Asneed: Yay! Unexpected twist! You should be expecting things like that from me by now :P You know I can't leave well enough alone. As for your question, I'm not going to be spoiling things for you by answering that ;) Wait and see!

Kei: I'm very sorry to disappoint you, it's about Vergil haha oops! Which seems kind of weird, considering that Dante is the cocky one, like Reno, and Vergil is more like Sephiroth. Then again, Vergil was loosely based off Seph, and Seph is also in this story... I have very wide angled tastes, apparently... I like how you refer to Rufus as wanting the toy before everyone else, I think that is exactly what is going on. He's a spoilt brat who sees something he wants to possess and he's sure he'll get it. You just wait, Rufus! Haha what would this story be without Ollie. Ollie is the best person ever. On with the next chap!

Chapter 191

The next morning, I awoke in a -thankfully- empty bed. Embarrassment washed over me and I wondered whether I would ever be able to look Rufus in the eye again. How could someone be so shameless? Reno had done the same thing three years ago, but we had already started to develop something more than friendship by then. What was it with men and being completely brazen? Had they no shame? Maybe it was a Shinra thing. I could only hope that Rufus would keep his hands to himself from now on and leave me alone. Something told me that this was merely a physical thing to him anyway, and as he was used to getting what he wanted, he must have simply decided to give it a go, hoping that I'd go with it. Bastard. When there was a sudden tap on my window, I realized it had been that which had woken me. I sat up and listened. The sun had risen, probably a while ago, and when I looked at the clock on my nightstand, it showed nearly ten in the morning. There was another tap on the window and I jumped out of bed, tugging on my jeans over my bare legs. Upon opening the curtains, I found Vincent Valentine standing on my porch roof. What struck me right away, was the sadness that was in his eyes, something I was rarely ever witness to. He wasn't someone to wear his heart on his sleeve. I moved to open the window hastily, letting him inside.

"Vincent," I said worriedly as he stepped inside, taking with him a chilly morning breeze. "What's wrong?"

"I have waited with reporting, but by now Reeve will have alerted everyone," I shook my head at him in confusion. "The WRO was attacked last night."

"Dammit..." I hissed angrily. Wouldn't these attacks ever end? There was no place safe at the moment. What did these people want? "Did everyone make it out? Is Reeve all right?"

"Reeve is shaken, but alive. But... Not everyone made it out..." The sadness in his eyes grew heavier, telling me how much he cared. "I met with Azul there, and the young girl. Shelke. They have both been comprehended and are currently still held at the WRO. Azul mentioned that Max was defeated in Healin' yesterday. I am going to assume it was you?"

"And Reno," I confirmed. "We tried to take down Azul after Max fell...but he fled." I swallowed at the memory of stabbing Max in the chest. I hoped with all my heart that I would never have to do that to someone I cared for again.

"Then I am sorry," He said. "I know he was your friend once."

"Thanks," I also cleared my throat, feeling a bit awkward talking about this with him. "So does Reeve have any idea what Deepground wants? I'm getting tired of this wailing all night. It's starting to get under my skin."

"No new information has been found in the records," He shook his head, leaning back on the window sill and folding his arms. "However, I encountered that other female Tsviet. Rosso the Crimson. She mentioned the protomateria again." That's the second time in two days the Tsviets had asked Vincent about it, and we were no step closer to finding out what it was. It did seem to be of vital importance to them. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"There has to be some information on this protomateria. Files, documents, books, research, anything. Maybe we need to find a way back into Shinra HQ in Midgar, see what we can find."

"No need," He said, and I noticed the strange gleam in his red eyes. "The information we are looking for might be in Nibelheim."

"Nibelheim?" I gasped in astonishment. "The Shinra Mansion, huh? The place where all my nightmares began." It was the place where Sephiroth had lost his mind, and where I had begged for him to let me in. It was also the place I had first felt his betrayal.

"Hmpf...And mine." For a second, I had forgotten he had been subject to horrible experiments too and they had taken place inside that Mansion, just like the experiments done on Cloud and Zack. Vincent had it worse than any of us. There was a soft knock on my door, followed by Tseng's pleasant voice.

