AN: A bit of smex in this chapter (het smex). Enjoy and any review would be really very welcome. Thank you.

Chapter Six: Recovery

Reno opened the door to his apartment and peered through the small gap, he could see the hulking outline of Rude and tried to slam it shut again but Rude's hand got in the way and he forced it open. Reno leapt backwards, diving out of the way as Rude swung for him, rolling over into a crouch. "You aint takin' me alive, yo!" He hissed and dodged aside as Rude moved to grab him, he grabbed Rude's wrist and yanked him forward, lifting his knee and making sharp contact with Rude's stomach. He released him and backed away, smiling a little as Rude recovered. "I aint goin'."

"Chief...says...you have to." Rude wheezed, clutching his stomach.

"Don' care what Chief says, I aint goin' yo."

Rude moved again, his fingers managing to get hold of the back of Reno's jacket, he pulled him backwards, towards the door and held firm despite his partners kicking and fighting. "Chief says you have to go, so you're going."

"No! No! Rude, man, don' make me, yo!"

Rude said nothing as he finally got Reno out into the hall, he turned and wrapped an arm around Reno's waist, hoisting him bodily into the air and flinging him over his shoulder. Reno squirmed and writhed helplessly as he was taken down the corridor towards the Occupational Health offices dedicated solely to the Turks.

"Pu' me down, yo! Rude, I'm tellin' ya, the second you let go o' me I'm gunna kick your sorry ass!"

"If you say so."

Finally they reached the OH offices, Rude entered and found the secretary, she looked up and smiled expectantly, her eyes glancing at Reno who was now limp over Rude's shoulder. "Can I help you?" She asked.

"Got an appointment with Doctor Green?"

"Ah yes, two o'clock? Reno? I will just tell her you're here."

Rude nodded and stood still, he could feel Reno's heavy breathing against his back and fought the urge to smirk. "I hate you, yo." Reno grumbled as the Secretary returned.

"She'll see you now."

Rude nodded and moved to the door with the name; Doctor Green, written on it and knocked politely. He waited a moment before the woman told him to enter, he opened the door and moved to the long sofa in the middle of the room, dumping Reno unceremoniously onto it. "Your two o'clock, Doctor."

The doctor looked up from her desk and blinked at Rude, her eyes moved to the now occupied sofa. "I see, thank you."

Rude nodded and left, Reno cursed him furiously as he adjusted his suit and sat up, he peered at the doctor over the arm of the sofa and smiled to himself. She was tall with lovely long legs, dark hair that was tied back in a severe bun, small glasses perched on the end of her pretty freckled nose and large, dark eyes. She wore a pencil skirt and plain white blouse with enough buttons undone to reveal a pair of nicely sized breasts. "Hello, I'm doctor Green, it's nice to meet you Reno."

"An' you." Reno said and rose smoothly, holding out his hand with a smile. "If i'd known the quacks were this hot I'd've been here a lot sooner, yo."

She cleared her throat and released his hand before turning way and adjusting her glasses, but not before Reno spotted the dull flush of pleasure on her cheeks. "Please, take a seat and we will get on with the evaluation."

Reno sat down, spreading his arms across the back of the chair and crossing his legs, he watched her every move intently and felt a deep satisfaction that he was obviously making her aware of his gaze, despite her obvious flustered state she managed to begin the interview.

XXX

Rude stood by the door, hands folded before him as he waited for his partner, he lifted a hand and checked his watch only to find that it had been well over an hour since Reno had entered the room. He turned to the door and pressed his ear against it, listening intently.

"Oh...oh my R-Reno...yes!"

Rude pulled back abruptly, he moved away from the door and took up a position near a large poster describing the affects of Mako poisoning. He waited patiently for Reno to finish his activities.

The door opened some time later to reveal Reno looking rather dishevelled, his hair was a mess, his shirt open to reveal his scarred chest and his belt still undone. He had lipstick staining his mouth and collar, two large hickies stood out against his pale throat, and he was grinning from ear to ear as he leaned casually against the door frame, Rude arched an eyebrow at him. "Feelin' much better, yo." He said as they heard noises from within as the doctor cleaned herself up. "I could get used to this counsellin' stuff." He adjusted his jacket and did up his belt, "I'll see ya aroun' doc." He called and Rude heard her mutter a reply, she sounded rather breathless.

