Chapter 14

I am so sorry for the long wait! For those who have seen (or read) I've also been working on a Skyrim story as well. The game was a gift for my birthday last year and I became obsessed and I suddenly wanted to create a story based off of my character I made in game. So that's one reason why I haven't updated, the second would be I've been suffering from major's writer's block with this story. I have an outline of how I want the story to go, but putting a few sentences into a whole chapter was driving me insane. I had this chapter "done" for a while but something wasn't right, but now I finally have it complete! So please enjoy, and I am sorry for the long wait…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything – if I did, my life would be much more interesting. I only own any OC's that I created.

~ oOo ~

"Oh, Reno…"

Cradled intimately on their bed, Amalia held Reno within her arms as he plowed her with a pleasure she had only recently begun to understand. Every thrust, every breath sent the blonde over the edge; she could feel the red-head's muscles clench as he physically displayed the love he unequivocally held for her.

The couple had enjoyed a simple, quite ride back the outskirts of Edge all the way towards their apartment, but once inside, Reno lunged at her and attacked with his mouth, pinning her against the door the moment it closed. Amalia had equally accepted the onslaught of kisses with her own, exploring Reno's face, chin, and lips, eventually traveling down towards his neck. But Reno didn't linger long within the living room. Grabbing his lover's hips, he pulled her upwards as she wrapped her luscious legs around his waist. Amalia continued her onslaught of kisses against his neck while Reno raced upstairs and threw them onto the bed.

Within the several minutes that passed by, Reno had rid both Amalia and himself of all clothing and immediately plunged a finger deep inside of her, already expecting her to be ready for him. Once he pulled out, Amalia had her hips slightly raised as he grabbed her waist and plunged within her. Amalia threw her head backwards and sighed, already missing the feeling of her lover within her. Repeatedly she called Reno's name, urging him to continue the powerful passion he had brought upon her body. And as the minutes increased since the beginning of their lovemaking, so did the pressure within the deep depths of her womanhood. Arching his hips, allowing Reno a deeper thrust, Amalia began to moan, the succulent sounds echoing across their bedroom.

Reno could immediately tell she was close, he could feel her body tighten and tense each time he thrusted into her. Leaning down, he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her lips towards his. Capturing her tongue in his mouth, the two waged war, both wanting to win and both wanting to succumb towards the other. With each kiss, Reno thrust harder, faster and the moment Amalia moved her hips against his own, meeting the same pace, she exploded. Thrusting her head backwards into the pillows, she screamed towards the heavens as Reno straightened his back and quickened his pace even more. Thrusting four more times, the red-head collapsed against Amalia, the pressure of his own release succumbing him to an overwhelming pleasure he was sure to never grow tired of. Reno lay there, sensing how Amalia's tight walls milked him of his own orgasm with everything she had. After a few seconds, Reno tried to pull out but Amalia intertwined her arms around his neck and pulled Reno towards her lips. She moaned into his mouth before pulling away, a bright, beautiful smile spread across her face.

Pulling away from her loving grasp, Reno collided against the bed, immediately wrapping his arms around Amalia and pulled her towards him. Her bare skin against his made Reno moan out loud, the member between his legs already reviving itself for another round. Although Reno wasn't sure if Amalia was ready, he settled with placing his head on top of hers and kissing her temple. Resting his eyes for a brief second, he was unaware that his lover twisted within his arms and was now facing him, her hand already trailing down his chest, across the beating heart still bounding beneath the skin. With his face scrunching together in pleasure with

eyes closed in ecstasy, Reno knew where this was going and by the time he opened his eyes, Amalia had already wrapped her hand around his member and was pumping him while kissing his bare neck.

"So…" he breathed, unsure of when they were going to get some rest. Not that I care, I could love Amalia all night and not get a shit about how much sleep I should get. "Is this how you want to spend the rest of the night…?"

She quickly nodded in response. "This is our bedroom now…I want you to show me how much you love and want me here."

"Ohhhh angel, that might take a while…" Reno responded, currently concentrating on breathing.

Her lips left his neck as they made their way back towards his lips. Casting a chaste kiss against his mouth, she looked straight into his eyes and whispered, "We have all night..."

Reno growled and, by her arms, pulled Amalia above him. As she straddled him, it was his turn to cast his lips upon her neck, and as Amalia's moans grew within their bedroom, Reno couldn't help but smile. He loved everything about this woman and she knew how to please him without even trying. His length hardened through their minimal conversation and as he grabbed her hips, Reno guided Amalia back down on his hard member, wanting her to take the lead and show him what she could do.

Looking into his eyes, Amalia could see the wicked grin across his face. "This is what you want…?"

"Oh hell yes it is my – holy mother fucking Gaia!" As he was speaking, Amalia pulled her hips back and instantaneously slammed down onto Reno, causing his mind to wander as his eyes and mouth opened. Eternal bliss was the instant gratification Amalia granted upon Reno – yet the moment was not over. She continued her personal onslaught against him over and over, wanting him to be the one yield first instead of her.