"Eden, can I come in?" Always the gentleman.

"Yes, come on in," I replied and opened the door to let him inside. "Vincent's here."

"Good morning, Eden, Vincent." Tseng greeted us. "As Vincent is here, I take he has already informed you of the situation at the WRO? We are to leave immediately, to offer them our help. There is still so much to be done. We would also like to track down Genesis, perhaps he knows more of this. He was locked down with them, after all. Will you be joining us?" I looked at Vincent for a moment and then asked myself why he had come to me to tell me he was going to Nibelheim. He could have just gone if he wanted to, but something told me that he wanted me to come with him.

"Negative," I addressed Tseng, not needing any words from Vincent to know what he was here for. "Vincent and I are going to Nibelheim. Vincent has a lead on the protomateria. We might find more information there."

Tseng's eyes traveled to Vincent for a moment, as if considering the idea. "Very well. I am aware you don't need my permission, as neither of you work for me, but allow me to aid you. Nibelheim is a long way, even by helicopter it takes most of a day. I want you to take the one Reno and Rude brought back from Junon yesterday. It will save us a lot of time, as you won't have to travel by boat."

"Thank you, Tseng." Vincent said to him. I was grateful too. I loved my motorcycle, but driving it all the way to Nibelheim would take a very long time. Calling Jebb had actually been my initial plan, but since Tseng offered us one of his choppers, I wouldn't say no to that. Reno was going to freak out.

We made our way downstairs, where Ollie was making breakfast again in his apron. This time, it was eggs and bacon. The smell wafted through the kitchen and made my mouth water. Rufus was sitting at the table with Eva, Reno and Rude, but Elena was nowhere to be seen.

"Vincent's here, everybody." I casually called while I made my way over to Ollie to tell him how awesome he was. There was a mumbled chorus of greetings in return.

"I think you should move back in," I said to Ollie while Tseng took his seat at the table beside Rufus. "I like this."

"You'd get fat, Princess," He chuckled and I stuck out my tongue. "And lazy. Do you have any idea how long you slept?" Then he lowered his voice and shot Rufus an awkward glance over my shoulder. "Not saying he's the ugliest dude in the world, but what the hell? Is he for real?"

"Ugh, I don't even want to think about it. His tongue was in my mouth. Way in." I whispered in disgust before I grabbed a plate and took a seat next to Eva. "Where's Elena?" Not that I worried about her.

"She felt nauseous from the smell of bacon," Tseng explained, making me raise an eyebrow at him curiously. "She's gone upstairs to lie down for a moment."

"Is that so?" I said with a smirk as I glanced at Eva beside me. She looked like she was trying very hard to hide a smile, and cast her eyes down into her lap. "Does she...get that often, Tseng?" I tried to keep the insinuation from my voice. Reno was looking at us, chewing wildly, seemingly oblivious. Rude was reading the newspaper beside him. The only one who seemed to be catching on, was Rufus, who shot me a secretive smile. One that I didn't want to return. In fact, I rather didn't look at him at all.

Tseng frowned. "Not that I know of. She didn't feel all that well yesterday, but these passed few days have been very stressful. She is simply very tired."

"Yes," I stated dryly as I put some toast on my plate. "I feel nauseous all the time too. Very stressful days indeed." If my suspicions were correct, then maybe that would explain why she had lashed out at me and Reno so savagely. Not that she wasn't a spoiled brat, but this aggression was new for her. Eva actually giggled at Tseng's confused face. For such an intelligent man, he could really be rather naive. But, maybe Eva and I were wrong, maybe that was just one of those things girls did in this kind of situation. Jump to conclusions. Truthfully, I would be very happy for them.

"You don't seem nauseous to me," Ollie commented as he set down another frying pan filled with food. "The way you're shoveling that stuff into your trap."

"Zip it, cyclops," I sniped, though I couldn't help but laugh. "You're too dumb to understand what we're talking about anyway."

"I don't understand either," Reno chimed, looking as confused as Tseng. "What are we talking about?" I saw Rude crack a small smile at himself in silence. He knew. Yes, he did, the sneaky bastard.

"That's okay," Eva said sweetly. "Guess we'll find out soon enough. So what's the plan for today?"

