Chapter Thirteen: Partners

((Author's Notes: Gonna put out a warning for a few racist jokes and comments made by a minor character. They do not reflect my personal beliefs in any way, shape or form. Now on with our story. ~ JenesisX ))

Tseng's feeding tube was soon removed, and he was more than happy to start drinking again instead of receiving his liquids through an intravenous line. He'd complained endlessly about how dry his mouth was and the soreness in his throat, and as soon as he was allowed he began drinking water as if afraid it would soon run out. Elena had laughed at him until he threw her a dark look, but he hadn't been quite able to suppress a bit of a smile a moment later. It was the first step toward his release, after all, and it had been effortless to achieve. The staff began serving him meals along with the rest of the patients the following morning, and it made Elena feel much more positive somehow. It was proof that his body was recovering, that he would be able to function normally again despite the horrific injuries he'd received… that eventually this nightmare would come to an end and things would be back to the way they were supposed to be.

Unfortunately, not everything was going to be as easy for him. The first attempt to get Tseng upright in bed caused him so much pain that Nurse Becky terminated the session, and Elena had no idea how he was going to be able to get to his feet and take those required ten steps across the room and back any time soon. He had not made a sound aside from a quiet grunt of discomfort, but his face displayed his agony so clearly she nearly burst into tears. His complexion had gone deathly pale, beads of sweat glistening on his brow, and she was certain he was going to pass out. The effort left him so uncomfortable that he'd been given a large dose of morphine after they'd settled him back into bed, and he'd slept for the rest of the day. Tseng remained pale and sullen the entire evening, refusing to speak to her even when she tried to distract him with small talk. She knew he was embarrassed and frustrated by the failure and desperately wanted to tell him he was asking too much of himself. But he put up the walls and bore his burden alone.

The tube beneath his nose was removed for short periods of time to see if he could maintain his breathing without it, and for the most part his oxygen level remained at an acceptable level. It began to drop a bit after a few hours, however, which remained a concern because of his damaged left lung. The nurses always replaced the tube at night when he slept, or the moment his breathing sounded labored or his oxygen levels dropped too low. When Elena sat in the chair beside his bed, she often heard what she could only describe as wheezing coming his chest, something she had rarely noticed when he was hooked to the tube around the clock. It concerned her greatly, though his color was good and he didn't complain of any difficulty breathing. But she knew him well enough to realize that he would not have complained even if he was having a problem, and was careful to keep a closer eye on him.

Tseng was frustrated but determined, making slow but steady progress toward outpatient status despite setbacks that would have discouraged most others. Reno had faxed a copy of Elena's new orders to Doctor Welsh in order to prove that he now had someone to stay with him, and though the doctor had updated Tseng's chart to make the required changes in his care he had not been by to see him yet. Elena knew Tseng and Reno were using his status within Shin-ra to more or less bully the poor man into doing what they wanted, but she was also convinced that her boss was going to go mad if he remained in the hospital much longer. The more time that passed, the more restless and irritable he became. Tseng didn't say much, but she could see that he was extremely unhappy. She was still frightened that it was too soon and something might happen to him when he was released, and terrified by the prospect of spending so much time alone with him in his quarters and being responsible for some of his care, but she was not going to let him down.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was just after sunrise as Elena made her way down the corridor toward Tseng's room after returning to her quarters to change and shower, finding it quiet and nearly abandoned. Visiting hours would not begin for several hours yet, but as a Turk she was exempt from the rules. None of the staff took notice of her by now, and in uniform she tended to blend in with the security guards. It was nice to be able to come and go as she wished, and to spend as much time as she pleased at Tseng's bedside without anyone saying a word.

She was proud that he was still unaware that she'd been spending her nights in his room. She had not intended to continue doing so once he was no longer in critical condition, but she had never been able to force herself to leave. Each night, she told herself it was time to end the ritual and return to her quarters. She was being ridiculous by now, she scolded herself, and if he found out what she was doing they were both going to be extremely uncomfortable. But she'd been unable to make herself go through with it, convinced that he needed her there just in case. She carried with her the irrational fear that something might happen during the night if she wasn't there, still able to picture him lying on the temple floor in an expanding pool of his own blood, his chest and abdomen laid open.

As she came within sight of Tseng's room, she saw the blond male nurse he had complained about a few times standing in the hallway a short distance away. He was accompanied by an overweight female assistant whose hair was dyed a deep purple and pulled into a ponytail on the top of her head. They had gathered a stack of breakfast trays from the surrounding rooms and were emptying the remains into a large bin. They were also actively carrying on a conversation, and not all that quietly since there weren't any visitors roaming the halls to overhear.

