New Blood

Reno and Rude came out of the warehouse to find their partners waiting in the car for them.  Elena had went to get it while Reno and Rude were busy.  They were both bare-chested, and were dragging Kerri's father between them.  The terrorist was now wearing only a pair of bloodstained underwear.  His body bore the electrical burn marks of Rude and Reno's EMRs, and  he looked to be in  shock, but was still alive.  For now, at least.  Of the other man there was no sign.  “Open the trunk, Tseng,” Rude said.  The dark haired Turk reached down and pushed the button to release it.  Tseng looked in the side mirror to see them toss Darkin into the trunk and slam it shut.



Reno had fully intended to cut Darkin's prick off as well, but the man's eyes had stopped him.  They were too much like Kerri's.  But it hadn't stopped him and Rude from using their EMRs on his genitals, along with other parts of his body.  Reno had also carved the word “killer” on his back, then used a torch to stop the bleeding.



Rude got in the front with Tseng, while Reno slid into the back with Elena and Kerri.  Elena had helped her to put Rude's coat on, and had given her own up to cover the girl's legs.  “What happened to your shirts?” Elena asked.



“Ruined,” Reno said shortly, his eyes warning her to be silent for now.  He and Rude had found a working sink inside, and had washed their hands and faces, but nothing could be done about the blood on their clothes.  “Come here, Kerri,” he said softly.  “Lay down and rest.”  He helped her to recline and put her head in his lap, and sat stroking her hair back from her forehead.



“Vertro?” Kerri whispered, looking fearful.



“The big one?  He can't hurt you again.  He's dead.” Reno replied.  She closed her eyes in relief.  



Tseng started the car, wasting no time in pulling away from the warehouse.  “You should take her to the hospital in the chopper, Reno,” he said.  The redhead nodded, never taking his eyes off Kerri.  “Elena, call ahead to make sure their landing pad is empty.”



“Yes, Tseng,” she replied, pulling out her phone.  There was no need for her to ask for the number; all of the Turks knew it by heart.



“No.  No hospital,” Kerri protested.



“Yes, hospital,” Reno contradicted.  “I want to be sure you're all right.”



“You didn't go when you were shot,” Kerri argued.



“Yeah, babe, but I'm an idiot, yo,” he said, bringing an unwilling smile to Kerri's face.  



“You have a point,” she said, and Reno smiled down at her.  



“Should I call the boss?” Rude asked.



“I already have.  He is aware of the situation.” Tseng answered, and Rude nodded, satisfied.  “Is the prisoner going to live?” Tseng wanted to know.  



“He should,” Rude answered.  “We cauterized the worst wounds with a portable torch we found.”  



In the backseat, Kerri winced at these words.  “Hush, Rude,” Reno said when he saw it.  “We can discuss this later.”



Tseng stopped the car but did not shut off the engine as he reached the place where they'd left the chopper.  The little boy was still right there, sitting on the ground beside the chopper.  He jumped to his feet when he saw the car stop.  “You found her!” he cried when Reno got out supporting Kerri.  “Is she going to be all right?” he asked as he saw Kerri's injuries.



“She'll be fine, kid,” Reno answered.  “Thanks to you telling us where she was.  We owe you.  What's your name?”



The little boy scuffed his feet shyly.  “Xavier.  Xavier Tomli.  And I'm just glad the lady is ok.”



“Well, Xavier Tomli, the lady's name is Kerri.  I'm Reno, this is Rude, and the two in the car are Tseng and Elena.  And you remember, the Shin-Ra Turks owe you a favor.  We won't forget your help, yo.” Reno told him.



Xavier couldn't answer for a moment.  He just beamed before finding his voice and saying, “Thanks, mister!”



“Thank you,” Reno said.



Rude jumped in the back of the chopper, helping Reno assist Kerri inside.  Reno started to get into the pilot seat, but paused as Tseng called, “We'll be at the hospital as soon as we can.  We have to lock up the prisoner, if he's still alive by then, and President Rufus wants us to go pick him up.”



“Gotcha,” Reno answered before jumping in and taking off.



