THIRTY-SIX

That morning, after a quick bite to eat at Seventh Heaven, I walked over to see Katie at her tally board. She was already hard at work as the guys from the watch turned in their kill sheets so she could update the counts. She'd eagerly shout out the numbers whenever they went up, so I heard her long before I actually saw her.

"Twenty-five!" she called. "Twenty-five monsters slain this month! Let's see if we can get it higher!"

I walked over to her and smiled. "That's the spirit!"

"Jessie!" she waved. "Morning!"

"Same to you," I chuckled. "Thought I'd find you out here."

She stepped off the platform for a moment and walked with me to one end of the little plaza to take a quick break and give us a little bit of privacy. Katie surely knew why I'd come to see her, and we didn't need half the watch overhearing us and spreading gossip all across town. So she and I leaned against a nearby wall in the shade out of earshot of the guys mingling around the area on their way to and from patrols or the watch base farther down the road.

Katie nudged me with her elbow. "So… how was it?"

I didn't have to ask what she meant. "Incredible. He was fantastic. I had a really wonderful night, Katie."

"Awesome!" she winked. "Were ya pleased with your gift?"

I smirked. "Oh, yeah. Quite a few times, actually."

Katie grinned. "Good! I'm happy for ya, Jessie. Bet you're not quite so tense anymore, are ya?"

"Nope!" I laughed. "Thanks for the gift."

She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You're welcome. I wanted to do something special for ya after what you did for me a few months back with the ring. Really means a lot to me."

I slid an arm around her. "I was happy to do it. I gotta say, though, last night was one hell of a thank you!"

"Sure was, wasn't it?" Katie agreed, giggling.

"Yep. And I'm definitely thanking Lena too when I see her again," I said. "Never thought I'd get to spend the night with a hunky Honeyboy for my birthday. You two are devious!"

She chuckled. "Thanks! So… you think you and him might… you know… get involved? I think he liked ya, Jessie. Tifa told me earlier he stayed with you almost all night."

"No," I sighed, shaking my head. "He was sweet, but… he's what he is. And although it felt for a little while like he might've wanted to cross the line and make it more than that, he didn't. I wouldn't have minded if he had, though. I kinda liked him, too. But you know, I don't think it would've worked out between us anyway."

Armand was a charming, handsome man, but I knew what kind of life he lived, one that I'd never be able to pull him out of, as he'd shown me last night when he'd left. Although he'd strayed close to the edge, he hadn't gone over it. He'd made his choice. I hadn't expected him to stay with me, but that didn't mean I wasn't a little hurt. There was nothing I could do about it but go on, though.

"Probably for the best, then," Katie said. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

We talked for a little longer, and then I left while Katie returned to her tally board to get back to work. I headed over to my shop to do the same—I had several trips to make today for repairs and deliveries, not to mention a bunch of filters to install or replace. Same as always, but I didn't mind. I could use the distraction, and keeping busy like that had always been a good way for me to keep my thoughts occupied. It wasn't always easy, though. I hadn't been in a man's arms in so long, and I had a hard time forgetting how good it had felt.

Late in the afternoon, after I'd returned from all my trips and given my feet a well-deserved rest at home for a bit, I walked over to Seventh Heaven. I'd messaged Tifa earlier so she knew why I was coming, and I picked up the crate of empty bottles she'd gathered for me and went out back to do some target practice with my new gun.

After setting up the bottles along the back fence—nobody lived or worked behind the bar, so the bullets would just end up in the old wall on the other side—I backed up until I had put a good distance between myself and my targets and drew the A32 from my belt. I still had to get used to the gun's heavier weight, so I used both hands as I took careful aim. Then I fired, the blast loud in my ears.

At first, I missed completely, caught off guard by the A32's recoil. It was a lot stronger than on my old handgun, so it took me a little while to adjust and compensate for it. But eventually, I did, and soon enough I was getting in some solid hits, bottles shattering in showers of glass as I slowly went down the line one by one.

I heard footsteps behind me about half an hour later as I was lining up my next shot, and when I stopped and turned around, I smiled and waved when I saw Biggs and Lena strolling toward me across the yard. They waved right back, and I slung the A32 back onto my belt as Lena jogged up to me, a wry grin on her face.

"Hi, Jessie!" she said. "Looks like you're having fun."

"You could say that," I laughed.

Biggs pointed at the A32. "How's that gun workin' out?"

I glanced at it, then back at him. "Love it! Took a little getting used to, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it."

"Glad to hear it," he said, giving me a thumbs up.

Lena took a step closer to me. "Katie told me about last night. You sure you're okay, Jessie? I'm sorry, I didn't know it'd turn out that way. I guess the whole thing was a bad idea…"

I gently took her by the shoulders. "It wasn't, Lena. No way for you to know we'd get a little attached to each other, or that he'd still do what he did in spite of that. It's not your fault."