Elena's well-trained instincts kicked in and she slowed her pace, hanging back and moving closer to the wall. She might have been in a hospital, but she was still a Turk on assignment. Something about the tall blond's posture and the way he leaned down and in toward his companion, smirking and snickering, made her instantly suspicious. She reasoned that she was likely overreacting because she knew Tseng didn't care for this particular nurse, but she couldn't keep herself from creeping close enough to eavesdrop. She stuck to the wall as she moved in and paused to listen, careful to remain out of their line of sight. A quick glance around revealed that no one else was present in the corridor.

"I swear, every time we get one of those people in here, they expect special food. Well, this ain't Wutai, pal. Eat it or starve!"

"Yep," said the purple-haired girl, cleaning off another tray. At first she seemed to be agreeing just because it was the thing to do, but when she looked up she threw the blond an adoring smile that revealed her true motive. "I liked him better on the feeding tube," she added with a crooked grin.

"I liked him better unconscious!"

The girl burst into giggles, and Elena's mouth dropped open as she remained motionless against the wall. She could not believe what she was hearing, blinking rapidly to clear her head. No. No way. They couldn't possibly be standing there talking about…?

"It sucks that you keep getting stuck with him just because you're strong enough to lift him, Terry," the girl said, shaking her head with sympathy and placing a chubby hand on his forearm. Terry sighed dramatically and pursed his lips, then frowned thoughtfully as he stacked the empty trays together on a nearby cart.

"How do you suppose he got to be head of the Turks, anyway?" he asked, his companion offering an exaggerated shrug and baffled expression to demonstrate her complete befuddlement. "Shouldn't he be off worshipping spirits and doing karate in a temple somewhere?" Terry released a shrill cry and performed a very bad imitation of a martial arts attack, snickering madly at his own humor.

"Oh my gods, Terry! You are so bad!"

The two were so busy laughing that they didn't notice when Elena stormed up behind them, her eyes on fire. Purple-hair had just started to breathlessly offer insights into Tseng's most likely preferences for cuisine when she saw Elena standing behind Terry, her hazel eyes widening to comical proportions as she closed her mouth in mid sentence.

"Good morning," Elena nearly growled, glaring hateful daggers at her. The girl cowered and looked ready to run, moving to the side so that she was nearly hidden behind her coworker.

"Oh, hey!" Terry said, turning to face Elena with a genuine grin, no sign of embarrassment or discomfort on his face. He was a handsome young man, but at that moment he was the ugliest human being Elena had ever laid eyes upon. "We were just talking about how you Turks have a major chink in the top of your department. Hehehe."

Elena had never been more shocked in her life. It was one thing to stand a distance away, unnoticed, and listen to the racist remarks being leveled at her boss and partner. But it was quite another for this guy to look her right in the face and continue them. Terry was still grinning, his eyebrows raised, almost as if he expected her to, what? Laugh? Did he actually think she would find his comments funny, simply because she was a member of his race? She slowly met his eyes, her expression as cold as ice, the rage building inside her until she feared she might do something that would definitely interfere with Tseng's recovery… and possibly her job as well. Her fists curled into balls at her sides until her short nails dug painfully into her palms, and she grit her teeth until she feared they might break in her jaw.

"Excuse me," she finally snarled, shouldering her way past him with a final glare and practically stomping the rest of the distance to Tseng's room.

"Geez, lighten up. Got no freaking sense of humor!" Terry called after her, but she did not allow herself to turn around.

Elena entered the room and walked directly to her cot without even glancing in Tseng's direction, dropping onto it and closing her eyes. She finally realized how tight her chest had grown, and that she was physically shaking. Her heart was racing in her chest, and her hands were still curled into tight fists. She felt as if she had just come from a battle, but in actuality she had barely managed to speak a word. Remembering what Tseng had taught her, she focused on drawing each new breath to calm herself, clearing her mind until her body gradually relaxed.

She finally raised her head and looked across the room toward his bed, surprised that he was laying down with his eyes closed instead of staring at her. She doubted he was actually sleeping, though he didn't stir despite her dramatic entrance. Breakfast had been served only a short time before, however, and she'd expected him to be up and wondering what in the hell was wrong with her. The nurses were finally adjusting his hospital bed to a slight incline during the day so he was able to take his meals, careful to keep it as mild as possible because of the nature of his injuries. With so many healing broken ribs, staples and sutures, and muscles sliced through by the blade of a very sharp sword, it was extremely painful for him and best if he remained lying on his back. But he could not eat or drink in that position, yet another complication of rushing his release from the medical center. Elena frowned, wondering if he was not feeling well that morning, when an even more alarming thought slammed into her mind like a ton of bricks.

