Chapter 4

Happy Heart Day everyone! Here is my gift to all of you – the next chapter!

I apologize that this chapter isn't as long as the previous one, but I felt that it was better left by itself that tied in with the next section I've been working on. But alas, all of you will have to be the judges of that when I finally post it. I hope everyone enjoys – and if some of you laughed, please tell me. I've been trying to place humor in here but I don't know if it's working.

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING related to Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy XII (when it comes to Princess Ashelia's name). All copyrights and ownership belong to the respectable company of Square Enix. I am not creating this story to make money nor am I earning a profit – I simply do this as a hobby because I have a love for writing and this series (and all the other Final Fantasy games for that matter!)

~ oOo ~

Walking back to the front room, Amalia was once again greeted by the other Turks and the President. She said her quick goodbyes while Reno just nodded and headed towards the door, which he held open for her until they were finally outside. Grabbing her hand as soon as the door was shut, the two walked down the stairs to Shiva in silence. A few times, Reno squeezed Amalia's hand and she, instead of squeezing back, would push him aside with her hip, which would only hit below his hip since he was taller than she.

Once down beside her bike, Amalia grabbed her goggles and placed them on her face. Once she looked up, Reno already took his place on Shiva as the driver, waiting for Amalia to crawl behind him and take her seat so they could head home – or, to his house, if anyone wanted to be technical. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she thought of a way to make their escape a little more…interesting. And Reno had noticed as well as he arched an eyebrow in question to her sudden change in demeanor.

"What're you thinking, Ashe?" He leaned forward against the bike, inspecting her face. She had something mischievously planned inside her head and Reno wanted to know what exactly it was. Amalia was witty and had the ability to use her surroundings as an advantage. Knowing that she had immediately planned something as soon as they were out of the building meant that, not only did she have a trick up her sleeve, but she was in a playful mood.

Turning her back to Reno, Amalia walked to the edge of the cliff they were on and peered over the side. It was a good ways until the mountain side reached a flat surface; a river, several waterfalls and a steep, raggedy drop. It was time for some serious fun. "How about a race?" Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that Reno raised his eyebrows. He definitely wasn't expecting Amalia to state something like that.

"Ok, I'm intrigued. What kinda race are we talking about, yo?"

"Well," walking back, she placed a hand on the engine, its cool, metal surface relaxing the tense muscles that were restricted underneath her skin. "To put it simply, we race to the bottom. You take my bike and I'll run."

"Babe…seriously?" He stood from the bike, leaving his sitting position, and lifted Amalia's chin with his fingers. Looking deep into her eyes he saw sincerity and excitement. "What's with the sudden idea of wanting to have a race between the two of us?"

"What?" She smirked. "Scared you'll lose?"

He was baffled. Reno - scared? Hello no. Reno of the Turks never, ever backed down from a challenge and he wasn't about to start. Leaning closer to the only woman in his life, their faces mere inches apart, Amalia could feel his breath against her face and she forced herself to not close her eyes or gasp, despite wanting to do both. She dreadfully wanted to close the gap between their lips, but she was afraid of what would happen if she did; she knew that she wouldn't be able to stop the moment their lips touched. "You are so on babe," Reno finally stated, pulling Amalia out of her own traitorous thoughts.

She laughed. "And it begins."

Reno sat back down in the seat and revved the engine to its full potential. Standing beside him, Amalia stretched her limbs, waiting to see how this would turn out. She hadn't expected to think of a race, but she had always loved challenging Reno because she knew, deep down, he was slightly a sore loser; but a proud one at that.

"So is this just a simple race or do you want to make it a bet as well babe?"

"A bet, huh?" She still stretched her legs. "I'm intrigued. What kinda bet you talking about?" she replied, mocking the words Reno had stated earlier.

He snickered at her word play. Scratching his head he thought of how to use this bet to his advantage. And then it hit him. A cruel smile purged his lips; deep down he knew what he was thinking was evil and unkind to Amalia. But she wanted to race and he wanted to place a bet. "How about if I win we get to have some fun of our own, angel."

"Fun?" She down casted her eyes, unsure of his meaning. Grabbing her arm, Reno pulled her closer to his side and leaned towards her ear, whispering the words he was hoping his original statement implied. He found it unbelievably cute when she couldn't grasp the true meaning of someone's statement. "I think it's time we made love, babe."

A yelp was the only sound that was heard from Amalia; covering her mouth, she intentionally avoided Reno's piercing blue eyes. She could hear him laughing to himself, a deep hearty laugh she always loved to hear, but after what he had just said, she wasn't if sure she wanted to hear it at all. So, that's the game he wants to play? He thinks that if he wins we can finally consummate our relationship? Fine – two can play at this game. Amalia blinked he eyes and the thoughts running through her head. Wait, did I just use the word "consummate"? Isn't that only used when a couple becomes married? Damn, I really need to stop thinking about that.

