Standard Disclaimers Apply

Magnum Opus: heh. I'll try to work on those this weekend. It was hard writing FF7 again, I felt like I was groping in the dark with my words. I figured the only cure is to keep on writing until I hopefully get it flowing again. I really want to finish Price of Innocence and Breath Away so I can finally kill off Kitani!

Sorceress Fujin. Congrats on your engagement! Here's more for you!

Family Affair Chapter 4

"Cool!" Aidan exclaimed as he emerged from his father's closet. His birthday was a week away, and he knew that his parents would have brought him his presents already. He admired the shiny red robot, as well as the toy truck and the latest walkie-talkie. He carefully places everything back where he found them and closed the closet door. His dad should still be in the garage, and his mom wouldn't be back until dinner, which gave him enough time to check out her gift.

Aidan looked back behind him before entering his mom's room. "Where could she have hidden it this time?"

He made his way to the closet and opened the door, looking inside to see anything out of place, like a new video game... his eyes rested on a wooden box, and he reached for it, the intricate design catching his interest. He opened the box and saw a few photos of a dark haired woman he didn't know, a few of Aunt Tifa wearing a weird glove, his tiny lips curved into a smile as he saw a serious looking Uncle Cloud, dressed like the hero in Soldiers of Balamb, complete with a sword. He picked up a green cloth, with a design similar to the box. He sat on the floor as he continued to look at the small trinkets and his eyes grew wide when he saw a picture of his parents and their friends all dirtied and bruised, dressed in costumes. "What kind of party did they go to?" He asked himself as he stared at the group, none of them looking at the person taking the picture. His uncle Cloud kneeling on the ground, one hand covering his face, the other holding the sword. Beside him sat his aunt Tifa, looking at his uncle, Uncle Cid and Barrett, and standing not so far away looking at the ground. Aunt Elena being supported by Uncle Rude, a red lion standing close to a man dressed in black, his face hidden from the camera by a curtain of black hair, and lastly, his mom, holding a gigantic looking shuriken like those ninja movies, legs covered in dirt, and behind her was a taller man looking behind him, but the red hair was a give away.

"Aidan!"

Aidan dropped the box and it's contents to the floor in surprise. He gulped as he turned around and saw his dad who was frowning.

"What are you doing in your mother's room?" Reno asked, although he could already tell what the answer was. "You shouldn't be going through her things without her permission."

"I didn't mean to..."

Reno walked towards his son and picked up the pictures and other trinkets and placed them back at the box.

"Was the party that bad?"

Reno looked at his son. "Party?"

Aidan pointed to the picture. "You all look... dirty, and tired."

Reno nodded. He remembered that day. Unknown to them, Cait Sith installed a camera, set to go in a certain time. Assured of their victory, the mog wanted to catch them at their glory, but instead, caught them at their misery. He looked back at his son and closed the lid before returning it to the closet. "Yeah, I guess you could say it was bad."

There was so many questions Aidan wanted to ask, but he knew that he was already in big trouble for snooping. "Are you going to tell mom?"

"No." Reno replied, and he smirked as he saw his son breath in relief. "You are."

Aidan groaned as his father ruffled his hair. "But dad...."

"Come on, help your old man with the garage. It will take your mind off things."

Yuffie locked the iron gate and blew her fringe out of her eyes as she stood up. Another day was over, and all she could think of now was having dinner with Aidan and Reno, and a warm bubble bath.

"Yuffie!"

The young woman turned around and smiled at Brian Hope who walked towards her. "Hey, you're still here?"

Brian nodded. "Had some meetings down the road, I wanted to help you close up but, looks like I came too late."

"That's fine." Yuffie said as she stood beside him. "Anyway, I have to go..."

"Before you go, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Brian said as he looked around, not meeting Yuffie's gaze.

"Okay... ask me."

"You have a son, right? I mean, Yeah, I know about Aidan... but what about his father?"

Yuffie scratched the back of her neck. "Reno? What about him?"

"I've seen him, and you... together. I know you're not married, or together like a couple, so what exactly is he to you?"

