Emotionally Spent

It was obvious to anyone that the air in seventh heaven bar was tense and considering the current activities of the four men sat within it was no wonder there were no customers. Their very presence and attitude seemed to make people piss themselves before getting through the door.

The most threatening man was sat on the serving side of the bar counter, his oversized sword laid in front of him as he almost maliciously polished the blade. His hands moving so fast he threatened to melt the metal beneath, or at the very least burn the cloth. He seemed to be venting some unknown anger which was hidden in his mako blue orbs. This man was Cloud Strife and he was not in the best of moods.

The only other blonde patron in the bar seemed to be the only one not touching a weapon. Nevertheless a large spear lay against the chair at his side. He seemed strangely happy enough to sit on the opposite side of the bar to Cloud. Of course anyone would sit there when they were blind drunk; a large and mostly empty bottle of amber liquid sat in front of the man, and several empty shot glasses lined the table. This Pilot was Cid Highwind and he was good enough to admit being drunk didn't help his mood.

The third man in the bar was by far most sinister looking, with ebony hair and garnet eyes. Just from appearance he could have been a demon in disguise, shrouded in a long red cloak with a buckle covered leather monstrosity underneath. He seemed to be playing with, or rather rearranging, the materia in his three barrelled gun. He could have almost been fondly examining the orbs if it weren't for the harsh look in his cold eyes or the fact his lips were drawn into a visible frown line. This man, or monster as he prefers, was Vincent Valentine.

The only other man in the bar was a huge hulking mass of man. He seemed to be sat alone at a table between the Bar counter and Valentine's table. The frustration was easily readable on his face and he seemed to have trouble sitting still or occupying himself. Adjusting his gun arm had lost his interest weeks ago and so had pointless fiend slaughter. It was this man, Barret Wallace who smashed a table in anger; his human fist pounding into the flimsy wood and splitting it down the middle causing the other three men to break the tense silence.

"What the fuck man? You trying to fucking kill me?" Cid's gruff voice easily cut through the silence that had been hovering over the bar.

"She's not going to be happy about that. Not happy at all." Cloud was the next to speak, his tone nonchalant but still lighter than his haunted expression.

"I highly doubt this is the correct way to vent your anger…" Vincent's velvet voice easily interjected, trying to keep the situation calm.

"Well shit, you even made me spill my drink!" Of course Cid had other ideas about calm as he easily went on to antagonise Barret further, words spilling from his lips with little thought. He was not at all bothered by the argument he was starting, Cid wanted to vent his anger.

Finally Barret snapped again and the group were silenced by another slam as he smashed his booted foot into the already destroyed table. He had effectively cut off all further replies and he was clearly annoyed. His deep voice vibrated with anger as he spoke.

"Shut the hell up! Six months, Strife! Six whole months and you sit there talking like they're gonna waltz through the door and bitch at me about a damn table!" his breathing had gotten heavier with each word and he seemed ready to shoot at Cloud, especially since his gun arm was shaking lightly.

This of course was a movement which did not go unnoticed by Vincent, who had casually reached for his cure materia; slotting it into the first slot of his gun. This was probably not going to end well and the ex Turk had a habit of being prepared. Especially when he'd been in this situation countless times before over the past few months.

"We have nowhere else to look Barret. We just have to believe in them and trust they're safe." Cloud's voice was hollow as he spoke, like repeating a statement said far too often. There was little hope in his voice or his eyes and it showed, apparently his previous nonchalance was faked for the others benefit.

The lack of hope seemed to anger Barret even more, who threatened to smash the table yet again, but he was surprisingly cut off by Cid. Cid who had emptied the last of the amber liquor from the bottle and smashed it down on the counter. His voice talking through the burning of his throat, covering his hurt with hoarse tones.

"For fucks sake Strife, two of them aren't even adult and the other. Well, Shit, the other is sentimental. She'd die of fucking heart break if either one of those two kids kicks the bucket."

"Neither Tifa or Yuffie are incompetent…" Vincent's voice was the only normal toned one amongst them. He hadn't raised his voice in anger in fact he sounded just as velvet-ly detached as he normally did. Although his words seemed to end the squabble it also seemed to draw all the animosity of the room towards him. And Vincent quickly became the receiving party of three ruthless glares.

It took Vincent only a second to figure out he had spoke the Taboo; he had been the only one to say the girls names in a long while, after the first month the group had just referred to them in gender or vague terms. Almost like speaking of them would keep them away longer. It was a stupid reaction but the men hadn't known what else to do, their searches were fruitless and they were emotionally spent.

