Aerith & Tifa

[Elario Luminus]

Leon nodded.
'That makes sense. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to sleep. Wake me if you need me.'
He leaned his head back and breathed out heavily, closing his eyes. He soon fell asleep silently, content with the days events.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa had already cried herself into an uneasy sleep and sat with her face buried in her knees which were tucked up against her chest.

Zack couldn't sleep, he sat watching out the window, sparing the odd glance over at everyone else, who had drifted off to sleep one by one.
Soon... He thought to himself, moving his lightning blue gaze back out to the star spangled darkness.

It had been some time, everyone had been asleep for hours and Zack had stared blankly out the window the whole time. It was then he noticed a strange vibrating in his pocket. He reached into it and withdrew his phone, which was beeping furiously.
"What?" He said in surprise, flipping the phone open hurriedly so he didn't wake everyone.
However this attempt went down the drain when he cried out in surprise anyway.
"Aerith!" He yelled, the little window on his phone read "1 New message from Sender 'Aerith'" Instantly the SOLDIER fell into silence to read.

[Elario Luminus]

Leon jerked awake at Zack's yell in surprise, his hand instantly on his gunblade despite Rinoa laying on him.
'Zack, what is it?'
He saw Zack messing with his phone and tilted his head ever so slightly in confusion. He tapped Rinoa softly, waking her up.
'Excuse me for a minute, Rin.'

Rinoa moaned softly at being woken up and having to get up and all uncomfortable, but she obliged anyway. She sat up and got out of Squall's lap, stretching and yawning. She walked over to Irvine and hit down on his hat playfully.
'Wake up, sleepy! We're almost at Midgar.'

Irvine yelped and jumped up, Exeter in his hand quickly.
'Oh God, it's just you, Rin. Y'know, it'd be nice if ya let a man wake up on his own self, instead of bashin' him awake.'
He sat up and fixed up his snipers' jacket and chaps. He tilted his hat upwards so he could see.
'So we are almost there. Righty then.'

Leon smiled and frowned at Rinoa and Irvine.
'You okay, Kinneas? She didn't hurt you too much, did she? Zack's gotten a message...I think.'
He turned to Zack.
'Is that what it was?'

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack was grinning from ear to ear as he heard everyone stirring around him. He didn't pay attention to what they were saying, to high on joy and relief to pay attention.
At Leon's final question however, he turned to face the brunette, nodding rapidly.
"We must have entered within signal range of our satelite phone lines." Zack said, still beaming, "Here i'll read it, she says some interesting things."
He moved to be closer to the others, holding his phone
"'I know you're out there somewhere, i'd know if something happen to you. I just know you'll find your way back, and you'll bring Cloud with you, won't you Zack?'" He paused slightly to let this sink in. "'We're all holding down the fort here, even though Yuffie is driving Vincent to distraction... only one strange thing has happened since i've returned to Midgar-'" Zack paused again, looking up at Leon. "This is where things get strange, 'Cloud showed up here a week or so back, he had a woman with him... she was horribly hurt, but all he did was leave her here with us and leave again... he barely even spoke to us. We're looking after the woman though... she's red headed, with glasses and strange clothing... maybe you know who she is Zack? Well, come home soon-" Zack stopped there, blushing a little, because obviously the rest of the message was personal.

[Elario Luminus]

Leon frowned and looked at Rinoa questioningly.
'...Glasses..?'
He put his right hand out in a half shrug and shook his head shortly, signifying confusion.

Rinoa giggled and clapped her hands.
'That's Quisty. Red hair and glasses? Gotta be the Instructor, Squall.'
She jumped up and down on the spot, her hands clenched to her chest. She span around once and ran off quickly to grab her Pinwheel in case she needed it.

Irvine watched Rinoa, amused by her antics.
'Don't be so sad about it, Rin!'
He laughed, turned back to Squall and folded his arms, nodding.
'She is right though. That's gotta be Quisty.'

Leon nodded and faced Sora.
'Take us down with speed, Sora.'
He checked his gunblade was loaded and sheathed it.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Sora, who watched them all with sleepy eyes, nodded and turned to press the buttons for the landing sequence, but his movements were too slow for Zack's tastes. The SOLDIER darted forward, gently took the controls from the keyblade bearer and steered the ship himself.

"Uh... ok." Sora said with a laugh. 'I'll go back to sleep then..." He yawned and his eyelids began to droop again

[Elario Luminus]

Leon chuckled as the Highwind was stolen from Sora, and held onto his chair with one hand as the ship began to drop down slowly.

Rinoa came back, Pinwheel attached to her arm. She fired it once to make sure it still worked. It clicked back into place and she put it on safe mode, satisfied. She moved over to Squall and slipped her hand into his.

Irvine stretched and yawned loudly, then loaded the Exeter. He stood next to Squall, rifle on his shoulder.

Leon glanced at Irvine, then turned to face ahead of him again.
'Kinneas, you're on point as soon as the door opens. Call the clear and we'll come out.'

Irvine flicked his hat upwards with his index finger, hand shaped like a gun.
'Gotcha, Mr Leader.'

[Tifa Lockhart]

However Leon's carefully thought out defense plan would go to hell.

Aerith knelt by a flower bed, carefully tending the delicate petals. However, she stopped abruptly and stood, grinning happily.
"They're here!" She yelled, breaking into a run down the church walkway between the pews and out through the doors. She continued yelling as she ran past Seventh Heaven, attracting the attention of everyone within, who followed her down the street.
Aerith stopped and looked up, to see the Ship lowering to the ground.