XXX

Alfred sighed as he stood outside his door, he rummaged in his pocket and withdrew the keys to his house before unlocking it and stepping inside. He felt instantly calmer, he had had the feeling that he was being followed and it set him on edge. He turned on the light and hung his coat up on a hook and dumped his keys into a bowl on a table by the door, he turned and went to his kitchen, opening the fridge and removing a beer before walking to his living room. He paused and turned on the light, his heart leapt into his throat as he spotted a man sitting at his dining room table as casually as if he belonged there, long red hair was tied back into a rat tail trailing down his back and the smile on his lips was as cold as ice.

"Welcome home, Dad." Reno said, his smirk widening to reveal the tips of his teeth.

"R-Reth?"

"Not anymore, yo." Reno stood slowly, the shadows seemed to cling to him, giving his face the gaunt look of a ghoul.

"What are you doing here, how did you get in?"

"The locks on this place are shitty, yo. I can pick 'em as easily as I could when I was a kid." he stepped closer, causing Alfred to move back on instinct.

"Y-You...you can't be here, boy."

"I can an' I am, yo."

"Why? Why are you here? How did you find me?"

"I have ways, old man. You were pretty fuckin' easy ta track, yo. Would'a expected more from scum like you bu' once again you're a fuckin' disappointment." Reno stopped when he was a foot away, the light glanced off of the metal rod in his left hand and Reno's grin grew even bigger. "I go' new orders." He said softly, barely moving but Alfred watched his muscles tensing, ready to spring. "I gotta wipe ou' Jace's gang, good orders. Bu' you shoulda seen my face when I read your name on the list o' targets, yo. It was like all my birthdays came at once."

"Reth-Reno...I don't understand what you're saying..." Alfred stepped back from his menacing son, terror wrapping icy fingers around his heart.

"You were a part o' Jace's gang, don' deny it, I know. You sold me to 'im in exchange fer your shitty little life, you le' 'im use an' abuse me, now I get my revenge, yo."

"B-But...but I-I'm...I'm your father!"

"Eh, whaddya gunna do, yo? Orders are orders." Reno shrugged and swung his EMR without warning, Alfred screamed.

XXX

Rude stood outside the house, hands clasped before him and eyes scanning the road for any sign of a threat, he heard the screaming but didn't bother looking, he knew Reno needed to do this alone. When his partner came out onto the front steps, he turned and lifted an eyebrow, Reno sat down and sighed.

"It's done, yo. Mission complete." He whispered, lifting his arm and wiping blood from his cheek in an absent way. He leaned back on his hands and looked up at the plate above them, lights twinkling like stars.

"Veld's just phoned, he's got a new mission for us." Rude said quietly.

"Oh yeah?"

"We're to search for new candidates for SOLDIER."

"I see." Reno brought his gaze back to the ground and stood up, brushing himself down and jumping lightly down the steps. He lifted his bloody EMR and began tapping it against his shoulder as he turned a little to look back up at Rude, a grin spreading wide across his face. "Let's go then, partner."

XXX

"I'm fine, yo."

He felt as if he was repeating himself, like a broken record. It was irritating in the extreme and what was worse was that everyone was treating him like an invalid, he was doing missions, he was being good, he was doing his job but still he could feel Rude's eyes on him as if he was going to shatter into a thousand pieces. It was stupid, he felt no remorse about taking his father out, the man hadn't been his real father since he had allowed Reno to be taken by Jace and his cronies. He felt nothing for the man, it was done, it was over and he was moving on.

Of course, there were the nightmares. They crept up on him the second his head hit the pillow and he closed his eyes, it was like a movie on pause, just waiting for Reno to take a nap before running again. He saw Jace's face, he heard his soft voice, he felt his hands all over his body like a disease. It was horrible but he was fine, he could cope with it. He was a Turk after all.

"Rude, will ya stop lookin' at me like that, yo!" Reno snapped irritably as he sat in the canteen early one morning after just having arrived back home from a mission. "I'm not about ta break down 'n start cryin'!"

"I'm worried." Rude replied smoothly, picking up his steaming cup of tea and taking a sip. "You haven't been yourself lately, you're quiet."

"I'm fine, yo. Trus' me."

"I don't want a partner who is going to put missions at risk because his mind is confused."

"I'm not confused, yo!" Reno snapped, leaning back in his chair and allowing his eyes to rove the room, he saw several staff members sitting around and talking happily. Rude said nothing as he stood up.