With a resigned inward sigh Vincent, holstered his gun in an attempt to show he was not being hostile. Although neither of the three men lowered their glares they did look less likely to jump him for speaking again. He hid his mouth further into his cloak before speaking only to be cut off by the annoying sound of the radio; a radio which was quickly turned up by Cid upon hearing the words 'Silent Stigma'.

"Three more 'Silent Stigma' victims have been found on the roadside today. Just outside of Edge. Although all three ladies were alive they were assessed as slightly worse for wear and were taken away from the scene to the WRO base hospital. Unfortunately our reporters were asked to leave before we could get the full story but we do have an exclusive and we can tell you that there were two dark haired women and a small brown haired teenager. One woman seems to be of Wutai descent and the other two victims appear Midgarian. We urge anyone still missing loved ones to contact the WRO's helpline, especially if any of these women match their description. And now onto other…"

The radio was cut off abruptly as a shot rang through the bar and the little piece of equipment slid off the table and onto the floor crackling from the single well aimed bullet wound. The shooter easily drawing all the attention to his red eyed self as he spoke.

"Get hold of Reeve… Now."

Reeve massaged the bridge of his nose angrily as he watched medical staff rush back and forth between three rooms. He was stood leant against the opposite wall to the rooms. His dark blue suit looking crinkled and his mood appearing defeated. Reeve was a logical man and as far as he could tell none of the 'Silent Stigma' victims had anything in common aside for Geostigma. And that had been cured years ago.

He couldn't for the life of him figure out how three, perfectly healthy, girls had been snatched by the 'silent stigma' when not a single one of them to his knowledge was recorded as having Geostigma. Nor had the silent stigma kept anyone for longer than a few days. His friends had been gone for 6 months. Something was not right here and by the state they turned up in there was going to be four very highly strung gentlemen at his door.

Reeve hadn't even bothered to call the other members of avalanche. The news would alert them soon enough and Reeve needed to time to treat the three medically. If Avalanche arrived here to see their own like that, there would be hell to pay to everyone within a fifty mile radius. With a almost pained sigh Reeve chanced a glance at his watch; he gave it another half an hour till they were pounding down the door.

Reeve closed his eyes and took a moment to firm his resolve and feel relief not despair. Satisfied he was in the right state of mind he headed off to the first window. None of the girls had awakened yet and probably wouldn't any time soon but he felt the need watch over them. Even if seeing them laid still like the dead made him feel sick with worry, even as it made another deeper part of him angry. Very angry. He couldn't understand how someone or thing could take two proud, strong, beautiful women and one young girl and do this to them.

Squashing the anger Reeve's eyes scanned the first room, Tifa's room. She was the most easily recognisable in terms of before and after. Her build was still the same but she looked to be starved. Or at the very least badly fed. The red dress she'd been wearing was apparently too big for her form now and was constantly being readjusted by the medical staff who bustled around her. Her hair was longer than ever and tumbled over the bed. She was filthy from being dumped on the roadside, but thankfully she suffered only few cuts. The worst part was her eyes, they were shut at the moment but the medical check showed a Mako glow behind her wine coloured orbs. Tifa had Mako poisoning, the Shinra enhancement sort.

Reeve watched with emotions bubbling behind his eyes as the staff inserted a high protein drip into Tifa's arm only to have her body reject it via the mako. With a quite shake of his head he switched his gaze and stepped over a few steps to the second window. This one was Marlene's. The poor little tyke had been so malnourished that her normal teenage growth seemed to have stopped. She was short, shorter than Yuffie, and her form was small and breakable. She was the least medically hurt but somehow Reeve was sure she'd be the one with long lasting scars. She'd never grow how she should now; always being a little shorter or a little thinner than she should be. Marlene looked like one of the refugee children he'd had re-homed. She looked emotionally dead even asleep and her dress was torn and dirtied, like she'd been battered.

He allowed himself a small amount of hope and belief in good as he looked at Marlene. She showed no signs of Mako poisoning. All her tests were thankfully clear. She had returned to them in a better condition than they had hoped. He took this moment of hoping to really ready himself for the third and final window; this one he hated the most because he remembered Yuffie working for him and he couldn't help compare the two Yuffie's mentally. As he took the final few steps he felt his heart snap again for all three women.

Yuffie was laid violently still on the hospital bed, she was dressed in her crimson Wutian ceremonial dress and a small silver crown was buried carelessly in hair that would be much too long for her liking. Her clothes, though dirtied, were probably the least harmed part of her. Yuffie was covered top to toe in bruises, bruises that seemed to heal themselves slowly, and were already yellowing. The worrying part was any time the medical staff tried to attach an IV or test her blood her body would heal before they could. So that brought about two disturbing questions; why did her body heal so fast? And why were those bruises lasting so long?

