Couri sat alone in a park in Midgar. She sat in one of the few trees, waiting. Rufus walked down the path, thinking to himself, and not paying attention to what was around him. He didn't notice Couri.

Couri held a small rock in her hand. With one quick throw, she pegged him in the back of the head. Rufus almost fell over from the shock. He rubbed the back of his head, spinning around and glared at Couri. Eventually, he smirked, and walked over.

"I guess I deserved that." Rufus said.

"Now that you have your company again, why do you even talk to me?" Couri asked, annoyed. "I know you saw me. I let you. Why don't you just go back to your company, Rufus Shinra?"

Rufus stood there, looking at her for a moment. "I'm sorry." He finally said. "I came to apologize really." He held a rose up to her. Couri looked down at him, and took the rose quickly.

"This is for you." She said, holding her own rose out to Rufus. He studied it quickly, seeing the whole flower was carved out of crystal. Rufus reached out, and took it carefully.

"Thank you." He said. "Why would you want me to have this?" He asked.

"Let's just say it's a gift." Couri said. "Nothing more."
"Nothing?" Rufus asked, innocently. "You sure?"

"Don't push your luck, Shinra." Couri said, flipping out of the tree. "Be happy I haven't killed you by now."

"I can live with that." Rufus said. He smirked, and looked into Couri's eyes. Couri quickly looked away. "Thank you again." Rufus said, stilling holding the crystal rose. He turned and walked back down the path.

"Going back to work?" Couri asked. Rufus nodded, not looking back.

"What else is there for me?" He asked. Couri stayed quite, not wanting to answer Rufas' question. "Good-bye, Couri." Rufus said.

Couri stood alone in the park, listening to Rufus' footsteps pad off into silence. When she was sure he was gone, she whispered, "Good-bye, Rufus."

####

"Rufus."

"Hm?"

"Rufus!" Tseng yelled, annoyed. Rufus looked up. He sat behind his desk on the top floor of the Shinra Corp. building.

"What?" He asked, confused. The annoyed look from Tseng stayed.

"The contract?" He said, trying to jog Rufus' memory.

"What?"

"The contract that partners us with their other powers of Midgar?"

"What about it?" Rufus asked, obviously not hearing what Tseng had just explained.

"Did you even hear a word I said in the last five minutes?" Tseng said. "Are you feeling alright? You haven't been paying attention to anything today. Reno could have come in here and asked for a raise, and you would have said yes."

Rufus sighed, and smiled innocently. "I need some time alone, Tseng." He said. "Reno didn't come in here, did he?"

"No."

"Alright then." Rufus said, leaning back. "I just need to... sort things out." Tseng sighed, and closed his eyes.

"Yes sir." He said, despite the nagging fact that he knew exactly what Rufus was depressed about. "Should I tell everyone this?"

"Just say that I do not want to be disturbed." Rufus said.

"Yes sir." Tseng said, bowing before walking back down the stairs.

Rufus sat alone for a moment, not moving. Then he reached into his deck, pulling out the crystal rose Couri had given him. He let out a heavy sigh, as he spun the rose in his hand, letting the light reflect off the crystal and scatter onto the walls. Footsteps broke the silences. Rufus sighed, and looked up.

"I thought-" He stopped, looking at Couri who stood at the top of the stairs, wearing her old Turks uniform. It still fit.

"I thought you might want to hear this." She said, smirking.