Behind Lock and Key
Chapter 10: Lightning Returns
"Answer, you bastards!" Fang growled.
Paine remained firmly on her bed, watching the scene unfold in front of her; Fang hammered the cell door with the flat of her hand, trying to raise the alarm, whilst Yuffie panicked. Rikku couldn't have picked a worse time to be severely unwell and unresponsive, lying against the cold floor to counter her soaring temperature.
Yuffie had realised first when a bout of strained coughing didn't cease, and instead turned to spluttering. Whilst lying on her back, Rikku had been sick. With a startled curse, the thief ran to the Al Bhed's bunk to roll her over, causing vomit with the same consistency as porridge, to pour from her mouth.
"Surely someone's available?" Yuffie sobbed, dabbing Rikku's head with a damp flannel.
"They're ignoring the panic alarm or something," Fang said, continuing to smack the metal door. "Hey! We need help in here!"
Yuffie shifted her weight, replacing her knees with a proper pillow for Rikku's head, until Paine realised she'd used hers. She tore the pillow from under the Al Bhed's head and made Yuffie get the blonde's own from the bunk above.
"Paine!" Fang frowned, making her feel childish. "Keep a bloody eye on her… Yuffie try the button again."
Hesitantly, Yuffie left Rikku to Paine, jabbing the panic button like she was impatiently waiting for an elevator.
She sat cross-legged beside the feverish girl, letting the damp cloth sit on Rikku's forehead so that she didn't have to touch the sweat-riddled thing. "You've reacted to the tattoo, haven't you?"
The blonde's breaths were shallow, her skin still ablaze even though she was shivering. "E… tuh'd fyhd du."
"What? What're you saying?"
"I don't… fyhd du…"
At that point Fang looked over. "I think she's saying 'I don't want to', Vanille would've understood better."
"Are you sure?" Yuffie said. "Do you think she's hallucinating or something?"
You don't want to what? Die?
Although hesitant to even touch the girl, she could feel the heat emanating from her skin without having to make any sort of contact. She probably did feel like she was going to die if her temperature was anything to go by.
Rikku then jerked again, bringing up more vomit, which just sat in her mouth as if she was purposely trying to gargle it.
You're going to choke. You idiot.
A quick glance told Paine that neither Fang nor Yuffie had noticed Rikku's developing illness, and something told her to keep it that way. Lying there, almost unconscious on the floor was half the reason that some woman had died in their cell and made sleeping hard. Lying there, slowly suffocating on her own vomit was the reason Paine was in prison in the first place.
She'd dreamt of maiming the girl inside and outside of the four walls that held her. Now, when the perfect opportunity for an accidental death arose, she couldn't stomach seeing her die this way.
Paine rolled Rikku onto her side and forced her hand into the girl's mouth, holding her breath as she scooped lumps of regurgitated food from the Al Bhed's throat. Yuffie screamed.
At long last a welcome light poured into the cell from the prison wing, and a haggard looking Officer Steiner tumbled through, falling to Rikku's side and shaking her.
"What the ruddy hell is wrong with her?"
"What the 'ruddy hell' is wrong with you, you mean," Fang roared, taking one look out of the cell. "There's about twenty idol officers out there, and not one of you answered us!"
Unusually silent, he picked up the limp girl as if she weighed nothing more than a rag doll.
The rest of the four-person cell didn't answer, Paine least of all. It wasn't like she forced Rikku into getting Nora's name tattooed across her back… it was only a suggestion. It was the Al Bhed's own fault for jumping at the idea.
The officer whisked the small girl outside, and the three girls promptly followed, ignoring Steiner's protests.
"Shit, look!" Fang said, the corner of her mouth upturned. "She's really gotten into him."
Rushing out the cell before anyone could tell her otherwise, Paine couldn't believe her eyes.
Ambulance crew were fighting to manoeuvre Officer Rosch down the last flight of stairs, with both haste and care. He was as pale as his hair, and covered with crimson, as if someone had spilt red paint down his front.
If Rosch was free, then Jihl had been caught. It was hard to hear her distinct voice above the catcalls of the other prisoners cheering and jeering, but Paine knew some of the shrieking would be her.
"I said, GET BACK IN YOUR CELL."
Other officers came to Steiner's aid, pushing Paine back into the cell, and barring her view of both Rikku and Rosch.
"Will she be okay?" Yuffie asked the room.
It was as if Rikku's existence had vanished completely, and the only trace of her was the vomit. Paine honestly didn't know.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Fang said, not even trying to smile.
