Here's chapter Three.

And yes, Rufus will be meeting with all the others as well – well some of them. Edited.

-Crimson

Redemption

Chapter Three - What goes around comes around

It was strangely cold outside, making Rufus shove his hands deep in his pockets and shift his weight from foot to foot. They were standing out in a field behind the hotel, which was oddly calm, waiting for Cid to pick them up. Mountains surrounded the area, making the field closed in. The sky was pure white and it almost looked like it was going to snow.

"Ya see anything yet?" Charles asked as he yawned. Rufus glanced over at him and wasn't surprised when he saw the other man light another cigarette. Charles had smoked at least six of them while they had been standing out there and it hadn't even been an hour.

Rufus looked around, looking over the mountains to see if he saw anything flying over them. He saw nothing, but he heard something start to approach them. "East." He muttered, trying to shove his hands deeper in his pockets due to how cold the air was. He glanced over at Charles again, who seemed to be trying to figure out which way was east. "It's this way." Rufus added, nodding in the direction he was standing toward. He had his guns and daggers strapped in place again, plus his cigarettes in his back jean pocket. He didn't know when he picked up the habit exactly, but over the past few years it had gotten worse.

"Hmmm. How do you know that?" Charles asked, squinting his eyes, "I don't see anything."

"I can hear it."

It was silent for a few moments, Rufus grinned slightly at the look on Charles's face as he listened intently, "Oh." He said simply, before throwing his cigarette on the ground and crushing it with his boot, "Ya know kid," He said while shaking his head, "I haven't even thought about what Cid's gonna do when he sees you."

"That makes two of us." Rufus said dryly, "If he figures it out, he figures it out." He shrugged lightly, "I'm not gonna go out of my way to explain myself."

The fact was though, he didn't really care about explaining himself. He just didn't want to have to deal with the reactions. There were a lot of different ways people could feel about his sudden return, and not knowing what they would be is what put him on edge. If anything, he was hoping he wouldn't be recognized at all. He rather people treat him like someone they just met, rather than the newly found "Rufus Shinra."

That wasn't the exact truth either, he wanted people to know who he was – he just didn't want people to see him the way he predicted he would be seen.

Charles grinned, "This should be interesting."

"It should."

A few more moments passed before the airship came into total view. Rufus felt a knot form in his stomach and a tingling feeling in his chest. He knew it was because he was about to see someone he actually knew. He couldn't remember the last time he saw a familiar face.

He cracked his knuckles absentmindedly and glanced over at Charles, who's grin had only grown bigger as the airship approached them. If he wasn't so nervous, he'd probably be smiling himself. But the feeling of panic started to outgrow the excitement. He was scared because the feeling of freedom hadn't settled in yet, and he just wasn't mentally prepared to see people he had attempted to forget about.

The Shera finally made it's way to them and started to lower itself. The familiar feeling of air pushing down on him made Rufus sigh heavily, he just wasn't ready for this. The ramp slowly unfolded and laid itself out in front of them. Charles immediately started to walk up it, and when Rufus didn't immediately follow he turned around.

"Ya comin' kid?" He hollered, raising an eyebrow.

Rufus almost said 'no,' but he gave a slight nod and began to walk up the ramp. His heart was pounding in his chest and his hands were sweaty – he, the great Rufus Shinra, was nervous.

A small thought entered his mind – if he was nervous to see Cid, how was he going to react to seeing Reno and his other Turks? How was he going to react to seeing his old team?

The real question was though, how would they react to seeing him?

He shook his head and decided that he'd just address if when it happened. He followed Charles through some hallways and after a few more seconds they reached an automatic sliding glass door. When they stepped through it, he immediately felt overwhelmed.

The smell of cheap cigarette smoke filled his nostrils, mixed with grease and oil. He knew that smell all to well, from his few visits to Rocket Town, and the few times he had flown on the man's airship during his days at the WRO - it was non other than the smell of Cid Highwind. He didn't see the man anywhere at first, but that didn't last for long.