Turning her head, she finally met his gaze and held it as firmly as she was able to. Her cheeks flushed with a burn that frightened and motivated her. Granted she was deadly terrified of Reno's side of the bet but what she didn't expect was how much she loved his way of finally having her succumb to him. Amalia knew she had been waiting too long and had kept Reno hoping for the one special night. But damn! She was not about to let that night happen simply because he had won a imprudent bet against her!

"If that is what you wish, then fine; I agree to your conditions."

Reno's eyes widened and he didn't even attempt to hide the fact that her statement completely caught him off guard. One of his knees weakened under her confident stare and he fell forward, the weight of the bike pulling him down with it. His good leg, however, held its ground and he was able to secure his position without falling to kiss the ground with his face. "Y – you do? Are you sure?"

"Of course I am; there's no way I can lose."

"You sure are acting cocky, yo. You're taking that spotlight off of me babe."

"It's about damn time," she giggled. "But, of course if I win, you have to…" This would take her a while. What was it she wanted to win? She obviously didn't want to make the same bet as Reno because there would be no point. Crossing her arms, she didn't know where to even begin. Should she make him cook throughout her stay?

No.

Should she be really despicable and make him dress as a girl for one day?

Nah, but that would be fucking hilarious. And the gang at Shinra HQ would get a kick out of it as well.

Should she make him buy her a chocobo chick?

Nope; as awesome as that idea is we'd have nowhere to put it…

So what was left? Amalia fingered the chocobo necklace that laced around her slender neck knowing that all the while, Reno had his eyes plastered on her, waiting for her to give him an answer. Even though she couldn't think of a damn thing, she was still having fun playing around with him. The man deserved a break from all the hard work he always performed for his boss and the rest of the Turks.

Play? That's it!

"If I win, you have to take me on a vacation of my choice."

Reno extinguished a sigh he unknowingly had been holding in his lungs. He wasn't expecting a simple answer such as a vacation. He could definitely handle that. As long as she didn't want me to buy her a chocobo chick… "Alright, that can be arranged, yo. Do you know where you'd like this 'vacation' if you should so happen to win?"

"Costa Del Sol and the Golden Saucer."

"Oh, so you're trying to win a double vacation for the price of one."

"Hey, I believe that what I want to bet compared to what you want to bet is equal enough, if you think about the stakes that are within both potential winnings." Damn, she has a valid point, Reno couldn't help but think to himself.

"Alright, fair enough. So," he cocked an eyebrow in her direction and revved the engine again, watching as Amalia slightly jumped out of her skin at the sudden mechanical noise. "You ready to lose?"

"No, I'm ready to win. Oh, more bluntly, to kick your sorry ass."

"Nope, your ass is the one that's sorry." Leaning back a little, Reno skimmed his eyes over Amalia's buttocks and let lose a low whistle. "But what a mighty fine ass you do have their babe." She punched him in the arm with a smirk on her face. "Hey! That was not called for, yo!"

Her smirk grew wider. "Then punish me if you win." Her last words came out as a breathy whisper, her voice a smooth melodic note with a hint of seduction looped between each word. Oh if only she truly knew the effect her voice had on him. Reno's eyes nearly popped out of his own head and he tried to keep his cool but ultimately failed. The result was an intense beat of fire coursing through his body, starting with his heart and racing towards his groin where it decided to stay for good. Damn you Ashe, I will rightfully claim you as mine and mine alone!

Swallowing his mouthful of saliva, Reno revved the engine a third time, ready as all could be to beat his girl and claim the prize he had been waiting for a long time to finally have. But as soon as he thought about it that way, Reno immediately regretted asking that to be his prize if he won. To him, Amalia wasn't just a piece of meat he could order around whenever he decided he wanted that particular specialty – she was something extraordinary, something rare that he had never seen before, let alone that he could have in his life. Reno felt is eyes graze over his partner, the only person in the world who knew every dark secret he held within his sinful body and the only person who pardoned everything he had done to her and her friends. As much as he wanted to win just because he could, he would not allow himself win. I cannot do that to Ashe; she's protected her virginity this far into our relationship and I will not let her give that up to me because I stupidly bet on it. I want her to be able to decide when our special night should be. Reno mentally groaned and kicked himself. Damn, when did I become this soft?

"Let's do this!" Nearly screaming to the sky, Amalia shook Reno out of his thinking session and he found himself whooping into the air. Amalia crouched to the ground as Reno grabbed the handlebars; she growled in her throat and he purred the engine; she whispered I love you and he replied the same.

Simultaneously, the odd pair counted down together, vowing their promise from when they began their relationship that they would share everything. "3…2…1…GO!"

