Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Mark of the Phoenix ❯ Chapter 12

“Mark of the Phoenix”

Chapter 12

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*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can't get enough of this world and the characters.*

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Cissnei dozed languidly on her side, comforted by the presence of Reno's warmth pressed against her back. She felt lips softly nuzzling her neck and she smiled, arching into the kisses. “Mmm, that's nice,” she whispered.

 

As if encouraged by her words, a long-fingered, calloused hand stroked her hip and belly sensually. She pressed backwards against the hard, lean body spooning against hers and she reached up with one hand and threaded her fingers through the mussed red hair of her lover. It felt so good to be with him again. She knew they'd only taken the first steps toward repairing their relationship and she understood that the hurt wouldn't go away immediately, but the bonding they had just experienced with each other was a big leap of progress.

 

“I wish we could stay like this for the rest of the day,” Cissnei murmured as Reno's kisses grew more sensual. He nibbled her earlobe and a shiver of delight passed through her body.

 

“We've got more time,” Reno purred. “Elena locked us in here anyhow. I'm sure she'll take care of Sadie until she gets over her crazy streak and unlocks the door.” He traced her hip with his fingertips and slowly glided down. Now that the urgency had been satisfied, he noticed little things about her body that had changed. She was still delicate, soft-skinned and irresistibly feminine but her firm little breasts were just a little fuller than he remembered and the areolas had darkened from pink to rosy in pigment.

 

He he wished vehemently that he had paid closer attention to the way she was acting before she staged her death. If he hadn't blown it off, he might have pressed her until she told him what was wrong and they could have talked about it. He might not have missed out on key moments in his daughter's life. All he could do now was try to mend what they had broken and show her he could be counted on.

 

He spread his fingers over her abdomen. It was still toned but it was no longer quite as flat as it used to be. There was a faint softness to it now that he didn't think he would have noticed without touching her. As it stood, he doubted anyone knew her body like he did and to everyone else she probably seemed unchanged. Reno kissed her again, his arousal stirring at the feel of her under his hands. Her round little bottom was pressing intimately against his pelvis and the petal-soft skin felt wonderful against his.

 

“Is somebody waking up?” Cissnei whispered teasingly, turning her head to look up at him with a smile. Reno's groin was steadily hardening against her backside and her body was responding quickly to the feel of it pressing against her.

 

“Looks like you didn't totally wipe him out yet, gorgeous,” Reno murmured as he planted kisses along her shoulder and down her arm. “I can control myself `till we get some condoms though, if you don't wanna risk it any further than we already have.”

 

“I think it'll be okay,” she said. “I'm not supposed to be fertile for at least another week…though I'm not sure how reliable cycle monitoring really is.” She bit her lip and tried to calm her rising desire as his hand gently fondled her breasts, the fingers circling the nipples as if memorizing their shape and texture. “Reno, how do you feel about the risks? I…I never gave you the chance to tell me before and I don't want to put you on the spot.”

 

Reno paused in his seductive touching and looked her in the eye. “Ciss, there's going to be a risk every time we have sex, even if we use protection. Maybe that reality would have scared the shit out of me three years ago but it doesn't anymore. Tomorrow I'll see what I can do about getting to Icicle for some protection but we've already gone bareback once. It's your decision. Either way you're stuck with me, kiddo.”

 

Cissnei absorbed his words and blushed with pleasure and surprise.

 

~He really has changed. He's still Reno but he takes things more seriously now.~

 

“So,” she said slowly, wanting to be absolutely certain before risking an accident further, “If I skip a period in a few weeks and get a positive pregnancy test, you won't feel…trapped?”

 

Reno laughed. “What, like I'm trapped now? We've already got a kid together, doll. Do you see me running anywhere?”

 

Cissnei smiled shyly and shook her head. “That's a good point. You risked a lot to protect us, too. I guess I'm just being silly and paranoid.”

 

“You're just covering the bases and finding out where I stand,” Reno shrugged. “Nothing's paranoid about having a good head on your shoulders. I just wish…” He trailed off and averted his eyes, stopping himself before the words came out.

 

“You wish I'd have thought to do this when I found out I was pregnant with Sadie,” answered Cissnei for him with a sigh. She stroked the arm that was embracing her. “I wish I had, too. There are a lot of things I wish I'd have done differently.”

