A/N: I don't know how this happened, but I was typing and typing and typing and all of a sudden this popped out. Maybe I'm watching too many detective dramas for my own good. Anyhow, apparently my inner muse won't be satisfied until I make my conflicts bigger and badder so here's it is. Though this chapter is more of a set-up with more questions than answers. To be honest, I'm still debating whether or not to leave this chapter as is, or scrap it and try again. But for now, this is what it is.
Sorry for the long wait but the next chapter is finally out. This story is actually a real challenge for me to write because I tend to like writing in Tifa's perspective and it's extremely hard to limit myself to only Cloud's thoughts. The most difficult thing is figuring out how to keep the plot going along without the story getting stagnant. Also, I find I'm really only so funny. Hence, I'm changing the genre to drama/romance. Cloud's wry sense of humor is still gonna be there but you'll find that I'll favor character and plot development over humor.
Anyhow, thanks for the immense support thus far and I hope I don't disappoint!
EDIT (6/17/2011): I have made some small changes to this chapter. By small, I mean I changed one line. Seriously. But it does make a difference on continuity.
PRO BONO
Chapter Four
Utter bliss. That's all I know when I sink into the comfort of my bed. There's nothing like the heavenly feel of silk and pillows after an excruciatingly long day. And man, has it been a long day.
As with most bad days, it actually started out rather promisingly.
The sun was shining, birds chirping, and there was even still coffee left in the coffee machine by the time I got to the office—a rare occurrence indeed. I should have known that the rest of the day would be a lesson in hell.
It began with a call.
…
"Mr. Strife, Yuffie Kisaragi is on the line. She's quite, um, insistent that you talk with her."
I groan. Leave it to Yuffie to ruin my perfectly peaceful morning. "Alright. Patch her through."
There's a click followed by an all too brief moment of blissful silence when suddenly Yuffie's voice shatters my eardrum. "Strife! You gotta help me!"
She's breathing heavily and I can make out the faint sound of sirens and angry shouting in the background. I almost don't ask because I really don't want to know, but I ask anyway and I wonder if that makes me a masochist. "What did you do this time?"
"Oh shit, these security guards can sure run." More rustling and heavy breathing and then there's the faint sound of a several thuds. She snickers. "Suckers. That's what you get for messing with the Great Ninja Yuffie!"
I pinch the bridge of my nose. This can't be happening. I know that Yuffie did not just call me while running away from people she's stealing from. Because that kinda might implicate me as an accomplice. And no idiot client would be stupid enough to implicate their own lawyer who's trying to bust them out of a prison sentence, to join them there.
Then again, this is Yuffie we're talking about here. Damn.
"Yuffie, I'm hanging up now."
"Nononono! You gotta help me get out of here."
"No. I help you get out of jail when you get caught. I'm more of a 'after the fact' kind of guy."
"Wait wait wait! I've got important, secret, information about Jenova & Sons! They're up to something I tell you! Just listen for a sec. So I overheard something when I was in the ventilation system—which, I wasn't even looking for their office at the time—and it made me curious so I snuck in."
I'm not listening to this. I'm not listening to this. Listening to this makes me an accomplice. Why the hell am I listening to this?
"Would you believe it? They've got secret compartments and everything in their walls! If that doesn't scream shady, I don't know what does." (I restrain myself from saying that they're there to keep people like her out.) "Anyway, I did some B 'n E and snooping around, and everything would have been all peachy but then I think I must have tripped some alarm because before I know it, all hell breaks loose and WHY WON'T THEY JUST STOP CHASING ME?"
Oh freaking hell. She did not just mess with Jenova & Sons again. "Damn it Yuffie! You're not really a ninja and there's no worldwide conspiracy going on here so will you just give it a rest?"
There's a long silence on the other side of the phone though I still hear the labored breathing and the shouts in the background. I think for a second that I might have been too harsh, but I'm really at my wit's end trying to deal with her. I know she's not a bad kid, but damn it, she's got to grow some sense.
"Fine, hang up. See if I care. I hope your conscience swallows you and spits you back out like a fish bone when I get shot for this. You'll regret not listening to me one of these days."
And surprisingly, she is the one to hang up. I can't help but feel like this time she's gotten herself into some real trouble. I just hope she doesn't drag me in as well.
