Desha's Reno of the Turks Fan Fiction

Chapter 24: When Things Fall

Elena knocked lightly on the door. The sun was barely up, but she was supposed to have been expected… even though Reno loathed getting up early. It was entirely because of Tseng. After nearly three weeks of recovery time, the Turk leader had declared that his lieutenant needed a little physical therapy before returning to full duty – by which he meant that, starting on Monday, Reno’s hours in the field were going to be cut out until he was back in fighting form.

Today was Saturday, and Elena had invited him along on her morning run to get a head start… and, to her surprise, he’d actually accepted. The redhead was definitely not looking forward to desk work in between training sessions if he was willing to break his weekend routine and do something productive.

When there was no answer from within, she knocked louder.

Moments later, the door opened a crack, and she found herself face to face with someone who very obviously was not Reno.

“Elena!” The door flew all the way open and she was suddenly being enthusiastically – and bodily – dragged into the apartment by a raven-haired woman dressed in what almost had to be one of Reno’s uniform shirts… and by the looks of it, not much else.

“H-hi, Lira! Er… Where’s Reno?” In retrospect, it was kind of a pointless question. She didn’t have to try too hard to figure out what he been up to last night, and was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

Lira ran her fingers through her short hair, flattening the stubborn strands that insisted on sticking up in back, in an effort to make herself more presentable. “Oh… he’s still in bed. Think I kinda wore him out last night. You know… if he ever decides to get out of this whole Turk business, he could make a killing in Wall Market. ‘Specially as pretty as he is,” she said, grinning somewhat lewdly.

“I… um…” Elena could feel her cheeks reddening. That was a little more information than she’d planned on receiving… but she’d asked. And she knew from experience that Lira was about as shy as the redhead was.

“‘Course I’d never actually tell him that. Not a lot of things Reno takes offense to, but suggestin’ that he sell himself… Well, I’d imagine ya know by now why that might rub him the wrong way. If you’ll pardon the pun.”

“Uh…” The rookie wasn’t sure if she should respond to that or not. Or, for that matter, what to say if she did. And the woman was still talking…

“Hell, he’s been tryin’ to get me off the Market for years. He’s a doll… but I’ve got my reasons for stayin’. Doesn’t mean I can’t pay him a visit up here every now and then, though.” She winked at Elena and made her way into the little kitchenette, opening the fridge. “It’s nice to be with someone who cares what I want for a change. Don’t really get that sort of attention from payin’ customers…”

“I… uh… can come back later… i-if that would be better…” Elena stammered, subtly backing towards the door. This was beginning to get awkward, and while Reno might not be especially bothered that she’d shown up before his… guest… had left, she was having a hard time coming up with any sort of small talk at the moment that didn’t threaten to turn her a deeper shade of pink than she already was.

“Please… Don’t be silly. Have you eaten yet? I was just getting ready to make breakfast… Just as easy to cook for three as it is for two…”

“Y-yes… I’ve already eaten. Um… Reno was supposed to go running with me this morning, but… if he’s still sleeping, m-maybe I should just go ahead and go on my own?”

“Oh, he was, was he… ?” Lira said, grinning. “Hmph… Figures he’d be lazin’ around in bed, then. Elena… how would you feel about helpin’ me give our sweet little Reno the wake-up call of his life?”

“… Why do I get the feeling this is going to involve me doing something I’ll end up hoping no one ever finds out about?”

“Now, Elena… would I make you do somethin’ you’re not comfortable with?” she teased. Given that the last time they’d seen one another Elena had spent the day dressed as an over-sexed honeybee, she didn’t dignify that with an answer. “Besides… I know what a joker he can be. You really gonna stand there and tell me you wouldn’t like to get him back a little for all the stuff I’m sure he’s done to you?”

“Well…” When she put it that way… she supposed she could at least hear the woman out.

Which was why, a few minutes later, she found herself standing hesitantly just inside Reno’s bedroom, stripping off her sweatshirt to reveal the tank top underneath. Lira stood behind her, urging her forward. She glanced back at her unexpected cohort, and Lira shooed her toward the bed. Reno was stretched out on his back, his arm resting over his eyes to block out the early morning light.

She couldn’t believe she was actually doing this. As if it wasn’t bad enough she’d agreed to stoop to his level and try something so childish… she was even using his own joke. Elena lingered for a moment at the side of the bed, and then slipped carefully under the covers and waited.

Reno almost immediately stirred slightly and rolled over, giving a contented sigh as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. She tried not to think too much about the fact that he was currently completely naked as he gently nuzzled his cheek against her neck, eyes still closed, peacefully half-dozing.

“Mmm… You smell nice, ‘Lena…” he murmured sleepily. Suddenly, she felt his entire body tense against her. He sat up, eyes wide as he backpedaled to the other side of the bed. “‘Lena!? What the fu– AHH!” His shocked query was cut short as he reached the edge of the mattress without realizing it. The redhead tumbled to the floor with a loud grunt, pulling most of the covers along with him.

Elena burst out laughing, and was immediately echoed by Lira, who was still in the doorway.

“That was not funny…” he said from the floor.

“The hell it wasn’t…” Lira snickered.

“What’s wrong? You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?” Elena added, emboldened by her ally’s obvious enjoyment of the results.

“Poor baby… You really shoulda seen the look on your face…”

Reno’s eyes appeared, peeking over the top of the bed and glaring at both women in turn. “Yeah? I ‘spose that was your idea, then. Ya know, you’d be a little freaked out, too, if ya went to bed with one woman and woke up with another… ‘Specially since I’m pretty sure I was relatively sober at the time.”

“Never really been into women, myself… How ’bout you, Elena?” Lira quipped as she crossed the room, and offered a hand to the fallen Turk. Reno responded by rolling his eyes and pulling himself to his feet… at which point Elena quickly shifted her gaze to the far more interesting wall on the opposite side of the room. Lira giggled when she noticed. “Oh, come on… I know you’re a little on the shy side, but you’re not really that shy, are ya?”

“I… n-no, I just…”

“He doesn’t care if ya look… Personally, I think he kinda likes it.”

“Would ya stop? One traumatized Turk’s enough for one mornin’, Lira,” Reno cut in, reaching for his bathrobe and pulling it on, “Ya got her to play along, now quit.”

“Oh, fine…” Lira laughed, and kissed him deeply, letting him go several long moments later.

“I’m gonna go clean up a little, and then we’ll go for that run, ‘kay, ‘Lena? You two play nice while I’m gone.” He pointedly looked at Lira who did her best to feign innocence.

“Oh, Reno… I always play nice…” she purred suggestively, prompting a groan from the redhead. He shook his head, but said nothing. As soon as he disappeared into the bathroom, Lira broke down into giggles.

“Elena, honey… that really was priceless. I think we damn near gave the poor thing a heart attack…”

Elena grinned, and climbed out of bed, following her back into the kitchen. She sat down at the table while Lira put on a pot of coffee. It had been pretty funny to see Reno on the receiving end of his own favorite prank for once. She just hoped she hadn’t inadvertently pushed him to up his game…

“Sure you don’t want anything?” Lira asked, cracking several eggs into a skillet. Elena shook her head.