Amalia pounced from her stance and stretched her legs as far as they would go, the dirt beneath her feet almost disappearing as she ignited the muscles within her legs and took off. She knew that Reno had stayed put allowing her a five second head start and as she rounded the first corner, she heard the beautiful sound of the engine purr behind her. Before she could even blink an eye, Reno zoomed past her silhouette, smacking her ass as he drove off into the distance. "Hey!" She yelled as she could still feel his hand on her rear.

"I told you I loved that ass, yo!"

I have to win this! Amalia thought as she decided it was time to call forth the power she had received from that mad scientist Hojo all those years ago. Naturally, all she truly had to do was just act on instinct, but in a few circumstances, Amalia had noticed that if she took her time to relax and focus, she could feel the Mako energy and Jenova Cells within her body reacting to the will she had to use its unworldly power the way she deemed fit. And this was one of those moments.

As she continued to pound her feet against the dusty earth, she breathed in deeply, as best as she could manage. A few seconds passed before she could feel a sudden fire burn with the central portion of her body and as quick as it came, the fire spread throughout the rest of her limbs. A raging intensity laced through her fingertips, hammered into her toes and melted into her brain. Blinking, Amalia knew that she had reached the full potential of her unwanted involvement in a drastic experimentation she never wanted to be a part of. The fire disappeared, but underneath its wake laid a power Amalia had only experienced twice in her life; once being as she tried to save the citizens of Midgar as meteor fell and the second being when she assisted Cloud in defeating Sephiroth a second time last year.

With a smile creeping against her lips, Amalia bounced off of the dirt road and jumped as far as she could, her legs eventually landing on the side of the mountain several hundred feet away from her original position. Her glowing Mako-infused eyes scouted for Reno on her bike and she found him making his way down the mountain. Jumping another time, Amalia felt her feet leave the mountainside, arms flailing beside her as she descended down to the world below. Completely ignoring the road, Amalia wanted to have the closest feeling she could to flying. Landing on another rock landing below where the Healen Lodge was located, Amalia followed the path guided to her by the river and waterfalls; she jumped from rock to rock, her long brown locks catching in the wind and wisped past her face. She descended fast and quickly; the vertigo she should have felt had no effect on her while she was in her current state of physical and mental prowess.

Reno held his hands firmly on the gas, not once letting go of the speed he had. He still was keeping the promise he made about letting Amalia win, but he was still having fun in winning while it could last – until a flash of black and white blurred passed his vision as he drove by one of the waterfalls. Following the blur as best he could, he recognized the shape to be that of Amalia and he instantly knew what she had done. "Hey!" He yelled, hoping she could hear him over the pounding of the rushing water and the roaring of the engine. "Who said you could use your SOLDIER abilities?!"

Stopping on a perched rock alongside the road, Amalia stood and shouted towards Reno as he made his way towards her, "You never said I couldn't!" She bent over and laughed. As soon as Reno drove past her, Amalia flipped backwards, landing on a small patch of grass by the riverbed before she pushed her muscles as for as they could. She jumped and reached; pushed and strived; laughed and flew her way to victory. The wind pounded against her face she pushed her body to the fastest it had ever been pressed. She was close to the bottom of the mountain; her eyes could see the flat surface of terrain that came into view ahead of her. Grinning, she pounced one more time; squatting against the rock that held her, she pushed off with all the power she held within her and flew across the remaining surface.

Guiding Shiva across the twist and curves of the mountain road, Reno gradually released the gas, estimating that he would lose speed just in time for Amalia to beat him. That is, until he saw her from the corner of his eye and his jaw dropped.

Amalia had her arms spread out acting as the wings she always dreamed she had. With her hair flailing behind her, Reno couldn't help but admire the picture he saw before himself. He knew that she was a goddess in human form and he never grew tired of observing her perfect silhouette. Both of them were descending the mountain but Reno knew he had lost. The farther she flew away from him the small her form became and without knowing what he had done, Reno had brought the bike to a complete stop, his eyes the only aspect of his body moving as he watched the woman he love fly away to victory.

Knowing that the ground was growing closer, Amalia propped forward and performed several flips midair before safely finding her feet on a flat surface once again. Slamming into the ground the way she had, though she made sure to land on her feet and not her face, left her muscles feeling a little wobbly and weak and she was unsure whether it was from the landing or her sudden use of Mako energy stored inside of her. Not caring what the answer was, Amalia threw her hands into the air and danced in the area around her, happy that she had won and even happier that Reno would now have to take her on a trip to the places she had been wanting to escape to for a while.

"Hell yeah!" She screamed to the heavens above her. "I won!" And with that, she fell flat on her back, a smile permanently glued to her face. She stayed like that for another minute before she felt the presence of another human beside her. Looking to her right, she saw Shiva pull into view and park where its engine died.