"I was wonderin' where the hell you two were, I thought you got lost 'er somethin'."

The sound of Cid Highwind's voice was enough to make Rufus want to throw up and hide. He felt himself freeze, but his head slowly turned and saw the pilot waltzing over to them with his signature grin.

He walked over to Charles and smacked him on the shoulder, "Where the hell have you been?" He said loudly, "I haven't seen you fer years!"

"Sorry..." Charles said smiling, "I've been caught up in some things."

"Yeah, yeah." Cid said waving his hand. He looked over at Rufus and grinned a little "Sorry! I should introduce myself!" He held out his hand and his grin broadened, "I'm Cid Highwind! I'm the pilot of this baby – her name's Shera."

Rufus stared at the hand like a foreign object. Slowly he reached out and shook the man's hand. He looked up to meet Cid's eyes and said evenly, "I'm Rufus." He saw a small flash of something go through the man's eyes, but it quickly went away.

Cid withdrew his hand and scratched his head, "Didn't mean to stare at ya...ya just..." He shook his head, "nevermind." He seemed like something was seriously bothering him as he began to walk away. He stopped suddenly though and turned around to look at Rufus, "Ya got a last name kid?"

Rufus just stared at him for a second. He felt his heart start to pound harder in his chest and he started to feel light headed. Cid kept looking at him, waiting for a response.

"It's Shinra." he said quietly, his lips barely moving in the process.

Everything in the moment seemed to pause. There was no sound and there was absolutely no movement – just the widened eyes that the pilot Cid Highwind now had. He stared at the man in front of him with his mouth hanging ajar.

Charles was the one to break the silence, "Ya look like ya've seen a ghost Cid." He chuckled lightly, "Ya didn't think he was actually dead, did ya?" He walked over to Rufus and smacked his shoulder in a friendly manor, "I doubt anyone could actually take this kid down."

Cid didn't say a word. He just stared at Rufus, his eyes holding a dangerous look. "So," He finally said, "What the hell happened to you? Ya look like a refugee."

Maybe I am...Rufus thought to himself. He didn't know what to say at first. What was there to really say in the first place?

It turns out he didn't have to say anything, because Cid switched his attention to Charles, "It's kinda funny...you of all people find him. You've been missing yourself." he took a deep breath and pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his pockets. "We've been lookin' for him for years, and we didn't come up with shit."

Rufus's head cocked to the side slightly, why did he say "we?" He'd been looking for him as well? "You looked for me?" Rufus asked quietly, feeling embarrassed how his voice sounded so weak.

"Yep." Cid said as he placed a cigarette between his lips and lit it. "For about three years now."

"But why did you look?"

"I'm the man with the huge airship."

The ex president shook his head, "You're not he only man with an airship."

"Look – I was doin' a favor for those damn Turkeys of yours. Reno came and asked me to a few months after you disappeared, and ever since then I've been helpin them look." He rolled his eyes, "Reeve even increased my damn pay – so why the hell wouldn't I look?"

Rufus felt his heart jerk a little when he heard his Turk's name. Even after all this time, they still looked? They even asked a member of AVALANCHE to help.

Cid grumbled something under his breath then looked at Rufus, "So where to? Junon? I know your Turkey's are there for the day. I'm headin' to Edge."

The words came out of his mouth before he realized it - "They aren't my Turks anymore."

"Yeah right." Cid said with a wave of his hand. "They've never stopped lookin' for you. Even though it was a lost cause, or at least seemed like one." He ran a hand through his hair, "They've looked every single day, and one of them went missing themselves because of it." he looked at Rufus and narrowed his eyes, "Not your Turks my ass."

Rufus stood dumbfounded for a second. What did he mean by that? One of them went missing? "Excuse me?" He said a little too sharply.

"Tseng. He's been missin' for like a year now." He started to walk away again, "Let that ponder in your thoughts for awhile."

