ONE

I held out my hand. "Nice to meet you, Cloud. I'm Jessie."

After a moment, he shook it, his grip just as strong as I'd expected. He'd cut that Vice brute Logan in half, after all. "Likewise. So why were these guys after you? There has to be a reason."

We stood in the alley where I'd been ambushed, the light dim here in the narrow dirt street between two high piles of scrap metal. On the ground nearby lay the bodies of the thugs Cloud had killed. The others had run off after we'd beaten the crap outta them together. Well, it had been more Cloud than me, but I'd done my share of ass kicking as well, here and in the Vice gang's lair earlier tonight. As for Cloud's question, though, I wasn't sure how to answer it.

I swallowed. "Well, it's… kind of a long story."

He folded his arms in front of him. "Can't say I'm surprised. Think they'll bother you again?"

"I don't know," I said, wondering the same thing myself. Worrying, more like. Braddock, the Vice gang's leader, didn't seem like the type to give up easily. And I'd really pissed him off. "I needed special materials for a… project that I've been working on."

Which was the bomb Barret had asked me to build for the mission to shut down Mako Reactor 1. But I couldn't tell Cloud that. Although he'd saved my life and I liked him, my ties to Avalanche were a secret. I couldn't share that with him unless he were to join us. And as strong as he was, I knew he'd be a great help. But that wasn't my call to make, so I just kept quiet about the bomb for now.

"Stuff you can't find in any old shop," I went on. "But the Vice gang gets its hands on all kinds of things, most of it stolen. They usually just stick to their territory in Sector 5, but I guess I had to have made them really mad for them to have come after me here."

That was an understatement, of course. Not only had I snuck right into the gang's lair and stolen the chip out from under their ugly noses, I'd also killed two of their leaders, a bunch of other thugs, torched half their loot, and basically made a complete mess of their hideout. Suffice it to say, I was pretty sure I'd be on Braddock's shit list for quite a while. And now he knew I lived in Sector 7. That could complicate things, but I hoped Cloud kicking Logan's ass tonight would get them to back off a bit or at least slow them down for a while.

Cloud nodded. "No kidding. Stealing from thieves'll do that."

I giggled, knowing I couldn't argue. "I guess you're right, Cloud. I'll have to stay clear of them from now on. But—"

"What is it?" he blinked.

I pointed at his arm, noticing for the first time the line of red going across his bicep. "Cloud, you're bleeding!"

He shook his head. "It's not bad, Jessie. Just a scratch."

"Still, you should get it patched up," I said.

"I guess so," he shrugged.

I rolled my eyes, not the least bit surprised that he was playing the tough guy. "Listen, Cloud. My place isn't far from here. I have a first aid kit in there, so why don'tcha let me take care of that cut for you? It's the least I can do for my hero, after all."

Cloud nodded. "Alright. Let's mosey."

"Mosey!?" I laughed, long and loud. "Oh, I'm definitely gonna have to remember that one!"

I kept at it as I led Cloud through the rest of the alley and out onto another side street. He stayed close to me, those gorgeous baby blues of his checking the shadows as we went. Although I'd only just met him, I felt completely safe. It wasn't something I could put into words, really. I just knew he wouldn't let anything happen to me. As we made our way through town, I chatted and tried to get a little conversation going, but Cloud wasn't much of a talker. More the strong, silent type. I liked that, though. Made him so much more interesting.

And cute. He actually looked a little younger than me, but only by a few years at most. Cloud was nicely muscular but not bulky. Slim and fit and very athletic. I'd seen firsthand during the fight with those Vice thugs just how fast and agile he was, too. And he had one hell of a sexy voice. It sounded vaguely familiar, actually, but I didn't know why and I couldn't place it, so I put it out of my mind for now. His pretty boy face was clean and very handsome, and whenever he looked at me, a swarm of butterflies swept through my stomach.

Cloud's blond, spiky hair and gray studded earring really added to that irresistible bad boy image of his, and that black outfit he wore sold it pretty well, too. A sleeveless black turtleneck, matching pants, tough leather boots and gloves, a wide brown belt with suspender straps, and a single pauldron fitted with bolts over his left shoulder. His outfit was almost like Kunsel's SOLDIER uniform, but with a few differences like the colors and the shoulder guard. I didn't know what it meant or why Cloud had gone with that look, but I liked it.