"Want me to find him for ya, kick his ass?" Biggs frowned.

I shook my head. "Nah, it's okay. Wouldn't change anything, Biggs. Thanks, though. I'll be alright."

Lena smiled. "Sure. At least you had a good time."

"Oh, yeah," I smirked. "Very good. Thanks so much, Lena. Besides, if I wanted his ass kicked, I'd do it myself."

"No kidding," Biggs agreed. "You're damn good at it."

He wasn't wrong. I still did my martial arts training with Tifa every few days and kept practicing on my own as well. And thanks to that, I'd gotten a lot better at it, even managing to get Tifa on the ground again in our sparring matches now and then. I still hadn't won any, but I was making good progress. I'd actually knocked her down twice in a single match once in a while, though not often. But I wasn't gonna give up. I'd beat her someday, I just knew it. And so did she.

Lena went on, her expression serious now. "Jessie, I also wanted to let you know I've got a lead on another chip. Part of a shipment to one of Shinra's unmarked storehouses down here. I can have my source get it to me next month after it's delivered."

"Great job!" I exclaimed. "Knew I could count on ya."

She beamed. "Glad to help! Though it does make me more curious to know what this is all about."

"You know we can't tell you," Biggs reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Lena said. "Can't keep a girl from wondering, though. The timing for this works out good for us, by the way. It'll be a few days after Katie and Tom's wedding. So after the celebration, I'll go home to Sector 5, get the chip, and bring it back here. Then you can do whatever it is you need to do with it, Jessie."

It looked like everything was coming together for the bomb. Just a few more parts left to go. I'd secured a supplier for the explosives, a guy by the name of Marcus. Through my travels across the slums, I'd made a number of contacts, some of whom I could trust to do things quietly if need be. He was one of them, a scavenger and weapon seller, though I'd never met him in person. I'd contacted him a few times and verified that he had enough C4 for my needs, going simply by "J" to protect my identity and my ties to Avalanche.

Once I was close to finishing the bomb, I'd finalize the sale and get my merchandise, but until then, he was holding onto it for me. And as for the rest, finding the other parts wouldn't be a problem. I had wires, the housing, a circuit board, and more and could easily find the rest of what I needed. Once I had that chip, we'd be good to go. And our fight against Shinra would really begin.

I nodded. "Sounds good, Lena. Bring it as soon as you can, alright? My project won't work without it."

"I will, Jessie," she promised. "Don't you worry!"

Although I gave Lena a reassuring smile, I knew I wouldn't be able to relax until she had delivered the chip to me. It was a risk, letting her help with this, and Biggs hadn't liked the idea. He was really protective of his little sister, after all. No surprise there. But she hadn't let that stop her. I just wish I'd known then what it would lead to.

About a month later, my friends and I were all gathered at Seventh Heaven again for another celebration. This time, it was Katie and Tom's wedding reception. The ceremony itself had been pretty simple, which was a given since this was the slums, but still beautiful. They'd had it in a small chapel near the southern edge of town, inviting family and just a few close friends, including us.

Katie was radiant in her white sleeveless dress, and Tom's eyes had just about bulged out of their sockets when he'd seen her coming down the aisle. He looked very dashing in his matching tux, as did the rest of the guys—Biggs, Wedge, and Tom's best man, a rather cute fellow from the watch named Ben—in their black ones. It was a little strange seeing Wedge without his big red bandanna. His dark hair was neatly combed and parted, and Lena couldn't seem to take her eyes off him. Of course, Wedge was likewise smitten with her.

She, like Tifa and I, wore a backless lavender dress cut fairly low to accent her modest curves while still leaving plenty to the imagination. We had put on makeup as well—lipstick, blush, eyeshadow, that sort of thing—and each of us wore a different set of earrings. Mine were those nice little round studs Madam M had given me in Wall Market. I loved them and actually wore them every day.

Instead of my usual ponytail, I'd twisted my hair into a large bun at the back, with a few strands hanging loose and my bangs sweeping and styled. Tifa had left her hair down like always, but she'd unfastened the ends from the fishtail she usually wore. Lena's still hung just above her shoulders, but she'd curled it a little for the occasion. I thought it was a nice look, and I could tell Wedge did, too.

Lena and Tifa were Katie's two bridesmaids, and I was her maid of honor, a post and job I was enjoying immensely. And in the same vein of what I'd done for Katie and Tom, I'd fixed the order we went into the chapel so Wedge would get to escort Lena while Biggs got to walk with Tifa. That left me with Ben, who'd have been my escort anyway. But I'd made sure the other guys got paired up with the girls they liked. Their nervous excitement was so sweet to watch.

