*Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters except for Jayden, all characters are owned by Square Enix and Crisis Core Final Fantasy.*

Ch.7

Jayden looked out the window seeing all of the SOLIDIERS and Turks walking into the building. He looked and saw some spiky dark hair just like his fathers this got him excited.

"Daddy's home daddy's home" cried the two year old. However, he looked again and noticed his eyes were playing tricks on him. Jayden's eyes then started to swell with tears.

Reno saw this and quickly went over to the little boy. "Jayden what's wrong yo?" He asked concerned for the little boy's well-being when he knew very well that he missed his father.

"R-Reno, I miss my daddy!" He sniffled and looked up at the redhead with sad eyes "When is he going to be back?" Zack had been gone for three day's and Jayden was becoming scared about his father not coming home.

Reno looked into Jayden's watery hazel eyes and frowned "I don't know Jade." Reno sighed Zack has been here and gone for the past year, it was around April, and he was still fighting against Angeal and Genesis. Reno was sad for Jayden though because at times Zack would be gone for a couple days in a week at times like this week, so Jayden would have to stay with him not that he didn't mind, he loved the kid, but he couldn't stand Jayden being sad, it broke the Turk's heart. "Jayden come here yo." Reno then took the child in his arms and let him cry against him.

"I'm sorry that I'm getting your shirt wet Reno." Jayden sniffled

"Its fine Jade just let it out okay." Reno soothed trying to comfort him the best he could which seemed to help the little boy.

Rude soon walked in with coffee in hand "Am I interrupting anything?" He snickered

"Why yes you are now get out yo." Reno glared at his partner

"Hey I'm just trying to lighten the mood, I mean look he's crying hard Reno."

Reno then looked down at Jayden "Jade ease down on the crying, I don't want to take you to the hospital yo."

"I'm sorry Reno." Jayden looked at him feeling bad.

Reno then noticed how Jayden looked so much like Zack but he was so much more sensitive then his father. "It's alright, just keep on hugging old Reno okay yo?" he smiled

"Reno you need to quit coddling him." Rude replied

"I will not, he needs comfort." Reno then picked up Jayden and went over to the couch to lay down with him, he laid down then he laid Jayden on his body and hugged him close while turning the TV on.

"You're just babying the boy." Rude argued.

"Rude quit being rude" Reno shouted he noticed Jayden jump. "Sorry Jade, and Rude he's only two give him a break he misses his daddy." Reno glared

Rude groaned "But you're acting like his father and you're not his father Reno, so knock off the coddling."

"Reno's not acting like daddy; he's acting like uncle Reno!" Jayden countered "Rude I thought I was your nephew" Jayden looked at Rude with sad eyes

"That's right Rude were his uncles and your being a jerk to our nephew so knock it off yo." Reno scoffed as he hugged Jayden close stroking his back gently.

"Fine you two win." Rude sighed as he sat on the couch tired from dealing with on and off missions Reno and him were both on babysitting duty but Rude still had missions to do unlike Reno.

"Yeah hive five yo!" Reno cheered and gave Jayden a high five, who giggled at Reno when he received his high five.

"You two are dorks…"

"Yep!" Both Reno and Jayden giggled

Soon enough the three boys got hungry and needed food, so Rude made lunch as Reno and Jayden played go fish at the table. In addition, it seemed that Jayden looked concerned.

"Reno, Rude what is going on?" Jayden asked timidly

"Well Jayden it's a bit complicated I mean." Reno stuttered at the question at hand.

"Reno just tell him, he's going to find out eventually." Rude exclaimed

"But it's not something he should know, in less." Reno then got up and went to Rude to purpose an idea.

"What?" Rude whispered

"How about we make it a fairy tale for him, that way it wont be to dramatic and he'll be able to understand." Reno whispered

"That is so stupid that I think it might actually work." Rude smiled as he finished their lunch "Okay we shall tell this story to Jayden after he eats so it will be a nap time story."

"Sounds good to me man." Reno smiled and went back to the table with his and Jayden's lunch being chicken nuggets and French fries.

"Thank you uncle Reno" Jayden smiled and started eating his food.

"Your welcome Jade."

Rude sat down with the two as well, he looked at Jayden and he saw how much he changed in looks and in personality. He had his fathers dark hair like he always had but it was a bit longer with messy spikes almost like Reno's, he had a round face because he was a bit chubby. However, he was very active like his father but he had to be careful about that due to his asthma, and he was still small but taller and walking very well. Rude smiled at Jayden gently.

Jayden looked and saw Rude smiling at him. "Rude are you alright?" Jayden asked concerned

"Yeah I'm fine, just proud of you." Rude smiled and went over to kiss the boy gently on the forehead, Reno smiled at Rude's affection.

