"Hey, I thought Rude was meeting us to go outside." Reno said when Roger told him they were going to see Dr. Meyer. "I don't see the doc until tomorrow."

"Things changed." Roger responded, voice tight. Reno stopped.

"What? What did I do wrong?"

Roger's shoulders dropped, he tried to relax and look more calm.

"I'm sorry Reno, you haven't done anything wrong. This is something else."

"Okay..."

Now thoroughly concerned, Reno followed Roger out the door and down the halls.

When they reached the door and Reno saw what was inside he promptly turned around and tried to leave but Roger grabbed him from behind. He remained facing the open doorway.

"Nope, not doing this. Whatever it is, not happening." Reno protested.

He had quickly glanced Tseng, Rufus, Dr. Meyer and two orderlies with little bottles of clear liquid just waiting to be sucked up by a syringe.

"Reno please." Tseng said. "Don't be scared."

"Ha, easy for you to say. This looks bad, what the hell is going on?" he asked as he was steered back around into the room and the door shut with a resounding clank behind him. "Where's Rude?" He asked nervously as he was guided into a chair.

"Looking for Cloud." Tseng responded.

"Okay seriously, what is going on?" They all faced him seriously. "You have bad news." Reno read on their faces. "And you're afraid I'll freak out..." That would explain the vials. He jumped out of his chair before Roger could catch him but Tseng grabbed a hold of his front. "Oh Gaia where's Elena?"

"No, she's fine Reno, everyone is fine."

"Then if no one died, what the hell?"

"Sephiroth is back." Rufus said calmly. Tseng's eyes flashed in annoyance at Rufus' brevity.

"Whoa, wait, what?" Reno stepped back from Tseng and sat down. "Back from where? He didn't go anywhere he died."

"Apparently not." Rufus said and Reno tore his eyes away from Tseng to look at the boss. He hadn't seen much of Rufus since the day in the hallway, he knew the president was struggling with what he'd agreed to and needed some time before he and Reno ever addressed the topic again. But now he stared at Reno as if he wasn't sick at all, as if he was a Turk and awaiting orders.

"What is it?"

"Reno, we could use you."

Reno said nothing. He glanced at Tseng and saw mixed emotions. Then he saw outright frustration on Meyer's face. He let the silence continue for a few more seconds before speaking.

"What do you mean? I'd only hinder you at this point."

"Everyone is afraid. Reno, tell me, are you afraid?"

Reno eyed him, not quite sure he understood. He had been afraid of things for months, of memories and emotions and the future, but he had never been afraid of battle, well, not for a long time. The last time he remembered really being afraid was when that oversized businessman had pinned him to the floor and shoved the gun against his head. But even then it was no where near the fear he should have felt as a sixteen year old boy. He'd fought to the end and lived and never looked back. No, he was not afraid of this.

He didn't speak, but the silence said it all. "That's why I need you, Reno. The other Turks are terrified, even if the try to cover it up. They need you to show them how to do it, they need to know they have you with them this time."

"They have Tseng."

"Of course. But he can't be everywhere."

"I can't lead. I'm not fit."

"You've made remarkable progress in the last two weeks, Reno."

"Yeah, my meds are straightened out and I don't feel like I'm drowning anymore but I haven't been outside in ages, I've lost muscle and weight. I can't run as fast and long, not now."

"Okay then." Rufus said, relenting much faster than Reno expected.

"Okay then? That's it?"

"No. I won't reactivate you, not now. Sephiroth might bide his time, might wait months even. Maybe by then, you'll be ready."

Reno considered. "Okay, Rufus."

"Good."

"Sir," Meyer began but Rufus waved a hand. He looked at the vials in the orderlies' hands.

"I don't think you'll need those." Rufus said before making his exit. Reno watched him leave. Tseng lingered and soon it was just him and Meyer while Reno continued to sit on the chair.

"Reno, what are you thinking?" Meyer asked him, getting a chair and sitting eye level with him.

"I'm thinking this is something I can do. This is a good thing I can do as a Turk."

"You still have to be guarded walking around the mansion for heaven's sake!"

Reno eyed him. "Thanks, doc. You've helped me so much. But I have to do this."

Meyer sighed. "I knew you would say that." He stood up and Tseng took his seat.

"Rufus asked me first."

"So why did you agree?"

"Because if we don't involve you, you're going to get shoved off to the side, into some room somewhere while we go into battle and that won't do you any good. You'd go crazy wondering what happened to us."

"Yeah, I would."

"So I said yes. Are you okay Reno?"

"I need details. I want to know how this is happening."

"Okay. I'll explain."

He took Reno through the little information they knew while the red head sat and absorbed it like a professional. When he was done he stood.

"I'm sorry Reno, there's a lot to do."

"It's okay, Director." Tseng left. Roger came back in.

"You okay, man?"

Reno just nodded. "Actually I am. But I need to get stronger. Let's get training." He stood and Roger lead them out.

