Chapter Four

Alex typed away at her keyboard, filling the room with clacking noises. It was another busy day. Phones wailed like unattended children, fax machines kept getting jammed, staplers went missing, so on and so forth. Alex was almost done. She needed to write a few more words of closure and save the document. When she was done typing, she stretched her fingers happily and headed towards the save button. But something happened! It was anyone's worst nightmare. Her heart stopped momentarily and she forgot to breathe. It couldn't be happening.

ERROR 2201

WINDEX COULD NOT BOOT PROPERLY.

STATUS: 0xc00000e9

FOR TROUBLESHOOTING OPTIONS, PRESS F13.

FOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT, VISIT /SUPPORT/WED_ON;TAC/TU-LLY[GI]V8E!A%SH}IT

A blue screen occupied Alex's computer, white text written across the blue screen. Alex's eyes widened. It was Windex's blue screen of death!

"THERE IS NO F13!" she exclaimed. Her document was long lost, deleted by malfunction. Alex cursed out loud, seething in her office chair. She smacked the side of the computer forcefully, causing the monitor to tumble to the floor. The screen flickered a few times and came to a fateful end with one last computerized groan. A large crash echoed throughout ShinRa. All the workers stared at her in disbelief.

"That is coming out of my paycheck." She whispered to herself, internally smacking herself for doing something so stupid.

"Yes. Yes it is." Genesis commented behind her. She spun around quickly, a scowl on her face.

"What do you want?" she growled.

"To apologize and give you coffee." He responded, sarcasm or arrogance nowhere in sight. He was dead serious.

"It's not going to work this time, Rhapsodos." She scoffed and turned to her broken computer. She sighed at the destroyed computer and picked up a pen and paper. Genesis picked up in the back of his mind that she only called him by Rhapsodos when she was severely pissed off.

"Bad day?" he asked, pity in his voice.

"Worse than usual." She murmured, already rewriting the document by hand, the same one she electronically lost. Alex cringed at herself. He doesn't care, so why is she telling him? "It doesn't matter. Go to work, Genesis. I have to do mine."

"Mocha coffee would make it better." Genesis suggested. He waved the coffee in her face but she just pushed the cup out of her way.

"No, thank you." She murmured in a chilly voice.

"Anything I can help with?" he offered. His blue eyes shined with pity. Alex didn't even bother to look at him. His charm wasn't going to work this time.

"You can go away." She retorted.

"No."

"Go away!"

"Not today." He calmly stated.

"Why not?" she snapped, papers flying everywhere. She was looking more and more like a madwoman.

"I still haven't apologized to you." He mumbled. If Genesis hated something more than Sephiroth, it was apologizing. Genesis almost never apologized. He rarely did. The last time he apologized, it was to keep his job. This time, he had to apologize to keep his best friend.

"I don't want an apology from you." She mumbled as she kept writing, paying almost no attention to him.

"Oh? And why is that?" he asked, slightly angered. The woman was incredibly moody and stubborn.

"I don't want an apology when I know you don't mean it." She explained, eyes glued to her papers.

"I do mean it, Alex. I am honestly sorry. I had no right to yell at you for a mistake you made." Genesis couldn't stop himself from saying something so idiotic. It registed in his brain after seven seconds that it was number 6 on the list of things never to say to Alex; never tell Alex she made a mistake. It slowly killed a perfectionist like her.

Alexandra slapped the pencil down on the desk and moved her gaze to meet slightly widened cerulean eyes.

"My mistake? I knew you didn't mean it. You are too arrogant and cocky and overall Genesis, you are an ass and you can't change. You never will and I feel bad for you. Now do me a favor and leave."

"Alex-"

"Leave Genesis. Please leave." She whispered.

Genesis sighed. She was right. He was an ass. He had hurt her for being stupid and arrogant. His ego and hatred for Sephiroth got in the way. Overall, Sephiroth was winning his mind game. Genesis knew that this was what he wanted. Sephiroth wasn't even there and he was screwing with his head.

"Alright. If that is what you want." He whispered as he turned to leave.

"Don't come back." She mumbled softly, loud enough for Genesis to hear. He shook his head but Alex didn't see his gesture. He would come back and he would make it up to the brunette.

Alex walked back to work from the cafeteria. Everything was unusually quiet. Genesis was nowhere to be seen. She expected him to pop out and insult her or Sephiroth some more. No matter how much she knew she was right, she felt… horrid. She knew that Genesis had… issues with being sympathetic and apologetic. Maybe she was a little too harsh on him. At least he tried! It is the thought that counts.

Alexandra frowned when she saw a flock of women surrounding her desk. She marched her way over there and shooed the women away. On her desk was a lovely bouquet of roses. In the roses, were two cards. The first card was a note.

Alex, I know I am an ass but I cannot change that. It would be as hard as you switching to decaf.

Alex paused to nod understandingly to no one in particular. It would be rather hard and near impossible.

I don't know why you put up with me these past couple of years but I am truly glad you did. ShinRa would be rather boring without you. I am truly sorry.

With love,

Genesis

Alex couldn't help but smile. She knew he cared in his own strange way. She couldn't afford to lose him either. Alex bent down and sniffed the red bouquet. A strong and sweet scent filled her senses. She looked at the other card and burst out giggling. It was a fifty dollar gift card to Skybucks. He knew her to damn well!

Alex heard a ding and she gasped when she saw the flat screen computer monitor on her desk. Opened up on the monitor was a document she very well recognized. It was the one she had written up countless of times. With a content sigh, she sat down, a grin on her face.

Her day was going pretty well.

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