Chapter 31

Gaia

Cheryl was still half-asleep early Saturday morning when her phone dinged. She almost thought about ignoring it, as the teasing had not abated the night before, and she was too tired to deal with Reno's shenanigans this early. However, she groaned and picked it up anyway. There was the slim chance that it might be someone else.

Any grogginess she might have felt was erased as soon as she saw the message. It was brief, but she didn't need more. Tseng had told her to be ready for him to pick her up at 19:00 that evening, wear something nice, and expect more company. Although it could have been interpreted as any other date, Cheryl knew it wasn't. The meeting was much earlier than she expected, and as anxious as it made her, she couldn't help but think it was a good thing.

After that message, there was no way she could roll over and go back to sleep. Even though she had most of the day before Tseng arrived, she still groaned and got out of bed to make some coffee and prepare herself for what was to come.

Tseng was a few minutes early, just like Cheryl expected, but she was already ready. She gave him a tight smile as she locked her door, and he led her out. Part of her desperately wanted to ask how Rufus had taken the news and what she would be walking into, but now wasn't the time or place. There was no telling what ears might be around to hear something they shouldn't. She would just have to expect the worst and pray to Minerva that she came out relatively unscathed.

The trip to the slums was quiet between them despite Cheryl's nerves. She wasn't even shocked when they headed toward Sector Six. Although, she did raise a questioning brow when he led her to the Honeybee instead of somewhere quieter. Though, she realized this might be the most discreet location possible when they were showed to a private room in the back instead of one of the booths. Especially when the man led them through a quiet part of the building. Cheryl was a little disappointed that she didn't get to see any of Charle's old acquaintances now that she remembered their names, but it was probably for the best for the moment.

Any nostalgia Cheryl was feeling was immediately erased when they were led into the room, and there were three people already seated around the table and not just one. She almost froze when she saw that both Veld and Lazard were there, along with Rufus. It was only Tseng's hand on the small of her back that propelled her forward and to one of the empty seats. She had to fist her hands in her lap to keep her nerves from showing once she was seated.

Once Tseng sat next to her, Rufus leaned forward and looked at her intently for several seconds before he turned to Tseng and said, "I didn't realize you would be bringing a distraction this evening."

Despite her nerves, Cheryl could not stop from rolling her eyes. She also didn't wait for Tseng to step in on her behalf. "Sir, I appreciate that you may not be aware of my part in any of this, but I can assure you that I am not here as a distraction. I have pertinent information that could assist us all in building a stronger future for Shinra."

Rufus sat back and raised an eyebrow at her confident claim, but Tseng did not give him a chance to refute her, nor for either of the other two to act on the frowns forming on their faces. Instead, he took out three small devices from the inside of his jacket and handed them out before he said, "We have asked the three of you here for the same reason. Issues are going on behind the scenes within the company that need to be addressed. I am aware that some, if not all of you, may be aware of some of these things on the surface level, but I found information that shows any one of these issues could become problematic. All of them combined will undoubtedly become disastrous. The three of you, in particular, have a stake in this and perhaps a common goal."

Despite Tseng's self-assured voice, Veld still looked back and forth between him and Cheryl before he said, "Since the mistakes you learned from in your early days, I have trusted that you would follow your teaching and not let your personal feelings get in the way of your mission. Seeing your girlfriend here at a clandestine meeting with the three of us does make me wonder how objective you are."

Cheryl frowned and had to bite her tongue to keep from saying anything. If Tseng could give her the space to defend herself, then she would do the same for him. Even if she didn't want to. Thankfully, he was quick to say, "As you have already heard, Miss. Valliere is here in an official capacity. Our relationship has no bearing on these events."

Rufus was still smirking, but the other two did not look convinced. Instead of letting it get to him, Tseng motioned to the devices and said, "If you take the time to read all the information on those disks, you will find that Shinra is currently supporting operations that are untenable. Most people are not aware of what is going on, but a handful are pushing this company to the brink of extinction."

Almost before he was done speaking, Cheryl turned to Lazard and said, "Before we go much further, I have a question for you, Director Deusericus."

Lazard leaned back and crossed his arms. He tilted his head and gave her a questioning look that she took as permission to continue. "There is no point in us trying to beat around the bush at this point, so I will come straight out and ask you—are you willing to focus on your father's downfall instead of the company? And if so, would you back your brother for the presidency?"

