Two days before the Presidential parade Rude, Tseng and the new Turk Elena showed up. For this Reno was glad. It's not that Reno didn't like Rufus it's just that Rufus was forever in meetings. It also meant that his long vacation was just around the corner. Reno hadn't had an actual vacation in his life. As an added bonus Rude would be joining him.

Perhaps during this vacation the nightmares Reno'd been having would leave as well. Rude was the perfect person to talk to about your problems. The man should have been a psychiatrist. He probably would have been to had he not met Reno. But thats another story.

Rufus probably would have listened to Reno, but the man had enough on his plate already. Between catching up on the things his father had refused to tell him about, Avalanche, Sephiroth, and those damned meetings, Rufus was being run ragged. Reno would deal until he was able to talk to Rude.

The morning of the parade found Reno sleeping in. The pills he took the night before having done their job overly well. When Reno finally did roll out of bed it was 10 o'clock in the morning. Groaning he threw on his rumpled suit from the night before and met up with the other Turks for brunch before their real work started.

"Reno you're late. That's not like you." commented Tseng.

"Eh sorry boss, I must have slept through the alarm." Reno replied sheepishly.

"Are you sure it wasn't the sleeping pills? I mean you took quite a few of them." Elena blurted out.

Groaning Reno countered, "You talk to much."

"Pills?" Tseng asked raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Reno sighed and replied, "I couldn't sleep last night 'kay? I knew I had to be at my best today so I took a handful of sleeping pills. No big deal."

"Reno, you're mako enhanced! You know better than taking anything not prescribed to you by YOUR DOCTOR Do you want a repeat of last time?" Tseng asked emphasizing the words your doctor.

"Last time?" asked Elena.

"Shut it Rookie." Reno said sulking.

"On that note, there's a poker game going on next door," Rude said. He didn't like the tension in the room and while he silently agreed with Tseng, he knew Reno would do what Reno wanted to do.

"Win big man" Reno said grinning.

"Dont I always?" Rude replied smiling.

"So bout that vacation...?" Reno began.

Tseng held up his hand, "Heidegger denied it, so it's a no go."

Reno outwardly laughed at this, "Didn't Rufus inform you? The Turks outrank Heidegger now, that includes the rookie. You have yours truly to thank."

Tseng gaped at this news. "How'd you manage...No wait don't tell me, I don't want to know. Yours and Rude's vacations is now approved, so long as you bring Elena along. You know new Turk's get a break following initiation so don't bother complaining."

Reno hurumphed and mumbled under his breath, "I never got a vacation." Tseng chose to ignore the grumbling.

"What happened last time with Reno?" Elena asked, "and why's he Mako enhanced while the rest of us aren't?"

Reno shot a deadly glare at Elena behind her back. Tseng noticing this stated bluntly, "That is something Reno will tell you IF he wants too."

Sensing someone behind him Reno asked, "What do you want?"

:What are the Turks doing here?" questioned a man in a soldiers suit.

That voice, it was one Reno was sure he'd never forget, but to be sure his mind wasn't playing tricks on him, he decided to test this soldier. "The President feels safer just by having us Turks around." He said casually.

The soldier gave Reno a funny look and left the establishment. "Sir that was.." began Reno.

"Cloud Strife. I know" Tseng finished.

"But why'd you let him leave then?" Elena asked. Before either Reno ro Tseng could answer Rude came strolling in.

"Just saw Cloud, seems he likes poker games as well." Rude said while sitting in the stool next to Reno.

"Ya he was just here as well." Reno responded.

"Tseng, Sir, What are your orders?" Elena asked.

"Reno go find the President, stick to him like glue because he's your assignment until he boards the ship. The rest of us will keep tabs onCloud, but we will do so in an unseen manner, got it?" Tsen commanded.

"Sir, yes Sir." Elena responded as she hurried off. Rude nodded in Tsengs direction and followed Elena shortly after.

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Reno on the other hand took hi ssweet time, finishing off his coffee. He then gave a half salute to Tseng and slowly walked away. Tseng left shortly after, a look of deep concern on his face. He was extremely worried about Reno. He'd been acting a little off today.

Reno mumbled to himself as he struggled into a soldier suit. He would be pretending to be a soldier in the line of soldiers just in front of Rufus's float. It was the easiest way to protect Rufus without anyone knowing there was a Turk in the vicinity. He fit the bill right down to the Mako eyes.

The parade was completed with hardly any mishaps. He'd heard from Tseng about 3 soldiers and their captain who'd been late but that had been discretely dealt with. Soon the president was headed off to wherever he was going with Tseng, while Reno, Rude and Elena prepared a chopper for Wutai.

A/N: *peeps out of her lil whole* uh sorry for not updating. there's absolutely no reason for me not having this up. i won't make excuses. I do however have the next chapter written. let's hope i can get it posted rather quickly.

Please review/flame/critique whatever floats your boat. also check out my other story Saving Reno :P