…
I groan into my pillow when I recall that particular incident. Yuffie has an unnatural talent for making my life a living hell. (For that matter, it seems like everyone I know has that particular skill.) Still, I haven't heard from her the rest of the day so I guess that means she managed to get away…For now.
Then I remember Zack coming in with details on the Lockhart case and I think I should just pop a couple of sleeping pills and end it now.
…
"Spikes! Just the man I wanted to see!"
I wonder what I did wrong in my previous life to surround me with all these annoyingly hyperactive people. "Why do you call me that when your hair is probably spikier than mine?"
He shrugs. "Any number of reasons really, but mostly just because you hate it."
"I hate you."
"Yeah yeah. Anyway, I just got word about who's gonna be lording over the Lockhart case."
That piques my interest. Playing to the judge's sympathy can sometimes go a long way in how you put together your case. "Who?"
He pauses, looks around the break room (damn, I need more coffee) dramatically before leaning in to whisper conspiratorially, "Sephiroth."
Oh hell. Of all the….I had to get Sephiroth? And yes, before you ask, nobody ever mentions his last name; I don't know if anyone even knows his last name. All anybody really needs to know is that Sephiroth is probably one of the most ruthless judges in bar history. He lets you get away with NOTHING. But if nothing else, at least I have the comfort of knowing that he won't play favorites to Shinra. He'd much rather just hate equally.
"Damn."
Zack straightens up again and shrugs nonchalantly. "Tough luck, but that's gonna sound like real good news when I tell you who Shinra lawyered up with."
Does the torture never end? I feel like I'm walking into a trap when I ask, "Who?"
"Scarlet McFierce."
"Great. Just great."
Scarlet McFierce, whose real name is McFearson, should really be called McBitch. Half of her wins are because she wears a suit with a neckline low enough to win the male juror population and the other half of her wins are from intimidating the witnesses into saying exactly what she wants them to.
Zack is right about one thing. Having Sephiroth as judge for this case could be an extremely good thing. He won't let Scarlett get too out of hand. Then again, he's just as likely to join in the fun.
…
On the upside, Vincent finally faxed me a copy of his report. (Being the hypersensitive paranoid that he is, he'd strongly encouraged me to get a private fax number that operated solely between the two of us. I really don't know why he doesn't just use a scanner and send me the info electronically. I constantly have to remind myself that he does in fact make my life easier.)
Unfortunately, his report told me little more than what I already know.
Born Tifa Melanie Lockhart, May 3, 1982, to Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Lockhart, Nibelheim's long-time mayor. Moved to a prestigious boarding school in Midgar for middle school and went on to get top honors at Shinra High, which, incidentally, was also where she met a certain Rufus Shinra, two years her senior. Even in high school, she was brilliant, probably could have gone the full phD route complete with summa cum laude and all that jazz if she really wanted to. But instead, she'd married Rufus almost straight out of high school (September 6, 2000) and had her first and only child, Denzel Mark Shinra (who later took on the Lockhart surname after the divorce) on August 21, 2002.
Filed for divorce three years later, which oddly enough, had been a quick and relatively painless ordeal with both sides being quite lenient about money, and more important to my case, custody. Shinra had given Lockhart sole physical custody of the child and even agreed to paying a good amount of child support. In fact, Shinra seemed fairly disinterested in the child whereas Lockhart had wanted nothing other than the child.
That's good news for me. If nothing else, at least this prior case proves that Shinra had no vested interest in the child previously so it makes no sense that suddenly he's fighting tooth and nail for this kid unless there's some other reason for it.
It reminds me of the note scribbled on the bottom of the last page of the fax.
Strife,
I apologize but this is all I could get for now. It has been unexpectedly difficult finding background information on Lockhart. I suspect that there is a reason for it.
(I interpret that as meaning that someone has paid big money to keep her files away from the public eye. How did a simple custody case come to have so many strings attached?)
I will have a follow-up report ready as soon as I am able. Good day.
- Valentine
Huh. Speaking of Valentine…my mind wanders back to Yuffie. I know this is going against all my good judgment, but I'd be lying if I said her snooping around hadn't gotten me curious. I wonder if Valentine would be willing to do a little overtime. He seems to enjoy poking into all that high security information anyway. I make a mental note to give him a call tomorrow.
But for now, all I really want to do is sleep, sleep and sleep.
