Author's Note: I'm back! I wrote the first 5 chapters of this story back in August but almost forgot about it. Now I'm at university I'm really busy but if you guys like it enough I might be able to fit in more time to write than usual. *HINT: Shameless request for more reviews* I just like the idea of a bit of a TifaxRufus romance with, of course, TifaxCloud too. Anyway I hope you like it and let me know what you think. I can't know otherwise!

Ball Gowns and Billionaires

The night air had a fresh, energetic feel to it. Despite the surrounding construction and ruins of Midgar poking upwards in the distance, the hall in front of the members of AVALANCHE stood impressive and finished. A new town hall, Shinra had announced, would be built, fully funded by Shinra themselves for the new city of Edge. Finished, it was ready to begin hosting the various string of events that were to come in the many decades, maybe even centuries, ahead. At first they had been marvelling it at in the daytime, surrounded by a bustle of builders, electricians and plumbers as they had packed up from the premicise. Now, the stars twinkled high in the sky and they found themselves walking down a red velvet carpet. Journalists were fighting amongst themselves to try and get a statement or picture. They were the stars, Heroes of the Jenova War, now doubling as heroes against The Second Coming of Sephiroth.

They entered. Rows upon rows of ladies and gentleman dressed in suits and ball gowns came into view. The whole hall wore an essence of expensive and prestige. Even the domed ceiling loomed impressively from above. Each were distracted by the sheer amount of money that had been poured into the event: the wall drapings, the furnishings, the large number of staff and the way the floor had been polished until it gleamed. Then, in the middle of it all stood the president of Shinra.

"The honored guests arive!" Rufus Shinra announced, looking clean and comfortable in his pristine, cream coloured suit of expensive wool. Several heads turned and the heroes instinctively drew closer together as a group. Rufus' eyes narrowed on Cloud. He looked unusually smart in his own suit.

"Rufus," Cloud nodded, evidently a little uncomfortable.

Behind him, Yuffie's face had glazed over with a child-like awe as her eyes soaked up the interior decor.

"Don't get any ideas." Barrett clasped her firmly on the shoulder as he gave her a warning glare. Her fingers had been clasping and unclasping hungrily.

She shrugged it off. "Can't a girl look?"

Vincent strode past her then, cutting Yuffie short of anything else she may have wanted to say. He inclined his head towards Cloud and said faintly, "Do you think we'll survive this?"

Beside him Cloud chuckled dryly. "I'd keep an eye out for the exits, just in case."

"Isn't one of you missing?" Rufus interrupted.

Cloud turned quickly and surveyed his team members. His eyes darkened. "Where's Tifa?"

She was being eaten alive by photographers and journalists no doubt. She was too kind-natured to simply walk past and ignore them, and that dress... The girls knew who they'd see on the front of every fashion and celebrity magazine tomorrow.

Marlene, who had been standing beside Cloud, tuned to Denzel with a communicating look. Together they quickly nodded and sprinted in between the legs of the other entering guests. A few seconds later they reappeared pulling along a tall, dark haired woman with dark eyes, a kind smile and an astounding figure . Her strapless dress was tight but fitting and colored an elegant champagne. "Oh wow," she whisphered as she marvelled at the interior.

"Oh wow indeed," a voice uttered.

Cloud immediately shot Rufus a glare. The multi-billionaire pretended not to notice and continued on with his welcome. "Now that you are all here we can start with dinner. Naturally, you will be dining with me." He smiled graciously, gesturing towards a grand table in the center of the room. Before he could say anymore however, he was distracted by an advisor who lead him away.

"I can't believe we're going to dine with him at his table like it's some kind of honor," Yuffie complained, echoing all of their thoughts.

Red XIII looked at her with his one golden eye and then back at the table Rufus had just been gesturing at. "As honored guests perhaps we should put the past behind us."

The group then went quiet, a silent agreement occuring between them. They began making their way towards the center of the room. It wasn't long before Cloud felt a light tugging on his sleave. Soldier's instinct made him go tense, but then he heard the voice that belonged to the hand and he relaxed.

"You look a little tense. Are you okay?"

He continued walking, though not shunning from the proximity and so Tifa followed. "I'm not... used to wearing a suit," he admitted, the line of his lips creasing slightly.

Unseen to him the corners of her mouth turned up a little. "You look fine to me."

