I do not own FFVII characters – though I wish I did. lol

I do own my own character – Jalyne and other originals.

Chapter 42 – The Rescue

Reno opened his eyes to look into the green orbs of his partner. He was breathing hard, the wound on his right side hurting more and more. His lip curled upward on the left side in a smirk.

"You came, yo." He quietly stated.

"Of course I did." Jalyne replied just as quietly. "Can't let you have all the fun. How in the world did you get into this mess?"

"You know." He coughed. "A little of this, a little of that, yo. What brought you back so soon, yo?"

"You called." She shrugged staring into his turquoise eyes from below but ignored his look of questioning.

Reno spied the collar with the glowing bindings encircling it. "They bound you, yo."

"Apparantly." Jalyne responded lightly, shifting her hands and loosened his ropes slowly. He looked at her devilishly.

"You know," he began. "if we weren't in this particular situation, this could be a very interesting position to explore, yo." He flirted. Jalyne smiled at him and bit her lip seductively, her mind detailing all the passionate positions and scenarios that could occur.

"Oh? So you like to be bound?" she inquired adjusting his bindings a little more and quirking a brow at him. "I'll have to keep that in mind for later."

"Never been bound or tied up, yo." Reno admitted, smirking even more at his partner kneeling beneath him in a provocative position with her head nearly in his lap. "I'm usually the one dictating the situation, yo. Later, you say?"

"Ahh. Here I thought I could teach you how erotic bindings can be. I could even teach you how to escape them."

"I'm always eager to learn, yo."

"How long can you last?"

"As long as you need me to, yo."

"You like it rough and tumble, I see." Jalyne idly commented staring into his turquoise eyes. "Forceful and dominant."

Reno saw just the glint of her ability shine through her eyes and he somehow managed to maintain his current expression as he gazed at her with her illusion becoming apparent to him. Snuggled within her jacket was his new mag rod, his pistol and hers with her arms resting in her lap. Just underneath the jacket, he could see the double hilts of her swords peeking around her hips, hanging behind her. Reno trailed his eyes upwards to her face, noticing the scarring around her left side of her face. It looked blistered, raw and burned. He ignored it for the moment.

"Ooooo." He drawled. "A woman after my own heart, yo."

"That's not the only thing I'm after." Jalyne smirked back, nodding her head towards his lap seductively.

"Oh really, yo?"

Jalyne quirked an eyebrow at him for show, allowing the slight annoyance to grace her features. "Women just bow to get onto or into your lap, don't they?"

"Most times, yes, yo." Reno concededly stated, smirking even wider. "They just fall from their feet."

"Do you ever kick them back out?"

"All the time, yo. None of them mean a thing."

"Hmph." Jalyne huffed at his answer. "I bet that just floors them to the ground. Sends them rolling and reeling with desparaging emotions of what could have been to tame the flame."

"Never thought to ask them, yo." He put a show of considering the options.

"Ever really wanted one?" Jalyne suddenly asked off script.

"Just one, yes." Reno answered leaning forward within his bindings coming face to face with her. "She's a beautiful lady, stong as steel with a personality that just captivates me."

"Take this up a level or two, right?" Jalyne continued to flirt with him as she leaned forward, inches from his lips and never breaking eye contact.

"Ooo, yeah, yo." He stated as his eyes flickered to the click of the gun behind Jalyne's head as Victor planted it flush to her hair. "Mmmm…what I wanna do to you if we get out of here, yo. I definitely wanna bend you over."

"Eww. Do they have to be so graphic?" Elena complained from the co-pilot's seat of the chopper. "I mean, seriously! Reno is gravely hurt and he's still flirting in that situation?"

"He's staying calm." Tseng answered. "Keeping focus on Jalyne. It's not a bad thing, really."

Elena blushed a little at his statement but continued to fly the chopper. They were almost to the northern side of the mines and awaiting Jalyne's signal.

"If you listen closely, Jalyne is giving him instructions." Rude commented from the back. "They're two levels down and to the left in the caverns."

Tseng paused a moment before agreeing with his Turk, reflecting on the conversation. "She also told him what she will do and the moves he can execute."

"They're in sync, yes." Rude explained. "They'll fight their way out."