“No thanks… I’m good.” She sat in companionable silence for a few more minutes while the woman made breakfast. Finally, Lira carried a plate over to the table and joined her.

“Look… Sorry for the teasin’. I guess I just figured that he’d’ve corrupted ya by now and it wouldn’t bother ya,” she said with a wink, “Didn’t mean to make you so uncomfortable.”

“That’s alright…” Elena said with a laugh, “I’m kind of getting used to living in a constant state of embarrassment. Reno’s done far worse…”

“Ya know what’d put an end to that real quick, though?” she said, with a cat-like grin, “Take him to bed sometime. You won’t be disappointed…” She sing-songed the last, playfully elbowing the female Turk.

“I… It’s really not like that between us. He isn’t any more interested than I am.”

“Please. Reno’s always interested, even if he doesn’t always act on it. Name me one woman he’s never at least considered sleepin’ with…”

“I’ll name two. Me… and Scarlet,” Elena said, with a soft giggle.

“For Ifrit’s sake, please tell me you didn’t just compare yourself to Scarlet…” Reno’s voice interrupted. He meandered into the kitchen, dressed in sweats, his hair slightly damp from the shower, and grabbed a fork from the drawer and a cup of coffee. Elena rolled her eyes when he picked up the entire skillet and brought it over to the table, skipping the plate altogether. “Thought I told ya to leave her alone, Lira…”

“I was just tryin’ to convince her that she should think about seducin’ you…”

Reno immediately choked on the sip of coffee he’d just taken. It took him a minute – and several deep breaths – to recover.

“Still alive there? Okay, good. I’m gonna monopolize your shower for a bit, and then I’m takin’ off. Go on your little run. I can let myself out.” She lightly ruffled his hair and then leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Last night was fun.” She strode off toward the bathroom, calling over her shoulder with a wink, “Don’t play too rough with him, Elena! He’s already had a hell of a workout!”

---

“Sorry ’bout her, ‘Lena… Lira’s almost worse than I am when it comes to sayin’ whatever’s on her mind.” The two Turks had already gone several blocks at a light jog. “Plus she’s got it in her head that you ‘n me should be a thing…”

“Don’t worry abo– Wait, what?” Elena stopped dead, trying to process that. Reno slowed to a stop as well and turned to look back at her, laughing.

“Just ignore her… She’s way off base. I know you’re not lookin’ for anything like that from me.” He grinned teasingly, and added, “Course if you ever change your mind on that…”

“Reno!” Elena rolled her eyes and groaned. This was going to be her payback for this morning’s little prank. He’d probably be slipping in comments like that for their entire workout.

“What? I’m just sayin’… You ever give your dreams of settin’ down with an attractive Wutaiian a rest and decide you’re up for something purely physical with no strings attached, don’t count me out just ’cause we’re friends…” Reno snickered loudly at her annoyed expression. “Ah, I’m only jokin’ around. ‘Sides… you’re a romantic at heart, ‘Lena. I’m… definitely not. The day you show up at my door lookin’ for a one night stand is the day Rude finally decides to make a move on that bartender he’s got a thing for down in Sector 7. Never gonna happen.”

“So… But… you’ve thought about it? Like… legitimately thought about it,” she clarified. Reno shrugged dismissively.

“Thought crosses my mind for just about everyone once in awhile.” He paused and shuddered, “Even Scarlet… and I really wish it wouldn’t.”

Elena sniggered and resumed their earlier pace, waiting until Reno fell into sync beside her. “So… you’re not really interested…”

“Not gonna lie to ya, ‘Lena… it wouldn’t take much to persuade me if you ever lost your mind and offered,” he replied, grinning lewdly, “At the risk of soundin’ like kind of a slut, it’s just not that hard to get me into bed. Unless your name is Scarlet.”

“Come on, Reno… I want a real answer.”

“Relax. I’m not spending my nights fantasizin’ about you, if that’s what you’re worried about… I just happen to have a filthy mind and very little control over which direction it strays in from time to time. So if the idea bothers ya, forget I ever said anything. I’m not lusting after you, no matter how much I might tease ya about it…”

She almost laughed… Reno was probably the only man alive that she’d take at his word when he said he’d be more than happy to sleep with her one moment, and then the very next sentence tell her he wasn’t actually trying to bed her. It was weirdly flattering, to be honest.

Elena turned, jogging backwards for a moment. “At least no more than you lust after Scarlet, you mean… ?” she asked, with a smirk.

“Oh… you’re gonna pay for that…” Reno lunged for her, but Elena twisted away with a squeal and took off at a dead run. The redhead kept pace with her for two more blocks before falling behind. By the time she noticed, he’d stopped entirely and was leaning with his back against the wall of a building trying to catch his breath, one hand pressed to his side.

“Reno? Are you alright?” She hurried back to him, concern apparent on her face.

“Yeah…” he said, panting softly, “A couple ribs are still kinda tender, though. Think I might’ve overdone it a little chasin’ you like that. Uh… Don’t mention that to Tseng, though. I’ll be on desk duty for a month if he thinks I’m still too injured to start trainin’ again.”

Elena mentally berated herself… Reno bounced back from injuries so quickly, it was entirely too easy to forget just how badly hurt he’d been just a few weeks ago. She hadn’t even considered the possibility that she might have been pushing him too hard.

“Tch… Don’t gimme that look.”

“W-what look?”

“That look that says you’re blamin’ yourself for me doin’ something dumb.” He pushed himself away from the wall. “And anyway… it’s fine now.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. Come on… we still got another two miles. If I can’t at least make it that far, I’m screwed come Monday. Tseng’s evaluating me personally.” They were just about to set off again when Elena’s PHS interrupted. Reno stole a peek at the number displayed on the screen and raised an eyebrow in curiosity as she answered. Speak of the devil…

“Elena here.”

“I’m sorry to intrude upon your weekend, but I’m afraid I need to speak with you as soon as possible… in person. I’m at your apartment now, but I can certainly meet you elsewhere if you’re not nearby,” Tseng’s voice addressed her. Elena felt herself tense as she wondered what could be so bad that he wouldn’t want to tell her over the phone.

“N-no, sir… I’m not far. Reno and I were just out running. I can be home in about five minutes…”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Elena stared at the phone for several moments after Tseng ended the call.

“Somethin’ wrong?” Reno asked.

“I’m… I’m not sure,” she said hesitantly, “Tseng wants to talk to me. In person. Right now…” She looked up at Reno, swallowing harshly, “I’m not in some kind of trouble, am I?”

“Doubt it.” Reno placed an arm around her shoulders, and began leading her back in the direction of her apartment. “Rookies are my department, remember? He’d’ve called me first if that were the case.” His own phone chimed softly, alerting him to a new text message. Reno pulled it up as they walked, biting back a groan as he saw that the message’s contents appeared to be nothing more than a string of random letters and numbers. Unfortunately, he was well aware that there was nothing random about them, and felt his stomach turn as he mentally translated the short note. Tseng obviously didn’t want to have to worry about Elena seeing that message before he had the chance to talk to her himself… it was a code she didn’t yet have clearance for, and wouldn’t until she was officially off of probationary status.

“What?” Elena asked, as Reno quickly pocketed the phone.

