A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Hello to my newest reviewer Yami-chan. My first review for the last chapter were from a new person. That makes me smile.

Chapter 18: Unexpected Turn

Thank God we're here... For the past hour or so, Cid Highwind had been traveling with Vincent en route to what he had already dubbed the AVALANCHE Ranch. It wasn't so much that Cid didn't like Vincent's company, but he couldn't stand those eyes. Those red, glowing eyes never left Cid - never taking their suspicious glare off of him.

Cid shuddered at the thought as he reached to open the front door of his new, temporary home. Then came a second shudder: his coming confession. He knew Vincent would make sure Cid spilled the beans to Cloud. He also knew Cloud would not take it lightly. And, to top it all off, he knew Cloud would be sure to let everyone else in the group know about his treason.

A sorrowful sigh found its way from Cid's body. What the hell've I gotten myself into now?...

Vincent found a bit of peace and quiet in the barn that once was full of chocobos, but now rested devoid of all life. His stayed here a few times as well, if his recollection was right. He retreated to a place a bit detached from human contact after promptly being berated by a worried Tifa for being so late.

Sometimes Vincent couldn't stand the woman. She was always so confrontational and energetic, even in her verbal abuses. She was never afraid to speak her mind and she never hesitated to pull every ounce of politeness out of her manners if need be. She was so different than himself.

Sometimes, Vincent couldn't help but be amazed by the woman.

Three sat alone around a kitchen table, sipping slowly on cups filled with tea. The group had come to find that Chocobo Bill had built an extension onto his house before moving out. After all, his boys had grown up a bit, of course they'd each want their own room. Cait Sith and Yuffie had long again bounced off to one room, talk incoherently about childish things only they would understand. Barret had grumpily stomped off to one, worrying himself crazy about both Marlene and Correl. Red had followed attempting to ease the man's worries. Vincent had left the main house of the ranch hours ago. No one was exactly positive where Reno was, but he had managed to find a bottle of rum before departing.

So three remained, sitting alone around a kitchen table, sipping slowly on cups filled with tea. Cid leaned back in his chair, observing his companions in silence. Tifa sat to his right, sipping on her cup with worry painted across her face. Probably tryin' ta think of a way to save her bar...

Cid's eyes turned from Tifa, falling upon the final person in the trio. Cloud sat to his left, sipping on his cup with deep thought painted across his face. Probably tryin' ta think of a way outta this mess...

Final, Cid's mind turned to where his eyes could not reach - to a dangerous claw - to threatening eyes - to the Death Penalty - to Vincent Valentine, a man who would not take kindly to Cid's hesitation to reveal the truth.

Cid loudly cleared his throat of the invisible force keeping him silent. He could remain silent no longer. Once he realized that both Tifa and Cloud had placed their cups back upon the table and turned their gazes to Cid's unnaturally stern face. "Uhh… Tif, can I talk ta Cloud alone for a few minutes?"

His two companions exchanged confused glances. "What's wrong Cid?"

"Yeah, why does Tif have to leave?"

Cid's head was spinning. Sure, he was only asked two questions, but it didn't take much to set a mind already filled with anxiety over the edge. "Ahh, a'right, ya can stay too! I guess it'll at least save me a speech later…"

"Forty-five bottles of beer on the wall - forty-five bottles of beer!"

A not-so-soft tune carried through the air. It's singer was shrouded in darkness. Dark, ominous storm clouds hung overhead blocking out all light the moon would give.

"Take one down, pass the fucker around!"

The blackness of the night was pierced by the green-glowing mako enhanced orbs that hung in the air. Those orbs narrowed as they illuminated something - something liquid, amber, and contained in a bottle.

"Forty-four bottles of beer on the wall."

Then, in the seemingly empty solitude of a barn, those green-glowing orbs met crimson ones of the same nature. The green orbs that were once floating in the darkness came to a sudden halt - pausing to let realization sink in.

"Oh, it's you, Valentine." Reno slowly strode over, rum in hand, to lean against one of the stables. "You know, it might do you well to hang out in a more well lit spot. You can surprise the shit outta somebody."

Vincent regarded the Turk in silence. This was something Reno had expected. He didn't know Vincent well, but from their encounters during the Meteor Crisis, and from his time staying with AVALANCHE now, he gathered Vincent was something of the 'strong and quiet' type. Something similar to Rude.

"Don't talk much, do you Valentine?"

After a long pause, a response came - a response Reno didn't expect to get. "I speak when necessary."

Just like Rude. The perfect, silent Turk. Reno thoughts strayed to many different things. He thought of countless questions he could ask Valentine, but figured none would get answered. Questions about his eyes or his claw, or just what in the hell Hojo did to him. Questions about why he hung with this bunch of losers. Questions about the Turks of old, or how he knew Tseng. Then, a set of questions in particular came to the Turk. No, Valentine would probably never answer. But his curiosity got the best of him. He had to ask.

"So, what do you know about this Joe guy?" Reno knew Vincent could be a loose cannon at times. He'd witnessed how the ex-Turk had stormed off after his altercation with Tifa. What he didn't know was what would be stepping over the line. He braced himself for the gunshot.

Vincent was taken aback slightly by Reno's query. Joe? Of all the things a current Turk could ask an original, he asked about Joe? They obviously stopped training them in interrogation skills. "What knowledge do I have that would be important to the task at hand? Or what do I know that might ease your personal curiosity?"

