Exhaustion hit every occupant in the massive mansion. Yuffie was the first one to wake up, which is quite unusual considering Vincent is always up first. She couldn't stop her hips from happily moving from side to side as she took a shower and replayed her evening with Reno over and over in her head. They put aside their fears, and became vulnerable with one another. He finally made the move that she so yearned for so many years ago. Their lovemaking was better than she thought it would be. Reno's name escaped her lips until she couldn't speak. Smiling, Yuffie dried her body from the excessive amount of water and headed back into her bedroom where her newfound lover was sleeping rather loudly. She giggled as the red-haired man snored loudly and rolled over on his side. Shaking her head at the man, she got dressed and made her way towards the kitchen.
The smell of coffee greeted her nose as she turned the corner and saw Tifa happily drinking a cup. Yuffie greeted Tifa with a smile and began to make herself a cup as well.
"Looks like everyone is sleeping in today." Yuffie commented as she poured a helping amount of sugar in her mug. Tifa couldn't help but giggle. The raven-haired woman will definitely be bouncing off of the walls all day.
"It appears so."
"We wore our men out." Yuffie smirked as she took a huge gulp of her coffee. Tifa choked on her coffee and the hot liquid shot out of her nose, causing Yuffie to laugh even more.
"It's not like that, Yuffie!"
"Not yet"
Tifa waved her hand and grabbed some paper towels to clean her mess. Vincent walked into the kitchen moments later and greeted the two women. Tifa shyly put her head down as her smile widened. Vincent went over and rubbed her shoulder in a gentle way.
"Oh just kiss already!"
Tifa snorted uncontrollably while she laughed when Vincent shot his platonic sister a dirty look. He made himself a cup of coffee as well and the three of them sat comfortably at the island in the center of the kitchen.
"I know Sephiroth and Reno isn't here, but should we go ahead and start comparing notes? My laptop and notebook is upstairs."
Vincent and Yuffie both nodded. "The sooner the better." Vincent replied.
Tifa nodded and made her way upstairs with her coffee still in her hands. Vincent and Yuffie sat in a comfortable silence until Tifa returned moments later with her pink laptop and an empty mug that she placed in the sink before rejoining Yuffie and Vincent.
"I hacked into Nibelheim's police system and got Genesis's file." She opened her laptop and inserted a flash drive. Her fingers glided gracefully across the keyboard swiftly as she typed and clicked away. Yuffie watched with an impressed facial expression. A woman who is an excellent hacker besides her was a deadly woman, just like her.
"I didn't have time to transfer all of my information to my laptop from my notes." Tifa commented as she double clicked on a file. "This is what I have so far." She turned the laptop towards Vincent and handed Yuffie the notepad.
Vincent silently scrolled through Tifa's notes while Yuffie scanned the notepad, taking note of Tifa's impeccable penmanship. While the pair were reviewing Tifa's notes, she decided to make a quick lunch for everyone. Granted, Reno and Sephiroth were still asleep, but she was more than certain the two men would be hungry whenever they entered the kitchen. She grabbed a cutting board board from one of the top cabinets and looked into the fridge to see what she could cook in a short amount of time. Her eyes immediately landed on the pack of bacon then lettuce and two tomatoes. BLTs… I wasn't gourmet but it'll to the trick.
Tifa turned the stove on and threw the veggies into the sink and turned on the tap. She turned her head and frowned slightly when she noticed Yuffie wasn't there. Vincent was too busy looking at the laptop to even care, or notice that Yuffie had left. Shrugging her shoulders, Tifa turned her attention back to the veggies. She grabbed a few pieces of paper towels when she felt the lettuce and tomatoes were thoroughly washed. The sound of of something being slammed onto the island made Tifa jumped a little, and made her turn to see what was the source of the noise. There was a manila folder that was now in Yuffie's hands. The short, raven-haired woman darted her eyes between the folders as she compared notes.
