The helicopter circled low over Healen Lodge. Cloud sat with his arms crossed, staring at the lush expanse beneath them. The landscape was very different here, further out from the ruins of Midgar; a far cry from the barren land that surrounded Edge. It was a refreshing change and the earlier rain had only made the thriving greenery look even more vibrant.

He inhaled slowly, enjoying the taste of the crisp, clean air.

It stood to reason that Rufus Shinra would have chosen to battle his Geostigma in such a verdant location. While the rest of Midgar's refugees had struggled to make a new life he'd been hiding out here, surrounded by calming scenery and fresh air. For all his assurances and propaganda that Shinra would repay their debt to the planet it had been clear from the start that he'd never be able to fully cast aside his title and its trappings. The foothold the company had now regained was proof of that; their current surroundings only emphasised it.

Cloud agreed with Barret in one respect at least; Shinra would always be a threat.

The lodge was a sprawling complex nestled amongst the cliffs. He'd been there once before but hadn't really paid much attention to the larger area, having been more distracted by Rufus' apparent return from the dead. Individual guest cabins were scattered off the winding paths with the main hub central to them all; a smooth white building that jutted out from the rocky cliff-face. There were waterfalls hidden within the trees, creating clouds of mist that glittered in the sunlight.

"Looks more like a holiday resort than a hospital," he said, counting the tiny white buildings.

"It was," Rude replied. He was sitting in the co-pilots chair, watching Cloud with a neutral expression. "Shinra appropriated it for Geostigma research. Now it's just a hospital."

"Expensive hospital…"

Rude tilted his head. "If you want the best you've got to be willing to pay for it."

"It's so green." Tifa was sitting on the edge of her seat, nose almost pressed against the window. "It's beautiful."

"It's okay I guess," Reno drawled from his position at the controls. He flicked a few switches and the helicopter banked lower, heading for the helipad Cloud could just about see within the trees.

He watched the lodge draw nearer, apprehension looming over him. The impromptu invitation to accompany the Turks to Healen hadn't been particularly welcome, less so when he'd learnt why they'd asked him to come. As he was the only person that Erin had actually made contact with they'd assumed he'd be useful to them. Reno had made sarcastic comments about him keeping it in his pants and Rude had pointed out that he owed it to Tifa and the kids to find those responsible for the accident. Deep down Cloud knew that Rude was right; if he could be any help locating their ex-employee it would help to keep his family safe. He still wasn't happy about the arrangement though.

He was even less happy about Tifa's insistence that she was coming with them. They'd argued about it, the Turks hovering awkwardly in the background, with Red firmly agreeing that she should stay at the bar where she would be safe. That hadn't gone down particularly well. She'd refused point blank, her counter argument being that she was no safer at the bar than she was anywhere else. Denzel would be safe with Red and she'd be fine to look after herself.

When she'd offered to give them a demonstration Reno had grinned and volunteered his assistance. Cloud hadn't missed the heated look that had passed between the pair of them. Unable to think of a strong enough argument against it he'd reluctantly agreed to her joining them and she'd smiled brightly at him as she'd climbed into the helicopter.

"What do we do if we find her?" he asked, as the chopper skimmed the treetops beneath them.

"We're bringing her in," Rude replied.

"Reckon you can keep your hands to yourself?" Reno sniggered, preparing to land. He didn't wait for Cloud's response. "Welcome to Healen Lodge, ladies and gentlemen."

Tifa placed a warning hand on his arm. Her voice was soft. "Try to ignore him."

Cloud grunted in response.

They touched down and Reno killed the engine. The spinning blades slowly lost speed. Cloud jumped down from the cockpit and offered Tifa his hand, helping her down onto the concrete.

"Thanks."

"I assume there's a plan?" Cloud asked as Rude leapt down beside them.

He shrugged. "Ask Reno."

"Of course there's a plan." Reno sauntered over. "Find the girl, bring her back to HQ. It's not rocket science."

"How exactly do we find her?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, his expression sarcastic. "How'd you find her?"

Cloud's knuckles were white on the hilt of his sword; he was squeezing it so hard it was painful. He slung it across his back reluctantly, forcing his fingers to relax. Reno had been trying to provoke a reaction from him since they'd left Seventh Heaven. All Cloud could think about was wiping the infuriating grin off his face.

"We'll split up…" Reno continued breezily. "Ask around."

"That's your plan?"

"Unless you've got any better ideas."

"I thought you were supposed to be professionals?"

"Oh, we are." He grinned. "Me and Tifa will head to the Hospital. Rude and you can look around the other cabins."