Brian's question caught Yuffie by surprise. "Reno... is Reno. He's the father of my son, Brian."

He nodded as he raked his hands through his brown hair. "I mean to you."

Yuffie knew what he was talking about, but was hoping not to have to answer. "Why are you asking me?"

"I'm interested in you, Yuffie. I want to know if I have even the slightest chance with you."

/Oh Gawd./ Yuffie met Brian's gaze. "Brian..."

"I just want to know if I have a chance with you," Brian repeated. "I think you're a wonderful woman."

"I'm sorry... but I'm not ready for anyone." Yuffie replied. "It's just always been Aidan, and I'm living with Reno... it's too complicated. Reno and I... we're fine, just the way we are..."

Brian nodded. "I guess that's a 'no' then."

"I'm sorry, Brian."

Brian shrugged. "Hey, it's okay, not the first time I've been rejected. I guess I'll see you around."

Yuffie wanted to stop him, but knew that there was nothing she could say to make him feel better. Feeling guilty for not giving Brian the answer he hoped for, she walked home slowly.

Reno looked at Yuffie who entered their apartment. "How was your day?"

"Good." Yuffie replied tossing the keys on the table. "Where's Aidan?"

"In his room. Studying."

Yuffie laughed. "Studying? What did he do now?" She asked, knowing her son wouldn't willingly study unless something happened.

"Ask him." Reno answered, and at his expression, she knew that it was serious.

"Is he alright?"

Reno nodded. "Just talk to him."

Yuffie tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ears as she walked towards her son's room. "Aidan, can I come in?"

"Yes." The voice was small and Yuffie started to worry. She smiled at her son, pencil in hand, his troubled blue eyes looking at her. "Hi, mom."

Yuffie kissed her son on the cheek. "Are you okay?"

Aidan nodded as his mother stroke his hair. "I did something wrong today."

"What did you do, honeybear?"

"I..." Aidan took a deep breath as he looked at his mother. "I went through your things and I looked at stuff I shouldn't have."

Yuffie tilted her head to one side as she looked at her son. "Were you looking for your presents?"

Aidan just nodded and Yuffie sighed. "What did you look at?"

"Your wooden box." He replied. "It's just I've never seen anything like it before, it looked so nice, and I took a look inside..."

"And you saw some photographs?" Yuffie finished.

Aidan nodded again. He looked in fear as his mother stood up and left the room. His lips trembled in fear. His mom always scolded him, talked to him, even spanked him when he was really, really bad, but she never left him. He wiped the tear that streaked across his cheek as he gripped his pencil tighter. His eyes started to get blurry as the tears started to fall.

Reno and Yuffie walked back to their son's room and was surprised to see him crying. She moved towards him quickly enveloping her son in her arms. "Why are you crying?"

"I thought you were mad at me."

"No, not mad... but you know what you did was wrong." Yuffie said softly, not really wanting to lecture Aidan anymore, not when he was crying. "I just wanted to get this." She said as she brushed the tears away with her palm and kissed his cheeks.

Aidan looked at the wooden box and watched as his mother sat on his floor, motioning him to come. Reno sat besides Yuffie, and motioned for the boy to sit on his lap.

"This was a gift from your grandmother." Yuffie said as she pulled out the green headband. "I wore it a lot when I was younger." taking a photograph of Cloud, she looked at Reno who nodded his head. Maybe it was time.

"This, is your uncle, and that," Yuffie pointed to the sword behind him. "That is the ultima weapon."

Aidan blinked. "Ultima.."

"Ultima Weapon. The sword that defeated Sephiroth."

At this, Aidan's eyes bulged. "No way... uncle Cloud?"

"We're telling you this, not so you can tell your friends at school, but because your dad and I... well, we think you should hear it from us. We think you're old enough to know the truth." Yuffie said as she tried not to smile at her son's disbelief.

"Sephiroth? The General?"

