(In case you haven't read Fly Into The Night: In Chapter 30 with the help of Rufus, Shelke manages to find out that her aunt is still alive and working/running at a Ski Lodge in the Icicle Inn Area. She learns of this in between the week of the final fight and before she locates Vincent, but is unsure what to do about it.)
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Since the ordeal surrounding Omega and Chaos had long past, the Planet had slowly begun to rebuild itself. Everyone seemed to look to the WRO for help and support – much like they had done for ShinRa – for directions on how to rebuild, the population unsure what to do on their own. Everyone in AVALANCE had gone their own ways again, currently unneeded to save the Planet.
Shelke had shrugged it off; she didn't have much of a need to keep in touch with most of them – too busy with her lieutenant position within the WRO and being named the lead researched in technology given her SND ability, which she had thrown herself into.
Shelke paced back and forth outside Reeve's office, shooting a glance at the closed wooden door every time she had past it by. It had come to her last night – she wanted, no needed, to go to the Icicle Inn area, she'd been putting it off for far too long.
"A vacation," she repeated to herself, shooting a look at the door as she past by again.
Hadn't Reeve been pushing her to go there since she found out Skye Rui was alive?
Lost in her thoughts about everything that had happened since she had met Shalua again to the information she got from Rufus, she didn't hear the wooden door in question open with a small creak. Her back to the door, she didn't see the WRO commissioner standing in the doorway, arms folded across his chest watching the younger girl mumble away to herself.
"You know," he eventually said, making the girl jump. "You don't have to wait out here."
Shelke whirled around in surprise, glaring at Reeve when she saw him. "You know not to do that," she chided, hands on her hips. "You're just lucky my dual weapons are back in my office."
She remembered the first time she'd seen Reno within the WRO building – he wouldn't admit it, but she had scared him. Reno had said Reeve sent him to find her and when he grabbed her shoulder . . . well, she had quickly reached for her dual weapons, lighting them up. The regime of kill or be killed from her Deepground Days was still ingrained in he mind. Elena had been impressed by her skills and then processed to laugh at Reno for his quickest shut down to date.
"Actually, what I want won't take long Reeve," Shelke shook her head, stopping before Reeve. "Reeve, I need a vacation."
Reeve nodded, grabbing Shelke's shoulder and pulled her into his office. "You're going to the Icicle Area, aren't you?"
Shelke nodded again as she heard him close the door behind them. She let out a sigh as she slumped down into one of the chairs, Reeve making his way towards his long desk. Shelke watched Reeve sit down at his desk, evenly holding her gaze as he waited for her to speak. Shelke bit down on her lip, eventually looking away.
Reeve leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow at the brunette. "You know I have no problem with you taking a vacation Shelke; I believe I've been trying to talk you into going there for a couple months now."
"I know," Shelke sighed, shaking her head. "Last night I was all ready to go, my mind was made up. But, now I'm not sure . . ."
"What aren't you sure about?" Reeve asked, leaning forward, his chin in his palm.
"I – I haven't seen her in ten years . . . and look at me!" Shelke threw up her hands as she escalated to a yell.
Reeve watched the ex-Tsviet push herself angrily out of her chair, pacing behind it as she mumbled quickly and angrily to herself. Reeve shook his head, standing up. "I don't see what's wrong."
Shelke stopped, turning to glare at him. "You don't see what's wrong?! Look at me, I'm supposed to be nineteen and I still look like I'm ten!" Shelke paused, moving to lean against the wall, shaking her head. "She won't see me . . ."
Reeve glanced at the girl, smiling slightly as he moved around his desk, stopping in front of the girl. "You don't know that," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders before bringing her to him. "She'll see you; you're her niece who's been missing for years."
Shelke shook her head, pushing herself back from Reeve – she had seen Yuffie and Vincent to that enough times. "Well . . . I suppose that brings me to why I'm here."
Reeve raised an eyebrow. "Why you're here?"