And I'm just about asleep when the shrill ring of my phone startles me completely awake. I glance at the clock to see the digital 2:13 a.m. blinking happily back at me. I sigh. No peace in the day and none at night either, I see.
"Hello?"
"Cloud, you need to get down to the police station right now." Any sign of drowsiness leaves me when I hear Zack's deathly serious voice. Zack rarely acts serious, but when he does, I pay attention.
"What? What's going on?"
"Somebody broke into Tifa's apartment."
"Are they okay?"
"Yeah. A little shaken up but they're fine."
"That's good. But why do you want me to come down? It's not like I'm a close friend or anything."
"Just…just come down."
I want to say no and just go back to sleep, but I know there's something Zack's not telling me that I need to know. "Alright, I'll be there in twenty."
…
When I said twenty, I must have forgotten about the fact that there was no traffic on the roads at two in the morning because I'm through the double glass doors of the police station in downtown Edge in less than ten minutes. Zack is already waiting for me there and waves me over. His eyes are bloodshot and there's a shadow of stubbles lining his chin. It's been a long night for him too, I guess.
"Hey. Aeris is with Tifa and Denzel. They're waiting for you." He waves over a policeman, a young fellow in his early twenties with eyes still bright with the fantasy that he can make a difference in the world. "Officer Biggs, can you bring my friend here to where Miss Lockhart is waiting?"
"No problem." He turns to me. "Right this way sir."
I give Zack a look that tells him clearly that I want this explained completely the next time I see him and he just gives me a tired nod. Whatever is going on is not good if that's all Zack manages to do.
"So you're the guy."
I pause a little. "Excuse me?"
He nods his head toward the back of the station where they're presumably holding Tifa and Denzel. "That Lockhart chick. You got yourself one hell of a catch."
"I'm her lawyer."
Officer Biggs snickers like he knows something I don't. Which, at this point, is probably true. "Of course you are." His response—or rather the tone with which he says it—sounds disturbingly similar to something Yuffie would say.
I ignore him the rest of the short way to the waiting room where they've kept Aeris, Tifa, and Denzel. Tifa and Denzel are settled in a short sofa, Denzel dozing with his head on Tifa's lap while her long slender fingers running absentmindedly through his messy hair. Her eyes are unfocused, or rather focused on something that's not the potted flower she's staring at, and her eyebrows are drawn together in a knitted frown.
Aeris is the first to notice me step through the door and she breaks out in a smile, not quite as radiant as I'm used to, but at least it's familiar, something that's become a bit of a rarity tonight. "You made it!"
One of my eyebrows raise at her relieved welcome. "Yeah…What's going on?"
"Strife, is it?" It's only then that I notice the grizzled middle aged man step out from the shadows. His voice is rough and I can already tell that the speaker is a no nonsense kind of guy.
"Yes."
"Detective Cid Highwind."
My eyes dart to Aeris and then Tifa, but neither reveals anything in their blank expressions. "What can I do for you, Detective?"
"Have a seat, Mr. Strife."
I do as he says and sit in one of the one-person sofa chairs. Highwind follows my lead as he sits and places a manila folder down on the coffee table between us. He's watching me closely as if I'm some criminal and I remember why I hate working with our good protectors of the peace: they make you feel guilty even when you're not.
Finally though, he clears his throat and begins talking. "At around 1:20 this morning, there was a break-in into Miss Tifa Lockhart's residence. Strange things is, whoever broke in didn't steal anything, didn't try to hurt anybody either. Just dropped a folder on the kitchen counter and left. Strange thing to do, innit?"
I look at him blankly for a while before I realize he's waiting for my response so I nod slightly.
"Not much of a talker, are ya?" I simply return him with a deadpan look. "Right. Well, if you take a look at the contents of the folder that was dropped off, you'll see why we called you in this late."
He nods toward the folder and after only a moment's hesitation I reach out to flip it open. I'm not really sure what to think when I see the very stalker-esque pictures of me, Tifa and Denzel outside of Zack's apartment two nights ago. It's disturbing, especially when one of the close-ups is zoomed in enough to see the flecks of green circling my pupils, and – freak, is that a pimple?
I think I feel violated.
"What the hell is all this?"
"I'm asking the questions here, Strife. What's your relationship with Miss Lockhart?"
