Before Crisis: The Beginning

By DarkAngel

Chapter 29: Winter Day Disappointment

Disclaimer: Not miiiiine.

If Rafe never saw another Kimara Bug in his life, it would still be too soon. He and Reno had just found another nest, and as usual, bugs had come crawling out of it to defend it.

At least it was the last nest. They'd found the mother Kimara Bug. Watching it, Rafe had a brief mental image of a queen imperiously ordering her troops to move. It raised a sickled limb. Half a dozen of the smaller Kimara Bugs began their advance. With a whoop, Reno was off, smashing one bug and leaping into the air and literally stomping the life out of another one. He jumped back when one of them clawed at him and responded with a magical attack that downed two of them. Rafe took the other two out with his weapons.

Half a dozen more crawled out from the nest. And after they'd taken those down, yet another small horde. Reno clicked his tongue sharply. "Man, this is annoying. Hey Rafe, you think you can take care of this?" He gestured with a sweeping motion to the Kimara bugs all around them. Rafe nodded.

"Not a problem."

"That's a good rookie." Reno grinned. Rafe concentrated his energy into the Materia slotted into his bangle. Bursts of water shot up, hitting the smaller Kimara Bugs, who flew up into the air and landed with wet splat sounds. A few of them twitched, but Reno took care of them with his lightning attack. The combined water-lightning offence was enough to take them down, and they stopped moving altogether.

"All right. Time for the main event." Reno crouched low, appraising the mother Kimara Bug. It was making clicking noises and raising its clawed forelimbs. Reno smirked. "Looks like it's upset we killed its babies."

Veld had said that only water-based attacks would work on a fully grown Kimara Bug, and that was the way Rafe and Reno went. They went for a pincer movement, coming in on either side of the monster and besetting it with a deluge of attacks. They could hear the Kimara Bug scuttling uselessly on the now slicked surface of the concrete, clicking frantically. With a yell, Reno called upon his Waterga spell once more and the insect went flying at the force of the magical blow, slamming into the wall. Following seconds after Reno's attack, Rafe followed with a spell of his own, watching with satisfaction as five separate balls of water spouted from different directions and buffeted the Kimama bug.

The final blow came when Reno battered the defeated bug into the water running through the sewers. They exchanged a glance.

"Well, now that's settled, let's go see what's going on with Rude."

By the time they made it out of the sewers, Rafe's watch told him that midnight had come and gone, and it was now officially Winter Day Eve. Wearily, he waved goodbye to Reno, who said he was going to try and track Rude down. Whatever. As long as it didn't involve him, he was happy.

He could have bitten his tongue on that thought, because not five minutes after parting ways with the redheaded Turk, he saw one of the two people Reno was so interested in. What was her name again? Rude's girl. Rafe watched as she made her way down a small side street. But that was a dead end. Rafe frowned. And before he really had time to think about it, he was following her. The least he could do was see if she wasn't lost and send her on the way.

When he got there, he found no trace of the woman, but he did see a manhole cover. It was the only way she could have gone, unless she was some sort of magician. Rafe sighed, running a hand through his hair, looking ruefully at his soiled trouser cuffs. He really didn't want to take a second trip into the sewers, but civilians weren't supposed to be down there in the first place. There was nothing for it but to go down.

Landing quietly on the concrete below, Rafe perked his ears for any sound. He heard voices not too far from his current location. Taking care not to make any noise, he approached. Picking up speed, he slowed down again when the voices became distinct. They were just in the next chamber.

He peered carefully around the corner. His eyes widened at the scene before him. There was Rude's woman and with her were three AVALANCHE operatives.

What the hell are they all doing down here? And is there where AVALANCHE has been hiding these last few months? The very idea that AVALANCHE had gone with the rats to lay low from Shin-Ra's radar tickled Rafe's funny bone. He brought his attention forcefully back to the situation in front of him.