Shelke nodded, clasping her hands behind her back. "I was, well, I was wondering if you would come with me . . ."
Reeve blinked, he hadn't been expecting Shelke to say that. "Is that what you were worried about, Shelke?" he shook his head, trying to keep a straight face. "I'm sure Rufus can manage everything while we're gone."
"You mean, you don't mind?"
Reeve shook his head, opening his office door. "I don't mind at all, I am rather curious to see this Skye Rui as well. Shalua talked about her often . . ."
"She did?"
Shelke's eyes narrowed as Reeve nodded, ushering her out of his office. He was keeping something from her, something Shalua had told him. She slowly made her way down the hallway, hearing Reeve close his office door, joining her moments later. As she called for the elevator, Shelke leaned against the wall, staring at Reeve, who was avoiding her eye.
"What are you hiding, Reeve?"
"Nothing."
"Reeve . . ." She narrowed her eyes again; he said that too fast for her liking. "Don't lie to me, what did Shalua tell you?"
Reeve sighed, following Shelke into the small elevator. "Nothing gets past you."
"Of course not," Shelke shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "We were trained to notice the small things."
Reeve nodded, falling into silence. "Well, Shalua mentioned that after you disappeared, she looked for you. She didn't want you to be controlled by the ShinRa," here, Shelke let out a snort – "But, she couldn't find anything out, eventually she gave up . . . she had believed they had killed you like they had Riley. Shalua didn't give up but Skye wanted her too . . ."
"Oh, I see," Shelke's eyes fell to the floor. "Skye gave up on me, she believed I was dead."
Reeve sighed – he knew he shouldn't have told her! Why did he always give into her? "Don't worry about it Shelke," he said as the elevator's doors opened. "That will all be forgotten when she sees you again."
Shelke sighed, leaving the elevator doors. "I hope you're right," she mumbled, starting down the corridor to the left. "How'll we get there anyway?"
Reeve paused. "The DragonFly's are all out in the launch pads, there should still be a couple left behind."
"Alright, see you in a couple," she called over her shoulder.
Reeve shook his head, his chocolate coloured eyes watching the ex-Tsviet make her way down the corridor, stopping at her room. Skye Rui . . . he wondered what the woman would be like upon seeing her twenty year old niece in a ten year olds body . . .
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Shelke pulled up her multi-coloured scarf as the Icicle Area's wind swirled around the two emerging from the DragonFly. Shelke's eyes widened as the wind blew stronger, nearly knocking the smaller girl off the DragonFly's ramp, her mittened hand grabbing Reeve's. Shelke huffed as she stepped off the DragonFly's ramp, her feet sinking into the snow – it had to have been a couple feet deep!
"Do you think we should have called ahead?" Shelke yelled, her voice muffled by her scarf and coat collar.
Reeve shook his head, smirking beneath his scarf. "You can turn back if you want too, but, you'll be the one to tell Yuffie you chickened out – she'll have a field day with that."
Shelke grumbled, rolling her eyes. "You're going to blackmail me?" she grinned at him. "Hmm, you might be harder to overthrow as the WRO Commander then I originally thought."
Reeve blinked, surprised, as Shelke shrugged and started past him. "You're going to what?"
"Nothing," Shelke gave a yelp, followed by a laugh as she quickly sped up as Reeve tried to catch up with her.
Like he'd be able to catch her, she was the Transparent One anyway . . .
Shelke held a hand to her side, her laughter making the brunette short of breath. She threw a dark glare up at Reeve, the older man standing calmly beside her. Shelke took a deep breath to calm herself down, trying to stand up right next to Reeve.
"You don't laugh much, you know?" Shelke said with a frown.
"You sound like Yuffie," Reeve commented. "I suppose it comes with a job like mine."
Shelke rolled her eyes. "Your job – please, mine's just as tough. Anyway . . . this is the place, huh?"