In that moment, Reno couldn't believe that this was his woman – the one he loved, the one who loved him and the one he ultimately wanted to ask for her hand in marriage. For the first time in his life, Reno felt complete, whole, needed and wanted. He stared into the mix-matched eyes of the woman who was making love to him and he smiled. He softly grabbed hold of her cheeks and brought herself down upon his lips for the thousandth time. At first he kissed her gently, but as their kisses grew, so did the intensity. And when she wasn't paying attention, Reno flipped over the bed, wrapping Amalia's legs around his waist as he held her back against the bed and filled her with an ecstasy she wasn't going to forget.

As each craved the other, their love grew as their hearts continuously joined as one. When one session ended, another would begin and it wasn't until late into the night when both collapsed in each other's arms, spent and tired, but tingled gloriously with a loving sensation of pleasure and warmth. As their eye began to close, both whispered I love you towards the other before finally drifting off into a peaceful sleep where restlessness and nightmares didn't exist.

~ oOo ~

"So, are we going to try and have the lazy day we were supposed to have yesterday?"

"I'm hoping we have one in the future, yo. Remember? We were gonna go visit Elena today at Healen?"

"Ohhh yeah, that's right. Poor girl must be going bored out of her mind. Especially since Tseng and Rude left yesterday."

"Rufus said the same thing when he called yesterday."

Amalia and Reno were sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen eating leftovers from pasta night a day earlier. The two had spent each other's energy the night before and neither was willing to get up until almost noon and by the time they were dressed and ready, it was almost one. Taking a bite of the reheated food, Amalia couldn't help but giggle as she remembered every single detail about yesterday, including the fight with her friends. At that moment, she didn't care – she had Reno with her and, frankly, that's all she cared about. In the depths of her heart, however, she secretly wished in the future that her friends and Reno could act their age and get along, but Amalia felt that was pretty farfetched to happen anytime soon.

But she still hoped.

Taking a bite, Reno said with a mouth full, "Wha' you gigglin' 'bout?"

She smiled. "Just what we did last night."

Looking up from his plate the red-head raised an eyebrow. "You're giggling about that?" Reno noticed that Amalia's cheeks reddened slightly and he couldn't help but smile. "We did it a lot, didn't we?"

"Oh yeah we did. I wonder how long I'll stay this sore."

"No, stay sore, I want you to remember what I did to you." Winking in her direction, it was Reno's turn to laugh. But as he did so, Amalia reached across the table and slapped his arm.

"You are so dirty, Reno!"

"I know, yo! Ain't it great?" Reno quickly noticed Amalia's smile faltered and he grabbed her hand across the table and squeezed. "Seriously though, are you ok with everything that's happened?"

"I…well, I'm not going to lie and say it was a cake walk to listen to what my friends had to say but…it'll get better. I think they'll cool off their heads once some time has passed. And who knows, maybe everything will turn out alright in the future."

Reno squeezed her hand again. "You really believe that?"

Shrugging her shoulders, she said weakly, "I'd like to think so, yes." Taking the last few bites of her meal, she grabbed her plate and stood, walking over towards the sink and rinsing the plate off. "You done with yours?" She asked Reno. He ate the last of what was left on his plate and stood, handing the dish to the blonde who cleaned it off and stuck it in the dishwater. He could tell everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours was bothering her; Amalia's breathing was off, shoulders were tense and her eyes looked as if they were ready to burst.

Grabbing her shoulder and turning her around, Reno looked directly into her eyes and asked, "Are you sure you're ok? Something seems up babe."

She sighed. "No, I'm really bothered by what Yuffie told me. And the fact that she slapped me hasn't really helped…" Amalia gently touched her cheek, a visible hand print still clear as day; her skin purple from the bruise that had formed over the course of the night. When she needed too, Yuffie sure did know how to bitch slap. "I can talk to Elena once we get there."

"You ready to leave then?" She nodded. "Then let's go."

The ride over to Healen didn't take nearly as long as it had for Amalia the day Reno had returned from his month-long mission. There was nobody on the road so Reno sped as fast as he desired. With his red mane of hair flapping in the air, Amalia squeezed her arms around his waist and smiled into his back; she loved to see the wild side of Reno when he decided to let go. Reno was driving so fast that Amalia thought she had merely blinked a few times and they were already at their destination.

As Reno drove through the curves of the mountain road, he slowed his speed and Amalia pulled back, looking around at the peaceful surroundings. She wondered if her life would ever be peaceful outside of the world she and Reno resided in. Looking back at the day before, she had never meant to hurt anyone's feelings, only that she wanted to fix her own. Sometimes she had felt utterly abandoned by her friends because it seemed they cared about everyone else but her. When Reno entered her life, it was a whirlwind of difference than what she was used to because the red-head actually paid attention to her and only her. Reno always asked what was new within her life, her likes, dislikes. He actually wanted to know about her and for Amalia, it was quite a change considering her friends never truly asked about her opinions or beliefs. Reno thus became an outlet for Amalia to open up and define who she was. At first, it had been awkward considering who Reno was but she destroyed the wall that blocked her from getting to understand Reno and before Amalia knew it, she had fallen for red-head and he for her.