"How long do we have to wait for you to get us any information?" an operative was demanding. Rafe's eyes widened. AVALANCHE… She was a spy? Was this what Reno had discovered the other night? Chelsea was shaking her head.

"I can't do this anymore." She sounded choked, as if she were holding back a sob. "I want to quit."

Everyone in that small chamber reacted instantly. Rafe watched as, to the last man, the operatives closed ranks on her. Their leader spoke for them.

"What? What are you saying? You're going to turn traitor?"

It seemed like it was something they had been expected, because they didn't waste time to wait for an answer, and as one, they moved to attack her. They ignored her protests. Rafe saw one of them taking out a handgun…

"Hold it right there." He'd done it again, for the second time that day: let his instincts take over his reason. He wasn't sure exactly what about this situation was bringing that side of him out, especially since he didn't want to get involved, but the fact of the matter was that he couldn't just let things happen as they stood.

The operatives stopped, gaping at Rafe's seemingly sudden appearance.

"T-t-th-the T-T-Turks?"

"She was followed? Get rid of her! Get rid of them both!" the leader shouted. At once, the other two fell into line. Rafe raised his handguns level with the chest of the armed operative and the leader, respectively.

Chelsea screamed as the first shot rang out. There was a thud, and the operative with the gun fell, blood gushing like a geyser from the hole in his throat. The second operative made a brave stab at offence, charging Rafe with a war cry that was supposed to bolster his courage. Rafe easily dodged and knocked the man out with the butt of one handgun. In one fluid motion he shoved the groaning man behind him, kicking him hard in the head with the heel of his shoe. That just left the leader.

"Damn it!" the operative swore. He ran at Rafe, who calmly raised his guns.

Foolish. Emotions only dulled one's common sense. Rafe watched the case in point go down dispassionately. He flicked his violet gaze to the woman. "You're not hurt, right?"

The woman shook her head. He could see her trembling even from this distance. She was staring wide-eyed at his weapons. With a sigh, Rafe put them away and held his hands up. Her eyes darted from his now empty hands to his face, her expression questioning.

"I just want to know why AVALANCHE attacked you."

"Because I betrayed them," Rude's woman said, after she'd swallowed the lump in her throat.

Rafe had long ago reached the conclusion, but he'd wanted to hear her say that for himself. His reaction would have been different had she tried to lie. "Your comrades? You mean AVALANCHE?"

"…yes." The woman looked down.

He stared at her for several moments. Then, flicking his gaze to a point beyond her head, he said, "You're… Rude's woman, aren't you?" Why would you do something like this to him?

It was bitterly cold. This was not surprising considering the time of year it was, but it still didn't stop Rude from noting the coldness. He wasn't particularly fond of it. Given a choice, he much preferred temperate climes or else the sun and warmth that came with places like Costa del Sol. Chill like this tended to shut him down in places, though he'd die before admitting that.

He waited. There were a lot of couples out on a night like this, arm in arm, laughing. Many of them would stop in front of the massive tree, lit up with a thousand little fairy lights. There was the flower seller he'd bought flowers from a few days earlier, doing a brisk trade as eager boyfriends bought little bouquets for their happy girlfriends.

Rude looked at his watch. A quarter past eleven. Fifteen more minutes, and Chelsea would be here with him. Rude fingered the little package in his jacket pocket. He hoped she would come sooner than later. He would have happily waited all night for her to turn up, but still…

It was very cold.

Rude's woman – Charlene? Alice? What was it? For the life of him, he couldn't remember her name – gripped one arm tightly as she waited for Rafe's response. It had been quite the tragic story. They could have made a movie out of it, or at the very least a heartfelt screenplay.

The woman was AVALANCHE. She'd been under orders to get close to Rude so she could pump him for information. She'd come to realize that the more time she spent with him, she more her feelings were changing. But as in those tales of star-crossed lovers, a love like theirs was not meant to last. The woman confessed that she'd been struggling for days to find the right answer: should she leave AVALANCHE to be with Rude? Or should she break things off with him and hold the memories they had created in her heart?