Tseng had gone missing? But why? Of all people how did they capture Tseng? He felt his heart start to pound in his chest once again and he felt a little light headed. The real question was though, why hadn't Rufus noticed? If he had been missing a year, than that means he had to be with them. So how could he not have noticed?

How?

"So, where am I taken ya?" Cid called to him, raising an eyebrow.

Rufus was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even hear Cid call to him. He was barely aware of his own surroundings anymore. Just knowing that Tseng was most likely there at that exact moment, was eating at him.

Charles shook him by the shoulder, "Kid." Rufus jerked his head to look at Charles, "Where're ya goin'?"

Rufus sighed and shook his head slightly, he had no idea where he was going. "I don't really have a set destination in mind..." He muttered, shoving his hands in his pocket. "You won't have to worry," He said finally, "Once we reach Edge I'll leave. You won't have to worry about dragging me anywhere-"

"You don't wanna head to Junon?" Cid asked dumbfounded, "Cause that's where everyone you'll probably want to see is at."

Rufus felt himself shiver, just the thought of seeing all of them again chilled him to the bone. He couldn't deal with it at that moment. "No. Edge is fine."

With that being said he pulled a cigarette out and lit it, feeling slightly better after taking a long drag. It didn't really matter where he was going – he was going to see people he knew, there was no avoiding it.

He just wanted to avoid seeing that ones that actually really mattered to him, at least for now.

They reached Edge in a matter of hours; Rufus hadn't moved from his spot leaning against the wall, and he hadn't spoken one word either. Charles and Cid kept carrying on random conversations; talking about family, old memories, how Cid was in the married life, and how work was. They basically covered everything that needed to be covered.

"Edge in ten!" Cid called, he looked back at Rufus, who was looking at the ground with his arms crossed. "Hey - " Rufus didn't move from his spot, Charles shrugged at his cousin. "Rufus." He tried again, and the ex president looked up at him. Cid waved him over and sighed.

Rufus kicked himself off the wall and made his way over to the duo, he placed his hands in his pockets and moved his head to the side to glide his hair out of his face. "Yeah?" He said calmly.

The pilot scratched his head then sighed, "Listen...things aren't..." He sighed then shook his head, "Things aren't how they were when you left – errr, disappeared...or whatever. Everything has changed." The pilot scratched his head and casted a look toward the ground, "Cloud and Vincent – they're gone too."

The whole world seemed to grow still as Rufus soaked in all the new information. He didn't move, his eyes were staring at the man in front of him and his immediate thought was Where the hell was I when all of this happened? How could he not have sensed it? How could he be so blind to the fact that there were people he knew in there? How could he not sense the great Cloud Strife? How could all of this happen?

Cid continued while Rufus pondered the information he was receiving, "Edge looks a lot like the Slums now. Because there was no real security like there is in the new Midgar and Junon." He sighed again and just gave Rufus a disappointed look, "Just prepare yourself because I promise the sight you're going to see isn't pretty. It's bigger, but that doesn't help the cause." He sighed, "Alright, we're here."

Rufus merely nodded his head, his mind not being able to grasp the fact that he wasn't the only thing being destroyed in the past three years. The world was being torn apart – not just him. His heart seemed to sink in his chest as he let his mind wander to Tseng, Cloud and Vincent – how could this have happened? Cloud Strife, the planet's hero? Vincent Valentine, the ex Turk? Tseng, his most trusted companion?

How did all of this happen?

Cid didn't say another word, he just walked past the now confused and dazed Rufus Shinra with his eyes casted toward the ground. Nothing felt real anymore, not even the excitement that Rufus had felt earlier, when the only thing on his mind was a face he knew. He glanced over at Charles and saw that he was staring at him with narrowed eyes, almost like he was critiquing him.

"What?" Rufus asked bluntly, not having the patience to deal with anything else at that moment.

"Did you honestly think that once you got out of there, that everything was going to be the way it was before you left?" There was no emotion in the words he spoke back, just merely a small question that made the ex President narrow his eyes as well. "Life, has only went downhill – nothing is the same. I don't know what you expected."

