

Wanting to laugh but unable to, she gazed into Marlene's hazel green eyes. Worry and exhaustion seemed to havefilled her face and immediately Tifa felt guilty for not being able to comfort her and tell Marlene that she would be alright. The fresh dewy tears on Marlene's face though, were ones of joy and long awaited relief.

"Oh Tifa! I thought you'd never wake up! I was getting so worried!" exclaimed the young girl as Tifa finally regained her hearing capabilities.

Groggily, but reassuringly, Tifa responded, " I'm sorry Marlene…I don't even know what happened."

Marlene's eyes widened in shock and her little mouth formed a small O in surprise. Automatically, Tifa's reaction was one of concern, fright, and just a tad bit of curiousity.

_What was this about?_ she cautiously wondered. Thinking, of course, brought back to mind the gut-wrenching headache that plagued her at the moment.

"Ah hah! I have currently located the medicine used only for medicinal purposes. See Marlene, I can talk in Einstein if I wanted to," Cloud said as he burst from the wooded pantry doors. He managed somehow to leave an assorted color of pills scattered on the ground as he walked.

"Oh Uncle Cloud, you don't even know what you're talking about," Marlene sighed, rolling her eyes. Whispering so that only Tifa could hear, she said "I better double check it's the right kind of medicine, he could be giving you Jolly Ranchers for goodness sake!"

Weakly, and with all her efforts put into smiling, Tifa whispered back a heartfelt "Thanks."

Much to both of their surprise, Cloud did indeed find the right kind of medicine for Tifa's splitting headache. Handing her a glass of cool water and the white chalk-colored pills, Tifa murmured a thank you, slowly assumed a sitting position, and took both the pills. Feeling immensely better at having some refreshing water, she quietly looked at both of them and asked the question that had been consuming her ever since she gained consciousness.

"So tell me…what exactly happened?" her inquisitive gaze pointed towards Cloud.

"Well, uh..Tifa, see, uhm…well the lights blacked out because I guess the storm messed up with the electrical stuff, and I don't know anything about electrical things, so I guess something must have happened. Well, of course something happened or else you wouldn't be asking about it right now and.."

"Cloud…." Tifa said his name in a tone that told him she was close to running out of patience.

"Tifa….okay, well I don't know how to put this, but…but…uhhh…" Cloud then began clearing his throat several times.

_Oh my goodness, he's starting to sound like a frog. Why can't he just tell me? And why isn't he looking me in the eye?_

Crossing her slender arms over her chest, she gave him her most stern look andcalmly said, "I'm waiting…"

With fear and panic running rampant within his eyes, Cloud knew he had no choice but to tell her, although be it reluctantly. Finally, meeting her gaze, he said "It's Rufus…"

But all that Cloud said after that was lost. Tifa was hit with everything that happened before she blacked out, Rufus standing in the doorway, the fight, the fake gun, the manner in whichhe spoke to her. It felt like a speeding2 ton truck just ran over her. White rage enveloped her mind and surprising both Marlene and Cloud, Tifa quickly got up and walked swiftly towards the door. A wave of nausea passed over her, but she overcame it almost immediately. Nothing was going to getin the way of her towards the door, her hand on thesilver-plated knob, she turned around slowly, facing the two that still stared in utter shock at her impulsive behavior. Marlene and Cloud had never seen Tifa ever act this way in the past.

With murder in her eyes and with vengeance in her voice, she muttered "I'm going to pay Mr. Shinra a little visit."

And with that, she was gone.

_Haha sorry that this chapter is so short, but I'm already working on the next chapter and trust me, it'll be like 10 times longer than this one. This one was just a starter up for the next chapter to come. It feels good to be writing again!_

_Read and Review!_

_-TiNkAhBeLLe_


	5. I Love You with a Kiss

_Well, I finally got around to finishing this chapter! So yeah, read and enjoy. _

_TiNkAh ( I only own the story)_

"Wa-a-a-a-a-ait!" Cloud screeched to stop Tifa from taking another step.

With a frustrated expression on her face, Tifa took a slow deep breath and tried to mentally tally all the reasons why Cloud deserved to be alive right now. Turning around, she saw Cloud red in the face, huffing and puffing in his efforts to catch up with her. Tifa didn't even realize how far she'd traveled in her haste to confront Rufus. With a tired sigh, Tifa patiently waited until Cloud was finally in speaking distance.

"Yes Cloud? What ever could it be?" she said in a voice that was far too sweet to be believed.

"Tifa! You…you ….didn't even let ….me finish!" Cloud said between breaths.

"I heard what I needed to know," Tifa retorted. "You started out your explanation with Rufus Shinra."

