By Kristen Gupton-Williams

The next morning found Tifa and Vincent asleep on the beach. They were awakened by the brightness of the sun as it rose over the horizon. Vincent was the first to open his eyes, momentarily disoriented. As the sound of the nearby surf hit him, he remembered the night before and looked to see Tifa cuddled up against him. Certainly everyone back at the base was wondering what had happened to them so he roused her. "Tifa?"

She stretched lazily and looked up at him. "Oh my God, did we sleep here all night?"

"Looks like it," he smiled and struggled up to his feet, then extending a hand to help Tifa up.

Tifa managed to get up. "Uh, you're still going to have to carry me to the parking lot where my crutches are."

He silently complied and swept her up. After getting to the parking lot and having Tifa set back up with her crutches, they made their way toward home.

They weren't far from the base when a bright red sports car came to a screeching halt next to them. The driver's side door flew open and Reno jumped out. "Where in the fuck have you two been all God damned night?"

Tifa and Vincent looked at each other, knowing that they were in trouble. They didn't get a chance to defend themselves before Reno started in again.

"I've been looking for you since three this morning when Angel freaked out because you guys hadn't come the Hell home yet." His messy red hair blazed in the early morning light, making it look as though they were facing the devil himself. "That's it, there is now a sun down curfew for the two of you. I've had it."

"Yes, Father." Tifa joked back, feeling as though she was being reprimanded by her dad.

"Don't fucking act like this is funny, Tifa." Reno scowled. "Angel was absolutely certain that Shin Ra or some other assholes had kidnapped you."

"Reno, calm down," Vincent interjected, trying to be the voice of reason. "Everything is fine. Tifa and I just needed some time to ourselves."

It was at that moment that Reno took notice of the fact they were both covered in sand and their clothes terribly wrinkled. Suddenly his face took on a much different look. "Oh, I get it, down on the beach for a little midnight romp, huh?"

Tifa rolled her eyes, not feeling that it was any of Reno's business. "Can we just go home now?"

"Not so fast." Reno crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "You mean I've been up since zero dark thirty out here looking for you, when you guys were down at the beach screwing around?"

"Knock it off, Reno." Vincent ordered, as he opened the passenger side door of the car, motioning for Tifa to get in.

"On the beach?" Reno scoffed. "You're gonna be washing sand out of your asses for a week, you know."

Vincent had had enough and shot Reno a look that curtailed any further commentary. Seeing that Tifa was in, he slid into back seat next to her and pulled the door shut.

Reno growled under his breath and got back in, driving them home. As they went down the road, he did have something to talk with Vincent about. "I've got the airship set and we can head toward Wutai tonight."

Vincent nodded, "That's great. I forgot to ask one thing."

"What?" Reno grimaced, dreading some horrible request.

"I want Jarras to come if he likes." Vincent said, suspecting that his son would want to attend.

Reno smiled in self-satisfaction. "Too late, old man, I've already thought of that. I was going to call him this morning and see if I should have Brad go pick him up. Since you're here though, you call him."

Vincent managed to catch the cell phone that was soon hurled at him. "I don't know his number."

"Idiot, I programmed it on the speed dial. He's number fourteen." Reno shot back. "Shit, you'd think you'd bother to learn your own kid's number."

Vincent dismissed Reno's commentary and dialed.

After several rings, there was an answer. "Mideel Books, if we don't have it, we can order it. This is Jarras, how can I help you?"

Vincent smiled at the sound of his son's voice. "Jarras, it's Vincent."

A brief pause passed before he replied. "Oh, hey, how's it going?"

"Well, I've got some bad news, I'm afraid." Vincent's smile faded.

The trepidation was clear in Jarras' voice. "What's going on?"

"You're uncle Tseng has passed away." Vincent's voice cracked as he delivered the news.

There was another pause as Jarras sat in the nearest chair. "Oh God, I'm sorry."

Vincent had to steel himself before going on. "It happened night before last."

"What happened?" Jarras asked, as the news sunk in.

Vincent immediately choked up and passed the phone to Tifa, not wanting his son to hear him cry.

Tifa took the phone. "Jarras?"

"Tifa?" Jarras was confused for a moment before realizing that Vincent hadn't been able to go on. "I asked him how it happened before he gave the phone to you."

"Oh," Tifa wasn't thrilled about having to be the one to go through the details. "Chaos had one last go at taking over Vincent, and Tseng was attacked."

Jarras didn't understand. "I thought Chaos was gone!"

"We all did, turns out he wasn't, though." Tifa placed her arm around Vincent, seeing that he was still upset. "In any event, Tseng got hurt pretty bad, and despite all that the doctor did for him, he didn't make it."

"That's terrible… at least everyone else is okay, right?" Jarras asked.

Tifa opted to leave out her own injury, not seeing how it would help him to know of it. "Yes, the rest of us are okay, and Chaos has been dealt with once and for all."

"I hope so." Jarras sighed, feeling very bad inside.

"Anyway, Vincent was calling to see if you would be interested in coming to the funeral?" Tifa asked.

"Of course," Jarras wasn't objected to closing the store for a few days if needed. "When and where?"

"Well, we're leaving here for Wutai tonight. Reno was going to have Brad come fly out and pick you up if you wanted to come." Tifa said.

"Okay, I'll be ready." Jarras knew that he had to go, for his father if nothing else. "Is Vincent doing all right?"

"He'll be okay." Tifa sighed as she pulled her husband closer. "He's strong."

"He's not blaming himself, is he?" Jarras was aware of Vincent's propensity for accepting fault.

"Sort of, but he's holding it together fairly well." Tifa didn't want Vincent to really know where the conversation had turned.

"Well all right then." Jarras rose up from where he was sitting. "I'd better go so I can get things in order before I get picked up. Oh, one more question."

"Sure." Tifa narrowed her eyes, wondering what else there could be.

"Can I bring someone with me?" Jarras turned red in embarrassment.

"I don’t see why not." Tifa couldn't help but ask. "Who?"

"I sort of…" Jarras felt weird talking about this to Tifa, "Brandon has a daughter and we went out to dinner of couple nights ago, and I thought maybe she'd like to get out again. Is that wrong to ask a girl if they want to go to a funeral with you?"

The fact that Jarras might be getting a real love interest in his life thrilled Tifa and she became giddy for him. "Oh cool! I don't think it's weird. It'll be good for you to have someone to make the trip with you."

Jarras smiled to himself. "Okay then, see you soon, bye."

"Bye." Tifa turned off the phone and handed it back to Reno.

Vincent had noticed her tone for the last few minutes of the call and was confused. "What was that?"

"You're boy might have a girl friend." Tifa laughed.

Vincent's expression went from sadness to amusement. "Really? That was fast. Not a married one this time, right?"

"I don’t think so. In any event, he wants to go." Tifa replied.

Reno heard her and picked up the phone again. He flipped it open and called Brad to tell him to get Jarras.