board77

First off this is a fanfic so I highly doubt most people here would want to read this. Yet two said that they did, so I am going to go ahead and post this here for them. This short story is already finished, so this isn't a continuing thing. I'll make a post for each chapter...there are twelve in all. Also I did my best to proofread it, but I am sure there is stuff I've missed...so please forgive any errors.

Eva Kaflin was taking a grumpy old woman's order the first time she saw him. She was trying to smile her sweetest and nod to all of the demands that the woman was making.

"I cannot have have anything that would have been processed with peanuts." the old woman spat at Eva.

"I assure you there are no peanuts in the restuarant ma'am...nor have there ever been. So that's a..." Eva quickly looked down at her order pad. "Glass of water then? Anything else I can get you?" Eva could have sworn that the old woman had ordered more in the five minutes she had been standing next to her booth listening to her gripe.

"Hrmph! The last time I was here the food was awful. The toast was over-buttered and the bacon burnt..." As the old woman carried on with her tirade Eva fought to keep her mind focused. She was about to ask her why she kept coming back if she hated everything so much when a young man entered through the front doors. Eva's breath caught a little in her throat. She had never seen anyone so beautiful in her entire life. It was not only the way he looked, but he seem to have an inner light about him that she had never seen before in the dusty down-trodden people that often visited the little resturant. And yet he seemed incredibly sad. She tucked her pencil behind her ear and headed for him instantly.

"Hey you there...waitress! Did you get my order?! Damn! I don't know why I keep coming back to this place!"

Eva glanced up shyly at the young man and asked, "Would you follow me this way, please?"

"OK." he mumbled softly.

Once he was seated Eva took out her pad again and asked him what he wanted to drink.

"Just tea, please." he answered softly.

"OK, I'll bring that back to you while you look over our menu." Eva said placing a worn menu down on the table.

"I just want tea. Nothing else. Please." the young man told the table.

"OK." Eva said doubtfully as she took the menu back.

Once she got back to the kitchen she got the old woman's ice water and the young man's tea. As an afterthought she added a slice of lemon to the the saucer that the tea was on. He didn't say if he wanted any lemon, but she put it there just in case. She placed the woman's water in front of her and then headed for the man's table.

"Here you go." she said as she sat the saucer on his table. She hoped that he would look up at her so she could get just one glimpse of his beautiful face again, but his head remained down. When he said nothing in return, Eva slowly started for the kitchen.

"Hey! I didn't want any ice in this water! Do you hear me?!"

Eva mumbled an apology to the woman and took her glass to the back. As she brought out a fresh glass sans ice she felt a hand softly touch her arm.

"Excuse me. Could I ask you something, miss?" the young man had turned his face to her at last and Eva gasped. His eyes were the most brilliant blue she had ever seen.

"Sure. Just a moment and I will be with you." she answered him nodding to the waiting woman.

When she got back to the man's booth he nodded at the seat across from him. She carefully sat down and tried not to stare at him...quite a difficult task now that she was so close to him. "I...I don't have long...I'm still on duty." she stammered.

"This won't take long." he replied. "Have you seen anyone...unsual...in this town lately?"

"No, just you...um...I mean, we don't get outsiders too much here. We're kind of out of the way." she blushed furiously as she answered him and wished for a cup of something to take a sip of to hide it.

"You haven't seen three men and a woman travelling together or in pairs in matching black suits then?" he asked again.

"Oh nothing like that at all!" Eva exclaimed. "Such a party would certainly stand out here."

"Yeah, I suppose they would." he said more to himself than her.

"Now if you would excuse me, I really do have to get back to work." Eva said standing up.

"Sure. I won't keep you any longer."

Three hours later it was time for her to close the restuarant. She tried not to glance at the table with the young man at it again, but she was unable to keep her eyes away. Not only because of the way he looked but because of the fact that he hadn't touched his tea and he had kept his head down the entire night. She had come by his table a few times asking if he needed anything at all, but he just kept shaking his head no. Now that she had to close up she came back to his table one last time.

"I'm very sorry sir, but the restuarant is closing now and I'm afraid you can't stay."

"It's OK. I was just on my way out anyway." the man got up from his seat.

Suddenly on a whim Eva blurted out, "Where...where are you staying tonight? The one motel in town isn't very reputable."

"I'm heading out again. I have some people that I am looking for."

"You can't. You haven't eaten anything in at least the past three hours and I have a feeling it's been a lot longer than that. Please come to my house. I'll cook us something good to eat...a lot better than the crap they serve here. I even have a spare bedroom...it's pretty cozy."

"No...I don't think so."

"Please. I insist." Eva wasn't sure why she was insisting except that the thought of this young man walking out of the resturant and leaving her life forever hurt her.

"All right then, but I have leave first thing in the morning. I actually wasn't looking too forward to sleeping on the ground again anyway."

"I understand." Eva replied. She looked at his face to see if she could detect a hint of a smile at that last to see if he was making a joke, but his face remained down. "By the way, I'm Eva Kaflin! I'm pleased to meet you...um...?"

"Cloud...Cloud Strife."

Eva slowly stirred the saucepan, very aware of Cloud's presence at the table behind her. "So where are you from?" she asked trying to make pleasant conversation.

"Well I live in Midgar now, though I travel a lot too."

"Oh. Is that where you grew up, Cloud?" Eva asked after tasting the sauce.

"I...I don't know." Cloud mumbled distantly.

Eva's eyes opened a little in surprise and she turned to the figure at her table. "Well I suppose that isn't the important thing for now. Here have some of this. It's my mother's recipe...I think you'll like it." she smiled while placing a steaming dish in front of Cloud.

"Thank you."

At first Eva tried to make small talk with Cloud while they ate, but she gave up after getting half-hearted mumbles for her efforts. She was happy to see that he had eaten a little though.

"You just make yourself at home while I get out the sheets for that spare bed." Eva told Cloud while she cleared away the dishes.

As she looked through the spare room's closet for the sheets she thought about her houseguest. He must be a mercenary of some sort, she thought. Though he looked weaponless to her now she had seen many places on his person made to carry weapons...plus he was looking for four suspicious people. What did they look like? Ah, he said three men and a woman in matching black suits. He hadn't told her anything beyond that when she had said that she had never seen any such group of people. Maybe she should get more information out of him about who he was looking for. Then she would certainly keep her eyes peeled in the restaurant for them, though she doubted they would ever actually show up. There was nothing in her little town of Apoc to attract any notice. Yet she would keep watch none the less. She wanted to help Cloud and that seemed the only way possible at this point.

"OK, everything is all ready for you." Eva said while handing Cloud an extra blanket. "Now about those four people you were asking me about in the restaurant. Desrcibe them to me...that way I know who I am looking for and can report back to you if I see them."

"Well it's like you say, you'll probably never see them yet I suppose it doesn't hurt to cover all our bases. OK, the group I am looking for are spies for The Shinra Electric Company."

"Spies." Eva breathed in wonder. This was more exciting than she thought it would be. "For the power company? Why would they need spies?"

"Hmmm...I suppose news doesn't reach these parts too often. Well let's just say that their way of doing things have fallen out of favor with some people who are willing to stand up to them."

"Oh." Eva knew that Cloud was including himself in those people standing up to Shinra.

"They are called the Turks and their leader is Tseng. He has long black hair and is often seen in the company of Elena...another Turk. Her hair is short and blond. They are both young...around our age. Then there is..." suddenly Cloud broke off as his cell phone rang. "I'm sorry. I have to take this."

Eva nodded and pointed towards her front porch outside. "Go on. I understand."

"Thank you." Cloud answered her as he made his way towards the front door.

After he was outside Eva curled up on the couch thinking over all that Cloud told her. She had never thought of the power company as being bad before. She liked the fact that it didn't cost her an arm and a leg to cool her house in the summer the way it use to when her mother was young. Yet hadn't she herself sometimes questioned that very cheapness of an energy that had at one time had been so expensive? And these Turks that Cloud had told her about...spying...on what or who? She couldn't imagine anyone that she knew being important enough to have spies following them. She heard the click of the door as Cloud came back in. She instantly and helplessly smiled at him as he came to her.

