Fire and Ice

Denzel wrestled his arm out of Reno's grasp. "Alright, I'm coming. Jeez. You don't have to drag me."

Reno smacked a fist against a side door in the hallway. It flew open, and he gestured for Denzel to go ahead. It was a classroom, unused and dark. Denzel scowled and walked in ahead of him. He couldn't find the light switch, but a moment later it switched on, and he spun around to see Reno nearly on top of him.

"Tell me how you knew," he demanded.

"What?" Denzel stumbled backwards. "How I knew what?"

"How did you know what was happening with Eleanor?"

"Ms. Joya?" Denzel asked, steadying himself on a desk at his back. "I just…I saw it. Through her eyes. And her mind. I could hear what she was thinking and…" he shuddered. "It was awful."

"Uh huh. Right. Supposedly your Jenova skill," Reno said.

Denzel scowled. "I don't care whether you believe me or not."

"You should," Reno said with a smirk. "I was telling the truth about you hanging on by a thread." He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "So convince me you're the real thing. Tell me exactly what happened and what you saw."

Denzel sighed and dropped into an empty chair. "Fine. I was looking around for Marlene because Lexi was getting bad feelings from her. When we found her, she said she had been with Dr. Chuck and she was real spacey, like the way you are after the pentothal. So I knew he was doing something bad to her, and I was going to uh…confront him, but then I got hit with this vision of Ms. Joya. She was climbing up on the railing, thinking about…you know." Denzel grimaced. "So I told Lexi and Marlene, and they went to find her. After the vision had passed, I ran for the fire escape. That's when you saw me."

Reno hooked a chair with his foot and turned it around, then straddled it, facing Denzel. "So let's say I believe you. How do you know if something is supposed to be happening right then, or at some vague point in the future, like with your visions during the disciplinary hearing?"

"I don't always," Denzel said. "But that one just felt…really urgent. And I had to at least check, didn't I? If it was happening later, I'd still have time to stop it. But if it wasn't, and I was too late…"

Reno nodded slowly. "Makes sense, yo. So what about Cloud?"

Denzel blinked. "Cloud? What about him?"

"What kinda stuff have you seen that has to do with Cloud?"

"Uh…I don't know. Different things. Nothing to do with you, though."

"What about Jenova?" He seemed totally at ease, leaning easily on the back of the chair.

"I already told you what I've seen," Denzel said, the scowl starting to re-form. "You didn't believe me."

But his eyes were sharp. "I want to know what you saw with both Cloud and Jenova, yo."

"What? They have nothing to do with each other. He's not one of the Jenova kids."

"But he does have her cells, doesn't he?" Reno pressed. "The S-cells? Come on kid, you said you knew about this."

"I…I do…" Denzel said, flustered. "I mean, I don't know everything, but…"

Reno sighed, looking annoyed. "Jenova needs a host to do anything. You know that, right? But none of you kids show any signs of being a host. And she's gonna look for the strongest host she can. Her consciousness can only possess one person at a time, and Cloud seems to have dropped off the map. You see what I'm getting at, kid?"

Denzel spoke slowly. "You think…her consciousness is in Cloud?"

"Hey, you ain't as dumb as you look, yo. So I want to know what you've seen that connects them. Anything, even if it didn't seem related at the time."

Denzel traced the diamond patterns of the floor with his eyes, letting his mind wander back to his sketchbook, to those pages he'd torn out before showing it to Dr. Chuck. "There were…a lot of bodies," Denzel said. "Like a pile of people around him. They were faceless, like it didn't matter who they were. Maybe they were people he couldn't save. Those always bother him. And there was this other one…it was here, in Hubble House. In the cafeteria. It was me and Cloud, standing there facing each other. Both of our heads were tipped back and there was this cloud of something floating above our heads and going into our mouths. But…it doesn't make sense," Denzel said, looking back at Reno. "Cloud doesn't come to Hubble House anymore, and it never happened. So…maybe it means something else. I don't really understand them all the time."

Reno was staring at him intently. "Anything else?"

Denzel looked down at his hands and shook his head. "I don't know."

Suddenly, a cold white hand grasped his jaw, pulling his head up. "You're holding something back, kid. This is important, yo."

"There's nothing else," Denzel insisted, staring defiantly back at hard turquoise eyes.

Before he knew what happened, Reno had pulled him up from the chair by his shirt and backed him to the wall, one arm pressed against his throat. "You're lying. I can always tell when someone's lying."

"H-hey! Quit it!" Denzel tried to pry off his arm, but the man was deceptively strong. "It's not important to you, ok? It's personal."

"I'll decide what's important to me," Reno said. Any trace of the taunting, joking guard was gone. At that moment, Denzel became painfully aware that Reno could kill him if he wanted, and he probably wouldn't even bat an eye.

"F-fine! Just let me go!"

Reno stared at Denzel a moment longer before releasing him. "Damn man. You don't have to be so violent," Denzel said, rubbing his neck.

Suddenly, Reno grinned. "You gotta play to your strengths, yo."

Denzel straightened his shirt. "Whatever, man. You're giving me whiplash." He sighed and closed his eyes, calling up the image as easily as if he were seeing it for the first time. "It's just him and me. I'm lying on the floor and I…don't look good. He's on his knees next to me, kind of hunched over and…crying."

"You dead, yo?"

Denzel opened his eyes and glared at the guard. "I don't know. I…think so. And that's it, ok? I don't know where or when, or even if I'm really dead. I don't know why Cloud would be crying. I don't know where everyone else is. Happy now?"

Reno was staring straight through him. "No. Not really." He frowned. "I'm done with you now, kid. Scram."

The cramped trio pulled into a parking space in an underground garage. Tifa had hardly moved back before Jo had scrambled off the seat, getting as far away from Cloud as possible. He tried not to take it personally.

"Um…this is where I live," he said, pocketing the keys and walking ahead of them. He knew Jo had been through a lot, even before she saw him slicing up Ricky. Of course she would be scared of him. The best thing he could do now was keep his distance and let Tifa handle her.

Stay away from me! You're a monster!

Cloud didn't know whether he called up the memory himself or whether Jenova was getting her rocks off torturing him, but it didn't matter. Those words would haunt him forever. They haunted him because he was afraid they were true.

He could justify his actions in Junon because it wasn't really him. He'd had a moment of weakness and let Jenova take over, and that was a mistake. But she had been the one in control when he sliced up the Zoloms. But with Ricky…she had offered to take over, and Cloud had refused. He wanted to be the one to make Ricky pay. He wanted to be there to witness every scream, every cry, to make sure he suffered as much as he deserved. He had made every decision, orchestrated every cut. So maybe he was a monster. Maybe he had already lost himself to Jenova. With every batch of cells he absorbed from the kids, she was growing stronger. If he managed to absorb them all, would he even have the strength to do what needed to be done?