“Nothin’… don’t worry about it.” He had a feeling she knew he was lying, but she didn’t question him any further about it. Nor did she question him when he picked up the pace. Reno, meanwhile, was left to his own thoughts… which largely consisted of wondering just who’s death Tseng was preparing to inform Elena of.

---

Tseng was, indeed, waiting for her at her apartment. Not just at… but already inside and seated on her couch. She vaguely wondered why she hadn’t just given them all their own keys. Reno certainly didn’t seem to think twice about picking the lock on occasion. Nor, apparently, did Tseng. Not that she wasn’t guilty of the same herself. He rose as they entered.

“Sir? What’s going on?” she asked, as she and Reno made their way inside. The moment she saw the look on Tseng’s face, she knew something was terribly wrong.

“Please… Sit down, Elena.” His voice was gentle, and under normal circumstances probably would have been comforting. All it seemed to be doing now, though, was reinforcing the notion that, whatever had happened, it must be bad. She somewhat numbly obeyed the command, taking a seat on the couch.

“Should I… ?” Reno began, taking a step back towards the door. The Turk leader gave him a firm shake of his head, before settling himself beside the rookie. Reno wordlessly stayed put.

“Elena… I received some intelligence this morning that affects you directly. I have no doubt the authorities in Mideel will be notifying you soon enough, but… I thought it might be better if you heard it from me first.”

Elena felt herself go cold at the mention of Mideel. The last time she’d heard from Belane – barely a week ago – that was exactly where he was heading. There was no other reason for anyone in Mideel to contact her. She swallowed sharply.

“Is… is it my brother? Did something happen?”

Tseng sighed, and seemed to brace himself before answering. “Yes… I’m afraid so. There was a collapse of some sort at an excavation site in eastern Mideel. Shinra was behind the funding, so the company was notified shortly after it happened. The report was flagged for the Turks as well because of one of the names on the casualty list.” He paused briefly, casting her a deeply apologetic look before he went on. “Three people were killed. Belane Brewer was among them. I truly am sorry, Elena…”

She felt sick… Her first instinct was to tell him, in no uncertain terms, that he was wrong. Bel wasn’t stupid. Kind of a selfish asshole with a tendency to get into dangerous situations at times, but not stupid. He wouldn’t just go and get himself killed like that. There had to be some mistake. A moment later, she realized that Tseng had taken her hand in his own, and it was suddenly clear that no amount of denial was going to change this.

“If there’s anything I can do, you have but to ask.”

“T-thank you…” she said quietly, blinking back tears.

“Goes for me, too.” She hadn’t noticed that Reno had slipped behind her until he spoke. His hands gently kneaded her shoulders. “And I’ll just go ahead and speak for Rude, since he’s not here, and tell ya that he’s say the same.”

She was trying very hard not to cry, but between the two of them, they were making it extremely difficult. She would not break down in front of Tseng. She absolutely would not. Reno, she could handle seeing her in tears… but not Tseng. She hated the idea of him seeing her so… weak.

A part of her just wanted to be left alone. The rest of her desperately wanted someone to make it better.

“I… um… would you both please excuse me…” she all but whispered, “I have some calls to make…”

“Of course,” Tseng replied, rising. Reno frowned, but released her and followed as the Turk leader made his way to the door. “Please don’t hesitate if you need anything.”

“Call me later, ‘kay ‘Lena? Just so I know you’re alright?” She nodded in reply, and the two men left, closing the door behind her.

And then, she sobbed.

---

“Don’t.”

Reno had turned back to her door the moment he’d heard Elena start crying.

“You’re fuckin’ heartless sometimes, Tseng…” he said, a bit more coldly than he’d intended.

Tseng sighed softly and pulled him away, prodding him down the hall toward the elevator… which drew a baleful glare from the redhead.

“Odd… I’ve always been under the impression that you yourself prefer to flee in terror from distraught women.” He caught the younger man firmly by the elbow and kept him moving away from Elena’s door.

“Stick to playin’ the straight man, boss. Your jokes suck.”

“Hmm… noted.” He released his captive with the unspoken understanding that the redhead would continue accompanying him. “Reno… do you honestly think that Elena is unaware that neither of us would hesitate for an instant if she asked us to stay?” Tseng pointed out.

“… No.” he conceded. The Turk leader nudged him into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor.

“She’s understandably upset… but if she wanted company right now, I think she would have asked, don’t you? Perhaps not me, as there’s still a fair amount of formality between us, but you, certainly. In fact, I think she would turn to you before anyone else.” Reno folded his arms over his chest in irritation, but grudgingly inclined his head, acknowledging the point. “That said, I doubt very much that Elena would feel any better if someone were there watching her fall apart. I strongly suspect that might actually make things worse for her. Allow her some time alone. You can check in on her later this afternoon, once she’s had time to process this.”

The redhead shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want to force his presence on the rookie when he wasn’t wanted… but that sound. He truly hated the sound of a woman crying. The fact that it was Elena, somehow made it a thousand times worse.

“And what are you gonna do in the meantime?” he said at last, surrendering.

“I’m going to see if I can’t dredge up a bit more information about what happened.”

“You think there was something more to it than what was in the report?”

Tseng smirked. “You of all people should know by now that I always suspect something untoward. But no… Nothing struck me as particularly odd about it. I simply want the whole story for Elena’s sake. I doubt it’s her primary concern at the moment, but she may eventually want a more detailed account of the events leading to her brother’s death. I would like to be able to provide that, if necessary.”

“Need a hand? You know I’m not fond of sittin’ around and waitin’.”

“I think I can manage on my own. Though I’d appreciate it if you would inform Rude of what’s happened for me.”

“Yeah, no problem, boss…” As they exited the building, Reno glanced up at Elena’s window. “You sure I shouldn’t…”

“Reno… If I had just told you what I had to tell her, would you really want company right now? Even well-intentioned, somewhat obsessively protective company?” Tseng asked, smiling lightly at him. Reno snorted derisively.

“Hell, yes… that’s exactly what I’d want.”

Tseng chuckled and placed a hand on Reno’s shoulder. “Hmm… in your case, that may well be true, come to think of it. But Elena isn’t you… You crave attention, no matter the situation. She, much like Rude, generally prefers to avoid it. Though perhaps not quite to the same extent… Rude can be downright anti-social at times like this. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten his reaction when his father died.”

“He was a fucking mess…” Reno sighed, “I finally had to break into his place just to get him to talk to me…” He narrowed his eyes at the Wutaiian Turk. “But he fucking needed to talk to someone by that point, even if he didn’t want to.”

“And so will Elena. But right now, she needs time to compose herself and I’m quite certain you know it.”

“… You ever get tired of bein’ right all the damn time, Tseng?”

“No. Now, come on… I’ll drop you off at home.”

---

Elena set her PHS down, and wiped the back of her hand across her eyes. She’d spent nearly every moment of the past five hours on the phone, and she was sick of it. The last thing she wanted right now was to deal with yet another conversation about Bel. First, it had been a call to Veraheim… to the bar, since it was the only phone service the area had. She’d left a message for Del or her grandmother to call her urgently… Simone, the current proprietress, had promised to send her son out to them as soon as possible.

