A chunk of masonry fell from above and Cloud only just escaped it, shoved out of the way by Barret. He landed heavily, pain lancing through his arm. The air was full of smoke. Eyes watering, he tried to get his bearings. No sign of Tifa or Reno. Instead, a tangled barricade cut him off from the floor below.

He turned. Not just the floor below. The fallen ceiling backed them into a corner. They were trapped.

Blood ran freely down the side of Barret's face, his expression dazed. A pile of twisted iron and concrete lay across his legs, pinning him to the floor.

Cloud's priorities changed. He scrambled to his feet.

"I'm alright," Barret croaked. "Don't know how long the rest of it's gonna hold… be careful."

Water sprayed from a pipe somewhere. Cloud could hear it, the gentle pitter-patter over the clatter of falling rubble and his heartbeat thudding in his ears. He picked a corner in the concrete pile and heaved his weight against it.

Pain rippled through his wounded shoulder, pins and needles in his fingers. The rudimentary first-aid Tseng administered in the helicopter was wearing off.

"You alright?" asked Barret.

"Yeah… took a lightning bolt to the shoulder." Cloud tightened his grip on the slab and felt it grind against the others as it moved. "Potion's wearing off."

It was slow going. Barret wrenched his leg free as soon as he was able, his combats bloody and torn. The concrete hit the floor with a thud.

"Don't look like we're goin' anywhere soon," he said, trying to stand.

His arm buckled under his weight and he pitched forwards. Cloud caught him under the shoulders and guided him back onto the ground.

"Don't try to move yet."

The damage to Barret's leg looked superficial, scrapes and bruises, but his gun arm hung limp at his side. Cloud could see the hilt of a blade buried in his shoulder and the ragged remains of his ear glistened.

"Damned bullet clipped me," Barret muttered weakly. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a silver packet. "I just need a minute, that's all."

Cloud watched him swallow down the potion, wishing they were better prepared.

"We don't have a minute." He dropped to his haunches. "We need to stop the bleeding if we can… What else have you got?"

Barret waved him away. "Get your hands off me. I'm fine. Where's Elena? She was here... shootin' the whole damned place up."

"She's out there, somewhere. We'll sort you out and then we'll look for her."

"That crazy bitch summoned Hades…" Barret gritted his teeth as he rolled his shoulder. His eyes were more focused now. "Who knows what Garrison's got?"

Cloud pictured the scene at the park, the icy chill in the air. Their supplies were nothing in the face of summoning materia. They weren't ready.

He stood up, turning his back on Barret, knowing he was waiting for an answer. A plan. Cloud had nothing, didn't even know where to begin. He headed for a point in the wreckage where more of the darkness beyond was visible and wrapped his numb fingers around an iron strut that was sticking out of it, pulling it to test the waters.

It creaked and moved. Shards of cement fell from higher up and rattled around his boots.

"He summoned Shiva," Cloud said, pulling harder. "At the park… It won't take him long to get here... If he's even coming to help her."

"What's our plan?"

"I don't know. Find Elena and Tseng… look for Tifa."

When Barret finally responded, there was frustration in his voice. "How the hell can you stand there and sound so calm?"

The strut came free, taking a chunk of the wall with it. Cloud tossed it aside. The sound of metal on concrete was loud in the tiny space.

"We can't lose our heads," he replied distractedly, looking for the next loose piece. "What good will it do?"

"I ain't talkin' about losin' anythin' but… damn it, Tifa's down there."

"And we're trapped up here. There's nothing we can do right now."

"Cloud—"

"What?" He wheeled around, throwing another piece of loose rubble. It clattered across the floor. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know!" Barret slammed his fist into the ground, sending dust spiralling into the air. "I… I don't know, okay?"

"Tifa can look after herself. You know she can."

"And what about Reno? He ain't in a state to look after anybody."

Searing light, heat. Reno being flung across the room like a rag-doll and falling...

"Tifa's with him," Cloud replied.

"But—"

"Barret, we need to focus. We don't know where Garrison is. We don't know if Erin survived or how many men they've got left. The only thing I know is Tifa."