Oh my gods, did he hear what they were saying out in the hall?!

He had to have. Terry and the purple-haired nurse were working only about five feet from the door to his room, and they had not been speaking quietly. Tseng was a very experienced Turk, trained to make use of all of his senses to the highest degree, and he could do little more than lay in bed and listen to what was going on around him. There was no doubt in Elena's mind. He had to have overheard those remarks, at least in part. Her heart began to race anew as she stared at him with wide eyes, her vision quickly blurred by tears. She hoped with all her heart that he was asleep, that he'd been resting so soundly that morning that they decided not to disturb him for breakfast. But when she recalled the first comment she'd overheard, she knew that was not the case. And if Terry had been so willing to say such things within Tseng's earshot that morning, what were the chances he hadn't done so before?

Elena lifted her hand and angrily wiped at her eyes. She was well aware that racism towards Wutaiians had long existed, especially after the war, but she hadn't seen any real sign of it since leaving home to join the Turks. Tseng was the first Wutaiian she'd ever met, and the only one within their department. There were a handful of others working for Shin-ra, but not very many, and aside from Tseng the only other Wutaiian in a position of power within the company was Professor Hojo of the Science Department. She had never witnessed any of the Wutaiian employees being treated badly by their coworkers, and it made it easy for her to push the issue from her mind. She had never expected to be forced to deal with something so horrible inside the sterile walls of a hospital.

As she sat and watched Tseng rest, she could not understand how anyone could decide to hate another human being simply because of the way they looked. Terry didn't even know Tseng. He didn't know how calm and patient a teacher he was, or how he would have risked his life to save any of his Turks in an instant, without thought. He'd never witnessed the slow smile that graced his lips when he finally let his down his guard, or reveled in his quiet chuckle when Elena made a mistake he found particularly amusing. He would never appreciate the comfort of Tseng's smooth voice and endearing accent, or the intensity of dark eyes beneath long lashes. He didn't know the man he was judging, who never drank alcohol and preferred tea to coffee. How could he stand there and degrade someone he didn't know anything about aside from the fact that he was Wutaiian? He was supposed to be taking care of Tseng, a patient who was in a great deal of pain and struggling to recover from an injury that should have killed him. He suffered with a quiet strength and dignity and never complained, yet it earned him no respect from a caretaker who should have been filled with empathy and compassion. Elena could not understand it, and hoped she never would.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, hating herself for not telling Terry exactly what she thought of him. She should have slugged him and wiped the arrogant smirk right off his face! But what would that have solved? It wouldn't have changed his mind… People with uneducated, uninformed opinions rarely changed, something Elena knew well. Tseng wouldn't have approved of her doing something so rash anyway, and certainly would not have reacted that way himself. He was far too composed and dignified. But she could not help but feel that she should have done something. She should have at least spoken up in his defense. She'd instead been struck mute by shock and anger, then stormed off like an angry child about to throw a tantrum. The guilt made her stomach churn and she wished she hadn't eaten before returning to the medical center. She felt as if she'd failed him. Worse still, she'd become an unwitting accomplice to the abuse by her inaction. The fact that Tseng had likely heard how she'd failed to handle the matter only made it hurt ten times as much.

She sat and stared at Tseng's unmoving form for a long time, wallowing in her misery and unsure of what to do. When she looked at him, she saw a man she respected and admired more than anyone else she knew, someone who had proven it over the last few weeks that he had more strength than even she realized. He was a mystery she longed to solve, a mentor whose wisdom she desperately tried to absorb. His race had never affected what she thought about him. If anything, she was amazed by his seemingly endless vocabulary since it was obvious that Universal was his second language, and she had always adored his accent. She'd been immediately captivated by how exotically handsome he was, a man who was undeniably gorgeous on any continent. Tseng was intelligent, brave, and attractive. Who cared what race he belonged to? How could people be so blind? She had just begun to get herself worked up again when Nurse Becky entered the room with her usual bright smile. Elena stood and quickly forced one of her own, making her way to Tseng's bedside. Thankfully, the cheerful woman hadn't noticed her sour demeanor as she retrieved his chart from the pouch at the end of his bed.

"Good morning!" she said, her eyes already scanning the information. She'd had the previous two days off and was making sure to catch up on anything important about her favorite patient. "And how are we today?"

"Not bad, thanks," Elena replied lightly, glancing down and finding that Tseng's eyes were now wide open and focused upon them. She knew he'd been awake. Dammit. Did he pretend to sleep so often just to avoid talking to her? She felt a pang of fear in the pit of her stomach, unsure of whether or not she wanted to know the answer.

