Another party in favour of the Turks victory. All the Turks, and Rufus of course, were there. Tseng popped open a bottle of champagne and poured a glass to everyone, except Reno, who just grabbed the whole bottle chugging it. Tseng frowned and turned his attention to Elena, who whispered something to her and she giggled.

Reno glared at the giggling pair like the 7th hell of Envy. He really wanted Elena, ever since he was replaced by her, he was outraged. He found it embarrassing being replaced by a woman, but when he saw her, he wanted her. He tried his best to impress her and get her to notice him, but she considers him as annoying, and falls into drinking fits when he learned she likes Tseng.

Rude was having a conversation with Rufus about the future. Reno felt a little left out, as he had no one to talk to, so he just slumped onto one of the sofas and took periodic swigs of the bottle. He decided to make himself look useful in someway, Reno was still a Turk, and Rufus expected him to do something.

He waddled over to the phone to Strife Delivery Service. He dialled the good ol' number and after a few moments, a familiar female voice answered. "Hello?"

"Hey Tifa!"

"Hey Reno, you caught us at a bad time, Barret got airsick." Reno placed a hand over his mouth trying to blank out the hilarious thought. "Can we get some Wutainese over here?"

"Sure, Cloud'll be over in an hour."
"Great. See ya." He hung up the phone then stood on the table. "Yo yo ma niggas! Food's comin' in about an hour, and it's Wutainese...Tseng, you dirty boy." Reno grinned at the sight of Tseng's reaction to 'Wutainese' being from Wutai. "You never cease to disappoint me." he said nonchantly.

Rufus got up off of his wheelchair and stretched, Rude tried to stop him. "You're in no condition to stand, sir."
"Why not? The stigma is gone and the injuries by WEAPON two years ago are just cuts and bruises now. I should be able to walk by myself now." Upon hearing this, Reno decided to crack a joke. "What? Does that mean you won't have to wear diapers now?" he laughed. Elena giggled and Rufus frowned.

"Now now, Reno. Your jokes are about as lame as Palmer naked doing the macarena." Rufus said. Reno's smile turned upside down as Rude laughed among himself, trying not to hurt his best friends feelings. Rufus also chuckled and flicked a column of hair from his eyes. "I don't know, really...watching his floppy body, was he trying to move...or even indeed communicate? I am talking of a simalarity between them." Tseng was laughing his ass off, even Rude. Reno was still a bit sad.

"Shut up, fairy boy." Elena chanted 'Oooooo' as Rufus still grinned. "Be at the mercy of the person who's floating your next paycheck." Reno was beaten again, accepting defeat, he slumped on the couch. Tseng took a sip of his champagne. "Very funny, sir. I never knew you had such a side."

"Hmph, I used to perform comedy acts when I was 16 to impress my father and his executives, I'm not a boring doorknob after all am I?" he laughed. Rude raised his glass. "Not a doubt about it." he laughed.

Pain. It was all he felt. He was alone, he knew it. The frail body of his brother lied beneath him, protected him from an unstoppable blast, the blast they had caused. He tried to stand, burning...pain...he slouched down again. His back hurt, his chest burned, his arms stang. He felt like Cloud was stabbing him over and over again.

He carefully laid his unconsious brother down. He bit his lip as pain overwhelmed him once again, screaming at him to lay down...but he wouldn't let it. Where was the other? Why wasn't he here...? Then, he remembered. The woman had taken him, away...dead...Kadaj was gone forever.

He turned back to observe his brother. His hair now a frizzled mess, mixed with the black of soot and smoke, his angelic face scarred and bruised, his frail form damaged and burned. He began to feel tears swell up in his eyes, he didn't want to lose Yazoo, not now not ever.

The younger teen opened his eyes, slowly and raggedy, his voice, as cold and emotionless, was all Loz wanted to hear.

"D-dont...cry, Loz." he whimpered. "I'm not crying!" he said as he wiped his eye with one hand, he looked around to see their location. It was a town, a back alley. Had they really landed this far? Loz knew they had to leave until someone found them. But it was too late.

