Chapter Four

Elena stared at her desk. Her headache was nearly gone. She now just felt stupid. She didn't know much of what had happened the previous night at that bar after she'd gone to talk to the people they'd suspected to be part of the group attacking ShinRa employees. When she'd awoken this morning to find Tseng in her apartment he had told her that she'd been drugged and that he was there to make sure she was okay to work. She'd told him that she was fine and he had left quickly. Elena had then gone to have a shower where she sat on the tiles under the water and wished that she could die she was that embarrassed.

Would she never stop proving time and time again that she was just a rookie?

When she had arrived and sat at her desk, she was sure it would just be a matter of time before Reno appeared to tease her. She'd groaned when she spotted his red hair moving among the desks as he headed for her. She'd been more than surprised when he'd just sat himself on her desk, knocking half her files to the floor as he did so and then just looked at her.

"So, how you doin'?" He asked.

"Fine..." she murmured, glancing at him.

"Yeah?"

"I feel stupid."

"Mmm. You did okay, Rookie." He smiled, ruffling her hair. She pushed his hand away, irritated.

"I screwed up. Again."

"You told Tseng what you heard, right?"

"What I could remember."

He nodded. "That's all you can do."

"But I should never have let myself get so... " she made a frustrated sound.

"You punched one of 'em pretty good." He smiled, "Broke his nose..."

"Did I?" she blinked, looking at him. He nodded. She gave a small smile of her own, feeling slightly better. "Oh."

"Then Tseng lifted you into his arms and carried you home." He grinned. She went bright red.

"No..."

"Oh, Yes." He smirked. She whacked him in the leg. He made a pathetic whining sound and got off her desk. "Did he stay the night?"

"Reno..." She warned. He backed away.

"Did you wake up all warm and comfy wrapped in a Tseng blanket?" he teased.

Elena got to her feet and he took off through the desks, laughing. She swore and sank back into her chair feeling even more embarrassed than she had before. Tseng had carried her home? How could things get any worse?

It was then that Rude stopped by her desk. "Elena."

"Yeah?" she looked up, trying to keep her face neutral.

"Tseng wants you to get checked out in the infirmary."

"I'm fine..."

"That's what he wants."

She sighed and got to her feet. "Why didn't he tell me himself?"

"No idea." He replied, before continuing on to his own desk.

Elena headed down to the infirmary and pushed the doors open, already steeling herself for what was to come.

"Elena!"

Elena turned, "Zena." She replied as the tall women with curly blond hair, who had been hired as one of ShinRa's doctors, hurried toward her.

"Tseng said you would be in here today."

"Did he?"

"Yes... he seems strange today." Zena replied, taking Elena over to a bed, "Well, more strange than usual. Don't you think?"

"I haven't seen him today." Elena said simply. She closed her eyes as Zena moved around gathering what she would need.

"I need to run a blood scan." Zena told her.

"Fine." Elena watched Zena silently. She wasn't really in the mood to put up with the woman today. It seemed as if Zena didn't notice this as she kept chatting away.

"So you have no idea why Tseng is being weird today? That's too bad. I thought of going to try and cheer him up a bit, but he would probably just kick me out." Elena looked away as a syringe was pushed into her vein, "I mean, I could ask him out after work, but that maybe seems a little forward, you know? Does he even go out after work?"

"He doesn't often come out with us." Elena murmured, irritated that Zena apparently had her eye on Tseng.

"Us?"

"Reno, Rude and I." She answered.

Zena gave what Elena considered to be a giggle. "Now, I'm sure if I asked Reno out, I'd stand more of a chance." Elena looked at her.

"What? You like both of them?"

"What's not to like...?" Zena replied, removing the syringe now full of blood. "Besides, a girl had to keep her options open."

Elena shook her head silently.

"Y'know..." Zena continued, "You and I should hang out some time. Girl talk and stuff. There aren't that many women here to talk to."

"That's true enough." Elena replied, trying not to agree to anything. Zena had a point, though. She sometimes wished there was someone she could talk to who wasn't male. Or her superior.

"Okay, just sit here while I run this blood."

"Yeah." Elena watched Zena move to the other end of the room to some machinery and start messing around. Why did Tseng want her to get checked out anyway? She felt fine. Whatever those bastards had given her should have worked its way out of her system by this morning. This seemed like a waste of time to her. She couldn't wait to get out of here and go and do some training. She was sure kicking the shit out of something would make her feel better.

