(Signs onto her account and posts chapter, completely ashamed of herself)

Yeah………What can I say? I made you guys wait what……two weeks for this? I'm really sorry, but I do have plausible reasons for it. Really……..The last three weeks have been hell for me. I have, among other things, had my dad come to visit, gone to visit my relatives, moved out of my former living quarters for crazy reasons that I will not burden you all with, and lastly, have had pure stress over a long period of time.

It's not that I didn't want to write, in fact I assure you all it was exactly the opposite. I really did, but I just couldn't find the time to sit at my laptop and type all my ideas out. Almost every second of the say was filled with stress. Damn, I hate that word.

But forget all that. Think positive! (That's so hard sometimes, isn't it?) At least I got the chapter up, so I hope you enjoy it. The next one should be up sooner, though it depends on when I will find the time to finish it.

So bear with me, and cheers!

Kyyrin

Note: The last chapter of Thank You For Loving Me might take a while due to lack of efficient computer with internet that does not have a shit load of errors and viruses. I tried to load it on today, but the computer just wouldn't let me, so you guy's will have to wait a while longer. Sorry bout that.

Chapter Four

"I'm worried………very. She should have contacted us by now".

Reeve paced back and forth in his room, PHS to his ear, nervously wringing his hands behind his back.

"Yes, Captain. I of all people know we can trust her, but you should send word to the Shadowfox to track her anyways. To make sure….nothing's happened. Better to be safe than sorry, after all. Alright…….good. Thank you".

Flipping the cover of the phone shut, Reeve threw it onto his couch and resumed his nervous pacing. So much stress. It wasn't like he wasn't used to it, but with time, it began to weigh down on him. He distantly thought he might be in need of a vacation, but with the situation the Planet and its inhabitants were in now, there was no way her could afford one. Especially with Deepground on a rampage.

But still…..what he wouldn't give to be lying on the beach of Costa de Sol at the moment…….I was tempting……

"Reeve? Oh, what the hell? I thought I told you to go sleep, not to pace around like some deranged Chocobo! Really……"

Though the voice was familiar, Reeve, who had been completely consumed by deep thought, jumped at the unexpected interruption and tripped over the arm of the sofa, falling onto it with a thump.

Sitting up quickly, there was a moment of silence before a melodious laugh began to echo throughout his room. Reeve sighed, a soft smile spreading across his face. Shalua really had to stop doing that……..

"Reeve……do I scare you that much? Maybe next time I should knock first….", Shalua moved over to him and began to rub his chest in soothing motions.

"But I did tell you to get some rest. You don't have to worry about her, you know. She's a smart kid. She'll be fine……trust me".

Reeve turned his head to look up at her. Of course he trusted Shalua. She meant everything to him. Absolutely everything.

"I-I trust you, Shalua. I really do, but I------"

"Well, Tuesti, if you trust me then you'll obey me when tell you to get of the couch".

Reeve raised an eyebrow. What now?

"What? Why….?"

"Just do it, Reeve."

"But, why?"

"Well, alright. Don't then. But I'm not paying for your new PHS."

Reeve gaped and stared at her. A new PH--------Oh shit…….He leaped up off the couch, and found, to his dismay, that his phone had been completely squashed by his earlier fall. Luckily however, the pillows had cushioned most of the force, so that the damage was minimal. Shalua had a good eye. A very good eye.

He gave the phone a betrayed look, and stuffed the offending object into his pocket. He'd need to get that fixed sometime, but at the moment, he had more important matters to attend to. Work didn't wait. Turning, he found himself being embraced rather quickly by Shalua.

"Please, Reeve. Don't leave yet….", came the faint murmur into the material of his outfit. "Can't we at least spend a bit more time together before we go our separate ways again? I mean, we never see each other often anymore. Can you at least…..do me that favor?"

Reeve stared down at the woman he held in his arms. He knew she missed their togetherness, as did he……..so why not?

"Well, alright", Reeve stuttered awkwardly. It had been sometime since they had really spent an evening together, and he had to admit he wasn't quite sure how he should proceed. Surveying his room, he searched desperately for at least one romantic thing he could start with. Not finding anything, he gave a sigh of defeat. He may be a hopeless romantic, but when it came to conjuring up a date out of thin air, he was at a loss.

"Reeve?"

She lifted her head to look at him. Resting his forehead on hers she softly whispered to him.

"Do you like dancing?"

Reeve immediately tensed up and blushed furiously at the inquiry. Did he like dancing? Well, he supposed he would like it. If he knew at all how to dance. But how was he supposed to explain that to Shalua? A Shinra executive that couldn't dance? That was just embarrassing.