"I'm fine," Tseng stated simply, just as he always did. It didn't matter how much he was hurting, or what might be bothering him. Nurse Becky always had to pry to get any further information out of him, or Elena would finally grow frustrated and tell her what she'd observed over his objections.

"Well, it says here that's you're drinking like a fish, which is great!" Becky said as she examined his chart. "But you're still not eating very well… How come, honey?"

Elena mentally snapped to attention, Terry's words in the corridor once again running through her mind. Even though she was almost always present when Tseng's meals were served, she hadn't paid much attention while he was eating the soft foods they'd started him on. She thought it would have been rude and made him uncomfortable to sit and watch while he ate, so she'd always made herself busy reading or checking her text messages. She'd assumed everything was fine until now.

Tseng's face colored a bit and he looked away, sighing under his breath. "I don't have much of an appetite yet," he said. He attempted to pull himself up against the pillows behind him, and Nurse Becky quickly reached out to assist him. Elena fought back an urge to do the same, but she was so afraid she would hurt him that she held back. After helping him get comfortable, Becky adjusted the incline of his bed to allow him to sit up slightly. Tseng winced and looked pained for a moment, but he gradually relaxed into the new position. "I'm trying."

"It'll take a while for your system to get used to eating normally again," Becky said with a nod, and Elena felt a bit less tense when she accepted his explanation. "As you eat little by little, your appetite will come back. You just need to work at it a bit at a time. Make sure you're eating something every meal, though, whether you feel hungry or not. You've already lost a good deal of weight since you've been here, and you need to show that you're able to handle solid food or the doctor is going to want to put the feeding tube back in place."

"All right."

"How has your breathing been so far this morning?"

"Fine."

Elena almost rolled her eyes at his short, clipped answers, but at the same time she wanted to smile. He was only being himself, after all, and gods, she lov- She shook her head, frowning as she stood at his bedside. As much as it hurt, she knew she needed to get control of herself and stop thinking that way. Her feelings for Tseng had been developing for a long time, but his injury and the thought that she might lose him had made them so much stronger. And now that she had spent so much time by his side, watching him struggle and fight to survive, she knew with certainty that she had irretrievably lost her heart to him. But what could she do about it? Absolutely nothing! It didn't matter how she felt about him, how strong the connection was or how much she wanted to be the one who stood by his side for the rest of his life. He was her boss, and his job was what came first in his life. He would always remain distant and unobtainable. Besides, what did she really know about him when she thought about it? Elena admitted with a quiet sigh of resignation that what she did know was enough. Too much… She loved him, wanted him, but was damned to never say a word. Gods, how was she going to survive like this…?

She watched as if miles away as Nurse Becky expertly removed Tseng's oxygen tube and looked over the various monitors still attached to his body. She next gave him his pain medication, extra relief he still required throughout the day in addition to the continuous drip given through his intravenous line with his other medications. Elena knew he hated the fact that he still needed it and thought it made him appear weak, but even with it he was in a lot of pain. Yet he never made a sound, and winced only occasionally when his position was being changed or he attempted to shift his weight. His pride simply would not allow it. It only made her want to comfort him more, the burning ache in her chest increasing dangerously with each passing day. And now she was about to spend weeks alone with him in his quarters… What had she been thinking?

"If you start wheezing I want you to call me so I can put this back, do you hear me?" Nurse Becky was saying, hovering over Tseng with the oxygen tube held up in one hand and the other poised on her hip. Elena would have laughed at her stern, motherly tone if she hadn't been so distracted. She had never heard anyone speak to him that way before. "I think this whole outpatient thing is way too soon, and that you Turks are always overdoing it. You managed to survive all this, and now you're determined to kill yourself trying to get out of here!" Becky shook her head, a scolding but fond smile on her face. "Is my hospitality really so bad?"

To Elena's surprise, Tseng actually smiled back, that slight little smile that lifted the left side of his mouth any time something amused him. There was a brief sparkle in his eyes, and it made goose bumps rise on her arms beneath her blazer even though it was not directed at her. "No offense meant… but if I'm going to lay around like this I'd rather do so in my quarters."