"After tonight, I think my decision has been made." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and Rafe had to lean in slightly to catch what she was saying. "I… was supposed to meet Rude today under the tree. But I won't go."

Rafe remained silent. He'd more or less been expecting her response. It was the wisest thing to do, after all, if she didn't want to put either of them in danger. The deaths of her comrades she could put down to an unfortunate accident and she could carry on. And by breaking up with Rude, she'd be sparing him the shit storm that would inevitably come when the brass discovered he was fraternizing with the enemy.

"AVALANCHE and the Turks are enemies," she said, raising her head and looking straight at Rafe. Though there was a small tremor in her voice, her eyes showed her resolve. "We can't be together. So… can you do me a favour?"

Rafe tilted his head in response.

"Tell Rude…" Her voice had gone soft again.

"Tell Rude that when I'm reborn I'd like to meet him again."

She turned and began to walk away. The action galvanized Rafe. "Wait –"

She half-turned. The expression on her face shocked Rafe to the core. "Please. Go to him quickly. He's not good with the cold."

He'd never seen an expression quite like that on anyone's face before. He'd never known anything like it until now. But he knew instinctively what it was. Love. True love, at that. Rafe grimaced down at his shoes.

Why? Just what was he supposed to do now?

Reno rubbed his hands together briskly before sticking them back in his pockets. He'd tried all the haunts he could think of, but he hadn't even gotten a trace on where Rude might be. None of the moles who usually kept tabs on what happened in Sector 8 could give him any leads; not even barkeeps from their usual spots had seen him that night. He was quickly running out of ideas. Reno blew out a frustrated breath. He didn't like the concept of surrender, though he knew its value and necessity. He especially didn't like the concept where it applied to his friends.

The only place left to look was the western part of the sector. Rude was a closet romantic, after all. Maybe he was there with his girl to look at the light up. If that was the case, he'd mark them for a while and then go home. He could have his talk with Rude the next day. If Rude wasn't there, well, he'd still have his talk with him. If Tseng, or heaven forbid, Veld ever found out about this…

Well, it just didn't bear thinking about.

The street he was on widened and the paved concrete beneath his feet gave way to cobblestones. There weren't that many people on the streets at this time of night, though he did pass the occasional couple, none of which were Rude and his bird. The lights here were just the slightest bit brighter, and up ahead, he could see a tall conical shape lit up in shades of white and blue: the Winter Day tree.

As he came up the slight incline in the path that eventually opened out into the park proper, he saw two familiar men in suits. Rafe and Rude. He grinned. Well, damn. For all the rookie said about not wanting to get involved in stuff that wasn't strictly business, he was doing a damned fine job.

He slowed his pace and the grin wore off when he saw the way they were standing. Come to think of it, if Rude was going to be here, he should have been with Chelsea. Which meant only one thing. He sighed.

"Sorry, buddy. But you know, maybe it was for the best."

He approached them, his pace slower.

Rafe had found Rude easily enough. He was hard to miss, seeing as how the park was nearly empty now and even the flower seller was packing up to go home. And yet there Rude stood, waiting as though he fully expected the woman to come running, apologizing profusely for being late. A part of Rafe squirmed uncomfortably. He didn't know how he was going to break this to Rude.

If Rude was surprised at Rafe's appearance, he didn't show it.

"Rafe… what is it?"

Rafe held back a grimace. "A message from your girlfriend. She says… she can't make it tonight." Or any other night for that matter, but he wasn't about to dump everything all at once on the other man. Trauma bombs were best dropped carefully, lest they do unaccounted-for collateral damage.

"Oh." It was difficult to tell just from that word what Rude was thinking. Despite the chill in the air, Rafe could feel beads of sweat starting to run down his back.

"Actually, she said that she won't be able to see you…"

"…ever again, right?"

Well, he'd gone and said it. Rafe nodded. After an uncomfortable pause: "Aren't you going to go after her?" Wasn't that what happened in those love stories?