Once she realized Reno had slowed the bike, Amalia straightened her back and glanced around, clearing her mind so she could focus. Reno had guided Shiva towards the front steps of Healen and she hadn't even realized they were this close to their destination. Standing from the bike, the two walked up the ramp and Reno opened the door, allowing Amalia to walk in first. Closing the door, Reno noticed nobody was in the room so he walked towards the door that led to the rest of the building and clicked a button on the pad near the handle along the wall. The gadget dinged and crackled before a voice was heard on the intercom.

"Reno, is that you?" It was Rufus on the other end and Amalia had to guess that he was probably in Elena's room or somewhere else within the complex.

"Yes sir, both me and Amalia just arrived. Where are you in the complex?"

"In Elena's room, please, come join us."

Reno released the button for the intercom and opened the door. Amalia walked down into the hallway towards Elena's room and once she was close, knocked, then entered when she heard someone say "Come in". Inside, Elena was still on the hospital bed and Rufus stood beside her, both speaking softly towards each other but turned towards the door as it opened.

"Good afternoon you two," Rufus stated and nodded in Reno's direction.

"Sir," was all Reno said as he nodded in response.

"Hi Rufus. How're you doing today?"

"I'm doing pretty good. And yourself? I heard you were attacked the other day, everything ok?"

This made Amalia smile. Her heart warmed whenever Rufus asked about her personally about it health, it truly showed how his sincerity had transformed over the last several years. "Oh I'm perfectly fine now, my brother helped me with what happened, all is good now."

"Good, I am glad to hear that."

"Amalia!"

Looking behind Rufus, Amalia smiled and walked towards Elena, still wrapped with a cast on her leg but now her arm was lightly bandaged and had escaped the sling. "Elena, you still doing ok?"

The other blonde smiled a toothy grin. "Better than ever!"

But Amalia could tell something was off. "You're growing bored out of your mind, aren't you?"

"Sooooo fucking bored! This is getting ridiculous. Sir, it's been what? Only a few days?" Elena said as she stared at Rufus.

"Yes, something like that," Rufus replied, moving out of Amalia's way and stood next to Reno who continued to stay beside the door.

"Amalia it's too much! Tseng and Rude left yesterday and Rufus only visits me when he has time." She glanced over Amalia's shoulder and glared at her boss. "Which hasn't been a whole lot!"

"I have things on my plate right now."

This piqued Amalia's curiosity. "Oh?" She turned towards the President. "Is everything alright?"

Rufus gulped, not sure what to say but he knew he had to lie. "Everything's fine. Just some people North Corel have been causing some trouble at the old Mako Reactor, that's where Tseng and Rude left too."

The blonde raised an eyebrow, now sure how to feel about this. "And what are they supposed to do to the people in North Corel?"

Oh Rufus you did it now, Reno thought. You created a lie in which made Amalia mad. How're you gonna get out of this?

"Their orders are to speak with the townspeople to see what's bothering them. They are then to report back to me so we can try and come to an understanding." For a moment Amalia said nothing. She considered Rufus' words carefully, but eventually nodded her, accepting the President's answer. Rufus sighed and his shoulders sagged before he quickly regained his posture.

"Just make sure the people of North Corel aren't hurt, ok? Can you promise me that?"

Rufus nodded, silently thanking Gaia that she believed him and then immediately regretted that he was lying to her. He knew it was for the best and as Rufus quickly stole a glance at Reno, he felt saddened by the fact that Reno still had to go along with this; even though the order to lie came directly from his mouth. "Trust me, Amalia, I can promise you that the people of North Corel will not suffer any form of violence against them."

Amalia smiled and glanced at Reno, happy with the progress the employees of Shinra were making. Despite what had been said to her yesterday, she was proud of these people and that they had all formed some sort of relationship within her life. Reno gave a small smile in her direction before finally saying, "Well, how about Rufus and I leave you two along so you can talk?"

"Aww, but Reno! You're more than welcome to stay in here and chat with us!" Elena chimed in, desperately seeking any company she could acquire.

"I'll come back and we'll talk, but Rufus needs to update me with the current mission so I'm not completely out of the loop, yo." Elena stuck her tongue out at the red-head before turning her head away.

"Fine be that way."

"Fine I will be that way."

"Damn, you two are bickering like children!" Amalia scolded her friend and boyfriend but failed to withhold the laugh forming within her chest as it escaped from her lips. Both Elena and Reno looked questionably at her before she said, "Sorry, but you two are cute when you bicker!"

"Oh, well thank you," Elena said as she flicked a section of hair over her shoulder. "I know I'm cute."

"Not as cute as my girl, yo."

"Oh you're just saying that because she's in the room!" Elena again stuck her tongue out but followed Amalia's example and giggled.

It was time for Rufus to speak which he did. "Alright, you two. Amalia's right – you two do bicker like children."

Reno and Elena both pointed at each other before saying at the same time, "I didn't do anything!"

Rufus sighed. "I've been headache free for a couple of days and the moment you two are reunited is when they return. Amalia, I'm stealing Reno away, we'll be back soon."

"Ok, sir." She giggled as she tried to imitate Reno's voice but with no luck. Her voice slightly cracked and this earned a laugh from both Elena and Reno. Rufus tried to hold back as well, but a soft chuckle escaped his lips before he walked towards the door.

