"SOLDIER Girl"

Chapter 3

---Secret Revealed---

A/N: Okies so this chapter i really wanted to focus on a specific thing [not gonna say as it will ruin it for you] =] but i just wanted to try and get Zack & 'Cloud' a little closer if you know what i mean. Anyways i hope i'm not rushing into things as this FanFic is gonna be something like 10 chapters, so not a lot xD

Special Thanks goes to: Scott, thank you for everything!

Now on with the story...

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Tifa was to scared to open her eyes, scared to see Zack's face staring into hers. But Zack didn't need to see her to know she was a woman.

His eyes journeyed to the pile of the SOLDIER clothing on the bathroom floor, the same old uniform was there.....but along with lingerie.

He sat upon the toilet seat, thinking it was like a chair.

"You're.........a woman." Zack stated.

His words were brief but entirely correct, her eyes widened at the sensation of his voice but also the shock of the statement. Tifa mumbled a slight answer.

"I........I didn't want you to find out."

There was a moment of unbearable silence between the two, Zack contorted in thought and that was Tifa's same feeling.

"You know........you could've joined The Turks."

"I.......I......I specifically wanted to be in SOLDIER."

"WHY!?"

Zack's voice roared over the showering noise, Tifa was petrified to the spot scared by Zacks anger and frustration, she let out a short wimper.

"I......I'm......sorry."

Tifa welled up tears in her eyes but were unseen by the water dripping down her face, she crouched down and buried her head in her knees wrapping her arms securely around them also. She continued to speak.

"Maybe.....it was passion......or.......aspiration......i don't know anymore.......i just......i just."

She broke out into a complete crying sensation, she tried to keep her wimpers and tears to an alright low but it was no use. She felt a towel lay on her back.

"Cover yourself up.......when you're dressed.......we'll talk." Zack calmly said.

Tifa nodded with acknowledgement and Zack left the bathroom. He sat on the bed and buried his face in his hands coursly brushing his raven hair.

Why did i shout at her, she's a woman with an aspiration to be in SOLDIER, why......was i so concerned?

Thoughts continued to fill his mind until the bathroom door slowly opened and a woman figure stood there. He motioned for her to sit beside him, and so she did so. Zack started the conversation.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you."

"No don't apologise....you had every right."

"No.....i didn't anyways can we just cut to the chase."

"Uh huh."

"Your real name......no lies."

"Tifa........."

"Tifa....what."

"Lockheart."

"Your reason for joining SOLDIER?"

Zack's question startled Tifa, she couldn't exactly say She wanted to prove that women were just as good as men.

"I.....I.....Can't."

She escaped from the bed before Zack could instantly react, she reached for the handle of the door, Zack was fast and thus grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. He backed away his face in scrutiny as he concentrated on getting information from Tifa as he stepped back the carpet was creased and with a small trip that lead to a tumble.

Tifa opened her eyes to only see Zack's staring back into them, his arms stretched out beside her collarbone giving him support above her. His legs were bent and raised above and beside her thighs.

"T.....Tifa."

Just her name being said by him sent her a some sort of pleasure. He lowered his head slowly his lips decending rapidly, she turned her face to one side.

"Can i just......leave." Tifa asked.

"Oh.....uh....yeah." Zack felt slightly embarrassed.

His hands moved to help him get up and he rised standing over her, he held out a supportive hand and reasurring smile. She clasped his hand and he pulled her up, as that happened her hat fell off, after continous fights with wearing it and it never fell off....why now?

He gasped when he saw her black strands fall comfortably out of the bun and onto her back, slightly brushing her face. He wanted to say something....though words wouldn't come to mind.

"I might just have to ask you out one night." He winked.

Oh great Zack real smooth, you really got her with those words.

Tifa blushed, and a small smile creased along her face.

"R.....Really."

Tifa flushed even more, the heat rising to her face rapidly, why the heck did she say that of all things.

"Hehe, hell yeah....actually i need to ask you something."

"I'm not answering any more questions."

Tifa turned to see the time. 10 o' clock.

"Well theres this SOLDIER promotion thing going on and......well.....you see.....well.....it's hard to....."

Tifa interrupted with a smile.

"You mean President ShinRA's SOLDIER Anniversary."

"H....How.....did you know?"

"Hmmmm.....secret." She winked.

He laughed and now asked more like a gentleman should.

"Would you go with me to the Anniversary.....as my accompaniment and date?"

"Hmmmmm, only if you give me the gil for a dress."

"Damn, there's always a catch."

Tifa laughed but even though she knew what the Anniversary was and about she actually didn't know much detailed information about it.

"When does this Anniversary start then?" Tifa asked.

"Tomorrow from 7:00pm to 5:00 am." Zack answered.

"T......tomorrow."

"Yupp, so tomorrow at 6:45pm sharp meet me outside ShinRA HQ, and make sure you get a nice dress."

