Okay…you all know the deal…the characters are Square's, the ideas…who knows where they came from. ~_^

This is dedicated to two very special gals…both who are responsible for what you shall read in a few moments. Because of their creativity in portraying Reno and Nanaki, in their bringing those two characters to life in my mind, they have assisted me in putting this story together. I don't need to say more than that, they both know who they are. Thanks guys! I owe you each a big one!

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Dear journal,

I don't think anyone has ever truly understood me, not even Dad. It's not that they don't care….but they are incapable of understanding just what it is that I go through on a day to day basis. What kind of things I have to see in my work. There's only one person who understands, the man I am going to see right now, the only one who will ever understand.

I wonder if my friends will forgive me. Forgive me for being in love with someone who is not on our side. I don't know for certain, all I do know is that I long to be with him and no other.

What's the problem with loving whomever I choose you ask? Oh, you make me laugh! Truly. If it were anyone else, it probably wouldn't be a problem. But you see, I'm in love with a company man. A man who works for the very people we have been fighting against. But it doesn't change the fact that we have fallen in love with one another and are powerless to deny our feelings.

The problem is, I'm in love with a Turk.

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…one year prior to journal entry…

"Yuffie!"

A slender figure winced as she heard Cloud scream at her from across town. He was SO beyond pissed off. But Tifa had made her promise to do it, and she had. She'd stolen his sword. It wouldn't take him more than a guess or two to figure it out, no one was as good a thief as she was and only the best would be able to sneak past Cloud. She and Tifa had finally become friends and she needed Yuffie's help. Cloud had practically lost it after the final battle and it had taken everything they possessed to keep him settled and calm. Finally, with time his mind had been healed, but there were still issues that Tifa needed to discuss with him. Given that nothing had exploded or been destroyed Yuffie was of the opinion that things couldn't be going all that badly between the two of them and for that she was glad.

Swinging down off of the perch she had chosen for herself in the abandoned water tower she leapt nimbly to the ground. They were back in Junon. Yuffie wasn't sure what it was that drew them all to such a place, but it was good to be back by the water again. Tifa had been playing with that dolphin of hers, and Yuffie'd been spending some time with Nanaki, usually splashing in the surf. He was a good friend. He'd been gone for a time searching for more about his ancestors, but returned to pay a visit. Yuffie had been glad that he did. While he didn't understand her being a ninja, he did try to share his experiences with her and help her to better understand what it was that she wanted out of her life.

"What is it that you truly want Yuffie-girl? There must be something you desire above all else? Some dream you aspire to?"

Yuffie wrapped her arms about his great shaggy neck and leaned her head against him so that she could feel the pulse in his neck against her cheek. She was happiest just then, in that quiet moment with her best friend. They told each other everything, all of their secrets and hidden desires. They had both long felt so out of place around everyone else, but they had become close friends during their travels together.

"What do I aspire to? Wow…I don't know Nan, I really don't."

She gazed out over the ocean, glimmering with starlight in the late evening hours. The sea and the sky mirrored each other and she was struck by it's infinite beauty. Despite the ugliness in her day to day life, there were moments like that one that paid for all. Yuffie felt as if she were in a dream as they sat there at the edge of the pier together. Their bodies were leaning together as they supported and drew support from one another. She could tell Nanaki anything, and she did.

"I want to find love." She laughed and marveled at how the sound of her laughter carried on the night air, swept along by the brisk sea breeze. "I know it sounds silly, but I do want to find someone to love, y'know?" She felt him nod his head. "Tifa and Cloud, they love each other so much. That's what has kept Cloud from losing it entirely I think. I want to know what that's like. I feel…feel like there is something missing from my life."

"You are young yet Yuffie, you must be patient." Nan's voice was warm and reassuring, but she really didn't like what he was saying, Yuffie was one for immediate action.

"Oh c'mon Nan! Don't tell me that you're going to fall for all that blather about age and whatnot? You're above that, I know you are." She sat up straighter and pounded one fist against the other. "I've seen more, done more than most other people have by the time they're twice my age. Why should I be excluded from knowing some of the good life has to offer, when all I've known so far is the bad?"

"Is our friendship a bad thing?" Nanaki's voice shimmered with uncertainty and vulnerability for a moment.

Wrapping her arms about his neck a bit tighter she rubbed her face against his like one of the young of his kind might do.

