"…So I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow!" the mature, female voice said on the phone, with a hint of chiperness to it. "Thanks again for letting me stay with you. It should only be until I can find a place of my own. Call me."

Rolling her eyes, Elena closed her phone. She had a habit of ignoring her sister's phone calls, but that only meant she had to listen to her annoying voice messages later. Letting her sister stay at her place was a stupid idea. Why she agreed, she will never know. Last time she spoke to her sister, they had a huge fight and then everything went down and her sister was presumed "dead".

She hated her sister. For always being a step above her. For being better at everything. For getting all the praise growing up. For betraying Shin-Ra! Her life was so much better when she fell off the face of the planet.

Picking up the remote off the coffee table, she angrily pushed the power button. She wasn't paying any attention to it anyways. It wasn't worth it to try and keep up with any shows with her unpredictable work schedule. Every so often she would try and tune into the news before bed, to get a sort of heads up about what was going on in the world. She felt it made her a more well-rounded Turk to know the goings on in the world. But even the news couldn't catch her interest tonight.

Deciding that maybe she should just go to bed, she got up and walked into her bedroom at the end of the hallway, taking off her shirt as she came through the door. As she turned to toss it in the hamper, she stopped suddenly. Lying on the floor in front of the hamper was the red heels she wore to the club last week. Maybe that's what she needed. Another night out on the town. Something to get her mind off of all the ridiculous crap storming through her life lately. With any luck, Aran would be there too.

Curling her lips into a smirk, she turned and exited her bedroom. Once in the bathroom, she dug underneath the sink for her hot rollers and plugged them in as she set to putting on her make-up for the night.

Chest vibrating from the loud music of the club, Elena made her way through the crowd hoping to spot a familiar boy with shaggy brown hair. The air was suffocating and there seemed to be more people than last time. Then again it was the weekend and almost nobody had work the next day. The fog machine seemed to be on full blast and the flashing lights were almost enough to give her a seizure. Maybe this was a bad idea. For all she knew Aran was at home watching tv or already in bed after a long day. She should have called first to see if he was even out. She still had the card with his number on it from the flowers. But the thought of calling a guy she had only met once was nerve wracking. She wasn't the dating type. She didn't know how this whole, hang with a guy and exchange numbers crap worked.

Figuring she should at least have one drink while she was there, she turned to her right to head to the bar. Just as she was raising her hand to get the bartender's attention, she felt a strong had grab the raised arm above her head. Instincts kicked in and she whipped around quickly ready to give a swift elbow to the nose and follow it up with a kick to the groin, but the sight of brown messy locks stopped her in her tracks.

"Whoa! Didn't mean to scare ya! Ha ha. What are you doing out tonight? Couldn't call and invite me out too?"

"Aran! Hi. I uh, I lost your number so I thought I would come to the club. Ya know, hoping to run into you." She babbled back, suddenly at a loss for words now that she had spotted her target and he was staring into her eyes.

"It's been a week. I thought you had forgotten about me. Ya know, girls aren't the only ones who anxiously await that cute someone to call them after a date."

Did he just call their last encounter a date? She wouldn't really call it a date…would she? They were only at the same place at the same time and happen to strike up a conversation.

"Relax!" Aran said, chuckling and rubbing her back. "You look like you could use a drink. What do you want? Put it on my tab. I got your drinks tonight. Don't worry about it."

Running into Aran and free drinks? Tonight might turn out better than she hoped.

Bang Bang Bang

'What the hell is that noise?' Elena thought as she pulled the covers over her face to block the Saturday sun. She knew all those jello shots would haunt her this morning. But that warm feeling she got from them coupled with her drinks only encouraged her to do more. It didn't help that Aran kept buying them for her, even when she declined. She was so drunk, he had to help her home.

***Tripping for about the third time since they left the club, Elena sat on the ground laughing and clapping her hands.

"Maybe you should just take off the heels like I told you to do 2 blocks ago." Aran said, chuckling and helping Elena to her feet.

"No my apa..apartmert is right…right here. Right here!" she exclaimed, pointing upwards at the tall building they were almost in front of.

"Want me to walk you to your room?"

"No. No I got it. I gots it! I'm FINE! Haha"

"Okay. Well, do I at least get a good night kiss?" he asked, his face against her ear. "Mmmm. Your hair smells good," he whispered.

"Thank you," she giggled out. His breath was starting to tickle her neck and give her goose bumps.

"So how about that kiss?" he asked again, arm holding her close to his body both to steady her and to keep her close.

