Healing
Chapter 8
A thick layer of snow covered Nibelheim two days before Christmas Eve. It was still early. Vincent and Rei were eating breakfast while they were waiting for Cloud and Tifa to show up. They ate in companiable silence, each focused own their own meal. That is, Rei wasn't really focused at all on her food, even though it was very good, but she was thinking.
This was the day that AVALANCHE was said to gather. Rei was really looking forward to meeting them all, these heroes of the planet. But somehow she couldn't help to feel a little irritated that Yuffie was coming back, but she couldn't understand why. She didn't have anything against the young ninja. Sure, she was a bit to hyper for the surgeon's taste, but she was still a very nice girl.
Thinking of this, she stole a glance at the dark haired man across the table. She was beginning to notice that she did that quite a lot. It was almost starting to become a habit.
//But he's just so damn easy on the eyes.//
That was when it hit her.
//What the..? I'm not jealous am I? Of Yuffie? About him?//
But when she thought about it, some of the feelings she had towards Yuffie was close to jealousy.
//Aw, come on Desai! It doesn't make any sense. It's not like you love the guy in that way. Right?//
No, she didn't, she was sure of that. He was just a close friend, and that was it.
//Then why the hell am I jealous?//
She looked at Vincent again. He looked like he was lost in thought as well, happy ones at that. Like he was daydreaming. She couldn't help a smile creeping up on her lips. It was not an expression you could see on his face very often. Even though the gunman seemed happier now than he had when she had first come to Nibelheim, he still usually looked a bit cold and distant. This was like seeing him without his mask on.
But suddenly the mask slid back on as a knock was heard on the front door. Quickly regaining herself and hoping that Vincent hadn't caught her staring, Rei stood up.
"Must be Cloud and Tifa."
When coming in to the hall, the pair was already inside.
"Can you believe that it's snowing again?" Cloud said, brushing snow from the shoulders of his thick navy jacket. "If it continues like this, we're gonna be buried."
"What's wrong with a little snow?" Rei asked smiling. It never did snow much in Midgar, so she had an almost childish fascination with it.
"There's nothing wrong with a little. Six feet however…"
"Now you're exaggerating honey." Tifa replied and turned to Vincent. "Did everyone say when they were coming?"
"No, not except for Reeve who just said he would be early. Not very precise, I'm afraid."
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A bit earlier in Midgar, President Reeve's bodyguard walked in to the president's office. Reeve himself sat behind his desk, working as always.
The bodyguard cleared his throat in an attempt to get the president's attention.
"Sir? The helicopter is ready. I believe it is time to go."
Reeve looked up, somewhat startled.
"Oh, it's you. I didn't hear you come in. But I should be used to it I suppose. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes Sir."
"Good."
Not that Reeve could understand why he would need a bodyguard when celebrating Christmas with close friends, but the board of directors had insisted on it. Sighing, he stood up and waked over to his luggage.
"Are you absolutely sure that you want me to go with you Sir?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"They will try to kill me you know."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
"Then why me? If I may ask Sir?"
"You were the only one suitable."
"What about..?"
"Do you really think I would bring him?" Reeve interrupted. "That would be even worse."
The bodyguard sighed.
"I guess you're right Sir."
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After two hours of socializing with Cloud and Tifa, Rei decided that she needed a break. She still hadn't managed to quit smoking, so the urge for nicotine drove her to throw on her winter coat and step out into the snow. Thankfully it had stopped snowing.
As she lit up her cigarette, she heard sounds of a helicopter approaching. Soon enough it came into view. It approached the mansion, stopping to hover just outside the gates. It seemed that it was unable to land because of the snow.
Two suitcases were thrown out, shortly followed by two men. Shielding her eyes from the flying snow that the helicopter whipped up as it flew away again, the surgeon went to meet them. "Well, that was not a very graceful landing, now was it?"
"Not really Sir."
The two men had managed to fish out their bags from the snow when Rei came up to them.
"President Reeve?" She asked.
"Yes, but please loose the title. I'm on
vacation, there's no need to be formal."
"Alright. My name is Rei, pleased to meet you."
"Ah yes, Vincent told me about you when I spoke to him yesterday." He said and shook Rei's hand. "This is my bodyguard Tseng by the way. The board of directors decided I needed one."
"Oh? Well, nice to meet you Tseng."