 

Reno berated himself for dragging the subject out again. “Hey, I wish I'd have given you a reason to believe you didn't have to do what ya did.” He brushed his lips over her temple and down her jaw. “What do ya say we stop dwelling on it and just try to move on, like you said earlier?”

 

Cissnei turned her head to kiss him on the mouth. “I like that idea,” she murmured. She kissed him again, more deeply. His hands began to work their magic on her body again and she made a faint sound of arousal in her throat as he cupped a breast and then traced the nipple with his finger again. He stroked the hardening bud and then gently tweaked it, making it tingle. His tongue caressed hers as he moved onto the other breast and gave it the same attention.

 

Cissnei pressed back against his stiffened groin, rubbing her bottom against it with sensual need. He groaned into her mouth and rubbed back, the silken skin of his cock sliding against the cleft between her buttocks. His hand stopped fondling her breasts to glide down to her belly. The fingertips traced her navel briefly before traveling further down to caress the groomed thatch of hair framing her genitals.

 

“I never told ya this before, but I like the way you take care of this,” Reno murmured against her lips as he stroked his fingers over the crisp, trimmed hair. “Nice and neat without going bald. Turns me on.” His fingers stroked lower to the little cleft and they located and fondled the hidden nub they found there.

 

Cissnei shivered as his touch invoked delicious pulses of sensation through her loins. “I never thought of that being something sexy before,” she said in an uneven voice.

 

“You kidding?” Reno chuckled and kissed her neck and ear. “That's part of what makes a woman a woman, babe. Of course, I don't see what's so great about cocks but ladies seem to like `em enough.”

 

“Mmm, we sure do,” Cissnei replied with a soft giggle. “At least, I do.” She reached behind and down to curl her fingers around his hardened sex. His purr of pleasure rewarded her as she stroked the length of it lovingly. The feel of it in her hand fascinated her and now that she was able to touch it at her leisure, she was aware of how much she'd missed doing it. She sighed his name and gently squeezed the heart-shaped tip of the organ, drawing a little gasp from his lips.

 

“Careful with the playing, doll,” warned Reno breathlessly as he instinctively rocked into the delicious touch. “Get me too excited and I won't be able to have ya like I want.”

 

“I missed touching you,” Cissnei said without apology as she continued to move her gripping hand up and down the shaft. “It feels like velvet over marble.”

 

Reno's eyes fluttered shut with pleasure and he moistened his lips with his tongue. It felt so damned good and he knew he wouldn't be able to last if she kept it up. Deciding a distraction was in order, he pushed down on her clitoral hood with his thumb and first finger to expose the tender glans. Once that was done he began to brush his middle fingertip back and forth over it, making Cissnei squeeze his dick reflexively and jump a little. He grimaced at the near pain of the sudden squeezing but she immediately released him and grabbed a fistful of sheet instead.

 

“Ah…oh…R-Reno,” Cissnei whimpered, moving restlessly against him as he stimulated the most sensitive part of her loins. She could hardly endure the sensation and she bit her lip to hold back the whining moans that were surfacing.

 

~Gaia, does he have to be so intense EVERY time? He's going to make me start screaming again and I think I've embarrassed myself enough already!~

 

Thankfully for her sake, Reno only played with the spot until she was sufficiently subdued. He smiled as he kissed her, enjoying the ragged gasps that passed through her soft, parted lips. “Had to distract ya, baby,” he murmured as he ran a finger along her feminine lips to test for moisture. “You were getting me too hot and I want you too bad to risk blowing it.” She was slick and ready for him and he groaned softly and kissed her, sliding his tongue between his lips and into her mouth.

 

Cissnei's breath caught as Reno's cock pressed against her entrance seductively. She pushed back, wriggling impatiently as he brushed the head back and forth teasingly for a moment. He chuckled huskily at her impatience and eased into her with slow sensuality, filling her with his hardness. She sighed with relief and pleasure, kissing him back with unrestrained passion. As he began to move at an unhurried, gentle pace she rocked back against him and matched his slow thrusts. His husky groan sent tingles through her body and his hand glided up her ribcage to cup a breast and fondle it.