"He cares about her," Barret mumbled. "Reno… I got him wrong."

Cloud tugged another lump of concrete free. "This isn't the time."

"Might be the only time." This time, when Barret tried to stand, he got his feet underneath him. He staggered to the wall, standing shoulder to shoulder with Cloud. "Come on. We ain't got all day."

Something rattled in the darkness. The hairs on the back of Cloud's neck prickled.

"Cloud?" The voice was faint. Strained. "Can you guys hear me?"

"Elena?"

"I'm okay… Are you?"

"Barret's injured, but we're okay." He scrabbled at the wall, pulling more debris out of the way. "We've got to dig out. Can you help?"

More masonry clattered across the floor. He heard Elena grunt before another crash sent bricks flying from the top of the wall. He leapt aside as a chunk smashed into the ground. She was digging her way towards them, but the entire structure was unstable. Every piece that came loose sent more crashing down.

He tried not to think about the number of floors looming over them.

"What happened to Tseng?" More falling rubble punctuated her words. "Why isn't he with you?"

"They ambushed us on the way up… We got separated."

Beside him, Barret pulled at the wreckage, pain etched over his face. Slowly, they cut a path. Elena's fingers were bloody when they finally broke through.

"Nearly there," Cloud said, hauling more aside. His shoulder was on fire. Sweat trickled between his shoulder blades. "Just a little—"

The debris groaned and tipped, shuddering as it fell. He saw Elena stumble backwards as he ducked through the gap created by the movement. Twisted metal snagged at his clothes.

"What do you mean, ambushed?" Elena demanded as soon as he was through. "Where is he?"

She was white as a sheet, streaks of red on her face and in her hair. She held her wounded hand to her chest with her tie knotted around it. The green glow from the lights made her pallor ghostly, and she swayed on her feet. A rifle hung loosely on the strap around her neck.

"He's okay," Cloud assured her. "How much ammo do you have left?"

"Not enough."

Behind him, Barret struggled to fit through the hole. He pulled more debris free from the pile, his movements pained and slow. Cloud steadied him as he stumbled through.

"You both look like shit," said Elena. "What supplies do you have?"

Barret dug a fistful of sachets from his pocket and held them out. She snatched them from his hand.

"Fuck's sake," she muttered, scrutinising the packets. "Are you kidding me? You knew you were walking into an ambush and this is all you brought?"

Barret frowned, his mouth twisting into a scowl. Cloud stepped in, surprised by her reaction. "Erin didn't give us much time to prepare. Elena we need—"

"I need to find Reno," she snapped, cutting him off. She ripped open a potion and swallowed the contents down in one. "We found potions that were still in date but nothing else useful... A couple of Swift Bolts. They've turned the place over already."

"Tifa has potions?"

"Yeah, and a Phoenix Down." Her eyes were hard. Angry. "Better prepared than either of you."

"She won't need it," said Barret.

"Reno will... They poisoned Tifa, but we found an antidote. She still needs proper treatment. So do you, by the looks of it."

Elena was staring at Barret's bloody ear. He touched it gingerly and his fingers were red when they came away. "I just need another potion."

"We need to get downstairs," Cloud said. "We can't follow Tifa. Too much rubble to cut through. What about the lifts?"

"They're out. We'll have to take the stairs. Give me your PHS." She held her hand out, clicking her fingers impatiently.

"What?"

"I need to speak to Tseng."

He handed Elena his PHS. "We need a plan."

"No shit." She quickly tapped in a number and pressed it to her ear, turning away from them. "Fifty-ninth floor. Reno's down. What's your status?"

"Did you see what happened?" asked Barret, watching Elena.

"Erin cast something." Cloud stared at the rubble. "She must be in there… somewhere."

"You think she survived that?"

"I don't know."

Cloud could hear the strain in Elena's voice as she paced in front of them.

"We don't have—I get that, but—no, I don't have eyes on her." Fury crashed over her face. "Reno's down…"

"That don't sound good," Barret muttered.

"I know!" she snapped. "I'm not... Yes, sir."

