WARNING: Violence and Sexual Content

DESPERATION 

Chapter V

Tifa's mind rolled over and over again back to the same thought she always had. Why was she here? Why was Vincent Valentine here? She knew she couldn't have imagined it. He looked so real, exactly how she remembered. She remembered standing on the Highwind, peering over at the curious man alone in the corner. He looked odd, but striking. She would never forget the way he looked at her, a subtle beauty hidden behind his cloak. But that was before Sephiroth, before Cloud killed him with his Omnislash strike, before she had been kidnapped. It had only been a year since the death of Sephiroth, but for everyone, it seemed like so much longer.

Rufus gently put his hand on Tifa's right shoulder as if to guide her. Tifa looked up and snapped out of her reverie. Rufus seemed concerned. He hadn't seen anyone in the library but Tifa was so sure. But it worried Rufus even more because he knew this was a dark, haunted place and strange things happened and even stranger things were going to happen.

Tifa allowed herself to be guided. She didn't flinch an inch when Rufus put an arm lightly around her to lead her around the corner. Tifa didn't look at Rufus much, just one or two glances between the long hard stares at the perfectly varnished wooden floorboards. She seemed dejected, resigned to her fate. That was until something caught her eye.

She turned her head to look at one of the paintings on the wall. It was the portrait of a man. He had long black hair, a red bandana and a striking jawline. The kind of jawline that crossed the border of deep masculinity and subtle feminine beauty. She recognised the man instantly, it was the same man she'd seen in the library, Vincent Valentine. But why was there a painting of him. She didn't want to attract Rufus' attention to it so she quickly looked away and kept her thoughts to herself. But maybe she would see him again, she thought.

Tifa had barely been concentrating at all. But she realised that something was up. This wasn't the same way she had came.

"Hey," she said, suddenly slowing down. "Where are we going? This isn't the way to my room."

Rufus smiled to himself. He liked the fact that she was now so resigned to being his prisoner she was now willing to be locked up. He had broken her spirt. He felt so powerful. But Rufus had other ideas in mind.

"I know it's been a hard few days for you, Tifa and I'm sorry. I hope I can make it up to you."

"Hard few days? That's an understatement!"

Rufus paused and bowed his head. "You're right. It's my fault. I shouldn't have brought you here, but I fear it's too late now. I was just in Midgar collecting supplies. Since Nibelheim has nothing anymore, we had to search other towns. This was all Hojo's idea really. And it was nice to see the old neighbourhood."

"You mean the slums? You never slept in the slums a day in your life? You were just high above the smog and clouds, in your luxury apartment,　working for your evil father."

Rufus started to blush. "Everything you say is true, Tifa. I'm sorry for bringing you here. Those goons who were working with Don Corneo had taken a powerful generator, that I needed to power this place through the winter. Then you were there, I remembered your face. You were so pretty, so tender. I put the chloroform on your face and watched you slowly weaken. I picked you up and carried you here. It was miles and miles. You woke up several times, but just groggy, you weren't aware. Sometimes you just fell back asleep. Sometimes murmuring words I couldn't understand, although you called Cloud's name twice. Sometimes I brought more chloroform over your sweet lips. Then I fought the Midgar Zolom with you on my back, carried you through the caves all the way to Nibelheim. I put a gas mask on you and then on myself to protect us from the noxious fumes from the broken Mt. Nibel Reactor."

Tifa looked at him puzzled. "You're very strange, you know that."

"Yes, it was a mistake. I guess you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'll just see you back to your room. I was going to ask if you wanted a drink."

Rufus motioned for her to walk in the opposite direction but Tifa stopped in her tracks and pushed Rufus' hand away.

"No, please don't take me back there. Anything but that."

She remembered the feelings of loneliness. It all flooded back to her. She didn't want to be with Rufus but she really didn't think she had much choice.

"Let's have a drink, if that's what you want." Tifa said, a little nervously. Her voice trembling like that of a child being punished at school.

