A/N: I am here to finish up this story. Internal Crisis kind of makes me sad as I feel like I did not give it my all and my best when writing it. And now as time has gone on and we have gotten the remake I feel like I can write much better stories. I am going to endeavour to have this story finished in the next couple of months so I can move to new projects guilt free.

The ShinRa army was intimidating as it marched out of the compound. The ground rumbled beneath the tyres of military vehicles and the marching feet.

"Tseng, please don't do this!" Reeve pleaded as Tseng attached spare magazines to his belt. "We are meant to be negotiating for peace."

"It was never going to happen, Reeve. The Wutains were plotting to take you hostage. I will be ending this tonight."

Reeve scowled. "No!" He stepped in front of the Turk. "You can't!"

The sigh that passed Tseng's lips was long-suffering and tired. He turned to two nearby infantry men. "Please take Executive Reeve to his rooms and make sure he does not leave. Keep in mind there are windows." Tseng hated having to spell such things out, but the run of the mill infantryman never thought of the things Turks considered when securing a prisoner.

"Sir!" The infantrymen nodded in understanding before turning to Reeve. "If you'll come with us."

Reeve glared at Tseng but moved with the infantrymen without protests.

Tseng and Rude would not usually be involved in a full-frontal assault operation, but Reno had not made contact and Turks did not leave their own behind. By the time they reached the palace, there were soldiers at the gates ready to defend it.

War was loud, the gunfire, the cannon fire, spells, screaming. But Tseng blocked it all out as he and Rude sat behind the front lines.

"Anything?" Tseng glanced at Rude and the phone in the other man's hand. His only answer was a shake of Rude's head. "He'll be alright. Reno is smart." Well… he had a will to live.

The gates of the palace were breached and infantry began to pour in. It was their time to go in. Tseng checked his gun before following the infantry through the broken gate. Priority one was the mission, Lord Godo was to be eliminated and then they would find Reno. Tseng and Rude split from the main forces.

"Godo will either be at the top or trying to escape… We'll have to split up." Tseng said jogging towards the door.

"Is splitting up wise?" Rude questioned turning off his gun's safety switch.

Tseng's lips twitched. "No, but it's the best plan we've got. Take the rear entrance, I'm going up." Tseng did not give Rude time to respond before running through the front entrance with his gun at the ready.

Fighting his way up was no easy task, but Tseng's years of training with the Turks had prepared him for combat in close quarters. Bullets were in short supply and Tseng wanted to make sure he had them at the ready when he faced Lord Godo. By the time Tseng reached the top of the palace, there were few people standing in his way. Taking a calming breath, Tseng began to slowly move down the hall keeping his eyes open for triggers and traps. At the end of the hall was a large set of red and gold doors. Tseng kicked them down and stepped in with his gun at the ready.

Women started screaming and pleading in Wutain while their children screamed. Words were drowned out by one another. "Where is Godo?" Tseng spoke loudly over the top of the shrieking. "Tell me where he is!"

"Tseng."

Yuka's voice broke through everything. Every sound faded into the background, his world narrowed to that one woman. Her dark eyes met him as she stood up and moved towards him. Tseng raised his gun. "Stay back."

"Little brother, my little brother. What did they do to you? What did they turn you into?" Yuka was quiet and gentle. "You are so troubled. I see it. You do not want to hurt us, you just want to appease your masters."

Tseng tensed as Yuka continued to move towards him. It was true that he did not want to hurt these women or children, but he would do what he had to. "Where is Lord Godo?"

"Not here," Yuka touched Tseng's cheek with such gentle tenderness that his entire body froze and then relaxed. She pushed his gun downwards and he let her. "Oh, Tseng. My baby brother." her thumb ran along his cheekbone. "You've grown so much." With Tseng distracted the other occupants of the room quickly vacated as Tseng stood with his sister. "I had hoped that sending you away would be good, that you would have a good life."

"My life has been good, better than what it would have been here," Tseng whispers. His left-hand lets go of the gun and he touches Yuka's face with such tenderness that it surprises Tseng himself. Tseng did not realise he could still touch someone with such gentleness. Yuka's face was soft beneath his fingertips, tears welled in Tseng's eyes. "You're standing in my way, Yuka, in the way of ShinRa."

