Jessie Explains

"What in the goddamn..." Barret breathed. Tifa straightened herself. That person had been right, she looked beyond ridiculous trying to cover herself. She felt beyond ridiculous.

"W-welcome to 7th H-h-heaven." Tifa's voice wavered as her friends stared at her bare form. "Please take a seat. Jessie?" Her voice was firm now. "You you mind giving me a hand with drinks?" It wasn't a question.

Jessie followed followed Tifa back towards the bar while the men shuffled off to a table. Jessie let out a small help when Tifa's hand grasped tightly onto her arm.

"I tried!" Jessie squeaked as Tifa's grip tightened, her red eyes boring holes into the girl. "But the warehouse wasn't very well guarded. We cleaned things out in half the time I thought it would take-eeek!" The metal armor on Jessie's arm started to bend under Tifa's fingers. "I really tried, I promise! But you know how Barret can get sometimes." Jessie tried to twist her body out of Tifa's grasp but she wasn't able to escape. "He wanted to wrap things up to see Marlene!" That finally got Tifa to release her hold. She could be embarrassed, and humiliated, and mortified, but she couldn't be mad about Barret wanting to see his daughter.

"Another round over here!" Someone called out.

Tifa sighed, revealed for any reason not to go over and face her friends. She grabbed a few bottles of beer and shoved them into Jessie's arms.

"I'll explain everything to them." Jessie offered a smile. "And besides, they were going to find out sooner or later. Not like you could have kept this a secret." Jessie turned and hurried off. Tifa knew that, but that didn't mean that had to see it! After attending to the table's drinks, she turned and made her slow **** march to her friends.

"I...," Barret started when she arrived. They were all standing ramrod stiff, facing each other and not her. "I appreciate your sacrifice for the cause."

"Jessie filled us in," Biggs said. "This is probably the most courageous thing any of us have done, if I'm being honest."

"I promise we'll find a way to make it up to you." Wedge bowed, in spirit to Tifa but in reality to Cloud, who was seated across from him. Tifa couldn't help the small smile forming on her lips.

"Say something, soldier boy." Barret elbowed Cloud, who sat next to him. "Or do we have to pay you for that too?"

"I...uh." Cloud stammered, and Tifa caught a quick flick of his eyes towards her. That small, almost imperceptible movement hit Tifa like a lightning bolt. For a brief moment, a pleasurable excitement washed over her, overriding her anxious embarrassment. Tifa took a deep breath to calm herself.

"If you really want to make it up to me." Tifa unconsciously put her hands on her hips. "Then put all this money to good use."

[contributions to this thread are more than welcome]