Awhile

AN: I own nothing in this story. This is for fire mystic so enjoy! Please R&R.

The noonday sun beamed in the sky so blue while the woman waited for her parents to arrive. She was twenty three with flowing red hair, somewhat pale skin, and brown eyes that gleamed when they spotted the two people she had been waiting for entering through the park entrance.

"Mom, Dad, over here!"

Tifa Lockhart came up to her daughter first, hugging her tightly. And as Elly smiled warmly at her mother, she took in the toll time had taken on her.

It wasn't much of a toll, a few streaks of gray here and there, some added weight around the barmaid's middle, and some wrinkles but when she smiled back, Elly could still see the caring young woman who used to give her piggyback rides and read her fairy tales.

Her father, after a less life squeezing embrace, gave her a smirk and Elly noticed the wrinkles on his face and his hair was still a vibrant red, what was left of it anyway. But as she returned his smirk, she remembered the overprotective young man who had taken her on rides in the chopper and taught her how to belch the alphabet, much to Tifa's chagrin when daughter and father showed off this new talent.

"Fei couldn't make it today?" Tifa asked. Elly smiled at the mention of her husband and nodded.

"Yeah, he got called into work but he sends his best."

"He treating you okay?" Reno queried. Elly rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Yes Dad and is that a gray spot I see?" Reno's eyes widened at that and felt around his scalp.

Tifa and Elly laughed until Reno finally realized it was a joke and huffed.

"Yeah, yeah, pick on the old man. Anyway, why did you want to meet us here today?"

"I just wanted to spend some time with you two, it's been too long since we were all here together," Elly replied.

Both parents grinned widely at that.

"So what do you want to do first honey?" Tifa asked, the glint in her eye revealing that she knew just what Elly would say.

"The swings of course."

Arriving at the swings a few moments later, Elly plopped in one of them and Tifa took another. When Reno didn't immediately join them, both women looked at him.

"Aren't you going to swing with us Dad?"

"I'm a little old for that. And I think you guys are too," Reno answered.

Elly pouted and Tifa merely smirked.

"Says the guy who still collects Batman comics," Tifa said.

"Fine, I'll get on a swing."

"Nope, sorry Dad, you have to push us now," Elly stated.

So with a wry grin on his face, the former Turk rolled up his sleeves and pushed his wife and daughter.

"Higher Daddy!" Elly yelled, trying to imitate her voice from when she was younger. And although Reno chuckled at how immature Elly sounded, the grin on his face was genuine as he remembered days when she loved nothing more than to be pushed on the swings.

After several minutes of this, Elly and Tifa came to a stop, the crimson haired woman getting up and moving Reno into her vacated swing. And without further ado, she proceeded to push both her parents.

"Consider this repayment for years of swing pushing," Elly said as she pushed them for the fourth time.

Reno looked over at Tifa.

"She gets it from you, you know that right?" Tifa just shook her head.

"She's more like you than me and you know it," she replied.

"Actually, I'm a mix between the both of you and I know how childish you guys can be so don't pretend this isn't fun," Elly spoke up, causing Tifa to blush in embarrassment and Reno to smirk.

Once she had stopped pushing them, Tifa pushed Reno and Elly and finally just Elly by herself before they continued on their way through the park.

Everywhere Elly looked brought back wonderful memories the first being the turtle with it's head missing. She had claimed it when she was five, "her" turtle was always fun to climb and she had been heartbroken at seven to find that it's head had been chopped off, crying as Tifa and Reno soothed her.

The water fountain, rushing through it with Reno while Tifa tried to stop them, the barmaid eventually caving in to their pouts and joining in the fun.

Rushing forward, Elly impulsively burst through the upward stream of water and turned to her parents, droplets dripping from her long hair. Tifa and Reno just grinned and chased after her.

The now soaked family continued on, reaching the wide open field. Elly remembering running with a kite trailing behind her at eleven and her father carrying her on his shoulders while they chased after Tifa.

Finally they sat down at the shaded park bench, the memories of crying, being comforted, and laughing with her parents all at this bench coming to Elly's mind at that moment. Hugging the both of them, she smiled.

"Mom, Dad, thanks for everything you've given me. I'm really glad you came today."

"You deserve it Elly," Tifa said.

"Yeah, and it was nice to get out, Gaia knows I could stand to lose a few pounds," Reno cut in, patting his pudgy stomach.

Elly laughed at that and nodded before touching her own stomach.

"Actually, there was one other reason I invited you out here today." Tifa and Reno nodded, urging her to go on. "You're going to be grandparents."

The next thing Elly knew she was being hugged from both sides, her mother and father shedding tears of joy.

"How far along are you?" Tifa asked, wiping at her eyes.

"Three weeks," Elly answered.

"Make sure you have plenty to eat, okay? And don't forget to not drink any alcohol," Tifa said rapidly, ready to add more advice before Reno put a hand on her shoulder.

"Babe, she's our daughter, I don't think she wants us to cram all this pregnancy advice down her throat right away." Tifa huffed at that and looked at Reno.

"You don't know anything Reno. You thought an ultrasound was a new stereo system before I told you, remember?"

Elly smirked as she watched her parents argue, knowing it was just how they were.

"Don't ever change," she said softly.

After talking with her parents for another half hour, Elly kissed the both of them on the cheek and walked from the park, her hand rubbing her still flat stomach.

She was going to teach her child to belch the alphabet and give piggybacks on demand. She was going to worry about safety without being overprotective, although she might if her son or daughter decided to date too early. She'd go to parks and push on the swing for hours. Her mother would spoil her child rotten with baked goodies while her father would delight in telling stories of his past adventures as a Turk to a captive grandchild.

And as all these future images danced in her head, she took a look back at the park that her parents were just leaving.

If she could be half as good at parenting as her own mother and father were, she wouldn't have to worry.

All she had to do was trust herself, her husband, and how she had been raised by her irreplaceable parents.

"I can't wait to take you to this park little one," she cooed softly.