 

“So good,” Cissnei encouraged with a faint moan. She loved the feel of his thick length slowly pumping back and forth inside of her. The urgency from earlier had been satisfied and now they were free to enjoy one another at a less frantic pace.

 

~********************************~

 

Elena decided it was safe to let her captives out of the room she'd locked them in. She asked Rude to keep an eye on Sadie, who was playing with her stuffed chocobo on the floor. The blonde Turk went up the stairs with the key in hand and approached the locked bedroom where she'd trapped Reno and Cissnei.

 

“Okay guys, I'm unlocking…the…door…” She trailed off as she stopped in front of the door and heard their soft moans and groans from the other side of it. “Wow, you barely took a breather,” she giggled as she listened to the sounds of their passion. “I guess you two really were starved for each other. Go, me.” She twisted the key in the lock and went back downstairs with a smug grin on her face.

 

“I think we're going to be babysitting for most of the day,” Elena said to Rude with a faint apologetic tone. “I underestimated the power of their libidos.”

 

Rude grunted in response from his seat on the sofa. He continued reading through the magazine he'd picked up the last time they bought supplies.

 

Sadie toddled up to Elena and tugged on her pant leg. “Aunty `Lena?”

 

Elena smiled down at the little girl. “What is it, sweetheart?”

 

“I have ta go poo.”

 

Elena looked from the child to Rude with a half-panicked expression on her face. “Oh! Uh…Rude?”

 

“It was your idea to lock her parents in there,” Rude said without looking up from the magazine. “You get to do the honors.”

 

Elena groaned softly with dread and then sighed. “Well, I guess it's only fair.” She took Sadie's tiny hand and began to walk her to the bathroom. “Let's get you taken care of.”

 

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Reno's breath shivered against Cissnei's skin as his pleasure grew. He sucked on the skin of her neck, creating a faint bruise. “I can't get over how damn good you feel,” he panted, hardening his thrusts a bit. Her swift, whimpering gasp indicated that the change in pace pleasured her just right. Reno caught himself thinking that it wouldn't be a bad thing at all if he got her pregnant again and he nearly stopped with surprise.

 

~Am I…am I actually trying to knock her up? What the hell…when did I turn into this guy?~

 

His confused thoughts didn't distract from his lovemaking but he continued to puzzle over it as he rocked against Cissnei. Maybe it was the shock of finding out that he had a daughter but he was feeling things now that he'd never have thought possible for a guy like him. The idea of making a little brother or sister for Sadie was ridiculously appealing to him and he forcibly reminded himself that now wasn't the time to try and increase his little family.

 

They were in hiding with no doctors for miles and no way of knowing when or if it would be safe to return to civilization. Yes, an accident could happen but consciously trying to get his lover pregnant now would be monumentally irresponsible and stupid. He didn't even want to think of Cissnei trying to give birth in this place, with no medical help.

 

~Shit, I ain't risking her life like that. What kind of asshole am I to even consider it?!~

 

With those thoughts in his mind, he paid careful attention to his body as he pumped steadily inside of his lover. Cissnei trembled against him and moaned, signaling the approach of her climax. Reno slid his hand down between her legs to stimulate her clit and his efforts were quickly successful. Her passage began to spasm around his thrusting cock and he closed his eyes and murmured her name, kissing her jaw and cheek as she shuddered against him with pleasure.

 

He felt his orgasm approaching quickly and he did the only thing he could think of to do in this situation; he pulled out and came against her ass. He groaned and held her tight as his sex bucked and spurted his creamy release.

 

Cissnei turned her head to look at him with dazed confusion. “Why'd you do that?” she panted.

 

“Trying to protect you, baby,” Reno grunted. He sighed as the climax tapered off and he kissed her tenderly. “I know it ain't the most effective method but until we get some protection, it's the only way I can cut down on the risks.”

 

“Oh,” she said, feeling stupid. She was actually looking forward to the possibility of having another baby, now that she thought about it. She knew he was right but it was a little disappointing that he was trying to avoid it. “I guess it was a big enough shock to find out you had one,” she murmured as she caught her breath.

 

“What, you want another one?” Reno asked guardedly. He stroked her thigh leisurely, enjoying the feel of the smooth skin.

