Chapter 9

Hello everyone! I know, it's been a month since I last posted and I am deeply sorry. I have explained at the end why I haven't posted anything, but I'm hoping that this LONG chapter will make up for it! I had a somewhat hard time writing this chapter, so if anything becomes too confusing or something doesn't quite add up, feel free to PM me or ask in a review comment. I will be happy to answer any questions anyone might have! :)

Please enjoy!

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 ~

"Well good morning angel."

Amalia blinked her eyes several times before finally opening them for good. Her vision was blurred, but as her eyes adjusted to the morning light shining through the curtains, Reno came into view. He was propped up on his elbow, staring downwards at Amalia, who was still wrapped in the comforter. Stretching her arms above her head, Amalia rolled onto her back and arched her spine. She yawned and wrapped the blanket around her again, not ready to get up.

"What, you wanna go back to sleep?" Amalia shook her head and mumbled an inaudible sound.

"Ashe, you slept for almost eleven hours straight."

Her eyes shot open and look up towards Reno, who was still smiling down at her. "Seriously? Eleven hours?"

"I'm guessing so. I came home at ten last night and you were out cold and…" he glanced at the clock. "Right now it's a little after eight."

"Well fuck…"

"Did you want to go for a run today?"

She stretched again and curled into Reno's side. "No not really, I just didn't think I'd sleep that long. I'm wondering if it's from yesterday…"

Reno's heartbeat quickened within his chest. "It very well could've been, yo." He began to stroke her hair and Amalia groaned in response. She loved it when he played with her hair, it was always relaxing and sometimes she had to practically beg him to do it. "So what's on the agenda today angel?"

"I didn't have anything planned."

"Me neither, I was hoping you would think of something."

Amalia sat straighter on the bed and leaned against the headboard, stretching her still sleeping legs, but kept the blanket wrapped around her front. "Hmm, well we could - "

But as she was about to suggest something, Reno's phone began to vibrate on the nightstand and he groaned in annoyance as he reached behind his back to grab it. Looking at who was calling him in the early morning, he let out an even deeper groan when he noticed it was his boss calling him. "Damn, it's Rufus."

"So answer it."

"Do I have to, yo?" He looked her in the eye and Amalia narrowed her eyebrows, giving him a silent answer. He sighed and flipped the phone open. "'sup boss, whatcha need?"

"I hate to ask this of you Reno but you need to come in today."

He groaned again and ran a hand through his messy red mane of hair. "Seriously boss? I thought you said we were given a few days off while Elena heals?"

"I know what I said, Reno, but this is important. We received another one."

Reno stayed silent for a while, his brain registering Rufus' words. "Oh shit. When?"

"Within the last hour. That's why I need you to come in. I'm sending Rude with the chopper, he'll be there within the hour to pick you up."

"Alright boss, I'll be ready."

"I'm really sorry Reno, I didn't want to call you but…this is something you'll need to see."

"Understood, sir." He closed the phone and shook his head. His heartbeat increased tenfold and he had to restrain himself from increasing his breathing. Amalia was still sitting next to him and by the time he looked over at her, he held a smile on his face, hoping she wouldn't realize that it was bogus.

"So…why do you gotta go into work?" She cocked her head to the side, wanting to know why.

"Oh, you know Rufus, he wants to brief over what happened during our last mission. He probably could've done it yesterday but he was probably letting us have some time together. It shouldn't take all day, at least I'm hoping." Reno cupped Amalia's cheek and rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. "Are you mad?"

She shook her head and kissed his thumb. "Nah. I knew what I was getting into when we got together. I'd be mad if it was another mission though…"

"I know you'd be. Trust me, I would too."

A chocobo is calling you, kweh! A chocobo is calling you, kweh!

It was Amalia's turn to look at her phone on the nightstand by her side of the bed. She grabbed it and smiled. "Oh, it's Cloud!" She held a finger towards her lips as she answered it. "Hey big brother!"

"Morning Ashe. Did I wake you?"

"Nope, you're good! Did you need something?"

"Remember a few days ago when I asked if you could help me with a deliver this week? I need your help today."

"Ah, no problem."

"Good, can you meet me here within the next hour?"

"I can be there Cloudy! You said we're taking these deliveries to Kalm?"

"Yes. I have all of the packages here so we'll just need to load them up and head out."

"Ah ok, then I'll see you soon." She heard a faint click as Cloud ended the call on his end so she shut her phone and turned to Reno who was staring at her.

"So, you got somewhere to be today too, huh?"

"Cloud asked me the day you came home if I could assist him with a delivery to Kalm. Apparently the guy ordered quite a bit and it can't all fit in Fenrir, that's why Cloud needs me."

"I see. But, Ashe?"

"Yes?"

He cupped her cheek again. "Promise you'll be careful?"

She copied his movements and cupped his cheek as well. "I promise, Reno, nothing is going to happen."

"Wanna make a bet on that?"

"Are you proposing that I might get hurt today?"

"No, you just seemed so sure yesterday that nothing would happen." Amalia puffed her cheeks and her skin grew red as her anger sprang forth. "Hey, I don't want start a fight, yo, I just don't want to see my angel get hurt."

She angled her neck and kissed his palm. "Don't worry, I'll keep a sharp eye on my surroundings. And I've got my brother with me. No problem there, he'll help me Reno."

Reno leaned down and looked into her different colored eyes. He knew that he couldn't keep her locked up in their apartment, but after yesterday, he feared what would happen, just as he explained to Rude at the bar. He had to trust that Cloud would keep his angel safe. "Alright, go make that huge delivery. But I've got my cell on me if anything happens, ya here? Whether it's you or Cloud, I expect a call." He received his answer in the form of her lips smothering his.

~ oOo ~

Exactly an hour had passed when the couple had stood from the warm confines of their bed and began to dress for the day. They had said their goodbyes in the apartment, after Reno had forced Amalia to take her Master Cure with her, as he took the stairs to the roof whereas he took the stairs towards the parking lot where Shiva waited for her. Amalia could hear the thumping of the chopper's blades before she could even exit the building. Straddling the bike, she watched the sky as the chopper, with Reno driving the Shinra machine, as if lifted off of the roof and flew in the direction towards Healen Lodge. She could faintly see the images of her lover and Rude wave through the glass as she ignited her precious bike and sped in the opposite way towards Seventh Heaven.

It was a clear day with a gentle breeze blowing across the streets of the already bustling city of Edge. But with the speed Amalia was going, her hair flopped back and forth as she zoomed between different streets and rounded corners; by the time she eased on the brakes, her hair was completely dry, just as she liked it. Cloud was already outside with a pile of packages near the bar entrance as he was placing what he could inside of his bike. He heard Amalia pull up against the side of his bike but only glanced at his sister when she completely shut the engine off. "Why are you the punctual one in the family?"

She quickly glanced at her phone and noticed that it had been exactly an hour since Cloud had called her. "Hey, at least you got the perfect hair."

"Tch, what're you talking about?"