The questions had lead to more testing and observations and it came to light Yuffie to sported her own pair of glowing silver eyes. She'd been poisoned also, but apparently in a higher dose, which almost explained the healing.

He took a few steps back, back to leaning on the wall he was leaning on before. This time watching as the medical staff finished cleaning the wounds and dirt from the girls and leaving them to rest. It was going to be a long worrying wait till they woke up. And the rest of avalanche hadn't even got there yet…

Crash.

Smash.

Crack.

"Reeve if you don't open this fuck ass door Vincent's gonna shoot the shit out of your pansy base." Cid seemed to be the only one able to trust his vocal cords. Two other avalanche men stood silent each looking visibly livid as Barret speechlessly smashed repeatedly against Reeve's office door.

Boom.

Bang.

"We ain't fucking kidding Reevey boy" Cid's voice cut over the sound of hinges whining and footsteps approaching.

"Well I can't well open the door if I'm not in there…You're early by the way" Reeve's calm voice seemed to stop all action in the hallway as four pairs of eyes came to rest on him. Reeve thankfully had a strong stomach and managed to keep a straight face as he spoke, his words trying to lighten the air to no avail.
"I take it you need a new Radio?"

He paused for a few moments waiting for a reply only to find none; each of the men were looking at him with a varying degree of annoyance, waiting to be told whether the girls had been found. And so with a heavy heart he nodded his head answering the silent question he was being asked.

"Follow me then gentlemen…" without another word Reeve turned on his heel and gestured for them to follow. Not really caring if they did or not, he'd had enough mental strain for the day and this was not going to go well any way he looked at it.

The four men crowded around windows easily, each peering in on the still sleeping occupants and each one seeming relived in some way. Which Reeve counted as a blessing because he hated to think how they would have reacted earlier. After all Reeve was a leader and a clever man, he'd done what was in everyone's best interest.

As he took a few steps back from the group, he couldn't help but observe the men peering through the windows. It was a strange sight and had he been in his usual teasing mood he would have commented; Barret was plastered to Marlene's window like a sucker fish. He would occasionally glance to Tifa's window but he wouldn't move. As for Yuffie he'd only once or twice glanced at her window. His priorities were with his daughter.

Cloud as expected was stuck between being a leader and being Tifa's best childhood friend. He was hovering near her window but gazing constantly at the other two. Almost willing himself to split into three so he could check after them all at the same time. His face switching from relief to annoyance regularly as a result of his inability to split.

Cid was probably the most vocal of the lot, striding between the windows. He would curse and threaten one moment only to pray to Gaia the next In thanks. Although his language was just as colourful for both tasks. He'd pause more often at Tifa's and Yuffie's window but Reeve knew it was because one he saw as a pure soul and the other he saw like an annoying little daughter.

Vincent was probably being the calmest. As soon as he had reached the hospital wing he had looked to Reeve, and Reeve had dutifully told him who was where. Vincent had strolled between all three windows just the once, pausing to check monitor readings and visual conditions before finally reaching Yuffie's window where he stayed.

As much as Reeve knew neither person would admit it, Yuffie and Vincent were friends as well as mission partners. They were always paired together for their skills and so they had often been in similar situations where one was left watching hopelessly as the other healed. It was second nature for Vincent to stand there so Reeve made no move to question him instead his mind wondered to how he would tell them the news of the girls conditions.

"They have incurable mako poisoning." Reeve's nonchalant voice cut over Cid's vocal tirade like a megaphone and suddenly he felt the urge to slap himself. He hadn't meant to say it out loud but he had, and very loudly. He hadn't even had chance to breath before replies were thrown at him; he suddenly began to fear one of the other men were going to kill him by the end of the day.

"My baby, my little Marlene!" Barrett's voice was desperate and whining, almost resigned. Like Mako would curse his daughter to hell.

"Your fucking shitting me right? Some sick bastard is going to pay." Cid virtually growled as he spoke, sounding ready to kill the first thing that showed any hint of being responsible.

"Reeve, are you sure?" Cloud had the hollow self blaming tone to his voice but the tinge of hope was clear. Almost praying for Reeve to shout 'Kidding.'

"Impossible" Vincent just sounded so sure and so pissed at the same time. It was almost like he was torn between proving to Reeve why they couldn't have incurable mako poisoning and just blatantly ripping his voice box out for saying such things.

Thankfully Reeve could decipher all the reactions despite the fact they were slightly jumbled when spoke at the same time. He didn't trust himself to meet their eyes as he replied but his voice was steady and firm, showing even leaders could say things they didn't want too.

