Reno turned over in his bed, grumbling about his discomfort. Hell, discomfort was an understatement, he was in agony, but he wasn't going to let Shinra know that.

Damn, what I wouldn't give for some pain killers right now…

They hadn't really given him much in the way of pain relief yet, and he didn't suspect they were going to anytime soon.

Ah, quit being a pansy, Reno. You were a Turk…once. You can handle this…suck it up. You gotta do something.

Gritting he's teeth, he sat up in his bed. The doctor has been satisfied that he was in too much pain to be a nuisance, and had taken off his restraints.

Now let's see…what can I do?

His eyes were immediately drawn to the cabinets marked simple Medical Supplies.

Hmm, looks promising.

He started to get up, pausing only for a moment to listen for sounds of an opening door. Satisfied that no one was coming just yet, he slowly made his way across the small, light-flooded room. Once he reached the wooden cabinets, he was approached with an obstacle…

Of course. They're locked.

…a very small obstacle. Within a few moments the ex-Turk had the flimsy lock opened and was sorting through the cabinet's contents.

"Now this could be useful," he thought out loud as he grabbed for a few items including a bottle, a syringe, and some aspirin.

***

Tifa groaned in her cell. Briggs had given her a day to think over her decision. And that day was rapidly coming to a close.

I can't sell out Avalanche…but I can't send Reno to his grave either…god I hate Shinra! With this thought she let out a small scream and kicked the side of her small cell.

"Now, now," A cocky voice from beyond the cell reprimanded her. "There's no need to get angry." Whipping her head to the side she someone she hadn't expected.

"RENO!"

Sure enough, with a smile on his face, self-assuredness registering in gleaming aquamarine eyes, Reno stood before her cell, holding out a jangling key ring.

"What, did you think that I'd let a little thing like being shot get in my way of rescuing you?" He asked while unlocking her cell. "For shame, for shame, Miss Lockheart." The door to her confining cage swung open. "Ta-da!!"

As she clambered out of her cell, cautiously looking for signs of any guards, she noticed the change in Reno's outfit.

"Umm…Reno?" She began, as he lead her down the cell block, passed guards and SOLDIERs who didn't give them a second glance.

"Yes, Miss Lockheart?"

"Why are you wearing a doctor's uniform?"

***

"Once again there has been a tropical storm reported, anyone living in the vicinity of Junon should be seeking shelter now and anyone in and around Costa Del Sol should begin-"

"Turn that damn television off and go get ready for school!"

"You already turned it off, mom." Twelve-year-old Evan Highwind was already regretting saying that before his mother's eyes clouded with anger.

"EVAN MICHAEL HIGHWIND, MARCH YOUR BUTT TO YOUR ROOM RIGHT NOW AND GET READY FOR SCHOOL!"

One thing was sure, you didn't want to make Shera Highwind angry. Especially early in the morning.

"Yes, ma'am!" These frightened words were uttered as the adolescent boy was bounding through the house to his room.

A light chuckle came from the room beyond the living room, the kitchen.

"Aw, c'mon Sher, he's still got a half-an-hour before school starts!"

Shera glared at her husband.

"Cid, you've got to start-" A loud knock on their door interrupted her, followed by two small voices calling in sync, "I got it!"

Shera sighed and Cid laughed once more, then turned to head for the door through the kitchen, hollering as he walked, "Lienna! Diane! What have we told you about answering the door?"

***

Biggs and Aeris stood in front of the Highwind's door, having been elected to represent the whole team the previous night when the had finally reached Rocket Town after five days on the road.

Biggs began to whistle as more and more sounds of chaos erupted from the house before them before the door swung slowly open revealing a small, blonde girl, grinning up at them from underneath the door knob.

"Hi!" She chimed, her blonde pig-tails swinging from side to side.

"Uh…hi," Biggs said, glancing down at the small child.

She just stared up at them, grinning.

"Um…is your mom or dad home, little girl?" Aeris asked, trying to stifle a giggle.

"Uh-huh!" She didn't move an inch.

"…could we talk to one of them?"

"Uh…I dunno!"

Silence.

More silence.

Finally, a call came from inside the house.