"Come on Cloud, seriously? You're hair automatically forms those perfect spikes! I've always resented that – my hair doesn't do jack crap."

"Well sure it does." Standing from his position, he walked over to his little sister and grabbed a section of her waist-length hair. "Ashe, you're hair has always had a beautiful natural curl to it."

"Really?" She grabbed the piece out of his hand and held it within her field of vision. She had never really noticed it before, but her hair, once it hit her shoulders, held a soft curl that stretched all the way to toward the ends; this realization made her smile. I think I know why Reno loves my hair so much, she told herself. "Thanks Cloudy." Her brother offered her one of his rare smiles, but being his sister, she could easily tell that this was genuine and not a fake one he had used to deceive her in the past. She immediately wrapped her arms around his shoulders and squeezed. "Aw, I love you big brother!"

"Love you too, Ashe."

She let go, knowing he was slightly embarrassed and looked at the stack of packages that had yet been stored in their bikes. "So how much room do you have left in yours?"

"Mines already full. I think we'll be able to get a majority of what's left in yours – they're mainly small anyways. There are four bigger ones, those we'll just have to tie on top of the compartment and keep an eye on them."

"You got it boss." They spent the next twenty minutes filling Shiva with smaller packages until they could barely shut the lid, but once they did, the siblings heaved a sigh, glad they were able to fit as many as they could. But just as Cloud had stated, there were still four bigger packages left but after another ten minutes of maneuvering, they had two tied onto each bike. As they each started the engines of their bikes and placed their respective goggles on to protect their eyes from any loose debris, Amalia looked over at her brother and said, "So deliver these to Kalm and back?"

"That's the gist of it."

"Doesn't seem too bad."

"That's if you can keep up." With that, Cloud gunned it and sped off towards the gate leading to the outside of town. By the time Amalia realized the trick her brother had pulled she was cussing towards the heavens and gunning her own bike. By the time she had managed to land herself next to Cloud, they were already passed the city limits, leaving the town behind in the dust of their tire tracks. "Hey spikey! You play dirty," she yelled as she inched her bike closer to his precious Fenrir. Cloud smirked and pushed his bike further, the siblings racing neck-in-neck the entire way towards the peaceful city of Kalm.

The once forty-five minute drive took them less than half-an-hour. When they reached the edge of the city, they both decreased their ridiculous death speed and Amalia dropped in line behind Cloud. He knew where they were to deliver the packages whereas she did not. Better to follow the navigator than to get lost and ruin the delivery – it would not look good for their business. They moved through the crowded streets of Kalm before arriving at civilian's house on the opposite side of town. Stopping their bikes, Amalia walked to the door to greet their customer while Cloud stayed behind and began untying the packages and pulling them out of their compartments.

Knowing on the door three times, Amalia was greeted a few seconds later by a younger gentleman with a round face and spikes of brown hair. He smiled at her and said, "Yes, how can I help you?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you sir, but my name is Amalia and I work for Strife Delivery Service. I am here with my brother, Cloud, to drop off a fairly large delivery you had ordered?"

"Oh. Oh yes! So soon? Man, I must give you two props, for some reason I wasn't expecting you guys until later in the week!" The man rubbed the back of his neck and offered a friendly smile.

"Well what can I say, sir? Strife Delivery Service will surprise you with your speed." Pulling a few papers out of the folder Cloud had given her; she held them in front of the customer and produced a pen. "I was wondering if you could sign this? It's just a receipt showing us that you acknowledge we have delivered your packages and have accepted them."

"Sure, no problem." He signed the papers and Amalia put them back in the folder so they could be filed once they returned back to Edge. "Alright sir, let me go assist my brother in bringing you all of your packages. If you'll just give us a moment," she turned and walked back towards her brother who had already pulled all of the packages out of both vehicles and had placed them in order by size. He grabbed the larger packages that had been strapped on the bikes where she grabbed two stacks of the smaller boxes.

The gentleman directed them towards his garage where he helped the siblings place his order in the middle of the floor. After a few minutes, they had all the packages lined up where he wanted them. "Why, thank you two, I can't express how happy I am for these boxes!"

Amalia's curiosity piqued and she questioned the gentleman. "Sir, if I may ask, why did you order so many packages?"

"Oh, you see, my wife and I recently married a few months ago and we honeymooned in Costa Del Sol and she fell in love with different kinds of merchandise they had there; lotions, perfumes, and clothing. So, I had her make a list and I secretly ordered them for her since her birthday is next week. It may seem like a lot, but I ordered some items for myself as well as for our new house. You know, to spice it up a bit, eh?"

"Oh my, that is so sweet! And congratulations and happy birthday to your wife, sir!"

"Oh well, thank you. Here," he walked towards both Cloud and Amalia and placed a small wrapped bundle into their palms. "This is just a token of my gratitude for everything you've done."

Cloud took a peek into his hand and tried to give it back to the customer who shook his head and back away. "But, sir, all we did was deliver these boxes. Surely there's no reason for you to tips us, nor tip us this generously."

"Nope! I insist! I have been using your delivery service, Mr. Strife, for quite some time and I've always had good service with your small company. So please, take it and treat your sister to lunch or something."

"Well thank you sir, this is much appreciated." Amalia bowed slightly, completely caught off guard by this man's unexpected generosity.

The siblings bid the man a good afternoon and they took off on their bikes, leaving behind a trail of dust as they made their way back through the city. They had briefly stopped by the edge of the city and agreed to skip lunch since neither were hungry for food, so they left through the same gate that they had entered. The sun had risen directly above them and Amalia had to guess that it was probably close to noon; they had spent some time with the delivery. But as she continued to glance into the sky while trying to steer her bike, her mind wandered to Reno and pondered if everything was going smoothly with the other Turks. But as Amalia continued to daydream, she barely registered that Cloud had suddenly slammed on his brakes, prompting his sister to follow suit.

Cloud's goggled-covered face scanned the wilderness around them; they had left Kalm nearly ten minutes earlier and the city could no longer be seen from their position. Amalia's heartbeat quickened but she eased her mind and it settled to a somewhat slower pace. She looked at her brother whose eyebrows were furrowed together; something was bothering him – that was never a good sign. "What's wrong?" Amalia finally asked after a few quite moments.

"We're being followed."

Her thoughts were immediately taken back to earlier that morning when Reno told her to be careful and to call him if anything were to happen. Well fuck! I'm glad I opted to not make that stupid bet with him…but…wait a minute, how is it Reno always seems to tell me to be careful when something happens? Her thoughts were suddenly cut short when Cloud's raspy voice interrupted her. "Amalia! Duck!"

She turned her head and instantly recognized the swiveling curved edge of the dagger that had poisoned her yesterday. Bending her back until her spine lay flat against the seat of the bike, the blade hummed past her and Cloud until it came in contact with the ground merely three feet away from Amalia's feet. Glancing towards her right, she recognized the male standing on the edge of a cliff off in the distance. His frame was too small to notice the grin on his face but he was just visible enough for Amalia to place her hand over the fresh scar on her shoulder. Waving his hand in the air, the blade zoomed back towards the man and he lifted his hand into the air to catch it. "So," he yelled across the distance that separated them. "It would seem you healed quite nicely from our fight yesterday, Amalia."