Smiling, Tifa grabbed a few slices of bacon and neatly placed them in the now hot skillet. The satisfying noise of the bacon sizzling against the hot skillet was always a pleasant sound to Tifa. Whenever Tifa was burning the midnight oil, Russell lived off of BLTs. Though he never said it, he was more than happy to have her home when Tifa decided to get a job at the community center and finish her classes online. The brunette couldn't help but laugh at the memory of how her Papa reacted when she made the first home cooked meal since she had been home. It was like he was seeing a holy grail. She made a mental note to check in when she was done with lunch.
"I smelt that bacon all the way upstairs." Reno entered the kitchen and planted a quick kiss on Yuffie's lips. She returned the gesture, never taking her eyes off the notes. The redhead grabbed a mug for a cup of coffee and noticed Tifa was drying the lettuce and tomatoes. "And your cutting up lettuce and tomatoes? You're my new best friend."
Tifa smiled. "There will plenty for you to enjoy. Good afternoon by the way."
"She cooks, greets you with a smile, and have a body of a goddess. Don't let her slip away, Valentine."
Tifa's face was now flushed. She hurriedly turned her attention back to the veggies. She cut the butt of the lettuce head and began to cut through after cutting the head in half. Reno prepared his coffee and joined Yuffie and Vincent at the island, sitting by Yuffie.
"Have you heard anything from Sephiroth?" Yuffie asked.
Reno shook his head as he sipped slowly at the hot liquid in his hands. "Nope. He wasn't in the bathroom either. Maybe he's still asleep."
"It's bizarre for him to sleep in." Vincent commented. "However we all slept in."
"All of you needed it." Tifa called over her shoulder. She made a thin slice of the top and bottom area of the tomato and discarded the portions in the trash. "It was a rough evening."
"Yeah." Reno agreed. "It was but things needed to be said. Again, thanks for hearing us out, especially Vincent. He's an awesome dude, despite his way."
Everyone laughed when Vincent cast a grim look at Reno. "Oh Reno. Quick picking and enjoy the rest of your coffee." Tifa said while giggling in between flipping the bacon on the raw side.
"Yes please. And make yourself useful and grab the notes from Yuffie." Vincent snapped but in a less serious tone.
Groaning, the redhead grabbed the notepad and began reading. The kitchen fell into a comfortable silence as Yuffie, Reno, and Vincent continued to review the notes and Tifa was finishing up the bacon. She went into the fridge and grabbed a few condiments that she felt everyone would like with their sandwiches. A big bag of wavy plain chips caught her attention. A BLT wasn't a true BLT without chips of some sort. She wasn't sure about the rest of the group, but she loved chips with her homemade sandwiches. She grabbed the chips and sat them on the counter along with the other ingredients.
She folded a few pieces of paper towel on a plate and placed the crispy bacon on it. Bacon was delicious but needed to be drained from as much grease as possible.
"Either this douche is have a good past or he's good at covering his tracks." Reno groaned. In the short time he's been reviewing the notes, his eyes were becoming criss-crossed. He hated reading with every fiber in his body. If he wasn't for Yuffie, Sephiroth, and Vincent, he probably wouldn't have made it through college. He hated reading that much.
"My money is on the later." Yuffie commented as she began to rub her eyes. She couldn't find anything useful between the file she stole from the Hall of Records a few months ago, and what was in Tifa's notes.
"I can't find anything useful either." Vincent shut the laptop closed and huffed in frustration.
"The three of you need to take a step away and eat something." Tifa suggested. "You've all been stressing about this man for far too long."
Deciding to take heed Tifa's advice, the three killers got up from their seats and walked over to the counter and prepared their sandwiches. Vincent grabbed a few soft drinks from the fridge and placed them on the counter along with everything else. After everyone made their food, they all went back to the island and began to eat silently.
Sephiroth appeared into the kitchen and noticed everyone eating at the island. Tifa looked up and noticed the silver-haired man looked more at peace than he did the previous night.
"Good afternoon, sunshine!"
Everyone snorted as Sephiroth rolled his eyes at Tifa's personal nickname for him. His childhood friend never ceased to amaze him when it came to her pet names for him. He helped himself to a soft drink and a sandwich and joined the group.
"Had any luck finding anything?" Sephiroth noticed the notes and laptop in front of everyone. He casually put it aside after he sat his plate down and took a bite of his sandwich.