Zack released the controls the moment they touched down and leaped out of the ship before the door had even finished opening. The moment he landed he ran across the cement road and into the waiting arms of Aerith. he picked her up and span her around, blue eyes glittering with joy.
"Aerith! I'm made it!" He yelled with a laugh, kissing her heartily as he continued to spin her around, she giggled and clung to him with joy.

Vincent and the others stood back, some smiling, though Vincent's face was one of caution, his eyes fixed on the ship.

Tifa had woken and realised they were landing. But she didn't rush out like Zack, she joined Leon in silence and stood and waited.

[Elario Luminus]

Irvine turned to Squall and gestured outside.
'If that's danger, I want more of it!'
He laughed and walked out confidently, swaggering slightly.
It's Kinneas. It's what he does.

Leon shook his head but smiled as Zack flew out the door and into Aerith. He squeezed Rinoa's hand and led her out of the ship.
'Aerith! Yuffie! Cid! How are you all?'
He laughed heartily and opened his arms wide in welcome.

Rinoa frowned at Squall, shocked by his new-found happiness.
What happened to the silently gorgeous guy I knew? Now he's always happy! Which is BRILLIANT!
She ran and jumped into Squall's back and span around him, kissing him on the cheek. She hugged him tightly and leaned into his chest. She smiled at everyone, keeping an eye out for Quistis.

Irvine looked through the crowd and saw the Instructor. He opened his arms wide.
'Quisty! How are ya?'

Quistis turned and smiled at the sniper, hugging him softly.
'Irvine, it's so great to see you...where's Squall? Is he here as well? And Rinoa? Zell? Selphie?'
She looked around his shoulders.

Irvine hung his head at the mention of Selphie.
'No news on the Chicken Wuss or Selph yet. But we have Squall and Rinoa with us. Just over there, see?'
He pointed over at the hugging couple.

Quistis frowned and jogged over to Squall and Rinoa. She leaned in close to Squall, who leaned back, grinning.
'Hey Instructor.'
'My Leonhart, are you...grinning!?'

Leon looked left for a second, then nodded.
'Yeah, I am.'

Rinoa smiled at Quistis.
'Hey Instructor.'

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa stood back on the ramp of the Highwind as everyone descended to greet the Midgar crew. She didn't really feel like talking to anybody right now, and she couldn't bare to try and join Aerith and the other's because she didn't want to drag down their joy, so there she stayed.

In the meantime Aerith was whispering words of love in Zack's ear, who was beaming from ear to ear. When she was done he went over to greet the others, all with NEARLY as much warmth as he had for Aerith.
"Vincent! How have you been? Where is Shelke?"
"She is out of town and present... she'll be glad to see you back." The tall, dark man said in his husky voice though he graced the SOLDIER with a small smile.
"Alright then, go get to meet my new friends eh?" Zack said before running to hug Yuffie and shake hands with Cid and Barret.

[Elario Luminus]

Rinoa broke from Squall to hug Quistis, but then stopped as she saw that the Instructor was holding herself wrong.
'Quisty, what's wrong? Is there any way we can help?'

Quistis waved the Sorceress off her.
There's nothing you could do that no-one here hasn't already tried. Para-magic's been tried, but that won't work. Potions and the such don't work either.'
She laughed slightly and winced with the pain.
'I guess all I have to do is wait for it to heal normally, then I should be fine.'

Leon frowned at his teacher.
'So long as you're sure, Instructor...'
He turned to Zack who was greeting everyone again. He whistled loudly.
'Zack! Can we move this to a spot where Quistis can lie down?'

Irvine dashed forward and slung his rifle.
'Here, Quisty, I'll carry ya...'
He bent slightly and picked Quistis up cradle style effortlessly.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack turned upon being addressed and nodded.
"We'll go to Seventh Heaven. Come." He gestured and everyone followed. Even tifa descended from the ship to follow along behind everyone.

Zack lead the group to an average looking building with a sign reading "Seventh Heaven" above the door. Upon entering, it was less than average inside. A bar with several leaks and makeshift chairs and tables. But this was the place Cloud and Tifa once called home.

[Elario Luminus]

Leon stepped inside and looked around the cosy bar.
'Small place. How do you all fit in here?'

Irvine walked through the door, careful not to smack Quistis' head on the frame.
'Where were ya kept before, Instructor?'
Getting no answer from her, he looked at Zack.

Rinoa walked in and shivered a little. She rubbed her arms and took in her surroundings.
'So many memories here...'
She sat down on a stool and rubbed her shoulders a bit more.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"We don't" Vincent said, coming up behind Leon. "Normally we all live in our respective homes.... but under the circumstances we've stuck together to be easier to contact... we're not even all here however..." His eyes moved to Barret, who stood silent in a corner.

Zack shrugged.
"Uh i dunno, but i guess upstairs in Cloud's room... c'mon." Zack gestured and headed up the stairs.

Tifa meanwhile had entered the bar and avoided everyone, heading straight to the bar which she ran a hand along tenderly. There was so much about this place that she wanted to forget... and remember.

[Elario Luminus]

Irvine carried Quistis up the stairs, who'd fallen asleep to hopefully slumber through the pain.

Leon grunted and folded his arms. He remembered feeling the same in the orphanage he and all his friends lived in when they were kids with Edea. He grabbed a seat and pulled it out from under a table, sitting down.

Rinoa took a seat next to Squall and propped her arm up, leaning on her hand. She glanced at Tifa, frowning for a second, then turned to Vincent.
'Now that we're all here, what happens now?'