Then, it had been someone from the site in Mideel calling her, officially informing her of her brother’s death and offering boilerplate condolences while asking for instructions on what to do with the body. By the time it was over, she was grateful it was Tseng who’d broken the news to her, and not the bored-sounding voice on the other end of the line. It had been painful to hear it from him… but she was certain it would have been devastating to hear it from a stranger who seemed more interested in crossing her name of his list of people to contact than anything else.

After that, it had been calls to a number of Belane’s friends… the ones she knew he still kept in contact with, despite not having been back to Midgar in nearly five years… and a few more they had directed her to.

Finally, near noon, Del had called her back. He was quiet after she told him… and then angry, demanding answers she didn’t have herself. He’d calmed down eventually, and though she could tell he was fighting back tears, he managed to hold himself together. In the end, she was glad it had been Del, and not Nana who’d responded to her message. Hearing her oldest brother’s voice had helped more than just about anything else could have, albeit temporarily.

And there was still so much to do. Arrangements had to be made. She’d have to request time off work… plan things she hadn’t had to plan since her mother’s funeral years ago… deal with the coming deluge of flowers and condolences and sympathy… find space for Del and Nana when they arrived – and they would. Traveling from Veraheim to Midgar was tedious, but this was too important not to. Her spare bedroom wasn’t even furnished yet. She simply hadn’t gotten around to it.

It was already overwhelming her, and she hadn’t even made it through half the day yet. Which was probably why, when her PHS rang yet again, she burst into tears instead of answering it.

---

Reno growled in frustration as his call went through to Elena’s voicemail again. He’d been trying for almost an hour now, and at this point he wasn’t sure if she was simply busy making other calls, or just not taking them.

Letting Rude into the loop on what was up had taken him all of five minutes. Since then, he’d been trapped in his least favorite pastime… waiting. His patience was rapidly nearing its end. Tseng had said he should hold off on checking in on her until later this afternoon… Well, it was later, and it was about fifteen minutes after noon. That was close enough. The redhead set off determinedly toward her apartment.

He used the time spent on the four block walk to wonder what he was going to find when he got there. People reacted so differently to death.

He himself tended toward melancholy, though beyond that, it varied so wildly even he didn’t know what to expect. Sometimes, he desperately wanted to be around other people, and sometimes he utterly hated the very idea of being social. Sometimes, he was talkative to an extreme, bordering on manic… other times, he hardly said a word as depression took hold. Ultimately though, as Tseng had pointed out, he craved attention; even on the occasions when he was inclined toward isolation, that desire never lasted long before he sought out the company of friends. When it came right down to it, Reno disliked solitude, and thrived on companionship.

Rude, on the other hand, was very much Reno’s polar opposite in that respect. Where Reno shunned seclusion, Rude actively sought it out. He wasn’t so inclined toward depression as his partner was… rather he trended more toward brooding anger. And the more he cared for someone, the angrier their loss made him. Finally allowing it to boil over seemed almost cathartic for him.

Tseng, in grief, was inscrutable as always. The man became noticeably more quiet and reflective, but seldom let any cracks appear in that poised and polished demeanor he put forward every day. Tseng was a consummate professional, even in his personal life, and only someone who knew him extremely well would have even known he was mourning. There had been only one exception to the rule in the decade Reno had known the man… and that was when his sister had died. It had been such a drastic departure from the norm it had actually frightened the redhead.

But with Elena… he didn’t really know what to expect. He’d come to know her fairly well in the relatively short time they’d worked together. She’d become as much a part of his family as Tseng and Rude were… but she’d hadn’t yet had to deal with loss since becoming a Turk. The most upset he’d ever seen her had been when she’d accidentally destroyed Mr. Foo-foo and briefly convinced herself she’d ruined their friendship… it was hardly comparable to what she was going through now.

He found himself at her door before long and knocked. On the bright side, he didn’t hear crying… though what that might signify, he couldn’t say. The door opened a crack, and red-rimmed eyes met his own.

“Hey, ‘Lena… Can I come in?”

Elena stepped back from the door, allowing it to open the rest of the way. “Fine…”

That was good… At least she wasn’t locking herself away. He closed the door behind him, following the rookie into the living room.

“I’d ask ya how you’re doin’, but it seems like kind of a stupid question right now.”

The woman shrugged noncommittally, and sniffled. Reno crossed the short distance between them, and placed a hand on her shoulder, only to be quickly shaken off.

“What is it you want, Reno? I’m not really up for visitors right now,” she finally said, and he could hear the tremor in her voice.

“‘Lena… You can’t just–”

“Please just leave me alone.” He forced down the urge to sigh. Tseng was – irritatingly – right. As usual. Elena was a bit like Rude… though not nearly as brooding. He caught hold of her again, spinning her gently to face him.

“Come on, ‘Lena… let me help.”

Her eyes narrowed, and more tears rolled down her cheeks. “How can you help?!” she shouted, and Reno immediately realized that had been exactly the wrong thing to say. It just figured. He was terrible when it came to this sort of thing. He knew he was terrible at it, and he’d jumped in anyway. “Bel is gone, and there’s nothing you can do about it!” When she shoved him backwards, he simply let her. “There’s nothing anyone can do about it!” She pushed him again, towards the door. “So just… just go away, Reno!”

Her final demand was punctuated with another hard shove, which the redhead still made no attempt to block. This time, though, her hands made contact with the still-healing ribs on his left side. If he’d been expecting the sudden jolt of pain, it probably wouldn’t have been nearly so bad. As he hadn’t been, however…

Reno yelped and he sucked in a sharp breath… which frankly only served to make things far worse. He staggered back a step, and found himself leaning against the wall for support and forcing himself to take shallow, panting breaths to avoid any further aggravation of the injury.

“Reno?!”

He couldn’t find his voice right away. The sharp, stabbing pain had taken him completely by surprise, and though it was quickly fading, he hadn’t quite recovered from the shock. “I’m fine,” he finally managed to get out a few seconds later, though he didn’t think he sounded particularly convincing at the moment. Elena had him on the couch before he could say anything further, hastily tugging his shirt up and probing the injured area as if to assure herself she hadn’t re-broken anything.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” she whispered.

“‘Lena… I’m fine. Really. I’m okay.” By then, however, Elena had dissolved fully into tears, and Reno wasn’t even sure she could hear him. He pulled her against his chest, and let her cry, trying to ignore the heart-rending murmurs of “I’m sorry” interspersed between the sobs. Reno lost track of how long they’d been like that before it finally stopped.

He prodded her gently, but the only response he received was a quiet whimper. She was asleep on his lap, he realized – somewhat fitfully, he noted as she twitched against him, but definitely sleeping. He couldn’t blame her… she’d probably spent half the morning in tears and the other half desperately trying to hold them back. She was an emotional wreck at the moment, and likely rapidly approaching exhaustion on top of everything else.

He wasn’t overly concerned that Elena wasn’t herself right now… who would be? In fact, the only real problem lay in the fact that her hands had twisted themselves so tightly into the fabric of his t-shirt, that he couldn’t move her into a less awkward position so she could be comfortable… though the current arrangement didn’t seem to be a problem for her. Finally, he shrugged and sank down onto his back on the couch, pulling her along with him. Apparently, he was presently required for use as a pillow. That, at least, was something he could handle without screwing up.

