The Time we Spent Together

I walk back into my room and gaze around for Dark Nation. She was not next to my bed like she usually is. I walk around to my closet to see her peaking around in there battling a rat. I make a face as she crouches and leaps at it, catching it between her fangs. As she's about to chow down, I slap her tail to get her attention. She looks at me with bloody fangs.

"Outside. Eat it out there." I snap not in the mood to puke into the toilet for the rest of the night.

I open the door that leads to the deck and snap my finger and point out there. "Go." Sullenly, Dark Nation scurries out into the dark night. I close the door behind her and head for the shower, nausea clenching around in the pit of stomach.

Turning the water onto a soothing warm, I step into the water and close my eyes. The heat of the water sooths my muscles and calms me down. My nausea fades away with the steam. I lean against the cool tile and let the water wash over my back. What a stressful day. What time is even? It was dark out when I let Dark Nation out but then again, it always seems to be dark in Midgar. While in Kalm it is a lot brighter. Maybe I should take Tseng to school with me and show his what sunlight is outside of Wutai.

I can hear a low howl even through to me in the shower. Dark Nation must be done with her rat is now not likeing being outside all alone anymore and I wouldn't blame her. I spoil her way too much.

Grabbing a towel from the rack, I wrap it around my waist loosely and open the door. My room is empty but I can hear Dark Nation howling loudly outside. I roll my eyes and walk over to the door and open it up and let Dark Nation in. She shakes her fur out as the cold air rushes in and attacks my cold skin.

There is a light knock at the door. "Come in!" I call and close the porch door and turn around to see Tseng. He stops in the doorway, staring at me. Heat rushes to my face as I turn away and lock the door and force the blood in my face to retreat.

For the second time, I turn to Tseng wearing nothing but a towel. How unprofessional. Why did I have to say, "Come in!" when I was naked? Am I stupid? Clearly!

Tseng goes into complete Turk mode. What's wrong? Other then your friend and boss is naked in front of you, Tseng?

"Sir, I heard Dark Nation howling and I came to see if everything was okay." He glances down at my furry friend. She nudges his hand. He pets her head smoothly.

"I'd advise against that, Tseng." I tell him, tightening the towel around my waist. The cold pricked at my skin. Goosebumps ghost across my skin and cause... other things to happen. I clear my throat and continue, moving away from the door toward my warm shower, "She ate a rat a moment ago- which by the way, I want to know how it got in here."

Tseng stares down at Dark Nation scolding. "Bad girl," he says softly before nodding at me, eyes hard. "I'll call up maintenance and take a look around."

I nod and head into the bathroom and close it behind me. Dropping the towel, I jump back into the shower and turn it on as hot as it can go and let it scorch my skin without a care. I want to force the image of Tseng walking in on me like that out of my head. My skin was still covered with goosebumps.

I grab the soap and run it over my body, lathering it up good and then washing it off. I then grab the shampoo and clean my hair with it then with conditioner. I sit in the shower for a few more minutes in silence letting the water wash over me. Tseng is still here, Dark Nation isn't scratching at my door.

I wonder what Dark Nation does all the time I am gone. She's a very... eh hem clingy pet. She doesn't like to be alone. Especially for long. Tseng must take care of her in my absents. What she does while he's working, I have no idea. I should probably ask Tseng to make sure my friend is not lonely while I'm away.

Finally, I decide to climb out of the shower and wrap myself in the cold towl. I shiver and open the door. The room was empty but Dark Nation who was on my bed, sleeping. Something moves and I jump as Tseng emerges from beside my bed.

"Holy crap, Tseng! Give me a heart attack, would you?" I snap without meaning to. Tseng looks at me sympathetically. His eyes staying glued to my face.

"I apologise, Mr. Vice President." Tseng says slowly. His eyes drift to my hair, a drop of water leaps off my wet tousle. "Are you cold?" he asks suddenly and I notice that the goosebumps have returned. But no. I'm not cold. Or am I? Who knows, my entire body is no longer mine anymore, how am I to know?