"Lienna! Get away from the door," a cheerful voice came, causing the little girl, Lienna, to giggle and run away from the still open door. Soon, a grinning man, carryong what appeared to be the same child, although she changed clothes rather quickly, clinging to his left leg.

"Can I help you folks?"

"Uh, yeah," Biggs started, offering his hand to the man. "My name is Biggs, and this is Aeris," he nodded over to Aeris as he shook the man's hand. "I take it your Cid Highwind, yes?"

"Yep, that would be me," he answered, still grinning.

"Good, because we have a rather…big favor to ask of you."

"What would that be?"

"Well," Aeris spoke up to Cid for the first time. "It's a really long story. Maybe we'd all be more comfortable inside? If that's alright, that is."

"Sure! Sure, come on in," He opened the door wider to let them in, closing it behind the two. He gestured for them to follow him as he swung down and picked up the little off his leg.

"Ok, Diane, go find Mandy and bug her."

"Ok!" Without a word more, she tore off through the house.

"Cute kid," Biggs remarked as Cid led them to the kitchen.

"Heh, thanks. Got another just like her, want one?"

Biggs and Aeris both laughed as all three sat at the table.

"So, what's this story you've got to tell me?"

The two members of Avalanche glanced at each other, both sets of eyes saying the same thing.

Where do we start?

***

James shuddered as he watched the footage of the tropical storm that was slamming into Junon, and would soon hit Costa Del Sol.

"Glad we left when we did, I wouldn't want to be caught in that!" The Cetra glanced over at Yuffie, who was staring blankly out the window of the room in the inn they were at.

"Hey Yuff, what's up?"

"Huh?" She turned her head to him, as if awakening from a dream, and blinked her eyes. "Oh, uh, nothing." She glanced at the television, which was now showing a radar image of the storm, which was now working its way very rapidly to Costa Del Sol.

"Yeesh, I hate storms." Curiously, she reached over the remote and turned up the volume.

"-Junon should be seeking shelter now and anyone in or around Costa Del Sol should begin to evacuate. This storm is very rapidly increasing in speed and strength and could very well become a hurricane if it keeps up the stamina that it has been showing so far."

"Ew, hurricane," Yuffie wrinkled her nose as the door to the room swung open and her one of her three roommates walked in.

"Hurricane?" Alli asked as she shut the door behind her. "What hurricane?"

The Cetra motioned for her to come sit by him as he replied, "Oh, some tropical storm down by Junon is stirring up some attention. Everyone's afraid it might turn into a hurricane."

"Oh," she sounded uninterested. "So how long do you guys think Biggs and Aeris will be gone?"

James and Yuffie both shrugged.

"What great help you are."

***

"I DON'T CARE HOW DO YOU IT, JUST FIND THEM, AND FIND THEM NOW!"

"Yes, sir! Right away!!"

Jessie cringed as she heard General Strife's conversation through the closed door, stepping out of the way when a frightened Captain Reice made his way out of the office.

Oh boy.

Softly, almost timidly, she reached out her hand and rapped softly on the oak door. "General Strife, sir?"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

"Um, uh, sir General Briggs sent me to ask you to meet him in the conference room in a half-an-hour. He's busy with some of the SOLDIERs, otherwise he would have come as ask you himself."

Silence followed for a brief seconds, trailed by, "Alright, I'll be there. Thank you Grace."

"Yes, sir."

With a weary sigh, she turned and headed back out of the office, beginning the trek back to her room in the main building of the army complex.

I just want to go home. Back to Midgar. No, wait, Shinra's there too…grr…damn Shinra. Hmm…maybe I'll go to Costa Del Sol. I've always wanted to g-

Her thoughts were cut off as a rough hand reached out from behind her and pulled into the dark alley between the two buildings she was passing.

Eep.

***

"…so we would really appreciate it if it is at all possible for us to use that plane of yours," Biggs concluded, glancing up at Cid to look for any signs of cooperation.

Cid opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, narrowing his eyes in thought for a second, then began to speak once more.

"Well, you kn-"

"DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A new voice interrupted his reply, followed by the entrance of a rather angry looking teenage girl.