Paine was confident she could speak for the other two in saying she was exhausted. She rubbed her eyes, deciding she'd have another cigarette before going to bed.
Through the high window the night was already beginning to surrender to day, casting a dim light across the ceiling. Within the hour, heavy boots filed out of the wing; the last few steps echoing as the wing finally emptied.
Within that hour, Paine had smoked the rest of her packet.
Yuffie had fallen asleep almost immediately, judging by her level breaths. And Fang… Fang had watched Paine pace around the dirty floor from the corner of her eye, not saying a word.
She risked another glance, and realised the older woman had fallen asleep also, resting on top of Nora's old blankets with her arms folded.
Paine was thankful; every time she looked over, Fang was watching her carefully as if she knew.
Fighting back a yawn in favour of another large gulp of coffee, Cloud sat alone in the staff room, trying to forget how tired he was. Already exhausted from his night out with Tifa and some friends, he'd deliriously offered to stay and help out long after Yaag had been carted off.
Quistis was relieved, and let him off with sorting out visiting orders. The task was easy enough considering they were postponing visits, meaning he had to make note of contact details and phone the visitors.
One visiting order caught his eyes in particular, and at first he thought he'd misread it.
Lightning Farron.
He brought the document closer to his face in case his bleary eyes deceived him, but no, it was certainly her name there. Even more interesting was that it was signed by Fang, which meant she had to have known Lightning's address in order to send it.
He picked up the phone and dialled.
"Hello?"
He smiled down the phone, forgetting she couldn't see him. "Lightning. It's Cloud."
There was a pause. "What's up? You've never phoned me before."
He told her everything, recounting anything his mind remembered, which was strange for him, as he usually preferred to listen. Talking to the old governor was different because he'd always respected her.
"Shit. How's your new governor taking it? I mean… I don't mean to sound so relieved, but I'm glad it's not me in charge."
"Quistis? She managed pretty well considering, although I'm sure you would've too..." He almost called her 'ma'am'. "And in light of what's happening, they're cancelling visits today, I'm afraid."
He picked up a pen and began to sketch small squares onto a notepad. Lightning huffed down the phone, and he pictured her mulling over her options when she next spoke.
"Is your governor around? This is of utmost importance… the other name on that visiting order is a barrister, whose time is very precious."
He glanced at the name - Sazh Katzroy. Ah yes, he remembered now. But why was Lightning visiting? Never in a million years had he heard or seen someone on the right side of the bars visit an inmate.
"What are you doing visiting Fang?" he said, bemused. "I didn't realise you missed her that much." He stopped his laugh short when Lightning didn't join in.
"Cloud, please. I…" There was yet another pause. "We need to see her in person."
Midway through colouring in one of his small squares on the notepad, something in the way she spoke struck him. Lightning hadn't been gone long enough for him to forget how she spoke with confidence and cool, but there was apprehensiveness in the way she spoke.
He knew he shouldn't pry into personal affairs; especially not women's affairs and above all not his female ex-boss's affairs. It must've been the lack of eye contact that made him brave.
"Were you two really that close?" he said, trying not to make it sound so serious. "She really came to your defence during that Cid incident now I think about it. Did she take a fancy to you or something? I know she's… you know."
His drink was getting cold with all of his uncharacteristic talking. If Elena or Tifa could see him now, chattering down the phone.
And then, above the last chugs of his coffee, Lightning dropped a bombshell.
"Me and Fang… let's say our relationship turned unprofessional. Since leaving, I've been waiting for another job to arise within Edenfell. One that would have less responsibility on the wing, but still give me access to her – something in area management."
Was he really hearing this? Lightning Farron was the pinnacle of professionalism in his eyes. He tapped the pen wildly against the pad and then bit the cap, his mind reeling. There was no way he could sit by and let Lightning return to Edenfell knowing her heart and head were in the wrong places.
And he told her so, much to her disappointment. "Forgive me, Lightning."
"I understand."
From the corner of his eye, Quistis was flitting about. Despite the phone cord he was able to gesture wildly enough to catch her eye through the window.
Despite everyone's fatigue, when the four-person cell door opened, each girl was pleased to get out. At Fang's suggestion, Yuffie dashed off towards the medical bay to check on Rikku.
As much as Fang would have liked to visit as well, there was no point in bombarding the sick girl, and she trusted that Yuffie would relay their concerns if she was conscious.