"Only Tifa and Yuffie have the poisoning. But it's not poisoning from a natural mako source, we can't treat it. We've already tried. Yuffie dose is highest, by far. They should be out for days considering…"

Reeve didn't have to look up to recognise the doors opening and slamming shut. Although he finally did just to see what was happening. Cloud had marched into Tifa's room followed closely by Cid. Both men had gently pulled up an eyelid each of the sleeping bar tender to observe the Mako tint to her eyes. Cid removed himself from Tifa and he dropped down into a nearby chair staring at her form with worry. Cloud grimaced and move away, swiftly backing out of the door and heading towards Yuffie. Apparently Tifa's dose had been too high for his liking so his reaction to Yuffie's dose would not be pleasant.

Reeve used the time it took Cloud to get to Yuffie's room to observe Barret. The man was huddled in a chair next to his daughters form, speaking to her it seemed. Although Reeve couldn't hear the words and he wouldn't intrude by lip reading. Instead he switched his eyes back to Yuffie's room just as Cloud entered it.

He couldn't be quite sure but he swore he heard Vincent growl when he pulled open Yuffie's eyes with one hand and gently with one Claw…

Vincent had followed his instincts the moment Reeve had said Mako Poising. He had spoke without thought, dismissing the possibility. The only type of mako poisoning that was incurable was things like the solider enhancements, Turk development and his own tormented body. He knew for a fact the people responsible for doing such things were long dead, some by his own hand.

But then Reeve had dashed his instincts on the floor, because the man didn't shout 'joke' instead he explained the dosage for the girls, and suddenly he and his comrades had moved without words. All checking on their respective worries.

It had been almost natural for Vincent to wait outside Yuffie's room, for he'd been in the same situation before after many missions. However it was entirely natural for him to check on Yuffie's dosage first. If she had the worse dose it made sense or at least that was his acknowledged reasoning after all monsters didn't have personal attachments.

With a deep breath Vincent stopped by Yuffie's bed, finally taking the time to properly look at her still form. As far as he could tell she was dressed in her coronation robes, which seemed to be some form of short red kimono embroidered with black patterns; patterns of leviathan and materia. A silver crown was threaded in the hair that dangled over her face and to him Yuffie suddenly looked very old and weary.

In an almost caring gesture he pulled the tangled Tiara lightly form her hair and placed it down on the table, smoothing her hair from her face and reaching out to her eyes. Vincent paused as he realised he would need to see both eyes. With some reluctance he carefully used the Claw to pry open the other eye lid. A growl slipping from his lips just as Cloud entered the room.

He held her eyes open just long enough for Cloud to walk over and see before removing his hands like they burned. Without moving his person he quickly switched his gaze to Cloud, staring down his leader.

"A dose that high should of killed her, months ago…You know that" Vincent spoke his words in a statement rather than a question but he was still greeted with a nod from Cloud, the blonde looking thoughtful for a moment.

"Tifa's does is much smaller, but only just below the lethal limit." The conversation was disturbed as the Ninja's hands began to twitch, clenching and unclenching. Like trying to wake up from a strong dream. Both men quickly moved so they were stood hovering over Yuffie's form staring down at her face. Watching for any signs of distress or negative reaction to the Mako dose.

To both their surprise they were greeted with a pair of silver glowing eyes opening slowly. Firstly staring up at them confusedly, before her gaze turned to curious. Yuffie yawned slightly and blinked once before staring back up at the two unmoving men. When she finally spoke her voice was lighting fast as always, even if it had matured over the years and lowered into a playful adult tone.

"You know It's nice to wake up to two wonderfully handsome faces and all but how the hell did you get into my house? And why the hell are you in Wutai?... Oh sorry guys but you missed the coronation you know, that was yesterday..."

Authors Notes:
This was awful to write, I'm sure this is about the third or fourth version. That first scene I had perfectly in my head but somehow I couldn't figure out which perspective to write from so it went general. Which personally I think sucks. I also don't really like my take on the guys; at the moment they're all a bit general and impersonal because I'm trying to write them all at once and it doesn't seem to work. Ugh.

The only bits of this chapter I like are Reeve's perspectives. I've never wrote Reeve before, and I haven't played DOC (past the training bit) so I'm going purely on Cait Sith and what little of Reeve we see elsewhere to judge his personality. It was fun writing him worrying but I cant wait to write him happier. Oh I also like the Yuffie bit, the scene with her waking and seeing them was stuck in my head for days so I had to use it.

As for Red XII. Well I'll be honest, he was in the first draft but I somehow forgot him in the others. Don't worry though he and Cait Sith will be around next chapter. Anyway sorry about the delay and expect and update soon, the drama starts next chapter!

Reviewers are adored by the way!