"You have been very kind, but I am sorry I can't stay tonight. I have orders now." Cloud informed her.

"Oh. Well I suppose you would. Um...will I ever see you again? I mean are you ever going to come back here? To the town I mean, not my house." Eva blushed.

"I doubt it."

"Hey I will keep an eye out for those people you told me about, but if I am to see anyone like that how can I let you know? I should have some way of keeping in touch with you. What did you call it, covering all the bases?" Eva shyly smiled at him.

"Sure." Cloud replied and hurriedly scribbled his cell phone number down on a scrap of paper. "Hopefully you won't ever have need to call me though. Trust me if there are Turks around your town, it isn't a good thing." And with that he walked out to his bike sitting in her driveway.

Once he was out of sight, Eva put the paper with his number against her lips. She didn't even notice the one tear that slipped out of her eye and ran down her cheek.

Eva absent-mindedly stacked the plates in the dishwasher. Her mind was often somewhere else these days...or more to the point with someone else.

"Hey, watch what you're doing!" yelled the restaurant's owner. "I know you're pulling double the work since Dax quit, but I do expect you to remember that you can't overload that dishwasher!"

"I'm so sorry. I'll pay more attention, I promise." Eva embarrassedly mumbled. The owner grunted his reply and went back to his paperwork. Eva took out some of the extra plates she had put in and placed them back on the counter. The little bell above the office rang telling her that another customer had arrived. Eva groaned in dismay...would this day ever end?

Eva brushed a strand of hair out of her face and went out to the dining room. She was looking down at her seating chart when she approached the customer so she at first didn't see him properly. Once she looked up she gasped in astonishment.

"Is something the matter, miss?" the man smirked.

"Uh...not at all. This way please." Eva managed to get out. She brought the man to his seat and handed him a menu. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked as calmly as possible.

"Well to be honest I'm actually here for information more than the food, as surprising as that may sound." the man answered smiling.

"Uh...what kind of information." Eva stammered nervously.

"Have you seen this man?" he asked her handing her a photo.

Eva quickly glanced at it already knowing who it would be a picture of. She barely had time to register Cloud's beautiful face before replying, "Nope. I've never seen this person in my life."

Tseng (Eva couldn't lie to herself anymore about who the man was) grabbed her arm and said, "I believe you are lying...not a wise thing to do."

Eva tried to take control of herself (though she was visibly shaking with fear) and pointedly said, "If you don't unhand me, I'll make sure the right people know about it."

Tseng laughed softly, but let her go. "You think Cloud would actually care what I did to you? You don't even exsist to him and even if you did, Cloud is beyond caring about most things anymore...except revenge."

Eva looked at him levelly and said, "Either order something or get out."

Tseng looked her straight in the eye and said, "Thank you. You've told me everything I need to know." And with that he briskly got up and left the restaurant. Eva watched him pause a second next to his car to take out his cell phone. The second he did she ran to the back of the restaurant and grabbed the phone from the owner's desk. She barely heard the owner loudly protest this interruption as she dialed Cloud's number (which she had long ago memorized).

"Come on." she whispered to the ringing tone. He picked up on the fifth ring. "Cloud!" she nearly screamed in relief. "Listen! Tseng is here right now...right outside the restaurant. I don't know how long he'll stay. Not long I'd bet." She listened as Cloud told her that there was no one near that could apprehend him at the moment, but that he would come as soon as possible. "Do you want me to try to hold him here?" Eva breathlessly asked. Cloud told her in no uncertain terms to not even try, not if she valued her freedom or even her life. Eva got the hint and told him she wouldn't, but she would watch him leave so she could at least tell Cloud which way he had gone once Cloud arrived. With that she hung up jittery and tense. She looked out of the office window to see if Tseng was still there. He was, but he was getting into his car as she watched. She watched him drive away and noted that he had driven east.

"Are you going to look out that window all day? I'm not paying you to look out the window! Get back to work!" the owner shouted at her back.

"Certainly! At once sir!" Eva couldn't help smiling. Cloud was coming back.

He didn't arrive that night nor the following day, but the next night she heard his bike as he pulled into her driveway. Her heart quickened at the sound and she tried to will it to slow again. The moment he softly knocked on her door she pulled it opened and smiled. "Oh Cloud. I'm glad to see you again."

Cloud nodded at her and motioned to the couch. "I don't have a lot of time. Tell me everything you know." he said as he sat down. Eva thought to ask if he was in such a hurry why did he come back all this way when she could have just told him what she knew (which wasn't much) on the phone, but then decided against it. Whatever his reasons she was beyond happy that he was here and she didn't want to ruin it.

"Oh they're looking for you Cloud. They're on obviously on your backtrail because Tseng already knew that you had been here before I even said a word." The thought of Tseng made her nervous again and she fiddled with her skirt.

"And getter closer from the sound of it." Cloud said softly. "Is that it then?" Eva nodded not telling him what Tseng had said about Cloud's lack of caring and thirst for revenge. "I don't even know why I came then." Cloud started to get up and Eva took a deep breath and quickly grabbed his hand. If she thought her heart had beat fast before...that was nothing to how it was racing now that she was touching him. He sat back down.

"I think I know why you came." Eva said quietly. "In all of my life I've never seen anyone as desperately lonely as you, Cloud. Though you deny it, I think you are trying to fill that void." When he didn't say anything in return she whispered, "Who do you mourn for?" At that Cloud turned his face away and she knew he was crying. "Please. I want to help you." Eva gently turned his face back to her own. When he was facing her again, Eva quickly and without thought softly kissed his mouth. It was all she could do not to kiss him fully. At first Cloud didn't move, but then he started kissing her back more and more passionately. Eva could barely breathe, her wonderment was so great. After a moment Cloud pushed her back on to the couch still kissing her. Eva didn't resist...she wanted this more than he did. In fact Eva was in bliss and tried to memorize everything about the moment. The way his breath caught when he entered her. The way his soft skin felt on hers. The way is hair smelled like the sky. At first she didn't even notice that he had never stopped crying, but when he turned his face to her and one of his tears splashed onto her cheek she knew.

"I'm so sorry." he raggedly whispered as he came and turned his face away. A moment later he quickly got up and threw his clothes back on. Eva barely had her t-shirt back on as Cloud started heading out the door.

"Wait!" she cried. "What are you doing? Was it something I did?"

Cloud just shook his head and mounted his bike. Eva stood shivering in the desert night not knowing what to do. "Please." she cried. "Don't leave."

Cloud didn't look at her again as he started the motor and then drove away.

Eva looked at the pregnancy test again and wept a little. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and sighed. She pitched the test into the garbage and went downstairs to call the hospital to have her pregnancy confirmed. She didn't even bother trying to call Cloud. She had given that fruitless task up weeks ago.

The day of her appointment she sat in the waiting room trying not to let her eyes wander to the other happy couple sitting a few seats away. She watched as the man put his hand on the woman's huge stomach and smiled sweetly at her. The woman put her hand on the man's and whispered something in his ear. Eva couldn't bear to look any longer and turned her face away.

"Eva Kaflin?" asked a nurse checking her chart. Eva got up and followed her back to the examination room. "Alright we did the test and you are indeed ten weeks pregnant." the nurse told her typing the information in to the computer.

"Does everything seem...to...to be OK? With the pregancy I mean." Eva asked worried.

"So far so good, though it is too early to tell about a lot of things." the nurse replied still busily typing. "OK." she said finally finished. "I want you to make an appointment for a month from now." The nurse jotted that down and gave Eva the slip of paper. She noticed the downcast turn of Eva's eyes and said, "It's going to be OK. I know it's scary your first time, but trust me. Technology has advanced so much in the last thirty years that there isn't much that we can't deal with in any pregnancy. We can thank the Shinra Company for that." she smiled trying to be reassuring. Eva thought about what Cloud had said about Shinra and didn't reply as she got up to leave.