Finally, they reached the shiny brass numbers of apartment sixteen. Cloud pressed his thumb against the pad next to the door. The loud click of an electronic deadbolt sounded. He opened the door and gestured for them to go ahead. Tifa put an arm around Jo's shoulder and pulled her forward with her.

"It'll be fine, honey. We're just going to clean up and get something to eat here, ok? Then we—" Her jaw dropped as Deanna rushed in from the living room.

"Ja—" Deanna skidded to a stop, staring, open mouthed at Tifa and Jo.

"You."

Tifa rushed forward and twisted Deanna's arm sharply behind her back. Deanna screamed as her face was squashed against the kitchen wall.

Cloud quickly shut the door. "Tifa! Tifa, it's ok. Let her go."

Tifa looked a little deranged, and for the first time, Cloud realized that maybe she wasn't in a sound state of mind.

"Tifa…this is Deanna," he said, softly and calmly. He approached her slowly, like a frightened animal. Tifa had been through a lot, and Deanna's unexpected appearance must have been more than she could handle. He should have warned her that Deanna was there, but he honestly hadn't thought about it. Now he just needed to make sure nothing would trigger her.

"Oh I know who she is," Tifa said sharply. "But do you know, Cloud? Do you know what kind of person your girlfriend is?"

She jerked her arm for emphasis, and Deanna screamed again.

"Tifa, stop!" Cloud put his arms around Tifa and lifted her off her feet, pulling her back. It was one more wrench on Deanna's shoulder, but then Tifa lost her grip and began struggling against him in earnest.

"Cloud! Let me go!" Her heel drove into his shin repeatedly, and he winced, but didn't release her.

"Hey. Settle down, Teef." She bucked and squirmed against his grip. Her arms were pinned down, but it didn't stop her lethal heels from trying to dent his tibia. "Just relax. Let's talk about this, ok?"

Tifa finally stopped flailing. "Fine. Fine! Just put me down."

He loosened his arms so she could put her feet on the ground. Tifa pushed his arms away and backed up against the wall, her fists tight at her sides. Rogue strands of her hair fell in front of her face, including an inexplicable thick grey streak. Her lower lip bled from the puncture of a sharp tooth. She looked unstable. "Jo…Jo, stay away from her," Tifa said, her voice shaky.

Cloud looked over at where Jo and Deanna stood, holding each other tightly. Deanna was gingerly trying to move the shoulder Tifa had been stressing.

"No!" Jo yelled. "Leave her alone, Tifa."

Tifa must have realized how crazy she looked. She stood up straight and smoothed down her hair. "I'm sorry, Jo. I didn't mean to scare you. But this woman…isn't safe."

Jo just stared back at her with distrust. She didn't back away from Deanna, and Deanna wasn't letting her go, either.

"Tifa," Cloud said, recapturing her attention. "Deanna hired me to find Jo."

Tifa's mouth opened and then closed again. "She…hired you?"

"Yes."

"So what, you're doing mercenary work again?"

Cloud shrugged. "I guess."

"Ok," Tifa said, rubbing her face wearily. "Ok. So she's paying you to rescue Jo?"

Cloud rubbed the back of his neck. "Not…exactly."

Tifa looked like she'd been punched in the gut. "I see," she said evenly.

The mocking laughter in his head was like nails on a chalkboard. 'Ohoho! Now she's judging you! That's rich.'

"That's not what I…Tifa, wait!" Tifa had already turned away and began walking toward the hallway. He followed after her, reaching for her shoulder. "It's not what you think."

Tifa brushed him off. "It's fine, Cloud. I just…would really like a shower. If I can just get cleaned up, I'll get out of your hair."

'Good riddance.'

"You're leaving?" Cloud gaped at her back. "Why? Why did you come all this way?"

She stopped walking, but she didn't turn around. "I thought you…might need me. But you seem to be fine. So." She continued on to the bathroom.

He followed behind her. "Wait. Can we talk? Please?"

"Yeah. Later," she said, finally turning around and giving him a small smile. "I just really need some time to myself right now. Ok?"

"Y-yeah. Okay. We'll talk when you get out."

Tifa nodded. "Thanks," she whispered, closing the door between them.

Cloud sighed and stared at the bathroom door until he heard the shower start up. It occurred to him then that she had nothing to wear except the filthy, tattered dress, so he went back into the kitchen. "Hey Dee, do you—"

Deanna had her hand on the doorknob. She jumped and turned around guiltily when she heard his voice. Jo moved closer to her.

"What's going on? Are you leaving already?"

"Yeah. I mean, it seems like Tifa doesn't really want me here, so—"

"Oh." Cloud sighed. "I'm sorry about that, Dee. She's been through a lot, and I think it was just the shock of seeing you. She'll be fine by the time she gets out of the shower."

"Did she…tell you what was bothering her?" Deanna asked timidly.

"Not really," Cloud frowned. "I think she thinks there's something between us. We'll get everything straight when she comes out. She's not ready to talk quite yet."

"Oh. Well, it's probably better if I'm not here then, anyway," she said, laughing nervously.

"No, you need to be here," Cloud insisted. "She'll have to believe me if you back me up. Anyway, I wanted to ask if she could borrow some of your clothes. She doesn't have anything to change into."

"Oh. Sure," Deanna said, after a slight pause. "I'll get something for her." As soon as she took her first step, Jo let out a little squeak and grabbed her hand. "You can come with me," Deanna said, looking down at her.

Cloud stepped aside to let the two women pass without having to get too close. He really didn't blame her.

Monster.

Lexi ran her hand along the wall as she stumbled down the long hallway toward the examination room. She really should have rested longer before continuing on, but she didn't know how much time Reno had bought her.

When she finally reached the examination room, she practically fell against the frosted glass window. Just a little farther, Lexi. You can do this. She turned the doorknob and stumbled into the room, collapsing onto the dentist's chair to catch her breath, bumping against a large glass tank that occupied a table nearby. She expected the door on the opposite end of the room to open, but by the time her heart had slowed to an acceptable speed, the doctor still hadn't appeared.

"Dr. Chuck? Hello?" There was no response from the opposite door.