 

She shrugged, flushing a little. “I don't know. I mean, I wouldn't mind if I got pregnant again and I'd like you to have all the moments you missed with Sadie. I guess it's stupid.”

 

“It's not stupid,” Reno assured her with a little grin he couldn't quite mask. It gave him a thrill to find out she was willing to have another kid with him, even if they couldn't do it right away. “I always knew you'd make a good Mom, Cissnei. I don't think it's dumb for you to want another one at all.” Despite her skills as a Turk, she was one of the most gentle, feminine women he'd ever met. He frowned as he considered his own lack of parenting skills. “Only problem is I don't know what kind of Dad I'm going to make. I don't know what the hell I'm doing most of the time.”

 

Cissnei chuckled and ran her fingers through his hair. “Welcome to the world of parenthood, Reno. If you ever meet a single person that says they know what they're doing with childrearing, they're lying through their teeth.” She kissed him lovingly and snuggled against him. “Honestly? I think you're doing a great job so far. I've been really surprised, but in a good way. Sadie adores you, too.”

 

Reno smiled, unexpectedly flattered by the praise. “Think so? I'm trying but I've gotta be honest, I never saw myself as paternal before.”

 

Cissnei shrugged. “I don't think anybody did, but here you are taking care of your daughter and you're actually doing a lot better than most fathers I know. I mean, you aren't afraid to do some of the unpleasant stuff, like potty training and changing her diaper when she has an accident. A lot of guys only want to spend the picture moments with their kids and just leave all of the other stuff up to the mothers.” She looked him in the eye earnestly and smiled at him. “You're doing great, Reno.”

 

He was grinning like a fool, he knew. “Maybe when this is all over with and we've got our lives back on tract, we can think about making another one,” he suggested softly. “That's going to be up to you, though. All I've got to do is come but you'll be the one stuck growing it for nine months.”

 

Cissnei giggled at his description. “I never really thought of it that way before. I wonder what would happen if men were the ones that had to have the babies?”

 

“We'd be extinct by now,” Reno predicted, only half-joking. “Guys like Rude sure as hell wouldn't put up with it and I'd probably act like I was being tortured or something, yo.”

 

Cissnei laughed outright at that.

 

~************************************~

 

They almost got into lovemaking again but Cissnei saw Reno's watch and realized it was getting close to dinnertime. She didn't want Elena to be stuck trying to watch her daughter and trying to make dinner or supervise making dinner too. Rude wasn't a bad cook but he wasn't that confident in his abilities and he tended to ask advice a lot when he made meals for everyone else. She didn't mind being put in a mostly domestic role because the alternative was to go out hunting in the winter weather with one of the boys and be stuck with the nasty job of skinning whatever they killed.

 

~I'd rather play housewife than kill an animal and cut it open. Elena would probably be okay with it but I'm afraid I'd end up crying.~

 

“Why don't you take a bath first and I'll go downstairs and watch Sadie `till you're finished?” Reno suggested as he got out of bed and started getting dressed.

 

“Are you sure?” Cissnei asked softly. “You don't mind waiting to get cleaned up?”

 

Reno smirked at her as he fastened his pants. “Baby, you're the one that got all the goop on ya. I'm sure you'd like to get cleaned up.”

 

Cissnei blushed and was suddenly conscious of the drying semen on her backside. “Good point. Thanks Reno, that's really sweet of you.”

 

He crossed the room and bent down to give her another kiss before he finished getting dress.

 

~**********************************~

 

“So, you finally came up for air, did you?” Elena teased softly as Cissnei came down the stairs, drying her hair with a towel. “Reno was practically skipping when he came down.”

 

Cissnei giggled and reached out to squeeze the blonde's arm. “Thank you,” she whispered sincerely.

 

“My pleasure,” Elena whispered back with a wink. “Rude's making some stew and Reno's laying down with Sadie. How are you feeling?”

 

“I feel great,” Cissnei answered enthusiastically. “The only problem is that we're going to need to pick up some condoms soon.”

 

“Condoms!” Elena smacked herself in the forehead. “God, I'm so stupid! I bought a whole box when we first stopped for supplies on the way here and I completely forgot to throw it in there with you two!” She lowered her voice and looked at Cissnei searchingly. “Are you on the pill?”