Reno followed his boss and looked at the two blondes before he left. "Alright ladies, don't cause any trouble before we return."

"Oh we wouldn't dream of causing any trouble, Reno." Elena said.

"Ashe wouldn't but you might, Elena." Looking at his lover, he said, "I'll be back."

"I know. I'm not going anywhere."

"Ok. Use the intercom if either of you need anything."

"Yes dad," Elena snickered. Reno smiled and shook his head before he walked out the door and closed it behind him, leaving the two laughing girls to their selves. As soon as the door shut, Elena grabbed Amalia's hand and pulled her close. Grabbing a chair, she sat down next to the bed and awaited the bombardment of questions she was about to receive from Elena. "Girl you have stuff to say, I can see it in your eyes. Spill. Now."

Amalia heaved a sigh, not knowing where to start. "So much has happened since I last saw you. Anything specific you want me to mention?"

"Hell yes! Girl I want the dirty details!"

"Ohhh, that's what you want? Damn you seriously are desperate."

Elena ran a hand through her now long blonde hair, this time heaving a sigh before speaking. "You have no idea. Because materia won't heal my leg, the doctor gave me orders that I can't do anything too strenuous on my leg. And that includes sex."

"What? Seriously?" Elena nodded. "Whoa, so that means, you and Tseng haven't…at all?"

"Not in almost two weeks."

"Why so long?!"

"Amalia you're the one who hasn't had sex at all, do you really have the right to criticize that Tseng and I haven't…" But Elena finished her sentenced when she noticed the sudden flushed cheeks and averted gaze of her friend. "No. Don't tell me. Did you and Reno…?" Amalia nodded and her friend screamed long, and loud enough, to withstand an echo within the room. Almost immediately the intercom buzzed and Amalia stood from her seat to answer.

"Yes?"

"Yo, Amalia, everything ok in there?"

"Yeah, everything's fine, why?"

"Rufus and I heard screaming. Was that you?"

"No that was Elena."

"Does she need any more medication?" It was Rufus who asked this time.

"No she's just being weird. It's nothing, don't worry about it. Wait, you could hear her?"

"The walls aren't that thick. Besides, we're right down the hall."

"Oh, well I'll tell her to be quiet then."

"Yes please baby, keep her in check."

"Can do, Turky." Releasing the button, Amalia returned back to her seat to find Elena frozen with her mouth agape and her eyes wide. "Hey, Reno said to be quiet."

"Agh! I don't care what Reno has to say! You fucking did it, didn't you?!"

Embarrassed, Amalia nodded and softly said, "Yes."

"Oh my god this is fantastic! You have to tell me everything!"

"Wait, hell no! Elena you finish your story!"

The blonde heaved a sigh, knowing her friend had a point. "Ok-so-since-we-were-on-a-month-long-mission-we-rarely-ever-stayed-at-an-inn-and-once-we-did-Tseng-and-I-always-shared-a-room-and-the-last-time-we-did-the-business-was-one-week-before-we-came-home-and-since-it's-been-almost-a-week-since-we-came-back-we-haven't-had-sex-since-then-and-I-am-seriously-going-crazy-I-need-some-action-and-I-can't-getting-any-it's-driving-me-insane!" Taking several deep breaths, considering she had stammered everything into one sentence, Elena finally said in a slower tone, "Ok, now it's your turn."

So, Amalia spent the next several minutes covering what had happened between her and Reno and how they came to be sexually. Not wanting to dwell too much on when she had been injured, she skipped over that part and began when she had first arrived home. She even explained her true feelings as to why she hadn't pursued Reno sexually for the last four years. By the time she had finished explaining how many times they made love last night, both blondes were blushing profusely.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Elena finally said, "Oh my god…" She held a hand over her heart. "That is the sweetest thing I have ever heard."

"You think?" Amalia questioned her friend's response.

Her friend nodded enthusiastically. "Think about it this way: how many people do you know have been in a relationship nearly as long as you and Reno, haven't had sex yet still loved each other? Neither one wanting to end the entire relationship over something like sex?" When Amalia didn't say anything, Elena nodded her head. "Exactly. The story you have with Reno is special and the love you two share is very, very rare." Looking down at her hands, Elena also said, "I respect and admire the two of you."

Amalia was shocked to hear this. "Really? You do?"

"Of course I do. I've been lucky enough to witness your love grow into something magical. But you wanna know a secret?" Amalia nodded. "I think Reno might ask you to marry him."

"What?! No, you're crazy. We both know Reno's not the marrying type."

"Yeah, maybe in the past, but this is the present where he's with a girl he actually cares about and would do anything for her. Do you really doubt that he won't ask you?"

"It's not that I doubt it I just…never thought I'd have the chance to marry anyone."

"And now you have Reno."

"Who, just yesterday, asked me to move in with him." Elena's eyes widened once more and she opened her mouth once more but Amalia jumped to her feet and covered it with her hand. The blonde still screamed but Amalia's hand muffled the noise and after a few seconds, she pulled away and sat back down. "No way. No freakin' way – he asked you to move in with him?!"

"You're seriously enjoying everything that's happening in my life, aren't you?"