After Eva had left the exam room the nurse quickly pulled out her cell phone. "This is Apoc Community Hospital....Yes, I have everything you need on file and am sending it to you as we speak...Of course...Especially who the father is." The nurse pressed "SEND" on the computer and smiled.

Cloud checked his messages one more time. Eva hadn't tried to call him today as she hadn't for awhile now. He sighed and put the phone back in his pocket. He didn't want to be saddened by that fact, but he was. He didn't know why. Sure Eva was pretty and sweet, but really she was just some waitress that he had a chance meeting with. He felt horrible about taking advantage of her though, but he didn't know how to tell her that without getting back into her life...the last thing he needed right now. He took his phone back out to call Barret to get his next orders. Working always helped to dull everything else that he felt.

Reno sprawed lazily on the couch and flipped through the channels on his TV. His phone rang and he turned off the TV.

"Yo." he said into the phone. He perked up at what was next said. "Really?! Hot damn!...Yeah I'll be right over!"

Once at headquarters, Reno sat down at the table where Tseng, Elena, and Rude were already seated. "All right. As you all know one of the most important things that we do is search out new canidates for the SOLDIER program." Tseng began. "Of course the people we choose though of peak phyiscal and mental health have to be altered to be what we need them to be. Quite a lengthy task and not to mention one fraught with the chances that the subject may go insane or even die. So let's suppose there was a SOLDIER born altered by the Jenova cells already in their body."

"You mean like Sephiroth?" Elena asked. "Hardly the standard by which we ought to measure success." she mumbled to herself.

"Even better." Tseng answered. "Sephiroth was indeed born already altered, but we still had to do the altering. He wasn't concieved with Jenova cells." At this everyone in the room perked up even more. Reno just smirked.

"You'd think Cloud would be more careful than knocking up some random chick." Reno said while rolling his eyes.

"Um...yes. Thank you for that Reno." Tseng replied pointedly. "So it is as Reno says, we know now that Cloud has concieved a child and that child and the mother is going to require constant watching until the child is old enough for the program."

"I'll do it." Elena volunteered. "She may be less threatened by a woman than a man. It would be easier for me to make friends with her."

"You are who I would pick under other circumstances, Elena." Tseng told her. "But Cloud has already given your description to her. She has already seen me and I think she would definitely know who you are." Tseng paused for a moment and then continued. "Reno."

"What? Me? I don't want the job of babysitting some chick and her brat." Reno spat.

"It doesn't matter what you want as you full well know, Reno." Tseng answered him. "Out of you and Rude, you are definitely the less threatening of the two."

"Gee thanks. That's what I've always wanted to be...unthreatening." Reno said sarcastically.

"You have the job, Reno. Besides you may find a job of this sort right up your alley. I won't deny that there could be certain perks with such a job." Tseng finished a little distastefully.

"Yeah whatever. But it's like you say, I don't have much choice in the matter." Reno sighed.

"All right then." Tseng smiled at them. "I think this child is the dawning of a new era in the SOLDIER program...something to look forward to with hope. You are dismissed."

After the others had left, Tseng pulled Reno aside to give him his last instructions. "OK, you're to wear civilian clothes. I don't want to raise her suspicion with a black suit." He paused looking over Reno's wrinkled and unbuttoned suit. "Not that your dress is exactly up to our standards anyway, but it is better safe than sorry."

"So is there any particular reason why this has to be such a long drawn out affair? Other than to drive me crazy with a lack of any real work?" Reno asked.

"It is in the best interests of the Company to have SOLDIERs that actually want to be here. Needless to say the last thing we need is more SOLDIERs running around loose to join anti-Shinra groups the way Cloud did. You play this right Reno and you can get the kid to willingly and happily join the program. You play it really right and you'll get that mother to give up her child to us with a smile on her face and confidence in her heart."

"What about Cloud?" Reno asked.

"Ah yes. That is the biggie isn't it." Tseng replied thoughtfully. "You want my honest opinion? I think Cloud will be the last person that you will have to worry about. That being said if you get just one hint that Cloud or any other member of AVALANCHE is going to hide the child, you take no chances. Bring the child here. OK, I believe that just about covers it. You leave in two hours. Have fun in Apoc." Tseng smirked at him.

Reno just sighed and rolled his eyes at that last.

"Just think, Reno. If this works out and the child is as powerful as Cloud is, we're going to be breeding SOLDIERs instead of making them." Tseng said excitedly.

Eva looked at the clock above the sink. She sighed at the fact that her next break was still an hour and a half away. She wasn't feeling so hot, but she wasn't bad enough to ask the owner to let her take a break sooner. The little bell apruptly rang and Eva went to see who had come to the door. As she turned the corner she saw the weirdest looking person she had ever seen. He had masses of practically orange hair that was only barely contained by the long ponytail trailing down his back. He looked frumpy and unkept as though he had slept in his clothes (and for many nights at that) and she had to look twice before she realized that he was wearing aviator goggles on his head for some odd reason. He had a sarcastic half smile that seemed to be a permanent part of his person.

"Um...may I help you?" she asked the weird stranger.

"You sure can!" he smiled at her. "Word of this magnificant restaurant has reached my town and I just had to find out if all of the delicious rumors were true!"

"Um...OK. This way please." Eva said not knowing what to make of that statement.

Once he was seated Eva said, "I'll let you look over the menu moment, so you can decide what you want."

"Hey! Don't leave yet!" the young man called at her retreating back. As Eva came back he asked, "What would you recommend? I must say that I didn't come to this place knowing what delicacy I wanted to sample, but I would trust your opinion. You look like a lady that would know what was good and who would tell me the truth."

"Well truthfully, I think everything here is horrible. I don't know what restaurant your friends ate at, but I doubt it was this one."

"Then maybe they were just struck so much by the beauty of the waitress that it affected their opinion of all else." he smiled up at her.

Eva groaned and rolled her eyes. She knew when she was being hit on and badly at that. "Do you want anything to drink then?"

"Well I suppose I do have to order something if I want to remain in your illustrious company, huh?" the man said looking at the menu. "I'll have the super burger with the works, fries, a bowl of chili, and a large coke."

Eva noted it all down while wondering how such a slight man could eat that much. "OK, I'll be right back out with your coke."

And eat it he did somehow, Eva noted when she brought his check to the table. As she placed it on the table the man asked her, "So do you know of any good places I could stay tonight? It's kind of a long drive back home."

"Uh...there's a fine motel at the edge of town on the highway. I'm sure you'll be able to find it with no problems."

"Oh." the man replied crestfallen. "Yeah I noticed it when I came into town. It doesn't look too clean or safe if you ask me though."

"That's all there is." Eva told him curtly while clearing the dishes off his table. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Reno cursed under his breath once Eva was gone. He took out his wallet and placed all of the money he had in it on the table as her tip. Maybe he could butter her up with money.

Once he was in the seedy motel room he called Tseng. "I don't know how the hell Cloud was able to get into her pants after two meetings!" he whined into the phone. "No, I'm not giving up. You know me...there's nothing I like more than a challenge. Ugh! Good thing I have all the time in the world to get into her good graces, huh?" After telling Tseng all of the details he hung up and laid down on the hard and lumpy mattress and thought about Eva. Maybe he was going about all of this the wrong way. She obviously adored Cloud and still did even after what he had done to her. Now what did Cloud have that he didn't? It sure wasn't looks or charm, because Reno had those in spades. Hmmmm...personality? Well if you could call moping around and hating the world personality. Cloud certainly had that. Then it struck Reno. Maybe that was it...maybe Eva was one of those girls that liked to take care of the sad and lonely in hopes that she would be the one special girl to reach them. Well, Reno thought, I can certainly do sad and lonely when the job calls for it. And then feeling better he climbed into the covers and promptly went to sleep.