 

Cissnei shook her head and laughed a little. “I haven't been with anyone since Reno and I haven't had the trouble I used to with my cycles. So, you bought condoms when we got the supplies? Are you and Rude…you know?”

 

Elena snorted. “No, we're not each other's types. If I were going to sleep with anyone in the Turks it would be Tseng. I got them for you, just in case you and Reno made up.”

 

“Well, since you locked us in a room together—” Cissnei teased.

 

“Yeah, you're welcome for that,” Elena winked. Her face fell as she mentally counted the days. “Ugh…I'm glad I also picked up plenty of girly products. Now that you mention cycles I'm probably going to get fangy in a couple of days.”

 

“The guys are going to love that,” Cissnei predicted.

 

“Yeah, I'm sure it's really hard to hear about,” Elena rolled her eyes. “Men are such babies when it comes to those things but they're all too happy to jump a girl's body when they're in the mood. Hypocrites.”

 

Cissnei chuckled. “Most of them aren't THAT bad. Reno's pretty mature about the whole monthly thing. In fact, he's surprisingly laid back about a lot of things that creep other men out.”

 

“You're so lucky,” Elena sighed. “I need someone like that.” She considered the situation, realizing that her failure to provide protection for her friend might have put her in another pickle. She frowned sternly at Cissnei. “Hey, if you end up pregnant again, you're not going to run off are you? I don't think I could take doing this whole thing over again even if you are my closest girl pal.”

 

“I promise,” Cissnei answered solemnly. “Reno and I talked about it and now I know for sure he can handle it if that happens. I'm just worried about what kind of life Sadie and any other kids I have with him are going to have, with Turks for parents. I never had a real childhood and I want more for my kids, you know?”

 

“I know,” Elena said with sympathy. “But I think I should remind you that you're not the only Turk that ever raised kids. There are lots of people in the organization with families and they do just fine. The only thing you've got to worry about is making sure Sadie either doesn't find out what the Turks really do or making sure she grows up knowing to keep it to herself.”

 

Cissnei sighed. “That's what scares me the most. Sadie likes to `inform' people about things and I'm terrified that it will put her in danger, some day.”

 

Elena shrugged. “She's a three year old child and that's pretty normal at her age. I'm sure you and Reno can work out a system and you know Tseng would never allow anyone to hurt her.”

 

Cissnei nodded. Tseng's efforts to secure her safe return proved that the Wutaian would do everything in his power to keep Sadie safe from harm. Both he and Rufus had shown her a side of themselves that most people never saw. She honestly trusted both of them, as well as her coworkers and lover. “Well, let's go check on how Rude's doing before he panics on us,” she suggested.

 

The two women passed through the living room on their way to the kitchen and Cissnei stopped in her tracks at the sight of Reno and her daughter. The redhead was reclined on the couch with his eyes shut and Sadie was lying on his chest with her thumb in her mouth. He had one hand protectively resting on her back and they both looked sweetly content.

 

“Oh, I've got to take a picture of that,” Cissnei whispered tightly, completely in love with the image. “I left my cell upstairs!”

 

“I already snapped a picture,” Elena informed her softly with a grin. “Couldn't resist, they're so freakin' cute. I'll send it to you if you want.”

 

“Thanks, Elena,” Cissnei chuckled. She approached her sleeping lover and brushed a stray lock of vivid hair away from his eyes. She was loathe to wake him but she knew he'd probably want a bath before supper. “Reno,” she whispered as she kissed him softly. “The bathtub is free if you want to get cleaned up.”

 

He mumbled sleepily and his ginger lashes fluttered as he opened his eyes and looked up at her. “Didn't realize I drifted off,” he whispered, aware of the weight of his daughter on his chest. He looked down at the child and grimaced, wondering how he was going to get up without disturbing her.

 

“Just roll her off of you and onto the couch,” Cissnei suggested softly. “She sleeps like a log when she has her afternoon naps, so you probably won't wake her up.”