"I'm getting some breakfast, do you want anything?"

"Nah, man. I'm good."

Rude turned and walked away to get himself some food, Reno sighed shakily and bent over, pressing his forehead into the table and squeezing his eyes shut tightly. He pushed both hands into his hair and stayed in that position, unable to raise his head. He was lying to himself, he wasn't ok. He hadn't been ok since Jace had first reappeared on the scene, it was torture to fight off memories of the beatings, the feel of strangers hands over his body and the agony of his recent torture. He swallowed hard and tried to get himself under control, he knew he was slowly losing it, he kept seeing his father's face everywhere he went, despite the fact that he had killed him. He saw Jace's cold eyes whenever he turned a corner, he felt those ghosts haunting him, trying to drive him nuts.

Rude returned and looked down at his partner, Reno had both hands clutching at his hair, his body shuddering as he muttered to himself. Rude put down his food and sat down, he started to eat as he waited for Reno to come out of himself.

Slowly Reno raised his head, his face stricken as he turned wide eyes to Rude. "I killed 'im, yo...Bu' he's not gone..." He breathed.

"You can't kill ghosts." Rude replied quietly.

Reno shook his head violently before leaning back again, running both hands over his pale face. "I'm tired, yo." He whispered. "So god damned tired."

"Go take a nap, I'll tell Veld where you are. We've been overworked as it is, no one will blame you."

Reno shook his head again. "I don' need ta be babied, I go' this, yo."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll ge' over it." Reno replied, staring down at his own coffee.

XXX

"You can't do this! I haven't done anything!"

Reno stood before a man who had been accused of selling ShinRa equipment to outside sources, he yawned widely and stepped forward. "Quit yer bloody whinin' yo, jus' come with us."

"No! I'm innocent!"

"So they all say, yo." Reno sighed heavily and levelled his EMR at the small guy, "We gunna fight or what?"

The man, looking utterly terrified, ran at Reno who dodged aside smoothly. He brought his EMR around in a brutal swing and felt it connect with guys head, there was a sickening crack as the man fell to his knees with a scream. Reno fought back another yawn, as a Turk he didn't get a lot of sleep and normally he was used to snatching it wherever he could but lately he could feel exhaustion dragging at his limbs. He felt like he was coming down with a cold or something but without the sneezing and high temperature. He was just exhausted. His mind wondered as his eyes unfocussed, it was in that moment that the small guy pulled a gun, he spun around and pulled the trigger. Reno gasped and stumbled backwards as pain lanced through his shoulder, the man got up and fled, stumbling awkwardly as he went from his head wound. Reno dropped his weapon and fell into a wall, he used his free hand to grab his wounded shoulder and cursed through his teeth. After a second he stood up and picked up his EMR before stumbling after the target.

Tseng found Reno sitting on the filthy floor, one hand gripping his shoulder, head down and his knees drawn up to his chest. As he drew closer he noticed the crimson staining his shirt. "Reno?!" He gasped and fell to his knees before his friend. "What happened? What went wrong?"

Reno shook his head, glaring at the floor. "I fucked up, yo." He whispered harshly. "Guy's been apprehended but he go' me."

Tseng looked over to where Reno indicated, the target was lying on the floor, unconscious and tied securely. "The mission was a success." He said and returned his gaze to Reno.

"Stupid, yo. 'm so stupid." He buried his face in his knees and refused to look up, even when Tseng tried to inspect his wound.

Later, when the wound had been dressed, Reno found himself at the bar in Wall Market. He sat at a table, alone and silent as Elena, the bar maid handed him a strong drink. He looked up at her, mildly surprised. "I din't order that, yo."

Elena smiled. "It's on the house." She said and winked. "You look like you need it."

"Thanks, kid."

"I'm not a kid, Mr. Reno."

Reno smiled and raised the glass, ice tinkling merrily against the side. "I guess not, yo."

