Elena woke up. Her eyes were still shut, she didn't even want to think about what will happen when she opens them. Her temples were throbbing, she had that horrible taste of yesterday's alcohol in her sore mouth. Suddenly she cought an unfamiliar scent. Cigarettes. She didn't smoke. And that meant that either someone who does is in her apartment or, even worst, she's not home.

"Great"-she thought-"Sweet...I got drunk like a pig and now I don't even know what's happening around me

She fought a few seconds with the fear in the back of her head and opened one eye, slowly.

"Oh fuck"-she whispered-"No, this is not possible. Fuuuucckkkk...No..."

Her eyes went from half-closed by the hangover to five Gil coin diameter in a second when she saw a head covered with red hair, nex to her own. Next to her was a sleeping Reno, his back turned to her, murmuring something in his sleep from time to time. She didn't know how long she was sitting there, staring at the back of his head, horrified. She tried to remember last night. Nothing. Zero. No idea of what happened after they left the bar. She took a deep breath

"Oh my...Oh my...What have I done?"-thought were running in her head like crazy

She stuck her head underneath the blanket and ran her hands over her body. She sighed with relief when she saw that her clothes were in place. Just one thing was messy: her shirt. But Reno was dressed too. Thah calmed her down. After a few seconds she jumped up realizing something.

"On the other hand...you don't have to take your clothes off to do certain things...I sware I will kill myself if his pants are undone, I will kill myself, I will"-she panicked-"My shirt...he was touching me...No, no, no...There has to be an explanation for all this. Why don't I remember anything?- she slapped herself on the forehead and fell back on the pillow.

She was lying like that for a few minutes, staring at Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her stomach and she felt that yesterday's booze was going back up to her throat. She jumped out of the bed, quickly managed to find the bathroom and run there just in time to kneel over the toilet. She could have sworn she threw up everything she ate in her entire life. Her insides were burning, her throat was sore but she was still returning the contents of her stomach, trying to get rid of the thought of her and Reno in the process. When she realized what could have happened that night, she started throwing up even stronger. She felt horrible.

"A bit more and I'll friggin' die"-she suffered-"No more alcohol ever"

Out of a sudden she felt the touch of cold hands on her neck, pulling her hair back from her face. She shivered.

"Gods, rookie, do you have to puke so loud? I should still be asleep, it's eight in the morning, you know"- Reno yawned looking at his watch, still holding Elena's hair a safe distance from the acids escaping her mouth.

"Doesn't it...disturb you...that I'm throwing up my...insides out and...you're in the...same room..."- Elena was trying to speak in betweeen hurls

"Obviously you haven't seen as many digusting things in your life as I did if you think that regular vomit makes any impact on me. I don't even mind the rotting cadavors that we often see...during missions"-he looked down at the blonde with concern. The thought of rotting cadavors obviously wasn't helping her.

"Ele, for fuck's sake, not on the floor!"- he pulled her hair and almost stuck her head into the bowl-"In my apartment only I'm allowed to puke on the floor. Guest have to watch what they're doing"

Elena snickered. She felt weak but had the feeling that her stomach settled. She flushed the toilet and took a few deep breaths.

"Feelin' better, sweetie?"- he squated by her and looked at her paper-white face-"You want something to drink? Tea, coffee, beer?"

"Fuck you"-she muttered under her breath-"Fuck you and let go of my hair you asshole"

Reno raised his brow in question, looking at her like she was a mental patient.

"What are you staring at you bastard? Let go of me and I don't want to see you ever again you..."-Elena was starting to regain her strenght

He slapped her lightly on the cheek. Hard enough though to make her head tilt a few centimeters. She looked at him in disbelief. Luckily for Elena he still had feeling in his hands and the slap didn't even hurt.

"Rookie, I'm sorry, I don't raise my hand on women but you have to shut up, ok?"-he spoke to her as if she was a child-"Come on, get up, we have to talk"-he handed her a towel-"Take a shower, calm down, take a deep breath and when you'll be ready come back to the room"

Elena, still surprised, took the towel and watched Reno as he was locking the door behind himself.

"I'll make you the fuckin' tea, just lay low"- she heard as he was leaving

She took her uniform off, started the shower and stepped in. She had something like a blank page in her head. There was nothing. The world was slowly returning to her. Automatically, she thought of Tseng. This time she just spat down at the thought of him. She smiled, a wide grin appearing on her face. Why should she regret that? Everybody has a slip-up like this from time to time. So she slept with a co-worker. No biggie. She just rolled her eyes, thinking that she could have chosen someone else for it.

Well, she got drunk, she wasn't thinking clearly and it happened. Too bad she didn't remeber.

"I wonder how was it"-she laughed to herself

She stepped out of the shower, gargled on some water and managed to get her clothes back to a decent state. She went back to Reno, who was clearly nursing his hangover in quite an addictive manner- he was drinking a beer and smoking one cigarette after another. She coughed loud, trying to let him know that the smoke is choking her. He didn't care.

"Do you ever get sick of alcohol?"-she looked at the whole scene with disgust

"Sweetie, it's not me we need to talk about. Come on, sit down"- he patted the space on the couch, next to him.

She sat down fixing her gaze on the ashtray that was sitting on the table. There was no way she could look him in the eye.

"From what you said in the bathroom I figured that you don't really remember much from last night"

Elena wanted to say something but he raised his hand up in a gesture to silence her

"Geez...woman, let me finish"

She nodded. It felt weird, since she thought that now she's going to hear every detail of the previous night. Not funny.

"The most important thing-nothing happened. Turk's word. I know you don't believe me but I can sware that we didn't do anything. The second thing is, well, you were the one who tried to jump in bed with me so now you can apologize to me for what you said back in the bathroom"

Elena was speechless. She raised the tea cup up to her mouth, took a sip and looked to the side. She wanted to buy a few seconds of time in order not to blurt out anything stupid. Like the thing that she got accustomed to the thought of them sleeping together and that now she missed the thought. Because it was always something different, a break from the years spent on trying to get Tseng's attention.

"All right. I apologize. But there had to be a reason why you brought me here yesterday and Rude said he has paperwork to file even though we have a day off today"

Reno coughed, almost choking on his beer.