Yuffie was pacing in her disorganized room wondering who she could call

Author's Note: It has been literally years and now I am back to writing. If you care to know why I was on hiatus then please check out my profile so as to not bore you here.

To my reviewers:

Nana – Thanks for reading it all in one shot. I feel so bad for Cloud too. Especially in this chapter.

Celeste Rose – I hope you are still going to read this and I promise you won't have to wait years for the next chapter.

Beth – I hope this chapter lives up to your standards

Rune – I'll never give it up. It deserves to have a wonderful ending.

Akito-Aya – Does that name have anything to do with Fruits Basket? I try to keep my chapters long and with substance. Hope you like.

Peanuckle – Glad you like it. Cloud is definitely steaming.

inn0centdr3ameR – Thanks for all your reviews. It would have been funny if I did add that.

Saberchic – They are going to keep on evolving. To me they are like little kids have all these new experiences.

Smilingcat – Cloud is learning how to be more expressive.

Shinra – Your new review got me back to writing. I added some more Tseng for you.

Yuffie was pacing in her disorganized room wondering who she could call. As a ninja she prided herself on secrets, but lately the urge to gossip had steadily been taking over. She rationalized that it was because it had to do with her friends and all she wanted was the best for them. Now who could she talk to without it getting back to Cloud or Tifa? Barret had one of the loudest mouths of the group beside the ninja princess and Cid wasn't due back to land for another week or so. Her eyes widened as she let out a little gasp. Swiftly she reached for her on the nightstand and called the only person that would actually listen to her.

"Hello!" Yuffie practically screamed in the phone, ready to burst with information.

A deep voice responded on the other end.

"Yuffie? You are aware that my hearing is perfectly fine don't you?"

"Sorry Vince, but..but I just need to talk to someone. Cloud was just here visiting and then he saw the newspaper and scrammed out of here like he heard the name Sephiroth. Though I don't blame him it can be just as bad. Before that we went shopping together and I can't say what for so don't bother asking, a ninja always keeps her secrets."

Throughout the conversation Vincent held his cell phone away from his ear. Why would this child dare to call him over some nonsense?

"I do not understand where you are going with this."

"Great! That's what I hoped for. Anyways so I can't believe that Tifa and Rufus are on the cover together. I feel so bad for Cloud, but maybe this is the push he needs."

"What? This does not make much sense."

"Well maybe if you stopped living in a cave or something it would. Well I just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks Vince!" Before the nightwalker could reply the Wutanian hung up.

In the car Tifa had fallen asleep no doubt due to the weekend sexcapades. Her dreams were filled with her betrayal to Cloud and when she awoke the barmaid wanted to vomit. Now she did not want to go home as the fear of facing her childhood love dawned upon her. What had she done? Feeling like a dirty slut she cowered in the corner of her sit and looked out the window trying to distract herself, but she couldn't. What did these past events mean between Rufus and her? So many questions where tossing and turning in Tifa's head.

Rufus could feel the tension in the air as soon as his partner woke up. This was all new to him and he was not sure if he should do or say anything.

'Where is Tseng or Reeve when I need them?'

The secret lovers stayed quiet for the rest of the ride to the Edge, both contemplating what they had done and where could this possibly go. The car had arrived at Seventh Heaven around dusk. Rufus was the first to exit the vehicle then offering his hand to help Tifa out. She smiled graciously at him, but it was hard for her to maintain eye contact without blushing. Abruptly she turned around to hide her face from the president and started to look for the bar keys in her purse. As she made her way to the door a sigh of relief escaped her pink lips, thankful that Cloud would not be back for a day or so allowing her some time to gain composure.

As the barmaid opened the door she immediately turned pale and let out a gasp. Concerned Rufus rushed in front of her to only see Cloud standing behind the counter with a drink of some kind.

"Did I arrive too early?" Tifa had a hard time telling if he was drunk or not, but that did not make her any less scared.

"Uh…yeah. I thought you weren't coming back until Tuesday." Her voice was beginning to crack.

The spikey blonde started to make his way from behind the counter towards the couple. Making a fist with one hand his blood began to boil. How much was Shinra going to take away from him? They took his hometown, Zack, Aerith, his identity, and now Tifa.

