Author's Note: Aren't you proud of me? Another update in less than 24 hours! All I can say about this chapter is, it's very depressing, lol. It's odd though because I have really happy music playing whilst I'm writing it... Ah well. Hopefully the next chapter will be up in a few hours and if you're lucky, you'll get another chapter after that. It depends how long I want to write for. Thanks to Favrite of Chaos for putting this story on alert. Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Didn't I do this last time? Don't own it, that's why it's fanfiction.

Warnings: Strong language

The phone rang, making Reno jump. He hurriedly brushed away the tears and flipped open his cell phone, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"What?" he barked down the line, not caring who he was talking to at this moment.

"We have a mission. I'll drop by in 20 minutes to pick you up" the smooth, calm voice of Rude floated into Reno's ear, only helping him to calm down a little bit.

"Whatever." The one word reply from Reno alerted the other turk that something was seriously wrong.

"Look, whatever's pissed you off, tell me about it on the journey" Rude sighed, knowing that he was in for a long drive, especially if Reno was still emotionally highly strung.

"Yeah." Again, a one word reply before Reno flipped the phone shut, abruptly cutting the connection with his friend. Slowly, the redhead got up from his position on the floor by the wall and started getting dressed into his uniform.

Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at Reno's door. Sluggishly, he moved to open it and Rude blinked in surprise when he saw how bad the redhead looked. His usually impossibly green eyes were fogged with unshed tears, his hair was as untameable as a lion's mane and he slouched in the doorway. Rude decided it would be better to get Reno to his car and interrogate him there instead of on the doorstep.

"You got everything?" Reno simply nodded in response "Let's go then" Rude decided to get the normally bubbly redhead to his car as fast as he could. Once they were safely buckled in the 4x4, Rude started to drive and started to interrogate Reno.

"So... what happened?" When no response came from the redhead, Rude chanced a glance at him and saw that the tears were threatening to spill over. Changing tactics quickly, the older Turk decided to prompt Reno. "Start at the beginning and go on from there"

Reno nodded and explained the events of the previous night. How he and Rufus had spent the night together and how Reno thought Rufus loved him. How he was heartbroken to find Rufus had left him before he woke up and didn't leave a note and how, even though he broke his heart, he would do it all over just to spend more time with Rufus. Rude patiently listened to Reno's story as he spilled his feelings- a rare occurrence for any turk, let alone Reno.

"Maybe he simply forgot to leave a note" Rude supplied, hoping to lift the younger Turk's spirits. However, it didn't have the intended effect.

"This is damn 'I will be perfect' Rufus, he'd do everything right. And this is all set for a one night stand!" Reno stated angrily, his previous sadness helping to fuel the anger.

"He might've thought you'd assume otherwise and had to go to work early" Rude supplied.

"No he wouldn't. Anyway, I don't care anymore; I've got no-one 'part from you, Rude" Reno sighed helplessly.

"Don't you go getting lazy on me, Reno. You do and I'll kill you" Rude attempted to joke in order to lighten the mood.

"I'd be dead" Reno stated dully, obviously not picking up on the joke.

"I'll get Hojo to bring you back so I can kill you" Rude stated.

"Whatever"

They didn't talk for the rest of the journey. Reno read through the mission file and when they executed the mission, it went without a hitch until Reno ran right past a line of gunmen. They fired at him without hesitation and Rude quickly disposed of them before running to Reno who had collapsed on the ground.

"Reno..." Rude's voice was laced with pity and sadness as he attempted to stem the blood flow.

"I'm... fucking fine..." Reno managed to say through gritted teeth before falling unconscious.