Chapter 3 – Guilty Conscience

And I… just wish that I didn't feel

Like there was something I missed.

And I… take back all the things I said,

To make you feel like that.

And I… just wish that I didn't feel

Like there was something I missed.

And I…take back

All the things that I said to you…

"My December" –Linkin Park

With a magnificent pain in his back, Reno hit something hard and found the air leave his lungs. His gasped lightly and slowly began to take in breaths methodically. Beside him, he heard Elena hit whatever it was they had landed on, and she made a sudden, harsh cry, doing about the same thing as Reno.

Feeling a little light-headed, he gazed at his surroundings, years of Turk instincts coming back to him. All around him was a blinding, searingly bright green glow that seemed to disguise everything behind a sheet of luminosity. He could barely see the blond Turk beside him, and his head hurt from the brightness.

"My god!" Elena muttered, closing her eyes. "I can't see a damn thing!"

Slowly, the brightness began to die down, to the point where it was possible to adjust his eyes to it. Reno swore in amazement.

It was a long, grass-covered field that seemed to stretch for all eternity. The sky was not blue but a blackish-purple, and a soft, white orb in the sky told Reno that it must be nightime where-ever they were, though there were no stars and the sky was the wrong colour. Trees were all around, but there bark was perfectly smooth in shades of white and pale silver. The leaves were a strange, beautiful colour of blue that seemed to flow, though it seemed transparent, like some sort of magical energy. The grass was white, but not a withered, gross white but an elegant, dancing ivory.

"What the hell is this place?" Reno found his lips choke out. He looked over at Elena, and saw her gorgeous amber eyes widen in amazement. With mouth hanging slightly open, she made a sort of exhaled "Oh my god" sound.

"It's beautiful…" She said, still transfixed.

Reno nodded. "Yeah…"

Her head shook and she looked over at him. "Sorry, I kinda faded out there. What do you think it is?"

"I have no idea." He found himself tense with this feeling that something was wrong – missing. "What happened to that tentacle thing?"

"Hey, yeah! Where'd that go?"

The whole world was inveloped in the midnight-like scenery, though it wasn't dark, like on nights when the full moon seemed to light the whole world in gentle, white moonbeams. The green energy was now no where to be found, except for the very slightest of greenish tints that seemed noticeable but not really placeable, like it hung in the air and in the trees and bushes and everything. It was as haunting as it was beautiful.

"This doesn't make sense!" Elena muttered, still gazing around. "Where is everything, it's like we just disappeared."

Reno held his head, the mother of migraines singing in an off-key voice in his mind. "All I remember is falling."

"How far could be have fallen? Omigod, do you think we died or something?"

Reno smiled, his radiant eyes closed as he shuddered away another wave of pain in his brain. "Come on Elena, that's ridiculous. We just – uh…"

She didn't say anything, seeming kind of embarrassed at even mentioning something like that, and Reno felt a little guilty. He also felt pissed off at himself for being unable to place what it was that had happened to them. But he had no ideas.

"Well, whaddya think? Should we stay here or try to find some information…" Reno gazed out, unable to see any life for miles. "…somewhere…"

"Shh…calm down, Tifa." Cloud said consolingly as Tifa wept on his shoulder. She couldn't help it. The shock of seeing the copter fall, and then Elena and Reno falling down into the hole…it was too much for her. Feeling slightly better taking in the warmth of Cloud's body, she felt him slowly stroke her back, murmuring gentle words.

"What the flying @%#& was that?" Tifa heard Cid shouting at someone, probably himself.

"It was like some kinda octopus-y tentacle-y thingy." Yuffie replied in her adolescent-sounding voice.

"Great! That's just great, Yuffie! Goddamit!" Cid began to swear venomously.

Tifa ignored him, trying to calm herself and feeling the gentle, gloved hand on her back stroking her soothingly. Finally, she managed to control herself enough to sniffle and turn around, surveying what had happened.

The ground had stopped growing, at least. Rude and Vincent were at the edge of the pit, both silently analyzing the thing with the quick minds.

"I'm going after them." Rude said finally.

"And how the hell do you plan to do that?" Cid demanded.

Rude shrugged. "Can the Highwind fit down there?"

"It might." Cid considered it a second, then barked. "If my ship gets busted going after your stupid friends, I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Cid!" Shera moaned with her pleading eyes locked on him.

"Alright, alright! Come on, let's get our rears in gear then!"

Cid, Shera and Yuffie ran into the Highwind quickly. Cloud looked at Tifa.

"Stay here, okay? It might be dangerous."

Tifa shook her head, feeling a little angry but understanding the motives of his words. "No, I'm coming."

Cloud's mako-infused eyes looked troubled, but he nodded. "Alright, but try and be careful, okay?"

They were about to enter the Highwind when Rude gave a sudden runt of surprise. Turning, Tifa saw the huge hole suddenly begin to fill up somehow, shortening and shortening. Within moments, it was nearly impossible to tell there had been a pit there.

Cloud ran over to the Highwind to tell Cid, while Tifa ran to Vincent and Rude. Both were silent but looked forlorn.

"Damn." Rude finally said. "Goddamit all!"