"Oh come on Amalia I'm dying of boredom in this place. Besides you're my best friend and I deserve to know everything that's happened. And since you're also in a relationship with one of my co-workers, I have an even bigger right to know what's happening between you two."

"Well, as sweet as this gesture was coming from Reno, it came at an awkward time."

"How so? Oh, I bet he asked you right in the middle of a love session."

"Trust me I would have preferred that scenario over what happened." Elena raised an eyebrow in confusion and Amalia heavily sighed. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Everyone knows."

"Everyone knows?" Elena repeated and Amalia nodded. The blonde thought hard for a few seconds before it finally clicked in her head. "Oh my god they know. When you say everyone, is that seriously everyone?"

"Yes. Tifa, Barret, Cid, Yuffie, Vincent, Nanaki and Cait Sith. Even Cloud but that's another completely different story, but trust me. The moment Cloud found out is better than when the rest of the group did."

"I can only imagine. So what happened?"

"Well, in a nutshell, Reno and I went shopping so I could buy more yarn to finish the baby outfit I'm working on for Yuffie. Apparently when we were walking home, Yuffie saw the two of us holding hands and freaked, calling everyone to meet at the bar. Once we got home, I got a call from Tifa asking if Reno and I could head over to the bar because she wanted to ask us something."

"Wait, hold up…how did she know you were with Reno?"

"I didn't know at the time, but the group was there so Yuffie must've told her. So, we headed over there and as we walked in, I was basically bombarded with insults about how I'm "sleeping with the enemy" or that Reno is "brainwashing me" and other shit like that." Amalia dropped her head into her hands. "It was a nightmare. I swear…I didn't keep this away from everyone just to piss them off…"

"Amalia…" The blonde looked towards the other blonde. "You were only searching for your happiness. You didn't tell your friends because you didn't want them to ruin the only happiness you've ever truly felt. Am I right?" Amalia stared blankly at her friend, but eventually nodded when the realization finally hit home. "I think your reason is understandable. But what happened next?"

"Basically Yuffie called me a traitor and, although she didn't directly come out and say it, she made me feel like a slut, that Reno was only using me for my body because of his lustful past." Elena gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh, it gets better. When I admitted that Reno and I were a couple and had been for several years, Yuffie slapped me. And I mean she full on bitch slapped me. Look." Turning her head, Amalia allowed Elena to look at the right side of her face, the hand print still clearly visible and a small bruise that had formed last night stretched across the skin.

"She fucking hit you?!"

"Yep. Oh! And then she flat out told me I was kicked out and couldn't live in the bar anymore."

"Please tell me Tifa finally spoke up."

"She did. She said that the thought never crossed her mind and that she wouldn't do such a thing. Which I believe, it just…hurt that Yuffie thinks she has the right to do what she did. And that's when Reno flat out told everyone that I'd live with him and then he asked me, so I said yes."

"Awww."

"Wait…what, really?"

"Oh come on Amalia! If the entire female population in the world knew what kind of man you have they would try to murder you. Reno treats you so sweetly, he would do anything for you. That man is in love with you and he will never leave you."

"You know, thinking back on the last four years and the fear I had, I felt foolish for thinking the things I did."

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I think you have full right to feel that way. I haven't been with Tseng nearly as long as you and Reno, but the thought still scares me that he might up and leave one day. I think it's a natural fear within women and I think it's even scarier when it's your first, serious relationship. Think about it – Reno is your first boyfriend and he's your first longest relationship."

"He'll be my only relationship."

"So…" Elena raised an eyebrow and stared at her friend, wanting to know if she was hearing her correctly. "Are you saying that if Reno dropped down on one knee today and proposed…you would say yes?"

With her face blushing a deep red, Amalia quickly replied, "In a heartbeat."

~ oOo ~

"Seriously, Reno? You're going to ask Amalia to marry you?"

Reno nodded in response. After they had left Elena's room, they walked down the hall towards the front lobby when the red-head took his normal seat on the couch and Rufus leaned against his desk. "The other day Rude and I went out drinking and he questioned when I was gonna ask her since we've been together for so long."

"So…you only want to ask her because Rude said something?"

"No, that's not it at all. I've had this thought probing my head for months but I was never too sure whether I was ready for it or if she was. With all my heart I want to marry Amalia…I guess what Rude told me finally kicked in my brain that I need to make her mine before something happens." Reno looked up at his boss. "But, with what happened yesterday, I don't want to add any pressure and make it seem like I'm only asking her to spite her friends. And that's why I asked her to move in. It's not marriage but…it's a start, yo."

"No, I think you made the smart choice, Reno. But how long will you wait?"

"I'm not sure. The more I think about it the more I want to ask for Cloud's permission."

"But Cloud's her brother."

"Yes, I know that, yo."

"Um, usually you ask the father."

"Both their parents died years ago. Cloud's the only family she has."

"Oh, wait that's right… Well then yes, I think asking Cloud is a good thing to do."

Reno laughed. "Thanks, sir, wish I had thought of that on my own."

"Are you hoping things will cool down with her friends first before talking to Cloud?"

"That was my plan, yes. Also, with the recent attacks on Amalia, I wanted to ensure that we've been able to control the situation before asking her."