"Oh, I understand that," Becky said, checking to be sure his intravenous lines were clear. "And I'm sure you'll be much happier to have Elena over there as your head caretaker instead of me." Becky winked down at Tseng as she gently picked up his left arm and made sure everything was still firmly held in place, and in that moment Elena wished for death. At the very least, she hoped the floor beneath her feet was poorly reinforced and would choose that moment to buckle. She managed not to gasp, just barely, as her face grew unbearably hot. Tseng arched an eyebrow but said nothing, his expression otherwise unreadable. Becky chuckled to herself, replacing his chart at the foot of the bed and grinning mischievously as her eyes briefly met Elena's. "All right then! I'll be back this afternoon, and we'll see if we can't get you sitting up this time," she said, waving as she headed out the door.

An uncomfortable silence descended as Elena and Tseng were left alone together, though he looked completely calm and relaxed. His near lack of reaction to Becky's comment worried her more than if he'd turned several shades of red and voiced a firm protest. It was almost as if he didn't understand what she was implying… and maybe he didn't. Elena had no reason to believe he shared her feelings, after all. A stray comment, the lingering touch of his hand, a faraway look in his eyes when he thought she wasn't watching… None of that really meant anything, and she was probably reading into it desperately hoping to see something that wasn't there. Elena finally dropped into the chair at his bedside with a quiet sigh, forcing herself to clear her mind and focus on her assignment.

"Tseng?"

"Yes?" He turned to face her, blinking as if he'd been deep in thought.

"Is everything all right? No, uh… problems or anything while I was gone?"

She hated to ask, unsure of what she would say if he told her he had overheard the nurses' comments in the hallway that morning, but she needed to know. She couldn't get their cruel remarks out of her mind… or push away the guilt she felt for failing to act. She felt even more guilty for the relief she felt when he only shook his head in response. But there was a brief flash of recognition in his dark eyes before he quickly looked away that made her wonder…

"Everything has been the same."

Elena debated telling him what she'd overheard, or asking him directly if he was having problems with any of the staff. Maybe there was more to his strong desire to leave the medical center than he was saying. But she had no idea how to approach such a sensitive subject, especially with someone she absolutely did not want to offend. They needed to work as a team, now more than ever, and she couldn't risk any further awkwardness between them. And if he really hadn't heard anything, she didn't want to upset him unnecessarily by telling him what she'd witnessed. It was the last thing he needed while he fought to recover. He needed to heal in peace, and it was her job to protect that for him… At least that was what she told herself as she rationalized her decision not to discuss the matter further. She would remain alert for any other suspicious incidents, and definitely keep a close eye on Terry and his friend any time they were near Tseng's room. Aside from that, Elena feared anything she said or did would cause more harm than good. She paused and bit her lip, still feeling like a coward as she changed the subject to something else that was troubling her.

"I didn't know you were having a problem eating. Is something wrong?"

Tseng briefly closed his eyes, something he often did when asked a question he'd been dreading and didn't want to answer. It was frequently followed up by a hand raised to squeeze the bridge of his nose, a heavy sigh, or his eyes lifted to the heavens as he searched for patience. This time, he simply opened them again and met her worried gaze, and for a moment he looked a bit embarrassed before he regained control of his expression.

"Have you seen what they serve here?" he asked simply.

"What?" she replied, his reply not what she'd been expecting.

"The 'food.' It's… I can't even…" He shook his head, and she could have sworn his complexion began to take on a greenish tint.

"Oh!" she exclaimed when realization struck, laughing until she saw how deadly serious he was. "That bad, huh?"

Tseng nodded miserably, frowning. "I am sure by now you've noticed that I am somewhat particular about what I will eat?"

Elena nodded thoughtfully, her mind flashing back to the many times they had taken their meals together. They were partners, after all, and she had accompanied him on almost all of his missions since she was hired aside from the highly classified ones and his body guarding duties for the President. They had also eaten together a number of times in the cafeteria at Headquarters while discussing work matters, and she had noticed that he seemed to stick to a small number of the same food items, almost all of them Wutaiian. She'd thought little of it, because she'd assumed he spent the majority of his life in his native country, so it was only natural that he would prefer to eat what was familiar to him. He did eat other things, and she knew he had a weakness for plain pizza, but now that she thought about it… he seemed to limit himself to the same few Wutaiian dishes, too, and when they were forced to make due with field rations she began to worry he might starve before he finally forced himself to choke them down. A slow smile of recognition spread across her face as she studied him, realizing just how wrong the idiots in the hallway had been. He wasn't expecting special food because of his ethnicity. It was far less dramatic than that: Tseng was simply a picky eater.

"Would you like me to go and get you something edible before you starve to death?" Elena offered, grinning crookedly.

Tseng tilted his head a bit. "And then what? Are you going to do that every time they bring me something vile? Which has been… every meal thus far."

"Sure, why not?"

"That's against the rules, you know."

