Hey, hey, hey, guys. Long time no update, I know. But this has got to be the shittiest week I have ever lived through in my entire life. And I'm not joking. I'll spare you all the details (I'm positive you don't want to hear loads about me sitting in a $&#ing train for #&$ing two and a half hours because the stupid hunk of metal ripped off some random powerline and couldn't keep driving. And I'm also positive you don't want to hear about me coming late and hopelessly screwing up my job interview because of it. Oh and you absolutely will not want to hear about me twisting my ankle after hiking for some thirty odd kilometeres and having to hop on one foot for two hours at work the next day before going home).

Excuses, excuses, I must say.

Thank you for the reviews, but so as not to waste anymore precious time, I will attempt to answer them individually.

Now on with the long awaited chapter two. And it's completely Reeve/Shalua just because I felt like it.

And it fit into the storyline, of course.

So cheers, and hope your week was not as crappy as mine!

Kyyrin

Chapter Two

Reeve Tuesti sat on the roof of the WRO Headquarters, dozing in the waning afternoon sun. It was beginning to become his favorite place since Vincent had left.

He had literally worked his ass off the past two weeks fixing and rebuilding his damaged headquarters, and salvaging what had been left of his treasured Cait Sith's. Only five had survived, and those being random numbers from the ten he had had previously. Number six, number five, number eight, number nine and last but definitely not least, number two.

Number one had been the very first Cait Sith, and also the one that had given his life to save the others at the Temple of the Ancients. Reeve had then called on all his strength and intelligence to build Cait number two. He had included all his hopes and dreams in the tiny cat, and had strived to create a robot not as monotone and uninteresting as the first. He had added more pep and emotion to the next, and had given more technical updates and realistic technology than he had given any creation he had ever invented.

Of course he had made several backups, in case Cait decided to die for the common good of the group again, but number two would always tug at his heartstrings, he supposed.

That one was by far the most human of them all.

He had let its face show sadness when Aeris died, and when he himself had been weeping back in his cold, gray office. He had let it curl up in the laps of Tifa and Yuffie when they were too distressed over the casualty to sleep at night. He had used Cait to lull Vincent into a dreamless slumber after he had been plagued by nightmares for so long. He had spurred it to ride on Red XIII's back and grin, spreading its positive attitude to everyone.

His positive attitude.

Yes.

In Cait #2, Reeve had managed to give a little bit of himself to the team. And even after he had been arrested by the Shinra for betrayal, the cat went on without him, using the excellent artificial intelligence that Reeve had implanted in him to move and think on his own.

Yeah, he was proud. And relieved that that Cait hadn't been destroyed. That model was the only one he really referred to as Cait Sith. The others were to him, only numbers. Copies, if you will, of a true masterpiece.

Sighing deeply, Reeve leaned heavily against the cool metal of his headquarters. It had taken toil, and hardships to build the immense complex, and if something were to happen to it, destroying it beyond repair, he would most likely be devastated.

Well, devastated to a point. The headquarters weren't as important to him as she was. If something were to happen to her, then he would be truly devastated.

Shalua. Planet, he loved her. Possibly more than life itself. But in the past two weeks, they had seen less of each other. He had had so much to do that he had barely slept, where as she was constantly in her lab, spending nearly every waking moment of the day with her sister, Shelke, when she wasn't helping to rebuild as well.

Shifting his position a little, his eyes drooped again. This little nap was about all he had gotten in sleep for nearly four days. And although Shalua had told him more that once not to overwork himself, he just couldn't help it. There was so much to do. And he didn't see Shalua resting either. Reeve made a mental note to use her own words against her. If he saw her this week. If he saw her at all in the next month.

Pulling his knees up to his chest, he laid his head down onto them, and bit his lip. He was lonely. Shalua had become such an important part of his life, that he missed her terribly when she wasn't around, even though she lived in the same building as him. All his Cait Sith's had helped ease that loneliness, as had all the work he'd been doing, but only to a point. Nothing could replace the time he spent with Shalua.

Reeve took a deep breath, and let it out again. He was nodding off and he knew it. But sleep was a welcoming thought, as he hadn't been getting enough of it lately as it was.

So he fell asleep curled up on the roof, his last sarcastic thought being a fervent hope that he would at least see his girlfriend again before the year was over.

"Sam? Have you seen Reeve?"

The bright voice of Shalua Rui echoed through the med ward to the medic she considered a good friend.

The doctor turned and gave her a small smile.

