((I'm considering a CloudxTifa, VincentxTifa, VincentxCloud love triangle. Please include your opinion on this in your Review! PUHLEASE REVIEW! Thanks

---------------------------

I went behind the bar and poured myself a drink, not even bothering to close the door. I downed it quickly, and opted to just drink from the bottle rather than pour another.

Tifa glared at me, but I offered no explanation. This was some heavy sht, and I needed to think.

She put her hands on her hips, and I looked away. "CLOUD! What the Hell is WRONG with you!" she demanded. I shrugged, taking another swig. Mmmm, Vodka.

Now she was tapping her foot. I didn't look but I knew she had her arms across her chest and was giving me the evil eye.

Finally, after a couple more swigs, I moved to the other side of the Bar, closed the door, and then sat down.

"Well?" she said.

"Reno is… no longer an issue." I managed, taking another swig. Damn, it's almost gone.

"CLOUD! WHAT DID YOU"

I cut her off "I didn't, Shinra did."

She was quieter now, curious.

"Apparently, Reno has a heart. He refused an assignment to kill a village… the whole village, over some stupid Shinra secret. They killed his family."

Damn, bottle's empty. I reach for another, but she stops me.

"Cloud… it's…" that's all she could manage.

I remember when they killed my family… those bastards. When Reno said it, everything came rushing back. I don't want to think about it. How about those memories, huh? Two sets of them nonetheless. Twice the pain. Twice the anger. Stupid Shinra and Stupid Sephiroth. I hate all of it. Where the hell is the Vodka?

Tifa grabs my hair.

"Ow! Hey, let go!" I smack her hand and she lets go of me.

"There's no time for this crap, Cloud. Wallow in your memories some other time." She said, finally letting go.

I scrambled to a mirror to fix my hair, the Vodka temporarily forgotten. Then I felt her there, her arms around me.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was soft now.

I turn around and face her, and she rests her head on my chest. "Cloud… you should bring him here… both of them. If Shinra's after her, it's not safe there. Especially if they find out Reno is helping someone he was supposed to kill."

"I know…" It's all I could say. I could feel her heartbeat. And her face against my cheek felt… wet. Was she crying?

"Cloud… Don't ever leave me…" she mumbled against me.

----------------------

The pain is near unbearable, but I smiled anyways. It seems fate that brought Reno and I together. I noticed that he never eats, though. He feeds me, and he prepares food for himself, but every time, it's put away unfinished.

He stayed with me as I fell asleep tonight, but not in the bed this time. He pulled up a chair next to me, and held my hand as I fell asleep. With the nightmares, though, I couldn't stay asleep, and now I'm the one watching over him.

It's funny, how he sleeps. He is slumped down in the chair, one foot n the floor and on foot on the bed. One arm is draped over his eyes, and his head is tilted back, resting on the conveniently tall bedside table. His mouth is open. I can't help but giggle, even though it hurts me all over to do so. Oh my goodness, now he's smacking his lips! It's so incredibly funny.

Can you believe that? After all this, I can still laugh. I suppose it's because… because I know my family is okay now… in the lifestream. Maybe it's also because of him, I don't know. He has that smiled... the one he has on his face when he thinks I'm not looking at him.

Laughter helps me feel… like I'm stronger. I can feel my family with me. It makes me feel like everything will be okay. In fact, I know it will be… because he saved me… twice. That can't be just a coincidence, can it? The fact that he's the only Turk on speaking terms with someone who saved the world... twice… that's not a coincidence, either. It just can't be.

I have a funny idea…

Beside the bed is the remnants of dinner, including a can of whip cream. I filled up his hand that I had been holding with it, then tickled his nose with his own ponytail.

Twitch twitch went his nose.

I tried again. This time his ears. twitch twitch

"EEEEEeee! That's so Cute! He can twitch his ears" I squeeled, trying not to wake him at the same time. I tried again, this time his lips.

SPLAT it was everywhere. He woke with a start, and I tried to hold in a giggle. He licked his lips.

"Mmmm..." he said, then realized he was covered in whip cream. "Hey! What's the big Idea?" he yelled, though not really loud.

"I just wanted to laugh…" I said innocently.

He didn't fall for it. "Laugh, huh?" he smeared whip cream on my face. I picked up the can and prayed more on him. It went back and forth, and I laughed so hard… but somehow there was no pain… for a few minutes, there was only joy.

Finally, we settled down, and the pain came back.