Although he knew she wasn't hurt, Reno briskly walked up to Amalia and knelt by her side, his hand immediately caressing her slightly damp cheek. "You cheat," was all he said as he softly thumbed her skin.

"I did no such thing!" She laughed. Reno held out his hand and she took him, accepting his offer to help her stand on her weak muscles. Brushing the dirt off her back, Amalia couldn't help but smile. Yeah she won but that's not what she was smiling about.

"You seem proud." Reno pointed out.

"What makes you say that?"

"You're beaming. I can see it in your eyes; both are glistening."

"Well, yeah!" She began bouncing up and down and Reno had to hold both her shoulders for her to calm down. She squealed with delight. "Reno, did you see? Did you?"

"Yes, I saw you won babe."

"No! I flew! I – I can't believe it… I think I activated my full potential….but I didn't think it would make my fly -" She had wanted to finish her statement, but Reno cut off her last words and threw himself at her, his lips attacking her moving ones. He wanted to hear her talk – he loved hearing her talk and engross in conversation with her – but in that precise moment, Reno held nothing but love and warmth for the girl he was swapping saliva with. Her childlike demeanor was one of the main aspects of her personality Reno had originally been fond of when he first met her years ago when she and her friends were trying to save the world. He never wanted her to lose that charm, but he rarely was able to hear her when she fell into this character because Reno always found himself kissing her lush lips before she could even finish what she had been saying.

Amalia clung to Reno, her fingers digging into his fire-red hair. A moan exploded deep within her throat and she tried to suppress it, but Reno had a way to bring out the lustful creature deep within her and she feared the day he would truly bring it out. But she didn't care - for a minute, all she wanted was to cling to this man, this one man who always wanted her and never pushed her away. But Reno eventually pulled away too soon and she let loose a small whimper. He let loose the beautiful smile of his and left a gentle kiss against her forehead. "I believe a congratulations is in order. You deserve it." And his lips once again found her swollen ones.

~ oOo ~

"Sir," Tseng let loose the blinds he had been openly holding. His eyes gazed one last time outside the window as he watched Amalia and Reno run off and play their deserved games against each other. He had chuckled as he looked on at the peculiar couple well knowing that the two were glad to finally be back together after having nearly a month to separate the lovers. "After everything that's happened, wouldn't it be better to keep Amalia here?" The head Turk glanced at Rufus who sat at his makeshift desk inside Healen, using his own eyes to glance at paperwork that needed to be filled out, but most importantly, he had been working through missions reports regarding Amalia for the past half hour.

"No, the smartest thing would be to have her stay on her normal routine of being outside with people and in her normal surroundings. We all know Amalia," Rufus dropped the packet of papers from his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He expected that he would be getting a severe headache soon and he was tired of everything that had been going on with this "group" that was, for some reason, deliberately seeking Amalia. "She'll go crazy if we kept her here twenty-four/seven. Besides, what better way for her to stay safe than by being with Reno? And if anything goes wrong, he's there and her brother is just a phone call away."

"True, but Cloud, just as his sister, has no idea of what's going on as well."

"I know. I have no idea how to tell them."

"How about just bringing Amalia here and explaining everything that's been going on for the past few months?"

Rufus groaned in his seat and leaned back, stretching the ever-aching muscles that were constant in his back. "It's not that simple, she would be super-pissed."

"Well of course she would Sir; you've had Reno swear that he wouldn't speak of this sticky situation and the same goes for all of us here. Also, you've basically kept secret that her life is in grave-danger. More importantly, we can't even figure out why. How do you think that'd make her feel?"

The Shinra President let loose a long deserved sigh, final understanding everything that Tseng was leading him towards. "She would hate us once again."

"Exactly Sir, and after all that we have done to prove to her that you and everything we now work for has been for the better would be at a loss." Tseng exhaled his own sigh he had been holding within himself for a while. He didn't like speaking so openly to Rufus but in a moment like this he felt it was necessary. "It would have been a waste."

"So what do you propose I do…?"

"My suggestion would be to find the courage to finally reveal the truth to Amalia; she deserves it and we both know that, regardless of the fact that we've been protecting her."

"Yes I know," swiveling in his chair, Rufus starred at the closed blinds covering the windows. Usually he liked the natural scenery that stood behind the building but his mood was just too gloomy to appreciate any greenery that he could see. "I'm just afraid of what would happen once she discovers the truth."

~ oOo ~

Well? Was it a good continuation from the last chapter? From here on, the plot is going to thicken, stir and boil over into something amazing – but I won't tell you why! Tis a secret!

Now, just a heads-up: I'll probably be slowing down on posting chapters. Mainly because school is starting to get crazy and because I honestly have no idea what everyone is thinking of the story so far. So please, review and/or comment and say what you think. If people tell me that it's with continuing, I will but I would like to know. Is that so much to ask?

Chocobocolina ~ out! :3