Well once again, I'll tell you who's who XD Daniel is Martial Arts (Male), Kylie is Gun (female), Rod is Rod, Samantha is Shotgun, Torin is Legend, Aneurin is Nunchaku, Mariah is Martial Arts (Female), Caleb is Two Guns, Evan is Katana, and Adria is Knife. Helps to have it all straight in my own mind as well! I do love the reviews. Honestly, I couldn't help making them all come back. The Turks are probably my favorite group in all the final fantasy games. Story is mine, characters at Enix!

She was avoiding him. Hell, he didn't blame her. Not only had he revealed he'd cared more than just as a friend when she'd been 'killed', but he'd told her she was the equivalent of that scientist that had married Hojo simply to produce an insane psychopath child as a lab experiment. "Shit.", he spat under his breath, glaring across the way to the chair that was facing his own. What was wrong with him? So Cissnei was giving some information away. It was to two ex-turks. Their own, in a matter of speaking. So why had he stooped as low as to say that she'd slept with Griever to produce lab experiments? Groaning low in his throat, he slid deeper into the couch and continued to glare at the empty seat.

As he watched, the hulking figure of his partner settled himself in that exact chair. While he had a newspaper in hand and looked bored, Reno felt a little better. "I'm surprised you're not avoiding me too.", he hissed. "With that attitude, I don't know why I'm not." Well that was a good point. Reno lapsed into silence - a trait unusual for him, and could see by the quirk of Rude's eyebrow above his glasses, he probably thought the same thing. "Want to talk about it?" Having straightened up a bit in his seat, Reno then slumped forward and over the armrest slightly. "I asked her if she'd slept with Griever to make lab rat babies." That got him to even lower the newspaper. If it were anyone but Rude, they'd probably have their mouths hanging open. "And you're wondering why she isn't talking to you?" "Yeah yeah, you don't have to rub it in ya know." When even Rude got something was wrong, you knew it was time to quit. "But I don't know if that's what set her off." From the expression on Rude's face - if it could be counted as an expression - and the firm set of his jaw, he thought Reno was crazy. Well maybe he was crazy, but Cissnei was still shouting her head off at him until he had to go and say something dangerously close to reality. A part of him had shut down when they all had left. Some part of him had cared for her more than just 'that one girl I work with' - the way he felt about...say...Elena.

Maybe it was because she'd been there the longest. Maybe it was because she cared, damn it, something he wasn't sure the rest of them did. The rest must have, they called it quits just like she had, though less dramatically. But what about him? Did he care about the lives they'd undoubtedly ruined? Somewhere he must - he hadn't been lying when he'd told her of the sleepless nights he'd had after the plate incident. But damn it, he wasn't...he wasn't good, not like she was. "If you think saying that to Cissnei wouldn't make her that angry, you're even stupider than I thought." Leave it to Rude to make him feel better. Shooting his partner a look, Reno didn't answer right away. "She's so damn good, why did we have to drag her back here?", he mused aloud to himself. Of course he knew the answer to that, but it didn't stop him from asking it. The rustle of the newspaper opening once more was all the response he got for a few minutes.

Reno was used to Rude taking his dear sweet time to say things, so until he did, Reno was left to his own devices. "If only because we missed her, isn't that a good enough reason?" Snorting lightly, Reno shook his head. "She rathered faking her own death than be around us. Doesn't seem like she missed us very much at all." He couldn't help the bitter note that laced his words. "I didn't think it was possible." Rude could stop talking in riddles and just say what was on his mind every once in a while...wouldn't kill anyone. He held out as long as he could, resisting the urge to ask what he was talking about. Finally though, he caved. "What was possible?" Again Rude took his dear sweet time responding. In the meantime he stood - the chair creaking with the loss of weight, and folded up his newspaper. "What was possible?", he demanded again.

"For you to love someone."

"Damn it, Rude. I don't love her! Not like that." But he didn't even look back as he walked away. "Mmm.", was all he said in response. "What the hell does 'mmm' mean? Rude!"