We made it home a few minutes later, though I'd had a bit of a hard time resisting the urge to sneak a few glances at Cloud and admire him on the way there. He was really easy on the eyes. I felt almost giddy as I took my key out of my pocket, unlocked the door, and led him into my house. Maybe I was just happy to still be alive and in one piece after all that had happened tonight. It had been kinda crazy, after all. But being saved by a super hot guy was a nice bonus. I sighed happily and turned on the lamp sitting on my bedside table.

"Well, here we are," I giggled. "Home sweet home."

Cloud looked around as we stood in my little one-room home. Not nearly as big as the plush apartment I used to have on the plate back in my acting days, but I liked it. It was very cozy and clean, with my table, a few chairs, my bed with its plain but very comfy blanket and pillows, and the wooden dresser. It had a few assorted items on top of it that I'd set up since I'd been here. Little knickknacks, mostly, but in the middle of it all was the framed picture of Mom that Reeve had given me when I'd first come down here to the slums.

There was also the little kitchen in the back left corner. Small, but I could make pretty much anything in there. In front was the doorway to the bathroom. No door, just a faded blanket that hung from the ceiling like a curtain. I'd been meaning to have Biggs and Wedge put one in for me sometime, I just hadn't gotten around to it yet. In two years. Funny, I know. But life had kept me pretty busy, and besides, it was usually just me, myself, and I here in my humble home.

Cloud glanced at me. "Nice. You keep it pretty clean."

"Thanks," I smiled. "I didn't used to be this way, you know. I was a regular slob when I was younger, believe it or not."

"What made you change?" he asked.

"My mom was always a bit of a clean freak, and we used to argue a lot about my room. How much of a mess it was. Back when I was a kid, and later as a teenager. But… she died a couple years ago. I loved her a lot, Cloud. And I miss her. So one day, I started keeping my place clean for her. Kinda my way of honoring her memory."

Cloud nodded, his eyes still on me. "I think I get it. Didn't mean to bring up any bad memories, though. Sorry."

I gently patted his arm. "It's okay. You didn't."

"Glad to hear it," he said.

With that settled, I pointed at my bed. "Now go have a seat and I'll be back in just a minute, alright?"

Cloud sat down like I told him, and I slipped into the bathroom to get my first aid kit. It was in the cabinet under the sink, and once I had it, I brought it back out into the main room, plopped down on the bed next to Cloud, and got to work. I opened the kit, took out a clean white cloth, and carefully wiped off his shoulder, cleaning the blood as much as I could. When I was finished, I put the cloth away—it was pretty red by now—and took another one out of the first aid kit. Then I poured a little iodine on it from a brown plastic bottle.

"I'm afraid this'll sting a bit, Cloud," I grimaced. "But it'll keep that cut from getting infected. You ready?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Jessie. Go ahead."

I did, pressing the cloth lightly against his shoulder as I sat next to him. Cloud didn't even flinch. He just sat there, still as could be, and all I could see of his reaction was a slight frown on his face that went away as fast as it appeared. Pretty impressive, and I smiled as I dabbed at the wound. When I was done, I put the bottle and cloth away and took out a roll of gauze bandage and some medical tape.

"We're almost done, Cloud," I said, giving him an impish little grin. "Betcha never thought you'd end up in my bed tonight, huh? Don't get any bright ideas, though. I'm not that kinda girl."

He blinked. "Ideas about what?"

It was adorable how innocent Cloud was for such a tough guy, and I laughed, deciding to flirt and have a little fun with him. "Oh, you are so cute when you play dumb, you know that?"

"Who's playing?" he fired back, a faint smirk on his face.

"Ha!" I giggled, loving how he'd caught on and that I'd managed to prod him outta his shell a little already. "You do have a sense of humor. Maybe there's a crack in the ice after all."

Cloud's reply was dead serious. "Better not tell anyone."

I winked, amused and not at all put off. "I can keep a secret, Cloud. Guess you've got a certain image to maintain, huh?"