Shalua shot him a perplexed look. He averted his eyes, desperately thinking of a way to get out of the situation.

"Reeve", came Shalua's gentle voice, as she laid a hand on his cheek to turn his face back to face her. "Why don't you just admit that you can't dance? I won't murder you because of it! You should know me well enough to know that. Although I will ask how you managed to survive any of the parties at the Shinra not knowing how. Didn't anyone ever teach you?"

Reeve gulped. Of course he'd been invited to come to dance sessions, but he had been more interested in building……robots and working than learning how to waltz. At every celebration, or gathering that the Shinra held, he had just waited out the dinner part of it, and had then quietly slipped away when the dancing had begun. It wasn't that he didn't like it, it was just……..he hadn't really had enough self-confidence to learn. Before Shalua, he had never had a girlfriend, and had always wondered who the hell in their right mind would want to date a geek like him. But now, looking at Shalua, he realized there were people on the Planet that actually liked geeks, and he began to fervently wish he had taken some of those dance lessons.

The sounds of heart wrenching sobs echoed through the forest clearing on the outskirts of Nibelheim. Massive mountains loomed in the distance, illuminated only by the faint moonlight.

She had wrapped her cloak around both of them, and had now given up trying to hold back her tears. His breathing had become shallow, faint and labored. She knew that he wouldn't last long. And even if help came, they would be powerless to heal his injury. He had already lost so much blood that any average human being would be long dead, had they been in his situation.

So gripping his human hand tightly in hers, she waited for the Lifestream to take him.

Moments later, a strange light emitting from his body caught her attention. She looked up slowly, and found him to be engulfed in a red glow, that eventually concentrated around his wounded chest. The light brightened, and she found herself covering her eyes so as not to be blinded by the intense rays.

Once the glow faded completely, she dared to peek through her fingers, gaping at the sight that now met her eyes.

His horrible injury had been completely healed up. No sign of a wound, even a scar was evident on his now deeply slumbering form. His breathing had evened out considerably, and his pulse had gone back to normal.

Tears filled her eyes once more, but these were ones of relief and happiness. So perhaps prayer did bring about miracles after all. She had pleaded with all her deceased loved ones, with the Planet that he would not die. He had experienced too much sorrow and suffering in his life to have died like this. He deserved…….a peaceful death. One that was pain and anguish free.

Her ears picked up another sounded nearby. It drew closer, and she recognized it as the rumbling of an engine. They had found her.

Gently placing her friends head on the soft, mossy ground, she moved in the direction of the sound, intent on alerting the vehicle of their presence.

"So what music do you listen to, Reeve?"

The question came as a complete surprise. What music did he listen to? It had been ages since he had thrown on a CD, let alone turned on the radio. So he opted for the easiest answer.

"Well, pretty much anything, actually. I'm not……picky."

"Alright then", Reeve's eyes followed Shalua to his stereo system, that was sure to have about five layers of dust on it, seeing as it hadn't been used for years. Well, he was going to have to put up with this now. He'd explained his plight to Shalua, who had in turn told him that she would teach him how to dance. Great Bahamut. How embarrassing was that? A man's girlfriend teaching her by some years older boyfriend how to dance?

Sounds from the stereo brought his attention away from his inner conversation. The music was fast and peppy. Reeve sighed, he had hoped she would teach him something easy first.

Turning, Shalua glanced at Reeve. A grin spread across her features at the expression of discomfort that was written all over his face. He was clearly making too big a deal out of all this. It was only going to be a simple dance lesson………

Walking over to him, she stood in front of the man, and stated, "C'mon, Reeve. This isn't going to be as hard as you think. Just try……please."

Reeve relented. After all, trying wouldn't hurt.

And try they did.

Shalua attempted to teach Reeve everything from the disco fox, to the basics of the waltz, to the tango, and back again. And he tried. He really tried to keep up with it all, to at least be able to be good at one of them, but every time, he failed miserably.

An hour and a half later, the both of them stood there exhausted, and Reeve was at his wit's end. He just couldn't dance, and he was afraid he'd annoyed Shalua to kingdom come. But he was wrong. Well, about the last half, that is.

"Oh Reeve", Shalua giggled, eyes twinkling with laughter as she wrapped him in a hug. "You're hopeless. But don't worry about it. It'll come eventually….."

Reeve sighed. Yet another thing he was "hopeless" at. He seemed to be pretty hopeless at just about everything at the moment.