Reno woke to the insisant beep of the alarm and tried to shut it off. When his hand met nothingness and the shrill beep continued, he groggily opened his eyes and tried to scan the room for the sound. He groaned when he saw that the clock was all the way across the room on the desk. He had forgot that fact last night after setting it and then calling Tseng. He kicked the covers off uttering a string of curses mostly aimed a the alarm, but a few aimed at just life in general. After stumbling blearily across the room and hitting the alarm button hard enough to hurt, he straightened up and thought about what to do next. He wanted to go back to the restaurant where Eva worked right away. Yet he didn't want to seem too eager. He supposed he would have to find something to occupy his time with in this dismal little town for a little while today. A task he didn't have high hopes of achieving.

Eva finished brushing her hair and set down her hairbrush on the counter. She checked her wallet to make sure she still had the man's money in it. She hoped that he was still at the motel this morning. She had just enough time to swing by and give him his money back before it was time for her to be at work. With that thought she headed out to her car.

"Um...is there a man staying here with bright red hair and goggles on his head?" she asked the desk attendent. "I don't know his name, but I was his waitress last night and there was a mix up. I need to give him back his money."

"Just a moment miss." the attendent replied looking at his computer screen. "You're in luck. That particular gentleman has not checked out yet this morning. He is in room 23."

"Well I think he'll find himself the luckier of the two in that regard." Eva said smiling. Once she reached his door she knocked on it tentitively. The amount of cussing and banging around that met her knock frankly shocked her.

"Just a moment!" Eva heard him call and then quieter, "Who the hell makes a visit at 6:30 in the freakin' morning?!"

Suddenly the door was flung open and there he stood looking even more disheaveled than he did the night before. She saw his eyes widen in shock at the fact that she was the one at his door and then he quickly smiled and said, "My what a wonderful surprise! To what good fortune do I owe this meeting?"

"Um...I don't have a lot of time, but I wanted to return your money to you before you left. You somehow accidently left it on the table last night." Eva said as she fished out her wallet.

"No, no, no! It was no mistake!" the man smiled back at her. "The service you gave was exemplarily and you deserve every penny of it."

"Uh...you left about eight hundred dollars, sir. There is NO way that isn't a mistake!"

"Forget about the money...it's yours. Would you give me the pleasure of your name? I bet it is as beautiful as you are."

Eva blushed and mumbled, "I'm Eva Kaflin."

The man took her hand even though she hadn't offered it and smiled. "I'm so pleased to meet you, Eva. And I was right about the beauty of your name. I'm Reno."

"Do you have a last name...um...Reno?" Eva asked not comfortable with using his first name yet.

"Not any more." he laughed. "So you are going to have to call me by my first name instead of that proper Mr. Whatever crap." Reno laughed. "Please come in."

"Oh I better not. I really have to get to work now." Eva told him.

"Just for a moment. Please." Reno asked opening the door wider.

Eva looked around the small and seedy room with discomfort. "You were right. This place is horrible. I'm sorry I recommended to you." Eva said as she sat down on the uncomfortable bed.

"Well it is as you say...it's the only place in town." Reno smiled at her taking the desk chair.

"Um...I've been kind of rude to you...um...Reno. And I apologize. You aren't quite what I expected when I first saw you yesterday."

Reno laughed and said, "I tend to have that effect on people. So tell me Eva, can I come to your restaurant again and eat some more of that awesome chili? I promise I won't get in your way or try to hit on you or anything...in fact you'll barely notice that I am there. I promise."

"That would be impossible." Eva mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Reno asked.

"Oh nothing. Of course you can come. That's what the restaurant is there for, isn't it?" Eva lightly teased. "Now it's nothing against you, but I really do need to go to work now.

"Sure!" Reno said getting up and opening the door for her. "I'll be there for lunch!"

"And I'll be there too." Eva told him and then headed for her car. Reno watched her go with a smirk on his face. This was going to be even easier than he thought.

After Eva clocked in she took a moment to go to the restroom. Once inside she pressed her head against the cool tile. Not only was her stomach spinning this morning so was her emotions. It wasn't like her to get so friendly with someone she had just met...well except for Cloud, but he was a special exception. At the thought of Cloud tears started streaming down her face. She missed him so much. In fact this was the loneliest she had ever felt in her life. Maybe that was why she had struck it up so quickly with Reno. She was desperate for any human contact and he was nice, if a little over bearing at times. Yet he certainly seemed to like her which was more than she could say about Cloud.

Cloud instantly turned over and sat up when he heard his phone ring. He hadn't slept very well last night and in fact had been awake for the past three hours trying to sort out the strange jumble of images that passed for his memory. He looked at the caller ID and then turned it on as the second ring was ending.

"Hello, Barret. You have another job for me, huh?" Cloud listened and then replied. "Ah, what is Reno up to now. No good I'd wager." He listened again with growing confusion and anger. "What do you mean he has been sent to keep track of a waitress in Apoc? I don't want the job!" "

"Did you hear me? I don't care what the hell Reno wants with her, get someone else to do it!" And with that Cloud shut off the phone ignoring his growing worry and unease. He knew he needed to look into the situation himself, but he was afraid of what he'd find. What could be important enough to Shinra that they would actually send one of their only four elite to keep watch on a girl out in the middle of nowhere? Cloud knew subconsciously, but refused to let the thought surface. Better just to ignore it for now. Barret would find someone else to keep a watch on Eva and Reno.

"Hmmm...nice place you have here." Tseng complimented as he looked around the small apartment.

"Eh, it beats living in a motel." Reno replied removing an old newspaper from the couch so Tseng could sit down.

"So how are things going here?" Tseng asked once seated.

"Very well. Eva is more lonely and desperate than we could ever hope for." Reno replied with conviction, but he was finding it harder and harder of late to say anything negative about Eva with conviction. Not a good turn of events in his opinion. "I don't think it will be too much longer until she asks me to move in with her."

"What have you told her about yourself? I know you are being careful there, but I'm sure you have to tell her something."

"Well she now knows I'm from Midgar though I told her that I worked for a shipping company there. She hasn't asked too much else. I think she is just happy to have me around." Reno finished quietly.

Tseng checked his notes. "So she is now 32 weeks pregnant. How are things going there?"

"Ever since the cellular mutations were found in the baby, Eva's doctor has been running a battery of tests. He says everything else about the baby seems fine, yet he is still concerned of course. Eva told me though that it hurts a lot when the baby kicks. Of course never being pregnant before she has nothing to compare it to, but I think she is right about the strength of the kicks. I swear one day I could actually she her stomach extend quite far with one of those kicks." Reno shuddered at the memory. "It isn't natural."

"I notice that you are now referring to the fetus as "baby". That's good. I do want you to be like a father to this child. It makes it easier all around. Just don't get too attached to either Eva or her child. You get me?" Tseng asked him pointedly.

"Yeah, I get you." Reno mumbled.

"OK, then. So I hear that you have got a job at the restaurant too. That's great! The more time you can spend with Eva the better!" Tseng smiled waiting for Reno to groan about the crappy waiter job, but Reno remained silent.

"Um...As you know AVALANCHE has been watching you, but I don't think it is anything we have to worry about yet. I know you are aware of the situation. Just keep aware...no slacking off." And with that Tseng put away his notes and stood. "I must say you've been doing a marvelous job with this. Not that I expected any less of you of course. I doubt the girl even remembers Cloud's name anymore."

"One could only hope." Reno answered quietly in return.

"I'm on my way then Reno. Remember...keep your emotional distance! It's too late to put anyone else in your place. You mess this one up and...well I don't think I need remind you of what would happen." Tseng smiled as he left.

Eva tiptoed into the kitchen behind Reno and put her arms around him, smiling. It was hard not to smile at Reno. He just had an air of unrestrained laughter and fun about him though he often tried to cover it up with cockiness and cynicism.