"Something like that," he agreed.

"I figured," I said. "You don't seem like the talkative type."

Cloud didn't argue as he watched me work. "No, not really. Just the way I am, I guess. I'm not much for words."

That much was pretty obvious, but it made me like him even more. Quiet, heroic, mysterious, and attractive as hell. It was a combination I just couldn't resist, and I didn't even try. My heart was pounding while I got the gauze ready, and I found my eyes going back to his almost on their own time and time again like magnets.

It was all I could do to concentrate on the job in front of me. Cloud sure wasn't easy for me to look away from. And I didn't want to. I knew I could've admired him all night. And since he didn't seem to mind my flirting very much, I decided to keep it up. He deserved a little fun and attention after saving my life, and I wanted him to know how grateful I was and how much it meant to me.

"That's alright," I purred. "I like quiet guys."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

I took a small pair of scissors from the first aid kit, cut a long strip of gauze bandage off the roll, and wound it slowly and carefully around his upper arm. My skin tingled when I touched him, but I did my best not to let it distract me. Wasn't easy, but I managed. Cloud held still as I worked, his eyes watching what I was doing. And then I remembered what he'd just asked me a moment ago.

"Yeah," I answered, giggling a little. "Maybe because I like to talk a lot sometimes—you've probably already noticed—and it's nice to meet someone who doesn't mind listening."

"I don't," he admitted.

I felt a little blush color my cheeks at the sideways compliment he'd given me as I fastened the bandage in place with the medical tape. And I realized there was something I wanted, needed, to tell him after what he'd done for me tonight, and that I hadn't said it yet. So I looked up at him and gave him a small, tender smile.

"Cloud…" I said, pausing for a minute. "I meant to say this before, but… thank you. Thank you for saving me."

He nodded. "You're welcome."

Butterflies swarmed through my stomach again, and for a moment I lost myself in his eyes and forgot all about the bandage. I just sat there with him, my hands on his arm as I kept smiling, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Cloud met my gaze, but of course, he didn't show much of what he was feeling. Seemed like one of those stoic types, or he tried to be. But as I'd seen, he did have a sweet sense of wry humor and warmth that he'd let slip here and there. And I decided then to make it my own personal mission to really lighten him up.

"All finished!" I said, patting his arm as I sat back.

Cloud flexed his arm. "It's a good field dressing. Thanks."

I felt another rush of warmth under my skin at his words. Though he'd been as calm and cool as ever, I could tell that he appreciated what I'd done more than he let on. It was something in his eyes, the way they lingered on me as much as mine did on him.

"My pleasure, Cloud," I smiled. "It was my first one."

He started to stand up, but then he suddenly doubled over, a hand flying to the side of his head as he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and winced in pain. What was going on? I bolted to my feet and called out to him, but he didn't seem to hear me at first. Taking his shoulder, I tried again as he abruptly sat back down.

"Cloud! Are you alright?" I called, gazing anxiously at him.

He blinked a little, shook his head, and relaxed as he looked at me. "Yeah, Jessie. I'll be fine. It's just a headache."

I frowned. "Are you sure? It was really sudden."

"I'm sure," Cloud said.

Stubborn as a chocobo, I thought. He was playing the typical tough guy again. Not that it really surprised me. But I wasn't about to let him get out of it that easily. I searched through my first aid kit again until I found what I was looking for. A healing potion. They were nasty as hell to drink, but they did work pretty well.

I gave him the small vial. "Here, why don'tcha drink this? It'll help with that cut and maybe your head, too."

Cloud took it, opened it, and drank the whole thing in a few quick swallows. Best way to do it, if you ask me. Get it over with fast. When I saw Cloud's nose curl in disgust, I couldn't hide a grin. Guess he wasn't fond of potions, either. Not that I blamed him. They were totally gross, like cough syrup, only a hell of a lot worse.

"Yummy, huh?" I teased.

He held the nearly empty vial out to me. "You want some?"

I laughed. "None for me, thanks. I can't stand them. But you're just so considerate, aren'tcha?"

"Just trying to share the experience," he said.

"Ha! I'll bet!" I smirked, patting his arm as I stood up. "But I think I'll pass. How about something to wash it down?"