---

Elena, gave a quiet moan as she woke. Her head ached, and she felt as though she hadn’t slept in days, in spite of the fact that she was quite certain she’d been asleep just moments ago. She was laying on something soft and warm, and aside from the slightly damp spot where she’d obviously been crying, it was comfortable. She hugged it as something brushed along her back – slow, languid stokes up and down her spine. It was almost enough to lull her back to sleep.

She shifted slightly, loosing one hand and then the other from the soft fabric she seemed to have clasped in something of a death grip, and opened her eyes… suddenly becoming very aware what – or rather, who – she was laying on.

“Reno?” She moved to push herself upright.

“Watch it!” he gasped, urgently, his body going rigid. Elena blinked, confused, until she realized she’d been moments away from leaning most of her weight right on top of the same injury she’d already so badly abused. Her stomach twisted into knots as she pulled her hand away, and she carefully scrambled off of him.

“Oh, no… oh, Reno…” One hand rose to her mouth, horrified. The pain had been so clearly etched on his face when she’d shoved him back that last time. And then she hardly even tried to help… all she’d done was sob apologies into his shoulder until she’d finally passed out. How had she managed to have so completely forgotten that he was still healing? Forgotten it for the second time in less than twenty-four hours, no less, and she’d almost just done it a third time.

She felt sick thinking about how he’d come by those injuries to begin with. She’d come so dangerously close to losing him. She thought about the days she’d spent with the others taking turns looking after him in the hospital, worrying. And then she’d just… let it all slip her mind like it was nothing.

She’d couldn’t believe she’d told him to go away. After all that time they’d spent hoping he’d come back to them, she’d actually told him to go away… simply because he’d had the nerve to be worried about her, now. Elena hadn’t realized just how much she took Reno for granted sometimes. He’d become such a constant in her life that it had seemed almost inconsequential at the time to dismiss him as she had.

“Stop.” Reno’s voice jarred her from her rapidly spiraling thoughts. She looked up at him. “Whatever the hell you’re thinkin’ right now, stop. I don’t know exactly what’s goin’ though your head, but you’re lookin’ at me like you’ve decided you’re the worst person that ever lived.”

“I think I might be…” she whispered.

Reno groaned and stood up, pulling her into a tight embrace. “No you’re not. You’re just pissed off at the world ’cause you lost someone close to you and I make very a convenient punching bag.”

“I swear I wasn’t trying to hurt you…”

“Tch… I know that. Least ya didn’t throw me into a wall.”

“W-what?” she asked. Where had that come from? She hadn’t really seemed that angry, had she?

“Uh… yeah. Nevermind. Long story. Feelin’ any better?”

“Not really,” Elena replied. Though, as soon as she said it, she realized it wasn’t entirely true. She’d spent hours feeling like her whole world was slowly collapsing in around her. That, at least, was gone now. Reno’s presence was solid and comforting, and seemed to be keeping it at bay, even though she still keenly felt the ache of loss. He sighed softly, and let go of her.

“Look… I’m sorry, ‘Lena. I don’t mean to be such an asshole. Tseng told me to leave ya alone for awhile, and I should’ve fucking listened to him. I’ll… just go.”

Elena nearly tackled him as he turned to leave… only the knowledge that he’d probably wind up in pain yet again if she did stopped her. Instead, she grabbed for his arm with both hands, fingers coiling around his wrist.

“No!” In the back of her mind, she knew she had to be coming across as completely out of her head right now. First she’d yelled at him to leave, and now she was desperate for him to stay. She’d thought she wanted to be alone, but now that she wasn’t, the prospect of an empty apartment seemed almost terrifying. Reno couldn’t leave. She’d be swallowed whole by sadness if he did… she was sure of it.

“Alright… Okay… I’m not going anywhere,” he said, smiling. He walked her back to the couch, and sat her down. “Can I have my arm back, though? Startin’ to lose feeling…”

Elena glanced down, and realized her fingers were locked so tightly around his wrist that her knuckles were turning white. “O-oh… right.” She flushed slightly, and forced herself to release her grip, flexing the stiffening joints as she did so.

“Now… tell me what I can do.”

Elena shook her head. “I don’t know. I really don’t. I hardly know where to start, myself.”

“Personally, I’d start with whatever’s worryin’ you the most.”

“I guess… I guess that would be finding someplace for Del and Nana when they get here.”

Reno smirked. “Don’t tell me… you still haven’t done anything with your spare room. Hate to break it to ya, ‘Lena, but ignoring it isn’t gonna make furniture sprout from the floor.”

“I know…” she replied, a ghost of a smile flickering across her face.

“Alright… tell ya what, just leave that one to me. I’ll take care of it. What else?”

“I… don’t think I’m going to be much use at work on Monday… and I don’t know yet what day the funeral will be…”

“Tch… Tseng’s not expectin’ you in the office ’til Wednesday at the earliest, and neither am I. You’ll be hearin’ from him on that probably this evening… Unlike some people, he actually follows through when he says he’s gonna give a person some time alone. And don’t worry if you need to take longer… short of a major catastrophe, I think we can get by.”

Elena opened her mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by loud growl from her stomach. Reno raised an eyebrow.

“When the hell’s the last time you ate anything?”

“This morning,” she admitted, ducking her head in embarrassment as her stomach made its displeasure at being empty known again. She glanced at the clock… it was only a little after three in the afternoon, but she’d been awake since before dawn, and had eaten breakfast before the sun was even up so she’d be on time to go running. It had been light… she hated exercising on a full stomach.

“Yeah… Time for an early dinner.” Reno was heading for the kitchen before she could say anything.

“There’s… um… not much in there right now,” she called after him, “I was planning on going shopping today, but…”

“… Well, that’s depressing,” Reno commented when he opened the fridge. There was a little bit of leftover tuna salad she’d made almost a week ago… though to be honest, she wasn’t sure she wanted to take the risk at this point. It was destined for the trash. There were a couple of apples that were likewise past their prime but significantly less likely to cause food poisoning, some eggs, and maybe half a cup of milk if she was lucky. Beyond that, only condiments and bottled water decorated the shelves. The freezer wasn’t much better. “Huh… So I guess your choices are scrambled eggs – which, to be honest, is the only thing I know how to do with eggs – or we find a takeout menu.”

Takeout didn’t sound very appetizing… but then, neither did eggs. Or anything, really. She knew she should, but she just didn’t feel much like eating. A knock at the door prevented her from responding, and she internally groaned. She almost told Reno to ignore it, but he was already reaching for the knob, pulling it open.

“Or… we could just open the door and dinner will magically appear,” he said, casting her a grin. Reno turned back to the hallway, and opened the door fully. “Nice timing, pal… thought I was gonna have to cook for a second there.”

Rude scoffed as he entered. “Her day hasn’t been bad enough?”

“Hi, Rude…” Elena said, somewhat wearily. It was alright having Reno around, but she really didn’t want any more visitors yet.

“Don’t worry… I won’t stay long. I brought food.” She hadn’t initially noticed the large cooler he’d been pulling along behind him. Reno was already lifting the lid to peek inside. The bald Turk smirked and slammed it back down with his foot. “That’s not for you.”

“Fuck, man… I was just lookin’…”

“Oh… Thank you, Rude. That was really sweet of you…”

“Just figured you had more important things to deal with than cooking. Should get you through a few days, anyway.”