Jayden looked puzzled but continued to eat his food, he was soon done and ready for his nap that he had after lunch which he got a story with.

"Are you done Jayden?" Reno asked with a smile

"Yes Reno, I am." Jayden smiled back

"Okay then story time" Reno smiled and grabbed Jayden and cuddled him in his arms. Jayden enjoyed cuddling with Reno very much but he missed his father's hugs and kisses soon Jayden started to cry again silent this time.

"Jayden, are you alright?" Reno looked at the child in his arms and saw he was crying again not as hard but still tearing up pretty badly. "Jayden talk to me yo." Reno sighed not being able to keep him happy long enough

"I miss daddy, I miss his hugs, I miss his kisses, I miss cuddling with him, I miss him!" He wailed and began to cry, sob, and whimper.

Reno's heart broke in half hearing this, not because he was hurt by Jayden but because Reno never really had parents he lived in on the streets most of his life. He wanted to make this little boy happy but he didn't know how, all he could do was tell him he was coming back soon, but no one knew when Zack was coming back. Reno sat on the couch and he held Jayden trying to get him to calm down. "Jayden, he'll be home as soon as he is done with the mission okay?" Reno assured him stroking his hair and rubbing his back.

"What if daddy died?" Jayden cried

"Your dad didn't die and if he did they would of told us and you would be with Aerith or me Jade." Reno sighed

"But what if he did, what if I never see him again." Jayden cried and he felt Reno pick him up and now he was looking into his cerulean eyes, which looked stern but comforting.

"Jayden, don't ever speak like that again, your father is a strong man who would never do that to you, he loves you more than anything in this world, he would live through anything and survive just for you baby." Reno had tears in his eyes and he saw that he really scared his nephew. "I'm sorry Jade I didn't mean to scare you I just wanted to tell you straight that he would survive the ends of Gaia, and you know what he is out protecting you as well, remember when the building got destroyed, who saved you?"

"Daddy saved me, and made sure I wasn't cut or having an asthma attack." Jayden whimpered looking away from Reno's gaze

"Hey look at me baby" Reno then led Jayden's face to his eyes and saw his hazel eyes "Your father loves you, he's willing to live for you or die trying but he will live, and he protects you no matter what." Reno gave him a hard look "Do you understand yo?"

"Yes uncle Reno I understand." Jayden whispered, "Daddy loves me and is going to come back very soon."

"Good boy, now come here yo." Reno then took him into his arms "I love you too baby, maybe not as much as your father but pretty close" Reno smiled

"I love you too Reno" Jayden whimpered "and I love uncle Rude."

"I love you too Jayden" Rude smiled and took him from Reno and hugged him close. The man could not believe Reno was that deep or that caring but it was Jayden and Reno loved the kid as much as he did. "Now let's tell you the story okay?"

"Okay." Jayden smiled and cuddle against the big man as he listened to the story both of his uncles were about to tell.

XXX

"Once upon a time their lived a knight named Zack and he had a son who he loved very much." Rude smiled at Jayden who giggled

"And he was in a terrible fight with two other knights; their names were Angeal and Genesis." Reno frowned and Jayden looked at him sadly he remembered Angeal he missed the man he was like a grandfather to the boy.

"But their was another knight as well Sephiroth" Rude smiled "But the two former knights believed they were monsters, and as monster's they believed they needed to destroy" Rude sighed

"Each of the "monsters"" Reno used quotations marks for his fingers, which made Jayden giggle "had a wing Angeal had a white one like an angel on his right side, while Genesis had a black wing like a demon on his left side" Jayden looked a bit scared after hearing that last line.

"Reno don't scare Jayden please." Rude sighed, "He doesn't need nightmares."

"Sorry" Reno grinned wryly.

"Going on…" Rude replied "Zack believed Angeal was not a monster but and angel do to his white wing." Rude smiled

"But the former knight did not believe his former student; he believed he was truly a monster for passing on his traits to monsters." Reno frowned

"But Zack loved his mentor as a father and believed he could come back to Shinra." Rude grinned at the little boy sitting on his lap.

"So, to protect his son, and to save his mentor Zack is off fighting Genesis and trying to reason with Angeal along with Sephiroth and Zack fighting together." Reno smiled

"So daddy is trying to bring grandpa Geal back?" Jayden asked shyly

"That's right, so you get it?" Reno and Rude asked together

"Yeah I do." Jayden smiled and snuggled against Rude "But I still want him home soon though." Jayden replied quietly

"We know baby we know." Reno smiled and took Jayden from Rude and snuggled with the little boy ready to take a nap.