He continued walking on quietly. Even in her half-inch heals he was still slightly taller than her. He doesn't believe me, she thought to herself. She eyed him over as he continued onwards. Then, involuntarily she blushed as she became distracted by the strong line of his jaw, accentuated by the black of his dinner jacket.

"What is it?" He had caught her staring.

She swallowed quickly. "It's nothing."

In front of him Cloud inspected his "soup". There was barely three teaspoons worth.

Cid made to say something foul and insulting but was stopped promptly by his wife, Shera, who gave him a calm, 'please don't', imploring look. He lowered his spoon to the table and began to politely scoop the creamy brown liquid into his mouth. "Great soup," he said gruffly to Rufus. Shera smiled brightly then.

Marlene was looking admiringly at the brown haired woman when Denzel muttered miserably beside her, "Tifa's homemade soup is better."

She hit him lightly on the arm. "That's not very polite." She looked to Tifa for affirmation, but found her attention was elsewhere. Between her and Rufus, a debate had picked up.

"So why was the money spent elsewhere instead of where it was really needed?" Her female guardian's tone was still soft but tetering on firming. Her eyes had already taken a harder look than normal.

Rufus' sleeves slid back over his arms in elegant folds as he held his hands up in surrender. "All I can say is that, out of our control..." he casualy gestured at Reeve who sat across from him, "how the money was divided and spent could not be done in concordance with our interests, whether you consider that to be a good thing or not."

Typical businessman, passing the blame onto someone else. And I thought Rufus had changed.

From across the table the accused director of the WRO, Reeve, looked up briefly. "Let's not discuss matters relating to money at the table, shall we?"

"I didn't bring it up." Rufus smiled with a hint of smugness, or so Tifa thought.

"Neither did I," she countered. "You felt the need to validate your company's policies to me and the subject just happened to come up."

Rufus simply said nothing and took another sip of his wine. It irratated her.

"Thank you for your investment in North Corel," Barrett suddenly said.

Rufus raised his glass momentarily in acknowldgement of the thanks. "I understand it has always been a quiet mining town and we don't want anymore from it than that. We have learnt our lessons in regards to taking more from a community than we can put back in. We are merely paying back what we owe."

Shame you realised so late, AVALANCHE's collective inner monologue echoed, but none of them said anything. It was too late for petty squabling now.

The music began and cheerful couples full of wine and tasty cuisine took to the floor. Cid, Barrett, Cloud and Denzel remained at their table.

"Ain't no way in hell I'm dancing to this poncy-ass music," Cid's raspy voice started. He then stood abruptly from his chair and strutted towards the exit.

Barrett sunk further into his chair, draining his beer. "If my wife were here I'd take her for a dance," he murmured quietly.

Cloud folded his arms over his chest, eyes scanning the dancefloor.

"Marlene wants me to dance with her..." Denzel piped up.

Both Barrett and Cloud sat upright. "Then go take my little girl for a dance!" The bigger man slapped him gently on the back.

Surprised, Denzel almost choked. "But you guys aren't dancing with anyone."

He's following chocobo ass's lead, Barrett thought bitterly."Just because Spiky is too chicken to ask Tifa to dance doesn't mean you can't be Marlene's partner."

"Is that true Cloud?"

Under Denzel's scrutiny Cloud sank back into his seat and glared at the couples across the room.

Denzel followed his gaze. "Oh..."

In a pristine suit and dark glasses, Rude of the Turks was talking to Tifa Lockhart.

"I don't see any threat there." Shera's voice made them all jump. "Do you know where Cid went?"

Denzel pointed towards the exit for her. When she had left Yuffie then made her presence known, placing first her little leather bag and then her forearms onto the table next to Cloud. She smirked devilishly at his profile and then gave Denzel a friendly wink. "You know, if Cid doesn't ask Shera to dance I bet someone else will. Then, when Cid sees Shera being taken around the floor by another man I bet he'll regret not asking first." She paused to detect any change in Cloud's features. "Who knows, maybe Shera will decide she's bored of Cid and run off with the dashing man who had the balls to ask."

Cloud's nearest eye took on a stony, death-like glare appearence.

"You own the same bar as before then?"

Tifa couldn't help admiring the small, shy smile of the Turk standing in front of her. Who knew after the many times they had found themselves pitted against one another they could be chatting pleasently like this? "Yes. We're all happy there," she smiled.