She sat up in the chair, noticing for the first time that the glass tank wasn't empty. She leaned forward for a closer look. Beyond the glass lay a tiny little creature with a turtle shell. It had been skewed and dismembered in the most horrifying way. A trail of blood and guts lay in a path that led up to the little animal, as if it had attempted to crawl away while its organs fell out.

Lexi's face contorted and she looked away. She didn't know who could have done such a thing, but that wasn't what she was here for. From the session where she had tested her limits, Lexi had learned how to reverse the flow and redirect the darkness of her soul somewhere else. But she needed to find out if there was a way to redirect the darkness into something other than another person, and she couldn't remember most of her sessions. Only Dr. Chuck could tell her what she needed to know.

She stood up and walked around the tank until she reached the office door, then tapped it lightly with her knuckles. "Dr. Chuck?" There was no answer. She turned the knob. The door swung open to a tiny office. It was empty, but the lights were on. The walls were lined with shelves containing jars of unidentifiable substances. Next to the door, a messy desk faced the wall. In the far corner was the old, battered filing cabinet that had been collateral damage of Denzel's rage. Normally she wouldn't even consider snooping, but this might be the only chance she would get to find out what they had learned about her abilities. And if she couldn't talk to Dr. Chuck, well…

The drawers were labeled alphabetically. She scanned the labels until she found the one that included her last name. She pulled on the handle, but the drawer didn't budge. Lexi frowned, spotting the lock at the top of the cabinet. There had to be a key around there somewhere. She spun around to look at the polished wooden desk behind her. Her eye caught on a file left sitting out – WALLACE, M.

Lexi fingered the folder speculatively. It seemed like an invasion of Marlene's privacy to look at her medical records. But then again, Marlene didn't remember what had been done to her down there. What if it was something bad? What if there was something Marlene needed to know? Before she could talk herself out of it, she flipped open the folder.

It was thicker than she would have expected, considering that he had only seen Marlene once. It was stuffed with instant photographs. They were shot from above, apparently on some kind of automated timer. The first few appeared relatively innocent. Marlene was seated on the dental chair, unrestrained. She seemed to be having a comfortable chat with the doctor. The next one showed the doctor fastening her bindings. Marlene looked worried, but still alright. They became concerning. Marlene defiant. Angry. From that point forward, they were increasingly horrifying. Marlene crying, struggling, screaming, bleeding…

Lexi's head snapped up with the loud click of the examination room door. She shoved the pictures back into the file and closed it, darting back to the office door.

Dr. Chiro stopped. "Lexi? What were you doing in my office?"

"Oh, I just poked my head in to look for you. I've been sitting here for a while, waiting for our appointment, and it finally occurred to me to check your office."

"We have an appointment?" Dr. Chiro frowned.

"Yes," Lexi lied smoothly. "Maybe I was a bit early. Was it supposed to be at 2:30 or 3?"

"Hm." The doctor scratched his chin. "I must have forgotten to write it down. Well, what can I do for you, Lexi?"

"Jacob?"

Cloud lifted his head from his hands. "Huh?"

Deanna's hand was on his shoulder, and she peered down at him with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Cloud shook his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Did you find some clothes for her?"

"Yes. I left them outside the bathroom door."

"Thanks," he said, sitting back in his chair with a heavy sigh.

She sat down across from him at the table. Jo was nowhere in sight. "So, I was just wondering…were you planning to tell Tifa about us?"

"Us? What us?"

Deanna looked hurt. "What about those two nights where—"

Cloud looked quickly in the direction of the hallway, but there was no sign of Tifa. "Look, Deanna." He spoke quickly, worried that she would come out and overhear something. "I'm sorry that happened. To be honest, the night we had the Rainbow, my head was really fucked up and I didn't understand what was happening until things got out of hand. I know that's a shitty excuse, but it's the truth. And the other time, you know it was Jenova making me see things that weren't really there."

"Are you talking about that voice in your head again?" Deanna asked.

Cloud let out a breath through his nose. "Yes."

"Does she believe you when you talk about that?"

"Tifa? Of course she does. She was there when—"

"Because I think you're using that as an excuse."

"An excuse?" Cloud asked sharply.

"Oh, I'm sure you believe it," she said, her eyes wide with compassion. "But I was there. You saw me. You touched me."

"Deanna—"

She reached across the table and grasped his hand. "I think it's something you tell yourself so you don't feel guilty, but…you wanted me, Jacob. You know you did. You don't have to lie to yourself anymore. You're a grown man. There's nothing binding you to her. Just tell her the truth."

'What a tangled web we weave…'

Cloud pulled his hand away and swore under his breath. "Ok, look. I'm really sorry if I misled you. But…"

"Because I love you. And I can see you love me too, Jacob."

Cloud blinked, temporarily derailed. "You—what?"

The click of the bathroom door ended their conversation abruptly. Tifa padded down the hall wearing blue jeans and a soft pink sweater, looking much more like herself, and much more together. Her feet were bare, and her long, wet locks had been finger-combed. All traces of blood and neglect had been washed down the drain.

Cloud stood up quickly. "Hey, Teef. Are you feeling any better?"

Tifa smiled slightly and nodded. "Much more like myself."

"Do you want some coffee or something?" He gestured toward a fancy brass machine that vaguely resembled a coffee maker. "I don't know how to make it, but…"

"I'm fine, Cloud." She pulled up a chair between Cloud and Deanna, and he sat down again slowly. "I'd like to talk about what your girlfriend did to me."

"My—Tifa. She's not my girlfriend. I told you, I was just trying to help her get Jo away from N…Ricky."

"Is that why she sent me there?" Tifa asked. "To help Jo?" Her voice was perfectly calm and reasonable, but there was a danger in her eyes that Cloud recognized.

Still, it took him a moment to process what she was saying. "When did you meet Deanna?" Then the rest of it sunk in. "Wait, she did what?"

"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Tifa asked with mock cheerfulness. "I've been here before, Cloud. I tracked you down and came to your apartment, but you were at work. She was a lovely hostess, told me all about your relationship and took me on a walk."

Cloud scowled. "It's not–"

"The next thing I know, I'm being assaulted by six men in suits and accused of killing someone." Tifa was clearly trying to be composed, but the hand resting on the table shook in stuttering bursts. "I've never even heard of this Brother and I'd barely arrived to the compound, so why would they think it was me?"

Cloud looked at the woman across the table. "Deanna?" he asked in disbelief.

Deanna's face was pale. "They must have mistaken you for–"

"But then they asked her to confirm I was the one, and she said yes. And I realized she had been stalling to give them time to reach us." She pinned Deanna with her gaze. "It was clearly an ambush."