"No…"

Cloud watched Elena's shoulders sag as she cut the call. A moment later, she straightened up, steel in her eyes.

"Tseng wants us to hold our position." She thrust the PHS into Cloud's hand, everything about her expression daring him to argue.

He shrugged. "Alright."

"Hold our position? What kind of dumb idea's that?" asked Barret.

"He's on his way," she said, ignoring him. "He's a couple of floors above us. It won't take him long."

"We ain't got time for this."

"I know. But an order's an order. We're in trouble. The building's falling down around us and potions are the only thing keeping me and you going... And no offence, but Cloud doesn't look much better."

Bodies littered the room. Cloud stared at them, ignoring the fight that was playing out around him. There was no sign of Erin, just more piles of rubble. The space above was dark, cavernous. How long would it be before more of the building came down?

"We already hit them where it hurts," Barret argued. "We can't waste time hangin' around."

"Do you even know their numbers? Or didn't Erin give you time to check that either?"

"Fighting won't help anybody," Cloud cut in quietly. "You're wasting time. Time we don't have… Time Reno doesn't have."

Elena's mouth snapped shut. When she blinked, her eyes were shining, and she clenched and unclenched the fingers of her good hand. Suddenly, Cloud realised where the anger was coming from.

Losing Reno scared her as much as losing Tifa scared him.

"Tifa's with him," he continued, his voice far gentler. "She'll fight for both of them if he can't. We rushed in and look what happened. We need to regroup."

"Fine," she replied curtly.

Brisk footsteps cut through the darkness. Elena straightened up, readying the rifle. All trace of fear was absent from her face as she sighted along it, finger poised on the trigger. Cloud reached for his sword.

A dark figure slipped through the door, keeping to the shadows. Elena lowered the rifle. Tseng holstered his weapon, stepping into the dim light. There were dark stains on his white shirt.

Elena ran to him. "Are you hurt?"

"No." He grasped her arm, studying the makeshift bandage around her hand. "I see you didn't require my help to escape."

A sound broke from her lips. Part-laugh and part-sob. She threw her arms around his neck, toes barely scraping the floor, and he returned her embrace. The relief in his eyes was tangible. Cloud looked away, trying to give them privacy.

"You found anythin' that might be useful?" asked Barret.

Tseng gently extricated himself from her arms.

"No. The floors above are derelict." He frowned as he took in the surrounding mess before turning to Cloud. "They're well organised. Garrison's on his way if he isn't already here. I overheard their orders."

"Makes sense," Cloud replied. "What else did they say?"

"They're to keep the Turks alive. They'll use us to get to the President."

Elena laughed. The sound was bitter, hollow. "Like that's going to happen."

"Where's Tifa?" Tseng asked.

"With Reno."

"Garrison has a score to settle." He winced, pressing his fingers gingerly to his side. Elena's eyes narrowed. "I believe he'll keep her alive."

"What makes you so sure of that?" Barret asked, his voice thick with scepticism.

"He wants Reno to suffer. Their escape has derailed his plans."

"Oh no," Elena replied, hefting the rifle. She bared her teeth. "What a shame… So we head down, find the guys and get the fuck out of here, right?"

"What happened to Erin?" asked Tseng.

"She's dead," Barret replied.

Tseng straightened up. "You've seen the body?"

"Well… no." Elena pointed the end of her barrel at the surrounding carnage. "But she was already on her way out before Barret shot her down, and she was right there when the ceiling collapsed."

"Then it's foolish to assume she's no longer a threat," Tseng said coolly. "Alone, they're dangerous. Together…"

"So what're you suggestin'?" Barret took a step closer. Eyes burning and dried blood caked along his jaw, he looked terrifying. "Thought we needed a goddamn plan!"

"I've arranged back-up. We wait for them to arrive."

"Hell no!"

"Sir, that'll take too long!"

Tseng cut across their protests. "Fifteen minutes."

"You ain't serious—"

"Barret…" Cloud scratched the back of his neck. "If Erin's still alive, Tseng's right. We need back-up."