"But at what cost?" a fourth voice interjected.

"Shall we?" Jalyne asked dangerously of her partner.

"You shall do nothing." Victor growled shoving the gun further into her hair and pushing Jalyne further into Reno's lap. "Or I'll blow her brains out."

"Now, now, love." Reina interjected. "Raphael wants us to take her to him. Don't go making a mess."

"May I at least say goodbye properly?" Jalyne questioned them, leaning further towards Reno. She closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath.

"Sure." Reina stated with a wave. "Go right ahead and say goodbye to the promiscuous bastard. You know he was all over me at the party, don't you?"

"Mmm. That happens to be his job." Jalyne answered calmly, opening and never taking her eyes off of Reno.

"You know," Reno whispered to her. "All this talk just gets the blood flowing, yo."

"Shut up and kiss me, Turk." Jalyne murmured raising up on her knees to meet him. She closed her eyes as their lips met, Reno's growl reaching her ears as it became more forceful. She breathed into him, a moan escaping her unbiddenly.

Reno growled more hearing the sound escape her. He felt it then, a tingling warmth spread throughout him and centered over the gash on his right side. The deep breath that she held contained her Light and it was the touch she needed to give it to him. He felt her healing beginning to take place and pulled back from her and stared into green orbs as she opened them. Her eyes glistened with readiness. She was awaiting his signal.

Reno smirked lightly and then winked. Spring loaded Jalyne bowed deep into his lap, dissolving his bindings and he sprang forward, now free. As he kicked the chair backwards, she angled to the right, allowing him to grab a firearm with his right hand and grabbing Victor's gun in his left, snapping his wrist backwards.

Jalyne rolled towards the chair coming to stand with blades drawn, the illusion broken. Two shots rang outward, Reno killing two of the six guards that were around them in the room. She engaged the two that were behind them, swinging one blade low and one high as Reina finally recovered from shock.

"Get in here and kill him! Subdue her!" she shrieked as Reno kicked Victor in the stomach, pushing him backwards. Reina rushed to him, pulling him to a side cavern entrance to make their retreat.

Jalyne easily subdued the two she engaged and headed for the third off to the left while Reno attacked the one at the right. Four of the eight that accompanied her from the surface came through the door but Reno took out two with the gun as he blocked the third.

She threw her blade to cut off the other two following behind while dispatching the one she was involved with. Reno turned to engage but instead of two, six rushed the door and flooded him pushing him back into the room.

"Reno!" Jalyne screamed turning and throwing his mag rod to him.

He snatched it out of the air and extended it in one motion. "Damn woman, I lo—" he started to say before being attacked.

"What did you say?" Jalyne snapped her head to him as she stab her assailant. An electroburst filtered outward stopping just inches from her feet as she looked towards his area of the cave. Three fell but the others were on him quickly. Jalyne could tell that he was tired and running on pure adrenaline.

"I didn't say anything." He smirked swiftly engaging the enemies.

Jalyne turned to make her way only more flooded through a secret doorway to take her captive. She took one down with a high kick and rushed the other two as Reno combatted across the room. She followed with a low leg sweep and quick jab. The third one rushed erratically trying to take her off guard and she swung with the sword, decapitating him instantly.

Reno dropped to one knee overpowered by one of the guards who managed to get a punch to him. The soldier grabbed him by the throat, lifting him to a standing position and squeezed, causing Reno to be dizzy and lightheaded. A shot rang out splattering Reno with blood and he let go, falling to the stone ground with a hole in his head.

Reno looked over to his partner, breathing hard and slid his gift on his shoulder and smirked. Jalyne sprinted to him, grabbing her other sword from the wall and attaching it on her belt with the other one. He grinned more as she approached.

"Told ya you had it in ya, yo." The Turk commented nodding at her gun and picking up his jacket, sliding it on using the sleeve to wipe his face of the blood.

"We're not done yet." Jalyne responded, holstering her firearm and reaching for his hand, leading him outward.

He glanced at her curiously at the contact and noticed the flicker around her. She led him around out of the room and down the long pathway. They heard more guards and soldiers up ahead and Jalyne pulled him to a side cavern. They remained undetected and they passed by unnoticed for the moment.

