Tifa would have pulled back and slapped Reno when he had the nerve to kiss her, but something warm went through her as their lips touched, and she felt herself responding to him. Before she knew it, he was carrying her to her bedroom as her body was overcome with eager anticipation .

Waking up the next morning, Reno was disoriented for a moment as he woke up in a room that reminded him of his parents, until he remembered the events of the night before, and he turned over to see Tifa waking up as well. Her stretching and yawning simultaneously was somehow charming to him as their eyes met and they both slightly blushed as they remembered the events of their night together. Tifa remembered how she learned that whatever else he was, his reputation as a lover was well-earned. He had taken his time with her and made her feel special, which she hadn't felt in a long time. Reno remembered how passionate she had been, but not just for sex, even though she hadn't been satisfied with just one time and had urged him on twice more. She had been hungry for…him?

"Good morning." Tifa said almost shyly, wondering if she should offer to make him breakfast.

"Uh, yeah." he replied. He felt like he was in unfamiliar territory himself. Something had been different last night, but he couldn't place it yet. "Got anything to eat?" Food was always something he understood.

"I think we still have some muffins, and if not, we've got cereal." she informed him, her dilemma about how to proceed over. "What time is it?" she asked before looking at the clock. "Oh, I've got to get dressed!" she exclaimed. "It's almost time to open the bar. Thank goodness Marlene and Denzel have today off school." Getting out of bed, she quickly put her robe on and headed to her bathroom. The simple domesticity of the situation brought Reno to his 'senses', or so he thought. "Reno, did you find any muf-" Tifa's question came to abrupt end as she walked out of her bathroom and found a hastily scribbled note on her bed.

Thanks for last night, it was great.

Glad you liked the food.

Have a nice life, hope you find someone.

Reno

Angry tears sprang to Tifa's eyes and she crumpled up the note in her fist before throwing it in the trash. That…that…asshole! She should have known better…

Reno frowned as he entered his own apartment a short while later, trying to figure out why he didn't feel happier about escaping Tifa with his manhood intact…he just felt like a coward. What had gone wrong? he wondered. He had gotten what he wanted, hadn't he? After all, Ellie might have taught him how attract women, but not what to do once he got 'em, he learned that elsewhere.

"These are the new recruits?" Scarlet asked Veld, when she dropped by to go over some details of a mission she needed accomplished for her next project.

"Yes." he replied mildly, waiting for her usual reaction as she watched them in the training room.

"He looks promising." Scarlet said, indicating Reno. "Send him to my office when he's done here, but make sure he showers first."

"Of course." Veld could have easily refused her since he didn't answer to her, but her way with the 'new blood' had the beneficial aspect of bluntly reinforcing the cold professionalism that Turks must aspire to.

"Care for a drink?" Scarlet asked Reno, who was flattered and nervous to be called to the office of the head of Weapons Development, who was one of more attractive women he had seen so far at Shinra.

"Are we allowed to drink while on duty?" he wondered.

"Never mind." she almost snapped at him. "Normally your department and mine don't mingle all that much, but I saw you training today, and you obviously need some help."

Reno frowned. "I'm getting better!"

"Come to this address and I'll help you get even better. You could do with a customized weapon." Scarlet wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "But no one else is know about this, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Reno brightened at the thought of a special weapon just for him.

Reno remembered how green he had been when Scarlet took him 'under her wing' and taught him things that had nothing to do with improving his fighting skills. He felt embarrassed that he had thought she might actually have liked him.

"We didn't make love, we had sex, move on." had been Scarlet's words to him when he found her with another young Turk and found out all about her ways. At least she had kept her word and had made him a customized weapon, his telescoping Electro-Rod, and he was never sure if its features were meant to be a compliment or an insult. He didn't care though, he just became determined to become a master in its use to show them all. And he never forgot Scarlet's words, making sure all his future relations with women were just sex…until now, realizing that was his mistake. He and Tifa had actually made love, and it had been...good. But he already left her, too late to go back now, he thought to himself.

Ellie entered the bar, curious about how Tifa would be acting, to see if her machinations had paid off. "Double scotch, please." she ordered as she sat down on the bar stool.

"Oh, hello Ellie. Just a moment." Tifa forced a smile her way as she rung up another customer's bill. When the burly man tried to protest that he was being overcharged, Tifa held up one clenched fist and the man quickly paid his bill and left.

"Damn you, Reno!" Ellie muttered darkly, wishing she could give that jackass the spanking of his life.

"It's Christmas!" Tifa snapped into the phone.

"Please, Tifa, it really is an important delivery, and there isn't anyone else I trust to do it!" Cloud pleaded with his former girlfriend. "You can even keep the delivery fee!"

"Fine!" Tifa reluctantly agreed, thinking she could use the extra money to get some special last minute gifts for Marlene and Denzel.

"Thanks, you're a lifesaver!" Cloud said. "I'll be at the bar in 15 minutes with the package."

"You better hurry back!" Tseng told him once Cloud had hung up, taking another sip from his glass of spiked eggnog

"Why didn't you want me delivering the package anyway? What's so special about it?" Cloud said as he hurriedly got dressed.

"It's of relative importance to Tifa that she deliver it." Tseng chuckled at his play on words. "And 'sides, you're supposed to be all mine today, lover boy!"

"As you say." Cloud shook his head at how easily Tseng got tipsy sometimes. He was so strict on duty, which was most of the time…this was the first day off the man had had in nearly two years. "I won't be gone long."

"You can sit on Santa's lap when you get back!" Tseng put on the Santa hat and sat down on their oversized couch invitingly.

Tifa shivered as she walked up to the kind of cozy house she'd like someday, holding the package carefully. It was starting to snow heavily, and she wanted to hurry up and get back to Marlene and Denzel so they could all enjoy a white Christmas together.

The doorbell rang, and Reno shot up out of his chair. "I'll answer it!" he volunteered, grateful to get away from his parents for five seconds. He was supposed to be with Rude at Costa Del Sol for the holidays, but he still felt guilty about Tifa, so he had reluctantly agreed to spend Christmas with his parents, it was easier than apologizing to her, made them feel better, and reminded him why he was so glad he had escaped suburbia. "Tifa!" he blurted out in almost a shriek, and the one-time lovers stared at each other as the snow continued to fall.