He sat back in his chair, having wiped both of us clean of any Whipped cream.

"Thank you…" I said quietly.

Reno shook his head. He didn't answer me, he just took my hand.

I looked at him, and he looked sad, but I didn't ask why. I'm so… tired… sleep hits me like a train, and I go into dream world.

----------------------------------

She's asleep again, thank God. It's easier to change her bandages while she sleeps… it feels too awkward if she watches me.

Her bleeding has gone down a lot, and it wasn't as hot today, so she didn't get all sweaty here in bed. At this rate, she may stand on her own as early as tomorrow. Honestly, I have no idea how she's healing this fast.

Did fate bring us together? The thought of it… sigh.

I'm so damned tired… why am I so tired? I can't fight it anymore. I find a comfy position in the chair and I'm out like a light

------------------------------

When Reno woke in the morning, Merina wasn't there. Panicked, he looked around. Then he heard the banging on the door.

"Reno! I need to talk to you!" It was Rude.

"Shit, can't risk it!" Reno said to himself as he quickly cleaned up the bedroom, finding Merina hiding under the bed.

"I heard him.. I was afraid he'd let himself in" she whispered. HE nodded his head.

"I'll get rid of him as soon as I can." Reno said. He finished hiding everything and went to answer the door.

"I'm sorry" Rude said.

Reno stared at him with a puzzled look on his face, until he saw them step out from behind him. The Turks number 2 team.. well, number one now that Reno and Rude left. Rude disappeared as the two Turks beat him repeatedly, hitting mostly I the face and the gut. He tried to fight back, but to no avail. The other two had weapons, and he had left his in his room.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Reno lay on his side on the floor. His left eye was bleeding, and he'd lost a couple teeth, but didn't have the energy to spit out the blood, so it just sort of ran out of his mouth. He held is side in pain.

"You're fucking lucky, Reno. If we had our own way, we'd kill you." The Mikono said. They both laughed and... pissed on him. He made a face and tried to turn his head away, but that only resulted in Meseta them pissing on his face, and in his hair. When they finished, they spit on him and went to leave. "You interfere again, and we'll have to kill you. Stay outta the Turks' and Shinra's way." Mikono said, then slammed the door.

Dazed, Reno got himself up, thanking God they hadn't broken his ribs. He stumbled into the shower, clothes and all, and turned on the water to an almost unbearable heat.

"Um.. Reno? Are you… oh my God!" Merina had come in, bracing herself on the wall for support. She saw Reno and sank to the floor. "Reno… was this because.."

"Because I left the Turks? Yeah" he spit blood into the bottom of the Shower, leaning against the wall for support. His head pounded and he felt sick. Too sickened by the stench of Urine and blood to be Modest, Reno took of all his clothes and threw them in the trash (he has an open shower… no door or curtain... a nice tile one..).

Merina smelled the overpowering stench as the clothes flew over her head. "Oh my God, they… pissed on you?"

"Yeah… yeah they did." Reno said, washing his body off, and scrubbing a little too hard. His skin became raw and red from a mix of the water ans scrubbing, but at least he felt clean. He turned of the shower and toweled off, quickly dressing (well, as quickly as possible, considering). He helped Merina back to bed.

"I'm going to pack really quick, and then we're leaving." He said, shoving clothes and medical supplies into some bags.

Merina sat on the bed and watched him. After everything that had happened to him, he was still concerned about her.

"Why, Reno?" she whispered to herself. He didn't hear her.

Soon, Reno was ready. He packed everything onto the back of his Bike, then carried Merina outside. He put his long black trench coat on and sat on the bike with Merina behind him. "Get inside the coat, and hold on as tight as you can to my waist." He said. She complied, and was nearly completely hidden by his coat. He could feel her warm breath on his back, and her arms held him tightly.

He started the motorcycle and took off. He prayed Cloud would let him stay at 7th Heaven, because right now, they had no place else to go.

------------------------------

So? What do you think? Good? Bad? Weird? Got some ideas? Let me know!

Now excuse me while enslave Reno to do my bidding

Reno: is that a leash?

ME: Hee hee hee

Reno: Waahh! tries to run

Me: Get your Bishie butt Back Here

WE'RE SORRY, BUT THE REST OF THIS SCENE HAS BEEN CENSORED SO AS NOT TO TOTALLY CORRUPT YOU MIND! PLEASE READ THE NEXT CHAPTER WHEN IT COMES UP! THANK YOU.