Prologue

By Crystal Snowflakes

Author's Notes: Wow, it's been a while since I've written any ff7 stories... But here I am back at my old story. Erm, changed the title and the prologue. Hope I don't stop writing...

Disclaimers: Final Fantasy 7 does not belong to me... Although I really wish I did Especially Reno p

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Yuffie Kisaragi smiled softly as she stared at the scenery outside her apartment. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears as her mind drifted once again. Her fingers wrapped around her necklace instinctively, her hands trembled. Then she tried to blink away the tears, only to have one roll down her cheek slowly.

Behind her, her friend looked at her sympathetically.

Elena held the baby to her chest as she looked at her dear friend. A feeling of guilt and concern filled her. She felt painful seeing her friend suffer. Then she looked down at the baby, who was the exact image of his father. Red hair, glowing cerulean eyes... How she had missed him as well, but she could not understand how Yuffie could possibly be feeling. Such a tremendous weight for such a young one to carry...

She felt the baby in her arms start to move. Tenderly, she rocked the baby in her arms. And when she looked up, she saw her friend staring at her.

"Thank you Elena."

Elena gave a nod, "You know... He would not have wanted you this way."

Yuffie looked at her son, "And I didn't want him to die either... I wanted to live my life with him, I wanted to chase his demons away, and I wanted to be with him."

"I'm sorry..."

"And it was not anyone's fault." She turned around, "Just mine. I should have never let him go..."

The blond studied her friend's outline and watched in shame at how frail she seemed. She has grown so much more mature in so little years... She began thinking of how Wutai had forbidden Yuffie to go back because of what she was carrying. To Wutai, she was a disgrace... She had dishonored all of Wutai... All because of the beautiful baby in her arms.

For an instant, she wished that Rude had been back from his work, then she would be able to embrace him and cry in his chest... She too, missed him. And she too, wished he had never died. Why did you have to help us? Why did have to take a shot for me? Why? I would have rather died than see Yuffie this pained.

Elena looked down as she felt the baby's hand curled around her hair. Struggling, she tried to get her hair from the grip of the little adorable monster. And as she glanced at the little one's eyes, like often, she remembered her companion, her leader, her friend, her family... And she remembered how he had saved her. How he had jumped in front of her without a second thought to protect her...

'Lena! Rude! Fucking go! Stop staring like fucking morons! I'll hold them off.

And she remembered his eyes' intense glow of determination... Then he looked at her, 'Lena, take care of her for me.

"It was my fault. If I wasn't careless, he wouldn't have to protect me."

She turned around, a fond smile on her face, her eyes gleaming with tears, "That's what I love about him... He cared about you. He would protect you with his life... I was ready to face the consequences the day I fell for him, and so was he. He was a Turk living a dangerous life and I knew I would lose him any day... Just that... When he left, I was so devastated... Just when we... When we..." She shook her head, "But then... he gave me a gift that was more than enough than anything. He gave me a bundle of joy. He gave me Tommy."

Elena blinked as she felt her eyes water as she looked down at the babe again. Her mind filled with pictures of Reno's last moment of life. Him struggling with the guards as she and Rude began to escape... Then softly, she whispered, "Tommy... I miss your father... He was a good man." Then she turned around and walked out the room. A choked sob, "I miss you Reno. We all miss you."

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Author's Notes: Hope it wasn't too depressing.

-Crystal Snowflakes

Sunday, October 31, 2004 Happy Halloween!