He nodded. "Sounds good."

I went into the kitchen and started rummaging around, not sure at first what I wanted. But then, as I was looking, I thought of something and turned to Cloud, wondering why it hadn't occurred to me earlier. I guess I was just so happy to still be alive and was enjoying his company so much that I'd just forgotten about it.

"So…" I asked, pausing my search for a moment. "How'd you know to come looking for me out there in the first place?"

Cloud carefully closed the first aid kit for me. "Tifa sent me to give you a hand and help you out. We both saw those thugs in the bar. They left right after you did, Jessie, and we knew they had to be after you. So I followed them. And you know the rest."

I smiled. "I sure do."

"I should probably be getting back soon," Cloud continued. "She'll wanna know you're alright."

"Oh, hold on, I'll just shoot her a text and tell her the good news," I said. "I mean… if you wanna stick around a little longer, that is. I don't get to entertain company very often, you know."

He nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

I took my phone out of my pocket for a moment, sent Tifa a quick message letting her know I was alright, then put it away. Then I opened one of the cabinets, an idea springing to mind, and took out two small glasses. After setting them on the counter, I reached into the fridge and got that nice bottle of white wine Tifa had given me for my birthday. It might've been a little fancy, but I thought that after all I'd accomplished tonight that I deserved a little celebration. And that Cloud oughta have something nice for being so brave and heroic.

After carefully closing the fridge with my foot, I carried everything to the little wooden dining table near the bed. Then I sat next to Cloud again, put down the stuff I'd brought with me, and got to work opening the bottle of wine. It wasn't easy without a corkscrew, but I managed. It took a minute or so of tugging on it, but then the cork finally came out with a loud pop. And it was only then, of course, as I laughed inwardly at myself, that I realized I could've just asked Cloud to do it for me. But I decided I kinda liked it better this way.

"I've been saving this for a special occasion," I said as I poured the wine. "And this certainly qualifies."

"I suppose so," Cloud agreed as he took his glass.

I lifted mine. "To new friendships."

To my delight, he did the same, and I clinked my glass against his. Then we drank, and as I savored the taste—it was really good, and Tifa had picked it out herself, so I'd known it was sure to be great—my eyes found Cloud's again as his lingered on mine. They were so bright, blue, and beautiful, and I could've stared at them for hours on end. I looked away a moment later as he did the same and those silly butterflies filled up my stomach again. We didn't say much for a while, just sat together and sipped our drinks. But I still liked it.

Eventually, Cloud finished his wine and put his glass down. "Guess I should be going. It's getting late."

"I suppose you're right," I agreed. "It's been fun, Cloud."

"Yeah," he said, standing up.

I put my glass on the table next to his and joined him. "I really did have a great time. Once we took care of those thugs, that is. We made a pretty good team back there, didn't we?"

He nodded. "We're standing. They're not. Good enough for me."

"Me too!" I laughed, walking Cloud to the door. "So are you gonna be sticking around here for a while?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. I don't really know yet."

I smiled. "Well, don't be in a hurry to leave, alright? I visit the bar a lot, so if you're there too, I'm sure we'll run into each other."

"Probably," he said.

We stepped outside, the light from a nearby streetlamp keeping the shadows away. Cloud was a bit taller than me—but then again, most of the people in town were, aside from the kids. He had several inches on me, but I didn't mind. He was the perfect height, just right for hugging. But although I was sorely tempted to do that, I didn't. Well, this time. I just stood there with him, not quite sure what to say, which puzzled me because I was usually pretty quick with words.

After a minute, I slid my hand shyly through my hair. "Goodnight, Cloud. You be careful out there, okay?"

"Always," he said. "See you around, Jessie. Thanks for the drink."

"Anytime," I grinned.

I felt a little flutter in my heart whenever I heard him say my name, and this time was no exception. It just… made me happy to hear it. He nodded, then started to walk away, his boots crunching across the dirt, and I just watched him go. But after only a few steps, he looked back at me, his blue eyes bright in the dimness.

"And if those thugs try to mess with you again, call me," Cloud told me, his voice firm, unyielding, and incredibly sexy.