He turned around and laughed, "So what are you doing here? Isn't the purpose of maternity leave to lay around on the couch doing nothing for a couple of months? It's almost enough to make me want to have a baby! Well I believe it is now time for me to start serving this unhealthy crap to a bunch of people who shouldn't be eating it," Reno laughed as he grabbed his order pad.

Eva laughed and said, "I don't know why you say that. You love the food here more than anybody else that I've ever met."

"Yeah, but I can handle it. Come on...tell me. Have you ever seen anyone as fit and healthy as me before?" he laughed and pulled her into a hug so quickly she barely even saw him move.

"Wow!" she giggled in his embrace. "Where does that come from?"

"Uh...from eating pizza and watching TV all day! I swear it's the nation's best kept secret to physical health." he winked at her. Suddenly the bell rang and Eva pulled away from Reno and tried to adjust her self back into calmness. As she turned the corner though all of her regained calmness disapeared.

Reno didn't notice that Eva had stopped abruptly and practically ran into her back. "Hey! What's up, Eva?" He asked and then he to saw who was at the door. He immediately tensed and looked over at Eva. Her eyes shone with a happiness that they never did when she looked at him. He quickly turned his mind away from that thought.

Cloud quickly strode over to Eva and said to her, "I don't have long, but I do need to talk with you. Shall we?" he asked gesturing at the booth at the far end of the restuarant.

"Hey! Wait a minute! Who the hell are you?!" he asked Cloud pretending not to know him.

Cloud just glared at him, but Eva turned to him and said, "Oh I'm sorry Reno. This is Cloud Strife. He's...uh...an old friend of mine."

Reno glared back at Cloud and said to Eva, "I know what "old friend" means when it is used in that way. So you're the jerk that wanted all the fun, but none of the responsibility." Reno sneered at Cloud.

Cloud turned to Eva and said, "I don't have time for this. Please. Come with me."

It enraged Reno to see how happily and willingly that Eva was responding to Cloud's command. He held her back by her shoulder and said, "Cloud Strife you say? Now I know why your name seems so familiar. Eva this man is a wanted criminal in Midgar. I bet he didn't tell you that he is a member of a dangerous eco-terrorist group did he?" Reno smiled at Eva's shocked look at Cloud and continued, "It's true, Eva. Do you remember that power outage last year in Midgar that made national news? Well we have Cloud and his little buddies to thank for that one. Wasn't there a story about a hospital that lost their power for three days? It had a neonatal unit didn't it? Good thing that the staff was trained for just such an emergency, otherwise who knows what would have happened?"

"Come on, Eva. There is something I have to tell you." Cloud said pulling her away. Reno smiled at him and let Eva go.

Once Cloud sat across from her, Eva's tears started flowing. She was so mixed up between extreme joy at seeing Cloud, anger at him for abandoning her, and confusion at what Reno had just told her. She tried to blame her pregnancy hormones for her emotional mess, but she wasn't quite able to convince herself. She opened her mouth to speak and Cloud stopped her with a hush.

"Eva, just let me say this before you say anything to me." He put his hand on hers and looked into her eyes. Eva could barely breath. "I know what I've done to you is wrong and I am extremely sorry for it, but I am even more sorry about what I have to say next." He took a deep breath and then continued, "I can't be here for you and love you the way you want."

Eva started crying harder and Cloud gripped her hand. "Listen to me. I can't love you the way you love me, BUT that doesn't mean that I don't care about you or our child. You need to watch out for Reno. He may say he loves you, but he is lying. I don't blame you for wanting him around and as much as I want to tell you to stop seeing him, I know you won't. I just want you to know that Reno ALWAYS has an ulterior motive. And I'll be watching you. If Reno or any other Turk even so much as whispers of a kidnapping, I'll be all over them." He was pleased to see her eyes widen at the name of Turk. Now she could wonder about what else Reno was lying to her about.

"So that's all you can give me. To watch me. Probably on orders to." she sneered at him. She tried to pull her hand away from his, but he kept it down with ease. He quickly glanced over at Reno and wasn't fooled by his apparent absorption in taking a customer's order. He could tell Reno was keyed up and was watching them intently.

"Eva, it's not on orders. I promise you." And with that he brought her hand to his lips in a goodbye kiss. As he got up to leave he saw Reno at the table glaring at him and worriedly frowning over Eva's tears. Cloud looked at Reno and then whispered to him, "Just try to take her or the kid to Shinra. I'd love to take you down." And with that he left.

After Cloud had left Reno sat down across from Eva. He knew what Cloud had told Eva and waited for her to talk first.

"So is it true?" she asked after a moment.

Reno knew that he needed to choose with extreme care how he went about things next. He quickly came to the decision that the situation could best be salvaged by mixing a little emotional honesty with his lies. "Yes." he whispered looking down at the table.

"Are your orders to take my baby to Shinra?"

Again Reno chose honesty, "Yes."

She started to get up and he stopped her by saying, "Eva. I'm not going to be able to do it. When I took this job I had no idea that I would fall in love with you."

Eva sat back down and asked, "You love me?"

"More than anything." Reno told her and was surprised and dismayed to realize that it was the truth.

"Cloud told me that he didn't love me." Eva heartbreakingly sighed.

"Then he is an idiot as well as a jerk. I don't see how anyone could not love you."

A customer called from across the room, "Hey! I've been sitting here for ten minutes now without you taking my order!"

"Shove it!" Reno yelled back. "Can't you see I'm busy here!"

"That's it! Where's the manager! He's going to hear about this!" the irrate customer spat getting out of his seat.

"Reno! You'll get fired!" Eva whispered worriedly.

"Well now you know who I am, you know that it certainly doesn't matter if I am fired from this dump. I'm one of the wealthiest people in the world. Shinra does pay well," he smiled. "I only took this job to be close to you anyway. You don't even need to work here anymore either. I'll take care of you and the baby."

"But Reno, what will they do to you when they find out you have no intentions of giving my baby up to them?" Eva asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about it. I'll think of something when the time comes. Until then they don't need to know anything different than I am doing my job. It's safer for both of us that way."

"Reno?" Eva softly asked. "Would you like to come home with me tonight?"

Reno just grinned and stood up to hug her. "Well I see no reason to waste anymore time around this joint! Do you?"

Eva took his hand to lead him to the front door and shook her head smiling.

Once back at her house Eva asked Reno if he was hungry or thirsty.

"Well you know me. I'm always hungry, but I can wait." Reno told her sensing her mood.

Eva smiled and lead him to her room. Once there she laid back on the pillows and patted the place next to her. Reno laid down happily.

"Reno?" Eva asked.

"Hmmm...?" he mumbled back looking at her beautiful face.

"Is that true about what you said about Cloud? About cutting the power to that hospital?"

"Of course! When it comes to Cloud I don't have to make anything up. Trust me, Cloud is not the hero he likes to think he is. He's cold, vengeful, and half insane. Honestly, I never knew what you saw in the guy."

Eva mumbled something in return and when Reno started to ask what she bent over and kissed him. Reno happily kissed her back for a few moments and then pulled away. "Are you sure this is what you want? Heaven knows you don't need to be taken advantage of again."

"Yes. I want this...you." Eva replied and then to prove her point she took control and pushed him back on the pillows all the while kissing him.

Reno kissed her back and then stopped again. "Are we going to hurt the baby?" he asked her worriedly.

"I doubt it," she laughed. "Especially since I plan to be on top. Now are you going to make love to me or lay there blabbering all night?" she teased.

"Um...If I have a choice I'll take option number one, but it is a close call because do love to blabber," he winked at her and then she pushed him back, unbuckling his belt as she did so.

Reno laughed and lazily gave in, lacing his fingers behind his neck. "Now this is what I'm talking about!" he giggled between kisses.

