PART III

"Now that it's over, will you really just walk away? Your talents would be much appreciated, and greatly rewarded."

"Like I told you a long time ago, I'm a delivery boy now." Cloud reached for the handle of the door in Rufus Shinra's office.

"Ah, will you leave without seeing him?"

"I was told he can't have visitors."

"Not visitors plural no, but one at a time is okay."

Cloud looked back at the president. "How is he?"

Rufus shook his head and sighed. "After six months, as good as we could have hoped." With that Cloud left but he stopped outside the doors and took a breath.

"Could have hoped..." he whispered then continued determinedly through the halls until he was in the wing of personal apartments. Guards stood outside one door in particular and he stopped before them. They let him in without question, apparently Rufus had called ahead.

"Cloud." Rude gripped his hand. The apartment was spacious, open, well lit with natural light pouring in. It was spotless and well organized, but in the centre of it, sitting on the couch with knees pulled up under his chin, was the most dishevelled thing in the room.

"Reno."

"Hey Cloud!" Reno waved and Cloud glanced at Rude. From the impression he'd gotten, he had not expected him to sound so normal, despite his appearances.

"Hey Reno." Rude lead him over and he took a seat opposite the thin young man on the couch who never moved to shake his hand or rise.

"I heard you helped the Turks look for me. Thanks."

"Hm." Cloud nodded and Reno smiled.

"As talkative as ever I see. So Rufus make you an offer?"

"Yeah."

"Getting old yet?"

"Probably as old as people asking you how you feel."

"Hey, good one Cloud! Ya hear that Rude? Cloud just made a joke."

Rude just grunted, he was in the kitchen doing something.

"You seem good." Cloud concluded.

"Ah yes, but these doctors think they know, don't they?" Reno smiled slyly and tapping his head.

"Yeah, then go outside and prove them wrong." Rude grunted from behind him and passed the pale man a glass of water. He took a sip then held out his palm automatically for the pills which he swallowed then downed the rest of the glass.

"What do you want for dinner?" Rude asked taking the glass back.

"Same thing as last night." Rude sighed.

"You didn't eat last night."

Reno shrugged and Rude seemed to resist the fight for Cloud's sake.

"What about the injections?" Cloud asked after a strained silence.

"The lab techs are working on them, but they need to do some testing. Tomorrow, alright Reno?"

Cloud watched Reno tense at the thought but he didn't respond. Instead he changed the subject. "Close the curtains will you, Rude."

"You do it."

Again, no response, Reno just looked at the tall windows like he might melt if he got near them. Then he flashed Cloud a smile.

"It was great to see you Cloud, but I'm exhausted, I think I'll take a nap."

Cloud stood with him but watched Rude grab hold of Reno and force him back onto the couch.

"No you don't. You've been sleeping all day and the doc said no going in your room except at nighttime."

"Screw her." Reno said suddenly angry, "I'll go where I want."

"Reno you cannot shut yourself off just because the sun bothers you!"

"Let go Rude!"

"You sit here and mope on this couch all day if you want but you're not going to your room."

"I SAID LET GO!"

"Reno! Listen to me!"

"I don't have to listen to you, I'm not a Turk anymore, I don't take orders from you!"

"Oh yeah, then leave." Rude's words were shockingly harsh to Cloud and he watched their impact on Reno. His resolve crumpled instantly when he looked almost panicked at the door and then the windows. His small frame sunk back to the couch and he gripped his knees again.

"I want to die, Rude." He said, voice small and face hidden. Cloud swallowed hard and caught the pained look in Rude's eye.

"No you don't."

"Then how else do I escape being me?"

"You listen to me and I'll remind you of who you used to be." Thin shoulders began to shake and Rude nodded for Cloud to head to the kitchen. He did but still saw Rude kneel down before Reno and hold his shoulders while trying to be heard over his sobs while still sounding gentle.

Eventually, Rude pulled a blanket over Reno's shoulders who never moved but was still and silent again. He got the kitchen and put on a pot of soup in hopes Reno might eat some of it.

"You caught him right between doses, his moods are always more dramatic then." The Turk explained.

"What's wrong with him?" Cloud asked, still shocked by what he'd witnessed.

"I could recite you a list."

"Is he afraid of the outside?"

"Yeah. He won't even wear socks or shoes because he's afraid that we'll make him go outside. He even seems afraid of summer coming because then it will be warm enough to make him anyway."

"But how did this happen? What did she do to him?"

"He won't give much details, its like he doesn't remember. He had no idea he'd been there that long, but if he was living like this there, then of course he wouldn't have any sense of time, he sleeps almost all day. They say some of it is the serum, it must exhaust his system, but most of it's up here." he tapped his bald head. "Doctor said he probably never left that apartment. From what they can tell, he wasn't hurt much, though he has scars on his left side from extreme burns. He claims someone else did it but he'll never elaborate."

"What's this business of him not being a Turk? Did Rufus cut him lose?"

