TWENTY-FIVE

"Morning, sleepyhead," Jessie whispered.

I felt her breath in my ear as I woke up, blinking my eyes open. We were in her bed, daylight streaming in through the window. After she'd finished my ID, Jessie and I had left the Seventh Heaven and had come back here to her house for the night, where she had promptly given me the reward she'd promised me earlier for my good driving.

Our fierce passion had left us sweaty, breathless, and content as we had laid in each other's arms, and sleep had overtaken us both not long afterward. There had been no dreams last night, just the warmth of her body next to mine like it was now. I could feel Jessie's heart beating as I slid my arm around her bare back.

I turned to see her smiling at me. "Morning."

"Big day today, huh?" she said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Real big. You okay?"

Jessie snuggled closer. "A little nervous, but I'll be alright. Just don't want a repeat of Reactor 1, you know?"

I did. "It won't be. You made sure of that, remember?"

"Right. Can't help worrying, though."

"Don't," I told her. "You need to stay focused. We'll get it done, and without any casualties. All there is to it."

Jessie hugged me tight. "Yeah. We will, Cloud. Thanks."

I nodded. "Sure. Oughta get up soon."

"In a few minutes," she said, touching her lips to mine. "Let me lay here with ya a little longer."

That was fine with me, so we stayed in bed for a few more minutes, Jessie with her head on my shoulder. I slid my fingers into her hair, and the softness of her body stirred my blood. I decided I could get used to waking up like this. Sure beat sleeping alone.

Eventually, though, Jessie kissed me and sat up. Then she got out of bed, letting the sheets and blanket fall away from her as she stood. She walked around the bed to the other side opposite her little kitchen and the bathroom and stretched, lifting her arms over her head as she gave me a knowing smirk and made damn sure I could see every last part of her slender, beautiful body.

"Gonna hop in the shower," she winked. "Care to join me?"

I didn't need any convincing. I stood up right away as the corner of my mouth turned up. "Why are we still out here?"

Jessie laughed. "Good one, SOLDIER boy. You tell me."

"Your shower big enough for two?" I asked.

"We'll manage," she promised. Her eyes dropped down, then lifted back up again. "Mmm… somebody's happy to see me."

I stepped closer to her. "Always am."

"Awww, aren't you sweet?" Jessie teased. "How about you show me? In there, of course. It'll be fun!"

"Lead the way," I agreed, my blood on fire.

She did, and I followed her into the bathroom, sharing a few kisses with her on the way as heat and hunger built up between us. And as we stood amidst the steam and hot water, we made good use of the shower in more ways than one. It was small, but there was enough room for us to do what we wanted with each other.

After Jessie and I had finished, water streaming from us as we held onto each other in the midst of our pleasure, our tongues danced for a little while. Then we washed up, helping each other get clean. Covering her with soapy suds while she did the same for me was arousing as hell, but we didn't have time for another round right now, much as we both wanted it. She knew that as well as I did.

"Later," Jessie promised, her eyes on mine. "After the mission."

I nodded. "Count on it."

We were back in the main room just a few minutes later, Jessie in a dark blue bathrobe as she brushed her wet hair. I got dressed while she did that, tugging on my boots and gloves after getting my clothes on. It didn't take long, but as I was shouldering Buster, I noticed that she was still sitting there on the edge of the bed.

"Jessie?" I asked.

She smiled. "I'm fine. You go on ahead, Cloud. I'll catch up in a bit. Gotta get my disguise ready."

"See you soon," I said, understanding.

Reaching up, Jessie slid her right arm around my shoulder, resting her fingers on the back of my neck before gently pulling me down into a long, tender kiss. I took her chin in my thumb and finger, tilting it up toward me, and returned the favor, my heart pounding as always at the softness of her lips touching mine.

"I love you, merc," she whispered. "Don't ever forget it."

"Not a chance," I promised.

