~*Disclaimers*~ I don't own this song, I think Linkin' Park owns it, but anyway, on with this stupid thing. I don't own Reno and Rufus, but in my sick twisted little world I do! *laughs insanely* Yes! They're mine, all mine-hey! Lemme go! I was only joking! Promise! *battles against men in white suits and police officers* On with the vidfic! Let me go! *punches a police officers lights out*

In The End

It starts with

One thing I don't know why,

It doesn't even matter how hard you try,

Keep that in mind that I designed this rhyme

To explain in due time.

All I know time is a valuable thing

Watch fly by as the pendulum swings.

Rufus sits on a comfy plush chair, watching bored as the clock hands tick back and forth, oblivious to the chattering of the employees. He taps the cold table, trying to will the clock to go faster, only to have it go painfully slow. He wonders if he could order the clock to go faster, for a brief second, and a small smile appears on his lips. Scarlet snaps at him, and Rufus straightens, looking rapt in attention, but as the chatter wears on, Rufus grows bored again, staring at the clock again, wishing for it to go faster.

Reno gives a glance at the clock, sitting back in his chair, waiting for the next assignment, drumming his hands on his work desk. His shades fall from the perch on his hair in his eyes, shielding them from the world, the lights in the building making his shades give of a glare. He cocks his head to look at Elena, as she walks in. Realizing it's not his boss, Reno continues drumming his fingers, looking at the clock bored to tears.

Watch count down to the end of the day.

The clock ticks life away it's so unreal

Didn't look out below

Watch the time go right out the window.

Rufus stands in front of the big glass window in his father's office, straight with his hands clasped behind his back. He muses on how his reflection seems so bitter now, and that he remembers his small childhood, wondering exactly when it was when he was forced to grow up. To his disdain, he realizes that he was grown up before he was born. With an indignant snort, Rufus looks away from the window, unable to look at his sneering reflection anymore.

Trying to hold on but didn't even know

What wasted it all just to watch you go.

I kept everything inside, and even though,

A ten year old Reno looks on, watching as his father walks out, leaving his crumpled sobbing mother on the ground, head in her hands as she sobs. His father slams the door shut, making the house quake, and his mother looks up at Reno angrily. She yells at him, blaming him for his father leaving them, and she goes to slap him, but Reno stands still, not saying anything, nothing showing on his face when his mother slaps him, making his head snap back.

I tried it all fell apart.

What it meant to me will eventually be a

Memory of a time when…

I tried so hard and got so far,

But in the end it doesn't even matter.

I had to fall to lose it all,

But in the end it doesn't even matter.

Rufus sits with his head propped up by his hand, a thoughtful expression on his usually stony face. He ponders if his life was really worth it, if he should have sold his soul and heart to his father's evil company. He snaps out of his reverie when his secretary taps lightly on the door, making him bark out for her not to disturb him. She quickly mumbles something about his father needing him, and he sighs, getting up, still wondering what would stop his father from taking over the world.

One thing I don't know why

It doesn't even matter how hard you try

Keep that in mind that I designed this rhyme

To remind myself how I tried so hard.

Inspite of the way you were mocking me

Acting like I was part of your property.

Reno glares at President Shinra, as he talks to them like common dogs. Clenching his fists in rage, Reno puts on a cool uncaring mask, trying to fight his anger. Jabbing a chubby finger at Reno, President Shinra snaps that he should take better care of his appearance. Reno thinks bitterly that he only cares because he has some high ranking employees coming from another company, and he only wants everything he owns to look good.

Remembering all the times you fought

With Me.

I'm surprised it got so far

Things aren't the way they were before

You wouldn't even recognize me anymore.

Rufus takes a glance at Tseng, who doesn't recognizing him for a moment. Rufus smirks evilly at the surprised look he can see through Tseng's façade, and inside he wonders if he really did change. Rufus cocks his head, raising an eyebrow, asking smartly if there's a problem, and Tseng shakes his head, his oily black hair floating around. Rufus notes that Tseng hasn't changed a bit, and when he turns his back from Tseng, he catches a glimpse of himself on his shiny desk. He does look totally different, no longer the small weak boy people fawned over. No, he smirked; they'd come to fear me.