"Vincent, Eden and I have discussed," Tseng informed us while he scooped some of Ollie's creation onto his plate. "We will go to WRO HQ to see what we can do to help and to see if our combined efforts may uncover some hidden facts. We will also set our sights on Genesis. Vincent and Eden will be heading to Nibelheim. Vincent has a lead on the protomateria."

"Nibelheim?" Ollie asked just as I saw Reno open his mouth. To argue? Something inside me wished that he would. Ollie sat down at the table on Eva's other side, bringing with him a final stack of toast. "That's kinda far." His eye kept moving over to Rufus in a hardly inconspicuous way, like he was trying very hard not to look.

"I have offered them one of the helicopters." Tseng assured him.

This time, Reno did argue, as I had expected. "Nooo!" He exclaimed dramatically. "Why would you do that?" I grinned at his affronted reaction, earning me a semi-serious scowl from him. "Let me go with them so I can pilot, or we'll never see that thing in one piece again."

"No, Reno," Tseng said. "Your job is elsewhere."

"But-"

"This isn't up for discussion, Reno," Rufus butted in, his tone final. "This has got to end. You will leave Whiterun and that will be for the best. I can't have you making bad decisions. Your loyalty lies with me and not...other matters. I think you know what I mean." The room fell silent with awkwardness and sudden tension. I was fairly sure we all knew what he meant. Rufus had managed to destroy the playful mood, and I hated him for it. I hated him even more for what he had just done. There was no doubt in my mind that Reno wouldn't disobey a direct order from the President, no matter how he had found ways around orders in the past to help me out. This was one order he couldn't misread. With one lash of his sharp tongue, Rufus had managed to drive us apart, possibly for good. He hadn't said the words, but it was clear as day that he meant to separate us indefinitely. As if he could keep me away from Reno if I wanted to see him. Something told me that this was Rufus' way of clearing a path for himself, but he was very wrong about that. Eden Fox didn't let anyone tell her no. My eyes settled on Reno, who seemed dumbfounded at the sudden reprimand. There was a flash of anger on his features, his jaw tightened for a moment, and then he bit back his natural defiance and simply yielded.

"Yes, Sir."

"Uh," Ollie started, fixing his eye on Rufus. "Dude, whatever you say, you know you can't tell Eden what to do."

"Eden and I have an understanding," Rufus explained calmly, while cutting his toast as if he were completely in control. Maybe he was. "She and I have ah...bonded a little, yesterday." My eyes snapped up to his, appalled that he would play his game like this. I narrowed my eyes at him, but he just smirked. I wanted nothing more than to break him down and hurt him, but the only one who would end up getting hurt would be Reno. If he ever knew what Rufus had done, maybe he wouldn't be so loyal to him anymore then, but it would make him miserable to lose his job. "Haven't we, Eden?"

Barely controlled anger washed over me as I rose from the table, refraining myself from ripping the conceited smile off his face. "You're despicable." I hissed and left the table without a second glance at anyone. My feet carried me upstairs to get ready to leave, all the while thinking that today may well be the very last day I would ever see Reno.

Once I was showered and prepared for another day, I met Vincent outside by the chopper so we could depart as soon as possible. While the Turks were leaving for the WRO, Ollie and Eva had agreed to stay behind to guard the house in case Cloud and the others needed somewhere to go. The good mood that had been around the house since the evening before was ruined now that Rufus had opened his mouth, and Reno was sulking worse than ever. He was trying hard to hide it, but I could tell he was upset. I kept trying to catch his eye, but he seemed to ignore me very deliberately, as if I had done something wrong. Maybe it was what Rufus had said about us bonding. The way he had said it still sent shivers up my spine. It was possible, even likely, that Reno had sensed that something was going on between Rufus and myself, and I hated the very idea. Rude offered to check the chopper over for me, to make sure it was good to go for such a long flight. He wrote down coordinates where we could refuel and told me the weather prospect for the day, so that I would mind the high winds. When he was done, he shook my hand.