Several days passed with no further signs, no further leads. Cloud hadn't returned or sent word yet. Tifa had been to see Reno briefly, trying to find out what she could but he really couldn't help her so she had left with Avalanche exploring whatever leads they might find. Rude and Elena had been sent in one direction, Tseng in the other. The mansion was pretty quiet these days, people only stopping in long enough to restock on supplies and maybe catch an hour or two of sleep before jetting off again.

Meyer supported Reno now that he saw the young man was fully committed. Reno stuck to his rigid schedule of training as well as his meetings with the doctor and the psychologist. Roger was always at his side but they all knew it was really unnecessary.

It had been a week since Reno last saw Rude that his partner entered while Reno was jogging on a treadmill. Roger was on one next to him, he usually took part in Reno's training for the company but when Rude walked in he saw Roger struggling to put one foot ahead of the other and Reno, while drenched in sweat and face flushed was continuing at a steady pace.

"How long?" Rude asked.

Reno hadn't heard him enter and his head jerked to the side but he relaxed seeing who it was and answered, "I don't know but..." he took a few more emphatic steps before stopping and letting the treadmill shoot him off. He landed smoothly on the tiled floor and looked up at Rude, "thirty miles."

Rude raised an eyebrow. "You ran a marathon?"

Roger turned off his machine and sat on the edge of it, breathing hard. "No, a marathon is only 26, fuck..."

"Well, I could do a lot more than that a lot faster before all of this..." Reno said, losing his smirk slightly, but Rude interrupted, laying a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"Doesn't matter Reno, this is great. In fact, it's really amazing for only a week."

"Not if you'd been with him this whole week." Roger wheezed. "All he ever wants to do is run."

"Only twice a day." Reno protested.

"But for hours twice a day."

"Stop complaining."

"I shouldn't really– best shape I've ever been in, thanks to you, Reno. Maybe you should become a personal trainer."

"Hmm, not sure I'd be too good on the motivational part." Reno shot back with a wink. Roger lay back completely on the treadmill just breathing.

"Have you been sparring?" Rude said, noting a couple of bruises on Roger's face but none on Reno.

"Everyday." Then he lowered his voice, "but not full out."

Rude smiled. "Up for it now?"

"You don't need to go running off again?" Reno questioned.

"Not yet, Rufus wants to meet with Elena and I but he has other meetings until the end of the day so we have a few hours."

That was good enough for Reno. They were in the training facilities, bare these days as most everyone was putting their training to good use instead, so they moved to the middle of the room, an empty space with rubber flooring to absorb impacts while Roger just sat and watched.

It was an interesting fight, to say the least. Despite his bravado, Reno was winded from his run. But he was still quicker than Rude– in fact, only Tseng might be able to move as fast as him. Rude however, packed much more power in every blow than Reno. That's why Reno loved his EMR so much, didn't matter if he had less muscle mass behind the strike, a stick of metal was still going to hurt.

He and Rude had sparred many times and it didn't take long for him to realized Rude was holding back. He almost stopped, almost called it off, but instead of letting his anger win he remembered all the looks of concern Rude had given him over the last few weeks, how much worry Reno had put him through and so he let it go and hoped that maybe if he could land a few good punches Rude would realize he wasn't so weak.

But the fight was over quickly. Reno did get in a couple hits, Rude as well, but the door opened and Elena ran in announcing the President had cancelled his afternoon meetings and wanted to see them now. She and Reno exchanged a quick hug, not knowing when the two would be back again, and he waved them off.

"So," Roger said, coming up behind him, "you've been holding back on me?"

Reno turned to face him. "Sorry man."

"I've been holding back on you too." Reno smiled and took his stance. Roger did too and he allowed himself to forget about what was happening in the world.

Dr. Meyer looked up from his desk when the door opened and he saw the red head walking in.

"Reno, we don't meet until– oh." Reno smiled sheepishly half dragging Roger in who was supported on his shoulder. The poor man slumped onto the exam table, blood trickling down the side of his face.

"Jus..a lucky...shot..." Roger mumbled.

"I think I may have given him a concussion." Reno said.

"Doing what?"

"Sparring. I wasn't trying to hurt him or anything." Reno answered defensively. But Meyer seemed a bit uneasy as he rolled Roger over and looked at the cut on his head.

"He'll be fine Reno, I'll patch him up why don't you go back to your apartment."

"Is it okay to be unsupervised?"

"It's fine."

"I should probably wait with Roger, though. I feel kinda bad."

"You'll just be in the way."

"Doc, what's going on?"

"Just leave Reno."

"Doc, what the–"

A third voice cut him off.

"Do we got a patient Dr. Meyer?" The child's voice carried out from the adjoining supply room. Reno hadn't even noticed the sound of bottles being arranged and stacked. But now all he could see was the boy. He was much cleaner, and had filled out and even grown some. But the first thing Reno saw was the sewn-over sleeve where an arm should be. The boy recognized him too and reacted much differently than Reno.

"MISTER!" He cried. "Oh Mister I wanted to see you again." He rushed forward but picked up from Reno's body language that he was not quite so happy to see him. "What's wrong?"