Rufus brought that toothy grin back. They turned together and opened the wooden door they were in front of. They were back in Rufus' bedroom. The room was noticeably brighter than the other rooms and especially the dark corridor. This place seemed more like home, a place to relax. There was a large double bed in the centre with white sheets and long brass bedposts on each corner.

"I can see why this is your room," Tifa said. "It's very elegant."

"Are you flattering me?"

"No, just saying."

Rufus opened the cabinet next to the dresser and pulled out a bottle of champagne. He gripped the cork at the top tightly, squeezing, twisting and then releasing. The cork popped open with a gust of icy steam.  

"Champagne?" He asked, tilting his head to the side in a coquettish fashion.

"Where did you get that?"

"I bought it at the Wall Market when I was in Midgar."

"I'm surprised anyone sold anything to you. Didn't anyone say anything?"

"No, I think people's memories are short. They only care about what's happening now. They don't care about the past, nor the future. They don't care who's really governing the place, just as long as it's all taken care of."

"Since Shinra, we have had a real democracy in Midgar. Cloud tried, but gave up due to stress. We've all worked together to try and change the slums into a real place to live. More than you or your father ever did."

"Yes, my father didn't do much to help. But I honestly think if given the chance I could make things better again. That's why we're restarting Shinra. Haven't you noticed everything is disorganised now? It's chaos. I was pulled from the wreckage of Junon after the attack on Diamond Weapon. Hojo saved me. We banded together and ended up here. Collected supplies and maybe now we're ready to start again."

"I don't think the world will trust Shinra again."

"I don't think the world will have a choice."

Rufus took two wine glasses out of the cabinet and set them on top of the dresser. He poured the champagne in the glass until half-full. He then handed one of the glasses to Tifa. She accepted it, but not with a smile, but an unease that maybe she thought the champagne was drugged. She knew he was devious and capable of anything. She had already seen that.

"Let's drink," Rufus said, but Tifa remained unmoved. "Come on, Tifa. If I was going to drug you, I would have done it already."

Tifa nodded in silent agreement. She couldn't help but feel uneasy about how nice he was being suddenly. She didn't believe he had changed and she didn't believe Shinra could change the world for the better. She just didn't want to be alone, stuck in that dark room again. That's all she knew.

Tifa and Rufus chinked their glasses in a toast and took small sips. The champagne tasted fresh and chilled. Tifa hadn't drunk it in such a long time. It took her thoughts back to just a few days before, sitting in Seventh Heaven with Barret, drinking. She remembered she was complaining about Cloud, such a small matter now. It seemed so insignificant.

Tifa took two more nervous sips. It definitely wasn't drugged. It tasted good.

"I'm glad we're getting the chance to get to know each other," said Rufus holding the glass to his lips and taking a long precise gulp. He held his glass down for a moment. It was empty. Tifa had only drunk half of hers. "I always felt that we got off on the wrong foot."

"Well kidnapping someone can really do that."

Rufus laughed. Tifa didn't.

Tifa slowly sipped her champagne. When her glass was almost finished, Rufus offered some more. She accepted it more readily this time. She hoped she wouldn't get too drunk, she had to keep her wits about her. She still had to find a way to escape. Maybe she could smash the glass over his head and then the bottle. She pictured the shattered glass sticking in his eyeballs, his screams and his blood. But then she thought that he could just snatch the glass out of her hand in a flash, he was so fast, and smother her in chloroform once again. She didn't think about escaping again that night. Not for a few hours, at least.

Rufus and Tifa chinked their glasses again.

"See it's not so bad here," said Rufus. "As long as you've got enough drink to drown your sorrows and a plan for the future. That's all you need. I think you should join us here at Shinra, Tifa. I think you'd like it."

"Well, I don't think that's possible."

"Just think about it a while. We could certainly use a pretty face like yours." 

Tifa blushed, going bright red. She wasn't sure if it was his compliment or the alcohol. She took another sip of champagne, this time longer.

"Just saying you're pretty, that's all."

"Thank you."

"No, no, you don't understand. I mean, you're really pretty."