"Okay! Okay!" she said, leaning it to give a quick peck on Aran's lips. "There! Ares yous happy now?"

"No. I meant a kiss. Like this," he said before leaning in and crushing his lips against hers. Taking her bottom lip into his mouth, he slowly sucked on it before dragging his tongue across, asking for entrance into her mouth. In her drunken state, she allowed him to enter without a fight. Only when she felt she was running out of air did she slowly push him away.

"Wow. That wa-was….nice. That was nice! Like really nice!"

"Haha. Well thank you." He replied, still holding her close against himself.

"I should go. I should…I should go!" she stammered out as she started to push away from him.

"You sure you don't want me to walk you upstairs? I assure you I don't mind."

Even in her drunken state she knew what him walking her to her apartment door would lead to. He wouldn't simply leave after she entered the apartment. He would enter with her. Along with entering her bed for the night. ***

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

"Oh my god I'm coming!" she exclaimed as loud as her throbbing head would allow her. That wall vibrating pounding she had been hearing was someone at her door. After quickly finding and pulling on a t-shirt and pair of sweats, she drug herself to the door. Whoever this was better make it quick. She needed a drink of water and a tooth brush ran through her rancid tasting mouth. Pulling open the door, her eyes widened momentarily. She was not ready for this crap this early.

"Hello sis. Forget I was coming?"

"No…no I sure as hell didn't. I just didn't think you would be here so early." Elena stated dryly, allowing her sister to enter the apartment.

"It's almost noon! I'd hardly call that early!" Walking past Elena, she pulled her two suitcases behind her. "Nice place, by the way. Nice to finally see it."

"You didn't expect a house warming party did you? As far as the world is concerned, you no longer exist. Quit acting like I owe you something."

"Being with ShinRa has rubbed off on you. I don't remember that mouth of yours being so snarky before."

A few moments passed as the two blondes stared at each other from opposite ends of the room. Elena was regretting her decision more and more now that her sister was finally here. Couldn't Rufus have put them up in a hotel or something? Or build dorms onto the new ShinRa building?

"The couch pulls out into a bed. You can keep your suitcases in the corner I cleared for you over there. Please don't leave food or empty plates in the living room. I don't want ants. Bathroom is the door on the right in the hallway. Towels are in the linen closet across the hall from it. Hang them up when you're done with them. Washer and dryer are behind the double doors beside the linen closet. My bedroom is at the end of the hall. Please refrain from entering it unless it's an emergency. Any questions?" Elena sounded more like a drill instructor welcoming a new cadet to boot camp than a sister giving a tour of her place to her sibling she hasn't seen in years.

"Where's my list of chores to do every week? And the little stickers I put beside them when I'm finished? You got blankets for me to use, or do I have to go buy my own so as not to tarnish yours, your majesty."

"Linen closet. Top shelf."

Elena's sister sighed, dropping her arms from the crossed position she had them on her chest.

"Look, I'm sorry I had no other place to go. I can't afford a hotel for as long as I'm going to be here and the pay is commission only. I don't know how much I'll be making right away. Can't we put the past behind us and enjoy this time together? As sisters?"

"Since when have we enjoyed time together as sisters?" Elena exclaimed, outraged that her sister thought she could just walk back into her life and expect everything to be rainbows and unicorns.

"I thought maybe we could finally have that relationship siblings are supposed to have."

"Yea well it's a little too late for that. You don't get to disappear off the face of the planet for years and suddenly walk back into my life like nothing ever happened!" Elena shouted back. Her anger was quickly rising. The only other time she really yelled like this was at Reno for his teasing and lewd jokes. But she didn't mean any real harm by her words when it was him. "I need a shower and then I have some place to be. Make yourself at home, Emma. And welcome back I guess."

Making her way past her sister, she almost got to her bedroom door before she was halted by a response.

"Emma, huh? Last person to call me that was daddy." The other blonde was realizing that making amends with her sister wasn't going to be as easy as she hoped. She'd had many years away from ShinRa and the harsh tongue it gave her. She settled down a bit over the years. But hearing her sister argue with her like old times was quickly bringing the snarky part of her personality back. "Everyone always called me Gun. You know why they called me Gun, Elena?"

"Because the Turks weren't as exclusive back then and nobody cared enough to remember you by your real name? The only thing you were to them back then was a weapon so they called you by yours. Right?" she retorted, narrowing her eyes at her sister.

"No…it's because I was the best damn gun slinger ShinRa had ever seen. No one had, or has, ever surpassed my records, my kill shots, my accuracy, my anything. I was the only gun that company ever needed, so I was awarded with the name."