"I really hope you didn't take that personally, Reeve", gave Shalua's voice, a mock stern tone hung onto it. "I really hope you don't take any of my teasing personally. It's just for fun, but if you don't like it, I'll stop."

She saw him relax visibly, and move into her embrace. It seemed he had needed to know that he didn't have to take everything so personally as well. Shalua began to think of ways to somehow make him feel better about himself. Then it hit her. She didn't have to teach him how to ballroom dance……..

Releasing him from her embrace, she moved back to the stereo and changed the current song to a slow, powerful love song. One that held great meaning and depth for her. She knew it must be the most clichéd thing she'd ever picked to dance to, but at the moment, she felt like Reeve needed this.

So walking back to him, Shalua began to instruct him on how to slow dance without them stepping on one another's feet.

"Follow my lead, Reeve. And then you can try…."

The white-cloaked figure assisted the men that had been on board the high tech truck in moving the sleeping man into the vehicle. They laid him on one of the metal benches, and she used a blanket to make a pillow for his head. Turning back to the men, she spoke.

"So. Where are we headed, boys?"

The two men snapped to attention as soon as she spoke.

"Ma'am! The Commissioner said for you to contact him as soon as you found Mr. Valentine, ma'am!"

The cloaked figure cocked her head at them, and put her hands on her hips.

"Alright, but what the hell have I told you guys about calling me 'ma'am'? I'm not that old, and I'm definitely not married! So that's 'miss' from now on. Understood?"

Another salute from the two men followed, along with a stuttered, "Yes ma'-------miss", from both of them.

"Permission to set course for the Headquarters, miss!", came the voice of one of the two.

"Permission granted……or something like that. Well go on now……shoo!"

And with that, the hooded women slammed the back doors shut and sat down heavily in front of the high tech computer console that took up most of the space in the truck.

After fiddling with the controls for a few moments, she decided she had no idea, and would therefore contact the Commissioner by other means.

Pulling a chocobo shaped PHS out of her cloak, she proceeded to hit the speed dial, praying that her employer and friend would pick up.

"That's it, Reeve. Good job", Shalua praised her boyfriend, who was now able to lead in the painfully simple slow dance that was playing. But it was……nice. Wonderful, in fact. Shalua had rested her head on Reeve's chest, and he had rested his on her head. She was listening to his heartbeat, and cherishing this precious time with him. If it were up to her, she'd never let him go.

"Mhmmmm……", came the soft murmur from Reeve. He himself was now completely at ease with this simple dance, that basically involved……well, just moving to the music and a few easy steps. And he found himself loving it more and more with each passing moment. Perhaps dancing wasn't so bad after all. Especially with Shalua.

"You know something, Reeve?"

"Hm?"

"When I met you, in those prisons, it really scared the shit out of me".

"Why's that?"

"Because I thought you would die."

Reeve was silent for a moment. He knew he had been in bad shape back then, but he hadn't realized that he had worried Shalua to the point of her thinking that he would die. But he knew he was no better. Shalua had scared him as well, many times.

"But I'm still here, aren't I. Shalua, listen to me. Every……time you had to have……your organs reconstructed……or that time when you lost your eye…….and….and when you lost your arm. Shalua. Do you have any idea how frightened I was? I was terrified that I would lose you. I wouldn't have been able to handle it. I still wouldn't be able to handle it if something happened, Shalua-----"

"---- Reeve."

"Shalua-----"

"----Reeve. Now you listen to me. You promised, Reeve. You promised me you would go on living if anything happened to me. You promised you would move on, as did I. And I will move on if anything happens to you. I've promised you and myself. But you have yet to do that, Reeve. You promised me, but you haven't promised yourself. I need you to do that, Reeve. Please…..because if you can't convince yourself to move on, then……"

Reeve swallowed hard. It was true. He had told her he would move on when she had asked him to swear it. But deep inside, he didn't think he'd be able to if something really happened to her. It seemed she wasn't afraid of death, but somehow, he was. Not of his own, but of hers.

"I used to tell my sister that we all return to the Planet when we die. To the Lifestream. That we'll see our loved ones again when we pass on. Our mother died when we were young, and it took some convincing, but I think I managed to get her to believe that it's tragic when someone we care dearly for dies, but that they end up in a better place, and we will meet them there again. You follow?"

She tilted her head up slightly, eyes widening when she saw the tears welling up in his. Sighing softly, she hugged him tighter and planted a kiss on his cheek before laying her head back on his chest. It was obviously difficult for him to come to terms with the fact that one of them may die. It would take time, but he would eventually come to understand.