Reno nudged her up against the wall still breathing hard, their hands still clasped together and he felt the warmth of healing continue though his body. He stared at her waiting patiently until it occurred again.

"Drop it." He whispered quietly. "I can see it."

Jalyne lowered her eyes, dropping her illusion and allowing him to see her. She inhaled deeply and looked at him, reaching her other hand to the cut above his left eye, slowly healing it and placed her other hand on his ribs, doing as much as she could in the moment.

"What happened, yo?" he asked leaning towards her.

Jalyne huffed indignantly and lightly chuckled. "I couldn't get out of the way fast enough from the Flamebound's attack."

The look of surprise crossed his features at her nonchalantness of the wounds. She unbuttoned her coat and slid the left shoulder down to show him the trail of burns. "And that is funny why?"

"You had to be there to understand." She commented. "It wasn't then, but I can chuckle now. It was Bocktern's reaction that made it humorous and it really was my own fault." He raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "I'll heal. I just need a few hours of peace." Jalyne stated trying to ease his fear.

"You are fucking insane, you know that, yo?" he commented before capturing her lips. "Thanks." At her questioning look he elaborated. "For coming for me, yo."

"We're Turks." She said. "We don't leave anyone behind." Jalyne reached up and caressed his facial wounds, trying to heal as much as she could. They weren't out of there yet. She kissed him against, not resisting the pull to him. "And you're welcome." Jalyne glanced around. "We're not done yet. And this isn't the way I came in."

"How far do you think, yo?"

"We're two floors down and to the left of the main entrance at the swamp. I didn't get a chance to look at any schematics of the mines. We're on our own."

"Can you Gate out, yo?"

Jalyne shook her head. "No." she stated quietly. "I-I'm a little drained. That's why you could see the illusion."

Reno glanced at his ribs noting the faint glow and looked at her shrewdly. "You're giving it to me?"

"Yes. As much as I can." She answered glancing downward. "It's not permanent but will help you get through this." Jalyne paused. "I've never pushed this hard before – so I don't know how far I can go. Molcter pushed my limits as it was."

"Trayvor?"

Her eyes turned to steel as she gazed at him. "He met Faterian by my hand."

Reno looked closer at her. "You haven't slept, have you, yo?"

Jalyne sighed. "No. Not in four days."

"We need to keep moving then, yo." He stated giving her a kiss on her forehead and taking her hand. "And get you home."

They followed the dimly lit Mythril path upwards, twisting and curving, slowly making their way and listening for any sounds of movement or people. As they entered a larger cavern, they heard quiet voices up ahead and pulled back from the light, listening intently. Reno looked past them to where light was shining through.

"That's the way out." He whispered to Jalyne. "But on which side?"

"Hopefully the side we want." She answered. "Though I'm still apprehensive about that questionably murky water. Besides, our ride is waiting."

We're here, Jalyne. She heard Tseng. Can you get through?

"We're going to have to, Tseng." She whispered as Reno grinned and slowly extended his rod. Jalyne peeked at Reno. "How many?"

"I count twelve, yo." He answered quickly poking his head outward. "That doesn't include any that are hidden or what we can't see."

"Plan?"

"No choice but to go through them, yo." Reno grinned at her, tapping his mag rod on his shoulder. "I'm ready to call it a day and I really want to see what this can do."

Jalyne chuckled at him. A kid in a candy store and a boy with a new toy. "Keep to the shadows. Let's see how far we can get without them noticing us."

"Could really use Solaria's shields right about now, yo."

"I was on Molcter, not Litrandan." She commented wryly.

They took to the shadows, edging along the stone cavern, trying to not make a sound and spied even more of the guards. They hid behind a pillar a quarter way from the entrance.

"Ready?" Reno whispered.

"Yes."

They darted from the shadows using the element of surprise to take the enemies off guard. Reno darted to right and Jalyne to the left, keeping the openway in sight. Astonishingly, the guards offered very little resistance and the duo engaged them easily.

Reno dispatched three of them before they registered intruders and Jalyne took down two. She slid on the stone floor and kicked upwards, planting her hands and keeping the momentum, following through with quick jabs.

Reno's mag rod glinted in the low light as he controlled his thrusts and swings. He jabbed outward and an electroburst fried two more. They backed up to the opening and looked outward.