"What's wrong Mandy?" The father of four didn't even bother to turn around as he asked.

Mandy brushed a wisp of light brown hair out her eyes. "Evan just spilt my new bottle of nail polish all over my new halter top!"

"Oh no! I'll call the police right away!" With this, Cid turned to face his oldest child, a grin once more covering his face.

"Daddy! This is serious! Its club picture day, and I've got to look better than all the other girls at school!"

"You already do, pun'kin."

Mandy looked like she was ready to blow an artery. "Daddy!!"

Cid sighed. "Well, what do you want me to do?"

Confusion flashed across the teenager's face. "Huh?"

"You came down here, interrupted my rather important conversation, and complained about how your younger brother ruined your new shirt."

"Yeah, so?"

"So what do you want?"

"I dunno…gah! NEVER MIND!" Anger once more clouded her face as she stormed out of the room.

The pilot once more turned to face Aeris and Biggs, rolling his eyes. "Teenagers. Well, as I was saying, I just have one question before I answer. What are you going to do when you get to Wutai?"

The two members of Avalanche stared at him.

"What do you mean?" Aeris asked. "Not to sound like a stupid teenager."

"Well," The pilot started, "you can't just rush into this. Wutai is now run by Shinra. Just like Midgar and Junon. There are going to be guards of all sorts on the look out. What makes you think this rescue mission will go any better than the last?"

Aeris and Biggs were silent.

"See," Cid tapped the side of his head. "You've got to think these things through."

Biggs sighed. "So does that mean no plane?"

"Until you get a more solid plan and are guaranteed to be able to fly me my plane home, yes. It means no plane."

"Damn."

"Hey now, don't give up all hope yet."

Aeris flashed him a questioning glance.

Cid gave them a look. "You think you Avalanche people are the only ones that hate Shinra?"

***

Idon'twannadieIdon'twannadieIdon'twannadie!! Jessie's eyes were shut tight as her waist was encircled by someone's arm, pulling her close to them.

"Gimme all your money!"

"RENO! Quit fooling around your going to give Jessie a heart attack!"

"Aw, I'm just trying to have some fun, Tifa."

Reno? Tifa?

Even as these thoughts entered Jessie's mind, the hands slipped from around her waist and over her mouth, and she found herself turning to face her…attacker.

"TIFA!" The undercover Avalanche member threw her arms around her friend's neck, embracing her.

"Jessie! Or should I say, Grace!" Tifa giggled. "Sorry about the…dramatic attention grabber, but we're kind of hiding out. Well, trying to."

"Yeah," Reno chimed in. "It's like Midgar and Wutai in one. Double the security."

Jessie nodded in agreement. "I'd heard rumors that you two had been captured."

"Rumors," Tifa sighed. "I wish that was all they were."

"What're you two doing in the military complex? You're kind of asking to get captured again, ya know?"

Reno gave her an annoyed look before he spoke again.

"We're quite aware of our predicament. We can't get out of Wutai on our own and we don't know who in town we can trust."

"Plus we figured this was the last place they'd look for us," Tifa added.

"We were hoping maybe you could point us into the right direction as to where to start looking for a way out of Wutai," Reno concluded.

The short Avalanche member thought a moment before speaking.

"I've heard a few people talking about a group in town. It's kind of a resistance group, like Avalanche." She began digging around in her purse as she spoke, finally pulling out a pen and a two small slips of paper. "I started asking around about it in town, not too many people said they knew anything about it, but I could tell they were lying. Apparently its real hush hush. Eventually, I got this address," she began copying what was on what slip of paper onto the other, "from two men at a shop. They supposedly meet every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night at midnight. You might want to try there."

Tifa took the paper from Jessie, then glanced at Reno.

"Thank you! We just have one more question."

"Shoot."

"Do you know where the others are? We don't know if they continued with the plan to come here or not."

Jessie bit her lip before replying, "My guess is they're in Rocket Town. I doubt Biggs, Wedge, or Barret would have let anyone turn around."

"And they wouldn't have stayed in Costa Del Sol," Reno finished for her. "Too risky." Jessie nodded. "But the question is, are they going to stay in Rocket Town, if they're even there, or are they going to try and make it to Wutai?"

