Author's note: The rating for this story might be changed to M, but I have not decided yet. So for now, it is rated for T. Also I do not own any of the final fantasy characters in this story or final fantasy VII.

Enjoy and please leave a review.

Cissnei sat at the bar. Her body was present, yet her mind was not. Reno noticed this when she looked at him, but she did not 'see' him. Her brown-orange eyes now concentrated deeply on the amber liquid that she was so keen on drinking. It was odd; Reno could never get her to drink before.

A month prior she failed her mission. But it was not just another old mission, had she failed at anything else she might have bounced back better. Her hand grasped the glass tighter; its frail shell seemed to shudder under her grasp. Reno was not one to let someone's depressed mood get to him, but this tugged at his heart. Watching her destroy herself from the inside, like a black plague working secretly in the veins until its victim died unsuspectingly in their sleep.

He missed the old Cissnei, the one that smiled and could throw a wise crack. Now Cissnei only gave fake smiles, and buried the pain so deep no one could save her. She did not want to be saved, she felt like she deserved this hurt - this punishment.

They were in a private room, reserved in the bar. The dark wood of the tables and chairs contrasted elegantly with the bright red silk draped across the walls. After all, being a special employee of ShinRa had its benefits. The sound proof walls made conversation okay here. He decided to start the conversation. He invited her here after all. "Look, it's not your fault. Stop beating yourself up." There was a slight annoyed tone in his voice that he didn't mean to leak.

She gripped her glass tighter. "How can you say that? I was supposed to watch him! I had to save him! I tried to! If only I hadn't let him run free, then it would have prevented the Soldiers from catching up to him. If he was under my control, I could have saved him." Her voice wavered but did not crack. Her brow furrowed as she thought about it. Perhaps if she done her job as she was suppose to instead of giving him leeway….If only she had been more firm.

A million more 'what ifs' plagued her mind at that moment. If only she had did something different, the outcome would have been different. At least that is what she believed.

"Zack died the way he wanted! He does not blame you for his death." He paused, studying her carefully. "Did you….love Zack?" It was a delicate question. The Turks were not supposed to fall in love with those they were charged to watch. However, Tseng already broke that rule with Aerith, so Cissnei falling in love may not be so far from the truth. Reno shifted in his seat, his glass tipped against his lips, his eyes trailing to look at the red silk on the walls.

The glass slipped from her hand. It tottered, unbalanced by the liquids inside. Her face was flushed with how much she drank already…and by the emotions she felt. She was angry, sad, and she was feeling hate for being seen right through.

Had she loved him? It was part of her job to get close to him, to trust him. But she had gotten too close. Her heart thumped when she remembered the smile he gave her, or when he first realized there were female Turks. Then her heart broke when she remembered his broken body. He had held his own for so long, but no one could not withstand she sheer number of ShinRa troops.

"Did I not run to save him? Did I not move as fast as I can? Did I not tell him to run?" Tears were welling in her eyes and she turned her head away from Reno to hide them behind her hair. Her best had not been enough in the lose-lose situation.

Her eyes seemed to dim again, as she became lost in her thoughts. ShinRa had done this! ShinRa made contradictory orders…ShinRa…her makeshift father…the one that raised her since she was an orphan…the one that made her into something strong and useful… ShinRa now tore the heart from her chest. The meaning it once had given her now stripped her of it.

Something inside her snapped. An unnatural calm seemed to flush out all the other emotions. She had once envied the Soldiers first class for having wings. 'Wings meant freedom for those who have none.' It was her turn now. "I am done…" It was a whisper.

Reno leaned forward. "What?" He watched as she reached into her jacket. ShinRa ID and gun now lay on the table, along with her shuriken. She suddenly felt lighter. "I…quit…" She was free…she WAS free…

She stood shakily, laughing quietly to herself. It seemed she was going mad. She understood now why Sephiroth and Genesis had left. It was one thing to know why, but to understand was different. Like them, she had been loyal to ShinRa but it was only destroying her.

Zack and Angeal had tried to run. Sephiroth succeeded in running. Genesis was still out there, somewhere, she could feel it. That meant it was her turn. She felt lighter. But could she really escape?

"You will be hunted down, once a Turk, always a Turk until death." Reno stood up, his eyes wide. His hands sprawled out on the table, he leaned closer to her. Wait until Tseng heard about this.

"Then let me be hunted." 'If the big boys could do it, so can I, or I will die trying,' she thought.

She pushed up off the table and walked out. She disappeared. Reno stared at her ID card and ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck…"

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long deep drag. One of the best and brightest of the Turks just walked out that door. It was possible things could go downhill for her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. His fingers flipped it open. The glowing screen seemed too cheery to him at the moment. He stared at it, debating on whether to call Tseng. What would he say? That a broken woman ran from the pain? For some reason, branding her a traitor seemed unsuitable for this situation.

The phone snapped shut. Tseng could wait until the morning. Cissnei deserved to get away for a while.