"Tch, I thought Reno taught you a lesson yesterday!" Cloud quickly glanced at his sister when she had yelled the Turk's name but he brushed it off and turned his attention back to the sudden stranger encountering them. "He kicked your ass, which should've been your clue to leave me alone!"

"But I don't see you're lovely Reno here with you, now, do I?" He noticed the absence of her argument. "I'm right, he isn't here, is he, my sweet Amalia?" His words sent a chill down her spine and Amalia cringed.

But it was Cloud's turn to speak. "What do you want with us?"

"Ah, well if it isn't the infamous Cloud Strife, older brother to the notorious Amalia Strife."

Amalia growled within her throat, not liking where this was headed. "What the fuck do you want?"

Jumping off from his current location, he leapt until he was on the same ground level as the siblings, but still stayed about fifty feet away from them. "You're healed and I want another match. I want to see your true strength."

This gained Cloud's attention and he turned towards his sister. "What the hell is he talking about, Ashe?"

Not knowing what to say, she shook her head before looking directly into her brother's eyes. "I honestly don't know. I'll have to tell you later but…he injured me yesterday so I beg you, let me fight him, but if it gets too dangerous, please intervene and save me."

"Save you…?"

"I…almost died yesterday…" Amalia whispered, but it was loud enough for her brother to hear and his eyes widened, not expecting to hear such words come from his sister's mouth.

"Are you ready, my sweet?"

Amalia did nothing except push a red button next to the one that opened her eyeglass container, which opened the sword compartments on both sides of the bike. Unlike Cloud's, where he contained each individual blade for his Fusion Sword, Amalia used two blades; they were longer and more narrow than a buster sword but were just as thick as they were deadly. She was skilled with dual blades and only needed two. Standing from the bike, Amalia walked a few feet towards the man who only watched as she moved in his direction.

"Think you'll be able to provide me with a worthy fight today, my sweet?"

"I have never, nor will I ever be, your sweet."

"Oh, that's right. You're Reno's sweetheart, are you not?" She growled within her throat and the man threw back his head and laughed towards the heavens. Leaping towards him, Amalia visually disappeared as her anger, combined with her quickened agility thanks to her mako injections, allowed her to appear before the crazed man within a second as she landed a well-earned right hook against his cheek. The man was not expecting for Amalia took initiate the fight and he was sent flying backwards as his back slammed against the side of the cliff. He fell towards the ground and almost immediately stood to his feet as he wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Starting things off quick, huh, my sweet?"

"I told you – I am not your sweet!"

"If I can defeat you, you will be. Take this!" He soared towards her and Amalia barely had enough time to blades in front of her body for defense. He stared into her eyes as he pushed his curved blades against her buster ones; she pushed back with equal strength. "I see, you're reflexes are quicker than they were yesterday."

"I am not a piece of shit like you called me yesterday."

"You're still gonna have to prove me wrong on that, my sweet."

"You fucker! Stop calling me that!" Placing a foot forward, Amalia shoved the man away from him with a slash of her sword and he flipped backwards, lifting some of her force so he wouldn't hit the cliff again.

But Amalia was tired of this person. Whoever he was, she was sick of him following her and declaring that he deserved to fight her. Rushing towards the crazed man, Amalia struck one of her blades into the ground and screamed "Bolt!" She mentally thanked Gaia that Reno had also persuaded her to take a few of her black magic materia – all of which were Mastered.

A wave of electrical surges coursed through the ground, straight towards the man. But as it neared his feet, he jumped straight into the air avoiding the electrical strike. Amalia anticipated that he would evade her attack; kicking off her legs from the ground, she landed on the pommel of her blade and used all her might to launch herself into the air. Hurling straight towards airborne stranger, she thirsted her right arm towards him and screamed Bolt once again, the crackling essence of the electrical power trickled through the air before it made a direct hit with the man. His eyes found hers the instant her attack landed and screamed bloody murder as waves of electrical madness consumed his body.

Growing numb by the second, the man slowly fell back towards the ground and Amalia took her last chance at proving that she was not one to be messed with when pissed off; but right now, she was beyond the 'pissed off' limits. He had cracked that lid yesterday morning and Amalia was now on a pursuit of teaching him a lesson. Pushing forward, she pulled her blade from behind her and screamed, thrusting the blade down towards the man, wanting to pierce him with all her might; and she succeeded. Her blade made contact with his skin since he was still under the effects of her powerful magic. Plunging her blade deeper into his shoulder, in exactly the same spot he had stuck her yesterday, she forced his body towards the ground and they fell together from the sky.

As they neared the ground, Amalia muttered her black magic spell once again and sent an electrical shot through her blade deep into the pits of the man who had, twice, attacked her and purposely tried to cause her harm. The man scream in agony and Amalia smiled a wicked grin; she knew she shouldn't, but something about this person scream evil, and she would do everything she possibly could to keep him away from her.

And away from Reno.

Amalia thrust her blade deeper into the man's flesh, ripping muscle, tearing his tendons and smashing his bones to pieces. What felt like hours passed in a matter of seconds, their bodies colliding with into the ground, cracking Gaia's surface while creating a bowl into the hardened dirt. As they collided together, Amalia immediately grabbed the hilt of her blade and flew backwards, pulling the sharpened steel with her, causing more damage to the crazed man. Standing some twenty feet away, Amalia's knees shook. It wasn't that her body was strained; there was something about this man that instantly sent a wave of fear coursing through her body. Whenever she looked at his body or his eyes, something spoke to her but she couldn't put her finger on it. That's why she wanted this man away from her; she wanted nothing to do with him and didn't want this crazed man to do anything to Reno.

She already feared that he would go after her red-head. Knowing the fact that the two were a couple, he could use it as his advantage – she wanted to avoid that at all costs.

"Y-you…have ch-changed much since yesterday, my sweet…"

"Fuck…won't you die already?" Amalia glanced at the man's staggered body as he struggled to even stand. His hand held his right shoulder as blood pooled through his fingers. Smiling inwardly, she felt a wave of victory knowing she had damaged him just as he did her yesterday.

"No I can't…die…not yet. T-there is still so much that needs to be done. Like this!" And he was gone.

Amalia blinked and he had disappeared into this air. Her eyes searched around her, Reno mentioning that he had done this yesterday, but something was off. She had a feeling that he wouldn't just leave like he did yesterday. But as her head turned back to where he originally stood, he was suddenly there, eye-level with her. His eyes reflected a familiar color and Amalia could feel her mouth drop slightly. "Y-you're…SOLDIER?"

"I was. But I've got a better job to do now, my sweet." Reaching forward, quicker than Amalia could anticipate, he grabbed her wrist as he twisted his body around and twirled her above his head.

"Ashe!"

