The weather change quickly. The warm breeze turned into an icy chill. The sun disappeared being gray clouds. Rays of warm light became drops of snow and ice. Four bundle figures raced to the bar. They burst through the door. The wind howled at them. The door slammed shut behind them.

"Damn it's freezing! I can't believe we went out on Christmas Eve" Yuffie yelled. She took off her large jacket and hung it by the door.

"How much longer is it supposed to snow like this?" Denzel asked.

"Another week or two." Tifa answered. She finished putting last chair on top of the bar counter.

"Great."
Denzel replied.

"At least we get a white Christmas." Marlene pointed out.

"That's a good way to look at it." Tifa replied. "Artemis, they're home!"

Artemis, barely two, ran into the bar. He saw Marlene and Denzel and raced to the. Marlene lifted Artemis and hugged him tightly. Denzel patted Artemis on the head and walked to the bar.

"I'm going upstairs to work on my wrapping." Denzel said. He walked up the stairs an into his room.

"Me too." Marlene replied. She ran up the stairs and into Tifa's room. Never keep two sets of presents in one room, unless you trust your partner. And Marlene didn't trust Denzel when it came to this.

"Pull up a stool and get comfortable." Tifa said.

Yuffie took down two stools and sat at the bar. "Any word from Cloud?"

Tifa shook her head, "Not since Artemis came." She pulled out three mugs and filled them with hot chocolate. She began fiddling with the charm bracelet on her wrist.

Vincent sat on the other stool next to Yuffie. "Cloud's no one to let anyone down."

"But he is one to make us wait for him." Yuffie replied. She took a drink from her mug.

Tifa slowly sipped her drink and watched the window. Snow fell gently to the ground. Buildings and houses were decorated in bright lights, shinning through the sky. She felt a small tug on her skirt. Artemis held a piece of her skirt in his hand. She knelt down next to him.

"M-Mama, when is d-dad-dy c-com-ming h-home?" Artemis asked.

Tifa looked at the floor, "I don't know sweetie. I hope he comes soon."

"M-May-be…he c-come h-h-home f-fo-or chr-christ-m-mas?"

Tifa smiled, "Maybe."

Suddenly a knock came from the door. Everyone seemed to jump. Tifa stood up and walked t the door. She saw a delivery man bundled in his winter cloths, holding a clipboards in his gloved hands.

"Are you, Miss Lockhart?" he asked.

"Yes."

"We have a special delivery for you. Sign right here so we can bring them in?" he asked.

Tifa signed the papers. "Them?"

The delivery people entered the bar carrying decorations in their arms. Five men began decorating the bar. Holly hung to the bar and banister. Ribbon was wrapped around the stools and tables. Three more men entered, carrying a large pine tree. It was placed in the enter of the bar, where it could be seen. The men brought in two large crates and left the bar. Tifa stared at the tree in amazement.

"What the hell was that about?" Vincent asked.

Denzel and Marlene ran down the stairs, "What was-"

"Yuffie, could you get Zak and Aeris?" Tifa asked.

"Sure Tif." Yuffie replied. She ran up the stairs, Marlene followed her.

Tifa walked to one of the two crates. She read the label; Miss Tifa Lockhart.

"There's a card on this one." Vincent said. He handed it to Tifa. She opened it, Merry Christmas.

"Who's it from?" Denzel asked.

"I'm not sure." Tifa answered. Yuffie and Marlene returned with Aeris and Zak in their arms. Tifa walked into the bar and began looking for something.

"What are you looking for Tifa?" Marlene asked. She grabbed a blanket from the room and laid it on the floor. Yuffie and Marlene set Zak an Aeris on the blanket and joined Tifa.

"I'm looking," Tifa came out with a crowbar, "For this!" She walked back to the crate and jammed the crowbar into the lid. She pried it opened and looked inside. The crate was filled with packing peanuts. Tifa reached into the crate and pulled out a box. It was a box of ornaments for the tree. Tifa reached in again and pulled out more ornaments. She emptied the crate and set the ornaments aside. She walked to the second crate and opened it. She found packing peanuts and gifts in this crate. She closed the lid and slid the crate aside.

"Alright guys, who's wants to help decorate the tree?" Tifa asked.

"I do!"

"Me!"

"I'll help."

Tifa spread the boxes of ornaments out onto the floor. She grabbed the box of lights and handed them to Yuffie. Yuffie jumped into the air and strung the lights on the tree in seconds. Denzel and Marlene grabbed the tinsel and strung it around the tree. Yuffie began flipping around the room, placing ornaments on the tree. Tifa sat next to Zak and Aeris laughing on the blanket, handing ornaments out. Artemis watched everyone race around the tree, and soon he wanted to join too. He scrambled to Tifa, holding out his hands for an ornament.

Tifa smiled and handed him a green orb. Artemis walked back towards the tree. He looked for the closest branch, that was above his head. Try as he might, he wasn't able to reach the branch. Vincent lifted him from behind and raised him higher. Artemis hung the orb on the tree next to a snowflake.

The front door opened and two bundled characters entered the bar. "Damn it's cold! Hell doesn't seem so bad right now!"

"Barret!"

"Daddy!" Marlene cried. She raced to Barret and hugged him.