Deanna's eyes were beginning to fill up with tears. "Ja…Cloud. I did it for us. I just wanted us to have a fair shot."

Cloud stood up fast, tipping his chair over, sending it clattering against the hardwood floor. "I told you, there is no us." He pushed a hand through his hair, jerking a few strands loose from the ponytail. "When…when did this even happen?"

A few tears overflowed and trickled down her cheeks. "It was only a few weeks ago! I didn't know—"

"A few weeks?" He looked over at Tifa. "You've been with Ricky all that time?"

Her mouth was a hard line as she nodded.

His accusing eyes turned back to Deanna. "You knew she was important to me. You knew I was worried about her. And you sat here night after night, pretending nothing had happened?"

"You don't understand," Deanna said, bursting into tears. "I was afraid you would get distracted and leave Jo to rot in there!"

"So you sent Tifa to rot with her?" Cloud was well aware that he was yelling now, even though he knew better. He couldn't allow himself to get so angry, because with his strength, the consequences would be devastating.

"I didn't know they would send her there!" Deanna insisted, sobbing freely now. "Please, please don't be mad. I knew she would be on the camera coming in at the gates and they would know she didn't kill Dameon. I thought they would question her and then let her go, and I just needed some time to—"

"Some time to what?" Cloud demanded.

"To…figure out what was happening between us."

"But you never did," Cloud said flatly. "Did you? Come on, Dee. When she never came back, you had to know something was wrong. And still, you never told me she was here."

"Because I was afraid of this! I was afraid of how you would react!"

"You should be afraid," he said, coldly furious, starting around the table toward her.

"W-what's wrong with your eyes?" Deanna fell back a few steps. "I-I'm sorry! Please don't…" She cowered in his shadow, her hands coming up to protect her face.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he realized she truly was afraid of him, and he just didn't care. Without any kind of conscious decision, his arm came up, his fist clenched.

"Cloud." Tifa touched his wrist, and the fire dimmed. He turned to look at her. She held his eyes and shook her head. He lowered his arm slowly, horrified to realize what he had almost done. The anger cooled to a dull burn.

Deanna had dropped to her knees and held her hands together like a prayer. "I-I'm sorry, Jacob! I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

"Get out," he said, his voice suddenly quiet.

"W-what?" Deanna looked up at him, her face streaked with tears.

"I did what I promised. The contract is complete. I don't ever want to see your face again."

"J-j…."

"Get out…before I change my mind," he said, the room dimming as his eyes flared.

"Leave her alone!" A small figure ran past and clung to Deanna, shielding her from Cloud. "I know what you are," she said fiercely. "I won't let you hurt her."

"Jo!" Tifa stood up and reached for the girl, but Jo had pulled Deanna to her feet and was steadily drawing her toward the door.

"We're leaving," Jo said firmly. "Just leave us alone."

Tifa ran around behind Cloud and grabbed Jo's other hand. "Jo, wait!" she begged desperately. "You can't go with her!"

Jo looked at her sadly. "Where else am I going to go, Tifa?"

"With…with us!" she said. "We have room. Right, Cloud?"

"Tifa…" Jo's eyes flickered to him, and he saw her flinch.

"We can take her in!" Tifa insisted. Her gaze turned to Deanna. "Is that what you want for her? You want her to grow up to be a…be like you? We can get her help! We can give her the future you can't. You know you can't!"

Deanna stared back at her wordlessly, her eyes rimmed with red, her face blank.

"Tifa," Jo said softly, drawing Tifa's gaze back to her. "None of that matters. Remember what you said about family?"

Tifa nodded frantically. "Of course I do. It's the most important thing there is."

"Deanna is my family."

"But…" Tifa's mouth opened and closed, and then her shoulders slumped in defeat. If Jo truly felt that way, she would never tear them apart.

"Tifa–" Cloud took a step toward her, but Jo jerked back in fear, and he stopped. He stepped back again and put his hands in his pockets, hoping that would seem less threatening.

Keeping her eyes glued to him, Jo released Deanna's hand and gave Tifa a quick hug.

"I won't ever forget you, Tifa," Jo said. "But…this is my life." She released Tifa and returned to Deanna's side. "This is where I belong."

"Jo, please…"

Jo opened the door, turning around to give Tifa one last sad smile.

"Jo!"

"Goodbye, Tifa."

Denzel walked out of the classroom with a buzzing head. Reno was not at all like he had thought. He wasn't a lazy, stupid guard. Cloud had told him long ago that these guys were Turks, in charge of black ops and intelligence for Shinra. If that was true – and up to this point, he had found it hard to believe – then maybe the things he said about Cloud were true. Maybe Jenova was using him as a host, and maybe that was the reason he had left. But Denzel had no way of knowing where he was now. Visitors were no longer allowed at Hubble House. They had been completely cut off from the outside world, and for the first time, Denzel realized he was homesick. He wanted to eat Tifa's cooking. He wanted to do sword practice with Cloud. He wanted the noise of the bar below his bedroom, keeping him awake, and the smell of beer and grease sunk into his clothes.

He rounded the corner to the common room and spotted Lexi, still sitting in the chair where he left her. But instead of the sickly shadow of a girl he'd left behind, she was once again the bright, vivacious girl that frequented his dreams.

"Whoa! I guess it worked better this time, huh?" Denzel scanned the room. "Where did she go?"

"Who?" Lexi asked.

"Marlene. She came and healed you, right?"

"Oh. I don't know. I think she had workgroup or something, but I wanted to wait for you." She popped up to her feet. "What did the guard want?"

Denzel's face darkened. "Let's go back to the dorms. I need to talk to you in private."

"I think Alicia is in mine," Lexi said with a bit of a scowl.

"Let's try mine," Denzel said, taking her hand and pulling her forward. After a few steps, he paused and looked back at her. "I mean…if that's ok with you. Being alone in my room."

Lexi's cheeks turned a vibrant pink. "Yeah. It's ok," she said.

Denzel smiled slightly and began walking again. "I need my sketchpad anyway. There are some images in my head that I need to get out."

They reached Denzel's room, finding it empty. They had probably missed a workgroup or training they were supposed to be attending, but Denzel didn't care. He sat down at the end of his bed and opened his foot trunk. Underneath the layers of extra sheets and the generic scrubs they all had to wear, he unearthed his sketchpad.

Lexi sat on one of his roommate's beds to watch. Denzel flipped open the pad to a blank page and closed his eyes. He had learned that he could "see" the images much easier this way, and his eyes on the paper only seemed to muddle his drawing. His hand flew across the page, back and forth, the pencil leaving its graphite marks in the familiar silhouette of Alicia, the warrior princess.