Every muscle in his chest restricted. He remembered those days that he had just collapsed, at the very beginning, and he knew he would have been face first on the tiled floor if it wasn't for the medication. But still so much rushed back on him. He broke his gaze from the child then grabbed the door knob and ran out.

When Reno opened his eyes and felt the cool breeze on his face and heard the sounds of the city below, he knew where he was without thinking. It took a few minutes before he could trace his way back from the ledge of the building to the clinic. He had stumbled out of there and down the halls, not knowing if he was going to cry of puke or collapse, but none had happened and he'd ended up throwing open the nearest window and jumping out onto the ledge.

Like before, it was where he could be alone, where he didn't have to worry about someone intruding on his thoughts or telling him what to do or how he should feel. Nothing could reach him and so time could essentially stand still. If something happened, he wouldn't have to worry about it until he reentered the rest of the world, just like when he flew.

He sighed long, sucking in the cool evening air, and blowing it back out through his nostrils. Even up here you could still smell the fumes from the city below, and the one below that. They mixed together to create a faintly smoky flavour that would only get stronger as the season got warmer. But it was what he knew. In fact, this was a lot better than what he had known in the slums. He turned his gaze outward though. He saw a chopper in the distance and recognized its search pattern. Grid by grid over the long dusty terrain that extended for miles past Midgar Edge.

He wondered where Cloud was. He wondered where Rude and Elena had been sent this time and where Tseng was searching. Maybe he was in that chopper. But Reno's idle thoughts were interrupted by a stark realization. Something had struck Reno, cold and shocking and he was on his feet, steadying himself on the ledge.

"Holy shit." He said to the dusky sky. "I can't believe I didn't see it before."

Sephiroth. He had divided their ranks. Cloud first. Tifa had explained how he'd felt an acute connection to Sephiroth, leading him in one direction. Avalanche had gone another way. Then the Turks were all over the place and who knew what SOLDIER had been ordered to do. The mansion had been left weak, all but defenceless. The top warriors were all gone, attempting to eliminate the threat that Reno now realized with horror was probably already here. Sephiroth had always been seeking answers along with vengeance, and all those answers would be here, in Shinra. He felt sick to his stomach.

"Ahh..." The chill voice rippled through him, "You've figured it out, haven't you?"

There was no where to run, so Reno didn't try. He looked straight up at the figure on the ledge above him. Long fine strands of porcelain hair draped in a delicate contrast to the dark leather soldier gear that fit snugly over the jenova-infused body. The legendary sword, longer than any other Reno had seen was fastened to his side, his hand resting lightly, casually, on the hilt.

"Sephir–" He was gone in an instant and then Reno felt the vibrations on his own ledge and whipped his head to the side to see him land. In his shock he lost his footing and felt himself teeter outwards.

Faster than he could track one pale hand shot out and wrapped itself in the front of his shirt. Reno hung precariously on the edge, feet still touching it but his upper body at a nearly forty five degree angle outward– if Sephiroth decided to let go, Reno was dead.

"I've been watching you. You've just been sitting there for hours."

Reno didn't know how to respond so he didn't.

"You're the Turk Reno, aren't you?"

Reno found his voice, finally. "Y-yes."

"I remember hearing of you from time to time, your disgraceful conduct..." his eyes narrowed maliciously and Reno waited for the fingers to release, "and your extraordinary skill."

He suddenly pulled Reno back in and practically threw him into the wall. If his hand hadn't remained across his back he would have bounced right back off the ledge and into open air again. But like this, his head was forced to the side to face Sephiroth and with one arm the genetically enhanced ex-soldier had him pinned against the wall.

"Clearly it was overestimated."

Reno growled but Sephiroth continued.

"Or, you're not well. Otherwise why would the second in command of the Turks not be involved in the search for me?"

"Tseng's out searching so I stayed back to run operations here."

Reno was pulled back from the wall and he shut his eyes thinking this was it but Sephiroth slammed him forward again. He felt the impact hard in his jaw and ribs.

"Don't lie to me, boy. I know just how vulnerable this mansion is right now. There are no Turks left, well, unless I count you."

"How long?" Reno wheezed.

"How long have I been here? Not very, just a few days." Reno's eyes widened. For days they could all have been obliterated, never seeing the threat coming. But then, maybe not. If Sephiroth could, why wouldn't he. What was stopping him?

"I can see the questions in your eyes. But you know don't you? I want to know everything about Jenova, about my mother. I want to know what Shinra has left of her. I want to know every experiment they used her in."

The last rays of the sun finally succumbed to the night and as darkness fell all around Sephiroth, his eyes lit up unnaturally, piercing Reno, beautiful but hollow, soulless and as Reno's body began to tremble in the cold of night, from the pressure on his ribs and from this man's hollow gaze, he knew he was wrong to ever think he was not afraid.

Duh duh duh... haha, well here is another chapter. I struggled with the pacing a bit with all of this, I wanted to move things along but at the same time it felt kind of abrupt. Anyway, here it is, hope you enjoyed :)

Riza