The aromas of eggs, ham, cheese, mushrooms, and chives filled the air as Wedge and I worked on breakfast. Couldn't very well go out on a mission on an empty stomach, after all. Jessie, Cloud, and Biggs weren't here yet, but the others were. Barret and Marlene sat together at one of the longer tables with Lena.

"Almost ready!" I said, adding a pinch of seasoning.

Barret chuckled. "Smells damn good, Tifa!"

Predictably, Wedge was quick to agree. "You got that right! Nothin' better than Tifa's special omelettes!"

He was already in his disguise since we'd be leaving for the mission right after breakfast. A pair of blue denim overalls, brown work boots, and a bright yellow shirt. With that outfit, he looked more like his little brother than himself. A suitcase by the door held his usual gear, with a small jamming device as well to hide his weapons and keep them from setting off the alarms on the train.

Jessie had built them a day or two after the warehouse mission, one for Wedge and one for Biggs. With our change of plans last night, she'd made one for herself, too, before finishing Cloud's ID and going home with him. I was curious what her disguise would be, what she'd be able to come up with on such short notice.

I hadn't meant to push her off the main part of the mission the way I had, but Cloud's collapse had scared me. I had to figure out what was going on with him, what was wrong, so I wanted to stay near him for a while and see if anything came up. It wasn't much, but it was all I could do right now. And I knew Jessie was worried, too.

I was just putting on a pot of coffee when the double doors opened and Biggs walked into the bar. He was in his disguise, too. A dark gray business suit and tie. I'd never seen him dressed so formally before, and I ran a hand through my hair as he greeted everyone and walked up to me, his rigged suitcase in one hand, a small black box in the other, and one of his typical crooked grins on his face.

"Morning, Tif," he said, putting his suitcase down.

It took a moment for me to find my voice. "Morning, Biggs. Looks like you clean up pretty well."

He laughed. "Guess I do, don't I? Thanks."

"Just the truth," I smirked. "So have a seat! The food's almost ready, and the coffee won't be far behind it."

"Sounds good! Oh, and that reminds me…"

I looked at the little box as he held it up. "What's that?"

Biggs carefully put it into my outstretched hands. "Open it and see. Careful, though. It's fragile."

I did as he said, gently putting the box down on the bar. It was just the right size for… no, it couldn't be, could it? As I lifted the flap, I saw that my fingers weren't completely steady. And once I spotted what was inside, I let out a little gasp of surprise and delight.

It was a coffee mug, black with chocobos running across it. Just the same as the one I'd lost earlier in the week. I picked it up out of the box and held it lovingly in my hands, smiling from ear to ear as I felt a rush of warmth sweep through me. Butterflies swirled lazily in my stomach as I looked back up at Biggs.

"Oh, Biggs… thank you!" I gushed. "How'd you find it? I didn't see any when I went looking the other day."

He nodded. "Spotted it at a shop over in Sector 5. Lena and I went there yesterday to spend some time with the kids at the orphanage and bring 'em some more books. Knew how much you liked that other one, so I picked it up for ya soon as I saw it."

Carefully setting my new mug on the counter, I walked around the bar and gave Biggs a tight hug before I could stop to think about what I was doing. I heard the others chuckling about it behind us, but I didn't care. Although he was a little startled at first, Biggs took me in his arms and returned the hug readily enough.

"Never knew you could be so sweet," I said.

He blushed, the first time I'd ever seen him do it. "Uh, thanks, Tif. Glad you like it. Gonna put it to use?"

"Of course!" I grinned.

"Well, ain't you two gettin' all cozy?" Barret quipped.

Now I was blushing too, and I stepped away from Biggs in a hurry as he did the same, neither of us looking at each other at first. I slipped back behind the bar to get everyone's coffee while Biggs sat down with the others at the table. But I hadn't forgotten what Barret had said, and I glanced up at him as I poured the drinks.

"It's not like that!" I insisted.

Biggs scratched his head. "Yeah, we're just… bein' friends."

Barret snorted. "Hell, I ain't blind. Go on an' pretend it's nothin' all ya want, but I know what I see."