Three men had appeared, two with poles and one with a crowbar. They were grinning and slapping the bars lightly against the palm of their hands. One of them pulled a cigarette from his mouth. "Kidnap my kid, why dont'cha?" The other two grinned at the thought. Loz tried to get up to confront them, but he was in no condition. He stumbled over as he felt the cold steel hit his head, knocking him on his back. He had to protect Yazoo, who was awake and paralysed with shell-shock.

He felt a boot in the stomach, then the face...why hadn't he felt this kind of pain before? It was the injuries that were hurting him, not the men. He tried to glance at Yazoo, all he saw were two poles going up and down and slapping of soft, tender skin. Loz curled in a ball, hoping they would leave them alone, as he barely had any strength left in him.

The men's vicious attack was cut short when an all too familiar voice coaxed the men. "Leave them alone." he said. Loz didn't see the man, he didn't want to move in case he decided to attack. "Why!? They kidnapped my son and hypnotising him into being injured by the Bahamut thing!?"

"And summoning those dog things which killed my wife!" another butted in. The stranger looked at them. "I am sorry for your losses. But be realistic, is it in the right mind to beat up weakened people?" The man spat. "Bah, they'd do it to us if they were in our positon...if we were injured or not."

"Leave them be, and let me deal with them." The men exchanged glances and then nodded. "We've had our revenge, do what you want." The men left and Loz looked up at the man who had saved them. "Who are you?" he asked. The man eyed them. "Vincent."

The doorbell rang. Everyone stopped, Elena peeked out the window of the closed curtains. She let out a sigh of relief. "Cloud's here." Reno jumped up and ran to the door yelling some random gibberish at Rude who just adjusted his sunglasses. He opened the door to still see Cloud unloading packaging. "Cloud ma man, where's the chow?"

Cloud grinned as he handed several bags to him. "You could've told me it was for five, I forgot Tseng and Elena were here." Reno laughed outloud. "Looks like they'll all be sharing since I ordered." Cloud folded his arms and eyed the redhead. "You don't give in, do you?"

Reno put the bags down by his feet and slouched against the door frame like a girl and put on a female voice.

"Give in? Ooooh, you're the reason why I NEVER give in!" Cloud let a small smile appear on his face. Reno always entertained him, second and third to Barret and Cid of course. His smile turned back into a stoic appearance after what Reno had said then. "That's right, Cloud! Tell me your penis isn't as big as Reno's! Say my name, Reno! Say Tifa!" Cloud rolled his eyes, and Reno stopped ranting. "Why don't you ever bang Tifa, man? She's got the hots for you and you'd better do something, or I'll reign on your parade." Reno handed him the gil and revved up his Fenrir without replying. "Bye Cloud!" he shouted. Cloud just raised his hand before putting on his goggles and speeding back to Midgar.

Reno slammed the door and brought the food in. They all jumped up to see it finally arrived. "I've got good news and bad news." Reno said in a sad tone. Rude looked at him. "Reno, give us the bags first." he said, remembering the Fire Flan Reno put in Rude's lunch last year. "The good news is I get a meal for me...bad news is two of you will be sharing one each."
"Reno, how the hell is getting food to yourself good news for us?" Tseng asked, obviously a bit pissed off. Reno shrugged. "I didn't say it was good news for you." he replied as he unpacked the food. Elena inhaled a deep breath. "Mmmm, smells great!" Tseng chose his food correctly, as he was a native Wutainese person himself. Reno, looked at the food dumbfouned, it looked like a bunch of Zoloms attatched to Malboro snot and a large Behemoth turd.

"Jesus, Tseng...how can you eat this stuff?" Reno asked, a bit disgusted as it looked like what he threw up last week. Tseng chuckled. "Reno, you grab a Sazake stick, and swab it with some Vilrak...and presto." As if on cue, he let the crunchy bread stick crunch in his mouth. Rude was eating a chicken ball special, and Rufus was eating a cowboy supper.