Several beats of silence held as Veld turned his glare to Lazard. However, it was broken when Rufus started chuckling. When they all looked at him, he was shaking his head. "I should have guessed. There are so many of my father's bastards out there that it was only a matter of time before one of them came for his head." He then paused and looked at Lazard with a smirk. "So tell me, are you after dear old dad for leaving you or something else?"

Instead of answering Rufus's mocking question, Lazard turned to Cheryl and asked, "How did you find that information? No connection to my mother was in my paperwork."

Cheryl looked away uncomfortably and was grateful when Tseng answered for her. "While your documents do not make any mention of it, they could hardly stand up to intense scrutiny. Once we had reason to suspect, the information was not difficult to obtain."

Lazard sat back with a deepening frown. However, before he could get upset, Cheryl was quick to add. "Please do not think that we have brought this information up to prosecute you. It was not difficult to ascertain that you have a goal while working at Shinra. Your objectives could align with ours, or it could conflict, which is why I asked—would you be satisfied to take your father down."

It was shocking when Cheryl got backup from an unexpected source. Rufus leaned forward, and his smirk had a hard edge to it when he said, "I have already been looking for ways to get my father out of power. I may not acknowledge you as a Shinra, but I would not object to allies if that is indeed your goal. However, I plan to take the company and make it greater than ever. It would be wise not to stand in my way."

Lazard made a disgusted sound as he said, "Having you lead the company is not much better than your father, but that is not my business. All I want is that man to pay for the hell my mother went through."

If Rufus was bothered by the statement, it didn't show as he said, "I suppose our father should have seen this coming."

Lazard made another disturbed face when Rufus emphasized their shared paternity, but Cheryl stood to get their attention before things could devolve. "Look, I am not saying we have to like each other. All I am asking is that you consider how all of you are affected by the same people. From the things Hojo has done to Director Veld's daughter and partner, to the way the president has treated both of you. Those are the things that should at least make you allies against the atrocities that lurk within the depths of this company. If they are not addressed, then the whole world will be brought to its knees, and Shinra will topple."

Veld was on his feet before she was even finished speaking. His glower was heated enough that Cheryl had to take a step back as he said, "What are you talking about? My daughter and partner are both dead."

Tseng was quick to stand and speak on her behalf. "Actually, Director, if you read the information I just gave you, there is evidence that there were many survivors in Kalm. Instead of saving them, Hojo used them as experiments."

Veld glared back at Tseng, but it lost a lot of its heat. It was easy for Cheryl to see how affected he was by that news. She was just glad Tseng found evidence to back it. However, before any of them said much more, Rufus stood and immediately gathered their attention. When all eyes were on him, he pinned Cheryl with an evaluating look as he said, "While this information does seem to be pertinent, what I find most interesting is that you insist these will bring disaster. I can understand an urge to caution, but you make it sound as though it were a foregone conclusion. Why are you so adamant?"

Cheryl froze under his steely gaze. If she thought Tseng had that look down pat, she was mistaken. Perhaps it was just the power he held, but seeing it from Rufus made her take a step back. Before her brain could unfreeze enough to formulate an answer, Tseng stepped in front of her to block her from view as he said, "If I may, sir, I believe I have an adequate explanation. One that should also help you all understand how this came up in the first place."

He paused long enough to shoot her a reassuring look before he turned back and said, "There is something about Miss Valliere that was previously unknown, but it should make things clear."

Those words kickstarted Cheryl's brain, and she grabbed his arm to get his attention. For the first time since they walked in, she ignored the others as she gave Tseng a wide-eyed look and said, "You can't tell them that! What could that possibly do but make things worse?"

Tseng's face did not lose the mask he typically wore, even when her eyes started to show her fear. However, he remained silent as Veld called out. "So you have been hiding things from us?"

The only indication that Tseng wasn't throwing her under the bus was when he put a comforting hand over hers before he turned to Veld and said, "Yes, but given the circumstances, it is understandable."

Cheryl squeezed his arm once more, but he ignored it as he continued. "I have reason to believe that Miss Valliere is a previously unknown Cetra."

Silence descended like a curtain and seemed to block all noise from Cheryl's ears as she stared up at Tseng with wide eyes. She didn't even notice the other three sets of eyes that had turned to her with surprise and interest. Instead, she blinked a few times before she harshly whispered, "What?"