When he was finished, he opened his eyes to see the final product. Like a timid mouse, Lexi had moved over to sit beside him on the bed while he drew.

There were dozens of Alicias, except that they weren't really her. Her body was familiar, with the skimpy symbolic armor on her modelesque figure, but it wasn't her face. She had many different faces, although none of them looked quite right.

"Are those all Alicia?" Lexi asked, tilting her head to study the picture. "Why is she wearing so many masks?"

Denzel squinted and looked closer. They were indeed masks, barely discernible by the poorly rounded corners. He hadn't picked out that detail in his head, but it was clear in the graphite markings. "I think so," he said. "What do you think it means?"

Lexi chewed on her thumbnail. "Well, she's wearing that weird armor, so it has to be something to do with Jenova's army, right? But why the masks? Can she fool Jenova?"

"I don't know," Denzel said. "Alicia said something about these abilities originally being Jenova's, so she must be able to see through them, right?"

"Maybe it's not meant to be literal," Lexi said. "Maybe it just means that she acts differently around different people."

"Maybe," Denzel said. "But why am I seeing this? What am I supposed to do with it?"

Lexi shrugged. "Maybe nothing. Maybe it's a warning, or a clue. If Jenova had visions like this, what was their purpose?"

"I don't know," Denzel sighed. "She must have had the ability to understand them better. Half the time I don't know what these have to do with me anyway."

"At least your ability doesn't hurt you," Lexi said. "Mine is useless. It's more like a curse than a skill."

"Yeah." Denzel scanned her face. "You look a lot better, though. Maybe Marlene can just keep healing you until we can figure out a cure."

"Curses can't be cured," Lexi said darkly. "They can only be passed on."

"I guess," Denzel said uncertainly. "Have you thought any more about what I said before? About spreading it among a bunch of people? I've been thinking about people that we could trust to–"

"No," Lexi interrupted, then softened it with a smile. "I don't want to talk about that right now. I want to know what that guard wanted with you."

"Oh." Denzel frowned. "He wanted to know how I knew what was happening to Ms. J. He didn't believe me about the visions before, but I think he does now."

"That's good news, right?" Lexi asked. "Isn't he on the disciplinary committee?"

Denzel nodded. "All the staff are."

"Then why do you still look so broody?"

Denzel cracked a smile. "Broody? Really? Am I like 'Cloud broody'?"

Lexi laughed. "Ahh, no. Cloud is in a class of his own, brood-wise." She reached over shyly, trailing her fingers along his arm. "I just don't like to see you sad."

A tingling thrill followed the touch of her fingers. His eyes were immediately drawn to her lips, which she wet nervously with her tongue.

"But you won't try to take it away, right?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly husky.

"Not…with my ability…" she said, moving her face slowly closer.

A loud pounding on the door startled them both. Denzel grimaced, then stood up to answer it. The pounding came again before he reached it. "Ok, I'm coming, I'm—" He opened the door to see Marlene, red faced and panting. "Jeez Mar, you ok?"

"Have you seen Lexi?" Marlene asked over the top of him. "I think maybe she did something to help with Ms. J and it hurt her and—"

Denzel stepped back and opened the door the rest of the way to reveal Lexi sitting on his bed.

"Oh." Marlene visibly relaxed. "You're ok. I was really worried about you but…wait a minute." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you two in here alone?"

"He was just showing me some drawings," Lexi said in a rush, coming to join them at the door.

"Yeah but, alone?" Marlene pressed. "Do you have any idea how that looks?"

Denzel groaned. "Don't make it a bigger deal than it is, Mar. We were just looking at some drawings."

"And we didn't know where you went," Lexi added.

Marlene stuck out her bottom lip. "Fine. But I'm taking my bestie back now," she said pointedly, linking her arm with Lexi. "See you later, D!" she called, pulling Lexi out into the hall. Lexi gave him an apologetic look over her shoulder.

Denzel shut the door behind them and then let his head fall against the wood.

How are we ever going to tell her about us?

As soon as the door closed behind Deanna and Jo, her legs gave out.

"Tifa!" Cloud caught her swiftly before she hit the ground. "Are you ok?"

Tifa blinked several times, then got her feet firmly underneath her. "Yeah…" she said faintly. "I'll be ok. I think I just need to eat…and some water."

"Ok. I'll order some food. You need to sit down." He led her over to the couch. "Just relax, ok?"

Tifa sank into the cushions, looking distraught. "What do we do? We can't just let her go back to the streets, Cloud! She's been through so much and Deanna is-is awful! We have to help her."

Cloud sat down on the opposite arm of the couch. "We can't help her if she doesn't want our help."

"She doesn't want your help," Tifa snapped, and then instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry, Cloud, I didn't…it's not your fault."

"Yeah it is," he said grimly. "Nobody should have to see me like that. Especially a kid. But…" he shook his head slowly. "If I could go back…I think I'd still do it." He looked up and met her eyes, that solid electric blue she'd been missing for so long, now marred by the green streaks of the parasite who haunted him. "I needed him to understand what that felt like. To know he was going to die. To be helpless and totally at someone else's mercy. I was going to kill him, Tif. If you didn't wake up when you did, I would have done it. And I'm sorry she saw it but…I'm not sorry I did it."

Tifa blinked, a long, slow blink. "I understand."

"Look, maybe we can find a way to…help Jo. But not now. We have to let things cool down. Let them get settled." Cloud's brow furrowed and he stood up. "I'm gonna order some food now. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," she said wearily, waving him away. Cloud was right. They couldn't accomplish anything while Jo was so worked up and Deanna so heartbroken. He disappeared into the kitchen and she leaned her head back.

Gods, this is a soft couch. I really wouldn't mind bringing this thing home with us...

Then he was shaking her shoulder, and a delicious smell brought her back awake.

"Food's here," he said, opening several small boxes on the coffee table in front of her.

Tifa sat up. "Oh! I didn't mean to fall asleep. We can eat at the table like civilized people."

Cloud smiled wryly and handed her a clean plate. "The kids aren't here. Why bother being civilized?"

She chuckled. "Fair point. Let's eat in the living room."

It really was difficult for her to be civilized. She had no idea how long she'd been without food. She was so, so hungry, and the aroma wafting out of the boxes had awakened her stomach. She did take the time to put the food on her plate before inhaling it, however. She wasn't an animal, for Gaia's sake.

Cloud sat down on the armchair next to the couch and stared at her intently.

"What?" she asked, looking up at him with a mouthful of food. "Aren't you going to eat?"

