Title: The Delivery Service
Rated: M (Violence, language, possible sexual situations)
Pairing: Definite Cloud x Tifa. Just might take some time.
Summary: "What are you, exactly?"
Cloud Strife looked down at the man, his crew standing behind him. He extended a hand, helping the wounded one up.
"We're a delivery service."
A/N: I really hope everyone sticks around; things are going to start making a bit more sense, even though it might not seem like it. We are coming up on the end and we are coming up kind of quick! This chapter was extremely hard to write because I wanted to reveal everything (happening soon, in a way you might not expect and might seem lack-luster, now that I think about it) and I just need to do some set up for it. Only a few more chapters left!
Chapter Nineteen: Visitation Rights
Maximum security at Edge City Correctional Facility was not a place to joke around. Many of the prisoners that were kept in the facility were there for life, and they had nothing to lose. There were rapists, murderers. Ex-terrorists. People who did unspeakable things to woman, and children. These people were the lowest of the lows.
Everyone steered clear of the ex-SOLDIER. The blue-eyed devil, they called him.
Cloud did not even have to do anything special to earn the distance.
It was all for the best, as Cloud did not want to be bothered anyway. He was too busy replaying that night in his head, over and over. Obviously, someone with incredible powers had managed to sneak in without his knowledge. Someone also stabbed the man from behind, then fled. It was also obvious to him that someone, someone with a lot of power, had set him up.
His first thought was Shinra. But this did not seem to be the work of him; besides, in the years since Meteor, Rufus Shinra had made many moves to improve himself and his image. If he really thought about it, there really was no bad blood anymore between them. He kept Rufus on the back burner, however.
Then a thought occurred to him. A thought that sickened him to his stomach.
The leader of the World Regeneration Organization. He had the power, he had the money, he had many fingers into many pots- and Cloud should know, as he was a finger. There could be something that the leader was trying to hide, something Cloud was getting close to.
Reeve wouldn't do that to Cloud. The man was smart, and talented- but there was a certain cowardness that he possessed. It was one of the main reasons that Tuesti hired Cloud to do some of the dirty work.
Besides, Reeve was part of the family. Family did not turn on each other.
Cloud shook his head, clearing those thoughts. He started replaying the night that Renaldo died. The only logical thing he could think of was that someone who had powers was the one who murdered Renaldo. If they had powers, there was a great possibility that that person had those powers thrust upon them, like Cloud and Vincent. If they had abilities given to them, then the person who had given them the abilities had the resources to give them those abilities. Money, power, facilities that could be secreted away so these people could get their new powers.
Once again, Cloud's thoughts went to Reeve Tuesti.
For the day to day, Cloud mostly stayed in his bunk. When he wasn't thinking about the set-up, his thoughts were primarily on the family he left behind. Mostly, and he was unashamed to admit it, on Tifa. He could only imagine the stress his friend was going through. She was struggling; trying to work on his freedom, he assumed. Tifa was probably throwing herself into work, knowing her. Cloud wondered if she was eating well; he knew that she was not sleeping.
He missed her.
He missed her telling him "Good Morning." Cloud missed when Tifa would randomly reach out and rub his arm. The coffee here sucked; Tifa made the best coffee. He missed being on the road and finding something- a flower, a small knick-knack, to bring home to her to make her smile. Cloud missed seeing her face light up when he did some household chore without her asking.
Cloud had always missed Tifa when he was on the road before, but this… this was different. Before he could always call her, or even stop off between deliveries to visit her. This time his whole freedom had been taken, and he could not see her anytime he wanted.
He rubbed his chest, feeling like it was burning. Cloud took a deep breath. Cloud rolled onto his back in his bunk and stared at the ceiling. He stayed like that for a long time, until a prison guard showed up at his cubicle.
"Strife."
Cloud slipped off the bed and stood in front of the guard. He did not say anything, just stayed there waiting patiently.
"You have a visitor. Come."
Cloud nodded. "Thank you." He said and went to leave his cubicle.
The guard stopped him. Cloud stepped back and looked at him, silently.
"You have a limited amount of time with this visitor. Don't waste it by being an asshole."
Cloud bit his tongue. True to any stereotype, most of the prison guards in the facility were egotistical, power-hungry jerkoffs. It was best to stay quiet and let them go through their spiel.
"Alright. Go. East courtyard." The guard said, opting to hurry up. That told Cloud that the visitor was important, important enough to even bring down the guards.
Cloud followed the man out towards the east courtyard, curious as to why this visit was not taking place in the visitation room. He did not ask any questions. He wanted to know who was visiting him.
Reeve and Tifa were sitting at the green metal picnic table in the courtyard. They were making small talk; Tifa was busying herself with poking her fingers through the tiny holes in the table. Her nerves were all over the place; it was torture sitting here, waiting for Cloud.
What would she do? What would she say? What would he say?
The door to the prison opened up, and a tall prison guard walked out. He held the door open, not even seeing if the person behind him was coming.
Cloud came slowly out the door. He passed the guard, making sure not to make eye contact.
"Fifteen minutes." The guard left them, slamming the door shut as he left.
Cloud started coming towards the table, picking up some speed as he approached. Tifa quickly got up from the table; ran to Cloud.