She nodded and moved back to the bar to clean glasses and take more orders. Reno watched her for a moment before sighing heavily and returning to his silent contemplation of how much his life was sucking. He considered taking a visit to the Honeybee Inn at some point but not before he was good and drunk, it was the only way to stop the memories from eating away at him. When he was in a drunken stupor it was easier to pretend that he wasn't slowly being driven mad by the echoes of his own screams. His hand was shaking again, so violently the ice tinkled against the sides of the glass he was holding. He grimaced and tightened his grip on it, halting the shakes. He was cracking up, it wouldn't be long before someone noticed his decline and he was brought up in front of Veld, and then it would be a slippery slope of being looked over for important missions, eventually being relegated to some out of the way place and, eventually, taken out like the dog he was. He couldn't afford to be useless, the Turks were everything to him, without that he was nothing. Veld had given him a life and he had grasped it in his desperate, greedy little fingers and even now refused to let it go. The problem was that what Veld gave he could easily take away, leaving Reno unable to do anything but die. He wasn't ready for that, not yet, but he couldn't stop torturing himself with what had happened to him at Jace's hands. He had been so weak, so pathetic that he had almost put the entire company at risk, despite his training. Outside of his job he was utterly alone, no family, no friends, and that was a far more terrifying prospect than death.

Reno downed his drink and waved at Elena to get another, he turned the glass in his hands slowly and watched the electric lights reflected in the melted ice cubes. Elena came over and handed him another fresh drink, putting his used glass on a tray and moving away again. He drank and drank until his mind was pleasantly fuzzy, finally he stood up and stumbled out the door, ignoring Elena's concerned calls. He felt his phone begin to buzz in his pocket but ignored it as he made his way to the Honeybee Inn, he needed a good fuck, it would help dispel his melancholy at least for an hour or so.

XXX

Tseng stared at his PHS as it did nothing but ring in his hand, finally he sighed and shut it off. "He's still not picking up, sir." He turned to Veld who was sitting behind his desk looking concerned.

"Where was his last known location?"

"The Bar in Wall Market." Tseng replied. "But Gun says that her sister doesn't know where he went from there, sir. I'm...worried."

"We all are, no matter what Reno claims he is obviously still suffering." Veld sighed and shook his head.

"Sir...?"

"Yes?"

"Just what did Reno do after his mother was killed?" Tseng asked, knowing that he was being reckless to ask for such private information but curiosity was getting the better of him. "I only know vague details."

"According to him he was taken in by Jace, brainwashed and used to steal, kill and sell his body. Jace was his boss and pimp in one." Veld looked up at Tseng and narrowed his eyes. "The first time we met he thought I wanted to...use him...in that way. It was tragic, he was so young and so willing to let anyone abuse him, I had to give him a chance to get out of that situation."

"You hired and trained him, didn't you?"

"I did. He took to everything with an impressive zeal, he was probably the fastest man I'd trained. He worked hard to get where he is today."

"So, because of the recent developments with Jace and his gang he is...cracking?" Tseng asked, mostly speaking to himself as he gazed down at his phone with a frown.

"Most likely. I suspect that he has many suppressed memories, his father was a violent man, addicted to gambling and took his frustrations out on his son on numerous occasions, Reno was abused from the word go and then assumed that this was the way people were supposed to treat each other. I managed to get him out of this train of thought and had hoped that would be the end of it but if his suppressed memories are resurfacing he may be sinking back into the state of mind he had before he joined us. We need to find him before he does something reckless." Veld stood up and looked at Tseng. "I will-"

"I know where he is, sir."

Both men turned to the door of the office and saw Rude standing there, hands clasped at his front as he looked directly at Veld. "Where?" Tseng asked.

"The Honeybee Inn, it's where he goes when he's off duty."

Veld's lips twitched. "I should have guessed."

XXX

The woman moaned into his mouth, his hands roved up her body, feeling her soft skin and dragging his nails lightly down her stomach as he pulled away, breathing heavily. She was one of the girls he usually requested as she was good at conversation as well as in the bedroom, she smiled up at him and lifted her hands to undo her bra, Reno watched and smirked.

"So, you gunna tell me why you're here?" The woman asked as she slipped the bra off and threw it across the small room.

Reno's eyes were fixed on her breasts and he dipped his head, taking one of her nipples between his lips. "Mm...Makin' too many mistakes." He muttered, running his tongue along the curve of her breast while his hand snaked between her open legs. "Bein' stupid, fuckin' shit up...same ol' same ol'."

"I thought you were the best?"

"I was, yo." Reno looked up at her, placing a kiss on her eager mouth before pulling away again. "But...the past came back to haunt me an' now I-I..." He faltered and buried his head in her long, fragrant hair. "I feel like my worlds crashin' down on me an' I...I can't stop it, yo." He whispered and felt her arms wrap tightly around him, her soft lips began trailing sweet kisses over his bare shoulder.