Rufus said nothing, he merely turned around to go follow Cid.

What did you expect?

Nothing is the same.

Did you honestly think that one you got out of there, that everything was going to be the way it was before you left?

The words kept repeating in his head and it was almost unbearable because in the back of his mind, he knew Charles was right. The world moved on without him, in good and bad ways. He tried to ignore the thoughts that were trying to surface themselves, and continued to follow Cid out of the Airship, ignoring Charles who was now walking beside him.

In all honesty, he didn't know what he expected.

They all stepped out of the airship and into the cold air. Right when Rufus took his first step off the ramp of the airship, is thoughts were interrupted as he stared at how much Edge had expanded. However, the real thing he was staring at were the plates of Midgar that were back up a few miles away from them, they were visible from where they were at, and he couldn't believe how much building New Midgar had actually happened.

"Oh yeah.." Cid said slowly, realizing that this was the ex president's first time seeing New Midgar, "they've been rebuilding every day just about, you'd be surprised how many people were actually willing to help." Rufus nodded and marveled in how amazing it was to see Midgar back, well at least part of it. Cid's voice broke his thoughts though, "C'mon, the Seventh Heaven isn't far from here."

Rufus nodded and followed him to where he soon knew he'd be seeing Tifa Lockhart. His hands were in his pocket's again and he was surprised to see that he wasn't as nervous as he thought he was. He wasn't sure why but hearing that Strife, Valentine and Tseng had been taken, it was almost as if he couldn't feel. He was overcome with such confusion and a strange feeling of self disappointment that he didn't even care that he was going to see someone else he hadn't seen in three years.

He wanted to save them.

He knew he wasn't a hero, and he'd never claim to be one. He was the big bad man that helped almost destroy the planet, and he was fine being remembered that way, because at least that was a true statement. Him being a hero? That was just a joke. He didn't feel the desire to save any of the others, in fact he hadn't let the thought of saving people even entertain his mind for more than a second, because he hadn't undergone an amazing personality change – he was still the same selfish man, and even though he may not be exactly the same, he would never fully change into someone he clearly was not meant to be.

As he walked he started to survey his surroundings, and then Cid's words hit him "Edge looks a lot like the Slums now. Because there was no real security like there is in the new Midgar and Junon...Just prepare yourself because I promise the sight you're going to see isn't pretty." He hadn't been lying what so ever – it looked terrbile. It was almost horrifying. There were so many dirty children running around, and then he started to realize all the wives without husbands, and the husbands without wives, all the children without mothers or fathers...and all the mother and fathers without children. Rufus felt his throat start to burn as reality started to set in even harder – almost nothing good had happened in the past three years.

All of his thoughts were interrupted when his companions stopped, and he was right outside of the Seventh Heaven. He watched as Cid and Charles made their way up the few steps and to the front door, they walked in without looking at him, and left him there by himself. Rufus found that the feeling of panic had risen in his chest again, he threw all of this previous thoughts in the back of his mind and slowly made his way up the few steps as well. He glanced at the "Open" sign inside the window, and noticed that it looked exactly the same since the last time he had been there. He swallowed hard and pushed the door open, taking a deep breath as he did so.

The sight he was greeted to was one he would never forget. Tifa was behind the bar counter, smiling at Cid as she cleaned a bar glass with an old rag. She looked up to see him as the bell rang, signaling that someone had walked inside. Rufus almost stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her, not because he was so shocked to see her, but because he was shocked at her appearance.

Her hair didn't look as thick as it used to, it was thrown up into a messy bun that only shown her now skinny face. She had lost all the color to her cheeks, and her eyes looked dull and broken. Her once contagious smile was now nothing more than a small raise of the lips, clearly showing how much she couldn't bring herself to truly smile. He glanced at her figure quickly and felt something rise in his chest – she was skinny to the bone it looked like. Her arms looked like twigs, and her once nice curvy figure was belittled down to looking like a skeleton.

