"How's Elena?"

"How the fuck do you think she's doin', Reeve?" It had only been a few hours since the executive-turned-spy had reported to the Department of Research Development, or rather, the TURKS' office, where he gave the news of Tseng's close and personal encounter with Sephiroth's sword. A meeting which ended in the Turk director's death. After Reeve left, Reno had to deal with the sobbing mess that was Elena. The poor girl blamed herself, saying she should never had left Tseng alone at that temple. Rude was silent, as usual, but after a few minutes of hearing Elena wail he excused himself. If Reno knew him as well as he thought, he figured Rude was going to do one of two things: either go out, get drunk and instigate some bar fights, or go home and cry into a beer. Reno would put money on the former. As for the red head himself, he knew exactly how to deal with the news. After ordering Elena to go home and take some personal days (he can do that now, Tseng's death resulted in a promotion for the second in command), he headed to the Department of Urban Development to see the bearer of the bad news.

"I'm sorry, Reno." Reeve says wearily. Honestly, he looks awful. Reno notes the dark bags under his eyes, the extra stubble on his face, the sadness in his voice. Unfortunately, Reno doesn't give a flying fuck.

"You left him. According to your report you saw him. You saw him bleeding and you walked RIGHT PAST HIM!" Reno started, voice growing louder and more hysteric as he went. "For fuck's sake, they already knew you were a spy! Why didn't you stop and help him? Or fucking call someone to help him. Shit, Reeve, I was in the same fucking building as you!" Reno began pacing, opening and closing his fists in an attempt to keep himself from punching the executive bastard in the face. "I could've flown over, or called Elena to tell her to head back to him. I could've-"

"No. You couldn't have done anything, Reno." Reeve replied, calm as ever. "He had lost too much blood. There's no way you could have gotten to him in time. Nor Elena."

"Then why didn't you do anything, Reeve? Why did you just leave him?" Reno's asked, voice lowered and practically growled out. He was livid. Did Reeve truly not care? Sure, he became a spy for them under the circumstances, but he wasn't a Turk. However, Reno recalled that Reeve and Tseng always seemed friendly. He got a long with all the Turks, actually. He was the only executive in the company that wasn't a dick. But, Reno's opinion on that was quickly changing.

"What would you have had me do? I'm an architect, a developer. Not a doctor. I also wasn't physically there. Do you think a robotic cat and mog really could have done anything for him?" Reeve answered, a little exasperated at this point. Reno wasn't letting him off that easy though. Did he think he was stupid? "What about the materia, you asshole. I know you and your merry band of rebels have it and use it. Or do you forget that I've been on the receiving end of some of that magic?" He leaned in putting his face directly in front of Reeve's. The brunette turned his head to the side, refusing to answer. "Fuck you, Reeve!" The Turk finally lost what little composure he had, letting his fist meet Reeve's desk. Reno's other hand grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, talking directly into his ear, "You better report every little thing to me from now on. I want to know where they are at all times. I even want to know when one of them goes off to take a shit. I don't trust you to make judgment on what you think is 'need to know', got it?" Reno let go and backed away, waiting for some sort of affirmation from Reeve.

"And just what exactly would you do with that information, Reno?" Oh, Reeve felt like being brave today? He really picked a bad day to stand up to a Turk, especially Reno, of all people. If he hadn't been so caught off guard by the question, Reeve surely would have been broken and bleeding on the floor by now. But luckily for him, Reno just quirked a red eyebrow and continued glaring at the brunette. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Reno could tell that Reeve was trying to make a point with that question, he just wasn't sure what exactly.

"You could have killed them at Wutai." Reeve replied with a shrug. "You chose not to." Reno leaned back and flopped into the chair behind him. Reeve took the silence and lack of harm to his body as a sign to keep going. "Our materia was stolen, which would have put you and Rude at an even greater advantage. You even had orders to kill them on sight, just like Corneo. You carried out one of those orders. Why not the other?" Reno was impressed. Quiet little Reeve really had the balls to interrogate him? Ha!