Rufus put down his glass and took a step towards her. He snaked his right arm around her slender waist.

"You know, it gets pretty lonely here. Not much company way out in this Mansion."

Rufus gazed at her. Those piercing, intense blue eyes, Tifa couldn't look away. She was locked in, trapped, like two tractor beams they held her still and totally focused.

Rufus leant down and kissed Tifa. She trembled slightly but didn't pull away. Rufus took the glass from her hand and put it down on the dresser next to his.  

 "It's so lonely here," he repeated.

Rufus then picked up Tifa into his arms and carried her over to the bed. He placed her down with great care, making sure her head rested softly on the pillow. Tifa didn't say a word. Rufus took off his white jacket and then his shirt and then his pants until he was naked. Tifa didn't budge an inch but just stared back at him in a certain awe.

Rufus then removed Tifa's tight white vest, her tiny black miniskirt, her gloves and boots. Tifa felt the same way she did when he bathed her. Totally relaxed and at peace.

Rufus sucked on Tifa's breasts and stroked her long, raven-black hair. He was getting hard. Tifa moaned but her expression was stoic, there was no pleasure. Rufus connected the necessary ports, the I/O adapter, just like a machine. He was plugged into her and thrusted sharply causing her to squeal.

He thrust back and forth, back and forth, careful not to get the wires tangled, or the port ejected. He kissed her lips. They tasted so fine. They tasted of the champagne she had just drunk and of passion and of beauty.

"I love you, Tifa Lockheart," he said, sweating gleaming from his face.

Tifa didn't respond, she just laid there motionless.

Rufus finished the job, all lights turned green, everything a-ok, discharge complete, he could safely eject himself from her. Rufus breathed heavily. He fell back onto the pillow feeling better than he had done in months. He was in heaven. He had enjoyed it. Tifa hadn't.

In a few moments, Tifa noticed Rufus had gone silent. She looked over. His eyes were closed. He was asleep. This was it. This was her big chance. She had to take it. It was now or never. Tifa thought that in a few hours she could be back with Cloud, back to normal life.

Tifa got off the bed, careful not to wake him. Rufus started to snore loudly. He was obviously deep in sleep and wasn't going to wake up easily. Tifa tip-toed across the room to the dresser on the other side of the room. She opened one of the drawers. Nothing. She then opened the next drawer. Just old clothes. She moved the clothes around a bit when her hand hit something metal. She looked down and saw a pair of scissors.

Tifa picked them up and held them in her hand. The metal was all rusted up, old, but still might do the job. Tifa looked back over at Rufus, still sleeping. She planned it in her mind. Take the scissors, jab them in the side of his head. Dig in deep, make sure they penetrated his brain. Cut deeper and deeper. Hold his mouth closed so he wouldn't make a sound. Pull the scissors and and watch the blood flow like a stream down and soak the pillows crimson.

It would be so easy now. It was now or never. Tifa slowly creeped over to where Rufus was sleeping. She held up the scissors over his head. She started shaking slightly as she began to think of the consequences. She thought about how she could live with herself being a murderer. Even if he was the most evil man in the world, even if he was a kidnapper - it was still murder.

Tifa started shaking more. A tear rolled down her cheek. She couldn't do it. Tifa dropped the scissors and kicked them under the bed. Perhaps she would have the courage to use them later. She hoped so.

Tifa walked back over to her side of the bed and got back in. Rufus put his arm around her. He was awake after all. He held her body tightly. She could feel his muscled arm pulling her naked form close to his.

She quivered again. More tears.

"Thank you, darling," Rufus said. "That was great."

"Yeah, thanks Rufus," she replied.

More tears streamed, now uncontrollable.

To Be Continued....

a/n: thank you so much for reading. I think we're just getting started. obviously there's a lot more of the story involving Vincent Valentine. But also about Tifa and Rufus. Is she ever going to escape? Will she ever be able to kill Rufus? Or will Rufus keep her as his prisoner forever? We'll find out soon, I guess. Please review and let me know what you think!! Thanks xx