So in this one shot Tifa and Cloud ask Denzel if he wants to be legally adopted, and some interesting things come to light. I really love this one. Hopefully I got the characters right, I'm a HUGE FFVII fan but sometimes I can't quite get Cloud and Tifa right, in this one it's a bit difficult. But anyway here it is. :) 

                                Denzel and Marlene sat eagerly in seventh heaven bar. Tifa had called them down a few minutes before, apparently they had something important to talk about. Important enough that Cloud needed to be there, meaning that he was coming home from work early. Tifa had also closed the bar earlier than usual. This also meant that they had to wait for Cloud to get there, who was running a few minutes late.

                               So the two children sat patiently and waited, passing the time by helping Tifa compile recipes. After a few minutes of this, Cloud came walking into the bar, and after a "sorry I'm late" sat down next to Tifa. 

                                 "So what's the news?" burst Marlene excitedly.

          Tifa smiled, Cloud looked anxious. 

                                 "OK," Tifa said at last "So as you know after Meteor hit a lot of things were lost, like your birth certificates and other legal documents. Well, we've recently tracked down your birth certificates. And Denzel, if you don't mind....Me and Cloud want to legally adopt you. Are you OK with that?" Tifa asked slowly.          

                             Denzel nodded "of course." he said. Tifa clapped, even Cloud smiled. Marlene cheered. "Yay! me next!" she exclaimed, then she paused "oh, never mind" she said sadly, remembering Barret. "But yay Denzel!" She said enthusiastically, but she couldn't mask her disappointment. She hugged Denzel, then the family group hugged. Well they were a family right? 

                                                                           ((*))

                            Later that night, after Denzel and Marlene had gone to sleep Cloud and Tifa discussed what had happened, and discussed Marlene's predicament

                                         "He wouldn't!" exclaimed Tifa in reply to Cloud's remark that 'Barret would want Marlene back soon' After a pause she sighed and said quietly. "Well I guess he will, after all he is her guardian, not us." She paused again, tears falling from her face.

                                               "Tifa?" Cloud asked coming closer to her, the room was dark, but he could still see her tears. He embraced her, and she cried into his shoulder.

                                                   "it's just...I'm going to miss her so much!" she whispered.

                                 "I know....." Cloud said softly "I will too.....we all will."

                                   "Do you think she'll miss us?" asked Tifa.

                                   "I don't know, but it's not like Barret will never let us see her again." Cloud said reassuringly.            

                                       "I know..." Tifa said "but it, it just won't be the same."

                                                                         ((*))

           What they hadn't known, was that Marlene could hear everything they just said. She was sitting near their bedroom door, hugging her knees and wiping tears from her eyes. Never had she felt so torn, so lost, so sad.  She looked up at the ceiling and thought of Aerith, had it been two years already? She hadn't known Aerith long...but Aerith was willing to give everything for her. She sure wished she was here now, because just maybe she knew the answer to all Marlene's problems. Suddenly she felt warmth wash over her, it felt as though Aerith were right there with her. Suddenly a light came on and Denzel came out of the bedroom they shared.

                            "Marlene Are you alright?" Denzel asked concerned.

                            Marlene smiled and got up from where she sat. "I'm fine." she said. "Let's go back to sleep." 

                          After getting back into bed Marlene yawned and after closing her eyes fell into a deep sleep. A sleep in which she dreamed about Aerith, Aerith and some guy who somehow knew Cloud.  They told her so many things, most of them she forgot in the morning, but one thing that she did remember: everything would be fine, and she would be happy no matter life would throw at her.