"Elena, whatya got?" Reno asked prying his eyes at her food. "Same as Rude's!" she shouted, as he was annoying her again.

Their little hell's kitchen scene was interuped by Tseng's phone ringing, it being the Shinra theme. He licked the Vilrak paste from his fingers and answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello Tseng, it is Vincent." Tseng was shocked, his former ally turned enemy turned rescuer then ally again. "Oh hello. Listen, I'd like to thank you for-" his words were cut short by Vincent. "I apologise to interupt, but I have two people here who you won't be happy to know of." he said.

Tseng pondered who it could be. Who pissed him off? Reno was here, so it wasn't him. "I don't know...who is it?" he asked, with a hint of curiousity in his voice. "Regrettably, it's two of Sephiroth's remnants." Tseng cursed in his Wutainese. "I thought they were finished?"

"We all did, but the blast threw them through a shed and shelter from the rain, so they were spared."

"How do you know of this?"

"I encountered them. But they are in a critical condition."

Rufus eyed Tseng, after wiping curry from his lower lip, he spoke up. "Who is that?" Tseng didn't reply, instead, was still talking. "I urge you, Tseng...to come down here by yourself. It's best no one else knows, I just want some answers from them."
"Alright. I'll be there soon." After writing down the address, he put on his blazer. "Where are you going?" Rufus asked a bit confused. Tseng quickly had to make up a lie. "Cid wants me for a second, Vincent has some news for me." Tseng didn't stay long, and left Healin almost immediately. Reno just shrugged. "Awww, look...Tseng's food's gettin' all cold and eaten." he said sadistically as he swabbed a piece of Vilrak.

"Eat something." Vincent said coldly as he put a bowl of porridge in front of both of them. Loz hesitated, but then smelled the food...and quickly began to dig in. He grabbed the spoon and ignored how hot it was, but instead, stuffed as much as his mouth could handle, putting jam, syrup and various things on.

Yazoo, on the other hand, sat staring at it. He didn't move an inch since he sat down. He seemed a little interested in the crack in the floorboards, eyeing it's width and trying to guess it's diameter. "Aren't you hungry? Loz is." Vincent said as Loz sat still eating away, stuffing himself and oblivious to his surroundings.

Vincent gave up and sat down on the sofa that was nearby. "I recommend you both finish quick, this is Tifa's bar, and also their house. They're all out partying, leaving me to look after the place. I want you both to wash those clothes and take a shower and leave as soon as possible, or Cloud will finish what you started." Loz just 'mmed' in agreement as he was almost finished. Yazoo got up and walked toward Vincent.

"You said shower?" he said, tilting his head like a curious child. Vincent pointed up the stairs. "Third door, to the right." Vincent was unsure to let his enemies wander the house on their own, but in a way, Yazoo was much like him in a way, a lost person in a different world, being stoic and controlled at all times, not caring about anything else. "If you want hair straighteners, you'll find some on the bathroom shelf." Vincent shouted as Yazoo took up the stairs, the only thing he could do now was wait. "I'm eating this, okay?" Loz asked a confused Vincent, as he pointed to Yazoo's untouched porridge. "Whatever." he said. "Yay!" Loz shouted with glee as he stuffed himself yet again.

Yazoo wandered the top floor of 7th Heaven. Cloud and his friends were out? Partying? Over his defeat? Yazoo felt depressed at the thought of losing his most important things; Mother, Kadaj and Velvet Nightmare...all taken away by Cloud. How he hated him so. He walked into the bathroom and observed the surroundings. Yazoo always liked a quick check up before cleaning, he was extremely hygeinic when it came to cleaning himself.

He turned on the tap and undressed himself and stood in the shower and let the hot water run over him, relaxing his muscles. He let every drop of water run through his hair as he began to rub his eye. It hurt a lot, but not as much as his abdomen, he could live with a black eye, but a waist that felt like Bahamut sank his teeth into? No thanks.