Eva thought that if making love to Cloud was beautiful but sad, making love to Reno was giddy and fun. She got on top of him and he wrapped his arms around her back and brought her down close to his body. They rocked together playfully for awhile and soon Reno's laughter turned to moans of pleasure. Eva closed her eyes when she came and had to physically bite her tongue to keep from calling out Cloud's name. Afterwards she snuggled into Reno's arms for sleep. Reno started snoring not even five minutes later, but Eva stayed awake for a long time trying to keep at bay the question of what it would feel like to be laying in Cloud's arms instead.

Another intense cramp hit Eva's midsection and she painfully rolled out of Reno's arms to look at the clock. It was 4:45 in the morning. Her contractions were getting stronger, longer, and closer together. She figured it was time to go to the hospital. She looked over at Reno and decided not to wake him up just yet. She tiptoed out of bed and into the kitchen. She got her phone and dialed Cloud's number. It was the first time she had called him since he had came to the restaurant weeks ago. Cloud picked up on the first ring sounding like he had never gone to bed.

"Cloud." Eva breathed, relieved that the contraction was over for now. "I'm in labor and I'm going to the hospital as soon as I can wake up Reno. I want you to be there...for the birth of our child." With her answer received she hung up and went back into the bedroom to wake up Reno.

An hour later she was lying on the hospital bed with Reno on the chair beside her. "So is Cloud coming?" he asked her with seeming unconcern.

"He said he was on his way, but he didn't know if he could make it in time for the birth." Eva replied quietly. She felt the beginnings of another contraction and doubled over painfully.

Reno nervously got up and paced the room. "Is that normal? Is it supposed to hurt that much?" he worriedly asked while pacing.

When the contraction had passed Eva sat back and weakly smiled at him saying, "I believe so, Reno."

Five hours later the doctor declared it was time and prepared the room for the birth. Eva had time to be disappointed that Cloud hadn't come yet, though he had warned her he would be late. Soon after that thought though she had no time or inclination to worry about anything other than giving birth. When the baby was born, the doctor smiled and proclaimed it a boy. Eva smiled at Reno and said, "Devon." A nurse brought the newly swaddled baby to Eva and placed him in her arms.

"Sadly you can't hold him for long, because we need to get him to the neonatal unit to check him out." the nurse told her.

Eva just nodded and looked at Devon filled with wonderment. The baby blinked sleepily and looked back at Eva and she smiled at him looking into his unnaturally blue eyes. Reno had come over to look and mumbled worriedly. "What's the matter, Reno?" Eva asked stroking Devon's cheek.

"The baby shouldn't have blue eyes."

"Oh, all babies eyes are blue at birth." Eva replied, but she was disturbed by Reno's words. The baby's eyes didn't look natural, just like Cloud's didn't and she knew what Reno was going to say next.

"Cloud doesn't have blue eyes either. They got that way from some of the techniques we use to make SOLDIERs. He shouldn't have passed that on, unless his genes are more messed up than we originally thought."

Eva shuddered and frowned up at Reno. She didn't like the thought of human experiements so potent that they changed one's genes. Reno had such an fun-loving, easy-going demeanor about him that she often forgot where he came from. And did she really know what went on at Shinra?

"OK, just a moment more miss." the nurse called to Eva from across the room.

"May I?" Reno asked holding out his hands to the baby smiling.

Eva uncomfortably shifted, her thoughts returned to the real reason Reno was around. Suddenly she didn't want to give Devon to him afraid that Reno would run off with him.

Reno saw the doubt in her eyes and his smile fell. "Eva. I just want to hold him. I promise."

Eva was amazed to see that Reno looked on the verge of tears. She had never seen him unhappy before. She sadly sighed and handed Devon up to him.

Reno took him and smiled. "So you're the little guy that's been beating his mamma up on the inside. Good thing you're out here in the world now."

The nurse approached him and said, "It's time." Reno reluctantly placed Devon in her arms and watched as the nurse placed the baby in a hospital bassinet and wheeled him out of the room.

Later that night Devon was returned to their room with a clean bill of health. After Eva nursed him she let Reno hold him while she tried to get some much needed sleep. She was on the edge of sleep when the door was slowly opened and Cloud came in. He looked at Eva on the bed and frowned at Reno holding the baby and asked, "Am I disturbing you?"

"Oh, not at all." Eva said sitting up in bed. She was fully awake now. "I'm so happy you're here." she beamed up at him.

Cloud walked over to Reno and looked at the baby. "Can I hold him?" he asked Eva instead of Reno.

"Of course you can." Eva smiled.

Reno looked at her doubtfully and said. "Are you sure we can trust him? He could be here on orders to take the baby."

"Reno! You of all people should be the last to question anyone's motives with my baby! Besides Cloud is the baby's father not you, though I know you love to pretend otherwise!" she said more angrily than she first intended.

Reno cursed and gave Cloud the baby. "Well, I can see where I'm not wanted. I'll be down in the cafeteria getting something to eat."

Once he was gone, Cloud came over to Eva's bed and sat down beside her. "He's beautiful Eva, just like his mother."

Eva giggled and said, "I think he looks more like you than he does me. And yes he is beautiful." She smiled at Cloud thinking that this is the way it should be...a father, a mother and their child making the perfect family. What she wouldn't give for that picture to be true for her life...to be going home with Devon and Cloud instead of Devon and Reno.

Once he was in the cafeteria, Reno angrily sat down and pulled out his phone. He sat there for a moment getting himself under control and willing himself not to cry. Once he felt better, he dialed Tseng's number. "This is Reno. Yes, the baby was born. Yes...yeah...Here just let me tell you everything."

Eva looked out her window at Devon's happy squeal. She smiled at the scene in the back yard. Reno had just caught him after flipping him up into the air again...a game Devon never tired of even though he was now six. Eva sighed at the thought of how old he was getting. The older he got the more it had become apparent that if he wasn't a clone of Cloud he was something so close as to make no difference. In fact the only difference she could see between Cloud and his son (besides their age of course) was superficial. Devon loved to wear his long blond hair in a ponytail exactly like Reno's, whom he adored above everyone else. Would he have loved Cloud just as much as Reno? There was no way to know since neither she nor Devon had seen Cloud since Devon's birth. She knew he was keeping his promise about watching them though. She could feel it sometimes in the night or just at some random point in the day...just a feeling of being watched and looked out for. She couldn't explain it any better than that.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Eva heard Devon call as he rushed into the kitchen. "Daddy just showed me the COOLEST thing EVER! And then when we was play fighting he said that I almost beat him! Can you believe that?! Everyone knows Daddy is like the strongest guy in the WHOLE world!"

Eva laughed and sent him into the bathroom to wash up. Reno came in after with a grin on his face. "He did too. It won't be much longer until he really will be able to beat me fair and square...a year at the most. Who knew that the day would come where I would happily proclaim that I could be beat by a six year old!" he laughed as he took her into his arms.

"He isn't any normal six year old, as you well know." Eva whispered into shoulder. "Besides why does it matter anymore who can beat you? It's not like you go around kidnapping people anymore."

Reno shifted uncomfortably in her arms and then pulled away. "You're right of course."

"Do you ever miss it? Your old job I mean." Eva asked him.

"Ah, what is there to miss about daring adventures or death-defying escapes?" he laughed.

Later that night as Reno laid with his arms around a sleeping Eva, he heard his phone ring. He very carefully untwined himself from her arms and then silently got out of bed. Once out he looked down at her for a moment to see if she would wake. When he was satisfied that she was still soundly asleep, he picked up his phone and took it outside. He turned it on and felt his heart sink at Tseng's first words though they were the words that he had been expecting to hear one day for six years now.

"It's time Reno. It's sooner than I wanted, but as you well know things are not going so good anymore. We're going to need all the help we can get and very soon."

Reno sighed and gave his answer and then turned off the phone. He had until tomorrow morning to prepare himself to take Devon. He had hoped that he would be able to convince Eva to let him take the boy by the time it needed to be done, but things had changed the day Cloud told her that he was a Turk. Reno cursed Cloud at that thought. If this turned messy, well then Cloud would have no one to blame but himself.