XXX

After a while, Reno woke up with Jayden still in his arms he smiled as he saw he was sucking his thumb. "You're too adorable Jade." Reno placed his hand on his back and rubbed it gently "I hope your dad comes home soon, I don't want to see you cry again baby." Reno sighed he then heard a knock "Who could that be?" he wondered out loud "Yo Rude get your butt up!" Reno whispered harshly but his partner was out "Man, well got to answer the door yo." Reno then got up and looked through the peephole to see a familiar face, black spiky hair, and his usual restlessness. He opened the door and let the man in.

"Hey Reno you miss me?" Zack smiled at the man gleefully

"Of course but someone missed you more yo." Reno grinned

Zack looked over at the couch to see his sleeping baby boy. "Thank you for taking care of my baby you two." He smiled and patted his shoulder

"You're very welcome, he cried a lot today though." Reno frowned

"Oh, my poor little Jayden" Zack frowned "He was strong though?"

"Of course, he thought he might have lost you though so I had a little heart to heart with him to set him straight yo." Reno smirked

"You weren't too harsh?"

"Of course not just gave him some TLC yo." Reno grinned

"Good well, I'll be seeing ya." Zack smiled at the redhead

"Not anytime soon though yo" Reno smirked and woke Rude up.

"Leave me alone Reno." Rude mumble

"But we got to go yo,"

"Why I want to nap here, Zack isn't home anyway." Rude harshly mumbled

"Hi Rude, miss me?" Zack grinned

Rude took off his shades and rubbed his eyes to see if they were playing tricks "Zack your home!" Rude then hugged the man happy to see him and happy that Jayden had his dad home.

"Don't wake my son up please." Zack whispered

"Sorry, anyway Reno let us go, okay?" Rude regained his composure, kissed Jayden goodbye and waited in the doorway.

"Yes Rude" Reno rolled his eyes and went over to Jayden "You're going to be a vey happy little boy when you wake up Jade." Reno smiled and kissed the little boy's cheek "Goodbye Jade I love you." He then left with Rude with a wave.

Zack walked over to Jayden and smiled, Zack had been through hell and back fighting for three days and now, he was finally home with his baby boy. "I missed you Jayden, so much their wasn't a second that I did not think about you baby." Zack put his hand through Jayden's hair and started to cry, he was hurt that he made his son cry, and worry about him. He then gently kissed him on the forehead, picked him up, and headed to his room.

XXX

Zack placed Jayden on his little bed and went into the closet to get his PJ's. He laid the clothes down and undressed the little boy and began to put his PJ's on. As soon as Zack was done doing that, he got himself undressed down to his boxers and headed for the bathroom to take a shower. As soon he finished, put his boxers back on and went over to Jayden who was lying in his little bed. "Sleep tight baby boy, I love you always and forever." Zack then kissed the boy on the cheek and put his hand through his hair then headed over to his bed and went to sleep.

In the morning Jayden woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon, he smiled and wondered if Reno was making him breakfast. He then ran out of his bed and to the kitchen to see the back of a tall man with spiky black hair like his own. Jayden started to cry "Daddy?" Was the only word Jayden could muster hoping it was his father and not his eyes playing tricks on him again like they have for the past three days.

Zack turned around and smiled at his baby boy. "Hey buddy I missed you." Zack smiled and was soon attacked with a hug

Jayden was balling his eyes out, not from sadness but from joy, the joy of seeing his father. "Daddy I missed you so much, how long are you staying, please let it be a while." Jayden cried out to his father.

"I'm staying for awhile buddy, don't worry your going to have me for a while" Zack smiled and kissed his son's cheek and rubbed his small shoulder blades "I missed you so much baby, I can't even describe it." Zack started to cry as well then he felt his son wiping his tears away

"Don't cry daddy, you're here, and I am here." Jayden smiled up at his father and kissed his cheek.

"My sweet little boy" Zack smiled and held him and then heard his tummy growl, "Well I see your tummy missed me too huh buddy?" Zack grinned

Jayden giggled and smiled at his daddy "Yeah, but I missed you most! But can I have breakfast please." He gave Zack puppy dog eyes

"Of course, I'm hungry too." Zack then got up and got two plates of food for him and his little boy.

The two then sat at the table eating. Jayden was sitting on a couple of phone books and Zack was right across from him smiling as he watched his little boy struggle eating his scrambled eggs.

"So Jayden do you want to do anything today?" Zack smiled at him happy to do anything with his son today.

"Yes, I want to go to the slums." Jayden grinned

"May I ask why buddy?" Zack smirked

"Because I want to go to the park and then visit mommy!" Jayden cheered almost finished eating

"That sounds perfect buddy." Zack smiled and scooped his little boy up and got him ready.

"Yay the park the park!" Jayden cheered

"And visiting mommy!" Zack shouted

And as soon as both were ready to go they were out the door headed for the park and after that Aerith's house to have an awesome day as father and son happy to be with each other, and love each other dearly to bits and pieces.