Barret Wallace felt greater than he had in months... years even. They had finally did it... they had finally defeated Jenova. He was proud to have been part of the group that felled the Planet's greatest enemy, prouder still that he had been the one to found the group. Avalanche had been his life for the past fwe years.

He was mighty pleased when the new President of Shin-ra agreed to make reparations for all that happened to the world. Currently, Reeve was dealing with Yuffie and her father Godo over the release of Wutai from Shin-ra's control. Most negotiations were based on give-and-take, though. Barret himself was the new mayor of North Corel.

But there was one thing that nagged at the bulky man: the situation between Cloud and Tifa.

Cloud Strife had been one hell of a mucked-up little boy when Tifa had first picked him up at the Midgar train station. Barret had had doubts about letting such a dubious character take over the team. Tifa, however, had this cheerful, optimistic spark that told Barret volumes about how she felt about Cloud. Later, that boy would be revealed to have memories of another guy, that he had been locked up in a lab for five years on end being experimented on, and that he had always been nothing but an outcast.

Still, Barret cringed when he thought about it.

Then Cloud had met the flower girl. That was when Tifa started having real problems. It was so obvious how Aeris felt about Cloud, and how she always showed Cloud that she cared, while Tifa was so much more reserved... she had to be, after all. The world hadn't been kind to her, and therefore that had built a kind of wall which she was wary to let down, even to reveal her true feelings to the man she loved.

Barret cringed again. Cloud was so, so, so.... dense!! Despite all that had happened, despite the encouragement Tifa had given Cloud throughout all the events before Meteor... it was damn annoying, how that boy could even miss the danger signals that flared in the reunion room whenever he spoke about Aeris. Aeris is dead, man! Barret felt like shouting at Cloud. Much as he liked Aeris, Barret would have preferred it if she'd just kept out of Cloud's life.

Well, Tifa was back in Sector Seven, which had been rebuilt. No longer a slums, it more resembled a lovely urban area, quite a place to live in, in fact. Tifa was in business, of course. She had an unusual zest for her ventures. She was tending to both a bar, and right next door was a grocery store which belonged to her as well. She employed waiters occasionally but for most part, tended to the store in the days and the bar at night... always closing at ten o'clock sharp. Tifa didn't really believe in drowning the night away with drink anymore. Barret couldn't help but feel amazed at his friend.

Despite all that had been finished, Avalanche still wasn't through. Reeve was planning a special Headquarters area for them. Barret looked forward to moving there.

He walked into the bar now, looking around. The men were laughing and joking with each other, some chatting with Tifa as she served them drink. Tifa was a good listener, and she always had a few good words of advice for her more depressed customers. Barret wished she could take her own advice...

"Hey, Tif!" he called.

"Barret!" Tifa exclaimed, running to him and hugging him. "How have you been?"

"Bored," Barret said off-handedly. "Marlene's been spendin' more time sleeping over her friends' houses, so we cut a deal with each other. I go visting my old friends while she go making new ones." Barret had a huge grin on his face. "I'm so proud of my little girl!"

"Any news?"

"Not much... everyone knows what happened to everyone else..."

"How about Cloud?"

Barret winced. He knew that quetion had been bound to come up. "I hear tell he's been taking jobs as a mercenary-"

"Still?"

"In the north, since there're still some monsters to clean up."

"Oh..." Tifa looked disappointed.

"You mean he ain't come by for a single visit?" Barret asked. Then he looked indignant. "Why that little spiky hair foo'..."

"Oh, come on, Barret. It's only a few months."

"If you can call twelve months a few," the big man muttered.

Tifa changed the subject and when all her customers were gone, the two of them had an extended talk long into the night. At last, Barret stood up, yawning. "Ain't got much energy as I used to, Tif. Sorry about that."

"It's okay, Barret."

As he made his way out the door, Barret turned. "Oh, and Tifa?"

"Yes?"

"Hang tough, honey. Just you see."

Tifa smiled. "You dear, dear man," she told him gently. "What would I do without you?"

This was it. Barret fell to the floor, gasping for breath. How long had it been since he first received the terrible news... that he had only months left to live...

The cancer was attacking his very core, causing anguish. He looked fine... outwardly, but inside he had to fight to even move.  This was very bad. Marlene was barely sixteen... who would take care of her once he was gone? Sure, they had a wonderful life here at Avalanche Headqurters, but Barret realized with dead clarity that he wouldn't live to see his little girl get married or anything...

Marlene....

"Marlene," he croaked, hoping she could hear from her room. Her music was at the loudest volume, the drums probably making it harder for her to hear anything.

"Marlene," he tried calling again, stumbling from his bed to his door. He crashed to the ground, pulling a standing lamp down with him. "Marlene..."

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Marlene shouted from her room.

"Mar... lene..." Barret could barely breathe. Hang tough... she's bound to hear you...

"Daddy?" Marlene sighed in annoyance and got out of her room. She screamed when she saw her father on the ground, curled up, sweat on his brow. "DADDY!!" she screamed again, running to his side.