Cloud was actually on his way to Apoc when he got the call. He pulled his bike over to the side of the road and flipped on his phone.

"We just got the word. Shinra is going to take the child at dawn." he heard Barret tell him.

"OK, I'm on my way." Cloud answered.

"Do you think you'll be able to make it there first?" Barret asked.

"I will. I don't have any other choice." And with that he turned off his phone and quickly sped off into the night.

Cloud pulled up to Eva's house about an hour before sunrise. He cut the motor and strapped on his blades.

Reno heard the sound of Cloud's motorbike and quickly jumped out of the chair he had sat in brooding all night long.

He had his taser in his hand already, with the expectation that this confrontation would happen. It didn't matter though, Cloud swung and knocked him out the moment he entered the house.

Cloud ran up the stairs and grabbed the still sleeping Devon and then ran to Eva's room. He woke her up with a single shake and said, "We have to go. Now."

Eva didn't say anything, but instantly ran after Cloud who was carrying Devon. As they came into the livingroom she saw Reno on the floor bleeding from the forehead. She cried out in dismay and Cloud said, "Leave him be! He's not dead and I don't know how much longer he'll stay out."

Eva pulled away from Reno with tears in her eyes, but she followed Cloud without question. Deep in her heart she always knew this day would come though Reno had often denied it.

When Reno came to he blinked around the room for a moment waiting for his thoughts to clear. The second they did he ran upstairs to Devon's room already knowing what he would find. Then he ran to his and Eva's room hoping beyond hope that Cloud had left her. When his eyes met the empty bed he yelled out in anger and despair. He whirled around and kicked the door so hard that it buckled on its hinges. Then he took out his phone and called Tseng.

"Cloud got here before you did and he has both Eva and Devon...yeah I'll be here. I don't even know which way they went." he sighed into the phone.

When the rest of the Turks arrived they found Reno in the livingroom sitting in the disarray he caused in his rage. Elena calmly stepped over the books strewn on the ground and put her hand on Reno's shoulder. "We'll find them. Cloud couldn't have gotten too far." Reno angrily threw off her hand and stood up. He began to angrily pace shouting, "She just went right with him. Not even a thought of staying in her pretty little head. Cloud could say jump off a cliff and she would! I bet she's screwing him right now! I know she won't wait for that!"

"Reno." Tseng called out calmly. "Get a hold of yourself. We will have to go soon, and I won't have you delay us with your petty tantrum."

Reno tried to calm himself down by sitting on the floor and taking deep breaths and soon the screams of anger turned to tears of grief.

"That'll do for now Reno, but you and I are going to have a talk after all of this is over and we have the kid." Tseng told him coldly.

Just when Eva was beginning to feel like Cloud would never stop the bike, he did. Eva let Devon climb down off of her lap and then she stiffly got off of the bike herself. As she was stretching out her back she took a look around their surroundings. Cloud had driven half the day without stopping and she had no idea where they were anymore. It was farther than she had ever been in her entire life.

"Mommy! Mommy! I have to go really bad!" Devon proclaimed hopping from foot to foot.

"OK," Eva told him. "But don't go far." After watching Devon take off for a nearby tree she turned to look at Cloud. It was the first time she had a chance to clearly look at his face again in six years. Time had not diminished his beauty one bit. In fact he seemed even more beautiful to her now. His grief, though still a part of him, was no longer as fresh as it been when she first met him. He seemed more comfortable in his own skin now as well. And though that was a strange thought, it was also a true one.

He turned towards her and asked, "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "I'm still a little shaken by the whole thing, but I think I'm going to be OK." She smiled at him.

"What about Devon?" Cloud asked as the boy himself ran over to join them.

"I don't know. He loved Reno." Eva whipsered to Cloud.

Now that his most important business had been taken care of Devon was a bundle of questions. "Momma? Where are we? Why aren't we at home? I'm missin' school today! Not that I am sad about that or anything," he quickly ammended. Then he looked up at Cloud. "Who the hell are you?"

Cloud frowned at Eva and said, "Reno needs to watch his mouth around Devon."

Eva embarrasedly shuffled and said, "Now Devon you know not to use that kind of language. This is Cloud. He's a...an old friend of mine."

Devon looked up at her and whined, "I want to go home. I miss Daddy."

Eva looked over at Cloud worriedly to see his expression.

"Are you going to tell him the truth now after what Reno did?" Cloud asked her.

Eva shifted uncomfortably. "Why don't we wait. He's so young yet. He doesn't need to know something that devastating yet."

"Would it really be that devestating to him?" Cloud asked a little sadly looking at Devon's ponytail.

"What are you guys talking about? Why aren't we going home to Daddy?" Devon whined on the verge of tears.

Eva bent down to his level and took his little hands into her own. "Honey I don't think we are going to see Reno for a long time."

At that Devon's tears came and he sobbed, "Why?"

Eva glanced up at Cloud again and at his nod she said, "Reno...well he wasn't really what we all thought he was. Mommy included. He's actually not a good person." Eva finished a little shakily. It was hard for her to say that about Reno even after she knew what he was planning on doing this day.

"He isn't bad! He's my Daddy!" Devon cried.

Eva struggled with what she had to say next. "Devon dear. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but Reno isn't your Daddy at all. Cloud here is."

Devon turned his tear-streaked face up to Cloud and then shook his head angrily and tried to pull away from her grasp. "It isn't true!" he yelled.

"Devon! Listen to me! Just look at him...you look just like him! In fact you are more Cloud's son than anyone's including mine."

Devon just pulled all the harder and Eva let him go. He ran off towards the trees and when Cloud started to follow Eva put her hand on his chest to stop him. "He won't go far,"she said. "He just needs a little time alone to come to terms with what I just told him," she finished sadly.

Soon after Devon was sound asleep on the ground near them and Cloud said, "We can't stay here the long, but I know Devon needs some sleep. It will help him feel better."

Eva's mind was racing at all she had just gone through that day. She looked up at Cloud, her love for him stronger than ever. She remembered the day that he told her that he didn't love her like it was yesterday. She couldn't bury a memory that painful. Though now as she looked at him she wondered if that hadn't changed in the intervening years. He did come for her and Devon the moment danger threatened. Was that love? She didn't really know what love was anymore. She had thought that Reno loved her, but she could now see how wrong she was to believe that. She quickly turned her thoughts away from Reno. The thought of his betrayal hurt more than she was prepared for.

"Cloud, would you hold me?" she quietly asked him. He scooted nearer to her and put his arms around her thin frame. She put her arms around him as well and then buried her face in his clothes. She loved the fact that he still smelled like the sky and breathed in the long remembered scent. She turned her face up to his and lightly kissed him. He kissed her back harder. Soon Cloud was gently laying her on her back. As he took off his clothes he laid them underneath her to protect her from the rocky ground.

"Oh Cloud." she sighed. "I've been wanting you forever." Cloud just smiled at her as he entered her making her gasp in pleasure. It didn't take either of them very long to climax, with Eva coming first and Cloud shortly after. When he was done Eva whispered, "Don't move just yet. I want to lay with you like this for a moment." Then she laughed, "Who am I kidding? I'd lay this way with you forever if I could."

Reno had stopped crying and had been silent for a couple of hours when Tseng's phone finally rang. Tseng flipped it open and said, "This is Tseng. All right. We're on our way," he said jotting something down on a scrap of paper. And with that he shut off his phone and turned to the other Turks. "They've been found."

Reno was instantly on his feet. "We'll take the chopper. It's the fastest."

Tseng looked at him and calmly said, "Since when do you give orders Reno?"

Reno glared back at him, but shut his mouth.

"Alright Reno. Here are where they are. Fly us there."

Reno looked down at the coordinates and said, "Ok, they have a six hour head start. It shouldn't take us too long to catch up in the chopper."