'No more. No more! Get out of my life for good.'

The mako induced man had his thoughts interrupted as he felt a gentle hand touch his shoulder. There was no way he would throw his anger towards her, not push her away again. His chest heaved up and down as he took deep breaths.

"I came back because….I needed to speak to you."

The black haired woman had a quizzical look on her face. "Well you could have called me."

In the background by the doorway Rufus was fidgeting as he started to feel out of place. His blue eyes searched for Elena, but there was no trace of her.

"No I needed to say this in person. Before that…" Cloud's mako eyes looked towards Rufus with a piercing stare. "I want him to leave. Tifa, I don't want you to see him anymore."

"Why Cloud I never saw you as the controlling type. I believe she can choose who she wants to see. Clearly after this weekend I think she prefers my company." The silence that filled the room seemed almost like an eternity. Tifa was left speechless as her mouth gaped open. 'Why? Why did you have to do this? I'm not ready to tell him. I don't even know if what we did was meaningful. I never wanted Cloud to get hurt.'

Unknowingly spikey started to shake his head as the rest of his body felt frozen in place, like he could not breathe anymore. Did he really want to know what Rufus meant by that? He looked upon his childhood friend with the saddest eyes she had ever seen causing her to look down at the floor.

"Teef…….what does he mean?" There was no way she could respond. Her voice was caught in her throat and beads of sweat started to appear on her forehead. Was it possible for her to run away? No that was not like her at all to do something so cowardly. Before she could answer Rufus once again spoke up. "We were….how should I put it. Intimate."

Shocked by his answer Cloud began to stagger backwards away from Tifa. His worst nightmare had actually come true.

Flustered and embarrassed the barmaid wanted her temporary lover to just leave. She shouted with tears welling up in her eyes. "Stop making things worse! This is something I should be talking to him about. Not you!"

Behind her she did not notice Cloud reaching for his buster sword that was strapped to his back. Quickly he engaged his enemy by placing the tip of the sword against Rufus' neck. "How dare you put your filthy hands on her!"

"Now come on Cloud. It's not like I forcer her. I just did what you could not and that was fulfilling her needs." As he spoke the words the president could feel the tip of the blade cut his skin.

"Please Cloud stop!" Tifa stepped in-between these two men fighting over her and started to push Cloud away from her business associate. "Don't do this. We have been through enough fighting, haven't we?" Slowly the ex-shinra officer lowered his sword and looked deeply into her ruby eyes. His facial expression began to soften as he decided any other time would be too late to say these words. "Tifa…I…I…lo…I love you." At these words her legs became shaky as shock overcame her. It was just one surprise after another and in the end she did not know how to feel. Her emotions were all over the place.

"Now you want to confess your love to her once she has already been in another man's arms. You are too late. All this time you wallowed in your own self pity that you could not see what you had standing right beside you all these years. What you take for granted is what I cherish most. I will not stand here and let you try to take the person I have come to care about." Deep down for the first time Rufus had something to fear and it was sadly this emotionally messed up guy in front of him. How could he compete with a strong bond as theirs? He wasn't blind, he knew that Tifa longed to hear Cloud say those words to her.

"Both of you stop. I can't handle this right now. I just can't. I…what I need is some time alone to think things through and let this all calm down." At this point tears were streaming down her face. One of the men tried to speak, but she wouldn't let them. "I'll be in Cosmo Canyon for a few days. Rufus please go home and don't drop the project because of this. Cloud take care of the kids." Yes this was a rash decision on her part especially trusting that they could handle everything without her. All that mattered now was that she needed some space to breathe as her world started to collapse. A normality that the Avalanche member worked so hard for after all the years of chaos now gone. Tifa's head hung low with her black locks hiding most of her face as she slowly dragged herself out of her bar.

As the door closed Rufus reached for the doorknob to chase after his angel, but he was stopped as his white jacket was pulled followed by a disorientating punch to the face. "She said she wanted to be alone and that meant from you too." Thrown off balance Shinra's body hit the door. Wiping the blood from his nose he straightened his jacket and nodded in silent agreement. The second time he reached for the doorknob he was successful and left Cloud alone in the bar without another word.