"Count on it," I nodded.

I waved, another rush of warmth tingling my skin at the thought of him watching over me, and he gave me a little wave back. Then he left, heading down the street toward the main road and Seventh Heaven as I closed the door and went back into my house. Although I was usually a very independent girl, preferring to take care of things myself as much as I could, I had to admit that I really liked knowing that Cloud would be there for me if I ever needed him.

After locking the door, I took out some pajama pants and a T-shirt and got changed, tired and more than ready for bed as I put my armor and other gear neatly on the table for now. My boots went by the door, and I tucked my gloves carefully inside the tops of them before putting my first aid kit away along with the wine and glasses. Once that was all done, I sank eagerly into bed with a contented sigh and slipped tiredly under the blankets. Of course, that was right when Tifa finally got back to me with a text message. I looked at my phone.

So glad you're alright, Jessie! she said. You had me really worried for a while. Cloud just got back a little bit ago.

I sent her a message back. Thanks, and sorry for scaring ya.

Tifa replied a moment later. It's alright. Just be more careful. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. Crowd kept me busy, and so did closing the bar later on. You know how it is.

Yeah, I answered.Cloud's your old friend, isn't he?

She came back a second later.That's right. We grew up together, but I haven't seen him in years. He told me what happened out there tonight, that you got jumped and he saved you.

Bet your ass he did. He walked me home, too.

I was wondering what had taken him so long, Tifa said. But I'm glad he made sure you got there safe and sound. Gives me an idea, actually. I need to think about it, but I'll let you know.

An idea? About what? I was curious, but I knew she'd tell me when she was ready. Okay. I'm gonna get some sleep now.

Tifa had the same idea. Me too. I'll give you a call tomorrow, I think in the afternoon. We need to talk, Jessie. I don't want you getting hurt or worse because of what we're doing.

Guess I'm in for a lecture, aren't I? I answered.

You bet. Her reply didn't leave any room for argument. But let's just save it for tomorrow. You've had a long day.

That was more than true. Sure have. Night, Tifa.

Goodnight, Jessie. Sleep well.

Our conversation done, I put the phone aside and settled in with a yawn to do exactly that. But for a while, I just laid there awake, my eyes open as I thought about all that had happened today—how I had gone headfirst into danger all by myself to steal that chip back for the bomb, how I'd come so close to death and worse more than once tonight, how Cloud had saved me, and our time together here.

"What a day…" I murmured.

My thoughts raced for a while, and I found that soon enough, they were mostly about Cloud. How good he looked and how strong he was. How much I liked his eyes, how they were so bright and blue, and how adorably awkward he could be. It was so cute and endearing, and those times he'd dropped his hard shell a little for me made my heart melt to think about them. That and how damn hot he was.

I sighed happily. "And what a hunk…"

Eventually, I finally started to doze off, snuggling comfortably with my pillows the way I always liked to do. As I did, Cloud was still firmly on my mind, filling my thoughts, and I fell asleep that way not too long after that and hoped he was thinking of me, too.

Early the next morning, I was at my shop, assorted parts all spread out on my desk in front me. I'd connected the chip to a test circuit, and hooked up to it was the bomb's timer display and a power meter. Time to find out if that little thing could really do what it was supposed to. It had cost enough—in blood and pain—and I had to know it worked. So I took a breath and flipped the switch.

The display came right on with a soft, quiet hum.

I sat back for a moment in my chair, both happy and uneasy. I was glad that all I'd done and everything that Lena had suffered through to get the chip hadn't been for nothing. But at the same time, I knew what it meant that it worked. There was no going back now. My eyes went to the bomb casing sitting nearby. A few more months, and we'd be ready. I was both excited and nervous about it.

A knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts, and I gasped in spite of myself, caught by surprise. The shop wasn't open yet, wouldn't be for another hour or so. Which meant it had to be one of my friends. Still, I couldn't take any chances, so I quickly called for whoever it was to wait while I took apart the test circuit and locked everything away in the safe behind my desk. Then I stood up and took a peek through the window to see who it was and smiled.

"Wedge!" I beckoned him inside after opening the door. "Hi! How are ya? Thought you'd be on patrol by now."

