Authors Note

This story was inspired by all the many stories I read on GivesMeHope this evening. It is a site that can bring one to tears because of all the acts of kindness that people have done for others in the world. If you want to check it out just google GivesMeHope. Thanks for reading.

Fox

A Selfless Act

Today, like any other day, had been surprisingly boring for a Turk. Ever since the Geostigma epidemic had been cured, things around the office slowed down to almost a complete stop. Now the Turks were basically just filing paperwork for most of their day and going home. Rinse and repeat.

Reno had just finished all of his papers for the day, signing the last one with a great sigh. Paperwork was never his thing and being reduced to filling out sheets every day had made his motivation for work very low. He missed the assignments, the danger, and the urgency. He sighed again; there was nothing he could do about it. He would just have to wait until the president needed something.

Standing up from his desk, he put all the sheets together and sloppily put them into the folder they belonged too. Picking them up, he casually walked out of his office. A few steps away and he was walking straight into his superior, Tseng's office. Tossing the papers onto Tseng's desk, Reno turned to leave for the day.

"Yo boss! I'm out for the day." Reno stated, waving behind him as Tseng looked up from his desk.

"Alright. Will we be seeing you tomorrow?" Tseng asked, wanting an answer before Reno left.

Reno thought about it for a moment before turning around and shrugging.

"Nah I think I'll take the day off."

"Okay, have a good night then." Tseng said as Reno left the room.

Ten minutes later, somewhere in Edge.

Instead of taking one of Shinra's luxury cars home Reno chose to walk. He didn't live that far away and he figured he needed the exercise since he hadn't had any since his last job in Wutai. With his hands in his pockets he strolled casually down the sidewalk. He wasn't paying attention to much around him, the people who walked past him and recognised him moved out of the way to avoid any trouble.

"Mommy?"

Reno stopped, looking up from his gaze he saw a little girl standing in the middle of the road. She was spinning around, calling for her mother. Reno assumed she was lost but he knew a kid standing in the middle of the road was a bad idea.

"Hey kid, get out of the road." Reno called, hoping the kid would hear him.

The girl stopped spinning as a smile quickly grew onto her face. She had spotted her mother on the other side of the road; happy that she was no longer lost she started to run over to her mother. Reno had continued to watch as he passed but he stopped again as he heard the noticeable rumble of a speeding car. Turning his attention down the street he spotted the offending vehicle. It was heading on a direct path towards the little girl and it showed no sign of stopping.

Reno immediately took action. Knowing that the girl wouldn't make it too the other side fast enough he ran out into the road.

"LOOK OUT!" Reno yelled as the car got closer and closer.

Reno yelling got the girls attention and she turned around to see the car just about to hit her when she was ploughed to the ground. Reno had leaped in front of her and grabbed the girl, cradling her in his arms he ran. Unfortunately the car was going too fast and the two were hit by the speeding vehicle, being knocked away, landing on the sidewalk some distance away, the little girl still in Reno's arms.

This afternoon an escaped Mako Fever patient had stolen a vehicle from the Edge Hospital parking lot. Speeding through the city the patient had hit two people in the middle of the road. Both were unconscious at the scene and have been brought to the hospital for revival.

That little girl was saved thanks to Reno throwing himself in between her and that car. Thanks to his act of selflessness he saved a life.

Reno groaned as the world all started coming back to him. All he could feel in every part of his body was pain. He tried to move but realized that was no good, as soon as he made one movement his chest felt like it was going to explode. He could hear voices in the background of wherever he was. He thought he heard the words, "He's waking up!" somewhere in the mix of them.

Taking everything slowly, he opened his eyes. At first the room was too bright to be able to see but slowly his eyes adjusted to the brightness. He was in the hospital. Moving his neck the best he could he looked beside him to the sound of a pen scratching into paper. Standing at his bedside was a doctor who immediately began to speak.

"Your ribs are broken as well as your right leg and left arm. You're going to be down for a while but you're going to heal fine. After that I'm surprised you're even alive. What you did out there was really great." The doctor said before turning around to leave the room.

"I'll be back soon. I just need to grab a few things." He said, "Your friends are here if you haven't noticed yet though." He mentioned before leaving the room.

Surprised, Reno turned his head too the left and there was Tseng, Rude and Elena all standing beside him. They all looked happy to see he was awake, even Tseng who was usually an all business man.

"Hey guys." Reno said quietly, the pain resuming in his chest from his broken ribs.

Tseng was the first to speak, stepping forward he started,

"We got the call as soon as they identified it was you who was hit. Your leave begins immediately. Return to work when you see fit." Tseng stated.

Reno grinned. Even when he was emotional Tseng managed pretty damn well to hide it behind his hard ass business exterior.

"Gee thanks boss, always thinking about work." Reno stated.

Elena punched Tseng in the shoulder, chastising him that now was not the time for business.

"We're glad you're okay Reno." She mentioned, in between her chastising.

They all heard the sound of the door opening again and the three able Turk's all looked to see who it was, Reno was left to a surprise since it was too painful to move his head straight forward.

"I think somebody is here to see you." Rude said, pointing towards whoever just came in.

Turning his head to the right again were two adults who he didn't recognize at all but right at his bedside was the same little girl who he had jumped in front of. She was alive, Reno smiled at that fact.

"He-Hello." She said shyly.

"Hey kid," Reno said in an obviously pained tone, "You okay?" he asked.

The little girl lifted up her arm, revealing a cast but instead of sadness she looked happy.

"Bumps, bruises and a broken arm but I'm okay." She said.

"I actually came to say thanks a lot for saving me." The little girl said.

The two adults behind the little girl had tears in their eyes. Reno figured that they must've been the parents of the girl.

"Anytime kid." Reno said, "Nobody deserves to die."

After Reno had finished speaking the mother of the girl stepped forward.

"She has a present for you Mr. Reno. Right Amy?" The mother asked her daughter.

Amy. So that was her name. Reno smiled, he didn't know what this little girl could possibly give him but he still listened.

"Yup." Amy said, "I'm going to come here every day and stay with you and keep you company. As a way of saying thanks."

"It was her idea." The mother said again.

Reno smiled, resting his head back on the comfortable hospital bed pillow. He never felt like this before. So warm inside. He didn't regret what he had done at all, despite his injuries he got them saving the life of one so young. In his mind that was worth it.

"Alright Amy. It's a deal." Reno said as a grin formed.

Amy smiled from ear to ear; glad to hear that her present was accepted.

"Alright, then I'll count this as day one of your present." Amy said.

Reno laughed.

"Ok then. Let's get talking."

And so, Amy visited Reno every day for a month until he was finally released from the hospital. On the day of his release Reno walked Amy to her home all the way on the other side of the city. Before he allowed her to go home he knelt down beside her and thanked her for all the time that she had spent with him. He promised her that too repay her for everything, he would come to her school every week and read to her and her classmates for as long as she wanted him there. And that he did…

Thanks for reading everybody. Review with opinions and comments if you would like too.

This fic is dedicated to all the people throughout the world, men or women, boys or girls who would do anything for anyone. Save a child from danger, feed the homeless, help the needy. All of those acts of kindness that so many people in the world should learn to do.

For those reasons I dedicate this story to you.

You All Give Me Hope.

Fox