"The rules have to be 'creatively interpreted' sometimes in order to complete an assignment. A very wise man taught me that once… but I can't quite remember his name." She was pleased when a smirk finally broke free despite Tseng's efforts to hide it.

"It's not going to pacify my tormentors when they see I'm still refusing to consume their poison," he said dryly, but from the sparkle in his eyes she knew he was enjoying the banter.

"Oh come on, Tseng. We're Turks! I'm sure we can find a way to fool a bunch of nurses," she laughed. He raised an eyebrow and seemed to be trying not to smile again, or maybe to avoid laughing. She cringed inwardly, remembering how disastrous that had been for him last time. Even still, her heart soared at how relaxed their conversation had become, how easily they'd fallen back into the camaraderie they'd come to share as partners more and more frequently as the months had passed. It was easy to forget her intense feelings for him at moments like this, and to believe that at the very least he liked and respected her as a fellow Turk instead of the nervous, fumbling rookie she'd once been.

"Fine. If you're sure it's not too much trouble," he gave in, though she knew from the way her offer had lit up his face that he was never planning to refuse.

"Of course not," she said too quickly, hopping to her feet like an eager child about to run an errand for a favorite teacher. "What would you like?"

He paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful, then finally looked up and gave her that soft smile that never failed to make her weak in the knees. The worst part was that he didn't even realize it. "Surprise me. You know what I like by now."

There it was again. Proof of the intimacy that had grown between them over the last year. It was something that developed between any partners, she quickly scolded herself as she swallowed hard and managed to return the smile. Surely Reno knew all of Rude's favorite foods, and she was certain Rude could recite all of the redhead's most common phrases while imitating his mannerisms to perfection. You couldn't possibly spend so much time with someone, and be responsible for their life day in and day out, and not develop a very close bond. If you didn't end up knowing a little too much about them, you had failed as their partner. But with Tseng, it felt like so much more. He was so intensely private and guarded that every little fact and quirk she learned felt like his deepest secret. She treasured each new piece of information no matter how insignificant, unable to help the jealously she felt when Reno said something about him that she hadn't known. She knew he'd known Tseng for much longer, and that the two had a friendship she wasn't entirely certain about, but she couldn't help but feel resentful anyway. She knew she had to get a grip on those feelings soon. If Tseng was able to return to his position- No, when! - she knew she would not be training with him for much longer, and her monopoly on so much of his time would come to an end. When that happened, she had to-

"Elena?"

She blinked, a blush instantly creeping up her neck until her face grew hot. Shit. She'd been standing there staring down at him like an idiot. "Huh? Oh! Sorry. Right. Let me run and see what I can find, and I'll be right back. Stay right th- Oh, gods, I am such an idiot! Of course you're going to sta- I'll… I'll see you in a bit!" Then she turned and hurried from the room before she could embarrass herself any further. She could have sworn she heard him chuckling quietly at her back.

Wow. If you were trying to impress him with your brains I think you just failed. At least he's seen proof that you do actually have them. Thank the gods for aptitude testing…

Elena was so flustered that she almost didn't notice Nurse Becky at the nurses' station just before the elevator, but the moment she did she stopped dead in her tracks. She stood as if frozen to the spot, suddenly struck by a bolt of inspiration. Her mind began to race as she watched the older woman typing at her computer, and within seconds she knew exactly what she had to do.

Maybe my brain decided to show up today after all.

She approached the station as casually as she could manage, waiting at the counter for the head nurse to notice her. When she did, Nurse Becky grinned widely, but Elena offered only a reserved half smile. She allowed herself to glance from side to side as if slightly paranoid, trying to recall all the lessons her fellow Turks had taught her about acting the part in any given situation.

"Is something wrong, honey?" Becky asked, coming around from behind the counter to join her.

"I need to speak with you privately," Elena said quietly in her business tone. It was calm and serious without being harsh the way so many of her male colleagues were, something that gave her an advantage when addressing civilians. "Do you have a moment?"

"Of course, of course," Becky said, her eyes widening with concern. "My office is right over there." She pointed just down the hallway and immediately started to head in that direction, her pace surprisingly brisk for someone so short and stocky. Elena kept up easily, and soon they were behind closed doors in a small, tastefully decorated corner office. There was nothing but a cheap metal desk with a computer and telephone on it, a rolling chair, and a few pictures Elena didn't bother to look at on the walls.

"This won't take long," Elena said, both women remaining on their feet just inside the door. Becky reached out and locked it to be sure they weren't interrupted. "I'm sorry to take you away from your work, but this is highly confidential."

