Chapter 4:

"Who is that?"

Yuffie's curious voice cut into Sky's thoughts and made her look up. "Who?"

"That." Yuffie pointed and squinted outside. "Wait a minute …"

"Reno," Cloud murmured from his position by the door.

"Reno!" Sky squealed in a clearly childish manner, leaping up to race to the door. "But … who is that with him?" She glanced at her brother who was leaning against the inside doorpost, a vaguely curious look on his face. "Cloud --"

But she could say no more, because a grinning Reno was loping closer. The new girl who had previously been striding in front of him was now slightly behind him, wary.

"Hey, baby," Reno greeted Sky playfully, slinging an arm around her shoulder. He offered a friendly nod to Yuffie and Cloud, to which the latter offered only grimaced.

"Who's your friend?" Sky inquired, curiously eyeing the half-wet, half-dry, all-angry girl.

"I'm not his friend," the girl retorted sharply, before adding more meekly, "Not really, anyway." She glanced at Reno, who raised an eyebrow.

Sky wondered briefly what that was all about, but -- as usual -- her curiosity won her over. "Who are you, might I ask?"

The girl grimaced, obviously withholding a smart comment. "Razydia Rothguard," she said, narrowing her eyes as if expecting something. "Or just Raz."

"Hi, then, I'm Skaia Strife," Sky replied, smiling and nodding politely. She didn't mind this girl too much. A little tense, but otherwise okay.

Reno chuckled. "I knew I'd get your name eventually."

Razydia shot him an irritated look that quickly turned to a skepticism Sky couldn't understand. Instead, Sky shuffled out of the way and eyed Reno questioningly. He only shrugged and tugged at the ends of her hair absently.

Raz moved into the living room of the inn and swept her gaze around it. And then her gaze landed on the dozing Vincent Valentine on the couch.

Sky was not at an angle at which she could see Raz's face, but as soon as she saw the tense shoulder's and slight sway of the new girl, she felt suddenly angry. How dare she even look at him?! But she immediately stopped thinking -- stopped breathing -- when Vincent's eyes snapped open and fixed themselves on Raz.

By now, Sky -- tugging Reno along -- had shifted far enough around to confirm her fears. Raz's eyes were wide and blinking. Her pale cheeks were reddening. She was chewing her lip.

No… Sky felt like crying. Raz was a pretty girl, even as wet and mussed as she was. Dark hair, bright eyes, perfect skin … And she even appeared to be considerably older than seventeen. Sky bit her lip but said nothing, even as Vincent's eyes slid once over Raz and then moved deliberately over Sky to stare at Reno questioningly.

Reno shrugged. "Raz, Vincent. Vincent, Raz."

Vincent slid his gaze back to Raz and his crimson eyes met her emerald ones.

"Vincent, huh?" Raz said almost-smoothly, regaining her confidence. "Vincent what?"

"Valentine," the perfect mouth replied roughly, and Sky winced at how painful his voice seemed when it was aimed at Raz rather than herself.

Not that Vincent ever actually spoke to Sky. Not really. He even tried his best to avoid her. Sometimes Sky wondered if he was simply repulse by her and refused to be seen with her at all.

But that thought was often quenched by Sky's ego.

"Valentine." Raz pursed her lips and nodded her head to gesture to herself. "Rothguard."

Vincent slid into a sitting position and ran a ran through his mussed hair.

Sky could audibly hear Raz's intake of breath. But that was partly because she echoed it. Vincent was just so damn sexy. Did he even know?

Vincent, oblivious as always, sighed, stood, and stretched so beautifully that Sky had to clench her eyes shut and turn away. He was so amazing that it was painful.

When he swept his lovely, curiosity-filled eyes over Raz once again, Sky could no longer take it. Ignoring anyone's eyes, Sky shrugged away from Reno -- who protested -- and half-stumbled, half-fled through the door and out into the damp air.

She would have burst into tears right their had she not heard footsteps behind her. She bit back the tears and put on a smile as she sung to face Reno.

"Hey," she said as bouncily as possible.

"Hey," he echoed, his head tilted to one side, and walked over to sling a comforting arm over her shoulder. He tugged her hair in a reassuringly familiar manner. "What's wrong?"

He knew what was wrong. Sky could tell by the way he said it. Instead of saying anything and wasting her breath, Sky bit back more tears and smiled. Thanks, Reno.