***

White hot pain shot through his head, and his limbs screamed curses as he stood up from his desk. For any normal person, it would have been enough to render them unconscious, but he was hardly a normal person.

"Transfusion pains will go away in two months my ass, damn Hojo," General Strife swore, making his way to his office door.

He'd had Mako-induced pains ever since he had the Mako transfusion. They pains usually dissipated two months after the procedure, but they had left the blonde general. At first he was afraid that it meant something had gone wrong, but Hojo's assistant's had assured him that it was most likely just because the complication involved in his surgery.

As Strife strode down the halls of the building, he grew more and more irritated. Not because of the pains, he could handle those fine. What was irritating him was her. Tifa Lockheart. Bar tender. Member of Avalanche. Twenty years old. Born in Nibelheim. He kept going over in his mind what all he knew about her. There wasn't much. But…her face was familiar! He had to have known her from somewhere. Where?

What got under his skin the most was that she and that…traitor had just walked out. Simple as that. And they had put one their best physicians in the hospital too.

I've got to find her…

Soon, General Strife found himself at the conference room, the door to which was slightly ajar.

"Knock, knock," he said, entering the rectangular room.

"Ah, glad you come," Briggs greeted him. "Have a seat." The raven haired general gestured to a seat opposite him at the large table. He cocked his eyebrow as Strife sat across from him. "Something wrong?"

"Head ache," was all he got in reply.

"Ahh," Briggs nodded, understanding. "Would you rather meet later and go lay down now?"

"No, I'll be fine. So, why did you want to meet?"

"It's about Avalanche."

"What about them?" Strife's irritation was growing every second, and Avalanche wasn't high on his list of things he wanted to hear or talk about.

"Well, now that Wutai is no longer a threat, I feel we should focus our attention on them."

"How?"

"Well, our inside source says they've just reached Rocket Town. There's no telling how soon they'll reach Wutai-"

"If they reach Wutai."

"Pardon?" Briggs sent Strife a questioning glance.

"Well, now that we've taken the city, there's no reason for them to come here."

"Except for Tifa and Reno," Briggs corrected him.

Strife nodded. "Yes, but, wouldn't it make more sense to get the two to the group, rather than the group to the two? They're safe in Rocket Town. I don't think they'll risk losing more of their group. Has Zoë said anything about what the next step is?"

"No," General Briggs shook his head. "But Tseng got the distinct impression that they were going to head to Wutai."

"I just don't think they will."

"So, the question now is, what should we do?"

A moment of silence fell over the two as they both contemplated the next step.

"I say," Briggs spoke up, "we send the rest of the Turks to Rocket Town and confront Avalanche."

Strife nodded once more, "Very well. Have Tseng get in touch with Zoë."

***

The sun glinted through the window of the room Wedge shared with Barret and Biggs in the Rocket Town inn.

"Damn Shinra," Barret grumbled.

Wedge chuckled, "Barret, my friend, you need to expand your vocabulary."

"Shut up."

Wedge sighed glanced out the window, holding up his hand to shield to glaring noon sun. Aeris and Biggs had been gone almost five hours now…neither had even called.

"They should have-" He began, but was quickly interrupted.

"They're fine," Barret told him, not even taking his eyes off the television.

"But-"

"You worry too much."

"Well you nev-"

"Yes, I do know. They're fine."

Biggs stared at his friend in amazement.

"You should be one of the television psychics."

***

The day passed quickly for everyone, especially Tifa and Reno. After a day full of dodging SOLDIERs and Wutain warriors, they soon found the sun setting.

They were lucky enough the get a room at an inn. The register didn't seem to recognize them, but nonetheless they kept their heads down when walking through the small lobby.

Currently, Tifa was waiting for Reno to meet her at the eastern entrance to a small park in town. She made sure to stay clear of the soft pools of light that floated on the sidewalk, and didn't walk to close to anyone or look too suspicious.

"Reno. Hurry up," she muttered impatiently under her breath.

The two had split up earlier in the day to try and gather as much information as they could about the current situation. They had agreed to meet at the park at nine o'clock.It was now nine o'seven, and Tifa was beginning to get worried.