Before we could go any farther along that line of conversation, the doors swung open and Cloud walked inside, saving me and Biggs from even more embarrassment without even knowing it. He nodded to the others before coming up to the bar to greet me, and I smiled, pointedly ignoring Barret's smug expression.

"Morning, Cloud!" I handed him a coffee. "Did you rest well?"

He took a sip. "Pretty much. Jessie talks in her sleep."

I laughed. "Really? What does she say?"

"That's between her and me," Cloud smirked.

"Fair enough," I chuckled. "Why don't you go have a seat? The food should be ready in a minute or two."

He did, sliding into a chair opposite Barret while I went back to the kitchen to help Wedge with the omelettes and toast. Everyone was here now but Jessie, and I hoped she'd show up soon. I didn't want her to be late and miss breakfast.

She was probably still working on her disguise, but I decided that if she didn't get here in a few more minutes, I'd message her phone to see if she was okay. Jessie was usually very punctual, but I knew the change of plans last night had caught her off guard. There wasn't much I could do about it, though, so I just focused on my cooking.

"Hey, Cloud," Barret said. "Gotta ask ya somethin'. An' don't you be laughin' now, ya hear?"

I glanced at him from across the table. "What is it?"

He looked almost embarrassed as he answered. "Well, ya see, uh… I dunno how to use materia. I heard you've been teachin' Jessie how to use it. Mind showin' me how it works?"

"You've never used it?" I asked. "It's not hard."

"Nah. Picked myself up a new gun from the weapon shop, though, an' it had a couple holes in it for 'em. Might as well learn how to use the damn things, I guess. You the expert, right?"

I shrugged. "I know a bit about it."

"So teach me, SOLDIER boy!" Barret grunted.

"Fine," I sighed. "After breakfast. But it'll have to be a quick lesson. We've got a train to catch, remember?"

He snorted. "Hell, I know that! Goddamn smartass…"

Tifa and Wedge were just bringing the food over to the table when Jessie finally arrived. She pushed open the double doors and went right to us, and I found myself standing up to meet her. She had her disguise on now, and she looked so completely unlike herself that I had to blink to make sure it was really her.

Jessie had her auburn hair down, spilling freely over the shoulders of her pressed white blouse, which she'd buttoned all the way up to her collar. She tugged lightly on her long sleeves to straighten them out as I stared at her, my mouth slightly open. Jessie also wore a dark gray skirt that hung down to her knees, black hose, and matching heels. She'd put a little makeup on as well, and it suited her.

But what made me freeze where I stood and forget how to breathe for a moment was her glasses. A pair of thin wireframes that sat lightly upon her nose. They were the finishing touch, and as I looked at them, I suddenly had the strangest feeling, as if I'd seen her this way before. It was so familiar, her entire disguise.

Without warning, a sharp pain shot through my right temple, and I seized it in one hand, clenching my teeth against the sudden pressure. At the same time, I felt something shift in my mind, a faint memory. It hovered right outside my mental reach, and no matter how hard I tried to see what it was, I couldn't. Fog filled my thoughts, a murky haze that blocked the way like a brick wall.

"Cloud?" a voice called. It was Jessie. "You okay?"

The pain vanished so fast I almost thought I'd imagined it. My eyes flew open as I looked at her. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Tifa hurried over to me. "Are you sure? Looked pretty bad."

"Positive," I said, straightening. "Just a headache."

"Not quite the reaction I was hoping for," Jessie smirked as she put her suitcase down. "But what can you do?"

The corner of my mouth turned up. "Nice outfit."

She laughed. "Thanks! You really like it?"

"You look great, Jessie," I said, meaning every word of it. "Way too pretty to be a resistance fighter."

Jessie beamed. "Oh, stop! You're gonna make me blush!"

"Too late," I quipped.

Her cheeks were bright red, even more than the rouge she'd put on them. I figured I must've caught her by surprise for once, since she was usually better at keeping herself composed. But it wasn't very often that I'd ever complimented her like that. Jessie giggled, adjusted her glasses, and touched her lips to mine.