"Hey Marlene!" Barret lifted her onto his shoulders.

"So, what's been happening here?" Cid asked.

"Well, we're decorating the tree." Tifa answered.

"When did you get a tree?"

"Someone delivered it to us, along with ornaments." Tifa explained.

"Well then, mind if we help?" Cid asked.

"Go right ahead. We've got plenty to do." Tifa answered. She stood and began making more hot chocolate.

Barret set Marlene down and grabbed a few ornaments. He joined in on the decorating. Cid watched everyone run around the tree. Not one person had a frown. Tifa hustled in the kitchen. She gathered the mugs and poured hot chocolate in each one.

"Tifa, checkout the tree!" Denzel called. Tifa looked up at the tree. It was decorated in silver tinsel, green, blue, and red lights, green, red, silver, yellow, and blue orbs, but there was something missing.

"Where's the star?" Tifa asked. Everyone looked up and gasped.

"I gots it m-m-mama!" Artemis called. He held the gold star in his hands.

"Alright, here we go." Vincent picked up Artemis and jumped to the top of the tree. Artemis placed the star on the tree and landed with Vincent.

"It looks beautiful guys. Why don't we put the presents around the tree now?" Tifa suggested.

Denzel and Marlene raced up the stairs into the rooms. Yuffie slid the crate over to the tree and opened the lid. She took out several presents and placed them around the tree. Denzel and Marlene came down, presents in their arms. They began setting them around the tree.

"Tifa!" Yuffie called. She waved for Tifa to come.

Tifa walked to Yuffie, "What is it?"

Yuffie held up a small green plant, "Someone sent us mistletoe."

Tifa started laughing, "Put it up where no one will notice." Yuffie nodded and disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Tifa walked over to the blanket with the two sleeping babies. "Marlene, can you help me put these two to bed?"

"Sure Tifa." Marlene put the last present down and lifted Zak into her arms. She followed Tifa into the babies room. They changed their clothes and laid them into their cradles. Tifa turned off the light an walked back downstairs with Marlene.

"Well, the tree's decorated, we have hot chocolate, what should we do now?" Barret asked.

"WE should sing Christmas carols!" Marlene yelled.

"You sure you want to hear those guys sing?" Yuffie asked. She pointed her thumb at Barret and cid

"Carols!" Artemis called.

"Looks like we're sing carols, Yuffie." Cid replied.

"Oh boy." Yuffie plugged her ears.

Something banged on he roof. Everyone looked up and waited. It sounded like someone was walking on he roof. It walked to the chimney and someone slid down. He wore a red suit, white beard, and carried a bag behind him.

"Merry Christmas." he said.

"Santa!" Artemis cried. He ran over and gave Santa a big hug.

"I hope I'm not intruding tonight." He said.

"oh…n-no. Of coarse not." Tifa stuttered. She couldn't believe what was happening.

"Well now. I have some things to give away before I leave. Who here is Denzel?" he asked.

"Me." Denzel stepped forwards. Santa reached into his bag and pulled out a small package. Denzel took it questionably and opened it.

He gasped at the contents, "A replica of Cloud's SOLDIER outfit. Thank you."

" Now, I suppose you're Marlene?" he asked. Marlene nodded. "Thought so. Ah, here we are." Marlene took a red wrapped package and opened it.

"Oh it's beautiful." Marlene held a long green silk dress in her hands. "Thank you."

Santa knelt next to Artemis, who looked rather sad, "Now don't think would forget you Artemis."

"B-But…I-I don't…w-want an-any-th-thing. I j-just w-w-want m-my d-d-dad-dy." Artemis said.

Santa lifted Artemis up into his arms, "You know Artemis," He pulled off his heard and red hat. He had bright blond hair and blue eyes. "I think I can do that."

"Daddy!" Artemis cried. He gave Cloud a big hug.

"Damn Cloud!" Welcome back!"

"Cloud!"

Tifa stood in shock. Her hand covered her mouth. She felt tears form at her eyes. Cloud set Artemis on the ground and looked up at Tifa.

"Hello Tifa. I promised I'd be back." cloud said.

"Yes you did." Tifa replied. "But are you going to leave again?"

"Well, I don't have a reason to leave, but I do have quite a few reasons to stay." Cloud answered.

Tifa laughed and ran to Cloud. She wrapped her arms around him, tightly. Cloud wrapped his arms around Tifa and held her close.

"Sorry I took so long." Cloud whispered.

"At least you're here." Tifa replied.

"Um…Tifa." Yuffie pointed towards the ceiling. Everyone seemed to look up. Tifa smile at what she saw. Yuffie had strung the mistletoe right above them.

"Festive." Cloud said.

"You backing out?" Tifa asked.

"I've never backed out of anything in my-" Tifa cut him off. Their lips pressed against each other. Cloud held Tifa closer to him. They broke apart. Tifa had blushed quite a bit.

"We're lucky this year." Tifa said.

"I think that luckily hold too." Cloud replied. He leaned forwards and kissed Tifa again.

---------------------------------------------

You didn't think I'd leave that bad of a cliffy with you did I? Ok I may be gory when it comes to fights, but I've got some romance touches.