"Oooh…" Becky's eyes grew even wider than before, and Elena noticed the way they instantly dropped to the gun holstered at her hip. She finally smiled and shook her head, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on the nurse's shoulder.

"Relax, it's nothing like that," she said, realizing that she was terrifying the poor woman. Her anger over the situation must have shown through in her expression and posture, and in a way she was proud. She'd been mocked endlessly by many of the other Turks as unintimidating and too small for the work, but apparently that was not always the case. Although she was only scaring one overweight, middle aged nurse…

"Did I do something wrong?" Becky asked in a hushed tone. "I've been trying my best to give Tseng the best care possible, and-"

"No, no, it's not you at all!" Elena quickly interrupted, shocked that she would interpret things in such a way. She started to feel guilty and almost changed her mind about the entire thing, but quickly scolded herself and continued. "You have been amazing, and I am so grateful you were assigned to be his head nurse. I'm sorry I haven't thanked you enough for everything you've done. I've just been… so distracted by all of this, and so worried…"

"I understand, honey," Becky said, smiling sympathetically. "I know it's hard. My brother was shot in the Midgar slums doing something stupid a few years ago, and he almost died. I'm a nurse for goodness sake, and I still went to pieces seeing him that way."

Elena nodded awkwardly, but quickly reminded herself of the reason she had come. She was here as a Turk on assignment, and she had a job to do. This was not the time to let her emotions get in the way, although it felt good to finally let Nurse Becky know how much she appreciated her. "I need to speak with you concerning two of your nurses. Their security clearances haven't checked out with our people, and they can't be allowed any further contact with Tseng."

"Oh my! Are… are they criminals or something?!"

"It's probably nothing serious, but I don't have all the information yet. It was leaked to me this morning by a contact of mine, which is why I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible. This is coming to me unofficially before my current supervisor officially informs me, so I need to keep it very quiet."

Elena felt terrible for lying to Nurse Becky after everything she'd done for Tseng, hoping that her sudden half-assed story was believable. Becky had no idea how the Turks or Shin-ra functioned, after all… and Elena knew she looked sweet and innocent. It was normally seen as a hindrance in her line of work, but sometimes, it was quite useful.

"Okay… What do I need to do?"

"Well, here's what's going to happen. If these nurses… there are two of them… continue to have access to Tseng by the time this all goes through the official channels, Shin-ra will end up sending orders here to the hospital that they be barred from this floor until he's released due to security reasons. It'll be worded in such a way that it makes them sound dangerous and untrustworthy, and it could cost them their jobs at the hospital since it's located here on a Shin-ra military base. But since it's very possible they've done nothing seriously wrong, and it all might come down to something silly like an old shoplifting charge when they were teenagers or unpaid speeding tickets back in Midgar, I thought I'd give you the chance to move them first and potentially avoid the whole mess. I know you're understaffed, and that you can probably make a judgment about them once I tell you who they are…"

Elena had been sorely temped to tell Becky that she needed to fire both of the nurses immediately because they were too great of a risk to Tseng's safety, but she knew she would have a lot of explaining to do if she was found out. This tale did no permanent damage, and still got the two of them away from Tseng for the rest of his stay. And if she ended up disciplined later on, so be it. If it spared him from having to listen to any further comments like the ones she'd overheard that morning, it would be more than worth it.

"Thank you so much for doing this," Nurse Becky said, still looking stunned by what she was hearing. Elena felt herself relax once she realized her story had been believed. She didn't feel any less guilty, but that wasn't what mattered. "I appreciate the chance to handle this before their reputations are ruined, or I end up losing any more staff. Who are we talking about?"

"Unfortunately I don't know the name of the girl… My contact was only able to overhear parts of the conversation about this matter," Elena said, hoping her face did not betray the lie. "She's young, heavyset, and has… purple hair? Does that help at all?"

"Oh no… That's poor Amanda! That girl…" Becky shook her head sadly, pursing her lips. "She has a rough background, and she tries so hard. But trouble just seems to follow her. Or maybe I should say she seems to follow it. I'll move her right away! She's not a bad girl. She just needs guidance, and she's been an excellent nurse so far. This is only her first year."

Elena nodded, feeling an unexpected sympathy for her. She could understand trying to rise above difficult circumstance and prove yourself in a new job. But it didn't excuse what she'd done that morning, either. Maybe she'd find a strong role model the way Elena had and get her life on track soon.

"When you reassign her, she can't work with the other nurse on this list any more," Elena said with a sudden burst of inspiration. If Amanda needed a good role model and tended to be a follower, the last thing she needed was more exposure to an arrogant racist. When Becky raised an eyebrow, Elena simply shrugged. "It's a standard precaution."