"We all have times like that, it's a part of being alive. Perhaps you should talk to someone who understands? What about your partner?"

"Rude?" Reno lifted his head and looked down at her, she smiled and rolled him over, straddling his hips with her own and pressing her palms to his bare chest. She began a slow and steady rocking motion and watched Reno gasp, his hands moving to grab her and pull her down to him but she stopped him, pinning them above his head. "He...fuck...he aint gunna...wanna know 'bout my shit. We don' really have tha' kinda...nng...relationship, yo."

"Is there anyone else you can talk to?" The woman asked, moving her free hand downwards to the waist band of Reno's boxers, her fingers slid inside slowly. "Surely there's someone you're willing to open up to."

Reno bit down on his bottom lip as her hand closed around his aching erection, he sighed and closed his eyes, feeling her kissing his throat as she stroked him. "Yeah...there is..."

XXX

Rude, Tseng and Veld were greeted at the Inn by a woman in a bee costume. Tseng, having never actually set foot in the place, was confused, Rude meanwhile asked the pretty girl where Reno was, they were directed to a private room on one of the upper floors. The door was ajar and they could hear soft talking from within, Tseng looked to Veld who nodded and they pushed the door open.

Reno was laying in the bed, the sheets wrapped around his middle and one arm flung over the girl at his side. Reno had his face hidden in her hair and the girl was stroking his scarred back in a comforting gesture when her eyes moved to the intruders. She tensed and that alerted Reno who pulled away and sat up, he spotted his friends. "What the fuck, yo?!" He cried, pulling the covers up enough to cover himself. The girl rolled out of the bed and began hurriedly getting dressed looking rather embarrassed.

"Reno, we were worried about you." Tseng said, moving forward cautiously.

"I'm fine. You can' jus' walk in here with no warnin', yo!"

Rude shifted. "We had to ensure you were safe."

"Of course I'm safe! What is this a fuckin' intervention?! I'm a big boy and know how ta look after myself, even then who would dare fuck with a Turk?! Everyone knows our uniforms, yo."

"Reno, you obviously need to take some time out so for now I'm putting you on leave-"

Reno almost leapt out of the bed, he got tangled up in the sheets however and fell in a crumpled heap. "No!" He insisted, pulling the sheets from off of his head and glaring up at Veld who was stood before him like a father chastising his wayward son. "You can' do that, yo! Veld, man, listen, I'm good! I'm fine! I-I'll prove it!"

"This is for your own good, we cannot have a man who is obviously struggling making mistakes on missions. So, extended leave is in order, with pay, of course."

Reno put his head in his hands a gesture that made him resemble an unruly child more than ever. "Fuck, Veld, ya know how ta kick a man when he's down, yo." he mumbled and slumped against the bed.

"You are acting like a child, Reno. I thought we were past this."

"Chief, please...I can' lose this job, not now, I gotta have somethin' to distract me from..." He fell silent, eyes wide and pleading.

Veld knelt down and ruffled Reno's hair, causing him to frown up at him in confusion. "You need rest, Reno, I'm not punishing you. You have nightmares, I know you do, and because of that you're not sleeping and it's affecting your work. For now, just relax, you'll be back in no time." Tseng and Rude looked at each other before moving out the door and stepping out into the hall.

Reno buried his head in his knees again, he knew he was acting like a child but he couldn't help it, he certainly felt like one. "I...I'm sorry, yo."

"What on earth for?"

Slowly Reno lifted his head, he stared at Veld for a long time in silence before voicing the source of his guilt. "I told 'em...I told 'em where HQ was." He breathed and watched Veld's face, at first he seemed frozen in surprise before he took a breath and nodded. "They were gunna cut out my eye, yo!" He insisted, pleading with Veld to understand.

"I understand. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure that the gang has really been destroyed, they cannot be allowed to make a move against us."

Reno made a face and finally nodded as Veld stood up and straightened out his suit. "Help me up, yo, 'm stuck." Reno said softly, holding out his hand so Veld walked over and hauled him to his feet, he swayed a little as the alcohol he had ingested earlier threatened to make a reappearance. "Ugh...feel sick."

"Come on, let's go home." Veld sighed and helped his subordinate gather his scattered clothes.