Rude stayed just long enough to unload the various dishes he’d prepared into her refrigerator.

“Take care,” he said, hugging her. He glanced over at Reno. “Want me to take him with me?”

The redhead shot him a somewhat indignant glare. “I already offered to leave her alone, ya know… She wanted me to stick around.”

Rude snickered and placed an arm around Reno’s shoulders before shifting slightly and pulling him down into a loose chokehold. “Knowing you, there should probably be an ‘eventually’ somewhere in that sentence…” He looked up at Elena and cocked an eyebrow.

“It’s alright… I really did ask him to stay.” She couldn’t help but giggle a little, and added, “Eventually.”

“Told ya so…” Reno shook him off and grinned at Rude. “Think we’re cheerin’ her up, or just makin’ ourselves look stupid?”

“A little of both.” Elena’s reply was quiet, but she was smiling. Rude nudged the other man with his elbow, and left with a slight wave.

“So… Let’s try this again.” Reno walked over to the fridge, pulling it open and shaking his head. “Swear the guy’s obsessive compulsive sometimes…” Everything was arranged in containers, labeled with what they were and instructions if they needed to be heated or otherwise prepped before serving. It was obvious Rude had been at it for quite some time. “Fuck… I think you could name just about anything and it’s here somewhere. So what sounds good?”

Elena shrugged. “I don’t know… Anything, I guess. I don’t really have much of an appetite right now.”

The redhead scanned the contents of the containers, and grinned, pulling one out. “You’ll like this… It’s one of my favorites. Musta had it started before I even let him know what happened. It’s kind of an all-day thing… has to cook for hours or some shit.”

Reno spent a few minutes heating up whatever he’d picked out before returning to Elena, and setting a bowl in front of her. She had to admit, it looked good. Vegetable soup, with generous pieces of carrots, celery, and potatoes. As she stirred it, she also found chunks of what she was fairly certain was beef, along with beans and corn, and chopped onion. She took a cautious sip, testing the temperature before getting too carried away. It was hot, and delicious, and really just what she needed at the moment.

“Since when are you a fan of vegetables?” she asked, as Reno sat down across from her at the table. Something like this certainly wasn’t his usual fare. Granted, the man would happily eat just about anything you put in front of him, but left to his own devices, he seemed to gravitate more toward greasy and coated in cheese.

“Tch… I’m a fan of food. Just ’cause I don’t usually keep ’em around doesn’t mean I don’t like ’em. I do eat more than just pizza and sugar, ya know.”

“You’re not going to have any?”

Reno shook his head. “Rude made that for you so you wouldn’t have to mess around in the kitchen for awhile. I can fend for myself.” He smirked teasingly. “‘Sides… tempting as it is, he’d kick my ass if he found out.” He let her eat in silence for a few minutes, simply watching her. At last, she couldn’t take it any longer.

“What’s wrong? You’re never this quiet…”

He shifted somewhat awkwardly in the chair, and leaned forward, propping his chin on his hand. “Yeah… Kinda too scared to say anything, to be honest. I don’t wanna fuck things up and make ya cry again.” He sighed softly. “I hate seein’ you so upset, ‘Lena. I try to do my best to look after you, but I can’t do shit to fix this. I wish I could.”

Elena looked down at her soup, and finished off the last few bites, sniffling almost imperceptibly. She didn’t want to start sobbing again any more than Reno wanted her to, but her emotions seemed to be all over the place… and what he’d said had been so sweet. Apparently, the redhead had still managed to hear it. Reno groaned, and let his head fall forward, hitting the table with a soft thump.

“I knew I was pushin’ my luck. You were fine and then I had to go and ruin it… I suck at this.”

“No you don’t… I’d be crying even if you weren’t here,” she said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. “I’d probably be crying more.”

---

Elena woke the next morning to the sound of rain. She didn’t remember going to bed… in fact, the last thing she remembered was laying on the couch with her head on Reno’s lap while he ran his fingers through her hair. She’d somehow talked him into watching old Shadow & Sword reruns with her. For once, she couldn’t have cared less about the show… it was really just an excuse to sit quietly and enjoy the comfort of having him nearby.

Though, in retrospect, it had probably been one step away from actual torture for Reno. He hated Shadow & Sword, and they’d watched for hours. She clearly recalled seeing the credits roll at least four times, and she had no idea when she’d finally drifted off for good. It must have been late… it was almost eleven a.m. now, according to her alarm clock. She’d slept nearly half the day.

She shoved aside the covers and sat up in bed, noting that she had changed into her pajamas at some point. Or, more likely, she realized, had been changed into them. She must have really been out of it if Reno had managed to do that without waking her. Though she was nowhere near as light a sleeper as the redhead was, Elena was fairly sure she wouldn’t normally have slept through something like that. She was a little surprised to discover she wasn’t at all bothered by the thought of Reno doing so, either. If anything, it left her with a warm feeling she tried to cling to for as long as she could.

Her PHS was on her bedside table, its message indicator flashing, and she groaned wondering how many messages were waiting for her, and why she hadn’t heard the phone ring. She flicked on the screen as she made her way into the living room and flinched… sixteen missed calls. On top of that, she discovered that the phone had been silenced. No wonder it hadn’t disturbed her.

Elena sighed, and opened her voicemail. At least not every caller had left a message. She was seconds from listening to the first of seven, when…

“Ow! Ah! Stupid pain in the ass!” The voice was muffled, and it took her a moment to figure out that it was coming from the hallway. It was followed by a loud thud against her door. She hurried over to open it.

As soon as she turned the knob, the door swung inward, nearly knocking her over… she barely had time to step back out of the way. His support suddenly gone, Reno gave a startled cry and fell backwards, landing flat on his back at Elena’s feet.

“Okay, ow…”

“Reno?!”

The redhead winced as he righted himself. “‘Lena… take my advice. Never lean against a closed door.”

“Are you alright?” she asked, “What were you doing out there?”

“Haulin’ up one last load…” He nodded to the hallway, and Elena peered through the door. A mattress lay slumped against the wall. “I was takin’ a little break when you decided to invite me in.” He grinned and scrambled to his feet.

“One last load?”

“Heh… told ya I’d take care of your spare room for ya. Thank fuck these fit in the elevator. It’s pourin’ outside, so the copter’s out, and I don’t think I could handle draggin’ ’em up the stairs on my own…” Reno grabbed hold of the mattress, and pulled it into the apartment. “I didn’t wake you up, did I? I was tryin’ to keep it down so you could get some rest… You were kinda dead to the world when I put you to bed last night.” He suddenly cringed. “That… was probably not the best choice of words. Sorry.”

“W-wait… You’ve been dragging furniture up to my apartment all morning?”

Reno shrugged and hefted the mattress, carrying it towards the second bedroom. “Not all morning…” Elena followed behind him, blinking in shock as she walked into the room. There were two twin-sized beds, with a nightstand between them, along with a dresser. The first of the beds had already been made up, and a stack of linen sat on top, waiting to go onto the second. Reno shoved the mattress into place and flopped down on top of it.

“Good enough?”

“How in the world did I sleep through you doing all this?” she wondered aloud.