"No, I haven't, Shalua. Perhaps he's gone to catch up on some sleep? That might not be a bad idea for you either……."

Shalua gave the medic a grin. "Yeah, like I didn't think of that already, Samuel. But he's not in his room. He's not in mine either. Or his office. Or the command center. I mean where else could you go if you wanted a nice, undisturbed…….nap", she trailed off, and an expression of realization crossed her face.

The medic gave her a warm smile.

"Well, go find him then. It's about time you two spent some time together. If one didn't know the pair of you any better, they would think that you and Reeve had gotten in a fight and haven't been speaking with each other for two weeks straight!", the doctor cocked an eyebrow at Shalua.

She gaped. Was that really what it had looked like? Like they were angry at each other? Gulping, she gave Sam a shaky grin and rushed off to find her boyfriend.

Shalua was beginning to realize she had some things to set straight.

Reeve was swaying between wakefulness and drowsiness when he felt someone's hands wrap around his head and cover his eyes.

"Rise and shine, Reeve. I'm sure the roof's pretty, but you're freezing! How long have you been up here?"

Shalua? What the was she doing here? Reeve quickly blinked the sleep out of his eyes, and turned around abruptly. To his dismay, he found he couldn't see a thing.

Shalua's beautiful laugh carried through the air.

"You must only be half awake, Reeve. I've still got your eyes covered", she giggled again and pulled her hands away from his face. He blinked again, and his vision cleared to reveal a widely smiling Shalua. His Shalua. He had missed her.

"H-Hey", he managed weakly, running a hand through his hair. "I…….I didn't think I'd see you so soon……"

"Well that sounded stupid, Tuesti". He berated himself for not thinking before babbling some random crap. "Now she probably thinks I've gone insane……"

But if Shalua thought that, she didn't show it at all. Instead, she settled herself down beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Reeve, it's been way too long. Sam said people are thinking that we've argued or something. They haven't seen us together for two weeks. Two weeks, Reeve. I really, really missed you."

She cuddled up to him and hugged him tighter. Reeve looked down at his girlfriend, relieved that he hadn't been the only lonely one. He returned her hug genuinely and kissed the top of her head.

"You think you missed me? Shalua, words can't describe----"

"Oh quit it with the sappy crap, Reeve. Just admit you were lonely and leave it. I'm here now so you don't have to get all sentimental."

Reeve stared at her bug-eyed. He wasn't a sentimental idiot……..An annoyed frown crossed his face.

"Hey……."

Shalua giggled, but the smile faded from her face as she let out a deep, sad sigh.

"Now what's wrong?", Reeve inquired, resting his head on hers. Everything was all right, so what reason did she have to be depressed? Because that was certainly what it sounded like.

"It's just…..it's just Shelke", Shalua murmured softly, swallowing hard. "I……I've failed her in every way possible. I mean, it's totally understandable that she hates me. I…..I don't know what to do to make it up to her……."

Reeve mentally hit himself for not realizing. Of course she would be worried about her sister. She'd probably needed a shoulder to cry on. No wonder she had come to him. Shalua was as absorbed with her sibling as Reeve was with his work. And somehow, Reeve couldn't help but feel a tad of jealousy at the fact that Shalua was beginning to become more devoted to her sister than to him. He tried to dismiss it, telling himself that those were ramblings of a completely infatuated man, but the envy wouldn't subside. So he pushed the feelings down into the depths of his mind and tried to console her as best he could.

"W-Well, take it as it comes, Shalua. I'm sure Shelke will come to understand that you love her……more than anything else and that you've fighting to find her for years. We'll just have to get passed the initial reaction she might have after finding out where she's landed, but other than that………it will be fine. And I'm sure she doesn't hate you", he continued automatically. Reeve feared that once he had spoken all the words of comfort he could muster, she would just leave him again to go and keep vigil over her beloved sister. And somewhere inside, it hurt him.

"You will find all the time in the world to make it up to her Shalua, I'm sure. Just give her time and she'll------"

He broke off as Shalua right herself in his arms, looking at him rather indignantly.

"Reeve, what the hell is wrong with you?"

He was completely caught off guard by that question. What did she mean 'what was wrong with him'? He had just been trying to help her………

"No, don't you give me that look. I mean, here you are, sitting here like some shrink trying to make me feel better and not sounding convincing at all! What you just said sounded like some disheartened freak that's jealous over his girlfriend's time spent somewhere else, and……..wait. That's not what it is, Reeve. Is it? Please tell me you are not jealous of Shelke."

Reeve avoided Shalua's now disbelieving expression, and sunk into his work costume shamefully.