Instead of seeming perturbed, Tseng leveled a cool look at her as he said, "You have heard the planet, correct? That is a trait no human could achieve."

Cheryl's hand dropped from his arm, and she frowned at him as she said, "I already told you it wasn't like that. It's just—"

Before she could say more, Tseng cut her off. "Have you, or have you not heard the voice of the planet?"

Her eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms, but she still said, "Technically, yes, I suppose I have. But it—"

Once again, Tseng did not let her finish before he turned to the others and said, "As you can see, it is a subject that she is reluctant to speak of, and from what is in those reports, I can understand why."

Finally, Veld held up a hand, and his disbelief spilled over as he said, "She told you that, and you believed her?"

Tseng ignored the glare from the woman beside him as he said, "Of course not—at first. However, her information is what led me to find the facts you each hold in your hand. Without it, I would have not even considered the ramifications of what might come."

Veld scoffed and leaned onto the table before he gave both Tseng and Cheryl a glare as he said, "Then she is a damn good spy."

Tseng was not put off in the least as he said, "That was something I had considered as well. However, I have conducted a thorough investigation and have found neither proof nor motive. Her insistence is to help the company thrive by pruning the decaying parts. That is a more noble motive than others that sit at this very table."

Veld did not look convinced, and Lazard was glaring once again, but much to Cheryl's surprise, it was Rufus that said, "Enough." When all eyes were turned to him, he focused on Cheryl with a predatory look in his eyes that made her uncomfortable. Especially when he said, "A living, breathing, Cetra. So tell me, will you help me succeed where my father has failed? Will you show us to the Promised Land?"

Cheryl's jaw clenched, and instead of answering him, she turned to Tseng and lowered her voice as she said, "When we get out of here, you and I are going to have a long talk."

She took in a long breath and held it for a moment when his only response was to raise one brow. Now wasn't the time to lose it. When she let it out, she turned back to Rufus with a frown. "Even if I could show you the Promised Land, I wouldn't. The mako on this planet is a finite resource that will wither away with a few decades at this rate, and that is not propaganda. The place your father is searching for is nothing but a promise to all Cetra for rest once they choose to let go. I'm sure you'll find more details in the information Professor Gast got from Ifalna before he was killed."

Lazard was the one to voice the question she could see in everyone's eyes when she finished speaking. "Who is Ifalna?"

Tseng stepped forward again and gestured toward the devices that still laid on the table as he took his seat and said, "All of that information is on those discs. Most of the questions you have can be answered there. Although, a decision of what needs to come next should happen soon. If Miss Valliere is correct, then we only have until the end of summer before things begin to fall apart."

Cheryl could tell there were plenty more questions, but she was once again shocked when it was Rufus that said, "I suggest that we take two days to go through this. We can then reconvene with any questions we might have about the information or how Miss Valliere's insight plays into it."

He didn't wait for a response before he got to his feet. When he stepped away from the table, both Lazard and Veld reluctantly stood as well. The former followed Rufus from the room, but Veld stopped next to Tseng. He frowned over at Cheryl, but her presence didn't keep him from saying, "I want a full report on every part of this investigation on my desk by tomorrow afternoon. Don't leave any of it out, even if you think it's personal. The others may accept your word, but I am having difficulties believing you are unbiased. Prove to me that you aren't, and we can discuss the rest in two days."

Tseng gave the man a curt nod. That seemed to be enough, and Veld turned to leave as well. Silence fell once Cheryl and Tseng were the only two remaining. As much as she wanted to talk to him about her irritation, she almost felt bad after the way Veld treated him. She knew he had to be stressed, even if he didn't show it.

The choice was taken from her hands when he turned to her and said, "You mentioned that we were going to have a long talk? This room is rented for the evening and private."

Cheryl huffed at how unaffected he seemed. No matter what he was trained to act like, she had hoped that by now, he would at least be able to show a little of how he felt when they were alone. It was infuriating and ended up pushing her to say her piece. At least her tone was calmer than it had been when it was first brought up. "Yes, I wanted to ask why you did that? Plus, why the lie? You can't expect them to believe that I am Cetra just because you say so. Especially if they ask for proof. There won't be any because I'm not."

