Chapter Thirteen
Aura took the access key that Zena thrust into her hands. Slipping it into her pocket, she nodded, listening as the woman rattled off codes and protocols.
"But I've written it all down so you can go over it later." The blonde finished.
"Thanks."
"I've set up a locker over here for you." She led Aura to the other side of the room. "This is where you can keep your clothes when you change. Or, any of your personal belongings, I suppose."
"Right…"
"Now, I know you are allowed to choose your own hours and days and whatnot… but if you could let me know what you're planning from time to time, that will allow for me to best plan for the lab."
"Sure, yo." Aura nodded. Zena looked her over and Aura had the sudden urge to smooth her hair down or fix her collar.
"You're from under the plate…"
"Yes…"
"Right, well, that reminds me." Zena told her, "There is the medical exam."
"The what…?" Aura took a step back.
"Every ShinRa employee has a medical file. It's protocol."
Aura jumped when the doors flew open. Turning, she watched as Reno strode in. "Mornin' ladies." He greeted, "Came to see what's goin' on."
"Just explaining to Aura the protocol of the medical exam."
"That's what I figured." Reno nodded, his eyes flicking toward Aura who shook her head. "Why don't you get your stuff ready?" He said to Zena. Aura watched as Zena turned away and went to start collecting things. "Aur…"
"No." Aura breathed, turning on Reno quickly. "No… No, she's not…"
"It's okay…"
"No."
"Yes…"
"No!" she hissed, backing further away, "I'm not going to let her!"
"Aura, come here…"
Aura knew he was trying to use his soothing voice, but she backed further away from him all the same. "I'm not letting her touch me with anything."
Before she had the chance to even process what was happening, Reno had moved at lightning speed and wrapped his hands around her wrists, pulling her to himself and holding tightly while he whispered in her ear. "I am not going to let her hurt you." He breathed, "She's not going to inject you with anything. She just needs to take a sample of your blood. It needs to go on file. It's to help you." Aura couldn't resist a whine. One of Reno's hands stroked gently down her back. "I will be here the whole time. You're perfectly safe." He told her. "This is important."
He let her go as Zena returned, and Aura forced herself to draw one breath after another. "Okay, come and have a seat over here." Zena said, patting one of the gurneys, "We'll see if you have the same type of blood as Reno."
"What?" She murmured as she moved toward Zena.
"Well, coming from under the plate, Reno here has unique blood. Well, compared with the rest of us from above… There's some stuff in his blood that causes him to have some pretty nasty reactions to the regular medications we use… He's got to have stuff specially made for him." Zena paused as she waited for Aura to sit, "So, when we check your blood out, we will see if you're the same."
Aura tried to breathe normally as she sat herself in front of Zena. After what had been done to her when she was fifteen, she was pretty sure her blood was messed up. She didn't need a fancy test to tell her that. She tried not to panic when Zena started to prepare a large needle. Reno stepped up beside her, his hand taking one of hers. Aura squeezed it, her eyes not leaving the needle.
Zena paused, looking between them when she turned back to Aura. "Bit of a fear of needles, it seems." Reno explained.
"Really?" Zena asked, "I bet that's unusual, coming from under the plate…"
"I'd say not." Reno replied drily.
"Okay, well just relax…" Zena told Aura.
"You fuckin' relax, yo!" Aura practically yelped. Zena sniffed and stepped closer.
Aura turned her head away, unwilling to watch the woman push the needle into her arm. She leaned into Reno, pressing her face into his shoulder. She tried to swallow the panic as she felt Zena take hold of her arm. "It's okay…" Reno whispered, his breath warm against her ear. Aura shook her head silently, her eyes closed tightly.
"There you go."Zena said briskly. "Didn't feel a thing, did you?"
Aura opened her eyes, and turned to look at the woman. "No, I didn't."
"There you are, then." The blonde smiled, "Nothing to be afraid of."
Aura just nodded, not feeling like trying to explain to her that she wasn't afraid of the pain. "Is that all?"
"No." Zena replied, fiddling with a small plastic bag in her hands. "That's the only needle, though. I still have to look you over. Check your health. Then I'll check your blood for diseases and that sort of thing."
"Diseases…I don't have any diseases…"
"It's protocol." Zena said, waving her hand, "Just checking for STDs and things like that…"
Aura felt colour flush her cheeks. "I don't…have…"
Reno's hand rubbed her back gently, and Aura just watched Zena silently as the woman moved around, setting up her blood test.