"Tifa's with me," Cloud countered quickly.

"Nope. You two aren't wandering off by yourselves. This is our mission. I'm in charge."

"We're in charge," Rude corrected him, flexing his fingers as he put on his gloves.

"Whatever. My point is… You're with Rude."

"Tifa's with me," Cloud repeated, a little more firmly.

"I'll take good care of her." He smiled meaningfully. "Don't you worry."

"Is this really necessary?" Tifa asked, her voice betraying her frustration. She glanced at Rude who shrugged weakly in response.

"Stay away from her." Cloud took a step forward, squaring up against the Turk. "I mean it."

She forced herself between them. "Okay now you're just being ridiculous."

"Reno," Rude warned. "Back off."

Reno didn't reply; he just stood there grinning with his weapon balanced on his shoulder. He quirked an eyebrow suggestively, daring Cloud to make his move. The urge to throw a punch at that cocky face was so strong it burned him. Cloud reached for his sword instinctively as Reno extended his mag-rod with a sharp flick of his wrist.

"Come on then," he murmured darkly, eyes narrowed. "Let's see what Mister First-Class can do."

"Gladly," Cloud growled.

"Are you actually being serious?" Tifa rolled her eyes and stepped out of the line of fire. "Come on Rude. We'll check out the cabins. When you two are done posturing you can go check out the hospital."

"Tifa wait…"

"Hey come on man. We had a plan!" Reno swung his weapon back up to his shoulder, kicking his boot sullenly against the concrete as Rude took off after her. "Fine. Have it your way."

"Great." Cloud watched them walk away. Reno was begging for a miracle if he thought he was going to make it back to the chopper in one piece.

"This is your fault," the Turk snapped, stalking off toward the main building.

"Whatever."

Cloud followed him down the path to the hospital. He could hear Reno cursing under his breath as they headed past a large information board showing a map of the complex. Cloud noted that there was a whole section of the map designated as belonging to Shinra; at least twelve cabins covering the topmost corner of the picture. The largest bore the simple designation Shinra Cabin.

"Can't take a joke." Reno muttered, loud enough that Cloud could hear him. "You need to chill the fuck out man."

"Stop talking."

"Hey, I'm just trying to be friends," he simpered sarcastically.

"We're not friends. I don't like you."

"Yeah? Well I don't like you either, bitch."

"Stop. Talking."

"No can do." Reno sauntered through the hospital doors. "Just remember. I'm in charge."

"That's what you think," Cloud muttered.

The only thing that suggested that the building was a hospital was the clinically clean smell in the air. The reception room they walked into was bright and airy, with large paintings adorning the walls. Cloud recognised the scenery in some of them. There were expensive seats and tables dotted around the room, some of which had people sitting at them. They watched with interested faces as Cloud followed Reno to the kiosk on the far wall, where a woman with dark hair scraped into a severe bun was tapping away at a computer terminal.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No," said Reno, leaning on the desk. "You're new. What happened to Myra?"

She ignored his question completely, still staring at the computer screen. "You need an appointment."

"No we don't. We're looking for someone."

"We can only give information regarding residents to family members." She frowned at them over the top of her glasses. "If that doesn't apply to you I suggest you leave.

He pulled a photo out of his pocket. A headshot; it looked as though it had been taken to use on an I.D card. Cloud recognised the slim face and green eyes.

Reno pushed it across the desk sharply with his index finger. "We're looking for her."

She stared at the photograph. Her eyes snapped back to Reno, as though she'd only just noticed his dishevelled suit. "Are you with Shinra?"

He looked down at his outfit, expression incredulous. "Not from around here, are you?"

There was alarm on her face when she handed him back the picture. "Is the Director coming?"

"The Director?"

"I've been instructed to only speak to him," she replied. "The information is classified."

Reno dragged his I.D out of his pocket and slapped it on the table in front of her. "Not to me it isn't."

She pushed it back towards him without looking at it. "I'm sorry but Director Tseng bought her here personally. We're only to speak to him or the President."

"Tseng?" he asked flatly. He pulled his PHS out of his pocket and quickly flipped through it before thrusting it into her hand. "Look familiar?"

"Who's this?"

"Director Tseng."

"No it isn't," she replied curtly.

"I cannot deal with this shit," he growled. "I don't know what planet you're living on lady but I'm telling you now this is the Director."

"Reno, this isn't working," Cloud muttered.

"Reno?" Her eyes widened. "Mister Reno, sir. I'm so sorry. I didn't realise…"

"Seriously?" Cloud drummed his fingers against his forehead in agitation.