"Our friendship is a wonderful thing Nan." Yuffie could feel her cheeks getting hot, the cool night breeze felt good against her skin. "I just, you know…"

"You have experienced extreme emotions, and as yet have to experience one that is rewarding or fulfilling. Yes, I understand how you feel young one, I truly do."

"Aw Nan, I knew you'd be the one to understand. I've got to find it, y'know?"

"When will you be leaving?"

It figured that he'd know she was planning on leaving too. He could smell it on her perhaps, or maybe they shared some subtle mental link. She wasn't sure what it was, but he always knew and still does know exactly what she is thinking at times.

"I'm all ready to go. I needed to tell you where I hid Cloud's sword. It's in the water tower. He can have it back tomorrow in the morning, if he and Tifa have resolved their differences." Yuffie gave the creature that resembled a cross between a lion and a dog another hug and then rose to her feet. "Goodbye Nanaki. Take care of the others for me, okay?"

"I'll send word to your parent as well. He will be glad to know that you are questing again. Will you be working as well?"

"Yeah. I've got a job that I'm off to…at the Gold Saucer no less. We'll see how it pans out."

"May you travel safely and find your way back to us soon then." Nanaki bowed formally.

Yuffie could feel his eyes on her as she walked off, but she kept her back straight and didn't look back. She'd learned the hard way, you had to always look forward…towards the future. She would see her friends again, but for the time being she had a job to do. She was running by the time she reached the end of the pier, her feet thudding softly against the hard street as she made her way to where the airship was waiting. Cid had passed through and offered her a ride, who was she to pass up such an offer?

"Hey now! Get that !#@$ thing on the !@#$ !@#$! ^#$$@ lift now! And get yer scrawny !@#$!@# butt up here girl. I ain't got all day y'know."

"Heya Cid! Good to see you again….maybe not so good to hear you though?" Yuffie quipped with good humor. Cid's profanity didn't bother her the way it did some people, it didn't phase her at all in fact. She just grinned as the pilot continued to swear at her sulfuriously.

"Sounds like you've picked up a couple of new inventive expletives there Cid." She winked at him and grinned cheekily.

"Heh, so you noticed eh? Should'a known a clever kid like you would pick up on those new ones." Cid gave her a rough hug and then steered her towards the wheelhouse. "C'mon, y'kin have a cup of tea with me while we travel, fill me in on all the latest gossip."

Yuffie laughed as she began to fill Cid in. The tea was warm and sweet and it was good to be chatting with a friend. Since that final battle, there had been no need for the strife between Avalanche and Shinra as everyone was bent on only one end…saving the planet The final blast from Meteor had really packed a punch and a lot of damage had been done to their world. Everyone was trying to help save it. Cid wasn't nearly as acidic as people thought however. One on one like they were, Yuffie was pleased to note that Cid was an intelligent person to converse with. He had distinct opinions on just about everything and was able to back up his position with cogent arguments. She liked that he treated her like an adult when he spoke with her. She could see him weighing her statements in his mind, testing them for their strengths and weaknesses. Too many people would dismiss her as being to young to understand, but Cid saw the truth of the matter.

"Sounds like you've all been pretty busy tryin' t'figure this stuff out then." Cid commented dryly. He watched the young woman standing next to him carefully. Yuffie was barely a woman, but she was one nonetheless. Many people simply thought her hyper and annoying, but her exuberance masked something far more intriguing. Ever since the damage to the planet had first been assessed she had spent as much time as she could with Nanaki at the great observatory. Together they had studied his grandfather's notes and read the many ancient tomes that had been stored there. She had helped to find possible methods by which their planet could be healed.

Cid had helped the pair travel across their world and he'd seen their hopes and disappointments. In his mind Yuffie's outward appearance masked a much older spirit. She was a strange young woman with a fine strong spirit, and he was afraid that in all the battles she would fight she would lose that energy that kept her going. She was a breath of fresh air in his sometimes stale existence.

"We've been completely tearing our hair out trying to find these materia artifacts the ancients spoke of. Apparently they can be brought together at the site of the damage, the crater and that they will draw the LifeForce up to heal the earth's wounds. So they say."

"You on your way to get it?"

Yuffie shook her head. "Nah, just on my way to get a lead on a possible location." She sighed heavily. "We have to follow up every lead. Using my skills as a thief sure does help sometimes…but others…I just gotta do the job to get the goods. It's a living I guess."