"You and the children you take care of." Rude glanced at Marlene who was sipping her drink. "And Cloud," he added after a short pause.

She nodded. "If you ever find yourself in the area..."

"I'll make sure to come in. With Reno most likely, if that's not a problem."

Her eyes lit up in understanding. "I don't mind Reno."

The music in the background took a pause, the backdrop of sound suspending for a moment. Then, the band began to play again. Rude offered out his hand awkwardly. She looped her arm through his and they took to the floor.

"Get Denzel!" Tifa mouthed to Marlene. Then, turning back to Rude she admitted, "I've never really danced before. Not like this, anyway."

His facial expression was warm. "I'll lead. You just follow."

The dance began. It took some adjustment getting used to the feel of a man's hand around her waist and, although less so, also holding one of her hands in turn. But Rude was safe, she told herself, a gentleman. She knew she could relax around him.

She glanced over Rude's shoulder to try and spot Denzel or Marlene. Marlene was pulling at Denzel's sleeve, no doubt giving him a pep talk in order to persuade him to dance with her. She smiled. Her eyes then caught those of a stoic-looking gentleman in a black dinner jacket. It set off the shape of his strong jaw and the tint of his mako colored eyes. Her lungs suddenly shrank within her chest.

Rude swung her round gently on her heels but she hesitated. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No..." But the way Cloud had been staring at her...

Rude swung her round again. "You're doing fine," he assured her.

"May I?"

They both stopped. Rufus Shinra's calm eyes focused only on Tifa as Rude stepped aside. She looked between Rufus and Rude as she was passed along like a baton. Gentle hands were replaced by even gentler hands, though which had a surer grip. Tifa suddenly felt herself in the presence of someone much larger than her, the president of Shinra. Her gut reaction was to react as if he was the opposite.

"Thank you, Rude," Rufus said graciously. "I hope you don't mind me interrupting," he said, focusing his attention on her.

The line of her lips drew a little tighter. "Not at all."

Meanwhile heads tilted and expressions grew curious as many of the guests around the hall asked themselves, Who is the president dancing with? With a closer look they recognised her straight away.

"I believe I have made you the center of attention." Rufus' smugness exuded around him. Rich, powerful and full of it.

She began to say something in response but decided against it. He wasn't worth her breath.

"You don't like me, do you?"

There was genuine, serious curiosity in his voice. It caused Tifa to look up at him properly, into his blue eyes. "I guess I'm finding it hard to put the past behind us," she admitted.

He regarded her for a long moment. "I'm not the same as my father." His eyes glazed over just slightly. "Neither am I the same Rufus Shinra you and your friends met in Midgar all those years ago."

"I realize that you're trying to change..." Memories of a burning Nibelheim flashed before her eyes. She winced.

"Old prejudices die hard, I suppose."

At his words, all at once Tifa felt ashamed of herself.

"No matter." They slowly came to a stop. "Thank you for the dance, Tifa Lockhart." He began to move away from her. "It was worth the insight."

She merely watched as he walked away from her. As far as the onlookers were concerned, a stunning young woman had been left standing alone in the middle of the dancefloor by the president. She then felt a soft touch on her arm.

"Tifa?" Cloud Strife, known as the leading hero of the Jenova War, was now standing by her side. "Do you want to dance?"

Her heart raced, but at the same there was a dull thumping against her ribcage. Doubt and shame and excitement and love all mixed into one at once. Recalling Rufus' face she felt unsteady. But then, when her own eyes met Cloud's, she felt secure again. "Of course."

He placed his hand in hers and the other around her waist. To those watching he came across as cool and collected, but inside he felt nothing but the increased pulsing of blood through his chest and head. "I'm not too good at dancing."

"Neither am I..." Encouragingly she seated herself further into his grip. "Rude only just showed me how. I think the trick is to follow what everyone else is doing." She felt nervous in his arms, unlike with the other two men, and it wasn't because he was an inexperienced dancer.

Cloud became quiet for a few moments. "What did Rufus Shinra have to say to you?"

"I think he wanted my opinion on something."

"Which was?" The question was direct; unlike him.

"The way the world currently views him, I suppose."

His eyes took in the complicated expression on her face, but he chose not to pursue it.

Concentrating on the dance was going to be hard enough as it was.

To be continued...