"What can I say, my reputation precedes me." He turned back to the receptionist, smiling unpleasantly. "You were saying?"

"Director Tseng asked us to provide accommodation for her. I've got the authorisation right here." She pointed at her terminal screen.

"Not Tseng," he corrected, heading through the gate at the side of the kiosk. He pushed her to one side. "Let me see that."

"He said she was the President's guest. Nobody's supposed to know she's here."

"What the fuck?" Reno was frowning at the screen. "None of these credentials match up. This is all bullshit."

"I don't understand," she stammered. "He had a key-card for the cabin. The Director said—"

"I don't care what the Director said," Reno snapped. "Do you want me to get the President down here? Maybe he'll want to hear it."

"No, sir."

"Where's she been staying?"

The receptionist glanced awkwardly at the desk. When she spoke her voice was barely audible. "The Shinra cabin. But she's not there now… She checked out this morning."

"Of course she did." Reno rubbed his hand across his face. "You guys have let somebody access the President's personal cabin without authorisation. You've fucked up big time."

The colour drained from her face. "We were just following instructions."

"The President's going to lose his shit when he hears about this."

"Is there anything I can do to assist you?" she offered weakly.

"Yeah," said Cloud, cutting Reno off. "We want access to that cabin."

Reno was still grumbling about incompetent employees when they arrived. Cloud ignored him. Shinra Cabin was just as he remembered it; the white structure curved from the side of the cliff, alien against the trees.

"Was that really necessary?" Cloud gritted out. "She was just doing her job."

"Okay man we'll just let everybody in. Roll out the red fucking carpet," Reno replied, approaching the door with the key-card in his hand.

Cloud threw his own hand out. "Wait."

"Why?"

"She could be in there."

"Relax. They said she left." He narrowed his eyes, smiling nastily. "Although I thought you already knew how to handle her?"

"Do you want a trip over the edge?" Cloud offered sarcastically. "I can arrange one."

Reno peered theatrically over the railing that ran along the cliff-face. "Meh…It's not that high. I'd be fine."

"Unlikely."

"Look at us having a proper conversation. I told you we could be friends."

"Do you ever stop?"

Reno grinned darkly. "Tifa will be so excited."

"Open the door," Cloud growled.

Reno swiped the key-card, bowing graciously. "After you."

Cloud shoved him hard as he walked past. Reno fell heavily into the door frame and lashed out with his foot, hooking his instep around Cloud's shin. He tripped through the door and spun on his heel using the momentum to carry him, hand already reaching for his sword.

He froze, brain registering what it was actually seeing.

The cabin was as he remembered it; modern in design and sparsely decorated. On one wall a large window showed the expansive view from the cliff-face. On another there were photographs. Hundreds of them.

Reno joined him in the centre of the room. His horrified expression mirrored Cloud's own. "What the fuck?"

There were pictures of all of them; too many to take in at once. Cloud walked slowly along the wall, trying to make sense of it all.

The kids playing in the street outside the bar. Him talking to Tifa, clearly taken through the narrow kitchen window the morning he'd returned.

Yuffie hugging a reluctant Barret. Him and Marlene walking hand in hand down the street.

The carnage outside the bar following the accident; Marlene's teddy bear abandoned on the ground.

Elena bound, gagged and bloody. Her and Tseng stealing a kiss in the shadows of the Shinra building.

Reno loitering outside the bar.

Rude washing his car.

Rufus Shinra.

Tifa…

"Well this is disturbing," Reno pointed out weakly.

A particular photo caught his eye. Reno lunged for it but Cloud's fingers closed on it first, ripping it away from the Turk's grasp.

It felt as though his heart had stopped beating. He stared at the picture in his hand. Reno, sprawled in the dirt with Tifa in his arms, her hands busy beneath his shirt and her lips pressed hungrily against his.

Jealousy and anger curled through him; a red mist slowly descending. He ground his teeth so hard he could taste blood.

"Ah…" Reno ran his hand through his hair nervously. The cocky swagger had seemingly deserted him. "About that…"

Cloud slammed the photo into his chest. He staggered backwards, only just managing to keep his balance.

"Stay the fuck away from her," Cloud snarled.

"Not gonna happen."

He threw a punch. Anger gave it power but not speed. Reno skipped backwards just in time, weapon already raised.

"She's mine."

"Doesn't look like it." Reno spat. He screwed up the photograph and threw it at him. "Keep it. Just in case you forget."

Cloud left the cabin, slamming the door behind him.