Tseng was still staring broodily at Reno's inert body when Rufus came in.

"Tseng? You may leave now." The President said.

"What? Oh, yes Sir." He left the room, still deep in thought.

Rufus took a seat on the plastic chair near his comatose employee's bedside.

He gazed at the motionless body, taking in the tubes attached to his pale, emaciated frame.

He sighed softly. "Ah, Reno, what are we going to do with you?"

He smiled sadly and twisted a strand of the fiery red hair around his index finger.

"Why did I have to find you?" he asked. "I'll never forget how I found you."

Reno had stumbled through the sudden downpour, crashing through the double doors of the Shinra, Inc headquarters. He made his way to the office he shared with Elena, and grabbed a pen, a sheet of paper, and a bottle of Valium pills.

He quickly scrawled a note on the paper, then picked up the bottle of pills and tipped out five onto his palm.

It was time. He had nothing left to lose.

Rufus walked along the hall, checking to see if anyone was still there.

He saw a light from under the door of Reno and Elena's office. Smiling to himself, he thought, It must be Elena, working overtime again.

He opened the door-

And froze in his tracks.

Reno was lying on the carpeted floor a note on the desk, and an open bottle of pills beside it.

Rufus ran up to the desk with a growing feeling of dread. Frantically, he read the note:

Rufus,

I'm sorry, but I have to do this. It hurts too much for me to go on, and I can't live without her.

Tell Elena that I love her.

-Reno

The president of Shinra, Inc fell to his knees, trying to find his collapsed friends' pulse.

"Help! Someone, please, HELP ME!"

Rufus clenched his eyes and gritted his teeth, trying to stifle his anguished sobs.

"Reno, you idiot…I love you like a brother and you go and pull something stupid like this! Don't you see how much you've hurt Elena? She blames herself for what you've done. Tseng is so guilty I can't look him in the eyes anymore. And under his sunglasses, Rude's eyes are bloodshot from crying for you. I've seen it myself!"

Silence claimed the room again. The life support machine beeped steadily.

Rufus brushed a finger across his companion's cheek.

"Please wake up, Reno. We need you.

"All of us."