Rufus sighed. "I'm sorry, Reno, but there's no official way to guarantee her complete safety. These attacks came completely out of nowhere and none of us expected it to happen."

"So what do you think I should do?"

Rufus thought for a moment before answering. "I think you should wait and see how living together works out – which I think you'll be fine anyways. After that, talk to Cloud and once you have his blessing, go from there."

The red-head ran a hand through his hair, his mind ablaze with worries he wished would just leave him alone. He was consistently worried over the safety of Amalia and now he wasn't sure what was bound to happen since her friends basically kicked her out of their lives. Growling into his hand, Reno looked towards his boss for guidance, although he was pretty sure Rufus had already said the best advice that he could give.

"We're doing the best that we can, Reno." Rufus' voice entered Reno's mind, distracting him from the constant worries that plagued his thoughts. "All of us here are doing what we can to figure out what is going on and why these people are after Amalia. Even Elena's helping, despite her current condition. She literally drags herself out of the hospital bed to search through the minimal evidence that we have." His boss stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Though it may seem you're all alone in this endeavor, you're not. You have all of us back here to aid you."

Tilting his head down Reno chuckled. He truly appreciated the words Rufus has relayed to him, but despite the truth, he sure did feel alone. All his coworkers truly wanted to see the safety of Amalia, but none of them were in a relationship with her – none of them loved her like he did. But still, he couldn't tell his boss what he was truly thinking. Biting his tongue, he turned his face back towards his boss and provided a small smile. Despite what he was honestly feeling, he was still very grateful for everything his friends were trying to do. "So," Reno said, filling the suddenly quiet room with noise. "Fill me in on where Tseng and Rude left too yesterday."

"Oh, yes," Rufus said, turning towards his desk. Taking a seat, he awakened his computer and searched through several files, namely a secret, locked file that was designed specifically to hold all information about the investigation on the people after Amalia. All the Turks had the same file linked together on their own computers back at the main office in Edge.

Searching through the document, Rufus clicked on a specific file he was looking for and turned the monitor towards Reno so he could see. "Remember when you came in a few days ago and we had received the newest video file?"

Reno physically shuddered at the memory. He couldn't rid his mind of the sound of the man's voice within the video. Just thinking about what the man had said physically made Reno sick. The red-head could not comprehend why anyone was after Amalia. Had she done something in her past that she hadn't told him? Was it someone she had met in SOLDIER and he wanted her back? Was it someone she knew when she had lived in Nibelheim?

Wait…Nibelheim…

Nibelheim!

"Sir!" Reno's voice was sharp and direct as he called his boss towards attention.

Rufus' ears perked towards the Turk. "Yes, Reno?"

"Tseng and Rude…where exactly did you send them, sir?"

Without looking at the file, Rufus automatically replied, "Nibelheim. Why do you ask?"

"It just occurred to me…could the person that's been causing all this trouble…could he potentially be from Nibelheim? Could he have known Amalia when both she and her brother lived there as children?"

"Hmm," Rufus considered the logical sense of Reno's statement. Searching through his computer once again, he pulled up a document containing the mission status the fellow Turks had been sent to take care of. "Now that you mention that, Reno, that is a possibility. Why did you mention that in the first place?"

"I just started to think about the recent video and why the man might be after Amalia. The only thing I could really think of was that he either knew her from SOLDIER or from her childhood town. Or, it could even potentially be both."

"That is a good speculation. The reason I sent Tseng and Rude to Nibelheim was because of this. Take a look." Turning the screen once more towards Reno, the red-head looked and raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he was looking at. Splayed across the screen was a puzzle of different letters and numbers and occasionally a few symbols. Even though Reno wasn't the brightest when it came to computer technology, he was aware that the letters and numbers were arranged in a specific way, indicating their level of importance.

"Uh…care to explain what I'm looking at?"

"Obviously you can see that this long list resembles that of a code. Tseng uncovered this code from the video that was sent us the other day."

Reno scratched his head, still unsure of what his boss was trying to say. "Ok, so…what's the code for, then?"

Rufus smiled. "Location."

"Location?"

"That's right. Tseng spent hours dissecting the video and once he found this code, it took him even longer to decipher it's meaning, especially since it was an encrypted code." Rufus glanced at Reno, who face indicated that he was confused. "You following?"

"So far so good."

"Good. In the end, this long ass code basically tells us where the email containing this link was sent from."

"And the location of where the video was sent from is…?"

"Nibelheim."

Rufus paused and once again looked at the red-head who held the bridge of his nose. "So, what you're telling me…in this long ass code," Reno pointed his finger at the screen. "Explains where the video was sent from? Then that means it tells us where that bastard is!"

"Exactly. And this code states that the email the link was attached too was sent from an approximate location near Nibelheim. Once Tseng told me about his discovery, I immediately sent him and Rude to investigate if there was anything…different occurring in the infamous town."

"So far this is the best lead that we have."

"That and including what you just mentioned. When you leave, I'll run a search through the database of any people who had lived in Nibelheim and if they had any former, or current, employment history with Shinra." As he glanced at the computer, Rufus also added, "And whether they're still alive or not…"

Reno looked towards his boss who was intently looking at the glowing screen. "Do you really think the two are connected?"