"Yea, well you've been gone a while. Might wanna check the record books when you go into work on Monday." Elena sauntered off into the bedroom to quickly grab a change of clothes. As she entered the bathroom, she heard her sister's voice stopping her in her tracks and boiling her blood.

"The only reason you were hired into the Turks was because they were hoping you would be able to take my place in my absence. Obviously you couldn't fulfill that duty if they had to ask me back. Even though I'm considered 'deceased' to them. That's gotta be pretty bad, wouldn't you say?"

The only response she got was the bathroom door slamming shut.

Elena sat at the bottom of the tub as the shower head ran over top of her head. Angry tears dripped down her cheeks mixing with the water. Why did she ever agree to have her sister stay with her? Was she secretly hoping to mend their relationship? No. Never. She hated her sister and always would. No matter how cute and naïve and innocent everyone thought she was, there was a very dark place in her heart when it came to her sister. She'd give it a week at best then kick her ass to the curb. She didn't care if she didn't have a place to stay.

The whole situation was messed up. Sure, they still had contact with many of the old ShinRa employees and still enlisted them for information and such when they needed, but it was a whole different story bringing them back and putting them back on the payroll. She felt the old Turks were almost obligated to give them information when they asked for it. If it weren't for Tseng lying about their assassinations, they would be six feet under. Reno seemed all gung hoe about them returning to work just a short time ago when they were dealing with the remnants. But they didn't really stick around much. All they basically wanted to do was say they were sorry for their past with ShinRa. Plus when word got around that ShinRa was looking to rebuild, everyone wanted their old salaries back and returned hoping everything would go back to the way it used to be. They didn't anticipate the forming of the WRO or how big the organization would be. Their so called "dedication" went out that door when they soon learned how much work would have to go into bringing ShinRa back and that it wouldn't be the company it once was.

None of that mattered to Elena though. She had her three co-workers; her three best friends. And her boss. Rufus. They didn't really have much of a friendship per say, but he was still a big part of her life. To hell with everyone else. Sure she would like to see ShinRa back up and running the way it used to be. And she believed it would get to that point again sometime in the future. And she planned to stick around to see that day. She stuck around through all the hard work of helping build Edge, building the memorials, recovering bodies in the Midgar ruins…none of it was pretty or fun but she still did it.

If Emma wanted to think she was better than Elena simply because she had better aim with a gun, she was sadly mistaken. She would see when she returned to work how things have changed. Elena was above her now. Not only in rank, but also amongst her old comrades; Reno, Rude and Tseng. Screw medals. Elena had true dedication, and when it comes to ShinRa, that's all that truly matters in the long run.

AN:

QUICK STORY NOTES:

Emma- I didn't just make this name up on a whim. I got it from Final Fantasy Wiki article on Gun where it states "On the production sketches for Last Order -Final Fantasy VII-by Studio MadHouse, Gun (Female) is given the name "Emma"

I have studied FF7 to a ridiculous degree and have a huge binder full of notes on everything from Before Crisis to Dirge of Cerberus and even before and beyond! I don't just make up a lot of the background for the story or character names. I will specifically state if a name is one I made up.

Now….

OMG has it been forever since I updated this! I never meant to go this long without an update, but my life took a CRAZY turn and A LOT of shit happened and I quit writing for a while. My father passed away suddenly and unexpectedly about 2 weeks after my last update, I moved and basically became an alcoholic, got back together with my ex, got pregnant, moved 1200 miles across the country… and now I finally seem to have my life at a good and more stable place. I'm also finally getting back into writing! I started a new fic to get my muse back. I usually write my best stuff when I'm going through a break up or in a tumultuous relationship and now that I don't have that, I had to dig deeper to find a reason to write again. I was surprised and elated to see that I still got story follows and comments on this story throughout the past few years. I swear every time I got a notification on this story it pained me a bit to know I hadn't touched it in so long, while making me warm inside to know people were still finding it and reading it.

BUT I have no plans to abandon this fic and It's still very much alive and going to be finished! I also don't plan to ever leave you hanging for another chapter for 4 years. That was simply due to unforeseen circumstances. I still have all my notes on this story and already have half of the next chapter written. I know this one is kinda short but this is where I sort of needed to end it I think. (which is sad cause I pretty much had this ALL written already. I just added the end to it.) And it's about to start getting a bit juicier, just be patient lol Thanks to anyone who is still here and plans to continue reading and I hope any new comers enjoy my story. I read all comments and respond to all that I can and appreciate every one of them.

Until next chappy…