"You heard what he said! He wants to make Reno suffer. You know what that means! Look at what they did to the kids… To Cid… Hell, look what he did to Elena!"

Elena shifted her weight between the balls of her feet, fidgeting with the black fabric bound around her hand. "Barret's right. We can't wait."

Cloud stared at the broken rubble. He didn't know what the right answer was. There were barely two fully functioning fighters between them, and he knew what Tseng was thinking. Safety in numbers. They couldn't take down a summon in the state they were in.

He thought of the night by the well. Crisp, Nibelheim air and stars glittering in the sky… a promise that he would always be there. Tifa needed him. But Elena's dark eyes were stark against her bloody skin, and Barret was still unsteady on his feet. Cloud turned to Tseng, mouth dry.

"You saw what happened when we rushed in," he said. "We wait."

Elena's mouth was already opening to argue and Barret's voice was too loud, too angry. "Cloud… what the hell are you doin'?"

"We use this time to rest and heal up." Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he pulled away. Barret staggered without Cloud to prop him up, proving his point. "Tifa knows what she's doing. We have to trust her."

Everything hurt.

Snatches of conversation drifted across his mind, too far away to be a concern. They buzzed around his head and he thought they were important, maybe. Somebody was angry and somebody else was dead.

"I just want him to know how it feels…"

Where the fuck was he? The floor was hard, and it was pitch black. Reno blinked, forcing his eyes to adjust to the darkness and could only make out dim shapes through one of his eyes.

The figure in front of him moved... cried out.

He pressed his fingers to his face gingerly. His right eyelid was sore, sticky. The socket felt lumpy and unfamiliar.

Erin's cast. Blinding light. Falling… It was a blur.

Something moved against his boot. It hurt. He groaned, mouth dry, and the shadow moved.

Wait...

He turned his head, and the room lurched with it. He tipped slowly to his left, unable to stop the spinning. Pain ripped through his arm when he threw it out to steady himself.

Somebody screamed. Him? He nearly blacked out. Laughing through the bile in his throat, he tried to take stock. This was bad, he realised giddily. Really fucking bad.

Fractured sounds. Fighting. Confused, he couldn't quite piece it together. The cries pulled at him, though. He knew them. He couldn't feel his hands now—couldn't feel much at all, really—and it was getting darker again as the room carried on turning.

Electricity snapped through the air. He arched away from it reflexively. Tried to throw his hand over his eyes. He rolled onto his broken arm and this time the pain made him sick. Retching tore his chest apart and for a dizzying moment, he couldn't choke down any air.

He wasn't dying like this. Fuck that.

It took precious seconds for the lightning glow to fade and his eye to adjust. The shadows slowly morphed. All he could smell was acid and blood.

Two figures dancing in the dark. The world snapped into focus.

Tifa stumbled… twisted… leapt back to her feet as her assailant lined up his next cast and only just scrabbled away in time. Materia glowed green, illuminating a face twisted in anger and her dark eyes, wide and afraid. Electricity crackled in the surrounding air.

Adrenaline kicked in. Physical prowess was no match for materia, though she was putting up a fight. She followed up with a kick that sent the man stumbling backwards and lashed out with her fist.

Reno dragged the handful of items out of his pocket and scattered them across the floor. Grabbed the first packet he could reach and tore it open with his teeth, gulping down the sticky gel inside. Potions wouldn't cut it, but they bought him time.

Warmth flooded from his lips, down his throat. It settled in his aching stomach and surged through his system. Feeling returned to his fingers. He grabbed another packet and another. Waited for the painkillers to kick in.

No amount of potions could fix the splintered bone sticking out of his forearm. At least now, it didn't hurt. At least now, he could think.

The stimulants were helping, but he needed an edge. He crawled onto his knees, ignoring the sensation in his left arm. No pain, but he could still feel the movement in his bones, his wrist bent all wrong and his fingers numb. It was enough to turn his stomach again, but he held it down. He couldn't afford to waste the potions.

Tifa lunged at the man again. This time, she wasn't so lucky. The bolt of lightning caught her thigh, and she dropped like a stone.