"No, not really." Yuffie groaned. "Nothing out of the ordinary."
"Except for his wife's murder." Reno chimed in after he swallowed a piece of his food. "It's clear that it was a murder and not a suicide. The rope patterns clearly show that there was bruising from a pair of hands underneath it. How did the police miss that?"
Tifa shrugged. "Maybe they didn't want to believe that an actual murder happened in Nibelheim. It's kind of unheard of."
"Murder can happen anytime, any place, and anywhere." Vincent commented as he took a swig of his soda. "No matter how nice an area may appear to be, life never stops."
Tifa sighed as she looked down at her half eaten sandwich. "I suppose you're right."
"….I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come across so brash." Vincent squeezed Tifa's hand lightly. She smiled back at him as her way of saying there was nothing to be sorry for.
"At this point it doesn't matter." Sephiroth said as he took a huge bite of his sandwich. "We need to rid this man and quickly."
"We have no solid leads as to his whereabouts, especially with Elena's death." Reno grimaced. "I can't believe that bastard got to her before I did. He's quick and efficient."
"So let's dangle a carrot in his face….me." Everyone frowned at Tifa's suggestion, especially Vincent and Sephiroth. In Sephiroth's eyes, Tifa is his childhood friend, a sister almost. Their dynamic was very similar to Vincent's and Yuffie's relationship; a brother-sister bond that would never sever. In Vincent's eyes, Tifa was the woman he wanted by his side when this was all over. Though he wished they had met under different circumstance, he's glad that he was able to meet her. He needed her more than he's wiling to admit. There will never be a woman like Tifa. The Planet created her just for him, and he wasn't going to give Genesis a chance to take her away from him.
"Absolutely not."
"I agree with Vincent. It's far too dangerous."
"What other choice do we have?" Tifa questioned her childhood friend and Vincent.
Both men sat in silence. "She does have a point." Reno commented. "We have no way to lure Genesis and what better way to lure him out than to entice him with something, or someone rather."
"Tifa's not a piece of meat." Yuffie scolded and quickly sighed. "But Reno does have a point guys."
"Besides, I won't be alone. I have the four of you to protect me." Tifa reassured. "I know nothing will happen to me. Like you guys said, if Genesis is as dangerous as you guys say, then we need to take him out. The only problem is, how am I going to get reeve and Cloud off the case."
"If Genesis were to turn up dead, you don't think they would drop the case and write it off as whatever?" Yuffie asked.
Tifa shook her head. "If Cloud operate the same way I remember him as, then he would be thorough. He's probably studying the case day and night. I'm surprised I haven't received a phone call from him about an update."
"I'll handle Cloud. We have a few issues that needs to be worked out." Sephiroth gritted as he finished his soft drink. Vincent recalled Tifa telling him about Cloud briefly a few weeks ago over dinner. From what he gathered, it seemed like it ended on bad terms, and Sephiroth's reaction at the very mention of the blond's name confirmed his thoughts.
"And Reeve? His work is his life." Yuffie commented.
"Cloud can convince him to drop it, if the right person to guide him, of course." Sephiroth's response was dark.
Tifa got up and placed her empty plate in the sink and left the kitchen to call her Papa. She haven't heard anything from him since last night. It was mid afternoon and she just wanted to touch base with him to make sure he's okay.
"That's assuming we get caught in the first place." Reno resumed the conversation. "With all of us here, getting rid of his body such be simple."
Vincent's brows furrowed as he became consumed with his thoughts. The only thing that gnawed at Vincent's guts was the fact that Genesis had a son. He was ripped away from his parents t such a young age that he could relate to Genesis's son. It wasn't the boy's fault his father was a vicious murderer.
"What will happen to his son?"
"Shit….I don't think any of us considered that." Reno mumbled.
"I can only hope that Genesis's parents are still alive to take custody." Sephiroth spoke. "Despite this, it changes nothing."
Tifa returned to the kitchen with a rather confused look on her face. "Is everything okay?" Vincent asked.
"Papa isn't answering the phone. I've called several times but received no answer."