"Okay… so I think you'll be fine, now…" Reno said softly. Aura glanced up at him.
"You came in here knowing what was going to happen…" She replied.
"'course" He answered.
"Thanks."
Reno just winked at her and moved away. "I'll catch you later, ladies." He said, giving a wave, "Places to go, people to see…"
"Bye, Reno…" Zena grinned, "Maybe we can go out later…"
Reno just gave another wave before walking out the door, letting it swing shut behind him. Aura let out a slow breath and Zena headed back toward her. "Alright, lose the shirt." The woman said, "I'm going to listen to your breathing."
Aura unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall from her shoulders.
"You know," Zena said, "Breathe in…" Aura did so. "And out…" Aura let her breath out slowly. "You've really got that whole innocent damsel thing down…"
"What?" Aura asked.
"Breathe in. I saw the way you had Reno holding your hand and being all supportive… Breathe out…" Aura just watched Zena as the woman continued. "You played that well."
"I wasn't playing anything."
"Yeah, sure." Zena looked at her, "You can put the shirt back on."
Aura did the buttons up while Zena filled in some form. "I wasn't…"
"Oh, be proud." Zena replied, "It was effective. Sweet Shiva, I had underestimated you." The woman smiled at her and Aura just stared back. "You may be a sweet, cute little thing, but you know how to use it, I'll give you that."
Aura just stared. Did this woman seriously think that she had been playing Reno to somehow get at him? "…Is that what you do?" She asked the Doctor.
"Oh…" Zena smiled, "Not like that. The whole innocence thing doesn't really work for me. It's not my style."
"Does it usually work?"
"Always." Zena grinned, "And that is why I will get Reno." She flicked her curls over her shoulder. "Sorry, honey. I told you the other night. I don't think you're quite his type. I'm more his style. I've been working him for a while now. He's really not going to have a choice in the matter."
Aura scowled at those words. "Everyone should have the choice." She murmured, "Always."
Aura coughed as she staggered up the street, looking for Reno. It had been eight months since he had first taken her home when she had been drugged. They had lasted well enough during those months, but now it was getting colder. The little shack of a house they lived in was freezing. During the night it was downright icy. They were unable to afford anything to heat the house, and so they spent the nights huddled together under the thin blankets they did have. Over the last few weeks, however, that had become ineffective and it hadn't been long before they had become ill.
Her coughing had gotten worse last night. She had had fit after fit, and she had hardly slept at all. Reno had become distressed around midnight. They both knew that an infection in the chest in their neighbourhood usually didn't end with recovery. So, he had held her and pat her on the back as she struggled for breath until she managed to slip into a light sleep somewhere about dawn. When she had awoken it was to see Reno pulling his jacket on.
"Hey Aur…" He knelt beside her, brushing her sleep-matted hair back from her face. Aura coughed lightly, wincing as her ribs ached. "Don't get up…" He told her, stroking her hair. "This isn't going to happen." Aura's eyes met his when she heard his voice change. It was suddenly lower, more serious. "I'm not going to let it. I will get you some medicine. I swear." Aura wanted to ask him how, but all that she managed was another coughing fit. The fit ended in tears as she lay, unable to move, while her ribs protested the constant pressure.
"Ow…" She breathed, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Don't move." Reno told her, stroking her hair down. "Stay here. I'll take care of it."
With that, Reno got to his feet and left. Aura lay where she was for a few minutes. Her mind struggled to make sense of what Reno had said. He had said he would get her medicine, but they could barely afford food. Oftentimes they couldn't even afford that. How was he going to get her medicine? It was even more expensive. They had nothing of worth to sell or trade. It didn't make sense. She began to worry. What was he going to do? He was going to get himself in trouble.
Forcing herself to her knees, Aura struggled through another coughing fit before staggering to her feet. She had to find him and stop him doing something stupid.
As she staggered up the street, leaning against the wall for support, Aura tried to work out where he would have gone. Looking around, she fought against the wave of dizziness that washed over her. She wouldn't last too long on her feet.
She staggered further up the street, unaware of where she was going, just knowing that she had to keep moving. She didn't know how long she looked before she spotted his vibrant red hair. She only vaguely registered that he was talking to someone, and when she finally reached him they were entering an alley.
"Aura…!" Reno caught her as she fell against him. "What are you doing? Go home!" She looked up at him.
"No…" she choked.
"Aura!"
"You're going to do something stupid…" She leaned into him as another coughing fit shook her. Reno's arms tightened around her, holding her upright.