"Look, I got no clue what the hell you just said. If you're gonna talk, spill the beans. If not, tell me 'n I'll shuddup." Perhaps the interrogation skills Vincent had called into question were failing due to the alcohol already affecting Reno's system.

If Vincent Valentine were to show emotion, he might've let a sigh of frustration go, or perhaps a smile of amusement would have tugged on his lips, but no such thing happened. He simply began to speak evenly and without emotion.

"I believe the only information I could tell you on him that might be of interest to you is that his name is Joseph Briet."

The reaction Vincent received was the one he expected. Reno found himself short of breath. The combination of shock and alcohol broke him down to a man staring wide eyed at Vincent as if he were the Devil himself. After a few moments of incoherent babble, usable words finally came to Reno's lips.

"Di- did you just say...Joseph Br - Briet?" The silent nod Vincent gave the man was only noticeable due to the movement in his glowing eyes.

Reno was reeling. Uncontrolled thoughts were pummeling him from all angles. How did he not notice before. The physical similarities. That same look in Joe's eyes that he always had. The fact that Joe had once been a Turk. Joe may not have had the Wutanese features, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. After all, it was a pretty odd last name for someone from Wutai.

Too many questions had begun to surface in Reno's mind - questions he didn't have answers to. He crossed his fingers in hopes that Valentine was in a talkative mood. After composing himself as best he could, Reno spoke. His voice was clear and professional - sobered from the shock. "Does Joseph Briet have any relation to Tseng Briet?"

A moment of silence passed between them. Reno didn't know Vincent enough to wager a guess as to whether it was for dramatic effect or if the question somehow troubled him. "Joe was Tseng's father."

"You've been what!?!?" Tifa quickly rose to her feet. She didn't care if she caught the attention of the others. In fact, she hoped she did. She wanted each and every one of them to storm into the room in time to hear of Cid's treachery. She wanted everyone to know.

"Whoa, Tif! I can explain!"

Explain? He can EXPLAIN!?!? He's probably the reason my bar is in shambles and he has an explanation!? Tifa was in no mood to talk. If Cid had anything to explain, she give him something nice and hard to explain it to!

Cid fell hard on his back and out of his chair from the blow. Tifa certainly wasn't taking this the way he had thought. If anything, she's supposed to be the level headed one.

"Tifa, stop it!" Cid thank his lucky stars for Cloud's interference. Knowing she would never strike him, Cloud positioned himself between the fuming Tifa and the downed Cid. "Let him talk!"

"Let him talk!? He could've been the death of all of us! He's the reason we moved into this abandoned hell hole! I will not let him talk!"

This time, Cid stood up for himself. Now Tifa was yelling at Cloud because of him. The last thing he wanted to do was cause any additional trouble. "Tifa, they've got Shera..." Cid's voice trailed off, pained by his own words.

Tifa's eyes went wide and mouth fell open. In her short visits with Cid's former assistant, Tifa had grown to feel something akin to the kind of love that passes between a mother and a daughter. Over the past year, whenever the burden of restarting her life became too much, Tifa had grown a habit of calling up Shera for some consolation.

Cid morosely rose to his feet, fighting back the tears. He had lived this past month keeping himself occupied, never letting the truth catch up to him. But now, when he had to tell others, the truth didn't hesitate to deal him a swift blow straight to his heart.

"Yeah, she's gone. Joe 'n some tall white-hared guy came by 'bout a month ago. Broke-in in the middle o' the night. Tol' me if I don' help 'em out, that he'd cut her real good..." Cid hesitated. Only one other person knew the rest of the story - Barret. The big man stumbled upon the information during a card game in which Cid tongue had been loosened by alcohol. "An' she's 3 months pregnant."

"Rude, can you pick up the damn phone already!?"

Cursing to himself, Rude hurried back in to the makeshift cabin, whipping his bloody hands on his formerly pristine suit. He didn't have time to care about appearances. The past ten minutes of his work had been particularly annoying with the addition of the constantly ringing PHS that he only now had the time to answer. "What is it?!"

"Is that any kind of way to address not only your superior, but your best friend?" Reno's voice was the exact opposite of Rude's irate one. In the ten minute span he had been calling his fellow Turk, Reno had the time to gather his wits about him and now spoke calmly, despite the shocking news he had. "I've got a bit of a revelation to share with you and Laney. Should be interestin'."

Though Rude did have the reputation for being the silent Turk, the long years of friendship left his leader with an easy feeling around Reno, a feeling that let him speak freely. "With all do respect, Sir, I don't care right now. And where the hell have you been? Or does that bar just not have a television or a radio?"

All thoughts of Tseng were pushed out of Reno's mind by the confusion he was now faced with. "I've been shacked up in some abandoned ranch that doesn't have any connection with the outside world. Just what the fuck's goin' on?"

A sorrowful sigh came across the line. Rude didn't want to say it. It was easier to believe that all of it was just a horrible dream if only he didn't say it out loud. But Reno had to know, and Rude knew that. "It's a real long story. In short, Midgar's been taken to hell and back."

A/N: Yeah, I know, I've been a little overzealous with the cliff hangers lately, but I don't feel like writing any more today, and I know if I don't upload it now, I'll forget about it for another month. Pretty please review!!!