"It is a possibility. But I guess the next question that needs to be asked is why he's after her and what for? Has Amalia ever mentioned to you anyone in her past that might somehow have a grudge against her?"

"Not that I can recall. But I honestly doubt it. She doesn't have the personality to piss someone off; she's too sweet, she would try to fix any situation than to leave and let it fester."

"Yes, that is true. She really is a pure-hearted soul, isn't she?"

This made Reno smile. "I love to think so, yes. And I told her that once but she didn't believe me. She thinks she's committed just as evil sins as I have."

"She really thinks that?" Reno nodded. "Hmm, I still believe what I said. For her to openly admit that means that she does have a pure soul; one in which her honesty shines above everything else. That's a rare trait to have these days, it seems."

Looking curiously over at his boss, Reno suddenly had a thought course through his mind, and before he knew it, the question had left his lips and he couldn't take it back. "Sir, are you in love with Amalia…?"

Leaning back in his chair, Rufus stared at the Second-in-Command Turk he had known for years. "Did you seriously just ask me what I think you just did?"

"Think about it. Some of the things you say about her are kinda conspicuous."

Rufus looked away for a few moments before finally turning his attention back to Reno. "I will admit I do have some feelings for Amalia but it's not what you think."

Reno raised an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?"

Rufus shook his head. "No. Reno, believe me when I say that I do not love Amalia, at least, not in the way that you do. I will always have a fondness for her in my heart, but it's more out of gratitude and appreciation than pure love."

"Is it because she saved your life?" Reno thought back to over four years ago, not long before he and Amalia began their relationship. It had only been about a week or so after the Meteor incident on Midgar and the Lifestream had risen from the earth to defend itself. Rufus had been severely injured when the Diamond Weapon attacked the Shinra HQ, leaving the Turks to dig through all the rubble only to find their boss barely alive and barely conscious. Reno and the other Turks had taken him towards a camp they had established in the spot Healen was to be built in the future. All the Turks had done their best to care for their boss who, day by day, was slowly falling into the hands of death, his wounds never healing, only becoming worse. Tseng had asked if there was anyone they could trust to take care of the situation and Reno was the first to admit that he knew someone.

And that's when he called Amalia.

The blonde and the red-head had met several times during the journey to stop Sephiroth from destroying the planet. There was one moment in Kalm when they had suddenly bumped into each other when Meteor was close to striking Midgar. Neither had known the other was there but they figured they would have a drink and toasted to, hopefully, surviving the attack. They spent all night talking and drinking, both admitting their fears and what they would miss if they didn't survive the inevitable death. It wasn't until early morning when the first rays of sunlight were pouring over the mountains that Amalia admitted she wished she had the chance to know Reno better. It was at that moment she had given the red-head her number and stated that if they both survived the attack to call her if he needed anything.

And when his boss was in dire need of help, he had called Amalia and knew that she was the only one who could help because of her uncanny ability to use Mastered Materia; and he knew she held a Master Cure on her. Although, when he had called her, she wasn't too happy to hear that he had called in hopes she would help to save his boss. But, nonetheless, she had obliged and spent most of her time over the next few weeks gradually healing him and helping him towards a healthy recovery.

Looking up towards his boss, he saw Rufus nod his head in agreement. "During the attack…I honestly thought I was going to die. But Amalia, despite everything I had done to the planet and her friends, she still decided to help me recover through all my injuries. I will forever be in her debt and…I never want to see anything happen to that woman. Reno," Rufus leaned forward against his desk, resting his elbows on the flatness of the table. "Don't you dare lose her; I have never met anyone like her in all my years and with everything she's been through, she deserves to live a happy life and I believe you can give that to her, Reno."

"Well…I certainly am trying my best, sir."

"And I think she can see that too. Don't worry Reno – Amalia is all yours, I have no intention to take her from you. My only wish is to protect her to the best of my abilities since she is the reason I am here today."

Deep down, Reno felt a small amount of relief being lifted from his heart knowing Rufus wasn't after his girlfriend. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel admired by the man who was seated in front of him. Sitting before him was not the same man he had known several years ago, but Reno was still proud to say that he worked for such a man who cared for someone for someone so deeply.

Though he was still thankful Rufus wasn't in love with Amalia.

"So…ummm…"

"Yes, right, where were we?" Rufus sat straighter and clicked through a few more files on his computer. "Tseng sent me an email last night stating that he and Rude haven't found anything significant as of yet, but they're ordered to stay there for at least three more days unless I tell them to come back. Hopefully they'll be able to find something before they return."

"Rufus…I'm wondering something. Would Tseng be able to look through the other few videos links we were sent to see if there was another location code to see where it was sent from?"

"You know, Rude actually had the same thought and after he discovered the first one, Tseng looked through the others but wasn't able to come up with anything. I came to the conclusion that either the guy we're looking for was someone careless when he sent the latest video – which I somehow doubt – or he purposely allowed the location link to be discovered."

"And why do you think he would've purposely done it?"