"Maybe he's still asleep." Sephiroth vocalized. "It is a Saturday after all."
"Yeah but it's almost three in the afternoon." Tifa pressed. "Usually he would call me if I'm not at home."
"I can drive you there. Besides, I'd love to meet him."
Tifa smiled at Vincent as she happily hugged him and kissed his cheeks. Reno, Sephiroth, and Yuffie couldn't help but immature and let out a loud 'awwww' as they watched the newly budded couple.
"We have got to hurry up and kill this clown so the two of you can make things official!" Yuffie clapped happily.
"Speaking of which, do you know if Genesis's parents are alive? Despite his ways, I feel guilty that this man has a son, and when we kill him, the poor boy will be an orphan." Vincent asked.
"Oh yeah I think Tyler will be fine." The reply was more directed to everyone. "Genesis sent Tyler to live with his parents, although, I'm not sure where."
"At least the boy is safe." Reno chimed in as he got up from the island and took his plate to the sink. "At least that's one worry off our minds."
"In the meantime, let's regroup after I take Tifa home."
Everyone nodded in agreement with Vincent's statement. Reno and Yuffie retreated upstairs while Sephiroth went to the living room and began texting. Tifa figured she would be at the mansion for a few more days so a few more clean clothes is something she would definitely need to grab while she was at home. Good thing she was ahead of school work otherwise participating in this double life she was now living would be impossible. She ran upstairs and went into the room that she stayed in – well suppose to stay in – and grabbed her two bags and quickly ran back downstairs.
She waved goodbye to Sephiroth and headed out of the front door with Vincent by her side. He pulled her gently by the arm and grabbed the two bags from her hands. She smiled sweetly at him. Though they haven't verbalized that they were a couple, it sure felt like it. Vincent, despite his rough life, was a kind, caring man. Those types of men were the best to love. Badly damaged they may be, however, when they are invested in someone, they were all in. There were no doubts in their minds, and Tifa needed that in her life. She needed no second guessing, especially after how her relationship ended with Cloud. The blond never gave her the closure she needed until a few months ago. All this time she thought there was something wrong with her. Cloud was in her past, and Vincent is her future. She refused to let Cloud's mistakes interfere with her relationship with Vincent.
Vincent tossed the bags in the backseat and got into the driver's side while Tifa got into the passenger's side. After buckling their seatbelts, Vincent turned his car on and drove away from his home, with Tifa giving instructions on how to get to her home. During the drive, Tifa hooked her arm around Vincent's right arm. The sudden action comforted Vincent. He haven't felt this comfortable with a woman since….ever. Not in this way. Yuffie was an exception since she was more like his sister, and never a lover. It amazed him how Tifa was able to touch him and make conversation with him, and he would answer without doubt and hesitation. The brunette definitely had an effect on him, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
A few minutes later, they arrived at Tifa's home. The home screamed childhood memories. The house was made of brick and had a massive cemented porch with a swing on the end of it. The pair got out of the car and approached the front door.
"Don't be nervous. My father is an understanding man and he's seen you before."
Vincent frowned. "When has he seen me?"
Tifa giggled. "Don't be creeped out or offended, but Papa is very protective of me. One day when you picked me up, I saw him peering through the blinds. I pretended I didn't see him."
Vincent chuckled. "He's just a father watching over his daughter. I can't fault the man."
Tifa smiled as she began to rumble with her keys. After moments of finding the right key, she inserted it into the lock and opened the door with one swift movement.
"Papa!"
There was no answer. Tifa called out again and there was still no answer. Tifa found it precular. She told Vincent to make himself at home while she went to look for her Papa. Vincent settled on standing at the fireplace in the living room. Several photos of Tifa, her Papa, and a woman, whom he assumed was Tifa's mother, smiled brightly in each photo. There were even some photos of Sephiroth with the family along with pictures of just him and Tifa. Vincent picked up one photo that contained Tifa and Sephiroth in basketball jerseys. Vincent snorted lightly as he looked at the two friends posing with a basketball in their hands. Vincent could tell that Sephiroth was very protective of Tifa, which is why he didn't lose control when Sephiroth was hesitant about his relationship with Tifa. The raven-haired man knew he would do the same if any man were to attempt court Yuffie. Reno was the only exception. He was well aware of Reno's feelings for his sister, hell, they were aware of how they felt. It was only a matter of time before the two got tired and confessed their feelings.