She could hear her brother's voice off in the distance but, for some reason, she couldn't say anything; it was as if his body silenced her voice. Within a moment's time, he pulled on her wrist, hard, and severed her bone right out of the socket as she screamed to the heavens. Happy with the damage he had done, the man threw his victim off into the distance and she flew with such speed that Amalia had to close her eyes. She could sense when she was about to crash into the ground, but that moment never came.

Instead, as she gained the courage to open her eyes again, Amalia noticed that Cloud had abandoned his post on Fenrir and came to her aid when she truly needed it. His strong arms wrapped around her gently, careful to avoid her dislocated shoulder as he set her on the ground. His eyebrows were knitted together and his eyes were glowing; not a good sign if you were the opponent facing Cloud Strife; he became the most deadly when someone pissed him off.

When someone had injured someone who deeply cared for.

Like his twin sister.

Pulling the blades from the casing on his back, Cloud said in a low and dangerous voice, "Leave. Get the hell away from here."

"Ah, the elder Strife steps in. What? Do you consider your little sister weak enough that she cannot even defend herself?"

"No, my sister is the deadliest creature on this planet you will ever meet."

"I would agree."

"Then why do you call her weak?"

"She isn't quite there, she still needs more anger."

Cloud had no idea what this man was talking about but he pointed his sword and directed it towards his heart. "I'll say this again: leave. I don't know who the hell you are but you've done enough. Leave my sister alone and we won't have a future problem."

The man only smirked as he vanished without a trace, he eyes never once leaving Amalia's, even as he disappeared into nothingness.

Cloud immediately turned his attention back to his sister and knelt by her side. He looked at her shoulder then at her face, knowing that she was in pain, but she held it beneath her façade. "Hey, are you ok?" That's a stupid question, Cloud…he thought to himself. But she shook her head, telling him more than enough that he needed to do something. "Ok, this isn't going to be fun and you might hate me but…we need to put your shoulder back in its place."

"Right now?"

"It'll hurt later if we wait, Ashe, you know that."

"Fuck…" A tear escaped her eye, the pain growing by the second, knowing she couldn't cure it until it was back in its socket. "Alright…do it," she said after a few moments of hesitation.

"Alright." Cloud took off his shoe and helped Amalia to lay down onto her back. Grabbing her hand, he held it tightly and placed his foot against the side of her body so his toes were beneath her arm. "Ready? I'm just going to pull." She weakly nodded and closed her eyes. Blinking a few times and tightening the grip on his twin's hand, Cloud pulled as hard as he could, and after a few seconds, he her a SNAP as her shoulder snapped back into place. Amalia arched her back and let loose a blood curling scream that would have killed anyone on the spot if there were people around them. Her hand instantly shot towards her should as she cradled her pain-wrenched body. Tears were streaming down her face and it pained Cloud having to see his sister in such pain. On his knees, Cloud brushed away the tears, but he knew there was nothing he could do. Picking her up, without having her shoulder hit his chest; he walked back towards the bike and sat Amalia against hers so she could have something holding herself up. Cloud took a spot against his bike and he could hear the breathing of his twin gradually slowly down at a pace where her tears finally ceased to fall.

"Thank you, Cloud." Her voice was strained, yet she still managed to talk despite the pain.

"Hey," he turned towards her. "You're my sister. It's my job." Amalia stifled a laugh but then immediately regretted it. The pain was still bad and she wanted to wait a few seconds before deciding to use her Cure materia.

Silence crept between the two siblings as one watched the sun move across the sky while the other continuously glanced at his sister. Eventually, Cloud broke the silence and finally asked, "So, should I be questioning what just happened?"

"Heh, your guess is as good as mine." She groaned and quickly shifted her position against the bike, finding a better location for her arm. "I went for another run yesterday and he came out of nowhere and attacked me. Said something about wanting to fight one of the 'heroes who had saved the planet'."

"So then why'd he come back today?"

Amalia wanted to shrug her shoulders but opted not too she was already in enough pain and didn't want to add another wave of torture. "Dunno. Guy's a creep?"

Looking over at his sister, Cloud said, "Ok, I'll let this go."

"Thanks," was her reply.

"So…" Amalia glanced at her twin, wondering what he was thinking, but the moment their eyes locked, she knew that he knew. "You and Reno, huh?"

Although she knew that he brother knew what was going on, her eyes still slightly widened but then she looked away, a smile forming on her lips against her will. She softly giggled this time, instead of laughing, and was rewarding with barely any pain. "You've known all along, haven't you?" She looked back at her brother who only smirked.

"For a while, yes.

"How long?"

"Since Sephiroth came back, almost two years. But you two have been together for longer, haven't you?"

She nodded. "It's been about four years."

Cloud whistled. "Damn, Ashe. That long?" She nodded again. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I…I honestly don't know. Part of me thought that it didn't matter since it was my life but at the same time…I kept telling myself that you or the rest of the group would hate me if you knew. But the longer we were together, the more I didn't care. If you or someone else found out, oh well." Turning her head, she looked long and hard at her brother. "Cloud, I…I love that man. I know it might be hard for you to hear, considering whom Reno is and the history we've had with him and the people he's associated with, but I love him with all my heart. I couldn't ask for a better man."

Cloud sighed. Deep down, he had accepted his sister's choice, but actually hearing her admitting their relationship was different than he what he expected. He felt slightly angry, but he was happy for his sister nonetheless. "Does he treat you right?" Cloud blurted without really thinking of what he said.

She gave him a loving smile. "He treats me like an angel."

Cloud exhaled a deep breath, unaware he had held it within his lungs until they burned when he inhaled fresh air. "Good, that's what I wanted to hear. Look, Ashe," he took his sister's hand into his own and glanced at the difference in size; brother and sister, male and female, the Strife siblings. "I'll admit, this still makes me feel uncomfortable that you've got connections with the Turks and Shinra. However, I can tell he makes you happy so I'm willing to push aside my feelings for your happiness."

Amalia smiled again, the corners reaching her eyes and she could feel the muscles stretching in her cheeks. "You mean it, Cloud?"

"I do, I just want you to be happy."

"I am…I am so unbelievably happy with him."

"Good. But I've got another question for you. Has he ever…well, you know…"

She looked at her brother again, confused at what he was asking. "Has he ever what?"

"Has he ever…hurt you, in that way?"

"That way…? Oh! Cloud!"

"Hey! I'm you're older brother, I have the right to ask these things!"

"You're only seven minutes older than me!"

"That's still seven minutes I have over you, younger sister!"

"We are not having this conversation! It's not like I up and ask whether you and Tifa are having sex." Cloud turned his head slightly and Amalia could see a small form of red glow on her brother's cheeks. The reality hit her instantly. "No way! You've already…?!"

"Ashe we've been together for almost two years!" It was Amalia's turn to look away and Cloud noticed her sudden demeanor. "Wait…" Now it was his turn to read his sister's bodily language. "Don't tell me…you and Reno…haven't had sex yet?"

"This is such an awkward conversation to have with my twin."