Zack passed her enough gil to buy a dress, get her hair done and make-up, though she wasn't the type of person for this type of special treatment.

"2000 gil.....don't spend it all at once."

With that Zack started to depart Tifa's room until he was pulled back. Tifa tugged on Zacks Navy SOLDIER pullover, and reached in to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you." Tifa blushed and smiled.

Zack nodded and left the room entirely.

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It was 6:30pm, only 15 minutes until she met up with Zack. She was kind of embarrassed by what she was wearing.

A black strapless silk dress a few inches above her knee caps, her hair was down and straightened with a small white jasmine clip for decoration. She wore a stirling silver necklace, along with matching earrings and a bracelet. Black stiletto shoes followed to finish it off. She judged herself in the mirror in her room, wondering if any of her SOLDIER collegues will recognise her, but this was a big step for her and she wasn't about to turn it down.

She looked back at the time.....6:45pm.

She gasped and grabbed her black hand bag, she stopped when she reached the door. What happens if someone see's her coming out of this room, which was hers but only when she was dressed as a SOLDIER apprentice. She opened it ajar, the coast looked clear and she stepped out, started her first strides down the corridor when she was stopped by a deep voice behind her.

"Who are you?"

Tifa turned to see a rather tall man with long silver hair judging her. She thought of an excuse fast.

"I....uh....just came to see Cloud as he is my brother after all."

"Ah i see, then you must be Miss Lockheart."

"Tifa....please."

"Sephiroth."

They shook hands and greeted each other with smiles. He had a tight grip to his shake but no hard tempered grip, it was just a manly grip.

"Well i have to be off." Tifa broke the greeting.

"Ahhhh, so you're attending the Anniversary."

"Yes, along with my boyfriend." She hated to say it but it was the only excuse she had.

"Hmmm, taken then."

"Yes, sorry but i must be off."

Tifa attempted to run down the corridor but her stiletto's lagged her down a bit. She ran outside of ShinRA HQ and looked around, there was no sign of Zack.

"You're late." A voice came from behind her.

Tifa turned to see Zack right behind barely inches away, his hair was the usual except more tidy, but he was wearing a tuxedo which was black, and the way his hair and tuxedo contrasted made him look even more godly.

"You're.........stunning." Zack said unable to find more efficient words.

"Thank you, you don't look to bad yourself." Tifa complimented back.

Zack held his arm out and Tifa threaded her arm through it, and they walked in the main hall where the grand Anniversary was taking place.

Music and dancing was what everyone played along as, people and couples were swaying to the music and mastering the dancefloor. Zack left Tifa to wait for about a minute and brought her a glass of champagne. She took a sip and then Zack gently took her glass from her hands and placed it on the nearest table.

"Care to dance." Zack proposed.

"Uh.....Zack." Tifa hesitated.

But before she could say anything he delicately grasped her hand and pulled her to the middle of the dancefloor.

"Zack.....wait.....i don't know.......how to dance."

"I'll show you, just follow my lead."

He carefully clasped her wrist of her right arm and put it on his shoulder, then came the left arm slowly put into his free hand. He then put his other seperate hand on her side gently clasping it for grip. They started of in a slow swaying motion taking it step by step, every now and again Tifa would fumble but only occasionally.

"Ow." Zack moaned.

"I'm.....i'm sorry." Tifa apologetically said.

Her grip lostened because she trod on Zack's foot but he didn't want her to let go, not now. He kept her grip the way it was so that it seemed they could dance like this forever.

Soon enough the music changed and now everyone was in a more romantic dance posture. Tifa starred at them with fascination and that 'if only' thought.

Zack motioned a little and moved his hand clasping her hand to her other free hip, Tifa looked at what the other attendants were doing and put her hands around his neck, but he was impatient and wanted her closer to him.

He moved in by a few inches, there gaze into each others eyes never left, he wanted to feel her close to him.

He lowered his head and starting nuzzling at her bare neck as his right hand moved up and down in a swaying motion on her hip. Tifa then backed away.

"Um.....i'm just going to the ladies room."

"Oh.....uh.....okay."

Zack brushed a hand through his hair and watched as Tifa left to go towards the womens toilets, he wished they never departed, what he did was stupid, he rushes into things with women a lot, but this was different, he had never felt this way before.

Tifa changed her direction and instead made her way to her room, she got the key out but fumbled it and saw it collapse to the ground. She bent down and picked it up then hearing a familiar voice behind her.

"Hello again." Sephiroth greeted.

"You seem to like coming from behind people." She smiled.

"Visiting Cloud again."

"Uh....no.....i left something in here that i need to retrieve."

He smiled.....a kind of smug smile. That's when the unexpected actually happened.

Sephiroth grabbed her arm tightly and swung her into the frame of the door, his eyes looked her from top to bottom.