"Uhh, a little. How is the mouse hole hunt going?" I ask, changing the subject. I grab myself some pajamas. I walk back into the bathroom and close the door slightly to change while still being able to hear what Tseng is saying.

"Yes. I found hole in the vent that the mouse got through. I'm going to get maintenance to fix this and search for how it entered the building." Tseng tells me a low monotoned voice. I walk out and through the towel into the basket and start buttoning up my silk pajama top. Tseng's eyes burn my chest the entire time.

I look up at him, "What?"

My black haired Turk looks away. "Nothing. I'll call maintenance while we are at work tomorrow so that you can go to bed now." He says, still in full blown Turk mode. Why hasn't he become my best friend? Why is he staying like that?

"Thank," I mutter. "Goodnight."

Tseng straightens up his uniform and heads for the door. He stops as the he opens the door that leads into the hall. "Goodnight... Rufus. Sleep well." he says quietly. It takes me a moment to analyze it before I turn to respond but to find that the door is closed and that he's long gone. Well, that was abrupt. What is with today? I know two years can change someone but not this dramatically. He was fine earlier. Why is he now so different?

I turn the light off and the fan off, then crawl into bed and let Dark Nation curl around me with her tail around my waist. She purrs lowly in my ear and I bury my face into her soft black fur. As I drift to sleep I clue her in on a tiny detail, "Eating rats is gross and a day at the groomers." She purrs again as if to say, "that was the plan."

Someone shakes me awake. The feel of gentleness is familiar and I instantly know that it's Tseng. I crack my eyes open to look at the blurry version of my dark haired Turk. I blink a few times to clear my vision before I sit up. Dark Nation yawns loudly and unfolds from around me.

I stretch out slowly before looking back at my Turk. He was staring down at me blankly. Then his features soften. "Get a better night sleep?" he asks softly.

I nod, "Actually yeah, I did. I must of been tired from work yesterday. Thanks for asking. How was your sleep?"

Tseng smiles lightly. "It was pleasant, thank you."

"What time is it?" I ask, rubbing sleep from my eyes. Relieved that Tseng is fine today-so far. Yesterday night was so strange, why was he like that? I almost want to ask him what the matter was but that seems... out of place.

"Almost 8:30." Tseng answers.

I grin at him. "Now that is a reasonable time to be up, in my opinion. Besides who gets up at fucking 6 in the morning?" Tseng gives me a look that means two different things, one) he did not approve of my language and two) he gets up at that time. "Uhhh... other then you and the other Turks."

He sighs. "Yes, well, some are not given the luxury of sleeping in til 8:30 Rufus." he says monotoned, eyes dancing playfully. I give him a Reno grin which he does not seem to like at all. "Get ready then, sir. You've got work to do."

I salute to him. "Sure thing, Tseng."

I sign away at documents that seem like they are all saying the same thing. My mind begins to wonder as I stare out the window at the beautiful day out. It's one of those rare days where the sun peaks through the thick pollution from all the buildings in Midgar plus the thick gas that the reactors produce.

If I look down I can see the Infantry running drills or obstical courses and the SOLDIERs being trained in the ways of the materia. I can't help but feel a little bored up here, signing papers.

Why should they get to be up and moving around while I am perfectly stationary the entire day long? I can feel the brat within me getting ready to throw a temper tantrum, but at the same time I really don't want to. I mean, I'm 16 why would I want to throw a big fit because I have to sit around and do basically nothing all day?

Suddenly, my paper cut comes to my mind. I hadn't thought about it since I convinced Tseng that I was fine. I look down at my left pointer finger to see that it was healed up mostly with only a tiny bit of ripped skin. I run my thumb over the wound and press down lightly- it stings slightly but nothing unbearable.

"How do you think Dark Nation is doing?" I ask suddenly, without thinking. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

The rustling of papers over on the couch stops. I don't look up, my eyes still on my finger. Tseng is quiet for a moment before he says, "Well. She is getting pampered. Why? Is something wrong?"