"Amalia…"

"No." She glared at her brother. "We haven't ok? Yes, I get it, we've been together for four years but still nothing. Go ahead, laugh away."

"Ashe, I'm not going to laugh at you. I just…well we all heard the stories of Reno being a womanizer! He always had a woman hanging off his arm, every single night and…" He noticed that Amalia tightly hugged her non-injured arm around her body, a self-defensive move she'd always had since they were children. "Ashe…it that stopping you? Knowing who Reno was before you started going out?" She slowly nodded. "Oh Ashe…"

"Reno knows. We finally had this conversation a few nights ago."

"But does he know the whole truth?" Amalia whipped her head around, Cloud's eyes staring intently at his little sister. "I know there's something you're not telling him, something that scares you more than admitting about his past self with women."

She sighed. "Well, I…"

She grew quiet once again and turned her head the other way; she knew what she had wanted to say for so long, but the words wouldn't come. Those words that needed to be spoken probably wouldn't be heard until they were spoken in front of Reno – even Amalia had never even spoken them out loud before. "Ashe, listen to me. You'll feel better if you tell him. Trust me, keeping your feelings locked up inside of you is not a good thing. He needs to know how you're feeling about this. And besides, don't you want to have some fun with him?"

"I…I do. I've been wanting to for so long. Everything he does just makes me want him more and – hey!" She quickly shook her head from side to side. "Why the hell am I talking about this with my brother!"

"Who else are you going to talk to about this?" Damn, he has a point, Amalia thought. Cloud's eyes softened when he said, "Hey, I've been in your position."

For some reason, just hearing those words eased Amalia's shoulders and she was able to finally relax since they left Kalm. "Really? How so?"

"I was apprehensive to become physical with Tifa. I dunno, for some reason…it scared me. I guess I wasn't prepared for it."

"So what happened?"

"We talked. I told her everything that was going through my mind, and you wanna know what happened next?" His twin nodded. "We had sex. That very night I opened up to her. And you wanna know something else? It was fucking amazing. It felt so damn good to let it out and to finally be intimate with her."

"Whoa…" was all Amalia could muster to say.

"Just think about it, Ashe. You're old enough now to make your own decisions and know that sex isn't everything. But you'd be missing something special to share with Reno." Cloud shuttered at the thought and cringed. Amalia laughed and Cloud said, "Oh, you think its awkward having this conversation? I feel dirty just by saying what I said about Reno."

Oh man…Cloud's serious. He's had the same problem I basically have. But he's right…there's more to how I'm feeling than what I told Reno the other night. He deserves the truth and I…I need to trust him. Sex doesn't really scare me, it's…

"Oh! I just remembered. Reno wanted you to call him if we ran into trouble."

"Did he know something was going to happen?"

"No," At least I don't think so. "He's just a little paranoid after what happened yesterday. I wasn't kidding when I said that man almost killed me."

"Motherfucker…" Cloud whispered.

Pulling out her cell phone, Amalia handed it to her brother who took it and found Reno's number within her contacts list. As he dialed his number, Amalia called upon the magic's of her Mastered Cure materia and set to work easing the pain within her shoulder. Her hand glowed green as she placed the hand tenderly on her throbbing shoulder. The pain had died down slightly, but with the Cure, Amalia could immediately feel a difference and she gave a relaxed sigh. Cloud held the phone to his ear, the device continually ringing before Reno had finally answered it.

"Hey Ashe, you done with the delivery in Kalm?"

Though she was not the one to hold the phone, she could hear her red-haired lover's frantic voice over the phone. Cloud had to pull the phone away from his ear and shake his head. After a moment, Cloud returned the device to his ear and replied, "This isn't Ashe, Reno."

"Cloud? What's wrong with Ashe?!"

~ oOo ~

Reno and Rude exited the chopper as its blade gradually ceased from their original speed. The ride had roughly taken them about twenty minutes to reach Healen once they left the apartment in Edge and Reno had fidgeted the entire time; he couldn't focus on the flight. Rude had to talk to him the entire flight in order to calm his partner down. Rufus hadn't gone into detail when he had called the Turk earlier that morning and Reno didn't know what to expect; Rude wouldn't tell him anything either, other than Rufus would speak with them, leaving Reno's thoughts to run amuck on their own.

Leaving the chopper on the roof, the Turk partners took the stairs down into the building as they made their way into the main room their boss used as his office towards the back end of Healen where they were greeted by Rufus and Tseng, who were deep in conversation but quieted down when they heard the others enter. Looking up from his desk, Rufus didn't smile as his eyes found Reno's. "I'm sorry to interrupt your time off, Reno, but this just couldn't wait."

"This is in regards to Ashe?"

"Sadly, yes."

Reno sighed. Rufus had said the same thing over the phone but he still wasn't happy. He didn't want to know that they were still receiving information from an unknown sender about his girlfriend. It seemed too coincidental that she had been attacked yesterday then he received a call from work saying he had to come in. Something's not quite right…

"Reno, you called and explained that Amalia was attacked yesterday. I was hoping this wouldn't happen but..."

"Rufus please don't sugarcoat this. Why the hell am I here?"

His boss released a withheld sigh and Tseng took over as his voice echoed through the room. "We received another video from whoever is after Amalia. But the video is specifically about the occurrence from yesterday."

"W-what?!" Reno couldn't think of what to say. Those fucking bastards! What is their fucking plan? "Have any of you watched it?"

"No," Rude popped into the conversation. "We were waiting for you."

"Then how do we know that it's about her fight with this stranger?"

"The subject of the email said so."" Glancing over at his computer, Rufus read aloud the title of the email they had received. "It says: Losing Battle of the Hero - You Claim She's Strong."

Reno growled, a deep humming vibrated within his throat and he punched his hand into the wall behind him, leaving a mark in the white plaster. "What the fuck is their plan?! Why the hell are they doing this to her?!"

"Reno..." Rufus rubbed the back of his neck, not knowing what to say - none of them knew. Amalia had become very important to all the Turks; she had somehow crept into all of their hearts and left a mark that would never go away. And knowing that someone was out to get someone as precious as the female Strife sibling was killing all of them on the inside - but Rufus couldn't even begin to fathom the emotions coursing through Reno, both at this moment and throughout the last few months. Turning the computer around so everyone could see, he moved the mouse over the play button but glanced over at the red-haired Turk. "Are you ready to see this?"

He shook his head, anger flooding his veins, but he had no choice. "Just play it before I smash the damn thing." His boss nodded and pressed play. The Turks moved closer to have a better view of the computer screen; Rude immediately placed a soothing hand on his partner's shoulder for support.

The video began and at first there was nothing but a black screen, but a few minutes into the footage a bright light coursed across the screen, brightening the room enough for the four males to see the bare room the camera was pointing towards, save for a chair which sat directly in the middle of the room. The footage remained the same for a few moments when the first voice could be heard and Reno physically cringed.

"I hope all of you at Shinra are viewing this, if you are, I hope you realize you are in deep shit."