Reno fumbled for the Hyper. Tore into it, swallowing down scraps of foil in his haste to get the drug into his system. It burned. Fury coursed through him.

He gritted his teeth and dragged himself to his feet. He felt cold metal digging into the base of his spine and remembered his gun. In his right hand, it felt alien. His finger shook on the trigger.

"Get the fuck away from her," he growled, spitting blood.

Tifa twitched and writhed on the ground. The man turned. His mouth split into a grin and he waved his wrist. Reno could see the flicker of the shield the man cast in the surrounding air.

"Well, well… look who came to play."

Even in shadow Reno recognised the man from the video. He pictured Elena's mangled finger. "So you're Garrison, huh?"

His words were slow. Slurred. His mouth tasted sour and his tongue stuck to his teeth. He took a step forward, taking aim.

"Sure am." Garrison tipped his head in acknowledgement and brandished the bracer at his wrist. "And your bullets are no good against my materia, so don't bother trying to shoot me."

"What the fuck do you want?" Hysterical, the corners of Reno's mouth curled upwards, teeth bared. "I'm here. Let her go."

"I want to watch you die."

"Join the queue."

Tifa wasn't convulsing now. She was trying to stand, struggling to put weight on her injured leg.

Garrison turned, hand outstretched. "Don't move!"

"Touch her and I'll rip your fucking throat out," Reno snarled. His eye was twitching now, blood rushing in his ears.

Garrison laughed. "I doubt that, Turk. Look at the state of you."

"Don't try me." Another step closer.

"You're in no position to make demands."

Tifa was on her feet now, fists raised. "Garrison… you don't have to do this."

"You killed my wife!"

The snatches of conversation spiralled through Reno's head again. He struggled to pick through them and then it struck, realisation trickling through, icy and unwelcome.

He remembered. Erin made sure of that. As if he'd ever forget the church in the slums, the terrified bride.

It was an accident.

The Hyper simmered through his blood, fuel for his anger. This time his voice was clearer. Colder. "You'll have to be more specific. I've killed lots of people."

Tifa's shoulders fell and he could see it, clear as day on her face. Disappointment.

It twisted in his chest, sharp as a knife. But he knew how people like Garrison worked, knew which buttons to press. She'd wind up hating him, but he didn't give a shit. Not if it gave her time.

"What did she look like?" he asked. Another step closer and he could see Garrison's hands shaking. He was angry. "Blonde? Brunette? If she was a looker, maybe I do remember her."

"Don't you fucking dare."

"Don't you want to know how it happened?"

Garrison wasn't aiming at Tifa anymore. Reno could see the dark flush spreading down his neck, sweat beading on his brow. He'd snap, Reno knew he would. He just needed a push.

The words stuck in Reno's throat. He choked through them anyway, refusing to look at Tifa. "Don't you want to know if she cried?"

Lightning snapped through the air. It missed its mark. Reno barrelled straight into Garrison and was dimly aware of the pain in his arm as they both hit the floor. The shield threw him backwards, and he landed hard. He took a pointless shot he knew wouldn't breach the force-field and missed. The sound echoed in the vast space.

Reno was up first, arching out of the way as Garrison's boot twisted towards his shin. Reno lashed out with the gun. It crawled through the shield and the blow lost its power as Garrison leapt aside. Tifa was already moving, rushing to his side.

He shoved her away. "Get out!"

"I'm not—"

"Tifa, go!"

She hesitated a moment longer, eyes shining, her refusal to leave him clear in her face. She wouldn't risk her life for him. He wouldn't let her.

"Reno…"

"I'll hold him off," he lied. "Get help. Please."

Her expression changed. Hardened. She nodded determinedly and turned on her heel.

The next bolt of lightning hit the ceiling above him. He ducked and stumbled. His depth perception was all wrong, throwing him off. Sparks rained down around him and the air tasted like metal.

Garrison ran at him.

Stimulants and adrenaline let Reno duck the fist that followed. He tried to retaliate and misjudged the distance, the barrel of the gun glancing off Garrison's chin. The shield was weakening though, the resistance less this time. It wouldn't hold out much longer. Tifa was running, disappearing into the darkness.