"Hello." She called to him, "Can I help you?" Her voice didn't hold the sweetness it once had either, she sounded so quiet, and it was then that Rufus realized what the feeling in his chest was. It was guilt. She was like this because of the disappearance of Strife, and maybe even Valentine – he should have seen them! He should have noticed or at least felt something.

But he hadn't, and as a result, Tifa Lockhart was nothing more than someone who's soul had died but body kept living.

He swallowed hard once again and tried his best to muster a smile, which turned out to look like something more of a halfhearted grin, "I'm with them actually." He said slowly as he walked over and sat down a few bar stools away from them. He cast his eyes to the bar, because he couldn't bare to look at her. He couldn't bare to see the pain he had caused someone he knew, he couldn't bare to see that someone else he knew had gone through some type of pain in the time he was gone.

The feeling in his chest only worsened as he heard her talk to Cid and Charles. It was so different, seeing her in such a state. He thought back to when he used to visit her randomly, showing up and seeing her glare at him and then smiling later with their small banter. He remember when Cloud would come back from whatever he was doing and mumble something about needing to raising the standards of the bar and would then ignore him for a few minutes before they would discuss things going on in the WRO. He even thought back to how the little girl Marlene had seemed to take a liking to him because she would burst through the door and scream "Mr. Rufus!" and would run over to him and bother him with small child talk. The boy however, Denzel was a different story, he had never liked seeing Rufus around, and whenever he did his eyes would turn into small daggers and he'd leave the room immediately. After awhile he tolerated his presence, but he never took a liking to him.

"Hello." The sudden voice of Tifa near, dragged him out of his thoughts. He looked up to meet her gaze and she gave him another weak smile, "It's nice to meet you, I'm Tifa." She held out her small frail hand to him and continued, "What's your name?"

He looked at her hand for a moment and slowly reached out and took it into his own, he closed around it gently and almost cringed at how boney it felt. "Rufus." He said quietly, releasing her hand slowly and bringing them back down to rest on the bar counter.

"It's nice to meet you..." She said in a strange voice, she stared at him for a few moments and then gently shook her head, "Can I get you anything?"

He was about to say scotch, but changed his mind when he glanced at her again. She was so weak, so fragile looking. She looked like an old shell of a person he used to know. He couldn't be cold to her, he might be an evil selfish person, but he couldn't just let someone he knew keep breaking. He gave her a small smile, "A Wutian Tea." He said evenly, locking eyes with her.

All of a sudden her eyes lit up and she smiled, the smile he used to see whenever he visited. "Rufus." She said gently, reaching over and grabbing his hand, "Is it really you?" She added quickly.

He nodded his head and let her hold his hand for a moment, he couldn't find any words to say so he merely just continued to look at her awkwardly, hoping that she'd say something to fill the sudden silence.

"I am so happy to see you're alright." She whispered to him, he realized that she was shaking slightly, and that her eyes were glossed over. "You have no idea how much we've all wondered about you..." Her voice trailed off and she looked over at Cid, "Where did you find him?" She asked, a new light shinning in her eyes.

Cid pointed his thumb in Charles's direction, "He found him in some shit town passed out." He said while downing the rest of his drink.

She nodded and then turned her attention back onto Rufus, she squeezed his hand then let go, "Where...where were you?" She asked suddenly, as she began to get his drink ready. Rufus felt a knot form in his throat and when she placed his drink in front of him, he realized that he wasn't going to be able to keep this from everyone.

"I am not sure how to explain it." He said honestly, picking his drink up and taking a sip of it. "It's...not easy to describe."

"Were you where everyone else is?"

"Yes." He answered quietly, not wanting to talk about it at that moment.

"Are...are they alive?" She asked doubtfully, "I just need to know...I have to know.." She said barely above a whisper. Tears started to stream down her face, and when she locked eye with him again, he was almost surprised to see a small amount of spark in them.

"I assume they would be...considering who they are." Rufus finally managed, taking another swig of his drink. "There's no way that AVALANCHE would ever perish in such a way." He added, hoping that his confidence would fill her with some type of hope.