 

Reno did as she advised, gently rolling to the side and supporting his little daughter until she was resting on the couch. He stood up slowly and grinned down at her. “Wow, she didn't even stir,” he whispered. “She must get that from me.” He probably had the loudest alarm clock on Gaia, because sometimes he slept so deeply an average one wouldn't wake him. His body was trained now to get up by a certain time but in his earlier days as a Turk he'd gotten in trouble for being late for work many times and he bought the elaborate alarm clock just to be safe.

 

Reno turned to Cissnei, ignoring the satisfied, smug grin on Elena's face as he gave the brunette a quick kiss. “Thanks, doll. I'll go get cleaned up.”

 

Elena watched him go and she wondered if Reno and Cissnei would ever tie the knot. She hoped that when the couple worked out the kinks in their relationship Reno would have the sense and decency to pop the question, but a lot of Turks never married even if they had kids with a partner. For one thing they had no surnames to put on the marriage certificate. For another, life in the organization made legally binding relationships difficult. The thought about the surname made her look at Sadie and wonder.

 

“Hey Cissnei, what did you put on Sadie's birth certificate for her surname?”

 

Cissnei bit her lip in response to the unexpected question. “I gave her Reno's former last name. She's `Sadie Alesha Flynn'. Maybe I ought to tell him that…it slipped my mind completely.”

 

“He'd probably want to know,” Elena agreed. “I never knew his last name was Flynn! How'd you find that out?”

 

“He told me one night when we were up late talking,” Cissnei shrugged.

 

“Hell, I don't even remember what mine used to be,” Elena sighed.

 

“Me either,” said Cissnei.

 

~***********************************~

 

Cissnei had nothing to worry about, as it turned out. She'd been concerned that Reno might not appreciate her use of what was essentially a dead name for their daughter but when she told him, he was happy about it.

 

“She deserves to have a surname and she ain't a Turk,” he said. “She never will be if I've got anything to say about it, either.”

 

He moved his clothes into the room Cissnei shared with their daughter and he began sleeping with them at night. His resentment faded day by day, to be replaced with hope for the future and renewed love for Cissnei. Elena and Rude took pity on the couple and they took turns babysitting Sadie for a couple of hours each day, so that Reno and Cissnei could have some intimate time alone with each other.

 

By the end of the week, their meat supply was running low again so Reno and Rude went out hunting. The winter was growing harsher and they worried that the snow would eventually fall too hard for them to find any game. If that happened, Reno would have to take extra special care of the concealed helicopter to ensure they had transportation to fly somewhere for supplies. The chopper was fueled up and he gave it a tune-up each week, but with only a camouflage cover to shelter it he knew that the weather could cause serious damage.

 

While they were out in the forest searching for wild game, they heard a helicopter approaching. Reno and Rude looked at each other grimly and sought cover beneath a snow-covered bush.

 

“Your hair, partner,” Rude warned as the sound of the aircraft grew louder. The vivid mane could be easily spotted from the air if the chopper passed over them at the right angle.

 

“Shit,” Reno muttered as he stuffed his ponytail down the back of his coat and pulled the hood up. He and Rude hunkered low and watched the gray sky silently, neither of them believing that it was coincidence for the craft to be passing over this way. Bone Village was the only spot of civilization for miles and if someone were traveling to Icicle, they wouldn't be heading this way.

 

They found their suspicions to be correct as a black helicopter marked with the ShinRa logo passed slowly overhead. It looked to be doing a sweep of the area and the partnered Turks had no doubt it was searching for them. Reno's cellphone began to ring as the chopper circled overhead and he swore and brought it to his ear.

 

“Reno?” Tseng's voice was hard to hear over the sound of the rotaries overhead.

 

“Yeah,” Reno answered grimly.

 

“I'm calling to warn you that search parties have been sent out to the north. I assume you must be somewhere around there since you had me send gil to icicle for you.” He paused for a moment. “I assume that isn't your helicopter I hear in the background.”

 

“No such luck,” Reno answered. “Why didn't you call to tell me this earlier? We barely made ourselves scarce in time!”

 

“I didn't have the opportunity until now,” explained the Turk leader. “Remember, I have to conduct business as usual, so I can't simply dial you up whenever I feel like it. I need privacy to do it.”

 

“Yeah, I know,” Reno said. “Sorry for snapping. So how's the progress coming along, boss?”