"You're good, merc," she purred. "Real good…"

Barret frowned. "Awright, you two. That's enough. Save it for later, ya hear? We got a mission to do."

Once Tifa and Wedge had laid out the food, they sat down and we all dug in. It was just as good as it smelled, and between the omelettes, toast, juice, and coffee, we made a good start for the day. We didn't talk much, our minds on what was ahead of us, and by the time we were all finished, the reality of it was impossible to ignore.

Lena did the cleanup this morning since the rest of us had to leave. While the others were getting ready, I gave Barret a quick rundown on how to use materia. There wasn't time for any target practice like Jessie and I had done, so he'd just have to learn the rest as we went along. As I stepped back, he rolled his eyes and grunted.

"Shit!" he muttered. "The hell it ain't hard! Didn't get a damn word of it. So you mind the materia, Cloud!"

"You'll figure it out," I said.

He snorted. "Maybe. Got myself a fire materia earlier. Hope it don't blow up in my face."

Tifa laughed. "Oh, don't worry! You'll be fine!"

"I hope so," Barret growled. Then he pumped his fist and grinned. "Awright, people! Move out! To Mako Reactor 5!"

"Good luck, guys!" Lena said.

After we'd all said goodbye to her and Marlene, we headed out, the six of us leaving the Seventh Heaven and walking through the slums to the train station. Jessie went a little ahead with Biggs and Wedge while Tifa, Barret, and I followed. As she made her way steadily up the road, Jessie glanced over her shoulder at me for a moment.

I nodded, and she smiled, blew me a kiss, and went on. She and the guys all had their rigged suitcases, and to everyone else, they were just ordinary travelers on their way to the plate. Although they disappeared from sight a few moments later as they followed the street out of town, I wasn't worried. We'd catch up to them soon.

They were waiting for us on the platform when we got there about ten minutes later, the pillar complex looming ominously overhead not far behind us. I tried not to think about it and avoided looking at it. As we joined the others, I noticed Jessie was doing the same thing. I wasn't surprised and pushed it out my mind as she put her suitcase down and came up to me, giggling mischievously.

"Got your extra special ID right here!" she beamed.

I took it when she handed it to me. A typical Shinra ID card, white with the company logo on it. My picture, too—she'd taken one with her phone a few days ago. I hadn't smiled. Pictures weren't really my thing, you know. Jessie had teased me about it, naturally. According to the ID, I was a SOLDIER First Class working out of the Shinra Building. She'd really gone all out with the details on this one.

"Looks good," I said. "I—"

"Something wrong?" Jessie asked.

I read the name. "Cecil Harvey? What kinda name is that?"

"Well, you can't very well use your real one," she laughed. "Got this one from a story I heard about once. A troubled knight and his strong, beautiful princess in a faraway land."

I smirked. "Figures. You like that kinda stuff, don't you?"

"Yeah! Especially when I get to play the part of the heroic princess! Speaking of which, check out my ID, Cloud!"

Jessie reached into the purse hanging from her shoulder—this was the first time I'd ever seen her use one—took out her wallet, and pulled it open so I could get a good look at her fake ID. When I read the name to the left of her picture, I blinked to make sure I'd seen it right, stared at her, and folded my arms in front of me.

I raised an eyebrow as she put her ID away. "Rosa Harvey? Let me guess… the princess from your story?"

"Nailed it in one," Jessie grinned. "My brave knight."

"So if we've got the same last name on these, then…" I said, having a pretty good idea of what it meant.

She laughed. "Newlyweds! Couldn't resist!"

"Obviously," I replied. "Getting ahead of yourself, aren't you?"

"Well, maybe a little. But it's just for the ID's, Cloud. It's not like we really are… you know. Well, not yet…"

I swallowed. "Let's just take it a step at a time."

"Yes, dear!" Jessie smiled sweetly.