He shrugged. "Maybe later."

"Cloud, you're always hungry, and you ordered enough food for ten people. Please eat."

The corners of his lips quirked up. "Ok." He dished up a bit of food, but he didn't seem very interested in it. He pushed it around his plate with a spoon without even looking.

"And can you please stop staring at me like that?" she said, wiping a bit of sauce from her chin. "You're making me really self-conscious."

"Sorry," he said softly. "You're just so beautiful."

Tifa rolled her eyes, but Cloud was already back-tracking, stumbling over his words. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't…" he stood up with his plate. "I'm not trying to…" He sighed. "Sorry."

He disappeared into the kitchen with his plate, and Tifa looked after him with a frown. What was that all about?

She stood up with her empty plate, feeling pleasantly full but weary down to her bones. She carried it through the living room, but she couldn't get it to the sink.

Cloud was standing there. He was staring out the window, unmoving.

"Cloud? Are you…" He was as still as a statue. She walked up behind him. "Cloud?" Still, he didn't respond. She put a hand on his back, sinking her fingers into the rough fabric. Then she moved it up to the back of his neck. "Cl—"

"Ahh!" Cloud spun around quickly. "Damn, Tifa. Don't sneak up on me like that."

Tifa's brow furrowed. "Sorry…" she said. "Can you come back into the living room?" She gave him a gentle smile. "I want to talk, but your couch is so comfortable. Where did you even find it?"

He nodded and followed her back to the living room. "I didn't. It came with the place."

"Ah. Well, that makes sense," Tifa chuckled. "It really doesn't seem like your style."

"Do you really want to talk about my furniture?" Cloud asked.

Tifa cleared her throat and sat down on the luxurious couch. She sat on the left, leaving the right for him, because that's how they always sat at home. "I don't know…" she said. "I just want to talk to you." She smiled timidly. "I miss my friend."

As usual, his face showed nothing, but she was an expert at reading his eyes. That was pain.

Instead of joining her on the couch, he sat in the armchair, the piece of furniture the farthest away from her.

"Cloud. Talk to me," she pleaded, leaning forward. "I can tell something's bothering you. Whatever it is, we'll work through it together."

"I just…" He looked down at his hands, then back up at her. "I'm sorry, Tifa. I'm so sorry I got you into this, and I'm sorry I didn't realize you were there sooner."

"It's not your fault," she said. "You had no way of knowing."

"But I should have," he said forcefully. "I should have stayed in contact with you. I should have tracked you down as soon as I lost my old phone. I shouldn't have gotten wrapped up in pretending I was someone else."

Tifa rubbed her eyes. "And I shouldn't have sent you away to deal with Jenova on your own. We should have dealt with it together. Maybe then you wouldn't have had to go looking for comfort…somewhere else."

Cloud massaged his forehead wearily. "I told you, it wasn't like that. Deanna was a client. That's all."

Tifa chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, well. That's not what she said."

Cloud grimaced. "I know. She wanted it to be more, but it wasn't like that."

"I can see how she could be getting mixed signals," Tifa said. "You wouldn't even help out your childhood friend for free, but you did it for her. And it looks an awful lot like she's been living here, Cloud. What did you expect?"

"Fuck, Tifa, I don't know! I didn't plan for things to happen that way." He let his head fall back against the chair and stared up at the ceiling. "When she told me about Jo, I couldn't stop thinking about Marlene. I knew she didn't have any money and she didn't have anyone else. And I knew I could help her."

…She needed him. The realization struck Tifa hard. Cloud needs to feel needed. And when was the last time I needed him? I've always wanted to be strong, never to rely on someone else. And I sent him away like he was a problem I didn't want to deal with.

Tifa reached for him, let her hand rest on his. "Cloud…I don't blame you. The way we ended things in Edge…it wasn't exactly clear where we stood. And then we stopped talking. So if you wanted to move on…"

Cloud looked pained. "But I didn't."

"Ok. I believe you." Tifa smiled softly. Cloud never was the most astute with picking up on social cues. It was entirely believable that he didn't think about how things would look to another woman, or that he wouldn't pick up on her feelings. "I don't want to argue anymore. We need to pack up and get out of here tomorrow, right? Maybe we should call it a night."

"Yeah," Cloud nodded. He stood up and shifted between his feet. "I think I have a spare toothbrush for you in the bathroom. Let me go look."

"Ok." Tifa let her head sink into the cushions as she watched him walk away. She saw the tension in the set of his shoulders and wished she could take it away. At least they were together again. Now everything would be alright.

"I'm so glad you're feeling better, Lexi," Marlene chattered as they walked back to the girls' wing. "When I saw you after we brought Ms. Joya back in, I thought you looked a little sick again, but you look fine now. Maybe it was just the lighting after being outside. Anyway, do you think your dorm is empty? It seems like the first time since I got here that there isn't some kind of crisis going on, and there's so much to catch up on! I mean, you were here for months without me, there must have been something happening. I was so sick of listening to Daddy drone on about the Planet and different energy sources and lecturing me on how bad all boys were…not like there were any around the trailer park where we lived anyway, and there was just nothing to do. I actually missed all the chores Tifa used to make me do. I even started to wish Denzel was there so I didn't have to be so miserable alone!"

Lexi didn't even crack a smile, and Marlene paused. "And then I grew a giant beanstalk and lost my virginity and killed a man and….Lexi! Are you even listening to me?"

Lexi jumped a little and smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry. I guess I was a little spaced out. What were you saying?"

Marlene rolled her eyes and sighed. "Nothing. I just wanted to know what's been happening around here."

They reached Lexi's room. Marlene reached for the handle, but Lexi stopped her, pressing her ear against the hardwood door.

"Alicia and Bethany are in there. Let's go to your room."

"So what?" Marlene said. "Maybe we can all hang out together."

"Let's just go to yours," Lexi said. "I want—"

Before they could move on, the door opened. Bethany stood in the doorway, eyeing them both. "Oh. Hey guys."

"Hi!" Marlene responded. "Is it ok if we hang out here?

Bethany looked back at Alicia, who shrugged. "It's Lexi's room too," she said.

Marlene bit her lip, disheartened by the noncommittal response. She really thought Alicia liked her. She thought she might have a chance at some popularity if the older girl treated her like a friend in public. But maybe she was just being nice because of Denzel. Even though he said they weren't together, Alicia sure acted like they were. Maybe she thought cozying up to his little sister would make him like her again.

Lexi and Marlene sat down on Lexi's bed. "Can I braid your hair?" Marlene asked.