After last night, there would no doubt be some sort of speech given out by Governor Trepe, and judging by the large group of tired officers congregating outside the staff room, the sooner the better as they looked ready to drop.
Last time something big happened, although not as big as an officer being grievously hurt and possibly killed, the inmates had proceeded to riot. No wonder their governor turnover was so high.
"Fang!" The lifer barely had time to turn before Vanille collided into her arms and hugged her tightly around the neck. "I wish we still roomed together, Ashe was pacing all night and shouting at Jihl through our window."
"Tell me about it. When I was moved into Yuffie's cell they were just the same. Except we had some added drama… Rikku was vomiting and acting all bloody weird. I knew the whole at-home tattoo thing would go awry."
A burst of pain stabbed behind her eye suddenly, and Fang fell against the pool table clutching her head.
Vanille moved her hand for her, looking at her worriedly. "Are you alright? Can't have you unwell either."
"Yeah… yeah. I'm just sick of this place. I've got a visit from Mr Katzroy to look forward to today though."
In the strangest role reversal, Vanille hopped upon the table and ruffled Fang's hair, giggling. "Don't worry. I reckon it's good news and that Miss Farron will be waiting outside those prison gates for you when you finally get out."
As if the growing migraine wasn't enough, an invisible knife twisted in her heart. "Keep your voice down. I can't believe I told you."
Vanille looked like the cat that got the cream and the canary at once. The redhead sighed, hopping off the pool table the second the gates opened to the cafeteria for the inmates to grab drinks before breakfast.
"It just makes so much sense, y'know? She really took a shine to you, and no wonder if you were kissing her in garden sheds."
Fang could only bite her tongue.
As some sort of special exception, they were told their plastic mugs weren't needed, and instead anyone who wanted a hot drink received an actual cup and saucer. It was a pleasant change, as the cheap blue plastic often obscured the taste of any drink Fang had in it.
Despite the caffeine, her headache gave way after the second cup, as did her exhaustion. Although it wasn't alcohol, the drinks were still flowing in a way Fang suspected was a liquid apology for yesterday's goings on. Fang was almost at the front of the queue for her third drink, when Governor Trepe spoke up.
"Everyone, if I could have some silence please."
The governor didn't need to speak twice. The entire cafeteria hushed with the exception of people sipping or slurping their drinks obnoxiously. Had the thieving duo been around, she'd have suspected either of them doing it just to piss everyone off. Fang didn't have time to move back to her seat; someone had stolen it anyway, so she chose a part of the wall not taken up by officers.
"The prison grapevine never ceases to amaze me," Quistis Trepe began. "Therefore I suspect all of you have gotten the gist of what happened early this morning. Officer Rosch has indeed been involved in an incident with prisoner Jihl Nabaat, which left them both injured – Officer Rosch severely so."
Both brave and stupid, someone uttered, "I hope he dies."
It cast an even more measurable silence upon the room, as Trepe especially scanned the room for the culprit. Officer Strife moved down the wall, also looking out for whoever it was who spoke, stopping beside Fang and resting against the wall.
"Rest assured, I will inform you all as soon as I hear anything of Officer Rosch's condition… good or bad. It..."
Someone tapped Fang on the shoulder. That someone was obviously Officer Strife, who pressed his finger to his lips and gestured away from the wing with a flick of his head.
A part of her wished he could've waited before asking her to follow him. As the only two moving throughout Miss Trepe's speech, they were gaining attention.
"It's just as well people know us well enough, because that must've looked like something Rosch would do," Fang laughed when they were out of ear shot. "You know, drag a prisoner off for some privacy while everyone's busy."
She had no idea where the man was taking her, but anywhere was better than the wing. Then she immediately remembered Rikku and her stomach sank.
"Is this about Rikku? Is she okay?"
"I've no idea, I'm sorry."
She waited as Strife started the tedious task of unlocking the first of many gates and locked the gate only to do the same thing again a few metres down. She watched him bite his lip as he locked the next gate. He was smiling.
"You'll be thankful that it was me put in charge of informing everyone that today's visits were closed," he said trying to sound nonchalant. The steadiness in his voice did not match his amused expression. "You're the exception though – thanks to me of course, so don't look too panicked."
Fang tutted. "Well if you'd have told me where we were going in the first place… but thanks, I think." Cloud winked. There was certainly something the matter with him. "Are you feeling okay? I thought the cheeriness was usually your sister's thing."
They stopped outside the room that Fang had first met Sazh in, and when Cloud opened the door everything played out in slow motion.