I stifled a groan, knowing it would only amuse her even more. She was certainly having fun, and I supposed it was harmless enough. I still wasn't quite sure what to make of it, though. Jessie enjoyed finding new and interesting ways to tease me and keep me off balance. Trying to get me out of my shell a bit, I guess.

Just ahead of us, Biggs and Wedge were waiting in line, suitcases in hand. Barret and Tifa were nearby, and the platform was full of people waiting for the train to arrive. The murmur of conversation hovered in the early morning air as daylight filled the slums. As I looked back over at Biggs and Wedge, there was a sound of rumbling engines as the train finally got here, pulling up next to the platform with a hiss of steam, its brakes squealing in protest.

"Here we go…" Biggs murmured.

Wedge gulped. "Man, I think I'm gonna be sick…"

Barret heard them and walked over, a pair of protective sunglasses covering his eyes. "'Sup, guys. Got a problem?"

"Just… not sure we can do this," Wedge shivered.

"Yeah," Biggs sighed. "The first one was… rough. We always knew things'd get messy. We're just worried."

Jessie went to them and put a hand on each of their shoulders. "It'll be fine, you'll see! We can do this, guys! And when it's all over, we'll go someplace fun and relax for a while!"

"You sure?" Wedge asked.

"Positive!" she winked. Then she turned to me, hands on her hips. "You're coming, too! Right, Cloud?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Jessie grinned. "Awesome! Sounds like a plan!"

"Count me in!" Tifa chuckled.

"Definitely! And what about you, Barret? Care to join us?"

He shrugged. "Might as well, I s'pose. Train's ready, though, so you guys better quit yappin' an' get on board."

Biggs and Wedge nodded and went inside. They were as concerned about what Shinra's response to our attacks would be as we were. Jessie had found a way to set their minds at ease, though, as least a little, and I knew it would help them focus on the mission. Barret followed them into the train without a word.

Jessie smirked. "Come on, honey! Don't be late!"

Then she stepped on board, too, her eyes twinkling with mirth and excitement. I knew some of it was just her having fun, but it was also a way for her to deal with the reality of what we were doing and not have another breakdown. So I just played along with it, letting the corner of my mouth turn up a little as I started to follow her into the train. But as I took the rail, I glanced back at Sector 7.

"Everything alright, Cloud?" Tifa wondered.

For a moment, I wasn't sure. "Just had a funny feeling. Like I'm not gonna see this place again."

She frowned. "Don't be talking like that!"

I knew Tifa was worried about me, especially after I'd collapsed last night. But as I gazed at the place that had become home to me over the last two months, I couldn't ignore my instincts. Something told me this was the last time I'd ever be here. That I wouldn't see Jessie's little house or the bar or her shop again. None of it.

"Not saying I'm gonna die," I explained. "Just… won't see it again. I don't know what it means."

Tifa sighed. "Neither do I. And I don't like it."

I didn't, either. "Same here. It's kinda funny, though."

"Why's that?" she asked.

"Didn't come here looking for friends," I told her. "But I found 'em anyway. And now that I have… I don't want to leave."

Tifa's smile was huge. "Oh, Cloud…"

I looked away, a little embarrassed. "Don't tell the others."

"I won't," she laughed. "And we'll all make it home safe and sound. That includes you. Understand?"

"Yeah," I answered.

Tifa patted my shoulder as she boarded the train. "Then we should get going. We've got a mission to do."

As I started to follow her inside, I took a last look around, my eyes drifting back the way we'd come. I couldn't see the bar from here, but it was in my thoughts. And then my gaze shifted upward from the slums to the pillar and the underside of the plate. I thought of what I'd seen in my dream last night when I had blacked out.

Could it really happen? Fire in the night, blazing across the sector. I hoped not, but I couldn't forget about it. And how did that glimpse of Jessie's future tie into it? Would Shinra really attack the pillar? Why? It didn't make any sense. All I knew was that I wanted to get this mission over with and get back here as soon as possible.

With a sigh, I went into the train.