The red head sat in the chair, the same chair he had been sitting in for the last three hours straight. His eyes were glazed as they stared into nothing, having long lost focus on what he had been looking at out the window. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly as the memories flashed through his mind… He didn't look the same as he had just a year ago. He had lost a lot of weight, mostly due to the fact that he hardly ate, got little sleep and had let all self care go to pot. Had it not been for his friends he would have died sitting that chair, starving to death, unshowered, and drowning in the memories.

They did their best to distract him. At the start they took shifts with him, sitting by the bed, waiting and watching. However, as time wore on and no change occurred, they slowly began to lose their hope and faith. One by one they had faded away until he alone maintained the constant vigil by the side of the man he admired, respected, and loved. The encouraged him to get out for a while, telling him that he was killing himself keeping on like this. The doctors advised him against clinging so tightly to hope, that it was highly likely that the man who had been in that bed for a year now, would never wake up from his coma.

He refused to believe them and had become withdrawn and quiet around them. He listened to them, nodding to pacify them and then forgetting everything they had said one they left. All that mattered to him now was the man lying on the bed before him; all he cared about was seeing those bright blue eyes open once again. He would pass the long lonely hours talking, to himself, to the still form before him; he talked about anything and everything, just to fill the silence and drive away the fear. Despite it all, the red head Turk refused to give up hope, even now as the doctor walked into the room for the fifth time that day.

"It's getting late," he said as he flipped through the file of papers he held in his hand. "You should get some rest, there's not much you can do for…"

"I'm not leaving him."

Cold eyes turned from the window to look down at the man lying before him in the bed. The EMR, not having been switched on in almost a year, twisted in his hands as he fought to bite his tongue. The last time he had gotten into it with the doctor, it had taken his partner to hold him back from bashing the bastard's face in.

" Reno ... you cant keep holding out like this," the doctor said with a sigh as he looked at the red headed Turk sadly. "It has been a year. A year yesterday as a matter of fact. He's not going to wake up... and even if by some miracle he does, chances are he will not be the same man you remember."

"Shut up!" Reno spat as he grip tightened on the rod in his hands. "I'm not leaving him, and I'm not giving up hope, no matter what you or anyone else says! I'm not leaving him. Rufus was my life… is my life. I don't care what he is like… as long as he wakes up."

"Be careful what you wish for Reno , it might come true."

The doctor turned and left the room, knowing all too well it was pointless to argue when Reno got this way. Closing the door behind him he rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"Any luck?" a voice from the shadowed hallway asked.

"I'm afraid not, Rude. He refuses to leave. He just won't admit that he is going to lose Rufus."

Rude sighed as he tugged at one of his gloves.

" Reno can be stubborn."

"Well if he keeps on like this, your team may not only lose their president but also another team member as well."

Reno scowled at the door as it closed, slowly releasing his grip as he slumped in the chair slightly. Leaning over, arms on the edge of the bed he sighed and leaned his head down on the back of his hands.

"You know I fucking hate you sometimes, Rufus. I hate you for doing this to us, making us hurt like this… for making me hurt. If you had just listened to me and left when I told you to, none of this would be happening now."

Reno lifted his head slowly and looked at Rufus' still form. He felt his eyes burn slightly as he blinked hard, fighting it back. He wouldn't be weak again… he wouldn't…

"You damn well better be hearing everything I've been saying to you the past year, Rufus. I'm not just talking for my own benefit. I want you to know – I want you to hear everything I have said."

Reno fell silent for a moment, the slow stead rise and fall of Rufus' chest the only movement coming from the bed. The various machines beeped and whirled softly, sounds that had become the background music to Reno 's life for the past year. Despite the extensive time that had passed, several bandages were still in place. One was wrapped around his neck, where a piece of glass from his office window had embedded itself in the back of his neck, nearly severing his spine. They dint think there was any major long term damaged caused from it, but until he awoke, there was no way to know for sure. The other bandage wound around his head, slipping down over his left eye where sever burns were still not fully healed. As if everything that had not been going on were not enough, about six months or so after the attack and the upheaval of the LifeStream, Rufus began exhibiting symptoms of the new disease geostigma. The blotchy black patches were scattered over the blonde's arms, chest, and back. Just one more thing Reno worried over during those long hours he spent at the bed side, waiting, watching, and hoping.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, in the early A.M. hours, Reno finally fell asleep despite his best efforts and despite the memories, fears, and doubts that were swelling in his mind. His sleep we light and broken, his mind drifting in and out of the memory of his first encounter with the then vice president of the ShinRa company.