 

“It's moving along faster than I could have hoped,” Tseng answered proudly. “After we cleared the latest obstacles, the progress smoothed out nicely. I hesitate to make promises but if it continues to move along at this pace, we should have Cissnei's name cleared within a couple of weeks. You realize of course that you and the others will have to face a trial for killing the Turk?”

 

“Yeah, we're prepared for that,” answered the redhead as he watched the chopper slowly move away from his location. “Elena had nothing to do with it, though. It was me and Rude.”

 

“She'll still have to testify,” Tseng answered, “but I don't think any of you will face severe repercussion for it. The situation was unique and I doubt anyone will find fault with your reasons for shooting the man. I'll get in touch with you when I have more information to report. I wouldn't recommend you make too many further trips into town, Reno. Not until you hear back from Rufus or I, anyway. It's becoming too big of a risk.”

 

“No shit,” Reno muttered. With air searches going on, he probably wouldn't be able to fly his chopper anywhere until this mess was sorted out. “Hey, thanks for everything you're doing, man.”

 

“I doubt we'd be doing it if it were anybody else,” Tseng answered dryly. “Take care of yourself and the others.” He hung up and Reno started to put his phone away.

 

“Uh, Red?” Rude said.

 

“Yeah?” Reno answered absently.

 

“I could be wrong but it looks like that search chopper is heading toward the Forgotten City.”

 

Reno looked up quickly, his eyes wide with dread. “Fuck, you're right. You call Elena and I'll call Cissnei.”

 

~**********************************~

 

Cissnei was taking her daughter for a brief walk down the broken paths of the city when her cell began to ring. She pulled it out and recognized Reno's number. “Hey, is everything okay?” she asked as she pushed the “talk” button and brought it to her ear.

 

“Are you inside?” Reno's tense voice asked.

 

“No, Sadie and I are having a little walk,” answered the brunette with a frown. “Reno, what's the matter?” She heard it, then. It was faint but growing closer and she recognized the sound of a helicopter.

 

“Grab Sadie and get out of sight,” Reno said. “They've sent choppers out to look for us and one of `em's heading your way.”

 

“Oh god,” Cissnei gasped as she squatted beside her daughter and motioned for her to come to her. “Sadie, put your arms around Mommy's neck. We've got to go back right now!”

 

“Is Daddy coming?” The little girl asked as she did what she was told, also recognizing the sound of the chopper and believing it belonged to Reno's aircraft.

 

“He'll be here soon,” Cissnei answered as she scooped the child into her arms. She heard Elena hollering in the distance and she looked down the path leading back to the house they were living in. The blonde woman had her cellphone to her ear and she was waving her free arm frantically at Cissnei, yelling for her to get inside.

 

“We're on our way,” Reno said through the phone. “Make sure you put out any fires you've got burning and block off the chimneys. Turn off any lamps too.”

 

“Okay,” Cissnei answered before turning the cell off and dropping it in her pocket. She held Sadie tightly and ran as fast as she could for the house. Explaining swiftly to her daughter that the sound they were hearing wasn't Reno's chopper and they had to hide. Elena had already gone back inside by the time the brunette made it through the door and the blonde was cleverly using the materia she had equipped to douse the fireplace in the living room. While Cissnei shut and locked the door behind her, Elena activated her ice materia to smother the flames. As soon as the logs were frozen over, the blonde shut the flu.

 

“Mommy?” Sadie whimpered when Elena drew her gun and clicked off the safety.

 

“It's going to be okay, baby,” Cissnei said as calmly as she could. “Auntie Elena's just checking her gun. We're going to play a little game, okay? You're going to hide so that when Daddy gets here, you can surprise him. How does that sound?”

 

The expression on the child's face said that she wasn't fooled, but she nodded anyway. Cissnei grabbed her stuffed chocobo off the armchair where she'd left it so that Sadie would have something to comfort her while she was hiding. She carried the little girl into the kitchen and opened the pantry.

 

“Okay sweetie, I'm going to hide you in here and I want you to be extra quiet and stay there until either me or Daddy comes for you, okay?” Cissnei looked her daughter in the eye and forced a smile.