"No. He started saying that as soon as we got him back. Won't put on his old clothes, just wears pajamas all day. I don't know what it all means."

"And it's just you who stays with him?"

"No, the doctor said that would be a bad idea, he needs to get used to seeing different faces, but he can't handle more than two, maybe three people being around him at a time. Still, I'm here most the time, he'll eat a little bit for me, and talk, but with others, he just lays on that damn couch all day never moving."

"And by others do you mean Shinra employees?"

Rude nodded.

"Then let us help. If he responds to friendly faces, then I'll call Tifa, I'm sure she'd be willing to spend some time with him if you thought it would do any good. And as much as I hate to admit it, Rufus helped out while I was away searching and couldn't get deliveries done."

"And when you say helped out..."

"I don't think Tifa will ever recover from the shock. She could build a whole chain of bars with the money he sent. But what I'm saying, is we can afford to put our business on hold for a while longer, if it would do any good."

"I'll talk to the doctors, thanks."

"You gonna be hanging out here more Cloud?" they both jumped at Reno's voice behind them and turned to see him sliding onto a stool at the counter.

"Is that what you want?"

Reno glanced at Rude then to Cloud and shrugged. "Its cool." He said apathetically, picking at a flaw in the surface of the counter. Rude poured the now warmed soup into a bowl and placed it before Reno who sipped at it wordlessly.

After a few more minutes, Cloud left.

"Can't they come here." Reno said staring at the open doorway, Rude's arm around his shoulders propelling him ever closer while his bare feet slid along the carpet.

"There's no reason why we can't walk down to the Shinra labs Reno. Nothing is going to happen and we're coming back right after."

"But what do they want to do? I thought it was just a few tests, they can do that here."

"No." Rude said firmly. "I'm not letting you hermit yourself away like you did there. You never left that place did you? They kept you locked inside the whole time."

"No." Reno's voice was soft but Rude stopped pushing him to the door. "I did go out. Len made me, said I was depressed." Now Rude was completely frozen, Reno hadn't told him any of this before.

"Who was Len?"

"He was cool, he was a merc, and he lived in the apartment too, stayed with me when Eve was gone."

"And he took you outside?"

"Yeah, in winter. We went to the lake."

"And did you like going outside?"

"Not really, but Lenn insisted we stay for a bit. Eve was always telling me I needed some sun, but then...they killed him."

"Who did, Eve?"

"No." Reno's hands fell to his side, where the row of burn scars were. Rude inhaled sharply.

"The people who did that to you?"

"Yes."

"Tell me what happened." Reno glanced at the open door and Rude shut it. They would get to the tests later, this was too important. Seeing the door shut Reno sat where he was, head bent and finger playing with the fibres of the carpet but continued talking.

"I think it was a sniper. We were just talking then he was dead. Then I ran. It was cold and it burned and the bodies of her men were everywhere. And then the orchard, I killed at least two, and then I made it out to this road behind the orchard, and I just kept running but they got me, right through the leg."

Rude nodded. They had been unable to determine what that scar had been from. "What did they want Reno?"

"They wanted to know why I was so valuable. Why Eve and the Turks would both want me. They didn't understand, they didn't listen. They took me away. I don't know where we were but they took me in a van and drove me away from the house. They knew I would die at mid night so they were quick."

"What did they do?"

Reno shrugged "The ususal."

Rude didn't push. "But how did you escape?"

"I didn't. She came. She saved me Rude. She took me back."

"She needed you as leverage."

"I know." his voice was small. "But you didn't see."

"Didn't see what?"

"Her eyes. The way she killed them."

"She's a dangerous woman."

"You don't understand."

Rude exhaled. "Reno, is that why you're afraid to go outside? Because they killed your friend?"

Reno just shrugged.

"Was it the last time you went outside?"

"No. The day you came. She was trying to get me to go outside again. She said all I had to do was walk to the tree and come back and we could go back inside and everything would be okay. But..."

"Reno, we rescued you, you don't regret that do you? You don't wish you were still there?"

"I wish I had just never woken up when I fell out of the helicopter." He pulled his knees up and Rude knew he was quickly shutting himself off but anger surged through him.

"Would you stop saying stuff like that."

"I can't help it, its true."

"No, it's not! I wish that none of this had ever happened to you, I wish you didn't feel like you do right now, but the Hell I'm going to let you act as if dying is the better alternative! You are a Turk and you will get through this."

"But I'm not."

"Yes you are." Rude hauled Reno up and pulled him back through the apartment, towards the sliding doors to the outside.

"Rude no, what are you doing?"

"You are not going to wither and die if you go outside. You are not some weak little child."

"Yes I am Rude, so please just don't do this."

But his hands were already on the sliding door.

"No you aren't"

"Then who am I?"

"You are Reno of the Turks." And then he was outside, cool air striking his skin, the soles of his feet pressing into patio blocks, the sun making him blink. He turned immediately back for the door but Rude was there, always there, to keep him from running away.

"Rude please let me back inside," he cried desperately into the other's chest. "Please I don't want to be out here."