Lexi smiled. "Yeah! We haven't done that in ages."

Lexi moved to the floor and leaned against the bed, and Marlene sat above her. She began running her fingers through the silky brown strands. They were healthy and strong, nothing like the limp, pathetic strings they had been when she got there. "I'm really glad Ms. J. let you use her to get rid of the bad stuff."

"I'm not," Lexi mumbled.

"But you seem so much better now," Marlene insisted. "And she got past it, just like we knew she would, right?"

"Marlene," Lexi said softly. "She could've died. She was going to kill herself."

"Wait, what?" Alicia interrupted. "Did you say Ms. J. tried to kill herself?"

Marlene looked up, although her hands continued expertly twisting the strands. "Yeah," she said solemnly. "She was going to jump from the fifteenth floor balcony. I had to talk her out of it. It was really scary."

Alicia's brow was furrowed. "That's…weird. I never would have guessed she would be so impulsive. And she didn't really seem depressed."

Marlene shrugged. "Sometimes people are really good at hiding it when they're depressed. And…maybe something happened to trigger her. I mean, how well do we know her, really?"

"Yeah, that's true." Alicia put her hands on her hips. "Who really knows anyone? Sometimes, people act really innocent, like they don't know what they're doing when they steal your boyfriend."

"What?" Marlene asked. "Did Ms. J have a boyfriend?" Her eyes widened. "Maybe that's what triggered her! But who was it? It would have to be someone here, right? Maybe it was that bald guard that wears sunglasses inside. She seems to get a little more clumsy when he's around. Ooh, or what about that weird group leader with the bad comb-over?"

She looked down at Lexi, hoping her friend would indulge her in some imaginative theorizing, but Lexi was completely disengaged, picking idly at the carpet between her legs.

Before she could press any further, they were interrupted by a pounding at the door. Alicia pulled it open. Her body was blocking the view from the girls on the bed, but the person at the door sounded breathless, like he'd been running.

"Is Marlene in here?"

"I'm here," Marlene said, getting off the bed and walking around behind Alicia. A vaguely familiar boy with red hair and freckles stood there, leaning against the door frame to catch his breath. "What is it?"

"Ms. Joya needs you." The boy began walking quickly back the way he came and Marlene chased after him down the hall.

"Is she ok?" Marlene asked, trotting to keep up with him.

"Yeah, she's fine. But Eve got some really bad scratches from one of the chocobos."

Marlene paused. "Isn't that what Dr. Chuck is here for?"

"We can't find him," the boy said. "His office was locked. Ms. J said you could help her." He glanced back at Marlene. "I didn't know Jenova gave anyone healing powers."

"No, I um…" Marlene shook her head. It would be easier to let him make assumptions than to try to explain something she didn't understand herself. "I'm just really good with healing materia."

The boy practically tripped over his own feet. "Materia?!"

"Yes. Materia," Marlene said flatly. "It's not the same as liquefied mako. They don't release toxins into the air. They are naturally formed and absolutely, completely safe." She was so sick of people fearing something they couldn't be bothered to understand.

"Uh. Ok." The boy skidded to a stop in front of a classroom. "She's in there," he said, nodding uneasily at the door.

"You're not coming in?" Marlene asked.

"Nah," the boy said, backing away.

Marlene scoffed and pushed open the door. A cluster of coffee tables had been pushed together and covered with a blanket to create a makeshift cot. A slight, pale girl lay there crying, bleeding heavily from several cuts. They were going to have to throw out that blanket.

Marlene began seeking the wounds before she even reached the girl. The scratches were deep, but not fatal. Marlene had seen much worse after the monster attack on Edge. Wrapping her hand around the stone in her pocket, she followed the flow of blood toward each tear, sealing up veins and tissue. When she could no longer see clumps of platelets rushing through the bloodstream, she opened her eyes.

Eve stared at her, flexing her fingers experimentally. "That was amazing," the girl breathed, wiping away the tears covering her face. "Th-thank you!"

Ms. Joya returned with a bowl of water and began washing away the blood that now covered new, pink skin.

Marlene shrugged modestly. "Glad you're feeling better."

"You're a miracle worker, Marlene," Ms. Joya said with a fond smile. "This could have been really bad if you hadn't been here."

It really wasn't, but Marlene didn't bother to contradict her. "Umm, can we talk for a minute, Ms. J? In private?"

"Certainly," she said. "Just let me finish cleaning up Eve here and we'll leave her to get some rest."

"I don't need rest," Eve piped up. "I feel fine now."

"Lie down, child," Ms. Joya said sternly. "You've been injured, and your body needs rest."

"But—"

A stern look from the matron ended her protest. Grudgingly, Eve laid down on the bloodied blanket.

Marlene left the room and waited outside in the hallway. A few minutes later, Ms. Joya joined her.

"What is it, dear?" she asked anxiously. "Is it worse than you let on? Will Eve be alright?"

"Oh, she's fine," Marlene said. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. You seemed pretty upset earlier."

"Oh, that." Ms. Joya waved away her concerns. "I'm just fine. I really wasn't myself earlier. What in the name of the gods would drive me to do something like that? It's not like me at all."

"But—"

"Really, dear, you don't need to worry about me. I felt like a weight had been pulling me down, but whatever you did cured me completely. I felt as light as a feather after I came in. I owe you everything, sweetheart. I owe you my life." She pulled Marlene into a suffocating hug. "Now I really do need to go oversee the dinner prep. Can't leave these kids to do it alone, can we?"

"But—"

Ms. Joya bustled off toward the kitchen.

But I didn't do anything…

Cloud stared at his reflection in the mirror. The porcelain of the sink cracked under his hands, but he didn't even notice. The toothbrush was in the medicine cabinet, exactly where he knew it would be, but he had needed a few minutes away.

They were over. That's what he heard. Their status was unclear when he left Edge, and he put the nail in his coffin when he stopped taking her calls.

He'd loved her for as long as he could remember, from before he even understood what he was feeling. His heart was pounding that night on the water tower, waiting for her reaction to his news, hoping and praying that when he came back a hero, he'd be good enough for her. She would finally notice that he was more than the outcast boy next door. He would be a man, and he would sweep her off her feet.

And he'd had her. Maybe it wasn't the smooth, cool sweep he'd hoped, but she had wanted him anyway, taken him as he was, taken him back even after he'd fucked up.

But he'd taken her for granted. And when he let her go, she found someone that made her happy.