Reno had just gotten changed into something he could sweat all over when Elena entered the training room. "What's up, Laney?"

"I need to punch stuff." She growled, heading past him into the changing rooms.

He just laughed and began to warm up. He was just about done with that when Elena came out, now in loose clothing with her short hair pinned back off her face.

"Warm up, Rookie." He instructed, "I'll give you something to relieve some tension." He watched her carefully. It was clear she was in a bad mood when she didn't even notice the innuendo in that and try to have a go at him. He watched her just begin her warm up. One of 'those' days, he guessed. They all had them from time to time. What she needed was a good work out, and then a stiff drink after work. She'd be good as new tomorrow.

When she had finished stretching he looked at her again. "Let's go, Rookie." He headed over to the side of the room and picked up some nunchaku.

"Really?" She asked, "For real?"

"What?"

"We're going to end up messed up."

"That's what you want, isn't it?" He asked, looking at her, "To do some damage."

"Uhh..." She blinked.

"You need to get it out of your system. Let's go." He began to circle around her as she moved, watching him carefully. He attacked without warning and she blocked him, within seconds they were both a quick series of movements both giving and taking space back and forth across the mat. Knowing what Elena needed, Reno backed off a little, slowing his movements just a bit. He saw the moment Elena gave a small smile, believing him to be tiring, before she gave him a hard blow across the face. Reno caught himself down on one knee, and looked back up at her from under his now messy hair. She'd raised her weapon, about to strike him again before she caught herself.

"Oh..." She let out a shaky breath, looking down at him. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She dropped her nunchaku and Reno got slowly to his feet. He returned the weapons to their place and gingerly touched his cheek where she'd struck him. It would leave an impressive bruise by tomorrow.

"You let me do that..." She murmured, looking at him. "Why?"

"Do you feel better...?" he asked, watching as she blinked and then nodded. "That's why." He said simply. She looked at him silently and he shrugged it off, ruffling her hair. "I'm gonna get changed. See you later, Rookie."

.

When they had finished for the day, Reno and Rude cornered Elena and dragged her to 7th Heaven.

"Trust me, Laney." Reno told her, making her slide into their usual booth. "You need a good stiff one."

"You better be talking about alcohol, Reno." She muttered.

"That's what Tifa sells here..." he grinned, "Not sure about the other thing... Ask Rude."

He smiled when she laughed softly and Rude looked at him over the top of his glasses. He just winked at his partner and took a seat.

An hour later the three of them were a little bit drunk. Reno was becoming increasingly amused at the lengths Rude was going to to keep an eye on Tifa. "She's just out the back, Rude." Elena giggled, "She'll be back in a sec."

"No NO... Maybe I should get a job here..." Rude nodded, tapping his finger on the table. "Y'know... To help..."

"Help her what?" Reno snickered.

"Pour drinks." Rude drawled.

"Yeah, right." Elena chuckled.

"Maybe she needs a plumber." Reno giggled, then looked at Rude, slapping him on the shoulder. "Wouldn't you like to check out her plumbing?"

Rude elbowed him hard in the ribs and Reno fell out of their booth and onto the hardwood floor. "Owww." He whined.

"No, don't be mean!" Elena told Rude, clumsily manoeuvring herself out of her seat and down to kneel by Reno where she tried to pull him up. Reno just lay on his back making no effort to help her get him up. Even numbed by the alcohol, he knew he'd have a nice bruise on his ribs to match the one on his face. His friends seemed to be rather violent lately.

"If you lot are drunk enough to be on the floor, it might be time for you to go home."

Reno looked up when Tifa's voice startled him.

He quickly got to his feet. "No... Don't make Rude go." He said, wrapping an arm around Tifa's shoulders. "He'd miss you..."

"Reno..." Rude stared at his partner. Reno let Tifa go and sat down next to Elena who was now back in her chair. He looked up again, watching Tifa who was looking from one of them to the next. When her eyes moved to Rude, Reno was sure he saw her smile slightly, and then she'd turned and walked back to the bar to her customers who were demanding more drinks.

"You didn't ask her about the plumbing." He said, turning his head to look at Rude.

"I'm going to kill you." Rude said firmly. "Tomorrow. When I can see straight."

"I'll pencil you in, yo."

"Zena has her eye on Tseng!" Elena suddenly blurted out. Reno turned in his chair to look at her.