 

“'Kay Mommy,” Sadie sniffed. As frightened as she must have been over being shut inside a dark pantry, she hardly even whimpered as Cissnei put her down and closed the pantry. Cissnei had explained to her that sometimes they would have to hide, as soon as the child was old enough to comprehend language. Unfortunate though it was, Sadie understood that she and her mother couldn't live the way other children and mothers did.

 

“Good girl,” Cissnei praised, swallowing a lump in her throat. She hurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom closet, where she kept Rekka safely stashed away. If there was going to be a fight, she preferred to use the weapon she was most skilled with. Nobody was going to harm her daughter.

 

Elena was in the living room, crouched on the floor and looking up at the ceiling as the sound of the aircraft grew louder. She glanced at Cissnei when the brunette joined her and she nodded with approval when she saw her holding her weapon of choice.

 

“They're going to be in for a hell of a fight if they try to take us,” Elena promised her friend.

 

“With any luck they'll just pass over and move on,” Cissnei answered. “It seems like they're just doing a sweep. If they intended to investigate this place on foot they'd have to land somewhere outside of the ruins, like we did.”

 

Elena nodded with agreement. “As long as they don't see anything that could tip them off that someone's living here, they'll probably move on. I'm pretty sure I got the fire put out before they could see any smoke from the chimney.”

 

The two women waited in tense silence as the helicopter circled overhead, both of them mentally reviewing the layout and wondering if they had left anything outside that would tip their pursuers off. In addition to the concern of being found, Cissnei was growing steadily more worried about Reno and Rude. How would they get back here without being spotted? She felt sick to her stomach as she imagined the helicopter gunning her lover and his partner down. She wasn't ordinarily a spiritual person but she began to silently pray that they would all make it through this.

 

She had no idea how long the helicopter circled the city but eventually, the sound of the rotaries began to fade and Cissnei breathed a sigh of relief with the realization that it was leaving. Of course, there was a chance that the search party was only leaving to find somewhere to land so that they could have a closer look through the ruins, but she couldn't worry about that right now. When the sound of the craft completely faded into the distance, Cissnei put her weapon down and prepared to fetch her daughter from the pantry.

 

Before she could make it to the kitchen, the front door was unlocked and it flew open with a bang. Cissnei turned around as Reno charged in and she barely got the chance to say his name before she was in his arms and being hugged tightly.

 

“You both okay?” Reno asked anxiously between kisses.

 

“We're fine,” Cissnei assured him, her knees weak with relief. “Sadie's still hiding in the pantry.” Any doubts she still harbored about his feelings for her vanished. His blue-green eyes were roving over her anxiously as he reassured himself that she wasn't even a little bit hurt.

 

“Well that's it,” Rude said as he entered the house and closed the door behind him. “From now on, Reno stays here while I go hunting.”

 

“What the hell are ya talking about?” Reno asked.

 

“He doesn't think us little women can take care of ourselves,” Elena sighed.

 

“I don't think anybody can take care of themselves if they get outnumbered,” corrected the bald man. “It's got nothing to do with you being women. If they figure out we're here the extra firepower needs to be here with you.”

 

“That does make some sense,” Cissnei agreed reluctantly. “I don't like the thought of you going out hunting by yourself, though. Remember Reno falling through the ice? What if that happens to you and there's nobody around to help?”

 

“Then I'll die,” Rude shrugged. “It's not likely to happen to me, though. Unlike Red here, I watch where I'm going when I hunt.”

 

“Up yours, man,” Reno said with a smirk. He released Cissnei and went into the kitchen to get his daughter. “Sadie? You in here kiddo?”

 

The pantry door swung open and the little girl stumbled out eagerly, reaching up for him with tears dripping down her face. Reno picked her up and held her close, stroking her hair and murmuring to her. “It's okay, pumpkin. You did real good, hiding like your Mommy told ya.” He kissed her tears away and turned to find Cissnei in the doorway, watching him with soft brown eyes. He smiled and winked at the brunette, trying to lighten the mood.

 

“So, what do you ladies want for dinner?”

 

“Nothing cooked by you,” Cissnei teased.

 

“Picky, picky,” Reno looked down at his daughter and faked a pout. “Did ya hear that, Sadie? Your Ma hates my cooking!”

 

Sadie giggled and grasped his ponytail in her little fingers.

 

~*********************************~

 

-To be continued