Throwing up his hands in irritation, Cloud began shaking his head. "Tifa what's gotten into you? You're acting so weird, I don't even understand it. What is it about Rufus that has you so mad at him?" Before she could even protest against that, he quickly said, "The lights went out and when they were on again, you were found collapsed on the floor. No one knows what happened to you, Rufus carried you near the window and said that he'd be back to finish speaking with you. He left. That's all that happened."

"Ah ha! So you're on his side!" Tifa nearly shouted.

"No! I'm not on his side. I'm not on anyone's side. I don't even know what the sides are!" Cloud said in his defense.

"Well, then, how come you couldn't tell me before? You couldn't even look me in the eye Cloud, not to mention the fact that you totally sounded like a frog!" As far as hits went, this was a bull's eye.

Flustered and feeling his cheeks grow pink, Cloud turned away and said "It's because of what you said when you were knocked out. It's like you were having some kind of dream."

Having the most horrible feeling in her stomach, Tifa lurched towards the nearest wall. "Well..well…what did I say?" She didn't feel confident anymore, she just felt totally vulnerable.

Apparently, this was no easier for Cloud as he struggled to find the words that just wouldn't come out. "Well, I'm only going to say it if you really really and I mean REALLY wanna know…" Clearly, this wasn't the time to back out with the heated glare that came from Tifa's ruby brown eyes, so he took a deep breath and continued. It's not like she was giving him a choice anyway. "Okay, fine! But don't, not even for one second, say that I didn't warn you in advance. You were moving around in his arms…and then..you said…you said…" He really couldn't say why this was so hard until Tifa jabbed him in the stomach, "You said 'I love you' and kissed Rufus," Cloud finally managed to blurt out.

Tifa felt the breath pass between her lips and was surprised considering the fact that she didn't even know she'd been holding her breath. She stared at Cloud, one second passed by, another, and finally the words of his statement hit her. Hard. "I DID WHAT!" she roared in his face.

Cowering back a few feet, Cloud said "See, look, this is the whole reason why I didn't want to tell you! I knew you'd freak out!"

In a flash, all these images raced through her head. All of what Cloud said didn't make sense at all, she didn't even LIKE Rufus Shinra, so why would she want to kiss him and say that she loved him. Without thinking, she touched the tips of her fingers to her lips and felt them tremble. She wasn't sure if she was about to cry, she sure as hell knew she wasn't that far off from doing so. Denying the truth of it even to herself, she softly said "You're lying, I don't believe you."

Solemnly, Cloud replied "I wouldn't lie to you Tifa, especially not about something like this."

"I know Cloud. I know….I-I have to go, I'll see you sometime later yea?" And before he could even say his goodbye, Tifa turned and left him the second time that day. She had to be away, she needed to be alone somewhere.

As soon as she walked through the doors of her 7th Heaven, Tifa automatically went to the park. It was about a 5 minute walk away and God knew she needed the time to think. She felt numb, a little shocked, and just a touch of disgust. She couldn't believe it, she didn't want to believe it, but damn it all there it was. Finally reaching the park, she quickly walked to her favorite swing, the 2nd to the last one on the far right. It was the only one that didn't creak so loud and it had the best vantage point to see the whole park. This was her thinking spot and she'd come here many a time before to just swing and ponder. As corny as that sounded, it was a 100 percenttrue. She began her swinging as soon as she sat down. Taking a deep breath, she began clearing her mind.

She figured she was making things much more dramatic then they really were. C'mon, it couldn't have been that big a deal.

_I was probably having one of those stupid dreams where Prince Charming fights off my dragons and comes and rescues me._

She scoffed at that. Yea, she would definitely be the last personever needing to be saved. If anything, she could probably kick the dragon's ass with a well placed punch and a few combos. Tifa had grown used to working, or fighting even, for what she wanted. She'd lay down her life in a second for any of her friends, but they didn't need to worry about coming to save her. She could easily do that herself. This was all that blasted Rufus Shinra's fault anyway. First of, she didn't even know the man. Second, he just barged into her life out of nowhere expecting her to just give in to any of his wishes. And third…Well there wasn't a third yet, but there was going to be one very soon. But she couldn't deny the fact that there was something else there as well. As annoying and irritating as he was, there was something about the way he looked at her, like he knew all her weaknesses. Even the ones that she couldn't even admit to herself, probably even ones that she didn't even know she possessed.

She shivered, and told herself it was getting cold. But that couldn't be true, there wasn't a breeze to be felt for miles around. The storm did recently just pass, so now it was just that quiet aftermath after the destruction. She didn't know what it was yet, but she knew that the next time she faced Rufus, she'd have to have her full guard up and be prepared for anything shocking he intended to say. It was easier just to forget what happened between them, so for the sake of that, she decided to forget the fact that she'd kissed him. Not like she really remembered it anyway, but just in case. With an intuition she didn't even recognize, Tifa knew that Rufus would be dropping by soon. He was going to state his business, and Tifa would be ready for it.