“You were pretty beat. I mean ya forced yourself to stay awake for hours, like you were afraid to let go. You finally caved around five in the morning.” He smirked slightly. “Wouldn’t let go of me for anything, either, even after ya drifted off. Took me a few minutes to get loose so I could take you to your room.”

“I… oh…” She was blushing, she was sure… she hadn’t done that since she was little. Anytime she was scared as a child, she’d creep into her brothers’ room and curl up with one of them. Del had always hated waking up to her latched onto his arm or leg or waist. Bel had been far more tolerant of her, but no less annoyed.

“Ah, don’t worry about it, ‘Lena… I didn’t mind. So… think this’ll do for now?”

“Oh! It’s perfect… I… Thanks, Reno.”

“Great…” he said, with a soft laugh, “‘Cause now that you’re awake, I think I’m finally gonna go to bed. If you’re gonna be okay by yourself, I mean. I’ll stick around if you really want me to…”

“Wait… you haven’t slept at all?”

“Nah… by the time I got you settled, there didn’t seem to be much point. I just went home, showered, and changed clothes.”

Elena shook her head and wrapped her arms around him. “Go home. Go to bed. You’ve done more than enough…”

---

Del and Josephine arrived Monday afternoon, as the persistent rain that had begun on Sunday started to taper off into a light drizzle. Elena was grateful for the company… her apartment had felt horribly empty once Reno had left, but she hadn’t dared disturb him even long after he’d had time to get some rest himself… and today he was otherwise occupied at work.

In spite of having spent half of it in bed, Sunday had turned out to be a very productive day. She had finally distracted herself from her grief by tending to the tasks she been too overwhelmed to deal with on Saturday. Tseng had stopped by briefly to check in that evening, and had seemed surprised to find her alone… though he hadn’t explicitly asked after the redhead. When she’d mentioned how she’d sent him off to bed, Elena had the distinct impression that she wasn’t the only Turk Tseng would be looking in on.

Now, it was just before noon on a dreary Monday. She and Del had been playing a half-hearted game of checkers, and reminiscing about their brother while Josephine looked on from the kitchen.

“Elena, honey, who in the world made all this?” The old woman was painstakingly going through the contents of Elena’s fridge. “You’re a fair sight more capable than Delion in the kitchen, but I’ve never known you to have the patience for anything like this…”

“Rude did, Nana,” she responded, “He said it was so I wouldn’t have to worry about food, but really, I think he was more concerned about what I’d end up eating if he didn’t do something. Reno’s been helping out a lot, and his idea of cooking usually involves finding the phone number for the nearest pizza place, so…”

“Well, you definitely need to introduce me to your resident gourmand. And speaking of Reno… how is that sweet boy? Keeping himself out of trouble, I hope… I’d hate to think there’d been a repeat of the mess he got himself into on my account.”

“Er… for the most part,” she said, guardedly, deciding it was probably better that her grandmother not know about their recent run-in with a very angry zolom. Del quirked an eyebrow, recognizing that tone… it was the same one she used to use on their parents when she was only telling them part of the story. He was about to call her on it when Elena’s PHS rang for what had to have been the hundredth time in the last seventy-two hours.

“Hello?” she answered, “Oh… yes. I see. Yes, this afternoon will be fine. Thank you.” She set the phone down on the coffee table and sighed.

“El?”

“I… They need someone to… identify and claim Bel’s body.” She looked up at her brother, suddenly feeling miserable all over again. Elena had known that call was coming, sooner or later… she hadn’t been looking forward to it.

Josephine trundled over to the pair, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. “Well… No sense putting it off, my dears. I’m afraid it doesn’t get any easier if you wait.”

“You’re right… I’ll be back in a little while.”

“I’ll come with you, dear girl… It’s not something you should have to do on your own,” Josephine said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“No, I’ll do it, El,” Del offered, “You’ve been stuck handling everything else for days. All I’ve done since I got here is sit around playing checkers. You stay here with Nana.”

“I should go with y–” Her reply was cut off by a sharp knock.

“Oh, I’ll get it, sweetheart.” Josephine hurried to the door, pulling it open, and gave a soft cry of excitement before seizing whomever their visitor was and pulling them into a tight bearhug. “There you are, you dear little thing…”

Elena stood and peaked around the open door, and spotted a flash of red. She had to bite her lower lip to stop herself from laughing at Reno’s decidedly shocked expression as he suddenly found himself being thoroughly squashed in the woman’s arms.

“Nana, be careful with him,” she said, once she’d gotten ahold of herself. “He’s still healing from an injury…”

Josephine released him from the embrace, but kept his wrists firmly in her grip, holding him at arm’s length and looking him over.

“Tch… I’m fine, Josephine. Nothin’ to worry about.”

“Now what did I say the last time I saw you? You call me Nana. And I’ll be the judge of just how ‘fine’ you are, young man. You’re still much too thin for my liking. Now what’s all this about you being hurt?”

Reno caught Elena out of the corner of his eye shaking her head.

“Ah, no big deal… couple of broken ribs is all. They’re mostly fine by now. Just a little tender.”

Before Josephine could delve any deeper, Elena changed the subject. “What are you doing here? Is everything alright at work?”

“Nothin’ to complain about. It’s lunch time… thought I’d get the hell out of the office and stop by and make sure you were doin’ alright. Guess I didn’t need to, though. Looks like ya got plenty of company now. Oh… and Rude says to tell you not to worry if ya missed…” He hesitated a moment. “… that show I can no longer bring myself to speak the name of ever again. He DVR’d it for ya.”

Del gently elbowed her and subtly glanced at Josephine.

“Umm… Reno? Could I ask you a favor?”

“Name it.”

“Del and I… We have to go take care of some things for the funeral. It shouldn’t take too long, but… could you maybe stay and keep Nana company while we’re gone?”

“Oh, for pity’s sake… I hardly think I need looking after,” Josephine chastised them, before turning to the redhead, and looking at him thoughtfully, “Though, I’ll admit, I wouldn’t mind a bit of catching up if you can spare the time… I don’t want you getting in trouble at work, though, so don’t you dare say yes if you have to get back.”

“Not a problem… Tseng knows I’m here. Won’t upset him too much if I’m gone a little longer than planned. Kind of a slow day anyway.”

“Thanks, Reno… we’ll try to make it quick.”

He shrugged, and gave them a casual wave as the pair slipped out the door.

“Well, now… I guess that means I’ve got you all to myself for a bit. Come and sit you down.” Josephine took him by the arm and led him over to Elena’s couch, pulling him down beside her. “Now… how badly were you really hurt?”

Reno smirked. “Not much gets past you, does it?”

“No, it most certainly does not. Let’s hear it.”

“Eh… It wasn’t that bad. I was a little comatose for awhile, but I’ve got a hard head. Coulda been a lot worse. ‘Lena saved my ass.”

“Well now, that seems to be something that needs quite a bit of saving. Last time it was buried alive. This time… What, dare I ask, happened to it this time?”

The redhead grinned. Josephine had a hell of a sense of humor. “Zolom got pissed at me for disturbin’ her kids… You ever seen one of those things angry?”

“No, and I don’t think I care to,” Josephine said firmly, pulling him against her side. “You poor thing…”

“Tch… I survived. Only ’cause ‘Lena made sure of it, but… yeah. Enough about me. How are you doin’?”