"Ciss!" Reno hurried to catch up to the figure walking in front of him down the hallway. Damn it, he was getting tired of being ignored, especially by Cissnei. Still adamant that Rude was wrong about loving her in that way, he hated that they weren't even talking. Finally caught up, he slowed down to her speed, noticing that she didn't even look at him. "Leave me alone Reno." Though not exactly the same cold tone she'd been giving him ever since two days prier, more resigned than angry, it was far from the warm tone he found himself hoping for. "Hey, Ciss wait." Catching her arm, he stopped her and gently tried turning her by her shoulders toward him. "Look. I uh...I'm sorry about, well ya know." "Sorry for what?" It wasn't her being coy and making him grovel - Cissnei wasn't like that, but even so he did rub his neck while he formulated an answer. What was he sorry for? Telling her she meant a lot to him? No, not really. "For being an asshole. You're right, you didn't ask to be here." It was hard for him to say the words, but he found he really did mean them once they came out. "You're right about that, I didn't ask to be here." Shit, he felt bad about what she'd gone through the last week, and she sure wasn't making this easy on him.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Reno rocked on his heels once or twice while she stared at him. "Rude told me I was even stupider than he thought I was...for what I said." Finally, a smile - even if it did have to do more with Rude and less with him. Though he'd been about to go on, the familiar ring of his PHS cut him off. While he hesitated, she nodded. "Better get that. I'll see you around." It was Rude. He could just about punch the guy in the gut for having the worst timing in the world. While he placed the phone to his ear, he was forced to watch glumly at Cissnei's retreating figure. "Yo, Rude. I-" "Reno, get yourself to the entrance. Bring Cissnei with you." There was simply the tone left ringing in his ear after the short message, but he snapped his phone shut and hurried after Cissnei. "Yo, Ciss! Wait up. Rude wants us to go out front." "Why?" With a shrug, he once more stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Beats me, but come on, a few more minutes around me won't kill you, ya know."

Reno wouldn't have been more surprised if Rude had clubbed him over the head. With his hands still in his pockets, he more or less stared at the scene before him. How on Gaia had they all gotten together? Daniel, Kylie, Rod, Samantha, Torin, Aneurin, Mariah, Caleb, Evan, and Adria stood before the building, facing Tseng. How long had it been since the Turks were all together in ShinRa? Cissnei seemed just as surprised that they were there, but Kylie (Their fearless leader) stepped forward to speak. "If you'll have have us, we'd like to help out." The only one who looked resigned was Rod. For a moment Reno felt something close to warmth seep through his heart - was he going soft in his old age? No...it would just be nice to have someone other than Elena parading around. These were the real deal with Turks...ones he liked (aside from Rod) and trusted. "Comon' Tseng.", he urged. It didn't pass his attention that they were all in their ShinRa clothing. "We'll have you. See the secretary at the front desk, she can assist you with rooming and locations." Reno grinned while watching Cissnei and Samantha embrace each other.

At once they seemed to be walking past him. "Hey, Reno." Aqua eyes flickered to the black haired rogue standing with his hand outstretched. Swinging his own to meet it and shake, he grinned. "Yo, Caleb! Had any excitement the past few years?" "Too much to tell. Let's get a drink sometime, eh?" "You bet." While he got greeted from all sides, Reno stood there taking it all in. And yet, when they'd all filed past, Tseng spoke again. "Ladies and gentleman..." After they'd all stopped and turned back to see him with his hands clasped behind his back, Tseng gave them the equivalent of a smile. "It's a pleasure to have you back, you were missed."

Well that was that, high praise coming from the boss. Before he could follow them in though, he felt a hand slip into his. Glancing over in surprise, Reno stilled when he saw the slender form of Cissnei standing there beside him, gazing up at him with eyes that looked...well, surprisingly friendly. "Thank you Reno." Swallowing hard, he tried hard to act like everything was normal and even managed a shrug and a cocky grin. "For what?" "For this.", she said while including a gesture after the retreating Turks. "Well...if it made ya' this happy, I wish I could take credit, but they decided to come back on their own ya' know." Curling his fingers around Cissnei's warm hand, he stood in contentment until the last of the crowd had filed into the building, leaving them alone in silence. "Hey, Reno?" "Mhm?" "Did you...did you mean what you said the other day?" Lips curled back into a slight smile. "If ya' mean do I think ya' slept with Griever and have a bunch of babies with him, no, I sure as hell didn't mean it." "No, I meant the other part." While he contemplated how to answer that, weighing the decisions carefully, he wet his lips and stared straight ahead. After a few seconds, he turned and looked down at the chestnut haired figure standing there staring at him.

"Yeah, I did."