Disclaimer:
Do I really have to do this anymore?
Author's Note:
Well, here's the next installment. And, to everyone who asked why Yuffie didn't just grab Logan, I really do have an alterior motive to doing that. But the thing is if I was a three year old sleeping I'd certainly start making noise if some strange person just grabbed me right out of my bed and started carrying me out. Yuffie is only one person...her job was to provide a way to spy on them. If Red would have wanted her to grab Logan he would have said so!
Anyways, enough of me. Please read and once you're done please leave me a review! I never stopped loving reviews! They inspire me to write!
I stood in the bathroom the next afternoon brushing the tangles out of my hair. Yuffie had called this morning and had surprised all of us by revealing that she found Cloud and Aeris, along with Logan and she was waiting for me, Reno, Nanaki and the rest of the Turks to arrive in Wutai. She also told Red that she had successfully bugged the house and was getting ready to start listening in.
As I was brushing my hair, Reno was standing behind me, leaning up against the door jam. He was gazing at me intently, his eyes seeming to hold a new sparkle that I never noticed before. I was concentrating so hard on trying to keep my mind on what I was doing that I almost didn't hear what he said.
"You are so…beautiful," Reno whispered, his voice spilling over with compassion.
I stopped brushing my hair and looked over my shoulder at him. "Why do you say that?" A large smile began to appear on my face.
Reno was thrown into contemplative silence for many moments before he spoke. "You're just so radiant. You're…perfect."
I faced him fully and leaned against the bathroom sink. "Are you just saying that because I'm carrying your child?" I asked, a playful smirk on my face.
Reno scoffed as he sauntered up to me. "Of course not." He stopped in front of me then slid his hand under the hem of my shirt and softly caressed my stomach. "I just can't wait until you start showing." Reno smiled as he leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on my lips. "Then you'll be even more beautiful."
Reno continued to caress my still flat stomach before he got down on his knees and began to plant soft kisses all over my abdomen. My smile grew larger as I raised a hand to my mouth. Elena's voice from down stairs startled us from our little 'sentimental moment.' He kissed my stomach one last time before getting up and pulling me out of the bathroom.
"I'll be down in a second," I said, wrenching my hand from his grasp. "I still have to get dressed."
He nodded and descended the ladder, leaving me to my privacy. I sifted through my suitcase and finally settled on a pair of short denim shorts, a white spaghetti strap shirt and a denim jacket. I looked in the mirror, realizing that we were going to be traveling to Wutai, then went back to my suitcase and pulled out my boots and a pair of baggy denim pants.
Once I was changed, I descended the ladder as well. Red's animal features brightened slightly as I stepped into the room. "Tifa, please, sit down."
I nodded and settled down on the couch next to Reno. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed me quickly on the cheek before Red started talking.
"Yuffie has already started listening in and recording many of the conversations taking place in that house. She'll update us on everything we need to know upon arriving in Wutai. I called Cid earlier so he should be here soon in the Highwind to pick us up. Make sure you go prepared. I don't know what we'll face up there."
I got up from the couch and back into the upstairs bedroom. I had brought along my fighting gloves and numerous other materia that I thought I would need. I felt Reno stop behind me as I slid the Knights of the Round summon materia into a slot on my glove. Reno laid a restraining hand on my shoulder, making me look at him. "Tifa, you aren't thinking about fighting are you?" I looked away from his penetrating stare as I placed a mastered Cure materia into the next slot. "Tifa, you can't."
I sighed and looked at him again. "I'm just bringing them as a precaution. If we do get in a fight I promise I'll let you and everyone else handle it, okay?"
Reno took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Hearing those words from her made him relax a little more. He still didn't like the idea of her bringing materia and her fighting gloves but she promised him she wouldn't help if they had to fight, which was good enough for him.
.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox.
Yuffie sat in her room with a bored look on her face as she listened to the sound of quiet shuffling and random noises in the background. She had been listening in on everything that was being said in the house Cloud and Aeris were in for hours upon hours since she woke up at nine o'clock that morning. When she had gotten up to get something to eat or walk around, Vincent would step in and listen. She didn't mind. To her, Vincent was and would always be a vampire, even though he showed none of the signs that would signify such an accusation. Just the fact that finding him sleeping in a coffin was enough to weird her out to the point where she almost reached for the first sharp stick she could find.
Tifa and all the others should be arriving soon. She idly thought, turning around to look at an analog clock that was hung on the wall next to the door.
Yuffie yawned and lazily closed her eyes. Damn the powers that be that gave Red the idea to bug that house. That was the stupidest idea in the world! Even though they had recorded tons of information that would probably get Cloud and Aeris' asses speared, the hours of endless silence made her want to rip her hair out.
