So, here is the new chapter! I love this one. Revenge is so sweet...especially when you know your targets credit card numbers...ahem. There is a small bit here about Reno's childhood, which will come into play later on in the story. This is going to be longer than I initially planned, but hey, its good so I'll keep it going for a while. Makes you guys happy, right?

Oh, and thanks, Cloudmetei, for the message. It totally made up for me having to work late while sick. : ) And thanks to all you who read this. You make me happy too! Eventhoughyoudon'treviewbuthat'sokay.

I don't own FF VII of any of the characters. I just use them. Cause I'm good like that. Yeah...

Reno smiled to himself while walking into the inn his fellow Turks and boss were in. There was no way to get Rufus out and about before eight, so he had plenty of time to 'talk' with Rude. The innkeeper looked up at him in surprise. He was dressed as a Turk, so there was no reason for him to stand out enough for the guy to look at him like that. Reno's smile widened as he decided to have a bit of fun.

"They staying in the usual rooms, Soodi?" The man behind the counter nodded vigorously. He looked nervous still. "Hey, what's eating you?"

"Sir...does Lord Godo know you are here?"

"Sure he does. Just had a nice chat with him." Reno hid his amusement carefully. His position here was still on the line when it came to the locals. People in Wutai just did not raise children alone unless one parent was dead. He had unwittingly committed a faux pas. "You can relax, you know. Although, I think I should warn you that I'll be taking Renji up for a ride in my helicopter sometime before dinner. You can warn your other guests or something." The man's eyes widened slightly when he mentioned his sons name.

"I...Renji would enjoy that, sir."

"I hope so. And how about you stop being polite for thirty seconds and tell me what you really want to say."

"It's not my place, sir."

"Sure it is. Yuffie still has a shit-ton of yelling at me to do, so a little more abuse won't hurt too much."

"I...why did you stay away? Surely you knew about your own son! How could you let him grow up without you? Do you know how hard it is for that poor boy to be so alone, and for Lady Kisagari to be on her own? What kind of man are you?" It all came out in a rush of angry words. He was now breathing deeply, trying to regain control.

"Anything else?"

"Not at the moment sir."

"Well, three things. One, I didn't know about Renji til yesterday. Two, it's my own damn fault I didn't know. And three, you know damn well I'm not a candidate for 'Man of the Year'. So save your breath when it comes to that. I do, however, intend to do my best for both of them. You've got kids, Soodi, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"So, how the hell do you be a good father? Cause I've got no clue." Soodi blinked at him for a moment and then the man bowed. People in Wutai were always bowing, and it usually drove Reno crazy. "I didn't do anything to make you bow, man."

"Yes, you did. You just aknowledged your wish to be a good father. There is some honor in you yet, Reno of the Turks. It is something you must learn on your own, though." Reno sighed quietly, but it was not lost on Soodi. "But, if you wish, I can tell you some things that would be helpful."

"Well, I was going to throw a bucket on ice water on my partner, but this seems to be more important, right?"

"Yes."

-----a short time later------

"Hey, Soodi, thanks." Reno waved at the bowing man as he walked down the halls of the inn. He truely had been looking forward to drenching his partner, but Soodi was a wealth of information he was not going to miss out on. Besides, the innkeeper was well known and well respected by the whole city. Having him as an ally was no laughing matter.

Having a box full of women's underwear and months supply of Summer's Eve Feminine Cleansing Cloths charged on his partners corperate account, however, was.

Reno took the time to place the order on the payphone in the lobby before he went to see Rude. It was all he could do not to laugh manically while placing the order. It was not the standard payback for him, but Reno had kept this scheme to himself until there was a good time to use it.

Once he reached the set of rooms reserved specifically for the Turks and Rufus, he listened. They were all still asleep, apparently, which was what he wanted. Rude was quietly snoring when Reno snuck in. He spied a half eaten box of chocolate cookies, and helped himself to a few, sitting down at the small table the inn provided and putting his feet up on the other chair in the room. When his partner showed no signs of waking, he took matters into his own hands. He a few of the cookies and began throwing them at Rude's sleeping form. The man began to show signs of life after the forth cookie that hit his ear. Reno went back to eating his selected cookies, waiting for Rude to realize he was there.

Rude groggily blinked his eyes open, and brushed a few crumbs from his face with one hand before turning to the direction the light was coming from. Even with the blinds drawn, the morning light still streamed in. Rude was cursing to himself about how he would shoot the sun one day for waking him up.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you never to eat cookies in bed, Rude?" The man jumped at the sound of a voice in his room. He visibly relaxed when he realized it was his partner sitting at his table and not an intruder. The fact that Reno had to have broken in made no difference. "What did you do, hug the cookies in your sleep? Sloppy, man, just sloppy. You've got crumbs on your face." Rude rubbed his face, finding that there was indeed a multitude of crumbs on his face, as well as pieces of cookie in the sheets of his bed.

"I must eat in my sleep or somthing."

"Yeah. You must." Rude gave him a suspicious look, and Reno laughed inwardly as Rude began to question himself on his sleeping habits. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah...when'd you get here? Just now?"

"Nope. Last night." Rude's head snapped up quickly.

"And?"

"That was a pretty mean way to tell me I had a kid, partner. Surprising me like that. If I wasn't such a nice guy, I'd take it out on you here and now." He smiled, making Rude look around suspiciously, trying to find out if Reno had sabotaged anything in the room. Seeing nothing immediately, he turned a frown on Reno.

"Like you'd have believed me by just telling you?"

"Good point. It was still mean."

"Humph."

"Kid's cute though. I hope he doesn't turn out like me. How scary would that be?"

"I'd go retire on a mountain somewhere with a shotgun, shooting anything with red hair that came near."

"Shit yeah, I'd do the same thing."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Whaddya mean, what am I going to do? I'm not going to just let my own kid grow up without a dad. I'm a bad guy, but damn, I'm not THAT bad. It's not easy growing up on your own." Reno frowned back at his partner, making Rude feel guilty. Rude knew how Reno had grown up, without a father, and then found his mother beaten to death by a John that didn't want to pay for her services.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. But there's no way in hell I'm going to let that happen to them. Not that Yuffie would let it, but you know what I mean." Reno took a deep breath and banished the memories of his childhood. He stole a cigarette from Rude's pack on the table and lit it. Rude grunted at the theft, but said nothing about it. "Who else knows?"

"Rufus. The Teenage Turks were too busy groping each other to notice the kid."

"I bet. What does the Boss think?"

"No idea. He wasn't pissed, if that's what you're talking about. He likes the kid, too."

"Uncle Rufus, huh? That's funny."

"Yeah."

"Alright, I gotta go. But, thanks for telling me." Rude nodded as his partner got up and left, taking a handful of cookies with him. "See you around."

"Yeah." Rude got out of bed once he left, and went over to the table. He swore violently when he found only three cookies left. "What the hell? I had half a box left..."

Reno...Turk, Father, and COOKIE THIEF! What kind of role model is this? Stealing cookies...that's low. No one touches my cookies unless they have a death wish. (looks around while hugging bag of cookies to chest)

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