"I'm going to do what I have to."
"So, this is what you need the money for is it?" The man behind Reno spoke up.
"None of your business what I need it for, yo." Reno replied, still holding Aura tightly. Aura coughed again and Reno looked down at her. Her eyes closed for a second as her head swam. "For Shiva's sake, Aur…"
"So are we doin' this or what, Red?" the man behind Reno drawled. Aura watched Reno roll his eyes and look around at the guy.
"I have to get her home… I can meet you back here…"
"Nuh." The guy replied, "It's now or we forget it…"
"Fuck." Reno breathed, looking around.
"Come on, then."
"Aur…" Reno sighed, picking her up. "You're gonna sit here just a minute…" He carried her over to a small crate by the wall. Sitting her gently on it, he slipped his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders.
"What are you doing?" She breathed, looking up at him.
"Don't worry about it." He replied, stepping back from her. "Just sit here. Don't move."
Aura watched, her head spinning once more, as Reno followed the man into the alley nearby. After a moment, she pulled herself to her feet by the wall and staggered toward the alley. If Reno was thinking of whoring himself, he could think again. They didn't do that. They always found another way.
Not far into the alley, they came into view. The man was leaning back against the alley wall, with Reno on his knees before him. Aura's breath caught in her throat as she watched the man's head tilt back to rest against the wall as his hands moved through Reno's hair. Taking another step, she stumbled, catching herself against the wall. Reno must have heard her as he tried to pull away, but the hands in his hair tightened, and he was held firmly in place as the man standing over him took control of the situation. Horrified, Aura forced herself forward. She had barely gotten within reach of them when the man lifted a hand from her friend's hair and given her a hard shove. Already off balance, Aura fell back against the other wall and found herself sprawled among old boxes and crates on the damp ground. A coughing fit seized her immediately and she was prevented even sitting up for what seemed like forever.
When she was finally able to draw an entire breath, she pushed herself up into a sitting position and Reno was released, scrambling across the alley to her.
"Aur…? Aura?" His hands pushed her hair back from her face as he looked her over. "Aur, can you breathe?"
She nodded, tears stinging her eyes as she looked at him. Behind him, the man watching them did his pants up. "Such a talented, pretty mouth…" He said to Reno.
"Reno…" She breathed, tears trailing her cheeks, "Why?"
"You know why."He replied softly.
She shook her head, prevented from answering by another coughing fit. Her vision went black for a moment, and when it cleared Reno was doing his jacket up around her. She coughed again, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth, and she watched the colour drain from Reno's face when she lowered her hand to find it splattered with blood.
"It's gonna be pricey, gettin' somethin' to fix that up." The man behind Reno said. Reno closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them he nodded. "I got an idea… I'm interested in seein' just how talented you are…"
Reno looked over his shoulder at him. "That'll be pricey."
"No…" Aura wheezed. Reno's fingers stroked her cheek softly.
"Don't look." He told her, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Close your eyes." He whispered as he got to his feet and turned back to face the man now watching him with a wide smirk. Aura wanted to scream. "So, what were you thinkin', yo?" Reno asked him.
Aura turned her face away as Reno walked back over to him. She couldn't watch as the man looked him over, his hands being allowed to wander. She tried not to listen to what they were saying, tried not to listen to what Reno was agreeing to. A silent coughing fit shook her, and Aura tried to smother it with her hands. Wiping her hands on her skirt when it had passed, she leaned back against the wall, aching all over.
"…I think further…" Reno said.
"Here's fine." The man replied.
Aura turned her eyes back on them in time to see the man grab Reno by the wrist and turn him. She watched as her friend was pushed against a dumpster and then forced down over it.
"No, I really think we could move further away…" Reno said, his eyes flicking up to meet Aura's. "Tor, c'mon…"
Tor laughed, also looking over at Aura. "I said here's fine." He repeated, grinning as he tugged Reno's pants down. Aura's eyes filled with tears again. She quickly looked away, choking back the tears, and trying to keep her breathing even as she felt her chest constrict. Glancing back at them, Aura watched Tor kick Reno's feet further apart as he adjusted his position. Unable to hold her sobs in, Aura then clamped her hands over her ears trying to block out the grunts of pain from Reno that were now echoing up the alley.
She looked up when three men walked into the alley. "Hey yo," One called, "What've you found, Tor?"
Aura looked around. Tor grinned at the men, his hands still on Reno's hips, maintaining the rhythm of his thrusts. "It's pretty good, boys." He answered, "Uh. You should try it."