At first Eva didn't hear the sound of the helicopter over the roar of the motorbike's engine, but when she did she squeezed Cloud harder as her heart fell. She knew that Cloud had heard it too, because he had started to pull over to the side of the road since trying to out run them was pointless. The second they stopped Cloud grabbed his sword and yelled to Eva, "Take Devon and run! I can hold them off!" Eva barely had time to grab Devon before she heard Reno shout her name. She started to turn towards the sound, but Cloud shoved her towards the trees. "GO!" he screamed. Eva held Devon and ran as fast as she could. Yet once she was in the cover of trees she stopped and turned back. She knew it was stupid, but she just had to know what was going to happen. She watched as Cloud was taking all four Turks with if not ease, certainly not difficulty. She thought that maybe Tseng or the large silent Turk would give Cloud the most trouble and maybe under other circumstances that would have been the truth. This time though it was Reno who was clearly in a rage and pumped up on adreneline that was really giving it to Cloud. Though she had seen neither ever fight seriously before she had an easier time comprehending how powerful Cloud was than how quick and strong Reno was. She had always known that Cloud was different than normal people, especially after their own unique son had been born. Yet it was hard to put together this new Reno with the lazy, fun-loving one that she knew. There had been times over the years that she had even doubted if Reno was really one of the most elite force in the world given the face he shown her, but she didn't doubt it any longer. Cloud also knew that Reno was the one that he needed to take out first and was concentrating most of his effort towards him.

Eva knew in her heart the only way this could end, so with that thought she bent down to Devon and said, "Start running. Mommy will catch up in a moment."

Devon vigorously shook his head. "No Mommy! Stay with me!" He clutched at her, panicked.

"Now Devon! I don't have time to argue!" And with that she freed herself from his grip and took off running towards the fighting hoping that Devon had followed her command. She reached the others just as Cloud was ready to strike at Reno the final time. She threw herself at Reno to push him away and in return received the brunt of Cloud's blow, though he had quickly pulled his sword away at the last moment after seeing her. Eva crumpled to the ground panting.

Reno screamed and threw himself at Cloud who had since dropped his weapon and was standing defenseless.

"Reno!" Tseng cried. "Get in the chopper now! Elena has the boy!"

"Not without Eva!" he cried picking up her still frame not knowing if she was still alive. As he laid her in on the floor of the helicopter he turned his head back to Cloud and said, "You better pray like you've never prayed before that she doesn't die. For you own sake." And with that he climbed into the front seat and flew off.

Eva moaned softy in pain and slowly opened her eyes. She blinked in the harsh sunlight that flooded the room and then turned to the figure at her bedside.

"You're awake." Reno grinned down at her. "How do you feel?"

"Really sore." Eva mumbled. "How long have I been asleep."

"Two days now, though to be honest you've been kept asleep artificially this last day to help you recover from the surgery."

"Surgery?" Eva groaned.

"It's going to be OK, Eva." Reno told her clasping her hand. "What you did for me...wow. You know all of these years I never knew that you loved me. You never once said that you did and I knew that you had never stopped loving Cloud. Still that was enough for me, but now when I know that you do love me...well it's pretty great!" He smiled at her.

Eva frowned at him and asked, "How can you say that you love me after what you did to Devon?" She suddenly sat up at the thought of Devon. "Where's Devon?"

"Easy now." Reno said easing her back down to the pillow. "Or you'll undo everything the surgery redid." Reno put his mouth next to Eva's ear and whispered. "Cloud has him. One hopes keeping him safe, but then I never did have that much faith in Cloud."

"But Reno before I passed out I could have sworn that I saw him with that blond-haired woman." Eva replied.

"Well yes. We did have Devon for awhile, but I took care of that."

"Reno." Eva breathed. "They'll know it was you."

"They already know."

"What they going to do to you?" Eva asked worriedly.

"Well I won't lie to you and say it will be a picnic, but since they have their hands full with Sephiroth and his insanity at the moment they need me. So that...uh...rules out death or dismissal at least. Sadly all else is fair game though."

Eva looked to see if he was joking at that last and was dismayed to find out he wasn't. She started crying.

"Hey. I'll be OK, " he soothed. "I can handle whatever they give me...especially since you are here with me."

"Are they going to let you stay with me?" Eva asked.

"Hey after what I just did staying with you is the least of their worries."

"Reno I need to see Cloud and Devon. Just once. I need to know that you are telling the truth this time." She watched as his face fell at her distrust.

"Alright. Just once then. And quickly. I can arrange that. Now I think you have been up long enough, " he said pulling her covers up to her chin.

Four weeks later, when Eva felt well enough for the trip, Reno drove her to a secluded spot on the road out in the middle of nowhere. "Are we going to get caught?" she nervously asked Reno.

"I've got my ear to the wire. I haven't got any wind yet that they know what I'm up to, but we shouldn't linger."

Eva nodded in agreement and then her heart leapt as she looked out the window and saw Cloud pulling up with Devon. Reno saw her joy and said, "I better not see anymore than a friendly hug. You got it?"

"Yeah," she answered him as she ran from the car. She wanted to throw herself into Cloud's arms, but she pulled up short and hugged him the way she promised Reno she would.

And then Devon was wrapping his little arms around her waist and crying, "I've missed you so much, Mommy!"

"Oh, I've missed you too, sweety! More than anything." She said into his soft blond hair. "Then she tilted his face to hers and asked, "Are you doing OK with Cloud?"

"Yeah. Cloud's cool," he told her. And then he dropped his voice to a whisper and told her confidentially, "But every once in a while I slip up and call him Daddy. You don't think Daddy would mind, do you?"

Eva laughed and said, "I think Reno will be OK with that. He's waiting in the car you know. Why don't you go and hug him? It may be awhile before you get to see him again, little guy."

"OK! I'm going to give the biggest hug EVER!" Devon yelled already running for the car.

After he was gone Eva turned back to Cloud and said, "Please don't blame yourself for what happened to me. I did what I did knowing full well what was going to happen."

Cloud nodded at her sadly and then leaned in close to her ear. "Are you sure you don't want to come with Devon and me? I won't lie and say you'll see a lot of me with the way things are going now, but I'll keep you both safe."

Though Eva's heart happily ached at the thought of living with Cloud and Devon, she slowly shook her head.

"May I at least ask why?" Cloud inquired softly.

Eva paused for a moment deciding how best to explain it. She hardly knew why she was staying with Reno over Cloud herself, yet she knew the one thing that might answer his question the best. "I'm pregnant again," she whispered.

She saw Cloud's incredulous look as he said, "Two out of two? What are the chances of that happening?"

Eva looked at him and began, "It's a miracle the baby even survived what with all that has happened since I got pregnant." At Cloud's downcast face she quickly went on, "The moment it was found out that I was pregnant in the hospital, Shinra had the baby's DNA checked just like they did with Devon. The baby is Reno's. I think we can all breath a sigh of relief at that."

Cloud nodded at her now with the answer for why she was staying with Reno. Eva saw this and wished that the answer was that simple for herself as well. "Well this is goodbye then," she whispered as she hugged him one last time. When she finally pulled away she saw that Devon had already climbed up on Cloud's bike. Cloud looked at her one last time and then got on the bike too. Eva walked back to Reno who was now outside and leaning against the car door. She brushed away her tears, hoping that Reno would think that they were for Devon more than Cloud. He slipped his hand into hers and they stood that way for awhile watching Cloud's bike until it was out of sight.

The End

You already know I love this very much. Reno makes me smile and want to smack him at the same time.

It also reminds me that there's something I need to show ya next time you're on Yahoo!, okay? You'll love it.

Yay!!! I'm ready for more Rena and Yazoo!

And if that is the reaction you get when reading about Reno, then I have done my job!

~Sid

It's not more Rena and Yazoo.

Reno and Loz and Cloud are all very very very very very very hot... (:love:gee i hope they get the fact that i think they are hot) hehehe