Marlene was absolutely adorable in her own little dress. It was just like ours, but much smaller so it would fit her, and she had loved being the flower girl and tossing silk rose petals everywhere. And though he wasn't part of the wedding party, Barret had still worn a nice suit today. I'd never seen him in one before, but he looked really good in it, which Tifa and I both made sure he knew.

Ben and I had already made our little speeches for Tom and Katie, who were busy happily making the rounds, going from table to table to greet and chat with everyone. The food had been set up on the bar in a buffet style so everyone could help themselves as they wanted, with the wedding cake on the far end. Tom and Katie had already cut into it just a short time ago, much to everyone's delight.

When most everyone had finished eating, the dancing started. The tables near the doors had been moved aside to turn the front of the bar into a makeshift dance floor just like on my birthday. Tom led Katie to the middle of it to start things off as we all watched. She was all smiles, having the time of her life today as the ring sparkled on her finger, and I couldn't have been happier for her. Then, after they were finished and the first song had ended, more of us joined in.

I danced with Ben for a while as Tom, Katie, and most of the other guests did the same around us, then took a little break to rest and catch my breath as a faster melody started playing. I found Biggs and Wedge leaning against the bar and joined them, sipping my drink as I watched the celebration alongside them.

"Having fun, guys?" I chuckled.

Biggs nodded. "Sure am. Not much of a dancer, though."

I winked. "Too bad for Tifa."

"Huh?" he blinked, looking away and scratching his head. "Dunno what you mean, Jessie."

"I know you're sweet on her," I smirked.

Biggs glanced sharply at Wedge. "You told her?"

Wedge shrugged. "Not like it was hard to see, bro. You're lucky Tifa hasn't caught on yet. Unless you want her to…"

"She probably wouldn't notice with all that," he sighed.

We followed his gaze to where Tifa stood talking with a few of her other friends. Lots of guys were flocking to her, complimenting her on her looks and asking her to dance, but she never budged. She took it all in stride, accepting the attention but politely declining their requests. It wasn't hard for her or me to see why the guys wanted to be around her. She was practically bursting out of her dress with the way her generous curves swelled above the soft satin.

I'd gotten some attention of my own as well—I didn't usually dress up like this, after all, same as Tifa—and I found the compliments quite nice and rather flattering. I didn't hesitate to flirt back a little, though it was mostly just having fun than anything else. Ben had even asked me out, but I'd gently turned him down. Although I was ready and eager to find love, I still intended to take care with my choices, to look after my heart and my connection to Avalanche. And while Ben was a nice guy, I knew he wasn't the right fit for me.

"Just give her time," I assured Biggs. "She'll come around."

He nursed his own drink. "Let's hope so."

I patted his shoulder, then decided to take the heat off him for a bit and move on. I'd seen Lena dancing nearby, all by herself, though some guys had invited her to join them. But she had turned them down with a smile and a kind word. I knew who she was waiting for, and I decided to lend her a hand and make it pay off.

"Hey, Wedge," I smirked. "Go ask Lena for a dance!"

His eyes widened. "What!? Uh, I dunno… m-maybe I'll just go and have another slice of cake…"

I shook my head. "Oh, no you don't!"

Wedge started to move away, but before he could get out of reach, I took him by the shoulders and gave him a little push, sending him out across the floor and straight over to Lena. She caught him easily, and as her hazel eyes lit up like beacons and she spun away with Wedge across the dance floor, she laughed and flashed me a grateful smile. I gave her a thumbs up in return, grinning the whole time.

After a while, we all went outside for the bouquet toss. While Katie stood at the top of the stairs with her back to the front yard, I waited at the bottom with Tifa, Lena, and a few other girls. We all grabbed for it when she threw it behind her, but Lena was the lucky one who snagged it. She giggled and held it up as we cheered for her. With a mischievous grin, I went and whispered to Biggs, telling him what I had in mind for the next part, and he readily agreed.

When Tom tossed the garter from the same position Katie had just a minute or two later, Biggs cleverly nudged a couple of the other guys out of the way to give Wedge an opening, and he caught it easily, just as I'd planned. He looked almost stunned, and then his face went beet red as Barret smugly pulled out one of the patio chairs for Lena and she sat down, her leg out as she waited expectantly.

Wedge swallowed heavily and loosened his collar as he realized all eyes were on him and Lena, and then he walked up the stairs, not quite able to meet her gaze. Blushing furiously, he knelt down in front of her and slid the garter up her leg. Amidst everyone's applause, Lena gently took his chin and tilted it up so he could see her smiling at him, and he gave her a shy, nervous one in return.

