Chapter: 4, Persistance
Summary: Time's ticking away, he's managed to finish his paperwork in time but will it be enough to save her life?
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the main character, Rayne. Final Fantasy is a product of Square Enix, while Kingdom Hearts is a join production of Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios (Buena Vista Games.)

"Its all there. Now if you don't mind- -"

"Wait."

Tseng picked up the report, scanning through it briefly as Reno wandered his office and snooped. It wasn't in the Turk's genes to be the only to sit still and wait, especially when he'd literally spent the night at WRO Headquarters doing research.

After what seemed like an eternity to the red-head, he'd finally run out of things to poke at and became impatient. "Well?"

"You actually used the proper header. Connotations too."

Reno growled. "Will it get the job done?"

His superior didn't answer and Reno's anxiety seemed to permeate from the wall despite them being covered by filing cabinets and bookcases. He opened his mouth to speak only to be surprised when Tseng finally spoke.

"I can't speak for Reeve, but you may be on to something here."

He closed the report and Reno closed his mouth with a sigh. "Clock off and go home. If there's something else, I'll be sure to call you if something comes up.

--

They never turned the ungodly bright lights off in Rayne's containment chamber, leaving her really no choice but to stay awake as she awaited execution... or salvation? The latter almost sounded the same as the first to her ears.

The plate of food was only half-touched, the uncooked vegetables gone but the meat remained unscathed. It was left in the middle of the floor where it had been given to her via a lift, as if she were some animal too dangerous to approach.

"I finished the paperwork."

This was a voice she knew without having to concentrate. Reno... She didn't even bother acknowledging his presence, not by look nor word. She had nothing she wanted to say to the man who caused her to be stuck in this hellish prison in the first place.

His gray-blue eyes gazed sympathetically through the glass at her, taking in the features that were once hidden by her black cloak and gloves. She looked completely humanoid to him, her dark chestnut brown hair falling over her caramel-hued skin. How people could call her anything but human was beyond his comprehension.

Then Rayne looked up at the window, almost as if she could feel his burning gaze on her, like she wanted to see the imperfections she sought so hard to hide. Those Mako green eyes that glowed despite the bright lights, and then her ears... elongated and pointed at the tips. He'd not seen anything like them, not on friend nor fiend.

"There's a condition to your release."

Instantly, the young woman looked away from the viewing window and returned to her curled up position near the corner of her bed. "Not interested."

"You could help the Planet... like we do."

She scoffed, a cold sound that made Reno almost recoil. "I have no interest in helping you or the Planet for that matter."

He'd been afraid of this, but was honestly not surprised. He knew she had a kind heart, beneath the scars inflicted by her less-than-conventional means of upbringing. Sighing, he opened the door to her cell and entered, closing it behind him. An electronic hum told him that it was locked once more.

"What are you doing?"

Rayne looked up at him curiously, scooting away and closer to the corner of his bed. He shrugged and plopped down to rest his back against the wall opposite the modest wall-mounted bunk.

"Sitting down."

"I see that, but why- -"

"Proving to you that I want you to help us save the Planet," he replied matter-of-factly and she deadpanned.

"By sitting in my cell?"

"Yes."

He leaned his head back against the sterile white wall, unstrapped his Electro-Mag Rod from his wrist, and sat it on the floor next to him with a small metallic clank. She just started at him, wondering if he'd elaborate but the moment of silence that followed made it all to clear that if he had a plan... he wasn't sharing.

"It makes no sense."

"What doesn't?" He'd closed his eyes, but reopened one to gaze lazily at her.

"Your plan... you. None of this!" Rayne scooted off the bed, making sure to pull her gown down as she stood. "Seriously! Who goes through all the trouble of kidnapping someone only to fight to get them released?"

Reno shrugged. "Me, obviously."

His reply went unnoticed as she continued. "Furthermore, what sense does it make to try to convince me to help you by sitting in my room? You're the reason I'm in here! I don't want to spend the remainder of my incarceration with you!"

--

I don't want to spend my incarceration with you!

Either man stopped where they stood as they heard the proclamation. Neither had expected it, the specimen should have been alone, her feeding wasn't for another hour and there were no further tests...

"Reno? What the hell is he doing?"

Tseng reached for the door only to have his wrist gently grabbed by Reeve. Shaking his head, he seemed to have a thoughtful look upon his stern features. "Let the kid do his thing. Maybe he knows what he is doing."

The Head of the Turks gave him an incredulous look. "With all due respect, sir, this is Reno we're talking about."

"Yes. And he has come through for us more than once in a pinch. Perhaps we owe him the benefit of the doubt?"

"But... "

"What harm can the specimen do? The dampening will only weaken her if she attempts to use her powers."

Reeve had him there, and Tseng conceded and decided to silently watch on.

--

"Well?"

The inquiry caused her frustrations to almost diminish as she felt curiosity win over. "Well what?"

"Do you feel better now, or do you want to yell some more?"

"UGH! You are incorrigable Reno! You really are! I swear if you do in fact have a brain beneath that scraggly red hair of yours, you're a walking mystery of science. Because you certainly don't use it!"

And with that, she walked back over and plopped down on her bed, refusing to give him another look. "You wouldn't be the first to say that." He flashed her a grin, a cocky sideways one that didn't quite reach his eyes. It only made her blood boil.

"I hate you."

"I'll grow on you... just wait and see. Once we start working together- -"

"I'm not working with you."

She was losing her fire, but there was still a finality behind her tone.

"Once we start working together," he began again. "You'll learn to love me."

--

Reeve looked on without emotion through the glass, but there was a twinkle in his dark eyes that even Tseng could recognize. Perhaps Reno was correct in her not being a threat... the dampening equipment only phased magical abilities, but the Electro-Mag Rod was open to her and she didn't even give it a passing glance.

The specimen shows docile brainwaves when pain receptors are agitated, suggesting perhaps while she retains some of JENOVA's mimetic properties, there are factors that nullified her innate need to destroy. -Lucrecia Crescent, X Day, X Month, X Year.

"Cancel the eradication of this one. I think he's shown us all we need to know."

(( A/N: Took a little longer to get this one out than it usually does for me. Had some trouble trying to decide how to introduce the research done on her and how to get Reno's mission accomplished. Hopefully this is good for you all! Read, review, and thank you! ))