AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey all! Wow, I sure as hell didn't expect a response like that! Usually I gotta upload a couple of chapters first. On Chapter 1, I already got some enthusiatic feedback!
The last note was so brief, it almost felt soulless huh? Big departure for me LOL, lemme fix that!
Thank you to all of you that reviewed. I say this often, but I probably read every single one at least three times! It really means a lot that other people can appreciate stuff that I worked hard on (much harder than my studies, to be truly honest sigh)
Okay just to get it out there, this fic has a deeper meaning to it then what meets the eye. This will not be directly obvious to anyone, probably not even at the conclusion, but I will explain the concept and drive behind this story at the end! I promise.
Damn, there I go, jumping the gun again, so I'm just gonna end this now so y'all can get to the story.
Once again thank you for the reviews and please leave another one for me. Reviews and update speeds are directly proportional. (Yes I'm a science geek! Sue me!)
XXX
"Phew," Cloud sighed as he laid on his back, panting. Sweat glistened down his body as his wife collapsed beside him in a similar state.
"Damn, still haven't lost it have you," Aerith teased.
"Apparently not," Cloud gasped. When was the last time they had done it like that. Maybe being on a paid leave wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
So it goes without saying that Cloud was pretty pissed off when his phone rang.
"Don't answer it," Aerith said placidly with her head on his chest, rising and falling in time with his heavy breathing.
How badly Cloud wanted to obey. Yet...a certain nagging feeling told him that this was one call he could not ignore.
"Detective Strife speaking," he answered in a clipped tone, as Aerith groaned beside him.
"Hey, Strife! Listen, an emergency came up, Deusericus wants you at the station pronto," Reno's voice came through the receiver.
Cloud groaned."What happened to taking the rest of the week off?" He demanded.
"Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just following orders. I just hope you didn't make any plans for the week."
"As a matter of fact I did," Cloud snapped. He sighed. "Okay so what's the story?"
"I'm sketchy on the details, but it looks like we got a murder and rape case," Reno replied.
"Can't you handle it?" Cloud asked. He knew he was grasping at straws, but it was pretty obvious Aerith was losing patience. She sure wasn't looking forward to explaining to the kids why the plans were being cancelled.
Cloud sighed as Reno rebutted his last-ditch effort to get out of it. "I'll be right over."
Cloud hopped out of bed to get dressed, while Aerith huffed. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, leaning to kiss her cheek.
She shrugged and looked away. Silent treatment this time? Cloud gave another sigh. "Look, this is my job. Being with you and the kids is amazing, but making the world a safer place for all of you is better. Don't wait up."
Aerith gave him a pleading stare as he exitted the room. A single tear made its way down her cheek.
XXX
"Alright I'm here, what's the deal?" Cloud asked Reno as soon as he caught sight of the red-head.
Reno shrugged. "I know as much as you do at this point, Deusericus is pretty much keeping mum about the whole thing! He wants to brief you personally."
"Whatever it is, couldn't it wait til morning?" Cloud moaned, checking his watch. Nearly midnight, fuck.
"Did you not hear me on the phone or are you just stupid?" Reno asked, giving him a look. "Its a murder/rape case. You know as well as I do cases like that can't 'wait til morning'!"
"Alright, I get the picture," Cloud snapped, irritably massaging his temple as he approached the director's office. "Aren't you coming?" He shot at Reno.
The detective shrugged. "I'm not being assigned this case."
"Well why the fuck not?" Cloud demanded. "You're my goddamn partner!"
"I don't know," Reno replied, Cloud knew then that the other man was also bewildered by the descision. "I just got told that you would be getting a new partner this time."
"Well that helps," Cloud huffed as he pushed into the director's office without knocking.
Lazard looked up from his desk in surprise. "Ah Strife, good to see Reno got the message to you."
"Sir, meaning no disrespect, but I was promised the week off and I was planning to spend the time with my family," Cloud couldn't hide the reproach in his voice.
Lazard nodded. "I understand, however this is a matter of urgency."
Cloud nodded.
"Shall we go to the briefing room?" Lazard suggested. Without waiting for Cloud to agree, he strode out of his office to the nearby briefing room.