With that in mind, she slowly stopped her swinging, letting her shoes drag on the moist ground. Slowly and carefully, she got up and made her way back home. She needed to rest for the next battle of wits with Rufus Shinra.

_Well that definitely was a more in-depth look at how Tifa is as a person. Haha, yea well hey, at least this one was longer eh? _

_Read and Review!_

_TiNkAh_


	6. 3 am Visit

_Wow, I can't believe I'm writing another chapter so fast. But, I guess my writing is getting worse. I'm the worst writer ever hahaha. _

_TiNkAh (btw, I only own the story)_

He came just like she pictured it. Except a lot earlier than expected. A lot earlier.

Rufus knocked on her door quietly, unsure of what to say and unsure of how to act. He didn't know what one was supposed to say to a woman who kissed him senseless and said the words that never meant anything to him. Nothing in the world could have disturbed him more. He totally wasn't a man that any girl could budge, but she managed somehow to change everything. Especially since having parents that barely spoke to each other, the emotion of "love" was hard to determine. It wasn't like this kind of occurrence happened everday…in fact..it never happened at all. He didn't want to remember it of course, but…he couldn't help it. He tried to sleep that night, really he did but..he dreamt of her.

Vividly.

It was impossible to forget the feel of her soft form in his arms. The way she scrambled about, as if not finding any purchase except for her lips against his. They were soft and full and everything a man should want, but he couldn't ask for anything more. He just couldn't. What he wanted from her was unforgivable. Something that shouldn't be asked from anyone. Yet, he had to. It was the only way.

He knocked again. She didn't answer. He couldn't blame her, although it was the next day, it was late night early morning time. No one in their right mind would be awake right now. Finally, knocking more forcefully, he heard footsteps approaching the wooden door.

_This is it_, he said to himself.

The door opened slowly and there she was..in all her glory. In her white flowing nightgown with her hair tossed carelessly about, she stood there rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She'd been asleep for at least 4 hours thinking of this moment, and here it was. At first, she didn't know how to react seeing the person that she'd recently been dreaming of, but now that he was here, there was no way around what she had to say. He was once again dressed perfectly, catching her in the most vulnerable of times.

_Just like he always does._

"What do you want?" she demanded, although in a very tired voice.

"A moment of your time, please," he replied.

_A moment of my time at 3 in the morning..how thoughtful of him._

"I do hope you know that the sun isn't even out yet."

"I'm aware," he replied coolly.

Looking to the left and then to the right, she sighed and reluctantly stepped aside. "Well, I suppose you might as well come in. It looks bad for you to be standing outside my front porch."

With a nod he entered her domain and was surprised. At what, he couldn't quite tell but being in her home was welcoming. Her pictures, of friends and family, were arranged perfectly, with nothing out of place. The color of her rose rug was the exact shade of her eyes in the moment she was angry. The furniture, that of a dark rich green reminded him of the forest. With the roses on the table and the quilted blanket with a red rose on the sofa, he knew without a doubt that her favorite flower was a rose. It matched her perfectly, he thought.

"I'm sorry to wake you at such an ungodly hour, but I wanted to be sure that you were alone," he said once he stepped in.

_Ungodly hour? Who speaks like that nowadays? Yeah..Mr. Shinra, it's only 3 IN THE MORNING!_

"Anything for you," she said through gritted teeth. As he walked by her, she smelled his cologne. It was a mysterious scent that either made her want to lean over and get a big whiff or just plain out ask him what he wore. Embarrassed, she decided to do neither.

"Please…enter the living room." She pointed the way to the couch with her favorite blanket over it. He waited until she sat down to the chair adjacent to it before finally sitting down. She mentally scoffed. _What a great time to be showing manners, especially at this time!_

"You're probably wondering why I'm here so early," he drawled.

"I'm dying with anticipation, Mr. Shinra," she rolled her eyes with this statement, hoping that he would catch her meaning.

Narrowing his eyes, but still not rising to her bait, he replied, "I think under the circumstances, you should call me Rufus."

"I think under the circumstances, you should just hurry up and state your business so I can get my beauty rest," she fired back.

"You're already beautiful, it doesn't matter if you had rest or not," he murmured quietly.

Taken aback but not wanting to show her surprise she nearly yelled, "Just say what you have to."

"Okay. I know you probably deserve better, but I have to tell you this. I need you to marry me."

If it wasn't for the fact that she was sitting in her chair, she surely would have collapsed. If it wasn't for the fact that she wasn't drinking a beverage, she surely would have spat it out. If it wasn't for the fact that her jaw wasn't connected to her face, it surely would have dropped to the floor. So, instead, it just fell all the way open.

"WHAT?" she managed to sputter out.

