Turning
I need sleep, Reeve decided. A lot.
He pushed his chair back and rubbed his eyes. They burned like anything from lack of sleep, and he promised to get a good six hours in tonight. He could understand why the Shinras had turned to a Planet-damaging form of energy to sustain the company. It made for a great deal fewer bills and about fifteen extra hours of sleep per week.
He lay his head down on the desk for a moment and was awakened by a hand on his shoulder. He started and sat up, only to scowl at a giggling Yuffie.
"And what is so funny?" he asked in mock anger.
"You-" she managed before she was lost in laughter.
He chuckled and looked around his office while she caught her breath. It had been remodeled after the fireball had ripped through it, destroying the Shinra lineage. The charred remains of the great desk had been removed, and Reeve had put in its place a much smaller, more orderly desk. The office, luxurious-looking, but uncomfortable, save for the President's chair, had been packed full of recliners that made spur-of-the-moment business meetings taking place in the office itself much more pleasant. The floor-to-ceiling windows had been kept, as Reeve loved views and didn't have a fear of heights - if anything, he was a victim of claustrophobia. The rich red carpet had been kept, and often Reeve let the working mothers bring their children up to run barefoot through it. In short, it had lost a great deal of formality but gained a lot in homely comfort.
"I'm sorry," Yuffie finally managed to gasp. "You just looked so funny! You should've seen your face."
Reeve grinned. The young woman, though an irresponsible, self-centered child on their journey, had grown up. Real responsibility, not just the self-imposed turn to thievery, had worked wonders on her, despite the fact that she had only gained it a week before. Although she often acted immature, she was one of Reeve's most dependable executives and a trusted confidant.
Reeve grinned back at her. "I never look funny! I am the president! Thou shalt not laugh at me!" Which naturally caused her to laugh even harder.
"It's great having you around, Yuffie. It's good for my ego."
She sniffed in mock-sorrow. "Aren't I a good worker?"
"Uh...I'll get back to you on that."
"Shut up, you!"
"Heh. What time is it? I'm starved."
"Three. You fell asleep at eight in the morning."
"Eight?! Why didn't you wake me?!"
"We came to a consensus that you need the sleep. Badly. You've been overworking yourself. Now, how 'bout some lunch?"
"Oh. Okay."
Reeve carefully and meticulously filed away all papers on the desk. Yuffie wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"Have I mentioned that an orderly desk is the sign of a disturbed mind?"
Reeve stopped. "Okay," he said, getting out a sheet of paper. "Overused Yuffie cliches. Orderly desk equals disturbed mind, number forty-seven."
The young Wutaian mimed a blow at his head. "Come on, you. You need food. You're delusional."
"Am I?" he asked, allowing himself to be pulled in the direction of the stairs.
They stopped when they heard heavy footsteps, and a head topped with golden hair peered over the head of the stairs. Lon Runeic, the head of the science department, stumbled into the office. "S-sir-" he managed to gasp out, but Reeve shook his head, indicating for the younger man to catch his breath before speaking.
Lon had graduated from Midgar's top science academy, at the top of his class, and had been called on several occasions "the greatest scientific mind since Gast." He had started working in Shinra several days before the summoning of Meteor, and had the highest set of morals Reeve had ever seen. He was perfect to be the department executive, and promoting him over the heads of all his seniors had been one of his most controversial moves.
"Sir." Lon had collected enough breath to speak. "Cloud - and your friends - in the hospital wing. Marlene - was taken and - Elmyra - heart attack-"
Reeve didn't even wait for him to finish before he was sprinting headlong down the stairs. Yuffie was neck in neck with him as he ran into the express elevator. She looked a little green as the thing sped down, but as soon as the doors opened upon the fifth floor, she didn't hesitate as she ran out into the hall.
The band of four that met them looked weary and despair ridden. "Reeve, Yuffie, hi," Cloud greeted them, his voice lacking its usual energy. Even his glowing eyes seemed dull and lacking their usual luster. "Quite a spot we're in, huh? I mean, at least when we fought Sephiroth we knew where to begin. But now…What can we do? Where can we go?"
"We have to be able to do something, don't we?" Tifa asked. "I mean, there must be something."
"One would hope so," said Vincent. "But I cannot help wondering..."
"Marlene..." mumbled Barret. "Gone...again..."
"Well, we have to go after her," said Tifa. "But someone'll have to stay to watch over Elmyra. She needs friends around her now."
Cloud sighed. "But that'll mean we're down two members. Only six of us."
"I'll stay," Reeve volunteered, but Yuffie shook her head.
"You have to work," she said sadly. "If you can't spare time to sleep, you can't spare time to nurse a sick woman."
Barret's eyes looked sick with anxiousness and fear, but he said, "I think I should stay."
"What?" Cloud asked. "But it's Marlene!"
"Yeah," he sighed. "But I know if I go, my emotions will interfere with my reasoning. God, I don't want anything more than to be able to see my daughter again, but, damn, I have to stay."
Cloud nodded slowly, then reached a hand out to him. Barret shook it gravely, then growled, "Dammit, just go, before I change my mind."
One by one, they said their goodbyes and exited the room.
"Guys, I'll send the Cait Sith along," Reeve offered. "It's the least I can do. Oh, and take this," he said. He took a disk stamped with the Shinra logo on one side and his name on the other.
"What's this?" asked Cloud, taking and examining it.
"A pet project of mine," said Yuffie. "It's for the Shinra Waystations. When diplomats travel, we wouldn't very well want them to have to pay for their own food and lodging, would we? Well, in most towns we've constructed basically upscale hostels. A dignitary shows that chit to a staff member and get gratis room and board."
"Hunh!" Cloud said. "Now I see why Reeve appointed you."
Yuffie blushed. "That's nice of you to say. Well, shall we get going?"
Cloud was a bit taken aback by her modesty, so just scratched his head, then turned to Reeve. "Thank you, Reeve," he said, shaking the man's hand. "I hope we'll return soon."
"Safe travels," Reeve wished him.
Each person said their parting words. Finally, only Yuffie remained.
"Good luck, Yuffie," Reeve said, and gave her a quick hug.
She kissed him quickly on the cheek, then flushed and ran out of the building.
Reeve stared after her for a full minute, rubbing his cheek. Finally, he blinked, then went to prepare the toy robot that was to be his emissary on the trip.
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