Great Shiva's shit. How had she picked that out of simple speech of comfort?

"Reeve", came the warning voice. "I'm waiting. Are you jealous?"

"Yes", came the pitiful squeak from unmoving lump that called itself Reeve Tuesti.

There. He'd admitted it. Of course he hadn't meant to, but he couldn't lie to her either, could he? It was either facing her wrath one way, or try avoiding it and then feeling it ten times worse the other. He cursed himself for experiencing such petty, stupid feelings. Why couldn't he have the gift to remain emotionless during times of need like Vincent did?

This time, Shalua's wrath was physical. And painful.

Reeve barely registered the resounded slap of Shalua's hand on his face. He winced noticeably, his face burning with shame.

"I-I'm so sorry, Shalua. I couldn't help it……I haven't seen you for so long that I though you would stay a bit-------"

Another slap followed the first, and on the same cheek as his luck had it. He stared at the ground, not knowing what to say. This was all his fault. Now he would probably lose her over something as petty as some stupid jealous feelings. Damn him and his devotional character.

"Reeve……"

He jumped at her voice, and tried to turn away from her, hoping she would just leave him to his own misery. But spoke again, and he noticed her voice had become soft and gentle.

"Oh Reeve…….please look at me. I had to slap that out of you. Arguing wouldn't have worked. Did you really think I would come up here just to load off my bad mood on you? How could you possibly be jealous of Shelke? Shelke, of all people! I mean, she may be my little sister, but it will take ages for her to learn to accept and love me again. We'll have to work hard to make that happen. But you……..", Shalua slowly reached over and cupped his face in both of her hands. He tried to move away from her touch, but she persisted, and turned his face to hers. Reeve still kept his eyes averted, and it was only then that Shalua realized how much he must have missed their togetherness. He wore a look of heart-wrenching sadness that rivaled any of the looks she had seen Vincent wear.

She suddenly felt absolutely horrible about slapping him, but at the moment it had been the only way she had to get him to snap out of his self –induced misery. Sometimes, passionate kisses and kind words wouldn't get the job done.

"Reeve, look at me", she insisted, trying to meet his eyes. "Alright. Fair enough. I shouldn't have slapped you, and I'm sorry, but if I hadn't, you wouldn't have stopped feeling jealous for a long time. Am I right?"

There was a long silence, throughout which Reeve still refused to meet the eyes of the women he adored. He knew she was right. She was mostly right, but that wake up call had…..well, it had…..hurt. But Reeve didn't hold grudges long. The one with Vincent being an exception. And even then, it had only lasted a few hours……….

"That……hurt…..", he managed after endlessly long minutes of silence, tipping his head a bit to look up at her. "Can you……maybe re-think your….'wake-up call' next time?"

He gave a weak grin, and a weight lifted off his shoulders as he visibly noticed the relief that spread across he features. Sheesh. Women and their hormones sometimes. She had probably just been overwhelmed.

"I…..I'm not jealous anymore. And I don't think I ever will be again if you decide to 'wake me up' like that every time. I'm sorry, Shalua. I……I love you."

Reeve knew full well that that was probably the cheesiest thing that had ever crossed his lips, but at the moment, he didn't care.

"Reeve, you're a crazy, intelligent bastard", Shalua stated, smirking at him as she lifted his face to hers. "And……..", she paused for effect, "you're hopeless".

"'Scuse me?", Reeve stuttered, looking into her one, beautiful eye.

"I said, you're hopeless. A real, hopeless romantic", Shalua laughed, and moved to kiss him. But Reeve moved a hand between him, and placed it on her lips. She stopped and raised an eyebrow. Was he still hurting? She gulped and glanced at his cheek that was now beginning to swell a little. Biting her lip again, she swallowed. Maybe she had hit him too hard.

"W-Wait, wait", came Reeve's confused voice, forcing her to focus on his words.

"I'm a…..hopeless romantic and a crazy, intelligent bastard?", a cocky smile began spread across his features. "Planet, Shalua, make up you're mind. I mean, I can't be both, can I?"

"Oh, forget it. Do you really think I give a shit which one it is?", Shalua muttered, amused.

"Nope. Didn't think so", came Reeve's equally amused reply as he removed his hand from her lips.

And without hesitating, both of them moved into a passionate, loving kiss.

Chapter three should be up whenever I can get back to the internet cafe. Our house computer has finally snapped after being forced to run Windows 98 and dial-up internet in the hot attic for several years. Pity that. Cheers!