The blonde detective followed him into the large white room, noticing guards on either side of the doors as he did so.
"So..." Deusericus began.
"I didn't fucking do it!" Came an angry voice from the corridor.
Cloud turned to look in shock as two officers entered the room tugging a young woman in with them.
"Whatever it is you guys got on me is bullshit! I swear I didn't do anything!" The woman shouted, shaking her captors off. "Motherfuckers!"
Cloud raised an eyebrow as he beheld this young woman. If he weren't such a reserved man, he was sure his jaw would have dropped at the sight of her. She was probably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. A full body leather suit hugged each and every curve of her sensual body and her face was like marble, pure and classic. From her deep rouge eyes, to perfectly formed lips.
Lips that were presently firing a steady stream of the foulest curse words Cloud had ever heard. And a few he hadn't heard at all.
"Would you mind cutting that out?" Lazard asked mildly rubbing his head.
"Fuck you Lazard!" The girl shouted, glaring at him. "Here I am minding my own business, and two of your goons turn up and next thing I know, my ass is getting hauled to the slacker!"
She snorted, then turned to one of the two guards near the door. "Hey Earl!" She smiled.
"Hey Tifa," the guard replied with a smile.
"How's the wife and kids?" She asked, pleasantly, clearly at home in the station. Without an ounce of modesty she began to pull off her gloves and tossed them onto the desk.
"They all good. Its actually our anniversary tomorrow," he replied, trying not to stare.
"Got anything special planned?" She asked, tipping her eyebrows suggestively, now unzipping her jacket.
"Well we're going dancing and then we're gonna-"
"Fuck each other's brains out," she finished with a smirk. "Do me a favour and use a rubber," she said pulling off the jacket to reveal a form-fitting white tank top that bared her midriff. "You already got three fucking kids, you sure as hell don't need another little fucker running around."
With that she tossed the jacket onto the desk, where it landed with a heavy thud. Earl gulped. "I'll try to keep that in mind."
"If you're finished?" Lazard interjected tersely.
"Whatever Lazard!" Tifa snapped. "I told you, whatever it is you heard I've been doing, I didn't! I'm clean! I swear!"
Lazard chuckled. "Relax, we didn't pull you in to arrest you...again. I'm almost afraid to ask, but where exactly were you when my boys picked you up!"
"Just this other place," Tifa replied with a faraway look.
"Tifa..."
"Okay fine I was at a club, but no drugs, no alcohol. Just dancing!"
"Your record speaks for itself. But we're drifting," Lazard said. "Tifa, this is Detective Cloud Strife. Cloud, meet your new partner."
This time Cloud's jaw did drop. "Wait? You mean she's a cop?"
"I didn't say that," Lazard replied, his eyes twinkling at Cloud's surprise. "Look, Tifa may not exactly be a qualified officer. But I think she will be a major asset to this case."
"Sorry but I don't see it," Cloud snapped, giving Tifa a side-long glance.
"Don't do me any favours Officer Tight-Ass," Tifa scoffed. "Unfortunately for both of us, I owe this cunt. And it looks like he's calling it in."
Lazard nodded.
"Well as soon as this is over, we're square got it?" She demanded. "I owe you nothing?"
"Agreed," Lazard replied. "Now onto more pressing matters."
Cloud was still shellshocked. No way was he working with that woman! He wouldn't be surprise if he murdered him after kissing him!
Wait? What was he thinking? Why was his mind drifting to that. Sure she was attractive, but did that warrant thoughts like kissing her or even...
No snap out of it Strife, you're fucking married! Fantasising was allowed though? Wasn't it? Fuck!
"But-"
"No more buts Dectective," Lazard snapped. "Whether you like it or not Miss Lockheart is a part of this case now!"
"But what can she even do on a murder case?" Cloud nearly shouted.
"I'm sure she'll find a use somewhere along the line," Deusericus muttered vaguely.
Cloud couldn't put into words just how much he hated this man right now! First of all violating the leave that he forced onto Cloud! And then tossing him headlong into a situation like this!
"Now if you're done interrogating me, I think its time to move on to the case," Deusericus continued.
Cloud nodded. Whatever reservations he had could wait, for the moment it was time to get to work.
XXX