"That's the decision she made," Rude replied.

"And you're okay with that?" He couldn't understand it. He'd never been in love himself, but he knew that there were some things a man should fight for. Wasn't this one of those things? Did she mean so little to Rude?

A voice cut through the stilted air. Rafe's head shot up. Reno. The man was actually running, waving his hand like a little kid. Rafe's eyes narrowed. Sometimes, he just couldn't understand why Reno did what he did.

Reno came to a stop and peered at Rude's face. His mouth tugged up into one of his trademark grins. "What's wrong? You don't look so good." His mouth, if possible, curved up higher. "You sentimentalist." He punched Rude in the arm. Rafe sucked in a breath.

"Shut up." But there was no anger in his voice. If anything, he sounded slightly amused. Reno laughed.

"It's cold out here! What the hell are we doing out on a cold and snowy night like this?" Reno stuck his hands into his pockets and began walking. "Come on. Let's go home."

"…yeah."

Rafe didn't understand them. He didn't understand how things could work out to this. He glanced up at the Winter Day tree, then at the retreating figures of the two senior Turks. But in the end, it seemed like things were okay the way they were. Maybe…

"Oi, rookie! If you don't hurry up we're gonna leave you behind!"

Rafe waved once in acknowledgement. He spared the tree one last glance.

Everything happened for a reason. And if this was the right thing, then, well…

It would have to be enough.

Rude was an optimist walking on the side of caution. He knew that Chelsea loved him. He'd been willing to do anything for her, even if it meant continuing a relationship that could undo them both in the blink of an eye. He'd been reasonably sure she'd be willing to do the same for him, which was why he'd waited in that park for as long as he had.

But a part of him had also known that she might not come. It had been there in her voice, and in the way she looked at him sometimes.

He didn't take it as an affront. He chose to see it as her way of showing her love for him.

And for Rude, this was enough.

The holidays were over. They'd all come back, safe and sound, if not grudgingly. At the moment, they were all seated in various parts of the bullpen. Samantha was prancing merrily around St. Andrew's cubicle. The man in question was sitting with his head balanced on the back of his chair, pointedly ignoring the other woman. Rafe was playing Solitaire on his computer. Reno was sitting on Rude's desk, telling him a story, and Rosalind was putting gift wrapping and shopping bags away.

"Thank you so much for the presents, Rosalind! They're lovely!" Samantha practically sang as she danced around with the small assortment of packages she'd received.

"It's no problem. I was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time," Rosalind replied. She looked around. "What did you all do on your holidays?"

Rafe only shook his head. Samantha proceeded to gush about the million and one new places in Midgar she'd discovered and how she'd sent some nice presents to her family back home. St. Andrew finally broke his vow of silence to shoot Samantha a rather nasty comment, to which she responded predictably by screeching at him.

Reno glanced at the clock on the wall. "The boss man's running late, yo." Rude shrugged.

"Just how long is this exec meeting anyway?" Reno clicked his tongue. It was at that moment that the door to their offices opened and all talk ceased. Rafe minimized the window on his game. Samantha stopped in mid-strike and turned her attention to the newcomer.

"We've got new orders." Veld announced, as usual without preamble. "We're upping the game plan. We're going to need more manpower to gather data on AVALANCHE. I'm sending you all out on orders. Reno, Rude, you're going to target Fuhito's special corps."

"Yes, sir."

"Roger that."

"The rest of you will be heading out to gather information. I'll be splitting you into two teams." He glanced at the other Turks. There was a chorus of acknowledgements all around.

"We're also hiring new Turks. I'll be sending them out act as your support as soon as possible."

Rude's expression didn't change. "New Turks…" He glanced at his partner, who leapt off the desk and grinned. It was clear that he was looking forward to this. That, and the fact that he'd finally be able to move – sitting around had never been his style.

"Move out!" Veld ordered.

And so it began.

Author's Notes: Eh, the ending feels kind of rushed to me, but there you have it.