I shake my head, eyes still on my finger. "No, just curious. She hates to be left alone for long periods of time and she is always alone while I'm at work or at school." My eyes flicker up to meet dark black eyes, "Unless you take her to work with you which I highly doubt. So I'm curious as to how she has been surviving."

Tseng is quiet for a moment. "Curious, indeed. I have heard her often whine while in the room alone during the day but when I am here, I bring her to the office with me. She is content as long as she is not alone."

I nod. "That does sound like her."

My desk phone beeps, causing me to look away from my Turk. It rings a second time before I pick it up. "Hello?"

"M-Mr. Shinra... Le-Legendary o-of the Turks is here to s-see you... shall I let him i-in?" Llinna asks timidly. I make a face. Legendary? What could he want?

I look up at Tseng. "Send Legendary in." My black haired Turk narrows his eyes in suspicion.

"Y-Yes sir..."

A moment later Legendary of the Turks enters the room with Reno. Legendary goes right over to Tseng while Reno walks over to me. His back is rigid, tense. That worries me. It's only my second day here and something is already wrong?

"Boss man, are you okay?" Reno asks strangly. I shrug.

"Fine. Why? What's going on?"

"Dark Nation puked up a rat today." Legendary says. I look over to the familiar Turk.

"Yeah," I say slowly. "She ate it yesterday..."

Reno shakes his head. "Nah, boss, that's not the problem. The problem is that the mouse was tapped with a wire and was sending video and audio feed from your room to an unknown source."

My veins spew ice cold blood through my system. "What? My room was bugged?"

Tseng cuts in. "Have you tracked the signal to the source?"

Reno turns to his higher up. "We tried, but the signal is bouncing off of a lot of satellites. It'll take some time but Two Gun is taking a gander at it. He should be calling in soon for an update."

"We came to make sure the Vice is not bugged as well." Legendary says in a cold calm voice. His deep maroon eyes turn to me. "May I?"

I nod and stand up, removing my coat and handing it to Reno. Tseng gets out his phone and starts talking to someone, sounds like Verdot but it might also be my father.

Legendary pats me down, inspecting the buttons on my shirt, both on the chest and on the cuffs. The one closest to my face is suspicious to him so he grabs out a knife and presses lightly at the crease being careful of my face. The top part of the button is popped off and a tiny metal thing is revealed.

"Found it." Legendary says.

"I found one too," Reno says holding out a tiny piece of equipment, a small wire attached to it. He inspects it. "It looks like a transmitter to me. Although this little bulb is not suppose to be here."

Tseng hangs up the phone and inspects it with a critical, as does Legendary.

Finally, Tseng says, "Where did you find it?"

"In the collor, on the left side, right below the ear."

The Turks take the clothing off, providing me with thoroughly searched cloths to wear. Apparently, my entire wardrobe and room was cleaned out. Even Dark Nation's fur was searched by a very disgruntled Rod. He sneezed the entire time. No matter how I tried to convince him that Dark Nation was not a dog, he sneezed away. I tried to convince him but being the stubborn bastard he is, would not listen.

My father was notified about this predicament (it was Verdot that Tseng had called) and he chewed everyone out. I'm not in the corner of his office doing my work. Everyone in contact with me, aside the Turks, were taken in for questioning. Llinna, the cleaning crew that cleaned my room before my arrival, the laundry lady, the maintenance crew and the guards that watch my door and window for anything suspicious.

Dark Nation hums displeased at being my father's office. It's okay, girl, I would rather not be here either. I mean, sure dad and I have been on good terms since I got here but Tseng went to aid in the investigation while I am now alone in the office with just pop, Dark Nation, me, Gun who is stationed outside the door and whatever other Turk that is hidden in this room.

"How could this happen?" My father steams, chewing me out now.