"No partner." his hands forced Reno to turn around and look at the outside. He pressed his back against Rude as hard as he could and held tightly to the hands that rested over his chest, one feeling his pounding heart. The sun was warm against them, taking away that last cool edge of winter, though Reno continued to shiver uncontrollably in Rude's arms. But his eyes were forced to adjust to the light, and all he saw was the courtyard of the Shinra mansion. A few benches, lots of grass, just returning to the fullness of green after winter. The gardens were brown, the soil turned over in preparation for planting. The mansion closed around the court on all sides, and seeing this, very slowly, Reno's rapid breath began to ease up.

"Small steps, partner." Rude said.

"Rude, our definitions of small are very different." Reno whispered back, eyes never stopped scanning the open space, but he was much calmer now. "Can we go back now?"

"Alright." Rude turned with Reno still in his grip, back to the patio door and slid it open, releasing his charge so he could shoot back inside.

Reno stumbled to the couch but didn't sit. He was winded as if he'd been running but turned back to Rude.

"Does this mean we don't have to go to the labs today?" he asked hopefully.

"'Fraid not, let's get this over with."

They returned a couple hours later, Reno as pale as a ghost and Rude let him fall into the couch where he fell asleep immediately. He went to the kitchen to get some food together. The doctors had had to take as much blood as they dared for testing. Other than that, it had been a simple check over: they knew Reno wouldn't last long before panicking so they'd gotten what they could and sent him back up with Rude.

But when Rude came back into the living room with food he stopped short seeing the figure bent over Reno.

"Sir." He said and Rufus straightened.

"How did the testing go?"

"He made it through."

"Good."

"Did you want to speak with him? I was just about to wake him."

"Not today, but I will have to have words with him soon."

Rude set the food on the coffee table, now rather concerned.

"About what sir?"

"Come now Rude, he was in the clutches of the enemy for months, and she's still out there. I need to know what he told her."

"Sir I can assure you–"

"You can assure me of nothing, Rude. Look at him. She broke him, whether you and the Turks are willing to admit it or not. We need to know in what ways we might be compromised."

"I honestly believe she kept him for leverage and her own... interest in him. Not for secrets he gave her."

"Rude, he was very literally sleeping with the enemy." Rufus said darkly and Rude was becoming more unnerved.

"Sir, please, don't put him through any more stress."

Rufus sighed at this and his features softened. "I don't mean to say that I'll treat him as the enemy Rude, but we must take precautions. I'll be back in a day or so."

He strode out of the room and Rude followed him to the door, shutting it tightly. His heart sank when he saw Reno sit up and realized he'd been awake.

"Rude..." the bigger man hurried to his side, sitting next to him on the couch. "What's he going to do to me?"

"It'll be okay." Rude said putting an arm over his shoulders and Reno sank against him. "Just tell the truth."

"But what if he doesn't believe me?"

"Don't worry, he won't do anything. We're the good guys remember?"

Reno shut his eyes and turned his face into Rude's side. "You believe me, right?"

"Of course I do partner." And then Reno was asleep again.

The food had long since gone cold when Cloud strode in. Both men on the couch seemed to be asleep, and he stood unsure of what he should do.

"Cloud." He was half startled by Rude's voice.

"Sorry, I–"

"Help me get him to bed would you." Cloud just nodded and took Reno's light weight when Rude slipped from beneath him. They carried him to his room and he never woke.

"He looks awful."

"Blood tests. But Rufus...he came by to visit."

Cloud caught Rude's eye as he pulled the blankets over his partner's frail form.

"What kind of visit?"

"He wants answers that I don't think Reno can give him."

"About Eve Levi?"

"About everything over the past few months." Rude's hand on the sheets lingered momentarily as if he just wanted to stay close to his partner and Cloud recognized the desire to just to keep him safe. If it was Tifa laying in that bed, he would never leave her alone, especially with Shinra interrogators.

"Tifa was going to come help out but how about I stick around for a couple of days?"

"You can't interfere, it will just make things worse."

"Maybe not, but I don't work for Rufus. Besides, ever notice how Shinra employees tend to avoid me?"

"They're scared of you."

"Exactly."

Rude considered. "Alright. Thank you."

Before they left, Cloud watched Rude pull a box off the shelf above the bed and produce a syringe. Reno stirred only slightly in his sleep when he was injected then relaxed. The task done, both men left the room.

Well the others are back! And to answer a mention of a RudexReno romance, I will not be going that direction though I admit they are very close and very physical in some scenes like in the last two chapters. But to me that is natural for them because I see their friendship as running exceptionally deep- a bond built around survival and co-dependence and surrounded by violence alot of the time. Because of this history, Reno can connect to Rude because its so ingrained in him that Rude will always have his back. Also because of their physical contrast it is easy to see Rude as the protector.

Well enough analysing, I just wanted to give an idea of where I was taking their relationship so as not mislead! thanks for all the reviews so far, and keep them coming!

Riza