There was suddenly a bang at the door. Jessie hurried over and opened it to a little girl, two teenagers and a young woman. She was relieved when she recognised the dark hared one and the little one.
"Marlene! Tifa!" She exclaimed, and hugged the little girl tightly. Then she let go and stood up looking at Tifa. "Tifa, hi, you found her!"
The brunette shook her head slowly. "Actually...no, it was Aeris," she said, pointing towards the young ancient.
Jessie smiled at Aeris. "Well I'm glad you're all ok," She said, then hugged Tifa too. "Especially you, Barret was really worried about the two of you."
Tifa just looked at her sceptically but didn't say anything. Jessie released Tifa, then invited them all in.
"Barret! Biggs! Wedge!" Jessie called. "Come quick!"
"So, who's your other friend?" Jessie asked, looking at the black hared
woman who she thought she recognised from somewhere.
"This is Mrs Samins, she helped us too," Marlene said. Jessie just nodded. There was something about this woman...
In a moment a large figure emerged from the back of the bar, and when he saw who it was came rushing.
"Marlene!" He exclaimed, with tears in his eyes.
"Daddy!" The little girl replied and went running towards her father and they embraced. After a few moments of reconciling Barret came to sit down next to Jessie and a long brown hared girl he didn't recognise. Tifa kept her eyes fixed on the ground, avoiding Barret's glare.
"So who's your friend?" Barret asked.
"Daddy, this is Aeris. She helped us escape and she protected me, and this is Jinette, she also helped us escape," the young girl said, smiling at both Aeris and the older woman.
Barret looked at the both girls and gave them both a warm smile. "Thank you," he said softly.
Aeris returned the smile. "It's ok."
"If I can do anything, anything at all-"
"Mr Wallace I appreciate your thanks but there's something very important," Jinette said with a serious expression on her face.
"How do you know my name?" Barret asked, suspiciously.
"I know you're Barret Wallace, leader of Avalanche- but that doesn't really matter right now. Anyway, there is a way you can thank me."
"What's that?"
"By helping me evacuate everyone we can in sector seven."
"Evacuate everyone in sector seven? Why?"
"Shinra is planning to drop the sector seven plate, and we have to get everyone out of here."
"What!" Jessie, Barret and Tifa all exclaimed at the same time.
"When?" Barret asked.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow morning? But why?"
"As a way to get rid of you, Avalanche."
"How do you know all this?" Jessie asked, suspicion in her voice.
"That's not important right now, the important thing now is to get as many people as we can out of here."
"Yeah... your right," Barret said, still shocked at the latest news.
"How can Shinra do such a thing?" Tifa asked.
"We all know Shinra Tifa," Jessie said quietly. Jinette looked to the ground.
"Anyway, we better get going then," Barret said. "Jessie, go tell Wedge and Biggs about the plate." He looked at Tifa for the first time who did not return the glance. "Tifa..." He put an arm on her shoulder. "You come with me and Mrs Samins to help get as many people as we can outa here." Tifa nodded slowly and got up.
"I need to get Marlene..."
"I can take Marlene back to my house, my mother will take good care of her," Aeris said.
"Er...are you sure..." Barret started, remembering the incident with Tifa.
"Mr Wallace, I'm eighteen, trust me, I can take care of myself and Marlene."
Unlike Tifa, Barret thought. "Well... you did save her..alright then, thank you."
Aeris smiled.
Marlene got up and hugged her father. "Oh honey, I'm so glad to have you back!" Barret said, then reluctantly let go of his daughter. Tifa felt a pang of guilt as he said those words, and her head lowered. "You too Tifa..." Barret said. Tifa did not reply. A long silence followed.
"Lets get going then Marlene," Aeris said, taking Marlene's hand as she released her grip around her father. Aeris said goodbye, then they were out the door. Barret then headed off with Jinette and Tifa, while Jessie went to the back of the bar to get Biggs and Wedge. She had a plan in mind.
----
The four Turks had been called to President Shinra's office...
"Change of plan. You all know the ancient escaped somehow. Tomorrow, Tseng and Cloud, you will drop the plate. Elena and Vincent, I want you to go and find the ancient.
----