"Killing Corneo was more than an order. It was a personal goal of mine to off that shit-stain. Had a celebration with Rude afterward, in fact. No need to do any more work than I had to." Reno smirked. He knew he could've ended AVALANCHE on that mountain. They had no materia, they had just fought Corneo's pet…whatever the fuck it was and they were tired. Between Rude and himself, it would have been easy pickin's. He just…didn't want to.

"I don't believe you." Reeve smiled back. That cheeky bastard. "I think you want them to succeed." The hell? "Tseng told me as much." What the double hell?

"Well, I think being around AVALANCHE has influenced you, Reeve. You better watch what you say 'round here. Some folks might take it as treason to the company." Reno's smirk disappeared and green eyes narrowed as he continued, "And don't you dare talk about Tseng like that."

"Reno, you can trust me. Hopefully, soon, you will understand the depth of trust I'm talking about, but for now-" Reeve stopped when a gun was pressed to his forehead.

"I don't trust you." He pressed the gun further into the skin. "You're lucky you're still useful, or I'd shoot you right here, right now." Reno lowered the weapon and made his way to the door. He was done with this discussion, he had a memorial service to prepare for.

"I just think that I'm not the only one in this company who is not completely satisfied with how it's run." Reeve mumbled, moving over to the window to stare at the city below. It wasn't meant for Reno to hear, but he heard it anyway, thanks to the minor mako enhancement he had received some years back. Out in the hall and down the elevator Reno's mind went to Tseng. They had talked about the company, and everything that's happened in the last several years. The secrets, the monsters, the planet, the questionable methods impressed upon them to use to the company's advantage. They weren't the cleanest or most innocent of people, but even they had a line. Reno had crossed his the day he dropped the plate. One of the talks that came from that was about loyalty. Tseng had asked him if he was still loyal to the company, after doing something like that. Reno had merely scoffed at him and told him he's never been loyal to this company. When Tseng gave him an interested look Reno met his gaze and replied,

"My loyalty only lies with you."

Reno made his way to Turks' office. The outer office was more like a bull-pen. Two desks in the same room, one neat, the other a near disaster area. It was easy to guess which Turk worked at them. They had been so busy when Elena was move up they hadn't had the time to get her a desk. She usually just used Rude's when they were actually there. Tseng's office…or Reno's new office, was past the door in the back of the room. He walked in and was immediately bombarded with the smell of coffee and some exotic spice scent that came from Wutaian incense. The new Turk director sat down and began to go through the drawers. Office supplies, incense, accident forms, expense sheets, throwing knives…the usual. Reno then moved to the other side and found cigarettes. And a full ashtray. 'Fuckin' hypocrite.' He slammed the drawer shut after stealing the half-pack of cigarettes and lit one up.

Tseng was gone. He still couldn't believe it. The man had saved him, had given him a chance when no one else would. Believed in him, pushed him, and helped him in so many ways. He never thought he would outlive his boss, his friend. It was because of Tseng he was allowed into the Turks. He'd never been good at following orders and he wasn't groomed or trained to be one, but Tseng had seen potential in him. "A diamond in the rough" he called him. Reno will admit he was attracted to the Turk leader. He was actually pretty open about it. In the early days he flirted like mad with the elder. When Tseng asked him to stop (I.e. punched him in the face, broke his nose and told him to knock it off) Reno backed off. However, he still kept a soft spot for him, and the teasing and flirting never ceased completely. It wasn't just his looks that made Reno so determined to stick by this man though. He respected him, even if he did have a weird way of showing it. He was close to him. Despite spending a majority of his time with Rude, Tseng was the one who knew him best. Reno also knew more about the Wutaian man than anyone else. The boy from the slums of Sector 3 didn't join the Turks for Shinra. He joined for the man who found him.

'He's dead. What do I do now?' He could care less about Shinra. It was just a job. A nice paying job, but a job nonetheless. Now he was in a position that would make him have to care a bit more about the company. It also meant more responsibilities and bullshit from the higher ups. Oh, and more face time with the brat president. He could leave, but no one ever quits being a Turk. Those that were lucky enough to live to a decent retirement age were watched like hawks. Most just died before then though. If he deserted, Rufus would no doubt send men after him. Reno was confident enough in his skills that he could avoid them, but it would be tiring to live constantly on the run. Maybe he could join AVALANCHE…Ha! No way, not after Sector 7 anyway. Then there was Rude and Elena to think about. He couldn't leave them. Not now, not ever. They may as well be family as far as he was concerned.