"Not a problem," Becky said with a nod. "It's a big hospital, after all!"

"Okay. And the other nurse is named Terry, a tall blond man from what I'm told. I think I've seen him working with Tseng fairly often, in fact," Elena said, careful to keep her voice and expression neutral. "That's too bad..."

Becky scowled, her warm brown eyes darkening. Elena watched her closely, surprised by her reaction. She had never seen the other woman look so unhappy before. She desperately hoped she was not beginning to suspect anything was amiss.

"Terry," she spat, shaking her head rapidly from side to side. "Now that one…"

"Is there a problem with him?" Elena asked as innocently as possible.

"There have been… a number of patient complaints," Becky hesitantly admitted, looking down at her white shoes for a moment. "I've written him up repeatedly, but my boss doesn't want to let him go. We're short handed, and…" She shook her head again and sighed.

"I see…"

"Have you had a problem with him, honey?"

Elena froze when Becky met her eyes, unprepared for the question. This wasn't supposed to be about her! She was there as a Turk, and their meeting was just about finished. Her ruse had been a success, and Terry and Amanda were going to be removed from Tseng's floor. He wouldn't have to hear their remarks any longer, and she wouldn't have to look at them and remember that morning. She'd been careful not to let her emotions show throughout the conversation, but suddenly her heart was in her throat.

"I…"

Becky stepped forward and placed a motherly hand on her shoulder, her eyes so warm and supportive that Elena almost blurted out everything at once in one long, rambling admission. But she wasn't a green rookie any more and she bit it back, swallowing hard and keeping her expression neutral.

"If you have, and you write it down as an anonymous family member complaint," Becky said quietly, lightly squeezing her shoulder, "it should be the final nail in his coffin. He's on probation right now, and just got another complaint three days ago for cursing at a patient. He's a very good nurse, but his bedside manner goes against everything I believe in. So please… if he's done something to you or Tseng, do yourself and every other patient here a favor. I'm half tempted not to move him and see what happens with this security issue, but that wouldn't be fair of me…"

Elena nodded mutely as Becky removed her hand and walked around her desk to sit at her computer, turning on the machine and waiting for it to boot. Why did Becky seem to suspect that something had happened? Did she simply know Terry that well, or had Elena given herself away? More importantly, should she take the opportunity and write down what she'd overheard that morning, or leave well enough alone?

"Thank you," Elena said abruptly, turning on her heel and leaving the office without another word. She had a lot to think about as she boarded the elevator and left the medical center to hunt down a restaurant where she could place a take out order that would be to Tseng's liking. Thankfully she remembered seeing a menu on his kitchen counter the day she'd been sent to retrieve some of his belongings and was fairly sure she knew where the restaurant was located along Main Street. She was confused about so many things and still convinced she was failing him, but she could at least make sure he got a decent meal. It wasn't quite the same as wrapping her arms around him and whispering her love in his ear, but for now it was all she could do.

((Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay in updating! I've been having serious issues with my migraines running out of control and will be returning to my neurologist soon for all the good it's likely to do. Anyway, on to my notes for this chapter!

- I've always been interested in the Wutaiians and their situation, and wanted to explore what it might mean for those who are living outside their homeland… especially those living in Midgar or other major cities. And what about people like Tseng working for Shin-ra, the company who waged war with Wutai? That has to be an uncomfortable position to be in, and I think it's unrealistic not to expect there to be issues of racism involved. So that's as issue I plan to explore more as it relates to Tseng. It actually has something to do with the development of his relationship with Elena, even if that doesn't seem obvious right now.

- Otherwise, in this chapter we see that just having someone willing to live in his quarters doesn't mean Tseng can just waltz out of the hospital. He does still have to be able to, you know, survive outside those sterile white walls. Sorry, I'm trying to be somewhat realistic here. Elena is getting some practice as his caregiver, at least. Oh boy, seems he's going to be a bit high maintenance, haha. I had fun writing their banter, which was a nice change from the awkward conversations they've been having. I figure they must be able to do that, too, since they've been partners so long.

- Preview for Chapter 14: Tseng continues to fight for his release from the hospital, and Dr. Welsh stops by to see him. He's still not thrilled with this outpatient idea, but he does have something interesting to add that just might help. And some more Tseng and Elena interaction as well.

- As always, thank you so much for the favs, follows, and most especially your reviews! You guys have been the most loyal and amazing readers, and it has most definitely inspired and motivated the hell out of me. I will definitely happily continue writing Tseng and Elena fics even if it's for a small group because I love doing it, and you all are so awesome. Thanks again! ~ JenesisX ))