So worried in fact, that she didn't notice the person passing her on the street until she accidentally bumped into them, scaring the wits out of her.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" She began apologizing immediately, whipping around to face the pedestrian, whose face was hidden by the darkness. "I didn't mean to run into you."

"That's quite alright, Miss Lockheart, because on the other hand I have been meaning to…run into you."

Squinting her wine eyes, she was immediately able to make out sparkling blue Mako eyes and the extreme spikes of blonde hair that stood in front of her, leering.

"Cloud…"

***

"Honey, I'm ho-ome!" Biggs belted out as he entered his room at the inn, now occupied by Wedge, Barret, Reeve, and James.

"Dude, it's nine! Where've you been?!"

"Good to see you too, Wedge."

Biggs clambered over Reeve, who was seated on the floor in front of one of the beds, and sat down on the window sill.

"Seriously," Wedge said, "where were you two all day?"

"Where were we? We were being informed about every resistance group on the continent, and meeting the leader of the largest one, which happens to be based out of Rocket Town."

"Largest one?" Reeve asked. "How big is it?"

"Basically the whole town. Cid Highwind, the guy with the plane, is acting as they're leader."

"That's a good thing, right?"

Biggs chuckled and nodded. "Yes, a very good thing."

"How many other resistance groups are there? On this continent at least," James inquired from his spot at the desk.

"Two or three in every other town, practically. They aren't quite sure about Costa Del Sol since it's so greatly influenced by Junon. Cid did mention, though, that relations between the two cities have been strained lately."

Barret asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"So what's the plan?"

Biggs took a moment to think before answering.

"Tomorrow, we're all meeting Cid, along with the head of another large resistance from Nibelheim, Vincent, I think he said his name was. Yeah, Vincent Valentine."

***

Damn, I'm late. C'mon Reno, pick up the pace, you're almost there.

It was nine o'seven, and Reno was hurrying to get to the park.

Tifa'll probably chew my ass for being late. Ah, here we are!

He had finally reached the park. He could Tifa standing in front of the gate… and he could also see the other person standing in beside her.

What the…

Cautiously, he crept down the street, trying not to grab anyone's attention. Soon, he was close enough to hear the word's the two were exchanging.

"…Cloud," that was Tifa.

"Very good, Miss Lockheart," and that was General Strife.

Shit. He found us.

Tifa didn't seem to be able to find her voice.

"You know, you didn't behave very well back there. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you back," his arms shot forward with incredible speed…but Reno was faster.

"Alright, you Mako-infused son of a bitch," as he tackled the blonde man to the ground, grabbing hold of a tuft of his hair, and slamming it into the cement. "I've had enough you Shinra bastards." Slam. "You are going to leave us alone." Slam.

"Reno!"

The redheaded man didn't seem to hear her. "Understand?" He jerked back Strife's head, his face now glistening with blood that flowed from his broken nose. He said nothing, just continued to struggle under Reno's grasp. "I guess you need a little more persuading." He jerked back his fist and sent it flying into the side of the general's head.

Strife's eyes flickered for a moment, then stopped struggling and fell to the ground, unconscious.

Still glaring, Reno stood up, then spat down on the blonde man, and final turned to Tifa.

"What do you say we get out of here?"

Author's Notes: Wow! I finally finished chapter nine! Actually, I guess that would be, I finally wrote chapter nine! I finally got to bring Cid in. I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist doing what I did. I personally think he would change dramatically if he ever had kids, so I gave him four of them. For the record his kids are Lienna and Diane, who are both five, Evan, who is twelve, and Mandy, who is 16. I swear, half of the girls at my school act just like Mandy. And, I'm finally going to bring in Vinnie! Heh, trust me, I'm pretty sure I'll be able to surprise you right there. Hopefully it will be pleasantly. Next chapter, things are going to start coming together. I should have more Rufus, and the Turks will definitely be in it. Look for major action in upcoming chapters. Also, notice how I mentioned that storm a few times. Yeah, that'll play a big part in upcoming chapters too. Until then! (wow, my author's notes are like a chapter themselves!)