Cloud wrapped his arms around Marlene, holding her closely as he did when she first came to live with him and Tifa so many years ago.

“I’ll remember always.” He nodded to her.

Marlene hugged him back, not used to his hugs especially now that she was tall enough to get a good one from him.

Cloud pulled himself away from her and looked over her.  God, she grew up fast.  Had it really been ten years since his last encounter with Sephiroth?

“How’s Reno?” he asked, trying to get his mind off how fast time seemed to fly past him.

“He is… Reno. I don’t think he is hurt too badly, but I will take care of him while you go.” She turned and looked at the sunset; her dark blue and grey dress blending into the heavy air around them.  She grabbed her long raven hair and tied it back with a dark blue ribbon once more before turning and looking at Cloud.

“I want you just to get Yuffie back.  She has been everything to us since she decided to stay here, although I know we bore her so much for her heart is too wild to be bridled in any one spot.” She sighed softly.

“She’s wild, but she stays here for many reasons.” He looked to the sunset for a moment then climbed onto his Fenrir; “if anything happens to me you take care of each other, okay?”

He turned his blue eyes to her, looking straight into her brown ones.

“If Reno gets well enough, tell him to come to ShinRa’s mansion.  I’m sure by now he knows the way.”

A frown crossed Marlene’s face.

“Don’t talk like that Cloud…You’ll come back, you always come back.” Tears tugged in her eyes; “And I will take care of Reno.  I’ll send him to give a hand, don’t you worry.”

Cloud threw her a smile as he put his glasses down over his eyes.

“I guess I’ll see you soon.” He revved the engine and raced off into the distance.

Reno stood by the door watching him go off while rubbing his shoulder.

“Looks like I’ll need to go and save his butt soon.” He laughed slightly, shaking his head.

Marlene turned back around to face him and only then did he notice the tears as they dropped softly from her lashes and down her smooth skin.

“Please do Reno, but not until you are well.  I cannot loose everyone.”

Reno felt bad about his normal joking self at the sight of seeing her tears and limped over to her, hugging her gently.

“That block head made you cry.”

Marlene wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled down into his white shirt, feeling more of a kid then the adult she thought she had become.

“Reno, he has made me cry since I was a little girl, but I always had hope…hope that someday he would look to me as his own daughter as I looked to him as a father…although of course I already have one.”

“He’ll come around.” Reno sighed, looking off the way Cloud left;” someday.”

Marlene nodded into the Turks shirt and sniffled back her tears.

“Thanks Reno. I guess I always had hope he would, but if he doesn’t I have to learn that it’s alright, he still means a lot to me, and so do you.”

“You know I’ll always stick around, can’t get rid of Reno.” He pulled her back by her shoulders to smile down at her.

“Not even when we try!” She giggled softly before looking back up at him once more; “thanks for the talk Reno.”

“Anytime kid.” He rubbed her chin softly with his hand and laughed at her joke.

Marlene looked to the bar once more and turned to walk back.

“Guess I need to go and clean up before I have to get to bed. Please, come in and stay the night at least so I can make sure you are well.”

“Alright” the red-head nodded; “I will… you don’t need everyone leaving you at once. But I’ll need to head out early in the morning to catch up.  After all I don’t have a ride.”

Marlene nodded but then a smile crossed her face as she thought of an idea, but kept her mouth silent for now, walking back to the bar and getting started cleaning up as well as she could from what had occurred.

Reno walked in a few moments later and Marlene smiled to him from behind the dustpan and broom she held in her hands.

“You can go up and lay down if you want to. Denzel’s going through paperwork since Yuffie didn’t do it last week. But hey, I can’t expect her to work on it for free forever.”

Reno smiled to her once more before starting up the stairs.

“If I pass out, then good night.” He nearly whispered over his shoulder, looking forward to a nice bed to sleep in.

“Good night Reno.” She smiled, putting down her broom and walked slowly up the stairs so they couldn’t hear her come up and peeked in the room where Denzel was hovered over paperwork. Silently she pulled off the air vent and reached in, getting a bag of Gil she had kept since she was little and crept to her room, picking up the phone and talking to the after the other end picked up.

“Hello Tifa? You remember that favor you said you owed me?”