Not that you knew back then

But it all comes back to me in the end

You kept everything inside

And no matter how hard I tried

It all fell apart

Reno chugs down glass after glass of liquor, and Rude stares at him quietly, wondering when the Reno who was happy go lucky turned into the depressed guy before him. Reno sits back, slurring it's been a hard day and that his becoming a Turk wasn't all it's cut out to be. Rude nods silently, listening to his friend's drunken statements about how his life is falling apart. Getting up, Reno declares something that startled Rude. That since he has nothing more to lose, why not his soul and heart? Reno walks out before Rude could say anything, knowing that Reno had just lost the one person in the world that truly cared for him.

What it meant to me will eventually

Be a memory of a time when…

I tried so hard and go so far

But in the end it doesn't even matter

I had to fall to lose it all

But in the end it doesn't even matter

Rufus sighs, cradling his head in his arms, a rare gesture of defeat. He knows that crew, Avalanche, is turning out to be a bigger problem the he intended. Flicking the rebel hair out of his eyes, he turns back to the vision of Midgar, marveling at its 'beauty', and he wonders if all of his hard work and sweat paid off. He sighs again, taking up his pen and fiddling with it. He used to think that becoming the president would be the greatest, and not that he was, he knew it wasn't. He supposed all his hard work didn't matter when it came down to it.

I put my trust in you

Pushed as far as I can go.

And for all this

There's only one thing you should know.

Reno looks at Rude, knowing that even though the man didn't talk a lot, he trusted him with his life. Reno chatted on about last night, Rude nodding, but not really listening, but he snapped into professional mode when Tseng walked in, assigning them the task to blow up the plate, and Reno straightens, knowing that it depended on Rude's ability to ready the helicopter while Reno pressed the button. In perfect sync, no room for mess- ups. That's why Reno trusted Rude so much, he wouldn't mess up, and just because he was his friend. That was a good enough reason for Reno to trust the bald silent man.

I put my trust in you.

Pushed as far as I can go.

And for all this

There's only one thing you should know.

Rufus nods to Tseng, signifying he's ready to get going to a meeting, boarding the helicopter, but out of nowhere, a crazed gunman comes running up, waving and cursing furiously. He cocks his gun, ready to shoot at Rufus who looks cocky, signaling Tseng to take care of the problem. With a swift draw of his gun, Tseng shot the man, making blood spurt out of his mouth and Rufus watched almost transfixed as the man fell to the ground. Rufus nodded to Tseng, who nodded back, glad that he had protected his president and Rufus sat down, glad to have someone he could trust.

I tried so hard and got so far

But in the end it doesn't even matter.

Reno looks over the rumble of Midgar, his face twitching, the only sign of his disgust. Reno slowly opens the gate; the creaky sound so loud that Reno was surprised armies of rats didn't come. With a disgusted sigh, Reno looked over the area that was once his home. Meteor had destroyed everything he worked for and had held dear. Elena had left, even if it was tearful and Reno didn't show it. Rude had gone, fulfilling his dream of becoming a family man, now glad he didn't have to run. And Reno…well, Reno was on his own. He had worked so hard to be on the Turks, so f***ing hard, yet, in the end, it didn't matter at all. With a small sigh, Reno turned his heel; the wind ruffling his blue Turk jacket as Reno walked away, the sun sending a familiar glare off his shades that covered his sad eyes.

I had to fall to lose it all

But in the end it doesn't even matter



Rufus looks onward, seeing the Weapon come out of nowhere, and inevitably seal his fate. He was going to die, Rufus knew, but he wouldn't run like a coward like everyone in the building was undoubtedly doing, but he'd stay, not flinching as the Weapon grew steadily larger. With a small smirk, Rufus noted how ironic his life was. He had worked so hard to get this far, but yet, his short reign over the world was over, gone because of some mutated overgrown worm. Rufus closed his eyes; a small smile playing on his features as he accepted his fate, glad that all of this would finally be over.

~*Author's Notes*~ Well, what do you think? This was my first vidfic, at least that's what I think they're called. Well, my friend was kind of confused when I sent this to her, but if you haven't figured it out, it's during different times in the game, not all in one time period. And about Reno standing the in the rubble of Midgar, it's kinda retarded, but the only thing I could think of. Anyway, read and review please! I'll give ya a cookie! Now I sound like my sister to her dog, *shudders* yuck.