'Sometimes people fall out of love…sometimes they meet someone else and realize they're meant to be together…'

Those words stabbed into him just as hard the second time. He should have known. He should have expected it. There was always a gaggle of men hovering around Tifa, kept at bay by the threat of Cloud, if not shut down by Tifa herself. They must have swooped in like vultures when they learned he was out of the picture.

'You really believe she wasn't sleeping with anyone while you were there? While you were gone for days at a time on the road? Oh my poor Love. So naive.'

"Shut up," he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. "Just shut up and leave me alone."

He felt the sink crumbling under his fingertips and relaxed them with an effort. He needed to pull himself together. If she saw him like this, she would only feel guilty, and she didn't deserve that. It wasn't her fault.

He swiped his hands against his pants to remove the porcelain dust and stared dully at his reflection. He hated this version of himself. Just like every other version. He took a steadying breath and then opened the medicine cabinet to grab the unopened toothbrush.

"Found one," he said, walking down the hallway toward the living room. "You're–" He paused at the threshold.

Tifa was nestled into the corner of the couch with her head tipped back, making those cute little noises she refused to call snoring. Cloud smiled slightly.

'You might as well get your jollies in now, Love. You know you won't be able to touch her when she's awake.'

Cloud sighed and set the toothbrush on the coffee table. He bent down to pick her up. She snorted slightly but didn't wake. The scent of her shampoo drifted up to him, and he inhaled deeply. The feeling it gave him was warm and safe and home. But she had washed her hair in his shower. He must have subconsciously bought the same shampoo for Deanna. Ironic, because he didn't think he even knew what brand Tifa used.

He carried her into his room, wishing he could curl up next to her, to make sure she was safe and protected and near. He almost wished for their days on the road, where limited space and cold nights made a handy excuse to be close to her.

He pulled back the blankets and slid her onto the mattress. She was still wearing the jeans and sweater, but he wasn't sure if it was appropriate to undress her. He had done it many times before, knew every one of her curves intimately, but things were different now. She wasn't his anymore.

She rolled onto her side and snuggled into his pillow, sighing contentedly. He pulled the covers up and tucked them around her, then leaned down to kiss her forehead, letting his lips linger on her skin.

'Taking the high road? Could be your last chance…'

Cloud sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets, watching her sleep for just a few minutes more. Was this how it was going to be for the rest of their lives? They were going back to Edge together, but things would be different when they got back. He supposed he could move back into the office at the end of the hall. She would be sweet and kind to him, like the good friend she always was. She would smile and bring him drinks and help him whenever she could.

Cloud would sleep alone and watch from the sidelines while He cuddled with her in front of the TV. While He tickled her sides when she was trying to work. While He kissed her and held her and led her to the bedroom…

Was this just the cruelty of his imagination, or did Jenova really enjoy hurting him?

'I can't wait until we're rid of her again.'

Cloud left the room and pulled the door shut. "What is your problem with her?" he demanded once he was sure she wouldn't be disturbed.

'Do you really have to ask, Love? She always hurts you. She makes you feel awful. Did you forget already? Do you want me to remind you of the conversation in the garage? Or do you have another favorite? I have them all, you know. I have perfect recall and I can play them back just like they happened.'

Cloud made a frustrated noise and yanked the rubber band out of his hair. It was too long to be worn the way he used to, but like always, it tried its best to fight gravity, standing up on the top of his head.

"I don't need this right now," he said, pushing it out of his face as he walked toward the living room. "Could you just shut up and leave me alone for once?"

'I'm trying to help you, Love. I really don't understand why you choose to hurt yourself like this. Look, here's an argument you had almost two years ago…'

Determined, Cloud sat down in his favorite chair and opened the end table drawer. He prayed Deanna hadn't taken it. She didn't exactly have time to pack before she left. And sure enough, there it was – his ticket to peace and quiet.

Reno backed the trailer up to the side door, which he had taken to calling the Dungeon Entrance. The door opened and Rude emerged with his heavy burden. He shoved it between the square bales of hay in the trailer and adjusted the bales to hide it. A moment later, the passenger door of the truck opened and he climbed in.

Without a word, Reno put the truck into gear. It bumped along the grass toward the chocobo barn, then around to the back, where the greens were deposited weekly. He ground it to a stop, put it into park, and climbed out.

Rude joined him, handing him a shovel.

"Been a while since we've had to do trash duty, yo," Reno said.

"Yeah, well. Once a Turk, always a Turk," Rude said.

Reno just grunted.

"Might as well get on with it. You want head or feet?" Rude asked.

"I got the feet."

Rude nodded and began stabbing the shovel into the hard-packed dirt. Reno moved six feet away and did the same. Three feet deep, six feet long, and two feet wide was the protocol. They worked their way toward each other, shoveling steadily until only the middle was left. When there was less than a foot of undug space left between them, Reno tossed out his shovel and climbed out behind it.

"What are you doing?" Rude asked.

"You said you wanted head," Reno replied, grabbing a bale of hay from the truck and dropping it at the edge of the rectangular hole.

"This is more than finishing detail work," Rude grumbled, but he continued clearing out the remaining space.

Reno sat down on the bale of hay, letting his feet dangle into the hole. "Hey, you got any smokes?" he asked. "I'm out."

"Are you ever not out?" Rude reached into a pocket and tossed a nearly empty pack to him.

Reno shook out a cigarette and lit it, shielding the flame from the night's breeze. "Shit's expensive, yo."

He watched Rude finish the middle of the hole, then widen out any places that seemed too narrow or shallow. "You never get your side wide enough," Rude grumbled.

"That's why I always take feet," Reno said lightly, leaning his head back. "Damn, the breeze feels nice tonight."

Rude scowled up at him, sweat mixed with dirt trickling down his forehead. Since Reno had to fill the hole back in, Rude fully intended to enjoy a beer while he watched him finish.

When the hole was deemed good enough for government work, he climbed up and joined his partner, dusting off his suit jacket. "Go get the body."

"You put him in headfirst?" Reno complained. "Come on, man."

Rude just smirked and cut the rope on the bale. He spread it loosely into the hole, then turned to watch Reno struggle, unearthing the feet from the hay and tugging it backwards. Feet first was best practice for obvious reasons, but Rude knew his partner well. Reno needed to be put in his place once in a while.

Once most of the body was off the trailer, Rude grabbed the top half, and together they lugged it over to the hole and tossed it in. After adding another layer of dry straw and lighter fluid, Rude lit a match and dropped it on top.

They stood there and watched the fire. "You got any words you wanna say?" Reno asked. Even though the victims of trash duty would never get a proper funeral, they were always respectful during this solemn cremation. Turks were classy like that.

"Nah. I never really liked the guy."