That fucker! It's him! Reno could recognize that voice anywhere; it was the same voice from all the videos they had received over the last few months and by simply hearing it, Reno wanted to murder the stranger. The man without a name appeared in view, merging from the left and made his way towards the chair, just as he did in every single video he had sent them. The camera angle was always lowered so when he sat in the chair, his face could not be seen, therefore, keeping his identity a secret from the Shinra employees.

The man took a seat and immediately crossed one leg over the other, his hands cradled gently in his lap. "All of you dogs who work at Shinra are bullshit liars. Every single one of you has claimed that Amalia Strife is the single most deadly woman in the world, renowned for her skill with Materia and her dual swords." The man clicked his tongue, a suggestion to the viewers of his annoyance. "I am indeed disappointed. I had sent one of my personal servants to seek out Amalia and test her skills, but it pains me to say that my servant claims she is weak. And from the report I was given, I must agree with all that I've been told."

Reno growled again, he couldn't stand there and hear this man talk about his Ashe that way; he had to hear enough of it yesterday from the so-called "servant" who attacked her.

"I find this unacceptable. I have heard countless rumors of her inhuman strength, results of her time spent in mako and her SOLDIER training, or so she claims, along with her brother. This just will not do...not by my standards." The man leaned forward and rested the length of his arms on his knees, the lower edge of his face came into view and Reno silently prayed to Gaia that they would be able to see his face so they could track him.

"From what I've heard, Amalia has become quite attached to a certain red-haired Turk." The man chuckled, as if he had relayed a joke, something only he could understand. "Reno, I hope you're listening to this. If you are - be on your guard. I will not stop until she is in my clutches. The Hero of this planet must be stronger, and in order for that to happen…" Reno stared at the video and watched as the camera spanned up where more of the stranger's face was revealed, only up until his nose, nothing more could be seen. His straight lined mouth turned upwards as a smile graced his face as he said, "We'll just have to attack her more."

"NO!" Reno yelled towards the screen as his body lurched forward, only being held back by both Rude and Tseng, a secured hand on each shoulder. The man laughed again, this time, it was a deep, menacing laugh that echoed across the bare room and sent a dangerous chill across all the men within Healen.

"That's right, Reno, I know you're upset. That just means you better keep an eye out for your little girlfriend. You don't know what we've got planned - the dangers that await her. So what're you going to do about it?" The man stood from the chair and walked towards where the camera stood, but stopped when he was a few steps away. "Ah, that reminds me, Reno...do you know where Amalia is at this exact moment? How do you know I haven't sent someone after her as we speak?" The man laughed once again, the sound leaving a stained mark inside Reno's brain as he processed what he had just been told. "Take care of her, Reno, because if you don't...I will." With that, the video went black as the man's face was cut from view as the screen went blank and the video link disappeared back to its normal size.

Reno's shoulders slumped and both Tseng and Rude let their hands fall from their places. His eyes wouldn't watch anything else; both cerulean orbs stayed glued to the computer screen. His brain was confused with all the new information he just gained, but at the same time, it felt as if he hadn't learned anything at all. Whoever this man was knew what he was doing and knew how to creep under the skin of both his prey and the people that were important to her Amalia – he knew how to psychologically mess with people's heads.

But Rufus' voice brought Reno back to reality when he repeated his name several times. "Listen, Reno, I know that must've been hard for you to hear but - "

"Hard to hear…hard to hear?! Do you have any idea what this is doing to me, Rufus?!" Reno turned back to the wall and threw all his might into another punch, landing where it had hit it earlier; the force vibrated the entire building and instantly silenced everyone in the room. His entire body was shaking and Reno could feel the pain in his throat as tears threaten to fall down his dry cheeks - but he wouldn't allow it, he'd never allow such emotion to show in front of his teammates. He whispered, "You have no idea what it's been like. Knowing that someone else is out there searching for your significant other, wanting to hurt them, knowing they want to use her for their evil plan that we know nothing about…it's fucking killing me, Rufus!" He turned back towards his boss. "And because you don't want me to, I can't even explain to the woman I love that someone is out there to get her! Oh, and better yet, we don't even fucking know why!"

"Reno!" He turned towards his boss. "You cannot lose your cool right now. We, and especially Amalia, need you to remain level-headed so we can gather more information."

"Information to do what, sir?!"

"That's the thing, Reno, I don't even know." Rufus was growing aggravated with each passing second. Just like his fellow Turk, he was disturbed by the video and didn't even know what to think of it. "Would you rather sit in my chair and make the decision?"

The red-haired sighed. "I wouldn't even know what decisions to make, sir…"

"Then how do you think I feel about his, Reno? I'm having a hard time myself to figure out what to do. That video disturbed me, as well as Tseng and Rude. But based off of what I have seen and what has happened so far, it would seem that this man is one step ahead of us, wouldn't you agree?"

"It would seem like that, yes," Tseng said, stepping forward. "It's almost as if he has everything planned out before he executes his actions and that he has our reactions included in what he wants to happen."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Reno said. "That we're falling into a trap that's already been set up and there's nothing we can do about out."

Rufus held his face in his hands and rubbed his temples. "Ok, I think this is what we'll do - " The phone within his pocket began to vibrate and Reno's eyes widened. He quickly grabbed the contraption from his front pocket and glared at the screen.

Ashe.

"Reno, what's wrong?"

"Sir, its Ashe. I really need to take this call!" Rufus nodded his head in agreement, knowing that, at this point, anytime Amalia called Reno he should indefinitely answer, whether it was an emergency or not - she needed his undivided attention until they could get to the bottom of this mystery.

Flipping the phone open, Reno was about to scream into the tiny device, his previous emotions from watching the video still fresh in his mind but he bit his tongue before any words could escape from his mouth. Instead, he answered the phone, his fingers slightly shaking as he held the device. Taking a deep breath to try and calm his nerves he said, "Hey Ashe, you done with the delivery in Kalm?" Reno tried to keep his voice sounding calm, but his heart was in his throat and he wasn't able to take in a steady breath.

"This isn't Ashe, Reno."

~ oOo ~

"Cloud?! What's wrong with Ashe?"

"Reno, something happened with Ashe, and I don't think you're going to like it."

"Dammit, Cloud, just get to the point!"

Cloud took a deep breath and glanced at his sister who was currently in the midst of healing her dislocated shoulder. Her hand blazed a vibrant green as she moved her appendages around her shoulder, the muscles in her face gradually began to relax as the tension was released; he was glad to see that she was beginning to look the way she did before the random attack. Turning back to the phone, Cloud replied, "We were attacked about ten minutes after leaving Kalm to head back to Edge." Reno was about to interrupt Cloud but the blonde cut the red-head off before he could utter a syllable. "Hey, before you go on a rant about this just listen to me: Ashe is perfectly fine. This stranger randomly appeared out of nowhere, practically demanded another fight from Ashe and she basically kicked his ass before he dislocated her shoulder - "

"He did WHAT?!"

Pulling the phone away from his ear, Cloud looked at his twin who was giggling softly. "Is he always like this?" He whispered to her.