Vincent jumped when he heard Tifa's scream. He nearly dropped the photo on the floor. He quickly placed it back on the fireplace and ran into the direction of Tifa's sobs. He pushed the door open and saw Tifa sobbing on her knees. His eyes quickly found the source of her anguish, his eyes filled with rage.
"How's the progress coming?" Aeris asked her blond-haired lover.
Cloud sighed as he continued to look at the crime scene photos that he was able to obtain from the evidence locker. "It's coming along. How's Amanda?"
"She's doing good, though I haven't heard from her in a few days. I think I'll go call her."
Cloud didn't respond. He continued to study the ligature marks on Genesis's wife's neck. His brows furrowed as he brought the photo closer to his face. He noticed that there were bruising underneath the ligature marks, which was odd. He shuffled through the papers in the file and found the address that was recorded at the time of the suicide.
"She isn't answering." Aeris walked back into the bedroom area of the hotel room. When Cloud didn't respond, she rolled her eyes. Sometimes she couldn't believe how dense Cloud was at times. "Maybe I should drive by and check on her."
"Huh? Oh yeah sure. Whatever you want to do, do it."
You sure you want that because I wanna slap you right now. Aeris angrily thought as she grabbed her keys to the rental and left the hotel room, slamming the door behind her. Cloud frowned at Aeris's odd behavior. He waved it off and put it on the back burner. He figured she was upset with him because they were still in Nibelheim after their initial agreement. Angeal gave Cloud and Aeris the okay to stay in Nibelheim and assist Reeve until the murder was solved. Barret had everything under control since Cloud's absence. What turned into a small vacation, turned into nothing but work out of Midgar, which didn't sit well with Aeris. He knew she wanted alone time with her, but he couldn't commit to that right now. When he catches a break, he'll celebrate with her. Until then, he needed to focus.
Cloud typed the address in his PHS, grabbed his keys, and headed out the door. Since his visit in Nibelheim was now a business trip, Midgar accommodated him with two rental cars. At first, two cars were a bit unnecessary, but Aeris would go to Rocket Town and visit Amanda a lot since Cloud was too involved with his work to spend time with her. He sighed at the thought as he got into the car. He knew he was neglecting Aeris. Before driving away from the hotel, he shot Aeris a quick text before driving away. It wasn't much, but he wanted her to know that he was sorry and he did wanted to spend time with her.
Twenty minutes later he was at Genesis's residence. Cloud concluded that Genesis still lived in the home. The lawn and hedges appeared as if they were tended to routinely. He decided to park across the street and a few feet away from the home. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself. His cerulean eyes widened when he noticed that there was no car in the driveway. Cloud quickly picked up his pace and went to the rear of the home and to a back door. He looked around before pulling a lockpick out of his pocket and swiftly picked the lock. He closed the door behind him and locked it. H had to move fast since he didn't know when Genesis would return home.
According to the photos, his wife's body was found at the entrance hanging from the chandelier. At first, Cloud was a bit confused. A hanging from a chandelier was a bit of an odd choice. Doubts and confusion dissipated when he entered the entrance. The ceiling was a little lower than what it appeared to be from the outside. Cloud glanced at the photos and then at the chandelier. He noticed the chandelier was slightly pulled out of the ceiling. More than likely from holding dead weight for an unknown amount of time. Consistent but he still wasn't convinced.
Peering through the blinds to see if Genesis was pulling into the driveway, Cloud began to walk up the stairs. Maybe Genesis kept a keep sake in his bedroom. A shot in the dark but it was worth a shot. His PHS rang when he made it halfway up the stairs. He answered without looking to see who it was.
"Yeah?"
"Cloud, I need you to come to 1234 Nimble Street immediately." Sirens pierced the blond's ears. His heart sank. It may have been a long time since he's been to the house but he could never erase that address from his mind.
"What's wrong?"
"There's been a murder."