Making his way to the limo his eyes briefly scanned the area for Tifa, but she had disappeared into the night. The driver opened the door for him and he noticed that there was someone inside. "What a surprise." The leather in the car crinkled as Rufus sat down.

"Sir, you alright?"

"Depends on your definition of the word."

"Elena came to the lodge and told me that Cloud made her leave. I figured there might be trouble and from the looks of it I was right. I'm sorry I was not there to prevent this mishap. "

"Do not trouble yourself over it Tseng. How did you get here."

"Reno gave me a lift on his bike since he was coming to a local strip club."

"Hmph."

In the Church…

I wish you were here. I wish you were here right now. You know I adored you even though I was a little jealous back then. One of my closest female friends. I don't know how it happened or when, but somehow I developed a crush on Cloud when we were little. A silly girl that believed he was my own personal hero. For some reason I thought he was trying to be in Soldier for me. All those years he was gone I thought he was doing it just for me. I was so selfish then. Without even realizing it he was there for me when I needed him. Once we reunited I thought that we could finally be together and he could always protect me, but I also wanted to protect him.

He was different from what I remembered. Then you came into the picture and understood him. Now I know why, but I feared that he loved you more than me. It was a silly passing thought that I quickly dismissed. Once you were gone I never rejoiced and never felt upset and how traumatized he had become. Still I felt he only saw you and not what was around him. That I was still there waiting. I believed that if I waited long enough that he would eventually forgive himself and awake from his nightmares to see me and he did.

I didn't expect to…to open myself up to someone else, especially Rufus. Bet you knew he wasn't such a bad guy. Do you know how mind blowing it was for me to have him open up to me? Rufus started to become my hero. I wanted to only be friends, nothing more. There is no way to control my feelings and who they are for. I still love Cloud, but I was so close to saying I….love you to Rufus. I mean come on can I really love him after a few months? Maybe I'm just imagining that he is Cloud. Where do I stand in all of this. Who do I love the most?

--

"Tifa? Tifa! Why are you here and crying?!" Vincent appeared by the troubled woman's side and embraced her. Tifa had been sitting on the hardwood floor drenching it with her tears. "Don't want to talk about it. I wanted to go to Cosmo Canyon, but right now I'm to exhausted. Please stay with me." Before he could reply she was fast asleep on his chest. "This is akward."

'Why do these women find comfort in such a monster as me? Maybe I should have paid more attention to Yuffie after all.'

Vincent sat rigid and uncomfortable hoping that morning would come quickly.

Follow your heart Tifa and everything will be okay in the end.

Healing Lodge….

"Have you ever loved anyone?" Rufus asked as he applied ice to the now swollen area on his face.

"Yes, sir." Tseng was sitting across from the president flipping through the newspaper.

"You don't have to be so formal. I am trying to have a personal conversation with you."

"As you have been with the other Turks too lately. The more I am away on these missions the more you change. What has gotten into you?"

"I'm in love."

Tseng slightly shifted in his seat and arched an eyebrow. Slowly a smile crept up on his face. "Surely you don't mean Tifa." As his words left his lips he turned his newspaper to the front cover which had a picture of Tifa and Rufus together.

"Hard to imagine that I would ever be graced to know the feeling, must be my selfish ways are finally coming to an end. I am so used to control it frightens me to be powerless."

"Welcome to the life of a normal human being. Really I can't understand what it is you see in her."

"I could have said the same thing about the Ancient." Embarrassed the Wutai Turk decided it was best to change the subject.

Seventh Heaven…

I finally did it. Finally opened myself up to her and this was not the outcome I expected. This pain that I feel is so familiar yet unlike anything I have encountered. I would much rather fight Weapon or even Sephiroth than feel this. No I could do without him again.

Ugh…these thoughts of Rufus having his hands all over her makes me want to cut him down to size. I can't believe I was betrayed by her. How could she fall for that ruthless bastard? No, no, no. He seduced her. Argh… what does it matter, it happened. I wasn't there for her and he was…he was. Will things be different between us? What about Marlene and Denzel? This to me was a real family and I have to keep it together. This was her dream and I will make it happen.

I can't sleep.

Author's Note: I hope this was a good comeback. I don't want to move the story so quickly otherwise it won't be realistic. Please review and thank you all so much for your support.