Disclaimer: Same as usual, still own teh nada.

A/N: Still crankin' 'em out! Thanks for reading and/or reviewing! Here's to you! Sorry this chapter is so short, I just wanted to post something to let you all know that this story hasn't been abandoned. A longer, more plot-moving post soon to come. Thanks so much everybody!

The nausea soon dulled into a low ache, which gave way to giddiness at being close to Vincent with all the walls torn down. His hand was warm and wrapped loosely around her slim fingers, his grip not only betraying an underlying fear of hurting her, but a fear of holding her too tightly too soon as well. He honestly didn't know what to think of her -- what she thought of him. It was like tap-dancing on a minefield, not knowing whether the show would go on or blow up in your face. He managed to keep his cool, read her moves, and respond accordingly. Maybe this was what he desperately needed to start piecing his life back together; a new start.

Yuffie was still pensive about letting all decorum fall away. After all, regardless of what happened between them, Vincent was still a Crown Prince. A part of her was still reluctant to cut loose, but she was tired of toeing a line that simply just did not exist for her. Moreover, she was a princess, and to date, the only guy who'd ever made her feel even slightly that way was...Damn that Rude.

Yuffie and Vincent made their way back to the mansion, where he walked her all the way to her room and gave her an affectionate peck on the top of her head before departing. Reeve was fast asleep on top of some papers he was filing at the desk. Sometimes Yuffie wondered if there really was that much paperwork for him to be doing or if he just did it to pass time.

He really needs to get a girlfriend. Or get laid. Or something.

She smirked as she noticed the rough humor was a slight mimicry of the aforementioned redhead's dark sarcasm. Though she had appreciated the tender affection that Vincent had shown her that night, she still couldn't help but fall asleep smiling to the sound of a poorly-sung karaoke song, and the image of a rakish Turk on his knees appealing to her in a humorous, but sincere way.

Said Turk was riding emotional waves that strung somewhere between euphoria and hysterical panic. On the one hand he was so happy that he had even been with Yuffie and worked up the courage to (nearly) tell her how he felt. On the other, he was worried that because he never got to tell her how he felt that after this weekend, he might never get another chance. After all, what if she actually decided to marry that pompous...?

Despite the downer that he had experienced towards the end of their little scheme, he still insisted that he and his partner go and get a celebratory post-making-an-ass-of-himself drink.

"Ohh man! I was amazing! Did you see that look in her eyes? I'm sure she totally digs me! Man, who wouldn't be impressed by a guy as good lookin' as me, with such a songbird of a voice and charm to win 'em all?"

Rude just chuckled and nodded along, unwilling to spoil Reno's good mood. It had been so long since he had acted like a normal human being.

"We've still got a ways to go, my friend. But I'm sure tonight helped your position a lot. Even Reeve was willing to help us out a bit. The Nibelheim festivities end tomorrow. Do you think she'll be staying any longer?"

"Aw, shit. That's something I totally didn't think about! What am I gonna do when she's back under her dad's protection from me? How will I even know when she's left? Damnit...just when I thought things were finally going my way you have to go and ruin it for me."

Rude rolled his eyes behind his dark sunglasses and took out his PHS.

"Aren't you forgetting something? We have someone on our side now. Anything we need to know I'm sure Reeve will be willing to inform us."

"I hope you're right. Otherwise this is gonna be an even bigger pain in the ass than it already is."

"Nothing can be a bigger pain in the ass than you. Especially when you're chasing a girl. Come on, let's head back to the inn. We'll get some sleep and call Reeve in the morning."

Downing the rest of his beer, Reno nodded his assent and practically skipped back to the inn, his high spirits a little bruised, but still intact.

As soon as Reno managed to peel open his eyes and shake the grogginess from his voice the next morning, he was already on the PHS, calling Reeve. Reeve hadn't answered the first two, three...six calls, but seventh time's the charm.

"Reeve Tuesti speaking."

"Whaddid I tell ya about that whole namin' yourself thing? Do ya think I'd bother callin' ya if I didn't know who it was?"

"Reno? What do you want?"

"Just callin' to check on how my princess is doin'."

"Yuffie?"

"No. You, lover-boy. Of course it's Yuffie ya dolt!"

"Oh. Well..."

Reno narrowed his eyes at the avoidance and hesitant nature of Reeve's response.

"Give me a second."

Reeve took a moment to excuse himself from the house, walking to the front gate, far from the spying ears of anyone in the mansion.

"I didn't really get the details from her yet, but apparently she and the Crown Prince made a reconciliation last night."

Those words hit Reno like a blow to the solar plexus. For a moment he was robbed of the ability to breathe, much less think about what to say; but once he regained his composure, he asked what he needed to know:

"What does that mean?"

"I honestly don't know. Whatever it was you did last night, DID managed to bring her back to her old self. But who knows what that means between she and Prince Valentine. On that note, we've also extended our stay til the middle of the week in order to allow her more time to get to know him. I really don't know if I ought to tell you this but...I really have my reservations about this. I see no reason why she should have to prove herself to him. If it was really healthy for either of them, they would get along unconditionally, regardless of whatever quirks or...nevermind. I'm rambling. Look, I can't really talk right now, but just know that anyone who can make her feel right when she's true to herself is good in my books -- not that I'm saying that person is you, but -- call me later, after I've had my coffee. All this babbling really isn't good for my PR."

With that, the phone went dead; and Reno was left sitting there with a puzzled look on his face trying to decrypt what Reeve had just said.

a fit of impatience, the redhead shot another call to Reeve's PHS.

"Goodness! I just finished talking to you? What's so important?"

"Set up a meeting with me and the Princess. This ain't no question. It's a demand. Call me when the deed is done."

This time it was Reeve's turn to sputter dumbly at a dead phone line.

Rude had awoken and only caught this final conversation, raising an eyebrow at the determined look on his friend's face. This was a kind of tenacity Rude had only ever seen Reno use while on a particularly rough job.

"It ends tonight. She has to know. Who I am, how I feel, and why it's so important that she ditches that dweeb and comes with me."

"Reno..."

"There's no reasoning with me now, partner. This is how it goes. Consequences be damned."

Rude looked at him sternly, brown eyes blazing with unanswered questions, apprehension, and a slight twinge of fear from the backlash of what his impulsive partner was going to do. Yet he knew there was no stopping the man once he set his mind on something. Shrugging with an air of defeat he nodded to Reno.

"Well. Sounds like it's going to be a Hell of a day. A big breakfast sounds good."

Reno broke into a charismatic grin and walked up to Rude, giving him a good-natured punch in the arm.

"I know I can always count on you!"

Rude half-smiled his assent, but heard the nagging thought in his head:

Too bad thing the only thing I'M counting on right now is disaster.