Told ya I'd update soon. Glad to know there are more fans of Reno/Elena then just me and a couple of my friends lol. ::more cookies for the reviewers:: On with the insanity of all of this.

Disclaimer: Honestly do I really need to keep repeating myself? It gets tedious you know. ::sigh:: Fine. Turks © Squarenix, Mad Season © Matchbox 20, story © myself, starting idea © aznanimepinay

Chapter 4: Gifts of Roses and Odd Choices

Reno stared down the hall for a minute then smiled and sighed. He made his way to the kitchen looking in the fridge for beer, none being there though. 'Life... is different' He thought taking a few ingredients for breakfast out of the fridge. Elena emerged from the hall dressed in some casual clothes. Lucky her she brought some. Smelling something delicious she walked into the kitchen.

"Reno you can cook?!" She gave him an odd look.

"Feh. Don't act so surprised." He snickered frying pan in hand, chopsticks in mouth. She walked to a drawer and pulled out some chopsticks and walked back to Reno. "Wha-? How'd you know where they were right away?"

Elena shrugged "Lucky guess?"

'Maybe she snuck into my apartment and raided it... Wait for chopsticks?' Reno began contemplating if he was insane. He imagined him lying on a couch Hojo nearby sitting in a chair asking 'Are you insane? Have you ever been insane at a previous time?' Reno shuddered at the thought. "Yeah lucky guess." He concentrated back on the cooking.

"So what are we going to do? Considering we both have vacation and all..."

"'We' Elena? There is no 'we' there's me going to the Gold Saucer to bet on Chocobo Races, and there's you doing whatever and getting back home."

'Home' it hurt Elena to hear that word. She had no home, this was as close to home as she got. "I..." She gave a painful pause. "Yeah your right... I'll go home."

"Not so enthusiastic?"

"Drop it Reno." She took some of the food and turned around.

"But-"

"Just drop it, okay?" She snapped.

"Alright, I got it." They ate in silence until Reno finally said, "So what are we going to do?"

"I thought you said-"

"Well I feel generous you wanna come or not?"

"I don't want to be a bother..."

"Hey I offered, and since you really have no place to go you can stay here for a few more nights." He smiled and grabbed a cigarette from a box on the table. "After all can't have a pretty girl like you running around in Midgar alone. Never know what kind of creeps might try to get ya."

'He.. said I was pretty?' She thought but she blurted out-"I can defend myself you know."

"I dunno if you can rookie..."

"Hmph... Need I show you?"

"I'd rather go without the black eye today, babe."

"That's what I thought." They headed out for the Gold Saucer. Reno of course headed for the Chocobo Races and Elena sat in the café they said they would meet in.

She sipped her coffee and stared out onto the scenery around. Children ran about smiling. Young couples holding each other and just staring into each other's eyes. She sighed and wondered if things had been different Tseng would have loved her. She stared down at her drink humming a soft tune tracing her finger along the edge of her cup.

"Ma'am my I sit with you?" A somewhat familiar tone called. Elena looked up Reno bowed his head and was pulling out the chair across from hers. She giggled and nodded. He continued in a haughty like voice unlike his own, "This café you picked is absolutely charming, darling!" She laughed more. He smiled and presented a rose to her. It was fake but it smelled like normal roses did, he had bought it from some of the gil he won. "For you m'lady" He said in his normal voice.

"Reno it's beautiful!" She smiled.

"Eh, it's nothin'" He said lighting a cigarette. "So you wanna go watch the fireworks? They should be starting soon." Reno seemed unusually generous today but no matter.

"Sure why not?"

"Let's go then!" She followed him when the crowd got large he held onto her hand and guided her. They stopped to watch. Elena stared up at them in awe she hadn't seen them since she was very young and forgot mostly what they were like. Reno had seen them quiet a few times, but didn't mind watching them once more. "Elena." He nudged her.

"Hm?" She looked up at him. She looked so happy...

"Nah... It's nothin'" He ground the remains of his cigarette into the ground. 'I can't ruin this for her' He smirked. 'Life has been to hard on her.' It was something in her eyes that he could tell. Something had let her down hard and she couldn't get up until now.

They made they're way back to Reno's apartment. Elena flopped down on the couch and fell promptly asleep. Reno covered her with a blanket, and walked off to his room.

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It was a while until Cloud and his group finally showed up for a fight. Elena gave them all a cold look when they arrived. She stepped up to fight right away Tseng put his hand on her shoulder. She stepped back.

"You wanna fight?" Cid yelled out to them.

"We won't give up so easily, you have to let us through!" Vincent said. It was odd to hear him speak out.

"We'll fight and sure as hell we'll win!" Reno called out for the Turks' side.

"Cloud! We have to be careful," Tifa said cautiously.

"Surely we can't let you pass. We won't go easy on you." Tseng said calmly.

"Well then let's fight!" Cloud declared pulling out his sword from its sheath. Elena stood ready to fight. Tseng pulled out a gun and Reno his electro-mag rod. Rude stood ready to fight also. Tseng stood ready to shoot Cloud. Vincent ready to shoot Tseng. It had become a matter of quick-draw. The two gunshots rang through the air. Cloud was still standing; Tseng was fallen on the cold ground.

"TSENG!" Elena cried. She shook in sobs. She tried to run out to help him Reno grabbed her.

"Elena-" Reno whispered to her, he couldn't say anything else. He stumbled in words "We.. Can't do anything, it's... It's too late."

"No!" She cried more. Cloud and the rest stood in silence. "I'll kill you! Every last one of you!" The battle raged on. Finally Elena stood there alone. Her comrades fallen. Eyes wide and frightened she looked at Cloud and everyone who had killed her friends. "Monsters" She whispered as she fell to the ground crying.

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Elena shot up breathing heavy. Cold sweat dripped down her. She looked around; it was still Reno's apartment. Shadows danced around the moonlit room sending chills down Elena's spine. They reminded her too much of the moonlit battlefield of her nightmare. Shivering she walked quickly down the hall. She stopped in front of Reno's room. She opened the door a crack and peeked inside. Reno was there lying atop his bed moon shining through the window above his bed. Elena had a flashback to the nightmare seeing Reno dead pool of blood around him. Her eyes began to water and she rushed towards him. "Reno! Say something! Anything!" She whispered. Reno mumbled something in his sleep. Elena snapped out of her daze. She crawled in the bed next to Reno. He knew she was there but he didn't say anything. In the morning, Elena was the first of the two to wake up. Reno's arms were around her. One around her waist, another let his hand rest on her heart.

Then she heard him say something in his sleep, "Stay away from her! I won't let any of you touch her." He said as she let him pull her closer to him.

Me: Woo fun chapter to write I must say. =]
Sephiroth: ::cracks whip:: Now review you foolish slaves of the planet!
Me: ::bops Sephiroth with summoner staff:: Bad Sephy! No antagonizing the readers!
Sephiroth: But-
Me: No buts! ::sigh:: Sorry everyone he hasn't learned the policy ::laughs::. Anyway don't know when I'll update again hopefully soon. Just a matter of when I think of what to write for the next chapter. Well se ya all later! ((as always flames are accepted as is criticism. =D))