"I don't know, dad." I sigh. "Dark Nation found the rat yesterday. I didn't think anything of it. It looked like a normal rat to me."

My father whirls on me. "Are you the rat expert? Do you know everything there is to know about rats? Are you a Turk? NO!"

I flinch but hold my ground. "Sorry, dad, okay? Tseng came up and found the way the rat got in-"

"Did he check to see if it was a normal rat?" dad says skeptically. I fume.

"No, Dark Nation had already eaten it." I say sharply, my anger reaching it's peak. "Dad, this is no one's fault, okay? The Turks caught whiff of it before it was too late. Sure, it got past security but that isn't the Turk jurisdiction besides there is always the possibility that it is someone on the inside." I meant to say it to calm my father down but after the words left my lips, I knew it would only make him madder.

Although, before my father could blow a gasket, the lights go out in the room. Not even a second later Gun bursts into the room, the window coats over with thick metal.

"Cissnei, how many you got?" She calls.

Said, Shiriken wielding girl emerges from the shadows behind my father. "I've got 5 life forms in this room."

Gun snaps out her phone. "Verdot, security breach! The President and Vice are in danger!"

Gun pulls out her gun and walks around slowly, eyeing the darkness. Cissnei nudges me behind the desk, next to my father. The only light in the room is the one provided by the hall. Cissnei is looking at her phone, then up at the light, then to her phone.

"It's closing in... I found it!" Cissnei looks up and whips her red shiriken into the darkest corner on the far side of the room. At least 20 feet away from me. Although, Gun is only about 7. Rekka hits something and a squeal of pain fills the room. Gun dashes to the corner and comes in contact with something.

After a moment, Gun cries out in pain and Cissnei rushes in to assist. It's so dark, I can't see anything. Suddenly, Cissnei and a black figure roll into the light. It's got it's hands around her neck. She kicks it and it rolls back into the darkness, this time on the opposite side of the room. I shiver when I hear a sickening crack.

"Aag!" Cissnei cries out. "Oh my god! Gun, it's-" another sickening crack, then it goes silent. A figure in the doorway moves in slowly, it's tall, broad and has s sword.

"Sephiroth!" My father snaps. "Hurry now!"

The figure leaps into the darkness with a low, "My apologies, Mr. President."

Silver hair enters the dark space as Tseng, Verdot, and Reno rush in the room and right to us. Tseng puts his arm around me as Verdot nabs the President harshly. Reno goes to aid Gun who was dragging herself into the light. There is something trailing behind her on the floor. Sephiroth grunts and is thrown into the light, he quickly flips in mid air to avoid taking out Gun and Reno.

Then suddenly, the window right beside me explodes. Tseng drawls me close to his chest and blocks the glass and shards of medal with his back. I flinch as something scratches my hand.

Then the room is silent. That is until, "Sephiroth! Light!" Verdot orders. A moment later the light is on and the destruction before is revealed.

Gun lay on her stomach, blood trailing the floor where she is at to the light switch where Sephiroth is, and where the intruder was. A spray of blood goes up the wall. Gun struggles to sit up with what looks to be a bloody nose and a slice up her stomach to her chin. I flinch and look to the other side of the room where the other Turk went quiet. Cissnei lays there quietly, a puddle of blood around her head. Her orange hair stained red and hiding her face.

Both female Turks were taken down in a matter of moments. I glance over to the SOLDIER Hero. He has a deep gash up his chest. Identical to that of Gun's. I push Tseng away softly, seeing his eyes glued to the youngest Turk.

"Go see her," I order softly. Tseng nods but doesn't move. I shove him with more force. "Go!"

Tseng goes over and takes a second to look at her. I not being able to see the majority of her have no idea of her condition. Tseng pulls out his phone. "I need the Medical Squad up here, ASAP."

A/N: Sorry for the slow update. I don't know how many people are intrested in this story. I'm gonna see how many reviews I get and decide from there. Rate, Review and have a good day! Can't wait to see what happens next.