He nodded as I locked up behind him. "I was on my way there, but I wanted to see you first. Stopped by the bar for breakfast, and Tifa told me what happened last night. Are you okay?"

I patted his shoulder. "I'm fine. Thanks for checking on me. Guess you know what I've been up to now, huh?"

"Kinda," Wedge said. "You really went after them?"

We sat down in the chairs in front of my desk. Wedge still looked a little worried, and I had kept him and Biggs in the dark about this, so I decided I should tell him the truth. He sat there, a big guy with an even bigger heart, his red bandana as bright as ever above his dark eyes and hair. He had his favorite yellow shirt and blue shorts on today and was all geared up for his patrol with his rifle, grenades, and bandolier. But I was happy he had come to visit me first.

I looked at him. "Yeah, I sure did, Wedge. Stole the chip back from them and took out the assholes who hurt Lena."

"You did?" he stared at me in awe.

"Every last one of them," I said. "The whole group. Not all at once, but I did get them. Started about a week ago…"

As Wedge listened, I laid it all down for him—finding the location of the Vice gang's lair, going undercover to Wall Market to gather some intel, my confrontation with Tremmel and his goons there and how I'd taken them out. Then I told him how I'd snuck into the group's hideout last night, lured that thug Dorian and his pals into a trap, fought them, and blew them up along with half the gang's loot.

I went on, explaining to Wedge how I'd stolen the chip back in the midst of all that and escaped back to Sector 7. But I didn't say anything about Lena's rape. That would still be a secret that nobody would never know, until and unless she decided to talk about it herself one day. So I finished up by talking about the ambush instead, how Logan and some of his buddies had caught me in the alley and how Cloud had saved my life. I couldn't help feeling a little giddy as I recalled how incredible he'd been as he fought—and how cute he was.

"And that's about it," I said.

Wedge gaped at me. "Wow… wait 'till Biggs finds out!"

I rolled my eyes. "Probably another lecture. Tifa's got one ready for me, too. But at least it all worked out."

"I guess so," he said. "So, this Cloud… he sounds tough."

I giggled, gazing up at the ceiling for a moment. "Oh, yeah… he's a strong one, alright. Saved my ass last night. Did it with style, too. Not a talkative sort, really, but he's a good guy."

Wedge looked curiously at me. "You alright, Jessie?"

"Yeah, why?" I wondered absently.

He shrugged. "I dunno, you just seem a little weird today, that's all. Not quite yourself. Distracted, I guess."

My thoughts lingered on Cloud and the time we'd spent together at my place last night, how blue his eyes were and the soft tingling I'd felt whenever he looked at me. I sighed contently as I saw him in my mind, how I'd bound up his arm and how we'd shared a drink together before he'd left. A perfect way to end my day.

Then I blinked, only half-hearing Wedge. "Hmm?"

"See what I mean?" he chuckled.

"Oh, sorry," I said, looking sheepishly at him. "Guess I did get a bit lost there for a minute, didn't I?"

He laughed. "Yeah. It's okay, though."

I joined him, knowing he was right. "I did have a big day yesterday. That could be it. Still a little in awe myself that I actually pulled it off. I had some close calls back there, Wedge."

"No kidding," he agreed, standing up. "Well, I'd better get going. It's about time for me to start my rounds. I'll send a message to Biggs later and tell him what you did last night. If it's okay with you, that is. Or do you wanna do it yourself instead?"

I walked him to the door. "Nah, you're good. Go ahead and fill him in for me. I've got a lot of work to do today."

Wedge gave me a thumbs up. "Sure thing. See ya, Jessie!"

"Bye, Wedge!" I smiled.

I watched him go for a moment and waved as he headed down the street toward the outskirts, and then I closed the door, went behind my desk again, and sat back down. As I switched on my computer and got ready to work, my thoughts went back to Cloud, and I wondered when I'd see him again. I hoped it'd be soon, but there was no way to tell. So I took out my tablet, scanned today's work orders, and got started on my first repair of the day. I hummed softly to myself as I worked, focusing well enough on the job and what I was doing.

But Cloud never left my mind.