"Only with me," was her reply.

"Cloud, other than her shoulder, is she ok?"

"Trust me, Reno, she is perfectly fine. I intervened before he could do anything else to her and then he just vanished." He could hear the red-head sigh on the other end. "Reno, is there something going on that you're not telling me?"

Reno sighed again; he didn't want to lie, but he had no choice. "No. It's just, after this stranger attacked her yesterday I'm kinda leery about her going out without me, especially since I was called into work today."

"But it was a simple fight, wasn't it?"

"She almost died."

"She told me the same thing," Cloud said, as he stole a peek at his sister, who was still cautiously hovering over her arm with a Cure spell.

"Cloud…can I speak with her?"

He mumbled a reply then turned to Amalia. "He wants to talk to you."

Releasing the Materia energy she held in her hand, she grabbed the phone and held it against her ear. "Hi Reno."

"Oh Ashe...it's so good to hear your voice. I heard about your shoulder. Baby, are you alright? Do I need to bring anything home for you later?"

She shook her head then thought it was silly since he couldn't see her. "No, I'll be ok. Cloud placed my shoulder back into place and I've been healing myself for a while now, so I'm practically better than what it was. I think I just need a few more minutes and I'll be good as new!" She graced her face with a smile and Cloud glanced at his sister, knowing she was trying to ensure that Reno would feel better about the whole ordeal.

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me babe, I'll be fine." She could hear Reno release a hefty sigh and her smile instantly disappeared. "What's wrong, Reno? It was the same stupid person from yesterday, I don't think there's anything we need to fear. Besides - it doesn't take that much to heal me anyways!" She giggled and Reno inwardly sighed. Oh Ashe...if you only knew that these attacks aren't just flukes.

"I know it's just...it was one attack, but it was one attack too many for me. I don't ever want to see you in the condition you were yesterday; it scared the living hell outa me, yo. And knowing you were attacked again today with me not being there...I just worry about you, babe."

"You don't need to be so scared."

"Try being in my shoes if our places were swapped."

Amalia thought for a moment and her features softened. "Touché." Now it was her turn to take a deep breath and release it. "Listen, we'll talk about this later, ok?"

"Ok. Are you two coming straight home?"

She looked over at her brother who nodded. "Yeah. We'll probably rest for a bit until my shoulder is perfectly fine then we'll head out."

"Good. Listen, I want you to hang out with Cloud until I get back into town. I don't think there's much left for me to do here so I shouldn't be that long. I'll text you when I'm back at the apartment. Ok?"

"I think I can manage that."

"Promise?"

She smiled. Sometimes Reno could be a little overprotective, but that characteristic simply reminded her of Cloud and she had to smile; it only increased the love she had for him. "I promise."

"Good. Listen, I love you, Ashe, I don't want to lose you."

Amalia felt her heart constrict by Reno's words. She had heard those three powerful words many times before, but hearing them after he had discovered she had been injured, they held a different ring to them. And Amalia secretly wished she would never hear those words repeated in that manner again. "I love you too."

"I need to talk to Cloud again."

"Sure, no problem. Here he is, ok? But you stay safe too whenever you go home."

"No worries, yo."

Handing the phone back to Cloud, her brother said, "What do you need?"

"A favor."

~ oOo ~

Cloud continued to sit next to his sister until she deemed that her arm was completely healed. Wanting to be sure, she allowed Cloud to pull and tug on her arm as hard as he could; since she didn't wince or have any pain, Cloud agreed that they could head back to Edge, while keeping the favor he promised Reno in the back of his head.

The drive back home didn't take that long, but to Amalia, it felt as if they had been driving for hours. The whole way back, Amalia's thoughts were elsewhere. At first she couldn't stop thinking about the stranger who attacked her. She was confused and wanted to know why he was only pinpointing his attacks on her. Granted, she didn't want any of her friends to be attacked like she had, but why only her? Not only that, but yesterday he said something about a "Master" and Amalia had no idea what that meant, the word continuously echoed throughout her thoughts. Is he working for someone else who sent him as the lackey to fight me? Amalia's mentality ran amuck and she had a hard time steering the bike. A few times Cloud had to reduce his speed because his sister was gradually easing off of the gas and she was falling behind.

Thus the reason for Reno's favor.

"Cloud, I need you to keep an eye on her. I get it, your siblings and you would do it regardless, but I need you to do this for me; especially when you get back into Edge. I told her to wait with you until I get back, but when she drives to my place, go with her, please? I wouldn't ask for a favor from you, Cloud, unless it was something important. But Ashe is important to me; I don't want to lose her."

Reno's favor echoed in the depths of Cloud's mind and he couldn't help but experience an intense sensation coursing through his veins. It had been almost difficult for him to hear that there was another person who wanted to protect his sister just as badly as he did. Amalia was his twin, his younger sister and he had always taken care of her. She never needed it, she was too independent for her own good, but he always tried to make sure that he was within an arm's reach just in case she needed her brother. And now, knowing that Amalia had someone serious in her life, drove Cloud crazy. But as he glanced at his sister as they drove back to Edge, he couldn't help but smile. I know my sister and I can feel the love she has for the Turk. I may not fully accept this, but I am truly happy for her. She finally deserves someone in her life that'll stay with her forever. Cloud's smile widened even more. He was happy for his sister and that was enough for him to put up with the red-headed Turk - and everyone else that came along with him.

Looking ahead, Amalia could see the outskirts of Edge and she smiled on the inside. Whether Reno was back from Healen or not, she was excited of the prospect to go home. Oh wait...I promised Reno I'd stay with Cloud until he was back from work. Damn... That's cool, I can pick up the blanket that I finished.

Thinking back earlier to the conversation she had with her brother, Amalia could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment. Gosh, I can't believe I seriously had a sex conversation with Cloud about Reno. And then he was being serious when he was discussing his relationship with Tifa! But… Amalia took in a deep breath, her body slightly shaking. What Cloud said is right. There is something deep within myself that I'm not telling Reno…but he deserves to know. I can't keep him hanging by a thread any longer. After hearing Cloud's confession about becoming intimate with Tifa and how it was spectacular has only made me want Reno more; I desperately want to know what that connection is like with my special person - with Reno. He means the world to me and he's always been truthful with me - so why can't I be truthful with him?

Amalia pushed down on the gas and gunned it towards Edge. She lifted her head and wanted to ride towards the home she occasionally shared with Reno, instead, she steered the bike towards Seventh Heaven. Cloud could see the difference in his sister and chuckled. He stepped on the gas as well, following the other Strife back home. Their bikes sped on, leaving two trails of tire prints in the ground as dirt spiraled behind them, their speed grew to be faster than any monster as their need to go home was very strong. As they passed through the opening gate into the city, they slowed their speed, not wanting to injure any civilians, and within a few minutes, arrived back at the entrance to the bar. Turning their engines off, both siblings took off their different goggles and looked at each other. Cloud only nodded as he stood from his bike and walked it back towards the alley behind the bar where they stored their vehicles.