After another handshake, the three walked up to the mansion. Before going in, Reeve halted.
"Tseng, would you mind waiting outside for a moment. I think I should warn them that you are here."
"Very well Sir."
As Reeve walked in, Rei decided to wait outside with Tseng. She was wondering why Reeve thought he had to warn everyone that he had a bodyguard with him.
"What was that about?" she asked.
"You don't know? I was the leader of the Turks before the original ShinRa collapsed."
"So you were their enemy then?"
"I guess you could say that."
"But not anymore?"
"I have no reason to be their enemy. I was just following orders back then. The
Turks, as we were then, doesn't exist anymore. But AVALANCHE might still see me
as their enemy."
"Then I can understand why Reeve wanted to warn them."
The snow had begun to fall again and Rei shivered in the cold.
"I really don't see why you'd have to stand out here. Let's at least go in to the hall."
"That's not necessary."
"Oh, shut up and come inside." She insisted and opened the door. "I just have to ask, is it a Turk thing to be all stoic and stern all the time?"
"You obviously never met Reno."
"Well, no. It's just that you remind me of Vincent."
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"Rei seems to be taking her time." Tifa said while stirring down a spoon of sugar into her coffee.
"I bet that she's frozen to death out there."
"You're exaggerating again Cloud. It's not that cold outside."
"Alright, alright. She's buried in the snow then."
Tifa laughed and smacked him lightly over the head.
"Ow! I was just kidding…"
"I know hon…"
"I can assure you, she's just fine. Or at least she was a minute ago." Reeve said, walking into the dining room where they all were seated.
"Reeve! Where did you come from?" Tifa said and rose from her chair to give the ShinRa president a hug.
"A helicopter. We jumped off just now. Rei greeted us." Reeve said and shook hands with the two men.
"So you brought Cait with you, huh?" Cloud asked.
"No, he'll be coming later. I had a few things for him to do first."
Vincent looked a bit puzzled.
"Then who do you have with you?"
"Err… that's what I wanted to talk to you about. The board of directors decided that they didn't want to let me go without a bodyguard. There was only two available, and none of them were… suitable for the occasion. So I ended up picking the lesser of two evils, so to speak."
"Anyone we know?"
"I'm afraid so. It's Tseng."
There was a brief pause.
"You're kidding, right?" Tifa asked, disbelieving.
"No, I'm not. I just thought that it would be fair to warn you."
"So who was the other evil?" Cloud asked.
"Reno."
For some reason, that made both Tifa and Cloud laugh. Even Vincent smirked a bit.
"Well, then I agree that you picked the lesser evil." Cloud said, still laughing.
"I can't believe that you still have the Turks around." Tifa muttered.
"They're strictly assigned to guard-duty these days. I don't feel I have the need for assassins."
"I hope not. In that case, we'd have to overthrow you to." Cloud replied and added with a sigh. "Well, let's go see our old enemy then, shall we?"
Tseng and Rei were just hanging up their coats when the others came out to the hall. Vincent could feel the tension building up in the two fighters beside him as they approached. Reeve seemed a bit anxious. Vincent himself didn't really care that much. He had fought the Turks on a few occasions, though never Tseng himself, but he knew what the Turks were about. They weren't necessarily evil or enjoyed killing and everything else that came with the job. They were just people that were able to set aside their own conscience and deSires. He himself had killed in duty many times.
Tseng bowed his head in a typical Wutainese greeting. Vincent, having Wutainese ancestors and knowing their custom very well, did the same.
"I think you know our feelings about having you here." Cloud said with a bit of steel in his voice.
"Yes, I can imagine."
"How are yours?"
"Neutral. I am here on duty as I guess you know."
"How about a truce then? If you behave, we behave. Deal?" the former leader said, raising an eyebrow as if to dare the Turk to say no.
"Deal."
"Good. Then there's just the question how the others will react."
Rei, having inched towards Vincent, whispered to him.
"So… do you think we'll have a merry Christmas then?"
"We can only hope."
A/N
Again I want to apologize for the slow updates. My muse abandoned me. She came back at three am one night though, so I managed to get some if this chapter down then. But three am is NOT a good time to be writing when you have to be at work at 7.30. I was a zombie that day.
New betareader. This time Weiila is helpin' me out. *hugs her*
And yes, the Turks are alive and well. After all, you never saw Tseng die.
Review as always. I think I've grown addicted. ^_^