The shield fizzled against his skin and he felt the numbness travel through his fingers. Garrison latched onto his wrist, tearing the weapon out of Reno's hand. Reno swung for it and Garrison fumbled and dropped it. It clattered to the ground. As Garrison lunged for it again, Reno kicked it aside.

Garrison's shield might protect him from a bullet, but Reno didn't have that luxury. If he wasn't holding the gun, nobody was.

He grabbed a fistful of greasy hair and twisted his knee into Garrison's chest. His ribs exploded, the potions already wearing off. The next punch came out of nowhere, knocking the air out of his lungs. Disoriented, he didn't move in time. Electricity hit him and his body seized up.

Tifa was almost free. He just had to keep fighting—

An orange glow cut through the air and her body went rigid. He stared in confusion as the pyramid took shape, fixing her in place. Her lips moved, shouting his name. He only just rolled aside as Garrison cast again.

"You weren't even going to help me?" Erin staggered into the light of the pyramid, eyes wild, Reno's mag-rod in her hand. The bracer on her arm was twisted and broken, and the mangled limb shook as she held it to her chest. "I could've died!"

"Yeah? Well, we had a fucking deal. You knew the Turk was mine!"

Reno's head was spinning. The Hyper was still there, but the potions were fading fast. His nerves were on fire.

"It was him or me," Erin replied dismissively. She coughed wetly, wiping the back of her hand against her mouth. "Finish the Turk. We need to leave."

"No. I'm not done with him."

"Oh? Thought you didn't want to drag this out anymore?"

"Well, I changed my mind!"

Reno listened to them argue, only half-aware. She was limping across the room, her movements slow and erratic. As she neared, he could see her more clearly. Her skin was more sunken, purple bruises marking her face and arms.

The handgun was on the floor, highlighted by the orange glow, but it was too far…

"Fine. Kill the girl instead and we'll take him."

"I want him to watch," said Garrison. He ran his fingers over the bracer. "He needs to know."

"We don't have time for this."

"Then make time," he snarled. "You owe me this, Erin. After everything I've done."

Garrison was looking for something. The gun. Reno realised, too late, what was going to happen. He scrambled to his feet, but Garrison was already halfway there.

Inside the pyramid, Tifa thrashed.

Reno launched himself at Erin. The mag-rod glanced off his ribs, but he had the benefit of momentum on his side. He flailed wildly and collided with her. She was already weak, too weak. She fell, and he rolled towards her, ignoring the fire in his nerves and the darkness that blurred the edges of his vision.

His fingers closed around the mag-rod and he wrenched it out of her hand.

"Garrison!" she screeched.

He swung the rod, bringing it down on her wounded arm and she howled, lashing out at his face. Her nails cut into his cheek.

Garrison had the gun. He took aim.

Instinct took over. Reno slammed the butt of his weapon against Erin's temple and she fell still. He threw himself sideways as a bullet ricocheted off the floor beside him.

He was on his feet before the second shot fired. It struck the golden form of the pyramid and the force-field shuddered and died. Tifa landed on her feet, stumbling and righting herself as the fourth bullet struck the wall behind her.

Reno ran at Garrison, mag-rod raised. The world was red.

The fourth bullet slammed into his left shoulder. The impact slowed him momentarily. What did it matter? His arm was useless anyway, and Garrison only had one bullet left.

He heard his name somewhere over the roar in his ears. Ignored the scream and ploughed straight into his target. The mag-rod clanged against the rusted bracer and he brought it down again on Garrison's elbow, hoping to smash the gun out of his hand.

Garrison swung his other arm out and the bracer glowed red. Reno could see his breath crystallising in the air around him and felt the temperature plummet. He discharged his weapon. Sparks rained down around them.

The red light faded. The air stank of burning metal and Garrison cowered, cradling his arm. Reno swayed on his feet, staring dizzily at the gun in his hand.

"Give up," Garrison spat, diving aside when Reno slashed weakly at him again. "You ain't gonna win this one."