Tifa was surprised at the harsh anger in his voice, and found that even behind his sunglasses, his expression was clearly one of a pain greater than she could possibly hope to understand. She knew the Turks were close, but…

And then, for a single moment, a million sorrowful thoughts were visible on his normally stoic face. Tifa was amazed.

She remembered when, in Wutai, they had teamed up to look for Elena and Yuffie, though they refused to call it a partnership for some petty reason. Reno and Rude had been completely fixated on finding Elena, it was pretty amazing. She'd never before considered that they could care about each other so much.

And now, for that single moment, she could see past the sunglasses and into those invisible eyes, and see his thoughts and griefs. He was alone, all so suddenly. And his only friends in the world were gone, to hell knew where, with no hope of rescue. She suddenly felt a strong pity for him that almost brought tears to her eyes.

She put a hand on his shoulder, and he froze noticeably.

"It's okay, we'll find them." She said.

He looked at her emotionlessly and gave a small grunt of agreement. If she could have seen the bright hazel eyes behind the sunglasses, she may have saw the single flash of gratefulness that shimmered through them.

Reno was passed being amazed by his surroundings. He stomped through the ivory-coloured grass, his arms crossed and his arctic eyes icy and staring blankly ahead as if the ground before him held all the secrets known to mankind. He was briefly aware of Elena beside him, walking quickly to keep up with him, and trying desperately to look professional.

He wanted to say something rude to her, but something kept him from it. Maybe it was anger, or the sinking feeling of helplessness. Or maybe he was worried that she was hiding her fright, and he would somehow erupt the dams of her emotions that she had put up.

Ahead of them, there was nothing but grass.

Finally, Reno snapped.

"This is so stupid! There's nothing for miles, and we have no idea where we are! We might as well just have sat there waiting for someone to find us!"

Seething with only partially controlled anger, he flicked back a wiry strand of his scarlet hair and glared at the ground.

"We'll find something soon, I know it…" Elena said hopefully, though she sounded doubtful.

"Come on Elena, face it! We're screwed! We're just @#%^ing screwed and it's all my damn fault!" He suddenly stopped, and leaned against a white-barked tree.

Elena said nothing, and he could tell she was watching him, deciding what to say that wouldn't anger him more.

But now he couldn't stop venting his anger upon his unfortunate partner. "Life was just so damn perfect when Tseng was around! He knew exactly what to do and say all the time, he never once did something like this. Ever since he damn well let himself get skewered by that goddamn bastard, Sephiroth, we've just been slipping farther and farther down the toilet! And it's all my fault, dammit! You guys depended on me to make the decisions, and I blew it, just like I blow everything!"

Reno was amazed that he had let himself become so unprofession all the sudden, especially in front of Elena. And of course, this just made him angrier, and more ashamed. But it was true. Ever since the day they saw three soldiers dragging there ex-boss back to them, he knew that he would have to take over, hell knew Rude couldn't and Elena was too much of a rookie. And ever since then things had gotten worse and worse, from the lecherous whore-monger, Corneo, getting Elena, to Rufus dying. And it was all his fault.

"Reno, it's not your fault. I was the one that fell down in that pit, you tried to save me, remember? If it wasn't for you, I'd probably still be back there with no idea what to do."

Reno lifted his head and looked over at her, suddenly having no idea what to say. He watched her watch him, her almond eyes scanning him over and flicking back and forth nervously.

After a long, uncomfortable silence while he floundered for something to say, he only managed to force out, "Thanks Elena. You ain't such a bad girl, y'know that?"

"Um…I try." She said, looking confused by his sudden answer.

And hell, so was he. He had never been that great to her, and in one swift kick in the balls he regretted it all. It was true, she looked to him for leadership in Tseng's absense, and all he did was critize her. What kinda dickhead was he, to do that to her?

Jesus, why was he being like this? This was totally not him! And why was he suddenly being so nice to Elena? Why was it that when he looked at her, he felt this warm feeling of affection in the forgotten organ in the left side of his chest?

"Well, let's go. I'm gonna find someone out there, and we're gonna get back, a'ight?"

Elena smiled lightly, and nodded.

You know, she isn't really all that bad looking if you actually look at her…

Taken completely by surprise by these thoughts, he turned away and began to walk forward in the direction they were going, hoping for all gods sake his face wasn't reddening.

But it was true. With her soft blond hair falling down attractively into her big, spiritful russet eyes, and her small nose casting shadows at odd intervals across her thin face, she wasn't bad to look at, almost to the point of being very beautiful.

Reno silently wondered what was happening to him.

 Just moments after Tifa, Vincent and Rude got into the Highwind, Cloud's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Cloud?" The voice on the other line was Barett's, and he sounded simply beaten.

"Barret? Geez man, what's wrong?"

"Marlene! Goddamit all, something got Marlene!"

Authors note: That was a bit of a shorter chapter, but it was a fun one to write for some reason. I love writing about Reno and Elena's personalities, even though they are somewhat difficult to do. If anyone has even read this story yet, sorry about the wait.  =p

Well, what will Rude do now? What's happening between Reno and Elena? And what of Marlene? Please stick around to find out!