The two stood outside the ski lodge in the Icicle Inn Area, the wooden building, a snowman guarding the doorway. Shelke had laughed at the sight of the snowman, claiming it needed a scarf. Standing outside the door, Shelke's courage had started to disappear . . . she didn't know if she wanted to do, but like hell she'd tell Yuffie she chickened out!
"Yeah, this is it," Reeve commented, glancing at the smaller girl. "You ready for this?"
Shelke nodded slowly, looking up at Reeve. "I believe so, yes, yes I am."
Reeve smiled at her, placing a hand on her back, bringing her forward. "Good to know – let's get this done with, agreed?"
Shelke tried to protest as Reeve pushed her forward, finding herself up close with the wooden door. With a sigh and a glance at Reeve, Shelke reached for the doorknob, pushing the ski lodge's door open.
Entering the lodge, Reeve closing the door behind them, Shelke looked around in wonder. The ski lodge . . . it reminded her so much of her childhood in Sector Five, the plates on the wall, the carpet, it all looked like Aunt Skye's home. As she moved forward, unaware of Reeve behind her, she unwound her scarf from around her face, shoving it into her pockets followed by her mitts.
"I can't believe it . . ." Shelke breathed, stopping in the middle of the room, the fire roaring silently in the corner. "I can't believe I'm here."
"Yes, may I help you?"
Shelke jumped at the new voice, spinning around on her heel.
Her heart stopped as she saw an older female emerge from the back room.
The woman looked exactly like Shelke remembered her. The woman's long, dark brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail coming to middle of her back, a white headband in her hair. Her eyes and skin tone were similar to Shelke's, and she wore a pair of blue leggings and a white turtle neck, large winter boots adorning her feet. Shelke blinked, her eyes widening as Reeve gave her a push from behind.
"Skye!"
The woman blinked, her eyes widening as Shelke approached her, pulling the other woman into a hug.
"Who are you?" she said slowly as Shelke released her.
"It's me . . . Shelke."
Skye shook her head, backing away from Shelke. "No, it can't be. Shelke died when she was ten, you're lying – get out."
Shelke sighed, pulling the too big hat from her head, her short brown hair sticking up in every direction as she unzipped her coat, shoving it into Reeve's waiting arms. "I'm not dead . . . I survived ShinRa . . . it's me."
She bit her lip as Skye looked over her body, a frown on the older woman's face. "Shelke would be almost twenty now – you look like you're ten."
"I . . . ShinRa, they – they preformed many experiments on me," Shelke started off, casting her eyes to the floor before shaking her head, forcing herself to look up at Skye. "I have been working with people from the WRO to try and reverse the damage ShinRa did, but, we haven't come up with a way yet."
Skye crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowed at the two. "I see . . . where is Shalua?"
"Shalua . . ." Shelke started towards Skye, stopping when the older woman backed up. "She died trying to protect me from Deepground –"
"Shalua is dead?" Skye looked like she'd been shocked, but shook it off, her face once again a mask. "I told her that would happen when she meddled in affairs above her head."
"Above her head?" Shelke echoed in confusion. "She – we found each other, Skye. Shalua succeeded in what she wanted, she got her wish."
"To die?" Skye raised an eyebrow and then paused, shaking her head. "Shalua found you – how like her, she always liked to prove me wrong. Even in death she proves me wrong. But, how did she die?"
Shelke bit her lip, casting her glance down at her shoes. "We were trying to escape from Azul of Deepground within the WRO headquarters and it's all my fault! I didn't want to go with her, I didn't trust her, but then the door started to close . . . and she pushed me through and," Shelke shook her head. "Vincent and I tried to hold the door open, but it closed on her. Azul killed her right then . . ."
Skye's eyes widened as she shook her head. "Shalua is dead . . . I can't believe it."
Shelke sighed, looking back at Reeve; she knew Skye wouldn't believe her. Skye froze as she felt Skye's arms come around her, holding her close to the older woman's chest. "At least you came back, you found me. Shelke, you're not going back to Midgar, ShinRa won't take you back."