"Thank you." She said with a new smile pn her face, "That...really does mean a lot, more than you think it does." She looked over at Cid and then back to Rufus. She was about to say something else when a sudden voice broke through the calm room -

"I'm hoooome!"

He didn't know why he felt another wave of panic wash over him. Marlene was just a little girl, at least the last time he had seen her she was ten years old...so that meant she was thirteen now. He turned around in his seat, now filled with curiosity. When he looked at her he was floored to see how much she looked like Tifa and Aerith had been smashed together.

The girl had her hair tied up with a pink ribbon, yet her eyes weren't as gentle. She had eyes that betrayed her age, and Rufus was suddenly aware that she must have had to grow up fast since she was family with AVALANCHE. Her outfit was nothing out of the ordinary, just a white shirt with a brown vest, blue jeans and knee high brown boots. She looked so different than the last time he'd seen her.

When his eyes met her she stopped in her tracks. She stared at him for a moment and then her head cocked to the side slightly, "Rufus Shinra?" She asked quietly her brown eyes critiquing him. She looked over at Cid and Charles for a moment, and then looked right back at Rufus. "It's really you isn't it?" She asked again, more confidence in her voice.

He didn't know why she had no problem figuring out who he was, but he didn't ask either. He merely nodded to her and then turned back around to face the bar. He was shaken because it seemed as if everything he had known was changing – even a little girl was no longer a little girl.

Footsteps approached him, and then Marlene came into his side view. She sat down beside him and continued to stare at him. She didn't say anything for a few minutes, but suddenly her voice broke through the silence, "Everyone in there...wherever you were...is going through a lot of pain, aren't they?"

The question struck Rufus as odd, so he looked over at her and raised an eye brow, "What do you mean?" He asked quietly, not sure how to respond to such a question.

"Your new appearance aside, your eyes aren't the same." She said it like it was the most obvious thing, and when Rufus didn't reply she continued, "You used to give people a sharp look, like you were showing people power with your eyes...now you just look miserable...you look broken." She whispered the last part and sighed when she still didn't evoke a response from him. "I just...Cloud and Vincent...are they going through as much pain as you obviously have?"

Rufus glanced at her then, and realized he was right when he said her eyes showed her true age...her mind was obviously grown beyond a thirteen year old girls. He looked away from her to the bar counter and placed his hand to settle around his glass. "I do not know for sure what has happened to Strife and Valentine." he glanced over at her then, and he saw that her eyes were narrowed at him, she wasn't going to give up easily.

Tifa cut in then, "Marlene, you don't need to worry about things like - "

Marlene's voice interrupted her, "I am not a little girl – I want to know. Aunt Yuffie was fifteen when she helped fight Sephiroth, and I'm only two years younger." She shot Tifa a glare, "I want to know the truth. I am not going to live in this phantasy world where I accept nothing but lies, just to make me feel better." She looked at Rufus again and her eyes were narrow slits now, "What has happened to them?"

Rufus was almost blown away by her response, how could a mere thirteen year old girl think in such a way? He cleared his throat then said evenly, "They are probably undergoing a lot of painful surgeries, in which they are experimented on. They may have even lost their minds – anything can happen there...anything." When he looked over at the new-found teenager, he saw that she didn't look as surprised as he thought she would.

"They're alive though, at least you believe so?" She asked quietly, her gaze now focused on lap.

"Yes, if I'm alive there's no doubt that they are." He looked over at Tifa and saw that she seemed to be in a conflict, he wanted to smack himself for saying what he said earlier, but the truth was the truth, what was he suppose to say?

"Hey!" Cid's voice broke through the silence, "Marlene, you aren't even going to say hi to your uncle Cid?"

I noticed this was a very long chapter. Sorry, but maybe that's a good thing to? Because I hate making so many tiny chapters, I love writing long ones. I feel like the shorter they are, the more you're just trying to throw chapters out there. Oh well.

Please review.

Edited.

-Crimson