Sazh stopped talking in order to look up, gesturing in thanks towards Cloud who informed the room that he would be stationed outside if anyone needed anything.
Time stopped completely however, when Fang's eyes unsuspectingly fell upon Lightning, who sat with her legs crossed beside Sazh. She looked perfect. As much as Fang absolutely loved her in uniform, seeing her out of it was something else.
The door closed behind her and suddenly Fang wasn't so sure how to react. She had butterflies just about everywhere and her throat was dry and she was yet to blink and…
"Is there a ghost behind us?" Sazh chuckled, forcing Fang back into acting normal.
"Er, no sorry I…" Fang pulled up a seat, and looked directly at the table, unsure whether to smile. "I just wasn't expecting… two of you."
Lightning's expression was warm, but her eyes were smouldering. "It's nice to see you again, Fang."
Lightning's professional greeting hurt her slightly, but the fact she was here was enough. What did she expect when they weren't alone?
"The Home Office must be either overstaffed or unburdened with their workload," Sazh started. "Because I've received word from them about your appeal."
He threw an opened letter towards her from across the table, stopping just short of the edge. No matter how long she stared out either person across the table, their stoic faces gave nothing away.
With a deep breath she ripped the letter from its envelope. She read it once, and then twice.
"They're going ahead with my appeal," Fang gasped. The voice that spoke no longer sounded like hers. "Surely that means I've got a really good case?"
"It does, Fang." Lightning grinned, finally breaking the blank expression.
Fang tried to read the letter again, but each letter became blurred and obscured by her tears. The back of her hand didn't do much to dry her face, but she didn't care.
Sazh got up to pat her heavily on the shoulder. "Congratulations Fang. In a month's time I'll be making sure you leave the court a free woman."
"Thank you. A million times thank you."
If ever anyone deserved more than a handshake, it was now. When Sazh offered his hand Fang took it and pulled him into one great hug, ensuring of course, that she didn't cry all over his suit.
"If you excuse me ladies, I just need to go to the bathroom a second. I'm sure the fine officer outside can lead the way for me." Sazh nodded past Fang, then turned to the door where Cloud was waiting.
Sazh Katzroy had barely left and before she knew it, Lightning had beaten her to it; rushing into Fang's arms in a way that Fang almost spun her around on the spot, laughing.
"You have no idea how happy I was when Sazh told me," Lightning mumbled into Fang's shoulder. "He's too modest though. He called in some favours with a pal of his who works at the Home Office, sending your case to the top of their list."
Lightning was trying to move out of her grip, but Fang strengthened her hold. "That explains the prompt reply." She kissed the top of Lightning's head, enjoying the floral, just washed scent before actually letting go. "I take it you told Sazh about us?"
"He kind of sussed it out," Lightning murmured, gazing fondly at Fang. "And Cloud knows, because I told him this morning, but don't worry I know we can trust him. It's because of him we're even here now."
Worry? Worrying was the last thing she felt like doing now. She thought it best not to tell her that Vanille knew, in case Lightning didn't trust her in the same way Fang did.
After an eternity's worth of patience, Lightning reached out and kissed her first, settling her hands at the base of Fang's neck.
The hardest part for Fang was restraining herself, keeping her hands tucked into the back pocket of her own jeans, rather than Lightning's, as she would've preferred. Her knees threatened to buckle from the overload of good news and happiness.
"You look great by the way," she managed between their urgent kisses. She braved running her hand up and down Light's side through her open shirt, which was a soft blue and really brought out the colour of her hair.
Lightning only kissed her more, until footsteps began to close in on them. Reluctantly, Lightning let go, distractedly tidying Fang's appearance by combing her fingers through her hair. Her hand stopped at the end of the braid that Rikku had made, half amused, half bemused.
"Like it?" Fang beamed, and Lightning ran her thumb over the braid.
"It's oddly quite fitting, actually."
Someone coughed loudly and then the door opened. Sazh clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Right, where were we? Ah yes, legal stuff."
It hadn't mattered that Cloud understood the reference, and that was when Fang knew he truly was a good guy. He simply shook his head, feigning ignorance as he returned to his post outside.
A/N: I'm pretty sure I'm messed up when it comes to the length of time between Lightning leaving her job and coming back somewhere in the previous chapters, but ideally there'd have been weeks and weeks and weeks between them seeing each other again. Oh well, should've planned better. xD
Edit: I proofread after I submitted. May that be a lesson to me, and sorry for the repost.