"Let's boogie." Reno commented dashing outward.

Jalyne followed only to nearly run into her partner. Her eyes adjusted to the sunlight and she glanced around. "Out of the frying pan."

"And into the fire." Reno finished. "This just gets better and better."

"Tseng?" Jalyne called. "Could use your assistance."

We're swinging around. It will be a few minutes.

"A few long minutes." She added glancing around at the thirty or so people surrounding them.

"Heh." Reno commented tapping his mag rod. "We can take them, yo."

Jalyne looked at him incredulously. "You do understand you have a collapsed lung, right. And my healing will only last so long – it's not permant yet."

"Yeah, Yeah, yo."

The circle closed inward as the enemies surrounded them. The duo kept back to back deflecting the attacks as they came and clearing a path towards the swamp.

"Split them up!" a voice screamed from the cliff.

The sound of something heavy clinked on the ground in front of them and Jalyne looked at Reno and raised an eyebrow.

"Shit!"

They each dove to the side as the explosion pushed a fireball outward. Jalyne landed roughly as did Reno, who stayed on one knee, breathing hard. The guards started to surround both of them.

"Kill him! Take her!"

They sprang into action, rushing Jalyne and trying with no luck to kill Reno. She blocked two and unhooked her swords. Reno swung his mag rod expertly taking a few with him though they were overrunning him quickly. Gunfire erupted and Jalyne threw her shield over Reno to help protect him, something she's never done before.

She heard the chopper in the distance and knew help was coming but the people just kept coming and it seemed like there was no end to it. Jalyne heard the click of something large and before she could dodge, a blast landed a few feet in front of her, sending her flying into the edge of the water with a hulking guardsman rushing through the flames at her.

"Stop shooting at my BELOVED!" Reno screamed putting the end of his mag rod to the ground and igniting it, taking out the enemies in a twenty foot radial arc. He missed the one that climbed on top of Jalyne and rushed towards her. Picking up a gun he leveled it at her assailant and fired dead center in his head, killing him instantly.

She felt the hand encircle her throat as she struggled to reach the surface laying on her back in the water. Jalyne couldn't see anything and grasped at the hand around her neck. Suddenly the weight went limp and she pushed the body off as a hand grabbed hers to pull her up. Sputtering and gasping for air Jalyne nodded her thanks to her partner and looked at the scene before them.

"I'm not sure what you did to this, Beloved." Reno began indicating his rod. "But I love it, yo!" he grinned, reaching up to pick seaweed and other crap out of her hair. He turned to be back to back with her as the soldiers started closing in around them. "Now would be a good time to Gate, you know, yo."

"I can't Gate." She whispered.

"Too drained?" he whispered back.

"Umm…no."

"Then why, yo?"

"One – the chopper is moving." Jalyne explained but glanced up to the sky to see that Tseng had it hovering steady. "But…"

"It's not moving. That's not the real reason, yo." Reno surmised following her eyes and glancing over his shoulder at her. "Well?"

Jalyne looked away quickly not wanting to meet his eyes.

"Jalyne?" he pushed.

"I-umm." She paused looking at him as his eyes hardened a little. "Sort of gave it to you as a failsafe." Jalyne finally blurted out.

"What!" Reno exclaimed turning to her and then glancing at his lightly glowing chest. "Why would you cast that sort of spell, yo?"

"To make sure you were safe." She whispered. "It's me they want. They'll kill you. I'm afraid to open a Gate. I don't know the effect it would have on you or the spell."

The ground shook underneath them making them lose a bit of balance and Jalyne fell forward into his arms. She blushed a little at his whisper. "When I get you alone we are going to have to have a little chat, yo." He stated. "Right after I explore all that talk in the cavern."

The swamp water became rough and lapped at their ankles and the ground shook again.

"Tseng?"

Uh-oh. She heard Elena's reply.

Jalyne noticed the enemy was backing away from them and melting into the entrance of the cave as the earthquake got stronger and closer. She looked at Reno inquisitively. "Reno, why are all the soldiers leaving?"

He turned to look out into the water as it parted. "Oh shit, yo." He commented wide-eyed. "This day just gets better and better, yo."