Cid released another colorful string of epithets to which Yuffie blushed slightly. "You'd think people'd be more willin' t'help save the planet again, what with the last disaster still loomin' s'close, but no…" Cid shook his head and swore some more. "Anytime you need help, y'let me know okay? I'm helpin' on this one for certain there kiddo."

Yuffie just smiled at the older man and continued to sip at her tea. It was nice to know that she had friends. She still just couldn't get over that, but it certainly was a nice feeling to have.

*

The Airship lifted off gracefully as a single figure strode with purpose towards the entrance to the Gold Saucer. She'd been told that her contact would meet her there, in one of the bars on the upper level. She shook her head, it was time to wrestle the bouncers just so she'd be able to enter the place. Youth definitely had it's disadvantages.

As ever, she had been right. She wondered absently what it was that made all her contact always want to meet in bars. Under a tree in the park would be a nice change from the ordinary…or perhaps meeting at the Chocobo races would have been fun…but nooo…it had to be in a smelly, dingy dive of a bar. Not even a nice neat place like Tifa's would do for the people she worked for…the slummier the better it seemed.

She'd just fallen back into a fighting stance when the bouncer dropped without another word to the floor.

"Wouldn't want you t'be late for whatever important meeting it is that you might have in a place like this."

Yuffie glanced up at the man who emerged from the darkness beyond the bouncer, her eyes going wide as she raised her fists.

"Hey now! Is that any way t'greet the man who just saved you so much trouble?"

"Wha'd'ya want Reno? I'm warning you…" And she was. The small woman had backed up giving herself considerably more room in which to fight as the tall, lanky Turk advanced on her.

"Just want t'sit down and have a little chat with my contact is all," he raised one eyebrow and smirked at her as he put his nightstick away, "Didn't think you'd be so jumpy for some reason."

Yuffie relaxed slightly, lowering her fists as she did so. "You're the contact?"

"I didn't say that sweetheart." Reno's grin was cheeky, impudent. "C'mon in, I'll fill y'in over a beer."

"I don't drink…it clouds my head for work."

"Fine, I'll drink, you'll listen. C'mon." Reno turned and made his way into the dark interior of the bar. The place was indeed seedier than she'd expected, filled with the worst kinds of scum she'd ever come across.

"Boy, you sure do hang out with all the right people." She quipped as she followed him to a rear booth where more blue suited figures sat waiting. "Have a seat sweetheart." Reno slid in next to a tall, bald man, leaving the empty seat to the young ninja.

"Ah, hail hail the gang's all here, eh?" Yuffie took the seat smoothly, taking in everyone around the table as she did so. Elena seated in the corner, glowering at Yuffie darkly. Rude sat beside Reno, as impassive as always, giving away nothing of his thoughts. And Reno, cocky and confident. He sat there, one arm hooked up on the back of the seat, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. His sunglasses had slid down his nose so that he was gazing directly back at Yuffie with narrowed, shrewd blue eyes.

"So…." She bit her lip and stared up at the glass lantern hanging over their table…it's soft golden glow casting long shadows across them all. "Someone here knows something about my contact….I'd like to know what….since my contact is apparently not here, as he was supposed to be."

"That is precisely what we want t'know darlin'." Reno stated flatly as he made room for the drinks the waitress had just brought. He crossed his arms across his chest and sat looking hard at Yuffie. She blinked and returned his gaze openly. She had done nothing wrong whatsoever. She had been legitimately hired to do a job as a bodyguard, the Turks had nothing on her.

"He hired you t'do a job. Right?"

Yuffie glanced at Rude. "Yeah. What of it. I've got as much right as anyone t'take a job if I so choose."

"Indeed you do." Rude nodded to her politely. "As we all do." He said the last with heavy emphasis.

"You were the security team he hired?" Yuffie's worried expression evaporated as she crowed with laughter. "You lot? You were my security team?" She suppressed her laughter and grabbed one of the drinks Reno had shoved her way. "No way! He told me he'd gotten professionals…he didn't say which professionals though. Oh…this is simply rich!"

"Yeah, great there Giggles, let's get down to business shall we?" Elena stuck her nose up in the air and looked away.

Yuffie just grinned as she looked back at Reno, one eyebrow raising in question. "So…I guess that rather makes me the boss now doesn't it?" Leaning back she put her booted feet up on the seat next to Reno and place her hands behind her head. "Well then," she noted that none of the Turks had interrupted her on contradicted her claim to leadership, "lets get down to business shall we?"