Then, just a short time later, Katie and Tom waved and left, happily hurrying away toward to train station to start their honeymoon on the plate. She'd told me all about it, how they'd be staying in a nice hotel in Sector 8 for the week and enjoying all of the sights and hotspots in the district. I had lots of fond memories of the time I'd lived up there, and I knew she and Tom would really enjoy it. And in the meantime, the rest of us went back into the bar to keep on celebrating.

Three days later, I was at my desk in my shop, working on a repair job while waiting for Lena to show up. I didn't know exactly when she'd arrive, but she had told me on the phone last night that she'd be here as soon as she could today with the chip. She had returned home after the wedding after changing into some casual clothes, making the trip over to Sector 5 on foot since the chocobo carriages didn't go that far yet. I'd heard Sam was almost ready to expand the service there, though. Just a few more months and the new routes would open.

I think he had originally intended to add the new stops sooner, but the recent increase in bandit and monster attacks going on in between here and Sector 5 had surely delayed his plans for his business. I'd been more wary and watchful on my own trips as well, even cutting back on a few and always taking the longer and safer route whenever I left to go to my appointments in other sectors.

I worried about Lena whenever she would make her own journeys here and back to Sector 5. She was fast, feisty, and good at keeping out of sight when she had to, but the ruined trails were often dangerous to the unwary, not to mention the mako fumes that often swirled over the area. She almost always tried to hide it, but I could sometimes see how they got to her. The coughing fits, moments of dizziness, and the bouts of fatigue and occasional nausea. And I wasn't the only one. Biggs and Wedge saw it, too. Neither of them liked it.

The wedding had been one of her better days, fortunately, and she had looked and acted as healthy as everyone else. I'd seen her on some that weren't so good, though, and there had been times when she'd had to put off going home for a while because she hadn't felt well enough to travel. So she would rest at her brother's house, sometimes overnight if her condition was really getting to her.

I hummed contentedly to myself as I worked, replacing some parts in the damaged printer in front of me and fixing others. Down here in the slums, it wasn't always easy to get things brand new, so tossing stuff that wasn't working right and simply buying another one wasn't always an option. That was where I came in. I got things working again, often for less than it would cost to replace them. And if I couldn't fix it, there was no charge. Suffice it to say, business was good.

Just then, I heard the little bell jingle on the door as it swung open, and I looked up to see Biggs and Wedge walk in. I'd been hoping it was Lena, but maybe she was just running late. She was usually good about being on time when she had to be somewhere, though, and it made me uneasy that she hadn't shown up yet. I put down my tools as Biggs and Wedge walked inside, worry on their faces.

"Hi, guys," I said. "What's up?"

Biggs folded his arms in front of him. "Hey, Jessie. You seen Lena? Got a message from Ms. Folia over at the Leaf House a little while ago, wanting to make sure she got here safe. Said she left late this morning, so she should've been here by now."

I shook my head. "No, sorry. She was gonna bring the chip over to the shop so I could get right to work, so I've been waiting for her. Sure you didn't miss her at your place?"

"Positive," he said. "I went back and checked."

Wedge looked around. "We thought she was with you…"

I thought for a moment. "What about the bar? Lena might've gone there first. It's a long trip on foot, after all."

"We just came from there," Wedge sighed. "No dice."

I stood up, more worried than ever. "Do either of you know which way she took to get to Sector 7?"

Biggs grimaced. "From what Ms. Folia told me, Lena wanted to get here as fast as she could. Of course she didn't tell her why. Just that she was in a hurry. So that's gotta mean…"

"The collapsed expressway," I finished for him. "Damn. That's what I was afraid of. I've warned her about that place before—we've had our share of trouble in there together—but she's always been stubborn and still tries to sneak through it sometimes."

"You think something's happened to her?" Wedge gasped.

I opened my bottom desk drawer, took out several raspberries, and quickly put them into my belt pouch. "I'd bet on it, Wedge. We've gotta find her, and fast. It'll be dark soon. That means she's been out there all day, and that can't be good for her."

Biggs nodded. "No shit. Let's go. We'll swing by the watch base first so me and Wedge can get our gear. Then we haul ass outta here and get to the expressway as fast as we can."

"Right," I agreed, tightening my gloves. "Come on!"

We raced out of the shop, pausing only long enough for me to lock up, and then hurried down the road to the watch base. It only took the guys a minute or two to get their guns, and then we sped through town and into the outskirts until we reached the pillar complex and the gate on the opposite side of the plaza.

Fortunately, it was open today, so we raced on through to the road leading toward Evergreen Park, Sector 6, and the collapsed expressway. Worry for Lena gnawed relentlessly at me like a wererat, but I put it out of my mind as best I could, determined to find her. And if any thugs or monsters had hurt her, there'd be hell to pay.