Amalia watched her brother disappear from view then looked down at her hands. Her thoughts this time immediately went to Reno; his face, his voice, his hair… She blushed, knowing that her mind was traveling elsewhere, but her imagination had to feel in the blanks. But she didn't care, she knew Reno was well built with strong muscles and chiseled abs. Her throat released a soft moan as her eyes closed; vividly trying to conjure a picture of her lover but all she could see was his face, which was just enough – for now. Her desire was becoming stronger each day, she knew that, but it was her fear that stopped her from pursuing the next step in her relationship with the Turk. But as she opened her eyes, she blinked and looked at the road that led to the back alley. Her heart was racing, her palms were sweaty and she could feel a tightness in between her legs. Amalia couldn't ignore the signs any longer.

It's time.

~ oOo ~

Reno stayed at Healen for another half-hour before Rufus decided that he could go home. The boss knew Reno was struggling, having a difficult time engaging in their discussion on what to do with this somewhat catastrophic mess, but the Shinra President had to give his red-headed Turk some credit, considering what he was going through.

After Reno had ended the call with Amalia, the four of them immediately began to discuss ideas of how they could protect Amalia while simultaneously figuring out the man behind this mystery. Between Rufus, Tseng, Reno and Rude, they were able to come up with plans that would work, but in the end, none of them could be called to action since they all required Amalia to know what was happening; and Rufus still wanted to keep her in the dark. In the end, the simplest plan was for Reno to have an "extended vacation" so he could watch over Amalia while Tseng and Rude could stay behind and see if they could trace the whereabouts of the estranged mastermind.

"Everyone feel good with the decisions we've made?" They all nodded. "Good. Tseng and Rude, remember, you're trying to discover where the video link was sent from and to see if we can identify in our database whose voice that belongs to. I have a feeling he probably had ties related to Shinra in the past, so if my guess is true, we should still have some information about him."

"Yes sir," they replied in unison.

Turning to Reno, Rufus asked, "You know what to do?"

"Make sure that she doesn't want to go anywhere far," Reno replied.

"Good. And try not to make it like you're watching her, even though, technically, you are watching her. Just make sure she doesn't find out."

"I know she'll ask, but how long is my 'extended vacation' supposed to last?"

"Tell her...tell I'm giving you three weeks."

"She'll know something's up."

"You think?" Tseng was the one to ask as he turned to his red-headed Second-in-Command.

"Oh yeah, she'll think something's fishy and ask me question after question trying to find the truth. Ashe is incredibly smart and can tell when something seems suspicious."

"That's what I'm scared about - her intelligence. That'll be our disadvantage against her but, Reno, you'll just have to get her to believe you. Tell her I feel really bad about what happened and I want the two of you to have some time together, especially since you just came home from a month long mission."

"I think that'll make it easier on her, yo."

"Good! Then I think we're done for now. Rude, you taking him home?" Rufus pointed to the red-head who couldn't help but smile - he was going back home. It had only been a couple hours but he needed to see his lover now.

Reno turned to his partner and Rude nodded, both exited down the hallway back to where the chopper laid waiting for them. Instead of Reno steering the machine, Rude took the pilot seat as his partner sat in the opposite chair, both placing the required headgear on and acknowledged the other when they were ready. Reno gave Rude a thumbs up while the sun-glassed man smirked and glided the chopper into the air. And before they knew it, they were gliding through the air, leaving Healen in the background as they soared away towards Edge.

Reno glanced out the window, his eyes occasionally looking at the ground, a small twinge of hope deep within his chest that he would see Amalia riding Shiva, secretly on her way to greet him at Healen, despite Reno telling her to stay with Cloud. Oh Ashe... I cannot wait to see you. I need to hold you in my arms and know that you're not hurt. I can't stand what's going on. And I swear I will find out who is attacking you and they will regret ever messing with someone close to me.

As Reno continued go glance out the window, Rude stole a glance of his own at his partner. He truly felt remorseful for Reno and Amalia; they certainly didn't deserve to go through this mess with this un-expectant stranger. Although he was one of the few people who knew of their relationship, Rude had watched his partner and Amalia grow close over the last four years. No one would have imagined the two of them coming together - Rude being one of those people - but they challenged the odds and have survived together in an amazing way. I'm proud to say that these people in are in my life. And I'm with Rufus - I'll do everything in my power to ensure that these two are not separated. I have never seen man and a woman who deserve to be together as much as Reno and Amalia do. The love they hold is very rare; their soulmates… Rude wanted to chuckle but kept his melancholy exterior as to not disturb his partner. I just hope that Reno took my hint of proposing to Amalia. It's about damn time he took the initiative. I have no idea what's stopping that man from settling down…

"Rude?"

"Hn?"

"How much longer, do you think?"

"Uh…probably about a few more minutes buddy." Reno sighed. "I know, just hang on a little longer."

"I'm just getting antsy, yo."

"Just keep thinking of that extended vacation," Rude pointed out.

Reno finally turned away from the window to glance at his Turk partner. "An extended vacation as a cover-up so you and Tseng can track down who sent us the latest video." He sighed again. "Rude, this is driving me crazy. How am I to act calm around Amalia when I have all this information in my head about the people who are after her, and I can't tell her a damn thing?"

It was his partner's turn to sigh this time. "I honestly don't know, Reno. You have been extremely tough these last few months when all this shit started happening. Out of the people I know, you are the only one who can handle this. Just don't stress, as hard as that is, and just focus on being with Amalia and making her happy. If she's happy, you'll be happy. Right?"

A soft chuckle escaped Reno's lips; he was surprised at how much his partner would talk when the topic was centered around Amalia. "I know you're right, but it's still hard, yo."

"Well, you better turn that frown upside down, because we're back in Edge and about to land in a minute." Upon hearing this, Reno immediately pulled out his phone and began a message to Amalia stating that he was just landing and that she could head on over. In his mind, Reno thought back to what Rude said previously about keeping her happy and immediately he planned several activities they could do that would make her happy - but more importantly, he just wanted to make her smile. His phone vibrated within his hand and Reno looked down, knowing it was a reply from Amalia, her message saying: I'll be there soon! Looking out the window, Reno counted the seconds until he saw her; for some reason, he had a particular feeling in his gut that hadn't let up since they left Healen.

But he felt that tonight was going to be special and he had no idea why.

~ oOo ~

So this is the longest chapter I have written so far, equaling over twelve thousand words! And again, I must apologize for the long wait. I have said in the last few chapters that school has kept me away from writing, but I've also been suffering from writer's block – probably because I've been writing so many essays for my classes. Only three more weeks and then summer break!

A fair warning: I won't be posting anything until mid-May for I am graduating and need these next few weeks to focus on my finals. I will, however, be working on my writing when I can so I'm not completely halting Becoming His Angel, I'm just letting all my readers know that I am specifically not posting anything for a reason. But once summer arrives, I "plan/hope" to post a chapter at least once a week.

Read, review, rate – please let me know what you think!

Chocobocolina ~ out! :3