Hot ashes falling on his leg brought him out of his thoughts. He gave up on the cigarette, adding it to the pile in the hidden ash tray. He should really start on the work for the memorial service, but his heart wasn't in it. They didn't even have a body. Instead he thought back to the last conversation he'd had with Tseng.

It was right before Tseng was to fly out to the Gold Saucer with Elena to retrieve the keystone from Reeve. Reno was bitching about having to stay at the Shinra tower to do paperwork for that fuckin' Don's death. Rude was ordered to stay to make sure that he would indeed do said paperwork. They were in the Tseng's office, the brunette checking his gun and looking over the map of the area that contained the Temple of the Ancients…supposedly. Reno was in the middle of a rant about Elena getting special treatment because she had a vagina when Tseng interrupted him.

"Rufus is going to give you hell when he realizes what you did in Wutai." Reno snorted.

"So? Rufus wouldn't be happy even if I served all their heads on a fuckin' platter to him. The bitch." Tseng had smiled, just a little at that comment. A smile that only Reno would be able to notice. "Are you gonna give me shit too? I think it's more entertaining with them alive. Keeps Rufus, gya-ha-ha and kya-ha-ha busy and out of our hair at least."

"True." Tseng stilled and looked up from his gun to look Reno in the eyes. "I don't think Shinra should worry about AVALANCHE. It's obviously become more than just about the company. Rufus wants to find Sephiroth for the power that is hinted about with this 'Promised Land.' I think AVALANCHE might be trying to save us all in a way. "

"Which is why we haven't been giving 100%."

"Exactly." Tseng's attention went back to the gun, loading it and securing it under his jacket. "The company would frown upon our refusal to cooperate completely. If Rufus wanted he could try and execute you for what you didn't do in Wutai." Reno laughed.

"As if I haven't followed orders completely or at all before, boss. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were worried about me." Reno winked and sat down on the desk leaning towards the Wutaian. "Maybe you should take me with you, so you can protect me." His grin took up most of his face at this point.

"I am worried about you," Tseng sighed, "but I also believe you can deal with it. I just want you to be careful. We know too much and Rufus would rather see us dead than think we possibly might be against him."

"Discretion is my middle name."

"Says the man who can't keep his mouth shut." Tseng was sporting a full on smile now.

"I can keep it shut if I need to. Or if it's…occupied." Reno let his eyes wander down to Tseng's waist and back up slowly. "Another reason you should take me instead of 'Lena." To Reno's surprise Tseng had just kept smiling. He put a hand on the red head's shoulder and replied,

"Perhaps we can test that theory when I return. Until then, get your paperwork done and keep low." A dark skinned finger came up and tapped Reno on the nose. "Be good." With that, Tseng exited the office to meet Elena on the roof leaving Reno to pick his jaw up off the floor.

That was the first, and sadly the last, time Tseng had ever flirted back. Usually the advances were ignored. Sometimes he'd get lectured on sexual harassment. Every once in awhile he'd be threatened. Tseng smiling and being suggestive never happened. Gods, he missed him. All he could do now was stay. Keep up appearances even though they've been taking it easy on AVALANCHE all along. He could keep doing it. Rude had caught on but his loyalty was with hiss Turk family rather than Shinra itself. Elena was a loose cannon, but it was pretty obvious by now her feelings for Tseng governed her. All Reno needed to do was keep them alive and not hinder AVALANCHE too much. And after that conversation with Reeve, he thinks he might have another ally in this fucked up company. 'If he really is an ally then it doesn't make sense that he didn't help Tseng. Robot cat be damned, the cure materia could have done something. If anything, it could have at least bought him some time.' Reno was starting to get a headache. He couldn't be bothered with Reeve's intentions right now. Fuck him. It was time for him to grieve. He threw his jacket on the desk and rolled up his sleeves. If he hurried, he could probably find and catch up to Rude and join him.

Please leave comments/criticism/whatevers.

I really enjoyed writing this and I feel like there will be more later. Probably after I finish All That We See or Seem.

Thanks!

P.S. Do not own FF.