It had been only a week or so since his induction as a member of ShinRa's finest- the Turks. He was surviving his training- for the most part- other than Tseng annoying the crap out of him. Reno had a good feeling about his team mates for the most part. Tseng was alright; he was just stiff and had as good a sense of humor as a mortician. Elena was a shocker; there was more to the petite blonde than Reno had first given her credit for. Then there was Rude, the mountain of a man who seemed the opposite of Reno in every way- from looks, height, stealth, and personality- and yet somehow Reno seemed to click with him easier than any of the others. The person Reno was both excited and also a littler nervous about meeting was the vice president himself- Rufus ShinRa. Tseng had told him early on that the chances of him meeting Rufus face to face was slim- the man hardly ever appeared outside office meetings or undercover missions, and he never took the time to acknowledge the new blood. Despite this Reno wanted to meet the man. He might have reconsidered that desire had he known what that first mission would entail.

For the last time Reno , stop your whining! "Tseng hissed as he cast an annoyed glance at their newest member

He rubbed the back of his head as he wondered what on earth had possessed the higher ups to bring this kid on board. Sure he had talent; he could wield a sword fairly well and was amazing at close range hand to hand combat. But his maturity level… Tseng had seen kids with more maturity than this guy. Still, he had to trust that his boss knew what he was doing.

"I just don't see why its so important I learn how to use a gun. Ive gotten along fine so far without using one… so why start now?"

"Because it is essential to the work we do as Turks. Our mission our reason for existing is to protect the President and vice President. All threats must be eliminated and long range attacks are the easiest and also the first line of defense. Hand to hand combat is a last resort- we must make all attempts to destroy a threat before it reaches that point. That is why, Reno , you will learn to use this." Tseng handed Reno a small hand gun and then turned his back on the red head.

"Your target is at the end of the hall," Tseng said as he reached into his pocket and laid more ammo on the table. "Keep practicing. I will be back and I better see some hole on target."

Reno stared after him for a moment and then sighed as he looked over the gun. Damn he hated these things. They were so loud and so messy… He raised the gun, took aim and squeezed the trigger, the force making him hand recoil as he smacked himself in the face. …and bloody annoying too!

"Oh for the love of Jenovah's head!" Reno exclaimed as he rubbed his bruised nose.

Sighing loudly and muttering under his breath he raised the gun again and fired, this time keeping the recoil under control a little better. Again and again he fired, the shots hitting the target everywhere but right in the bulls eye. Cursing loudly he reloaded and raised the gun. Just then he heard a voice behind him.

"Such angry words are not becoming a member of the great Turks."

It didn't sound like Tseng, but Reno figured it was just his ears ringing from the noise of the shots.

"Oh shut up will you? This is going to fucking useless…"

Reno didn't get to finish, his words were cut off as a hand flew through the air, striking him in the back of the head, causing him to drop the gun and stagger forward.

"What the hell?" Reno cried as he turned, only to see not Tseng but a figured with white coat and bright blond hair. The stranger smirked and Reno charged.

The stranger dodged the first blow easily but Reno recovered and turned faster than he expected and Reno landed a punch to the shoulder. The stranger yelled and grabbed the front of Reno 's jacket and threw him to the ground, placing a knee of his chest, pinning him to the floor. Reno stared up in shock and opened his mouth but no words would come out. Just then Tseng came running back down the hall and the stranger got up without a word and walked away, Tseng bowing and muttering apologies as he passed. He yanked Reno to his feet and shook him hard.

"Do you have any idea who that fucking was?" he shouted as Reno just nodded stupidly. "That was the fucking vice president!"

"Really? Wicked…" Reno stared after the blonde headed man until he was gone from sight.