With his eyes to the floor, he said it again. Except a lot more spaced out this time, as if she needed every word to sink in before getting the exact meaning of it all. "I….need…you…to…marry…me."

Rufus didn't know anyone's eyes could bug out like Tifa's did. It was almost like she was holding something in the way they looked. Then out of nowhere, she burst out laughing. In between her gasps of air, she said "You …haha you have got be kidding me. Did Cloud put ..haha you up to this?"

Rufus just stared at her. She thought he was joking. Unfortunately for her, he wasn't.

"Tifa, I'm not joking. I mean what I say."

Finally serious, she glared at him. "Why? Why do you have to marry me of all people? We hardly know each other and WE USED TO BE ENEMIES for God's sake."

"It wasn't my decision," he simply said. Tifa didn't know why this infuriated her, but it did. Completely.

"Oh is that so? It wasn't your decision. And who's was it Mr. Know-It-All?" she sneered.

"Your father's."

She was speechless for a moment. "No..you're wrong. He would never make me marry a monster like you. You've killed people. You've caused hurt and pain to many."

"It's not like that anymore. Really. I've changed, ever since the death of my father. He couldn't control me anymore, not like that." But, she couldn't believe him. There was something in his tone, in the way he said it with his eyes on her, that showed that he was lying. This handsome man with his piercing blue eyes couldn't want her. He wanted her to be his wife, but she was already too bitter and too lonely for so long to believe in love. Love was for fools, and she sure as hell wasn't one of them. He didn't love her, and she refused to be with anyone that didn't.

"I think you should leave," she said quietly. Almost to herself really.

He gave her a look. One that went through her skin and into her soul. She didn't know how he could do that, but he did it all the same. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"I told you once before I wasn't leaving until I got what I wanted," he stated.

"And I told you that you don't always get what you want."

"Touché, Ms. Lockheart. Touché," he softly replied.

Wanting to get rid of the uncomfortable feeling she felt as he gave her that look, she muttered "Well, I gave you your time. Can you please leave now?"

"I guess I have no choice but to try harder to convince you," he said as he stood. "Good evening and good night. I hope you sleep well. I'll be seeing you soon."

"Please don't. It won't help. You don't know who you're dealing with. Trust me," she replied. He really didn't think that she would fall under his spell did he? She had no doubt that he had seduced legions of women, but she wasn't like everyone else. She wasn't going to allow him to think that either. "I honestly think you're either drunk or high on something to be here. If you promise to never come back, I'll forget this ever happened," she added.

"I don't indulge in spirits and the only thing I'm high on is life. I can't promise you that. I have to marry you," he stated with utter finality.

Her heart raced to hear him speak this way. It was weird to hear someone speak with so much conviction. Like he could really break through her barriers and get to her. _Yeah right._ Cloud had tried, but failed miserably. Rufus wasn't Cloud, not even close. Which clearly made him 10 times more dangerous.

"I know I'm going to regret asking, but why is it you have to marry me so bad?"

"Your father used to work for my own. My dad was almost crushed at a construction site if it wasn't for your dad coming to his rescue. With that, he was forever in his debt. Yet, he only asked for one thing. And that was for you to be happy and to be my wife. It was like giving you a life that you could only dream of. You would come into wealth and power. That's what he wanted for you. I can't gain the full inheritance until we're wed," Rufus calmly explained.

For the second time that night, she was speechless. He couldn't be serious.

"We'd only have to be married in name I assure you," he continued as if this wasn't a life altering fact.

"Get out Shinra," she calmly said. "Get out and never come back. I'll never marry you, never."

"I know it's a shock, but it's the truth. You deserved no less and I wouldn't lie and say that I was actually in love with you," he stated as if her opinion didn't even matter.

Trying very hard to keep her temper in check and with her hands clenched in fists, she said "I don't care what else you have to say. I thought I had hated you before, but now I really really REALLY do hate you. So please, do me a favor and JUST GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

"I'm getting out of your house but that doesn't mean I'm getting out of your life."

He walked towards her front door as she stood there in the living room. As the door shut, she let out the breath she'd been holding.

_What a jerk! What a complete jerk! I can't believe I even thought he was cute, he's totally gay! I hate him, I really do! _

She couldn't believe that her own loving father put her into this mess. She'd was just going to have to find a way to get out of it. She would do anything to get out of it. Oh boo hoo little Rufus wasn't going to get his full inheritance unless she was married to him. Well, since it was basically up to her, she would make him wait until she died or until she found another way to escape this madness.

_Tomorrow, _she thought_, I'll get out of it tomorrow. _

Except that it was already tomorrow and already too soon.

_Omg too bad my writing sucks. I should seriously quit now right? Yeah, I thought so too._

_TiNkaH_


End file.

Final Fantasy VII, Drama, Romance