I'm not the only way taken aback by the question as I see Tifa recoil at his bluntness. "I'm her lawyer," I reply dryly.
"Really? Cause the way you're hanging around her and the boy sure don't look like you're just her lawyer."
"Are you trying to imply something? Look, I know you're just doing what you have to. So here's my piece to make your life easier. I'm her lawyer; that's it. Those pictures were taken two nights ago when we had dinner at my boss, Zack's, apartment. I've never met Miss Lockhart before, and I sure as hell don't know why someone would break into her apartment just to drop off pictures of us."
Highwind narrows his eyes at me, but he eventually relents. "We're thinking it may be a warning. We'd like to place the three of you under protective custody."
I scoff. "What? Did the police department suddenly hit the jackpot? The last I remember, you guys had to cram your overnight cells to make room for the growing number of serious offenders. I know for a fact that Edge isn't doing well financially and I can only imagine what kind of pressure that's putting on law enforcement." I gesture at the photos. "Besides, a couple of photos—as weird and disturbing as they may be—aren't enough to warrant protective custody."
I could see Highwind bristling but I'm tired and cranky and really don't give a damn right now. Besides, he and I both know that I'm right.
The surprises are never-ending tonight, though, because Tifa places a calming hand on Cid's arm and he noticeably mellows. "It's alright, Cid. I know you mean well, but he's got a point."
His eyes soften when he looks at her. "Aw hell, I know. I just don't want you getting hurt. Shera'll have my ass if I let anything happen to you." Then he turns his gaze on me and it immediately hardens with a protective fire. "You better be one damn good lawyer and keep my nephew where he belongs."
"Nephew?"
"Cid's wife, Shera, is my second cousin."
"Wow. You just know everyone don't you?"
She shrugs a little sheepishly.
"Why don't you and Denzel stay with me 'n Shera for a while? Just until you get new locks, or better yet, move into a new place."
Aeris steps in. "Oh, they can stay at my place. I live closer to the Seventh Heaven and Denzel's school anyway."
Cid grunts his assent but doesn't let them leave until he gives one more piece. "Aeris' boy Zack is still outside, right?" Officer Biggs nods. "Good. Make sure he takes you three home safe and sound. And for God's sake, girl, be careful!"
Tifa replies with a breathless sound that's somewhere between a laugh and a grunt, the effort of lifting the sleeping Denzel into her arms a little more difficult now with his growing age and weight. "I will, Cid. I'll call you when I get there." She glances up shyly at me. "Sorry about all the trouble, Mr. Stri – er, Cloud."
"It's no problem. Be careful."
She smiles and steps out of the room after Aeris. I make to follow them but Cid stops me.
"There was something else in the folder."
"What?" I feel like that's been my new favorite word lately.
"A note. We're testing it for fingerprints but I doubt we'll get anything."
"What did it say?"
"Your son for our son."
I let the information sit in me for a while, suddenly understanding why Cid would be anxious to get his nephew and cousin into protective custody. I also realize that there's a reason he's only bringing it up now. "Why are you telling me?"
He shrugs, too forcibly nonchalant for it to come off as casual. "I don't trust you, boy. Never liked lawyers, but Tifa seems to trust you so I'll it slide for now. Some'em just ain't right though. I can't say what; just my gut, but it's never led me wrong before. Whatever it is, like it or not, your face was the one that showed up on those photos so you're in this just the same as the rest of us. Keep your eyes open."
I nod, not knowing if he's warning me or threatening me. Either way, he's right about one thing. Somehow I've got myself involved in something much bigger than a simple custody case.
A/N: I couldn't resist throwing Cid in as the detective role, but what can I say? He inserted himself in that role and refused to get out.
Most profound thanks to: mom calling, Alialka, ObsessiveCompulsiveValkyrie, shadowneko003, Ksim3000, Srta Caroline, CloudRed1988, LovelessGenesis, nickJoffdaCHAIN, HotFudge5000, Vanilla Raindrops, elebelly, pinkparis, Creative Spark, GeoMill, vx-Luna-xv, iluvkingdomheartz, Valentine'sNinja, Sesshomaru Dogdemon, A Morning Star
A lot of you commented on Zack's height and how strikingly tall of a woman he must have made...admittedly, I totally didn't think about it realistically...Honestly, I just wanted the chance to write Zack in drag...lol.