Josephine gave him a slightly sad smile. “Oh… I’ve been around long enough to be old friends with Death. Don’t like to see him visit any more than the next person, but it doesn’t hit me quite so hard these days. Still… It’s a terrible thing to lose a grandchild.” She sighed softly. “Though as much as I hate to admit it, I’m not really surprised. Belane was a kind-hearted boy, but he liked to live dangerously, that one. It was only a matter of time before it finally caught up to him. Elena’s the same way, after a fashion, but a bit more common sense in her head… and she’s got friends like you looking out for her, so I don’t worry nearly as much about her. Belane was always a rather solitary creature. Preferred to go it alone, never wanted to rely on anyone but his own self.”

She still hadn’t let go of him, and Reno found himself in no particular hurry to be released. He was fond of the woman, in spite of only having met her once before… it was hard not to be. She was so over-bearingly grandmotherly, a person got sucked right in.

“Heh… Trained ‘Lena outta that mindset first chance I got. Turks who refuse to trust their allies don’t tend to last long in our line of work.”

“Good… Because I don’t care to outlive any more of my grandchildren. Or anyone who’s as good as a grandchild, for that matter, so you’d best not go poking around any more zolom nests ’til I’m dead and in the ground if you know what’s good for you.”

Reno chuckled quietly. “I’ll do my best.”

“See that you do,” the woman commanded. Her arm loosened its grip on him, sliding up to his neck, gently kneading at the tension points. “Now tell me… how’s my girl really handling all this? She’s been putting on a brave face, but I get the feeling that it’s been a lot rougher on her than she’s let on…”

He sighed contentedly and had to stop himself from immediately answering her inquiry. “Josephine… If you were a few years younger, I’d be recommendin’ ya for the Turks. You’re a natural at interrogation.”

“It’s Nana… And you’re darn right I am. Now spill it.”

“She took it pretty badly,” he found himself saying. “Kind of a mess the first day, and slept most of the next. She seems to be a lot better now that you two are here, though. I did what I could, but I guess nothin’ beats havin’ family around.”

“Now I know I recall you telling Elena that you consider her family. Seems to me you’re selling yourself a little short.”

“Sure… ‘Lena’s my family. The Turks have been the only family I’ve known since my mom died… But ‘Lena’s already got you guys. Don’t really expect her to prefer a substitute when she’s got the real thing…”

“Now you listen to me. Every letter she sends me talks about you somewhere along the line. She adores you, and it’s no mystery why. You treat her like she’s your own flesh and blood… and by the sound of things, it doesn’t much matter to you that she’s not. You’re so much more than just a commanding officer, or a mentor, or a guardian to her. That girl loves you like a brother.” Josephine snickered softly and added, “A slightly obnoxious and perverted brother that she sometimes finds herself wanting to slap upside the head… but believe me, she wouldn’t change a thing about you for the world.”

“You think so?” he asked, a little skeptically. He would never question that Elena cared about him… she’d more than proven that. And, much like Rude and Tseng, she’d come to at least tolerate his, at times, quirky personality… even when it drove her nuts. Apparently, he’d slightly underestimated just how accepting of him she really was. Still… he was having a little trouble wrapping his head around the idea that she’d merged him into her own definition of family as thoroughly as he’d done with her.

“I know so.” She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and the pair settled into a comfortable silence.

---

“Would ya quit fuckin’ with it already…?” Reno muttered with a scowl.

“It won’t hurt you tolook presentable for once.” Tseng gave one more sharp tug on the tie around the redhead’s neck, twitching it straight. Reno grimaced and looped a finger behind his collar, loosening the accessory yet again, much to Tseng’s annoyance. He hated the damn things. Really, he hated anything that tight around his throat… it always felt so suffocating.

And it was coming right back off again just as soon as this was over…

Tseng shook his head, and fixed it again. When Reno’s hand instinctively reached for the knot, he narrowed his eyes at him. “Don’t touch it.”

“Shut it, Rude…” he growled at the quiet snickering to his left… but he did lower his hands, shoving them into his pockets. He sighed, feeling decidedly uncomfortable. Neat was just not him. He’d never felt comfortable in a tie… or, for that matter, with his shirt tucked in, his hair combed back, jacket closed, and standing up straight. When he’d been much younger, Tseng had tried, unsuccessfully, to instill in him the expectations of appearance befitting a Turk. Eventually, though, he had recognized it as a losing battle and accepted him as he was. It was simply too ingrained in Reno’s nature to be anything but a bit of a slob.

Some occasions, however, required sacrifice…

The three of them approached the small gathering. They were near the edge of the Sector 5 plate… It was early yet, the sun only just rising. When they reached the group, Elena turned, smiling sadly.

“Thank you for coming, sir. All of you…” she said quietly. “You really didn’t have to…”

“Of course we had to,” Tseng responded gently. “None of us would have felt right simply abandoning you today.”

“Yeah… what he said.” Reno commented, and Rude nodded in agreement. Elena’s gaze shifted to the redhead, and her jaw dropped slightly as she took stock of his unusually put-together appearance. He had to try very hard to resist the urge to adjust his tie again. “Yeah, yeah… I know. Don’t say it. And don’t get used to it, either…”

---

The funeral had been a short, simple affair. Elena had managed to keep herself together right up until the end… at which point she’d found herself in tears once more. The finality of it all had been too much. It had been Del who’d finally pulled her away from the little memorial he and Nana had arranged – Belane’s ashes had been scattered to the wind, in accordance with his final wishes – and passed her over to Reno while he took over accepting condolences and well-wishes from Bel’s friends.

For a time, she was so deeply lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t even noticed that she’d been loaded into Reno’s car. When she finally did, she hurriedly wiped her eyes, trying to find some shred of dignity she could hold onto.

“Figured you’d feel better away from everyone else for a little while.”

“I feel ridiculous.” She sniffled softly and dug through her purse, cringing when she realized she’s left her handkerchief at home. Reno reached across her and opened the glove compartment, pulling out a box of tissues and offering it to her.

“I came prepared,” he said, smirking slightly. Elena flushed pink, and took one. “You’re allowed to be upset, ya know. Death sucks. No one’s judging you, ‘specially not me.”

“No one else had to be carted away from the group before she humiliated herself…”

“No one else had this sprung on ’em outta nowhere and got stuck handlin’ things almost entirely on her own for three days, either… Give yourself some time to breathe, ‘Lena. Speakin’ of…” He frowned and pulled the knot of his tie loose and let it hang. “Don’t know how the rest of you can stand these things…”

Elena snorted a soft laugh in spite of herself. “Oh, so that’s why you volunteered to babysit me…”

“Yep. No other reason. Couldn’t fucking take it anymore,” the redhead said, grinning, before turning serious. “Listen, ‘Lena… I know I joke a lot, but believe me when I tell ya no one’s expectin’ you to be feelin’ like yourself again right away. We’ve all been there.”

“Thanks…”

“Don’t mention it. Feel like headin’ back out there? Looks like people are startin’ to take off. Think Josephine’s lookin’ for ya…”

The corners of her mouth quirked upwards. “You know… If you don’t start calling her Nana soon, she’s going to very upset with you.”

~fin~