She giggled silently to herself, recalling a certain conversation between Cloud and Aeris. They obviously had no idea that she had been in their house only last night. They –
Wait, I hear Logan…
Yuffie strained her ears and leaned over and made the sensitivity of the mic in Logan's room higher.
"I want my mommy, chocobo. I not see her in so long." His voice sounded full of tears. "This strange lady with the weird eyes thinks that she can take care of me like mommy can but she's wrong!" He kept his voice hushed so Cloud or Aeris wouldn't hear. "And daddy doesn't want me to see mommy either! They say I'll be better off! Chocobo, my birthday was last month. And I didn't even get any presents…"
Yuffie continued to listen to Logan's sniffling as he got up and shuffled out of the room. Her shoulders dropped as she pulled the headphones off of her ears and dropped them onto the table. "That's it. I can't listen anymore," she said, getting up and walking out of the room.
Vincent was sitting on the couch in her living room, flipping through a book that he had taken a liking to. He looked up at her as she entered the room. "Hear anything interesting?" He asked as his gaze fell back down onto the book.
She nodded as she collapsed into a chair. "Not really. Just a bunch of random shuffling and clinking and the sounds of a TV in the background. I heard Logan talking to his chocobo."
"Hmm," Vincent mumbled, his nose glued into his book.
Yuffie rolled her eyes and got out of the chair, striding over to the door. Taking a walk around Wutai wouldn't hurt; maybe she'd go over to the pagoda and visit her father. Now that he wasn't the Emperor of Wutai any longer he spent all of his time training in the pagoda. Yuffie would still have to train many years before she would be able to have her own floor of the pagoda, which pissed her off to no end.
She was getting ready to go look around in the materia shop when she heard the familiar dull roar of the Highwind's engines.
.xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox.
I stepped off the rope ladder and looked toward Wutai, smiling as I saw Yuffie running towards me with her arms open wide.
"Tifa!" She screamed, coming to a screeching halt in front of me and throwing her arms around my neck.
"Hey, Yuff," I managed to squeak as Yuffie continued to squeeze the life out of my neck.
"Oh my Gawd, Tifa, I haven't seen you in forever!" She said, relinquishing her grip and backing up. "How are you?"
I rubbed my neck and smiled. "Pretty good."
"Well, come on!" Yuffie said, grabbing my hand. "I've got some stuff I want you to listen to."
Reno, Rude, Elena and Red followed behind at a much slower pace. After shutting down the Highwind, Cid tagged along as well. I had told him of my pregnancy and he just about had a cow when I told him Reno was the father. Then afterward, he hunted Reno down, took him up on the deck and gave him the 'male speech.' Reno didn't say much to me after Cid finished his tirade. He just went into Operations and sat solemnly like someone had just told him he was dying of cancer. I got angry and demanded Cid to tell me what he said to Reno but all he told me was:
"Leave 'im alone for a while. He needs to think."
I still wanted to know what exactly they talked about but I knew Cid was notorious for being stubborn. I wouldn't get anything out of him.
I said a quick hello to Vincent as Yuffie pulled me into the small side room where she had set her equipment up. She grabbed a tape and a mini tape player then popped the tape into it.
"This is something I recorded this morning."
There were crackling sounds as the tape started. The dull murmurs of the TV wafted in and out. I could hear clinking in the kitchen and some shuffling in one of the bedrooms.
"Daddy!"
"What is it, Logan?" Came Aeris' voice from the kitchen.
"I don't want you! I want daddy!" Logan said, his voice sounding angry.
"What, Logan?" Cloud asked as he entered the room.
"I want mommy," he whimpered.
Cloud was silent. "Yeah, I know."
"Then why can't I see her?" Logan asked, his voice becoming angry once again.
Aeris walked in, her voice sounding venomous. "Because your mommy won't let Cloud see you. She doesn't think Cloud deserves to see you and help raise you."
Logan was silent for many long moments and my blood began to boil at the sound of his sniffling. "Well, then if she thinks he doesn't deserve to see me she's right! My mommy loves me!"
"If she loved you she'd let you see your father."
"No!" Logan screamed. "You're wrong! You're a mean lady! You took me from my mommy, why should I listen to you!"
"Because you'll never see your mommy again. They don't know where we are. They'll be searching until they finally give up."
"No! My mommy will never give up! She'll find me!"
Yuffie stopped the tape and it's a good thing she did. I had balled my fists so tight, my nails were digging into my palms and some had even broken the skin. There was a fire burning behind my wine colored irises that threatened to spill out and set ablaze the tape that Yuffie held in her hands. I was so infuriated that I was literally shaking. I had never been so angry in my entire life and a part of me relished in the feeling and couldn't get enough of it. That part wanted me to run out of Yuffie's house and scour the city and let my anger out on Aeris. I would have given in to that temptation, that is, if Reno hadn't come and placed his hand on my shoulder.
