--------- Disclaimer: Nothing owned. All characters copyright of Square Enix.-----------

Nowhere To Run ch1

It's Tseng's fucking fault, I tell him. He started it.

There was a knock on my door a few hours back, and he lets himself in. Says the rookie disappeared. Yeah, right. And why the fuck should I care, I asked, why should I go find her, do it yourself. He stared, blankly, then - I fucking swear the guy smiled - he told me it was in my best interest. Right. What would he know about what's best for me? It's far too fucking cold to be out there, but there I was anyway, walking the streets. Wasn't my goddam choice to be freezing by balls off on a Saturday night, when I should be laying on my bed with a bottle of scotch drowning my misery. But all the same, I'd been walking for the better part of four hours, and there hasn't been any sign of her being around here. Fuck, the kid's smart... Top of her class. If she got pissed, she probably went home. If she's anything like me, she'd be smart enough to be sitting somewhere, waiting for morning. She should know by now, nobody's gonna save you but yourself. I learned that one the hard way. Fuck it. She'd be a goddam idiot to be running out of a friggen house and into the winter night.

My PHS breaks my thought, and I pull it out of my pocket, check the tag. Don't know the number, don't really care to answer. I slip it back in my pocket and think for a moment,
this ain't worth it. She could have jumped a bus and be miles away by now. I'm going home. Hah, that's a joke. Since I got evicted I been living in Rude's basement. Not my fault I couldn't make rent. I don't get paid enough to support myself and my habits... and if I have to choose between home and my smokes, well... You bet your ass you know what I'd pick.

I make my way back, not in a rush but not wanting to walk too slow either. The streets can be very unwelcoming at night. As I open the gate I noticed Tifa's Volvo in the driveway, third time this week. I'm almost in disbelief as I open the door and notice them fucking on the couch, but it ain't worth the effort. Good for them, I guess. I hope she brought beer. On inspection of the fridge, a sudden feeling of loss overcomes me as I realize there wasn't any. Back outside I go. No way am I gonna make it through tonight without something with alcohol in it.

On the way to the corner market, something froze me in my tracks. Elena's missing and nobody's looking but me? I didn't do a cross check on that number, and now it's bugging me. I whipped my PHS back out of my pocket and hit redial, hoping I wasn't making a mistake. Third ring, Elena picked up. Not scared and crying, but laughing her ass off.
"Can't believe you fell for it" I made out between the high pitched squealing. Tseng's in the background saying things to her... I had enough. I hang up. Magna'rod's callen and now I got an ichen for a good fight.

Back to Rude's I run, completely pissed off and ready to take it out on anyone. No booze,
no chick, and no warm cozy place to lay is pissing me off even more than the idea of Elena being alone somewhere was a few seconds ago. I grab EMR from under my futon and I burst out the door full speed. He's gonna get it for this. The thought crosses my mind that he's probably screwing with her, and I can't help but scream out loud. Screaming vents out the anger, its healthy for ya. Most people just keep things bottled up inside until they burst or implode... not me.

I take something down along the way, it might have been a trash can, and fall, hard against Tseng's cement driveway. There's no way past the 10 foot iron and brick gate to the common eye, but I'm a Turk. and I have his keycard. See, when were not pissed off at each other, were all pretty good friends, we all have each other to turn to. That's what pisses me off so much. He knew about how I was feeling today... I confided in the man for fuck's sake...and tonight he just had to fuck with me. He could have given me a "Go get yerself wasted and I'll check in on ya tomorrow," but no. That don't matter much right now though.

God, I feel so alone right now. If I wasn't Turk... if they weren't standing there... I'd cry.

Let me take you back a few steps, I'll bet you missed it. He's standing at his door like he was expecting me, and she's standing there with him and their both just having such a good damm time watching me land on my face. He has the fucking audacity to walk out and ask me if I needed a hand. I'd get up and kick his ass if my job didn't depend on him. I'd kick his ass anyway if my leg didn't hurt so bad. Why would I want anything to do with you, I asked, and he laughed. He mentioned something that hit deep with me, and I tell ya, he should have just turned around and went back home.

This leads me back to where you guys came in. I was laying on the ground in fucking pain... I think I broke my ankle... and he's standing over me, telling me it's my own fault for getting worked up over a joke. On the way to the hospital I tell him it's his fault, and he just shrugs it off. I wish I was half the arrogant asshole Tseng is, maybe I'd get more chicks... That don't matter. None of it does. In a few days I'll be over it, and by next month we'll be laughing about it all.

In the end I come out with the bone set and a cast, a month off from work and a case of the "good stuff." The bonus, well... Rude's house is a three story with tons of stairs... Tseng lives in a single story flat. You can guess the rest.

I'll tell ya this though, Tseng and Elena are, by far in comparison, more entertaining to watch than Rude and Tifa. Elena used to be in gymnastics. And I have a new camcorder.

A/N:

Yeaaaah. I had no idea what to call this.Thanks for waiting, I know it's been forever since I updated, again. I got my inspiration back, yay. There will be more of this to come... If anyone's interested?