Tifa threw her arms around his neck as Cloud wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up and holding her close. Tifa let out a sob, laughing and buried her face into his neck.
The feeling of Tifa in his arms was indescribable. He breathed deep, smelling her rose-scented shampoo and the aroma of home. He pulled his head back; Tifa moved and soon their lips met. After a few minutes, the two disengaged and smiled at each other.
"Hey." Cloud said. Tifa sniffled and punched him in the arm. "Ow."
"What happened?"
"I've been set up." Cloud answered. "By someone with enough money to get a lot of power."
"What can I do?" Tifa asked.
"I'll talk about with you and Reeve in a minute. How are you? Are you eating? Sleeping?"
"No. And no. What about you?"
"I'll survive." Cloud reached out and touched her hair. "I really miss you."
Tifa moved into him, wrapping her arms around his chest. He sighed and held her close. "When you get out of here, we need a vacation. This stress is killing me."
Cloud laughed. "Deal." He kissed the top of her head. "Wherever you want. I think we only got ten minutes left. Let's go talk to Reeve. He has a lot to explain."
Cloud grasped Tifa's hand and walked to the table.
"Do you think we need to worry?" Tifa asked as they walked toward the table.
"Not yet." Cloud answered and helped Tifa onto the bench.
Reeve looked up at the two and gave a sad smile. He ignored his heart and focused on the matter at hand. "Cloud. I am working on getting you out of here. I'm hiring a lawyer this afternoon; I have the best detectives on the scene."
"What happened to Yuffie, Reeve?" Cloud asked bluntly.
Tifa gasped and grabbed Cloud's hand. Reeve's face went red. Cloud stayed perfectly still, staring at Reeve.
"Cloud, what do you-"
"She was supposed to have checked in that night." Reeve began. "I had her in Edge. There was a high rate of reckless crime and drug use happening. She was investigating, wondering why dead bodies were showing up with glowing blue eyes. Vincent was supposed to help her. I don't know why he was not with her. It might have saved her life."
"You know who she was looking in to. You made her target them." Cloud said. "The same person who framed me for murder. The same person who killed Yuffie."
"Yuffie is not dead!" Tifa exclaimed.
"Tifa, it has been almost two years. If we haven't found her by now…" Reeve began, then choked on his words. "I have not been at liberty to say who is the suspect. He has protection."
"And he seems to be making more. Or trying." Cloud said.
"What do you mean?" Tifa asked, staring at Cloud's profile.
Cloud placed his arm around Tifa's shoulders and pulled her in close. He wanted to be as close to her as possible. "Do you remember me telling you all that had happened to me in Shinra Manor?"
Tifa shuddered at the nightmarish story.
"It was a demented version of how they power SOLDIERS. But that is all secret now; Shinra is no more, and the SOLDIER program is no more." Cloud said. "But if something about how to make more powerful protection had leaked, and someone with enough power and money got a hold of it… the temptation for that kind of works would be too much to resist."
"Reeve and Rufus Shinra are the only two people with enough money that come to my mind." Tifa said.
Reeve lowered his head. "I hate to speak ill of Rufus. He… has changed, but… he still feels like he is in charge."
Cloud nodded. "That is because he is. Reeve, take control of your own company. You were the one who built it. Not him."
"I could not have built it without him. He gave me the start-up." Reeve confessed. "He was the one with the idea to build WRO. Rufus Shinra wanted the world to unite, so Meteor and Sephiroth would never happen again."
"But he could not be in the seat of power." Cloud supplied, and Reeve nodded. "But he needed someone in it he could control."
"I am not proud." Reeve said. "I have been working on projects without his knowledge."
"Like Yuffie. And me." Cloud said. "Time is up, Reeve. You need to tell us who Yuffie was targeting."
Reeve sighed. "I do not think it is wise in this juncture. This man… he is a master manipulator. I believe he has something else up his sleeve."
"So when Shinra comes to visit, play dumb?" Cloud scoffed.
Reeve sighed. "If you wish."
Tifa rubbed her forehead. "You people always talk in circles. Why can't we ever get a straight answer?"
Reeve bowed his head. "I apologize."
"It's like a movie, when people know something, yet they don't want to reveal it because then the plot comes to a halt." Tifa laughed.
"Reeve. I only have five minutes left. Can I be alone with Tifa?" Cloud asked, ignoring Tifa's last remark.
The leader of the WRO nodded his head and stood up from the table. He walked towards a door; it would lead Tifa and him out towards the main reception area. He remembered that he had to sign him and Tifa out, so there would be a complete count of people in the building. He stared at the door for a few minutes, his back facing the couple to afford them some privacy. If they were talking, it was low enough where Reeve could not hear them.
Suddenly the door across the courtyard opened, and a prison guard barked an order for Cloud to come with him. Reeve turned to watch as Cloud stole one more kiss from Tifa, got up from the table, and made his way over to the open door. Tifa looked shell-shocked, watching as her love walked back into the prison.
Reeve left her alone until she was ready to get up and leave. She did not speak to him as they made their way towards the main gate. She waited by the door as Reeve signed a few pieces of paper; then they left the prison.
Left without Cloud.