"Can hardly believe it too." Reno muttered. "Listen, your mom's right. We want to be honest with you, Aidan. That's why we're telling you this. Soon, you'll be old enough and you'll be asking questions of your own, and we don't want you thinking that we kept this as a big secret from you."

Yuffie looked at Reno, knowing that the statement was meant for her as well.

And at that night, Aidan heard the true story behind Sepiroth, AVALANCHE and the Turks, and discovered that he was surrounded by real heroes all his young life.

Yuffie closed her eyes as Reno closed the door behind them. They were both sure that Aidan would still be awake, thinking about everything they told him.

"We did the right thing, didn't we?" She asked Reno.

"I believe we did." He replied as he looked at her. "You skipped a few details."

"I'm not ready to tell him about Wutai."

Reno didn't say anything as he walked past Yuffie. "So, what's bothering you?"

Yuffie almost jumped at Reno's question. "What do you mean?"

"There's something bothering you, and I know it's not about what we told or didn't tell Aidan."

Yuffie looked at Reno in surprise. "It's nothing."

"Right."

Reno stood in front of her, arms crossed. Yuffie took a deep breath before answering. "Brian wanted to know if... well, if he has a chance, with me."

"Took him long enough."

"What... what's that supposed to mean?" Yuffie asked as she followed Reno to the kitchen. He took a beer out of the refrigerator before answering.

"I only saw the guy what... three or four times, I could see it!"

"Quit joking around, Reno." Yuffie snapped. "I work with him practically everyday. I would have seen something."

"What? A sign that says 'I-like-you'?" Reno snorted. "So, does he have a chance?"

"I told him I wasn't ready... And besides, he's just a friend. I can't see him anymore than that." Yuffie replied softly. "I may have hurt his feelings."

"Tough." Reno muttered before taking a sip of his beer. "You know you're free to date, right?"

Yuffie turned red. She wasn't naïve, she knew Reno and his 'dates'. "I know that. I'm just not interested in anyone."

Reno looked at Yuffie as he continued to drink. "Not interested anyone?"

"No." Yuffie replied not looking directly at Reno. "Besides, taking care of Aidan is enough for me." She added with a smile. Who knew that the once selfish, arrogant, materia-stealing brat of AVALANCHE would turn out like this?

Reno continued to look at Yuffie. He wasn't exactly the best boyfriend and he knew that he was the only man she had ever been with. "What happens when Aidan grows up?"

Yuffie smiled. "It's probably going to happen soon. I think I'm pretty content being a mother. What about you?"

"Me?" Reno asked. "I've had my time, Yuffie. I want something that would be good for Aidan."

'It's all about him now, isn't it?" Yuffie asked as she turned around looking as if she could see right through the door.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Reno replied. "So, what are you going to do with that guy?"

"Act as if nothing happened? I don't know... I don't want to embarrass him at work, or make him feel uncomfortable."

"You can always quit." Reno said before finishing his beer. "That option is always open to you."

"I know, and thank you..."

"But you want to continue working." He continued for Yuffie, having heard the words so many times. "Going to sleep?"

"Yeah. I think so. You?"

"Nah, have to hide his real presents now before he discover what they really are."

Yuffie smiled as she shook her head. "Where did you hide his gifts?"

"Somewhere he'd never look. The laundry room."

Yuffie laughed softly as she walked away. "Goodnight, Reno."

"Is it ready?"

Kano nodded, his hands gripping the phone. "The boy... the boy will celebrate his birthday soon. I... I would give it to him as a present."

"Remember, we are doing this for Wutai." Hanzo spoke in a deep voice on the other line.

Kano took a deep breath as he placed the phone down. May the Gods forgive him. He lessened the dosage of the poison. He was torn between his duty to Wutai, and the knowledge that he would be harming an innocent child. In the end, he knew that they had little choice. Lady Kisaragi must return before it was too late. They were simply going to scare the princess as a mother, and he knew that she would do anything to save her son's life. She would see that leaving her son would mean his safety, and she would return to Wutai. The boy will live, and everything will be alright.

But deep, deep in his heart, he knew that it would not be as simple as that.