"Don't worry i know your little secret.......Cloud." Sephiroth threatened.

Tifa gasped, she couldn't move, she had no competition against him, he was a 1st class SOLDIER at a very high standard. He leaned in.

"Give me what i want and that Zack won't get hurt."

His hand rose up her leg and traced it upwards, he made her dress rise as his hand slid up into it. Tifa slapped him and attempted to escape. It was no use what she dreaded was going to happen, happened. He pinned her more tightly into the frame of the wooden door, this time starting to nuzzle at her neck while his hand worked on her thigh.

Tifa tried calling for Zack but all efforts were in vain, until a familiar figure protruded towards Sephiroth, sword in hand. The figure was revealed and it was raven haired Zack, his whole face was scrutinized by the way Sephiroth was holding her, Sephiroth loved playing dirty.

Zack charged towards Sephiroth, the sword ready to penetrate into him, until a small dagger was pulled to Tifa's neck, Zack stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hmmmm i really wouldn't hurt this sensual girl....now." Sephiroth smuggly teased.

"Let her go, i'll kill you, you bastard, i'll fucking kill you." Zack stormed.

"Hmph."

Zack looked at Tifa and the way her dress had shortened and her face was smothered in sadness and disbelief. She then lifted her head up and looked at Zack, she nodded, Zack knew exactly what that meant.

He caught Sephiroth off guard and the sword just missed him, the dagger avoided Tifa's neck but deeply cut her arm, she let out a small squeal of pain as this was no different from the training she had when she was with Cloud and fighting fiends.

"I'm not in the mood today......let's save this for another time." Sephiroth enquired.

"What.....you scared." Zack countered.

"Zack, until the next time."

Sephiroth walked off leaving Tifa with an uncomfortable glance.

She was gripping her left arm where the cut was but the blood was still leaking and running down her silk, pale skin.

Zack bombarded Tifa's bedroom door down and grabbed her hand, he sat her on the bed and then wripped some material from his tuxedo. Carefully with gentle hands he wrapped the streamline of black material where the cut had been placed, tying it in a neat knot.

"Zack......i." Tifa started but never finished.

He sat down next to her in silence, there were no words, nothing, only the quiet sobbing of Tifa.

"You must think......i'm just a woman who seduces men for the pleasure of it....Zack.....i.....i...."

"Don't say that, because you're not, infact, i know you're not, because you're the girl......the girl."

Again this time Zack was unable to finish the sentence but words that he has full regret over came out of his mouth.

"I want.....to kiss you."

That brought Tifa's head snapping around.

"What?"

"I want to.....kiss.....you.....and only you."

"Not another Sephiroth are we."

"No, i'm sorry."

Zack stood up and took a step towards the door, but felt a weak and shakey grip grab hold of his tuxedo jacket from behind.

"Zack....i was joking."

There was a brief smile from Tifa and Zack turned around, sat back in his same position except this time....facing Tifa.

His eyes were a misty blue and his hair was motionless, Tifa mirrored his gesture.

"Just promise.....you'll take me on that date." Tifa smiled.

"It's a date." Zack winked.

With that he leaned in, closer and closer, they were inches away from each other and then......Zack's lips decended onto Tifa's. The kiss was deeper and more sensual then Zack had enquired it to be, but to him.....this was the best thing ever.

The taste of her flooded his mouth as his tongue gently caressed hers, both of them pulled in closer Zack took more control and gripped Tifa's hips pulling her closer, he didn't want this moment to end. He wanted the kiss to go even deeper than it was but he didn't want to affend Tifa in anyway so kept himself in check. His lips slanted more eroticly over hers giving her the pleasure of tasting him, heat and tongue smoothed and filled her mouth making her escape a small growl from the back of her throat. Zack knew he was giving her a small amount of pleasure and that she enjoyed it just as much as he did. His hands escaped the wrath of her hips and slid underneath the end of her dress, their position changed so Zack could break the kiss.

"......wow." Zack stared.

"What?" Tifa giggled.

"You've definitly had practise."

Tifa shoved him playfully, and he laughed along with Tifa's small amount of laughter that followed.

Tifa let out a yawn, apologising afterwards. Her eyes slowly started to shut and felt heavy, she was so tired after everything today.

"Hmph, get some sleep." Zack told her.

"I'm.....not.....tired."

Zack pushed her into the bed and wrapped the covers over her, pinning the covers down overtop of her. She giggled sensually in the way his face smiled as he playfully started taking advantage.

"Mr. Zack Fair, you are not my Doctor only my Mentor." Tifa joked.

"Mentor that's good enough for me, now go to sleep......Tifa."

With that Zack kissed her gently on her forehead, and left the room.

Tifa looked at the plain ceiling above her and knew she could sleep contempted tonight.

What was this feeling?