Tseng sighed and loosened his tie before he took a seat again. He waited until Cheryl was seated next to him before he looked over and said, "I do not believe it is a lie. I cannot explain what you have gone through any other way, and explaining your connection to the planet is simply the most acceptable way for them to believe."

Part of Cheryl's brain wanted to keep arguing. There was no way that she could be, even if the video implied she might be. In the end, she let it go. It was already said, and there was no taking it back. Trying to change the explanation now was a sure-fire way to get shot or something equally as painful and deadly. Though that didn't mean her conversation was over.

She was still frowning as she said, "Fine, let's pretend for a moment that I agree; it doesn't change the fact that you made that choice without me. It affects me. What makes you think it was all right not to say something about it to me?"

Tseng leaned toward her and tried to look reassuring as he said, "The meeting was called more quickly than I anticipated. We didn't have the opportunity to speak before we arrived, and I didn't want to waste time arguing about it before we left your apartment. I knew this would be your reaction."

Instead of helping her calm down, that explanation had Cheryl out of her seat and pacing a few steps away. She had to take several deep breaths to keep from yelling. She was still frowning when she turned back and said, "That doesn't make it all right. As a matter of fact, that makes it worse. That tells me that you knew I wouldn't like it, and you did it anyway. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Tseng sat straight, and his face fell back into the mask he typically wore. Usually, the sight of it would have made Cheryl stop, but she was hurt and had more to say. "Right now, all I can see is that you don't trust me. You could have said something and told me we didn't have time to argue, but it was for my safety. I wouldn't have liked it, and I might have grumbled, but that would have shown trust. It would have told me that you see me as a logical, thinking adult that you can share responsibility with. In the end, I would have let it go until we had more time to discuss it. Now, I can't help but wonder how you really see me."

She had to pause at that point and wipe away a frustrated tear, but she squared her shoulders and faced him again with as much dignity as she could muster as she continued, "I know that for you, trust is probably just as scary of a word as love, but without it, nothing can work between us. I don't want that."

She had to stop when her breath caught at the idea of them falling apart now, after everything just because he couldn't bring himself to trust her. Tears were falling in earnest, so she turned away. She couldn't stop them, but she'd be damned if she was going to let him see it.

She had her arms wrapped around herself as she tried to get her emotions under control. She was self-aware enough to realize that it might not have affected her the same way had the stakes not been so high. She needed to get it out of her system before she said something she didn't mean and couldn't take back.

However, all her thoughts came skidding to a halt when she felt a pair of warms arms wrap around her. One of Tseng's arms was around her waist, but the other covered her clasped arms as they pulled her back into his sturdy chest. His grip was gentle, and his voice was low as he said, "I apologize. I did not have time to think of a better way to make you as untouchable as possible, but I should have at least given you a warning. It is a mistake I will not repeat."

His soft words broke her control. She relaxed back into him and let his warmth ease her worry and fear. She let go of the tension that had been plaguing her since that morning. Several minutes passed like that before she finally turned in his arms. She wiped away the tears that remained and looked up at him as she said, "This isn't going to get easier. I will do my best to stay away from danger, but please don't try to keep me in the dark. That isn't the way to keep me safe."

Tseng pulled her tighter into his embrace and held her close as he said, "For someone like me, love isn't just frightening; it's dangerous. There are so many ways for it to be used against me, and I cannot stand the thought of you being thrust into any of those circumstances. I do trust your intelligence and loyalty. However, it is difficult for me to think of you putting yourself in danger. It will take time for me to reign in my instinct to insulate you, but you have my word that I will do my best to not do this again."

Cheryl clung to him a little tighter as she fought to get her emotions under control. Did this mean things were perfect between them? Not at all, but aiming for perfection was wishing for the impossible. She was happy that he was willing to meet her halfway. It was a great start. Plus, they had too many other details to worry about now that things had begun to move. For the moment, she was content to let him hold her and keep the world at bay for a few minutes longer.

A/N: So would you say that was their first big fight? I can't really say that they fought when they broke up lol. What do you think? Did she overreact? Either way, they still have a mountain of stuff to tackle, and the landslide has already started. Let's all hope that they can keep their heads above the snowline and not get buried alive. Thanks for reading and cheers! Edit: By the way, don't forget to go vote in my poll about the audiobook issue if you haven't already. Thanks!