Why did this 'Vincent', apparently one of Cloud's friends, help them? Maybe it was pity? Perhaps not. He didn't trust anyone but his brothers, but he felt as though Vincent could be. He was like him in a way, but more dark and mysterious. He was curious about him. But he knew he had to finish up quickly.

Downstairs, Loz was in the bath in another room and Vincent had put their leather suits in the wash. He sank into depression once more when he thought of Lucrecia...letting himself be killed in front of her, then wallowing in guilt as he knew rising in the undead wasn't going to help, as she herself was confined in crystalised mako. His train of thought was interupted by a knock at the door, and it was none-other than Tseng.

"Are they here?" asked Tseng, who still stood at the door step, still wary of there last meeting. Loz and Kadaj he could handle, but it was the long haired one he feared, the resemblance to Sephiroth and also the torturer who inflicted dire pain upon him and Elena.

"Yes, they are getting cleaned up. Come in." Tseng hesitated. He didn't want to admit he was scared, as he still had nightmares about it, I guess you could say he now has a phobia of silver haired men.

"Sure." he said as he walked in and sat down. "Where is everyone?"

"Out. They'll be back soon, so they must hurry and leave." Vincent replied as he opened the dryer and put them through each bathroom. When he came back downstairs he looked out the window, keeping constant check on the outside world. "What worries you?" Tseng asked. "They were attacked by men, they know they're here, and they might tell Cloud I let them in here."

Tseng also made his point. "It's important none of my kin come here either, it'll spell worse trouble if they find out." Vincent turned toward the black haired man. "What do you mean?"

"I told them something was wrong with Cid." Vincent chuckled. "Quite a rare lie." he said and laughed among himself.

Tseng's smile turned into a frown when he saw Loz emerge from the bathroom, wearing full kit. Loz scratched the back of his head in awkward silence. "Uh..h-hi..." he managed to say, like a shy child. Tseng eyed the younger man. "Where is your brother?" he finally asked. Loz looked at Vincent, then back. "Not here."

If Loz was stupid, he was dumber than Reno and Palmer put together. Vincent shook his head. "He's upstairs." Tseng's heart races as he heard the stairs clatter. Yazoo, also in full gear, emerged from the bottom of the stairs and locked eyes with the Turk. "What are you staring at?" asked Yazoo, obviously unaware what Tseng was thinking. Yazoo then turned to Vincent. "What is he doing here?"
"Yazoo!? How did you get in!?" Loz asked him, as he looked at Tseng suspiciously. Yazoo looked at him confused. "What are you talking about, Loz?"

"Loz, Tseng knew your brother was here." Vincent assured the well built man, who frowned and stood beside Yazoo. "Hey, um...thanks for letting us crash here for a while..."

Vincent felt a bit relieved, he thought both of them would lunge at him, but they thanked him.

"Yes, thank you for your hospitality." Yazoo said, with a slight bit of emotion. Tseng also was a bit astonished. "Now, Loz...Yazoo...Tseng is going to drive you to the Kalm border, once there, you're on your own. If Cloud as much finds a silver hair anywhere, he'll flip. So it's important for you to get out of here and start new lives elsewhere." Tseng looked at Vincent. "Why can't you do it?"

"I have to look after the place. Besides...think of it as therapy to get over this little phobia of yours."

Loz chirped up. "Yeah! Spend time with us!" he shouted, patting Yazoo on the back who was observing several pictorials in the room. Tseng sighed. "Very well."

END OF CHAP 1.

Authors Note:

Aaah, the next chap will have Yuffie meets Yazoo! And Reno confronts Elena about his feelings, and Loz, left a 'Thank You' note Vincent never knew about...and Tifa finds it. Will Tseng ever get over his fear? Will Reno ever get laid? Will Vincent fully grasp the concept of Loz's stupidity? And will Yuffie and Yazoo ever get on? Find out next time!

-Yazz Man