"Good luck," He said. "Let us know what you find out." He looked at Vincent, who stood beside me patiently. I felt he was about to say something else, but then he nodded and left for the other chopper, where Tseng, Elena and Reno were waiting for him and for Rufus. Ollie and Eva stood on my porch, seeing us off. Vincent disappeared inside the helicopter as Rufus strolled over to me, hands in his pockets, his guard hound by his side. He held out his hand for me to shake, but I simply scoffed at that and looked away from him. My eyes fell on the Turks, who stood watching our interaction from some distance away. I could easily tell someone wasn't happy with what they were seeing, and it wasn't Elena this time. She actually seemed quite pleased for a change. I secretly hoped she'd thrown up all over herself earlier this morning.

"I apologize for having to do this, Eden."

"Don't talk to me," I growled, still not looking at him. I didn't want Reno to see us together after that last remark Rufus had thrown at me. How could he have said something like that, knowing it would hurt Reno? Did he want Reno to think that something had happened between us?

"Reno needs some time away from you to wean himself off of you and pull himself together. I want my Turk back."

I laughed at that. "So this has nothing to do with your personal conquest?" If he thought for a second that this would make me run into his arms, he was very much mistaken.

"That is not priority," He stated calmly. "But yes, this is convenient."

I leaned into him threateningly, forgetting all about how grateful I had been to him for saving Charly. "If everyone wasn't watching right now, I would bitch slap you."

He chuckled, arising to the challenge. "What does that matter? You never cared for the opinion of others."

"I promised them I would try to be a better person, and slapping you across the face would contradict that. But, you can consider yourself slapped. Hard." He leaned down to me and I only just managed to suppress the urge to back away at his closeness. I simply refused to show him I felt intimidated by him the way I had once felt intimidated by Sephiroth. Rufus may not be as strong as him, but he had that same arrogance and frosty personality.

"What makes you think," His breath caressed my cheek as he whispered. "That being slapped by you would be a turn-off for me? And do mind your attitude with me. We wouldn't want Reno to find out what happened last night, do we?" Then he laughed at me mockingly and stepped away, making his way over to his faithful Turks with a confident strut. Then he turned to add, "Remember I've done some good too, Eden. I'm not the villain you take me for." With that, he continued down the hill. His beast followed closely to his heel, and shot me an evil glare over its shoulder. I tried one last time to meet Reno's gaze, but he kept his beautiful eyes averted feverishly. I fumed at what a stubborn asshole he could be sometimes. Didn't he understand that maybe this was the last time we would be seeing each other, at least, for a long time? His boss had basically forbidden him from seeing me only a moment ago and he was handling it in his usual cocky way, by simply pretending the problem didn't exist and avoiding the issue. Something inside me wished that he wouldn't avoid me, that he would come over here to at least say goodbye. I wished that I could hold him for a minute, or even only touch his hand. I watched them board the chopper, Rude and Elena first, and then Rufus and Tseng. Reno was still out there, leaning against the side with his arms folded sullenly, eyes cast at the grass under his feet. He was still there when Rude started up the engine and the blades began to spin, and I still stood there watching him, waiting for him to acknowledge me. I refused to leave like this. My hair started to blow around my face when the chopper beside me came to life as well, Vincent's cue that it was time to leave. Then, finally, Reno's eyes rose and they met mine. His face was blank, that look of indifference I had seen on his handsome features so many times before, but I knew he wasn't indifferent. Yes, maybe he thought it best for us to keep our distance, but I no longer believed he had no feelings for me, regardless what he had said. Jerry had been right, Reno had thwarted me to force us apart, to make it easier for the both of us. But since we had been reunited only two days ago, we had been getting along perfectly, something that was entirely new for us. At least, new for Reno. I had always been harsh and mean to him, but those days were over and he knew it. So if there even had been a small chance that he had been opening up to me, it was now crushed by Rufus, who made the decision for us. I would never know what Reno really wanted, because that indifferent look told me all I needed to know. That there would be no messages, no calls and no favors from him. His job was his life and the passed two days had made no difference to his resolve for us to stay away from each other. If he did feel something, sadness, pain, or even anger at the situation, he wasn't showing it. He had shut down again and fallen back into that professional mask that came so easily to him. It was his way of dealing with the situation, and he must have thought he was making things easier not only for himself, but for me too. How wrong he was. If only he would give me a smile, or a wink, anything, to remind me that the passed two days hadn't been a dream. That we, if only for a moment, had seen what life could be like for us. I wondered if things would have been different if I had been given more time. But, there wasn't time. Life was about to go on the way it had been for the last few months, and I would have to start all over again.