Yuka hushed Tseng tilting his face upwards so that their eyes met. "No. I am standing in between you and regret. You are Wutain, Tseng. This land is still your home, your blood."

"No, Yuka. Lord Godo is hidden in this room. You are standing between him and me."

"Tseng. No, It's just you and I. Please, listen to me, little brother. You do not need to fight against your home."

Tseng pulled away. "Home? The place where I was tortured and branded a demon before I could even walk? Where I was beaten and lived in fear? Is this place my home? You gave me to Veld and sent me to Midgar for a better life. I had a better life. I found a family and a purpose. I owe Wutai nothing. Step aside, Yuka."

"No! I won't let you kill anyone else."

Tseng side-stepped Yuka and moved towards the cupboard in the rear corner of the room. Yuka tried to block his path but Tseng pushed her aside. He reached out for the cupboard door only for it to fly open and strike him. Godo wielded a katana and Tseng barely dodged the sharp blade as it sliced through the air.

"You are the Akuma who killed your family and fled. Now you come back with ShinRa, you truly are a demon!"

Tseng dodges another blow firing two shots only of them to be deflected by Godo's blade. "I am." Tseng would embrace it if he had to. He fired his gun again.

"Please stop, Tseng!" Yuka ran and stood between her brother and her lord spreading her arms wide. "It does not need to be this way. You can fight alongside your people against the tyranny of ShinRa. They want to take away everything from us! You can change your fate, little brother, you can be a hero of Wutai."

Tseng smirks. "A hero of Wutai? A hero of the lands that gave me nothing but pain and suffering." He looks passed Yuka at Lord Godo. "Is that what you promise me now, Godo? Will the Akuma become a hero if I betray ShinRa."

Lord Godo keeps his katana at the ready. "Loyalty is rewarded and great honour is given to any who fight for their country."

Tseng lurches forward to attack Godo but is met by Yuka tackling him. "Run!" Yuka screams at Lord Godo and he obeys.

Yuka slapped and scratched at Tseng, but it was of little use, he took her wrists in one hand and threw her down to the ground. He turned just in time to see Godo run out the door, scrambling to his feet- Tseng went to make chase only for Yuka to pull him back down by his ankle. Screaming Yuka climbed on top of Tseng. It was fast, Tseng did not even think about it, raising his gun Tseng fired twice into Yuka's chest. Dark eyes widened in shock as Yuka's hands went to her chest. Going limp, Yuka slid sideways off of Tseng, blood-soaked through her kimono where she clutched her chest with her hands.

"Tseng…" She whispered his name, her breaths laboured.

There were no words, nothing to say, what was done, was done. Tseng stood and fired off one final shot. He needed to go and find Godo.

The palace stank of gunpowder and fire, smoke-filled it along with screams of terror and the clash of weapons. Battle was loud and unpleasant. Tseng had been unable to find Lord Godo and with the palace burning, he had decided it best to retreat. Several calls to Rude had gone unanswered leaving Tseng to presume the worst for his colleagues. Coughing and choking on the smoke Tseng safely made it out of the palace grounds and to the base of operations.

"Sir!" an infantryman raced forward only to be batted away by Tseng.

Tseng coughed as he crossed towards the medical tent that had been set up. The fact that it was barely occupied suited Tseng just fine and in his mind equated to them doing well. He walked towards the back pausing when he noticed Reno on one of the beds with Rude at his side. Forgetting his own pain and the insistent choking cough, Tseng made his way over to them.

"Rude?"

Rude looked up from the prone figure of Reno and gave a nod. "He's alive," Rude said softly. "Three bullets…"

Tseng coughed into his elbow as he squatted down next to the stretcher. "Lord Godo?" The mission came first, that is what Tseng had always been taught. Rude shook his head, they had not gotten him either. "At least you and Reno made it out." Another coughing fit took Tseng causing his lungs to ache.

"You should be treated," Rude said, "Reno will be alright."

Tseng heard the logic in the words and nodded in agreement. When he returned Reno was awake, barely. The redhead was heavily sedated and sluggish in his movements. He reached a bandaged hand out and heavily rested it on Tseng's arm. Drugged eyes met Tseng's and he saw understanding as if Reno knew exactly what he had done. Tseng reached his right hand over and covered Reno's.

"You need to rest. We'll go home once you are ready."