"I have several theories to answer that. The first would be maybe that he's tired of trying to take Amalia on his own and wants us to find him, hoping Amalia will be with you. Second – and this is a little different than the first – he wants to be found so only you guys will go after him, leaving Amalia "vulnerable" while she's left behind. And thirdly, it could be all part of his scheme to allow us to find the location code in the recent video than from the ones he sent in the past."

"I don't like any of those theories, sir," Reno bluntly stated.

"Trust me, Reno, I didn't like thinking of said theories. But we need to start thinking critically so we can be one step ahead of this mastermind before he becomes two steps ahead of us."

"So what do we do now, sir?"

Leaning back in his chair, Rufus ran a hand through his white-blonde hair. "We wait and see if Tseng sends us any valuable information."

"Do you think he will?"

"I can only speculate, Reno. Anything could happen while the two of them are there. I only hope for the best, obviously."

Reno sighed and returned to his usual seat on the couch. Leaning back against the leather he outstretched his legs and sighed once more. Not sure where to look, the red-head glared at the ceiling as if it could solve all the problems probing his mind in that instant. After several long moments of utter silence, Reno was the one to finally break the void. "I hope nothing horrendous comes out of all this."

"What do you mean?"

Leaning forward, Reno rested his elbows on his knees, hanging his head forward, the long mane of hair falling forward as well. "My only wish is that, if something were to happen to Amalia, that she isn't injured at all."

"I know, Reno, I wish that as well."

"Well…I guess there's no sense dwelling on something in the future." Yawning, Reno once again laid back against the couch, resting his arms above his head as he closed his eyes. The room once again fell quiet other than the gentle tapping of Rufus' fingers against the keyboard. Reno breathed in deeply, organizing the thoughts that were running rampage within his own mind. He was trying to understand everything he had learned and was trying to see if there were any missing links that hadn't been discovered yet. But from what he could tell, there wasn't any and the thought depressed Reno. He wished there was more he could do but the best place for him was right next to Amalia, ensuring her safety as he stayed by her side.

But Reno's thoughts were interrupted when he could hear the soft clicking noise of a door from down the hall.

Opening his eyes Reno said, "Sir, you might want to close that folder."

"Why?"

"Because we're about to have company." And Reno was right. Just as he had finished his statement, Rufus immediately closed the confidential folder as the object of discussion walked through the doorway.

"Hey guys," Amalia said, with a bright smile on her face. "Everything all right down here? You guys are quiet."

"We don't have an Elena to scream every time she hears some new juicy gossip," Reno stated as he stood and walked towards her, placing a chaste kiss against her cheek.

"Hey now, she only screamed once." She blinked several times. "Ok, maybe twice if you count the time I held my hand over her mouth to keep her quiet."

"See? Told you." She lightly swatted his arm.

"Amalia." The blonde turned toward Rufus. "Is everything ok with Elena? How she feeling?"

"She's doing ok. But I could tell she was getting tired so I said my goodbyes so she could get some sleep. Rufus? Do you know why the materia won't heal her leg?"

"I'm not sure, Amalia, and neither do the doctors. Tseng believes it might have something to do with the creature that attacked her arm. He thinks there must have been some type of poison to stop the effects of materia."

"Are you guys using any Master Cure materia?"

Rufus shook his head. "No. Do you have any idea how hard it is to use Master materia?" But Amalia narrowed her eyes and bluntly stared at him. A drop of sweat rolled down Rufus' neck and he awkwardly chuckled. "Right, sorry, forgot who I was talking to for a second."

"Well that's just rude."

"Sorry. But no, to answer your question, we don't. Why do you ask?"

"Do you think it would be ok if I brought my own materia to try and help? I feel really bad for Elena, especially since it's only a broken leg and nothing too serious. Besides, it doesn't hurt to try since that seems to be the only thing that hasn't been tried." Amalia turned towards Reno to see if he approved and she smiled when he nodded and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Not at all, Amalia, I think that is an excellent idea. When do you plan on stopping by?"

"Well…considering she's out cold right now, would tomorrow morning be ok?"

"I think that's fine."

"Then it's settled! We'll be back in the morning and I'll have Elena healed in no time!" She smiled once more and Reno gently squeezed her small frame towards his muscular body. Reno couldn't feel any prouder of Amalia than at that current moment. No matter the time or day, she was always thinking of others before herself and always wanted to find ways to help. Reno shared a quick glance at his boss and immediately thought back to their earlier conversation.

"Don't you dare lose her." Reno remembered Rufus telling him earlier.

I won't lose her, Rufus. I would be a fool if I let this woman leave my life.

As if she could tell what he was thinking, Amalia turned towards the red-head and stood on her toes to gently place a kiss against his cheek. Despite everything that he and his boss had discussed earlier, no worries plagued his mind in that instant. The only thing that mattered was the beautiful creature that stood next to him. Saying their quick goodbyes and that they'd be back in the morning, Reno grabbed Amalia's hand and gently pulled her outside towards Shiva. In that moment, Reno suddenly wanted to take Amalia home and demonstrate the love he held for her in raw physical form.

~ oOo ~

I'm hoping that's what people have been waiting for. I can't promise the next time I'll be able to update; all I ask is that you please be patient. Working and taking a full load of Graduate courses can be really tiresome but I promise I'll finish :)

Chocobocolina :3