Reno could barely see, barely hear, barely think. The only thing he could focus on was the weapon that bobbed and weaved in the air in front of him. One bullet.

Just a little longer...

Garrison lashed out again and Reno stumbled, landing heavily on his knees without both arms to save himself. A boot to the ribs sent him sprawling across the floor, and he twisted and kicked out, bringing Garrison down on top of him. A fist crashed into his broken eye socket and he clung onto the mag-rod as a hand grabbed it, trying to twist it out of his grip.

Pain, white-hot, threatening to take him under. And there it was again, that voice screaming his name. His fingers lost their hold on the weapon and he felt the cold metal tip against his stomach. His body seized up when Garrison flicked the switch.

This is it, he realised blankly, limbs twitching and shaking. Garrison tossed the mag-rod aside and took aim with the gun.

A figure sailed through the air above him, colliding with his assailant, tumbling off him and across the floor. Still fighting the effects of the electric shock, Reno crawled onto his knees, barely aware of the fistfight that was taking place in front of him. Fear took over as his senses recovered and he realised Tifa returned to the battle. She was quickly falling to Garrison's advantage.

She lashed out with the heel of her hand, clipped him under the jaw and his head snapped back. She was already slashing at his wrist with her fist. He dropped the gun, and they both lunged for it. They struggled, a flurry of arms and legs. He grabbed the bloody dressing on her arm and wrenched her away.

Tifa writhed beneath him, still scrabbling desperately for the weapon on the ground. But Garrison was bigger, stronger and uninjured. She didn't stand a chance.

Reno couldn't let her die for him. He wouldn't.

He threw himself into the fray.

Forcing his broken arm around Garrison's neck, Reno ignored the pain that boiled across his senses and held it in place with his uninjured one, increasing the pressure as he dragged Garrison backwards. When they hit the floor, the last shot left the barrel with a deafening crack.

All Reno could focus on was the windpipe beneath his forearm. He held tight, his heartbeat thudding in his ears, his vision fading with Garrison flailing and choking in his grip. The demons howled for blood, and he was more than happy to give it to them.

Laughter drifted through the scarlet haze, wheezy and inhuman. He pulled his arm tighter, the pain excruciating, desperate to make the noise stop.

Somewhere, somehow, something was wrong. Garrison wasn't fighting now, wasn't struggling. And still, the sound carried on, mocking him.

Reno didn't let go, even when the laughter abruptly ended and Garrison fell still beneath his unrelenting grip, beyond the death rattle echoing in his ears. Not until movement in his blurry peripheral distracted him. There were figures moving with purpose in the shadows, working their way around the perimeter.

He pushed Garrison aside, rolling to his knees. The corpse's eyes were glassy and blank. He stared at them, dazed. Fighting the rising darkness, he climbed to his feet.

There were voices. None of them made sense.

"Reno!"

Tifa...

Elena stared at him as though she'd seen a ghost, a rifle in her hands. She ran to him, letting the weapon swing from the strap at her shoulder and caught him as he pitched forwards, struggling under his weight.

He clutched at her shirt as his knees gave way.

"Shit..." She staggered, only just keeping them both upright. "Guys, I need help!"

Tifa was lying on the floor, blood slowly pooling around her. He stared, unable to process what he was seeing.

No…

Cloud was already on his knees at her side, hands pressed to her abdomen. He was shouting something, but Reno couldn't understand the words. They were frantic, desperate. There was a dark stain spreading around his palms, seeping through her shirt. A handful of figures in Shinra blue ran to assist him, carrying a stretcher.

The cocktail of drugs in his system was failing fast. Chest tight, every breath was too shallow. He didn't feel the floor when he hit it.

"Tseng! I need you!"

Footsteps cut through the air. More voices. He thought he heard his name again. Cold hands pressed against his chest.

His heart shattered. The last thing he remembered was the pain.

Just wanted to say thank you to everybody for their patience in waiting for this chapter. It's taken me a long time to get into the right headspace and I really wanted to make sure I was 100% happy with it before I posted.

A huge thank you to Arisa K also (as always) for helping me get there 3