"Shhhhhh…….Reeve. It'll be difficult at first, but with time, it'll get better. And I mean, you have to be prepared for it one way or another. It could be today, tomorrow, or in a hundred years. Though I doubt we'll live that long", she giggled quietly at the mental image of a hundred year old Reeve with a white, scraggly beard that would matched his gray hair, and a wrinkled face. But he'd still be her Reeve, and he'd still be beautiful.

"I-I know……", came the shaky reply. "But it's just…..it's just, I know it now, but no one ever told me what you just did when my parents died. Or when my sister died. It was never told to me like that, even though I was only eight years old. It wasn't fair……..It just w-wasn't………"

"Oh, Reeve", Shalua whispered, as he began to sob. She wound her arm around his head, and laid his forehead on hers again. She was absolutely horrified that no one had spared the time to explain to a young child that his parents and his sibling had gone to a better place. Her mother had explained it to her when her father had died, and she in turn had told it to Shelke when their mother had passed on. Reeve had obviously not had anyone who cared about him enough to tell him that he would see his loved ones again someday.

But she cared enough. And when she was gone, he should be able to pass the message on to anyone else that didn't already know.

Shalua comfortingly rubbed Reeve's back, willing his anguish to subside. It must have been so hard for him to lose his family all at once. At least she had had her mother until she was fifteen. And then she had had Shelke. But not for long……..

Slowly, Reeve's sobs abated, and Shalua gently rocked both of them back and forth to the music. The song was different now, but still slow. The precious moments they were spending together meant the world to both of them.

They continued dancing for sometime, until they were interrupted by a rather loud sound from one of Reeve's pockets.

Both of them jumped as Reeve's PHS began to ring and vibrate full blast, startling them out of their wits. Shalua sighed, as did Reeve. Duty called, but still…….

"Sorry Shalua", Reeve muttered, releasing her waist with one hand, intent on pulling out the phone. Without thinking, Shalua grabbed his hand, stopping it before it reached his pocket. He looked at her, as if pleading with her to understand. But she didn't let go.

"Please, Reeve. Do you have to answer that?"

She knew that if he did, he would most likely have to leave to take care of the next set of problems that had arisen somewhere in the Headquarters. But Shalua had started to get a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Almost as if…..this would be the last time they would be together……

Their last dance.

But she dismissed as Reeve struggled against her grip.

"Shalua, yes! I mean, it could be……..I need to know that they're both alright. Please, Shalua! Let me answer it……"

At this, Shalua let go of his hand and stepped away from him, allowing Reeve to take the call. As much as their time together was important, she was worried about the others as well. She was just as concerned for their well being as Reeve.

"Oh thank the Planet! Are you two alright?……What!? But he's not……he didn't….did he?…………………"

A long pause followed, and Reeve began to sport a rather worried expression. Shalua stepped back to him and placed a hand on his arm.

"It'll be fine, Reeve", she whispered reassuringly, trying to make him feel better about whatever he was hearing. "They'll be fine."

"Oh…..Oh, that's excellent. Thank……Thank Shiva. How is he?"

Shalua took that to mean that something had happened to Vincent. Fear began to build inside her.

"Sleeping…..good. He needs it. Well, alright. But please contact me as soon as he wakes up. You'll send the information? Great. I'll start analyzing it immediately."

Shalua's heart dropped as he spoke the phrase. So he did have to get back to work. Well, it wasn't as if she hadn't been expecting it. There was always so much to do. And speaking of things to do……..

"Reeve…..", she whispered again, trying to get his attention by tapping his arm. When looked at her momentarily, she continued. "I have to go check on Shelke. If I don't see you before those two get here, then I love you and tell them 'hi' from me. Got it?"

He nodded, and gave her a grin. She returned it, and without warning, kissed him full on the lips as he began to talk again. It cut his sentence right off, and she heard a loud giggle on the other end of the line. Smirking, she broke off, and he chuckled softly.

Shalua walked towards the door, and before leaving, paused to look back at Reeve. He grinned at her again, and lifted his hand in a wave. She smiled, but somehow still could not get rid of the feeling that they weren't going to see each other again. It was the strangest thing she had ever experienced.

But she had never been superstitious, so she waved back at him, and taking one last good look at her boyfriend, she made her way back to her lab, all the while having to tell herself that foreboding gut feelings never had any influence on the future.

Did they?

I'm actually assuming that lot of you that are reading this know who the "cloaked figure" is. If not, then tough luck (grins). You'll find out eventually. Cheers!