"You feel like sharing?"
"Yea, come have a go." Tor snickered.
"What?" Reno looked around at Tor.
"Relax." Tor replied, thrusting again. "You'll be paid for it."
Aura shook her head and scrambled to her feet. "You can't…" She shrieked when two of the men grabbed her.
"Oh, you've found two…" The taller of the men said.
"No!" Protested Reno, trying to push away from the dumpster, "No, not her…"
Aura began coughing, sagging in the grip of the two men who held her. "But she's so cute…" The one who had spoken before said.
"No." Reno said again, "Me… Just me…"
"Right." Tor smirked, stepping back, "Who wants the next go?"
"Just…let her go…" Reno said, standing straighter. "Let her go home…"
"No…" Tor replied, "She can watch…"
Aura watched horror spread across Reno's face. "Why?"
"She can watch." Tor repeated, "Or she can participate."
Aura kept coughing. "She's sick." Reno said, "At least put her down. Let her sit…"
The two men holding Aura lowered her back to the ground where she had been sitting before. She then watched as the three of them went over to stand with Tor, surrounding Reno. "No…" She whispered, looking away. "No… No…" Clamping her hands over her ears, Aura squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could. Then, bringing her knees up to her chest, she pressed her face into them, coughing harshly. She didn't want to know what was happening. She didn't want to see and she didn't want to hear. If she had have had the strength, she would have crawled from the alley, just to get away from it all. But, she knew that she wouldn't have been able to leave Reno alone with it.
Keeping her face pressed into her knees, Aura tried to block out the muffled sounds she could hear even though her hands remained firmly clasped over her ears. She tried not to listen, she tried to think about anything else, but even so, Aura knew exactly when each one of the men had finished with Reno.
She didn't move, even when the sounds had stopped. Rocking herself slightly, she remained exactly where she was. A hand on her back caused Aura to jump in shock, and look up. "Aur…"
The second Aura met Reno's eyes she burst into tears. "Don't… Shh…"
"I…I…" She shook her head, coughing and closing her eyes as her head spun. Reno wiped the blood from her lip with his thumb.
"We'll talk about this at home." He told her gently. "Can you walk?"
"Can you?" she breathed.
"I can do what I have to."
Aura allowed Reno to pull her to her feet. Then, as he wrapped an arm around her waist to support her, together, they staggered back to their house. Reno put Aura on the mattress and turned immediately, walking out the door. She watched him go silently.
He returned not ten minutes later, a small vial in his hand. Kneeling beside her, Reno helped Aura sit up. "You need to take this." He told her, removing the stopper. She sputtered softly, looking at him.
"What is it?"
"What do you think it is, Aur?"
She looked at him and his expression softened. "Just take it." Aura took the vial with a trembling hand and raised it to her lips. "All of it." He told her. Nodding, Aura swallowed the entire contents of the vial.
Reno got to his feet. "Good. I'm gonna shower. Do not get off this mattress."
Silently, Aura watched him leave the room. She did not move until he returned. When he did so, he sat down in front of her, not saying a word. She began to cry again. Any stoicism Reno had crumbled instantly and he wrapped his arms around her, laying back on the mattress and taking her with him. She cried into his shoulder, unable to speak. Gently, Reno rubbed her back.
"I'm sorry you had to see that." He murmured.
"Y-you didn't have to do it."
"You think so?" He asked.
Aura nodded. "You didn't."
"And then tomorrow I would have woken up and you would have been dead."
Aura sobbed harder, "Then I should have done it."
"Don't say that. You're never to do that. You hear me? Don't even say it. I don't want to think about that." He told her.
"It was my fault."
"No." he told her, his hand moving in slow, comforting circles on her back. "It was just a necessary thing. Now it's over."
"Never do it again." She breathed. Reno's other hand moved through her hair.
"Not if I have the choice."
"There's always a choice." Aura murmured.
"No, Aur." He replied gently, "There's not."
Aura remained silent while Zena prattled on about her skills in getting just about whatever she wanted. Once the woman had run all her tests and informed Aura that she was disease free, and that she did indeed have the same aversion to medicine from above the plate that Reno did, Aura was allowed to spend the rest of the day getting acquainted with the labs.
When she had decided that she had had enough for one day, she left. Deciding that she wasn't yet ready to go home, Aura went in search of Elena.
Author's Note:
Thanks to those darlings dropping me reviews. xx