Tseng appeared from inside the helicopter, saying something to Reno, who was still staring at me with those bright eyes. Then he turned away and stepped inside, taking up his seat behind the stick. Tseng looked at me for a moment, a look of genuine pity on his face, before he slid the door shut and they were gone.

After I took a seat beside Vincent, who seemed more than ready to take off, I watched the other Shinra chopper ascend and disappear from view over the mountains. We traveled in the opposite direction and I felt the distance between Reno and myself intensifying like it was a physical thread.

"You could always call him on the phone," Vincent spoke from beside me as he flew the chopper. "Or...send him a message. If that is what people call it." I had counted on flying the thing myself, because for a moment I had forgotten that Vincent used to be a Turk, and that he no doubt knew how to fly one better than I did. I could if I had to, but to say I was an experienced pilot would be a lie. There was a reason that me and choppers where a bad combination, even if not all of those reasons were my fault directly.

"It won't work," I shook my head as I stared out the side window, watching the grass fly by underneath us. "We've been through that before. Twice actually. Even if he answers, it'll be purely objective related." I looked over at Vincent, seeing his steady gaze settled on the horizon. The sun shone on his face in a way that illuminated his best features. His sharp nose and angled brow. But also his long lashes and strong jawline. His skin was flawless, though a little pale. I knew he had gone through a tragedy that was more than just the physical things that had been done to him. Charly had once told me that Vincent had loved a girl deeply; the woman who had given birth to Sephiroth. Something told me Vincent knew the pain that kept tearing through my heart. An ache that had been there for over three years without alleviation. A sorrow that cut deeper each and every time we said goodbye. Or didn't even do that much. "I should be angry with him, you know?" I said to Vincent wantonly, sinking back into my chair. "He tells me time and time again that we need to stay away from each other and every time we meet he keeps reaching out to me. I don't understand what he wants me to do." I felt the frustration inside me build up with every word, and I had to force myself not to get upset. I sighed and fell back in my seat, looking out the window at nothing. "Maybe I am better off alone..." I fell silent, trying hard to think about the mission, but even that didn't help, since it took me back to Nibelheim all those years ago. I remembered how I had stood outside that door like an ass, begging for Sephiroth to let me in, to love me. What a pathetic character I was. Begging for a man's love. I'd come close to doing it again. They should be begging me dammit!

"I'm not sure I can answer that for you, Eden," Vincent's deep voice replied after some time. "I've never known how to express, even before-" He broke off for a moment. "I imagine I can relate to how you feel."

"I know you can," I said, and he actually looked at me this time. "Love fucking sucks!" I cursed, ignoring the way his brow rose at my sudden outburst. I barely ever cursed like this, but sometimes it felt good to do so.

"Yes, I suppose it does...If it is unrequited."

"Or when you're betrayed and stabbed in the back, literally," I pointed out matter-of-factly. "That sucks too."

"Or shot and experimented on."

I blinked at him for a moment, looking at him in wonder before I burst out laughing. When I saw the corner of his mouth lift in amusement, I instantly felt better. "You've been hanging out with people too much lately, Vincent, I'm worried you might actually become human. So, what's the deal with Nibelheim?"

"Reeve said that the area is overrun with Deepground troops. However much I know you enjoy a challenge, he suggested we go in through the sewer system leading to the Mansion from the old Nibel Mako reactor," My heart froze when he mentioned the reactor. That was the place where I had been betrayed. "Will you be all right?"

Would I? It was just a place, I reminded myself. "Thanks for the concern," I smiled at him. "I'll be all right. Bad memories are just that; memories. They can't harm you."

"Let's hope that is true," He said darkly.

"We're going through the sewers?" I asked him as his previous words dawned on me. "Seems appropriate with all that Shinra shit going on there."

"Those were my thoughts exactly."