Barret could faintly hear Marlene running from the door to the balcony, screaming for help. Everyone lived close by, anyway. "Help! Somebody help!! Daddy's sick!!"

Cloud was somber as he stood by Barret's bedside, Tifa on the other side with a hand on the gunarm of Barret Wallace. Even Reeve and Scarlet were there. Scarlet looked petulant as usual, but her eyes were sad. Somehow, she understood Marlene's pain. Cid of course was there, pacing the floor.

Vincent came in, quietly as usual. Yuffie was with him, having uncharacteristically left Wutai to see her former comrade. She was a firm leader, everyone knew, and utterly dedicated to rebuilding her homeland. She looked young, of course. She was barely twenty-seven. Yet she had borne twins, something which Barret was glad to have witnessed. He groggily opened his eyes.

"Everyone.... here?" he managed to whisper. His voice, once strong and rumbling could now be barely heard.

"Yes, Daddy. We are," Marlene assured him, wiping her tears away.

"Good. I just... wanted you guys... to realize..." Barret could feel his own tears filling his eyes. He was about to leave them... leave them forever. It hurt his heart more than the cancer could, tearing at his insides because he would be going to a place where none of them had gone yet... none except for maybe Aeris...

"I just wanted you guys to know," he began more forcefully, but ended up in a bout of coughs.

"Daddy," Marlene sat up to help him, but he went on.

"I'm very honoured to have lived with you guys and fought by your sides," he wheezed. "You guys gave me a life... I could never say I would swap it for any other... I'm glad... even if I'm going now."

"Daddy, you're not dying..." Marlene said half-heartedly. She looked so sad Barret wanted to throttle himself. But he had to make her move on... he was dying, she wasn't.

"Marlene, I just want you...to know..."

Marlene started crying again. Barret lifted his good hand and gently stroked her head. "Don't worry, honey... I'll always been with you... in your heart... Honey, don't cry. This old man's done enough living."

"No you haven't! How can you say that!" Marlene cried. "Daddy, I love you... you can't just leave this way! Oh, Dad!" she sniffled, burying her face in his shoulder. "Daddy, please..."

"Hang tough, honey," he whispered, his vision fast fading. "I love you, too... always and forever."

His hand become limp as Barret Wallace, found of Avalanche, friend, father, comrade and former mayor of Corel, died.

"Daddy..." Marlene whispered, realizing his last breath adh come and gone. "Daddy...?" she lifted her head. "NO!" she screamed, getting up suddenly and shaking her father's body. "Daddy you can't leave me!! DADDY! Daddy, wake up! Please wake up!"

"Marlene!" Tifa and Yuffie held the girl back. "Marlene, he's gone," Tifa told her gently.

"No, he can't be!" Marlene sobbed. "Daddy doesn't die so easily! He's just sleeping, see? He'd never die on me! Never!" Marlene tried to get out of the older woman's grasp. "Do you hear me, Daddy?? I don't like this game! Wake up! Please wake up!"

Yuffie bit her lip, trying not to let the tears roll. She knew full well how Marlene felt. She had reacted to her mother's death the same way, many, many years ago. Marlene fell against Yuffie and Tifa, sobbing so hard her slender shoulders wracked.

Cloud glanced at the others. Scarlet was also going to Marlene, speaking soothingly to the teenager as the three women offered words of comfort. Reeve's jaw was clenched, and Cid was muttering curses. Then Cloud saw Vincent step up to the big man, patting the large hand. A single tear glistened down Vincent's pale cheek.

Hang tough, honey, his voice drifted into her ears.

It was going to be hard.

Hang tough, honey.

Marlene curled into a ball, putting her hands over her ears. "Daddy," she cried softly.

Hang tough, honey.

Forever and ever, she would remember his last words. That was the best thing he could say to her... he couldn't say sorry, since sorry wouldn't suddenly cure him and bring him back. Marlene was glad that he'd found peace, but she was so... terribly lonely. She cried again, pleading the sky to somehow bring him back.

Hang tough, honey.

Marlene lay in her balled position, slowly drifting off to sleep, Daddy...

Yes, honey. Hang tough.

Marlene turned around, tears shining in her dark eyes. "Mr. Strife."

The man said nothing, only walking over to stand beside Marlene. He looked down at the grave of the man that had founded Avalanche. Though he had taken over the faction, he held a great deal of respect. "Your father was a great man, Marlene," he said softly.

"Yes. I know."

"You should be proud of him."

Marlene said nothing for a long while, until Cloud walked away. "I am proud of you, Daddy," she whispered. "I love you."

She felt a breeze caressing her cheek. At once, she knew it was from her father. "Forever, Daddy," she declared. "For you."

Marlene Wallace turned and began walking away. There was no use for tears. Barret Wallace had been laid to rest in a grand funeral. For his only daughter, there were memories of a happy life with her father....

And the future lay before her. She smiled happily, her father's memory in her heart.