"Okay, Random." He blinked. She gave a small blush.

"She does! She told me so today in the infirmary."

"Good." Reno replied, "Tseng could use a good fuck."

"Uh." Elena's jaw dropped.

"Well he could." He replied, taking another mouthful of his drink, "He's been acting weird."

"But... Zena." Elena blinked. "She's ridiculous."

"She's hot." Reno smirked.

"Well, why don't you fuck her, then?" She muttered, folding her arms.

"What makes you think I haven't?" he replied, smirking again. She stared at him.

"The fact that she's after you, too."

"Oh?"

"Mhmm."

He made a face.

"What happened to her being hot?" She smirked at him.

"My drink is wearing off?" He suggested. She shook her head.

"I see."

"She's hot... but the woman can't shut her mouth for two seconds."

"Bit rich, coming from you." Rude put in.

"Well, yeah... but she's more annoying than me. But, I suppose... if she's given something better to do with her mouth..."

"Ugh." Elena now made a face. "Reno... The images..."

He just laughed. The laughter died in his throat when the door to the bar opened and Tseng walked in with Zena. He then looked at Elena when she spotted them and a small sound escaped her. A few moments later, Tseng and Zena stood beside their table.

"Sir," Rude greeted, "Are you joining us?"

"Yes, thank you." Tseng sat down beside Rude and Zena smiled at them as she squeezed in beside him.

"Hey Elena," Zena grinned, "I did what we were talking about earlier."

"I see that." Elena replied flatly. Reno just stared at Tseng. Tseng on a date? He was as confused as hell. He needed another drink.

"Zena." He said, looking at her. "It's your turn to get the drinks."

"Oh? Okay." The woman got up and smiled at Tseng before heading over to the bar. Reno kept staring at his superior.

"You're on a date?"

"Yes, Reno. I date." Tseng replied drolly.

"Since when?"

Tseng just looked at him silently.

"And..." Reno continued, "I wouldn't have thought Zena was your type, yo."

"Maybe I need a new type." Tseng replied. Reno glanced at Elena who was staring at the table.

"I dunno. I think your old type is fine."

"I don't recall making my personal life your business, Reno."

Reno sat back in his chair as Zena returned with drinks for them all. He watched her place the tray on the table and then squeeze back into the booth beside Tseng, her hand on his arm.

"Reno, move." Elena murmured, before crawling across his lap, "I need to throw up." He just blinked, watching her hurry off toward the women's bathroom. He then looked to Rude, who was looking back at him.

"Is Elena sick?" Tifa asked, now standing beside their table.

"Uhm... She's a kind of sick..." Reno replied, looking up at the dark haired woman. He watched as Tifa's eyes moved to Tseng and Zena before she nodded.

"Right. I'll check on her." She said, turning and heading in the direction of the bathroom. Reno drank the drink Zena had put in front of him and looked back to Rude.

"Think we'll be takin' Laney home tonight, yo?"

"Possibly." Rude replied simply.

"Oh, I knew you all did it." Zena put in, grinning. Reno looked at her, confused, until she continued, "You're all so close. It's so obvious." He blinked. The woman thought they all slept with eachother.

"Uh. No?"

"Sure, sure." Zena winked at him, "If you say so."

He looked at Tseng, speechless. The way the dark haired man's eyes were slightly narrowed told Reno clearly that Tseng was irritated by the women now stroking his arm. Tseng was not interested in her in the slightest. That was obvious. So, what was he doing with her? Why did he have to bring her here? In front of Elena.

A few minutes later Tifa returned. "Elena is done for tonight." She said, "She wants to go home." She looked from Reno to Rude.

"Yeah," Reno got to his feet. "We'll take her." He looked at Rude who also got up. Reno then followed Tifa to the bathroom to collect Elena while Rude got around Tseng and Zena.

"Laney, you okay?" he asked. He watched as she nodded slowly.

"I just wanna go home." She said, "I don't feel good."

"Okay. C'mon." He took her back out to the others. "See you tomorrow, Sir." He said, glancing at Tseng. Tseng nodded, watching them. Rude took Elena's elbow and led her toward the door.

"Bye, guys." Zena's high pitched voice followed them out into the cool night air.

"You're right." Rude said, looking at Reno. "She is more annoying than you."

Reno just grinned at him.

Drop me some reviews guys. Let me know what you think.

I'll give you cake.