Shelke shook her head, prying Skye's grip off of her. "I have to go back to Midgar – I work there, Skye. I am the lieutenant of the WRO – perhaps I will become the Commander one day," she threw a wink over her shoulder at Reeve. "We're trying to reverse the damage that was inflicted on me all those years ago; although we've failed so far, we're on the right track."
"Hmm? You're an experiment, who would do that to you?"
Shelke shook her head. "Rufus ShinRa has been a lot of help."
"ShinRa's son helped you?"
Shelke nodded. "He is also the one who found your location for me, this is all thanks to him . . ."
"No." Skye shook her head, gripping Shelke's shoulders, holding the brunette at arm's length. "No, he's not going to take you back there, you just need lots of fresh air – have you ever gone skiing?"
Shelke shook her head, prying Skye's hands off her. "I am old enough to make my own decisions, Skye. I only came here to tell you that I was alive after all these years – it is what Shalua would have wanted that."
Reeve nodded, stepping forward. "She is in good hands at the WRO headquarters; she might actually make Commander one day."
"No," Skye shook her head, Shelke stepping out of the woman's reach. "I won't let my niece take part in any war."
Shelke rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you saw what happened in Edge and Midgar?" Skye nodded, shivering at the remembrance of the footage on television. "I was part of all that, I was in Midgar at the time of the final battle."
Skye shook her head, hands on her hips as she stood as tall as she could. "Your mother left you in my hands. You say Shalua is deceased because of ShinRa, I will not let you go back."
"I didn't come for permission," Shelke shook her head, her tone firm. "I am of age and will do what I see fit. I like my job, I might even be getting a promotion soon," she commented, throwing a sharp glance and a smirk at Reeve. "If you do not except that – perhaps I shouldn't have come after all."
"Shelke – you're the closest thing to my sister, you can't leave. After Shalua did . . . I . . ."
Shelke closed her eyes, turning her back on her aunt. She didn't want to see that look of depression or the helplessness in her voice. "I promise I will come and visit, I have many unused vacation hours, but I can't – and I won't – stay here forever, Skye. I have a life to lead."
Skye sighed, dropping her glance to the carpeted floor. "I suppose I understand, but it's been ten years."
Shelke smiled as she turned around, Skye a couple feet before her. "We have a lot to catch up on then," as she grasped the older woman's hands, she looked back at Reeve. "Would you mind if I took a couple days vacation?"
Reeve shook his head, draping Shelke's winter coat onto the nearby chair. "Sure, we'll come back for you in a couple days – you know our number."
"I do," Shelke laughed, waving to him as he made his way towards the lodge's door. As the front door closed, effectively blocking out the howling wind, she smiled back at Skye. "Don't mind him, he's just my friend, he just worries about me."
Skye shook her head, a knowing smile on her face as she pushed Shelke farther into the room, closer to the fire. "You look cold, you just sit there. I don't think it's just worry that he looks at you like that," Skye said over her shoulder as she busied herself in the nearby kitchen, the dishes and cups clinking together before she brought a covered tray back into the room. "I think he likes you."
"Oh course Reeve likes me," Shelke said, nodding as she took the offered cup. "I am his lieutenant; it would be weird if he didn't like me."
Skye shook her head, sitting down beside Shelke. "Perhaps, after all these years, you're still too young to understand."
Shelke raised an eyebrow at Skye, the older woman refusing to say anymore as she stared into the fire. Leaning back on the stone fireplace, Shelke frowned as she thought about what Skye had just said and what Reeve had done for her . . .
Could it be possible? Did Reeve like her, in that way? She shrugged as she closed her eyes, the warmth of the fire overcoming her. It didn't really matter right now – that would give her something else to do at the WRO headquarters next week . . .
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A/N: This was supposed to be part of the epilouge I uploaded for Fly, it was supposed to be right after the "morning after", but in the end, there wasn't enough room for it. So, here it is now!