I quickly turned around and slammed my fist into the wall, making Reno and everyone around me jump. The wall I had struck still reverberated from the hit. My fist had gone clean through the dry wall, into the insulation and had even managed to crack a few of the boards inside. I stood there with my fist embedded in the wall, breathing deeply.
How dare that bitch say those things to my son!
Reno placed his hand on my shoulder once again. I dislodged my fist from the wall, wrenched my shoulder away from Reno's touch and stalked out of the room. I hopped up the stairs, wanting to find somewhere peaceful to think. I happened upon Yuffie's room; she had double glass doors that led out to a spacious balcony. I walked out into the warm afternoon air and leaned against the warm concrete.
Hearing Aeris talk like that to my son had made me absolutely livid. The weird thing is, if Aeris really has come back she definitely wouldn't have done any of this. She would have worked together with Cloud to kidnap my son and she certainly wouldn't have talked to him so vehemently.
Something isn't right. Something is definitely going on.
Soft footfalls jarred me from my thoughts. I didn't turn around because I had a pretty good idea whom it was. Sure enough, I felt Reno gently wrap his hands around my stomach and place his face next to mine. I closed my eyes and leaned into his embrace, relishing in his touch. Many moments passed between us. He didn't say anything, but stood there with me and waited until I was ready to talk. His method worked.
I placed my hands over his and looked over at him. "I want him back, Reno."
"I know, babe." He captured my mouth in a quick kiss before coming to stand next to me. He leaned one elbow on the railing and captured my chin with his right hand. "Tifa, Aeris will pay for what she's done. I'll make sure of it."
I nodded and leaned my forehead against his. "Sorry for what happened. Just hearing Aeris or whatever the hell she is talk like that to Logan infuriated me to no end."
"You don't need to apologize." He paused as a silly grin found its way to his face. "I'm just happy you embedded your fist in the wall instead of my face."
I smiled and rolled my eyes, a little dumbfounded that he could find humor in this situation. "You know, this isn't a laughing matter."
He nodded his understanding. "I know that." He grabbed my hand and started to lead me back into the house. "I'm just trying to make it seem like we're not going to a funeral."
I rolled my eyes again but stayed silent. Reno Willet, the insufferable clown.
"Red said he's got a plan of action."
"And I'm not a part of it, right?"
"Exactly."
I stopped abruptly and waited for him to turn around and look at me. "Reno, do you really think I'm going to sit here and do nothing after what Aeris said to my son? Reno, I have to go now."
He shook his head. "No, babe, I won't let you. I don't want to risk you getting hurt. I'd rather see myself hurt than you."
"Reno," I said, tears starting to come to my eyes. "You don't understand. I need to go with you."
"Babe," he said, coming and standing right in front of me. "I know how you feel. I know you want to be the one to rescue Logan, but I want you to stay here because I love you and I don't want anything to happen to you. Tifa, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I don't want to lose you or our baby." He gripped my arms and stared hard into my eyes. "Please just stay here. I don't want to argue with you over this."
I sighed and looked down, fighting a war with myself in my head. I wanted so bad to just blow up at him and yell at him and tell him that I'd be going whether he wanted me to or not, but another part of me told me to just obey his wishes because he was thinking about me and didn't want anything bad to happen to me. After a few moments I looked back up at him and nodded. A look of relief washed over his face at my agreement. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before he leaned in and kissed me briefly.
"Thank you."
I nodded and wiped my eyes before walking with him back into Yuffie's living room. Red acknowledged our presence before speaking. "Yuffie, Vincent and all the Turks will head up this mission. The plan, in order to be successful, you must move in after they have gone to sleep. It's the safest way and you will hopefully get out without alerting Aeris or Cloud to your presence. Yuffie will find a way into the house, when an entry way has been identified Vincent will follow. The Turks will set up a perimeter around the house and provide back up if needed. Once inside, Yuffie will proceed directly to Logan's room and carefully get him out without him making any noise. Vincent will station himself outside Cloud and Aeris' room and make sure they do not awaken. If they do, Vincent you will alert Yuffie as quickly as you can then immediately get into hiding. If you are found out, be prepared to defend yourselves."
Yuffie and Vincent nodded; they would get together later and go over exactly what they were going to do. I stood behind Yuffie's couch with a lost look on my face. Where I stood, I felt like the fifth wheel. While they were out I would be sitting here, worrying about whether or not they were all right. My shoulders slumped like a immense weight had been placed on them and I suddenly felt very small.
A/N: Well, how'd you like? I hope I didn't leave a major cliffy like I did a few chapters ago...>> I'll have the next chapter up by next week if I don't have to much work for summer school... So, there's a button down there that needs some lovin'. Make me and that button happy!
Love you guys!
Dragon Girl323