Xavier stood watching as they all left, his gaze flickering between the car and the chopper.  He really hoped the lady would be all right.  Xavier had seen that she was now wearing only a zipped up jacket, and had blood on her legs.  He might be young, but he knew enough to know what that meant.  He brightened, however, thinking of the one called Reno.  That one would take care of her.  And he himself would have one amazing story to tell his parents and his friends.  He just wondered if anyone would believe him.



*****



Kerri sat in Reno's bathtub with her arms around her knees.  They had cleaned her up as best as they could in the hospital, but it wasn't enough for her.  She imagined that she could still smell Vertro's scent on her.  She'd went to run a bath as soon as Reno brought her back to his apartment.  Before she got in, Reno had told her he would go shower in her apartment, if it was all right with her, promising he wouldn't be long.  Kerri had told him that it was fine, wanting some time alone.  



The healer had realigned her nose and packed it, and had assured her that it would heal well, leaving no trace of a break.  Though she wasn't vain, Kerri had been glad of that.  She wanted no physical reminders of what had happened.  Memories were bad enough.  They had also given her antibiotics to prevent her from getting an infection from the anal rape, along with pain potion.  The latter had put her into a state of calm, which she was thankful for.  



President Rufus had came to see her while she was being treated, and had surprised her by apologizing for what had happened to her.  Kerri had rather expected to be told that she had screwed up, and had been touched at Rufus's sympathy.  He'd also told her that her father was now safely imprisoned, and had been treated for his injuries.  What those injuries were Rufus didn't say, nor did Kerri ask.  Her apathy for the man had turned to hate in the moment he turned his back and allowed her to be raped.    Still, she'd thanked Rufus for telling her, not wanting her boss to think her ungrateful.



There was a knock on the bathroom door, then Reno opened it.  “Kerri?  You've been in here a long time.”  He came in dressed in only a pair of cotton shorts, his preferred attire when he was relaxing at home.  He hadn't put his hair in its usual ponytail, knowing that she liked to see him with it down.  “Do you need help with anything?”



Kerri shook her head, but Reno came and kneeled by the tub anyway.  He found the washcloth and began gently washing her back.  Kerri felt tears come to her eyes and blinked them back.  She didn't want to start crying with her damn nose packed.  “Reno?” she said suddenly.



“What, baby?”



“Do you still want me after this?” she asked, almost dreading the answer.



He dropped the cloth and took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.  “Of course I still want you.  Why wouldn't I?”



She shrugged.  “It's just...you always loved the fact that I was a virgin, that no one else had touched me.  Now someone else has and...and I don't feel like I'm worthy of you now.”  Kerri trailed off when she saw the surprise in his eyes.



“You misunderstood.  I loved the fact that I'm the only man you ever gave yourself to, yo.  That's still true.”  He ran one hand through his hair, leaving it more mussed than ever.  “Yeah, I was thrilled that I was the one who bled you, but if you hadn't been a virgin, I still would have been thrilled that you wanted me to fuck you.”



“So you don't think I'm damaged goods now?”



“I would never think that about you, no matter what.  You're not a thing, Kerri,” he said almost angrily.  “You're my woman.  I've never said that about anyone else.  Don't you understand that yet?”



“I think I'm beginning to,” she answered, the tears finally spilling over.



Reno took her hands and helped her to her feet and out of the tub.  Picking up a towel, he said, “Come on, let's get you dried off so you can come to bed.   I thought I was gonna lose you today, and I really need to have you in my arms tonight while I sleep.”



“I need that, too, Reno,” she said.  He leaned down to place a tender kiss on her swollen lips, and Kerri smiled as he began toweling her off like a child.



*****



Reno walked into Elena's office and dropped his paperwork on her desk for her to look over as she usually did.  “Knocking, Reno.  It takes three seconds,” she said out of habit.



“Sorry,” he answered, also out of habit.  While she went over his papers, correcting mistakes for him, he prowled around her office restlessly, picking up her things and putting them back down.  Elena kept glancing at him from beneath her lashes, and several times saw him turn to her and open his mouth as if to say something, only to close it and start his pacing again.  Finally her nerves could take no more.  “What is it, Reno?” she asked.



He dropped into the chair in front of her desk and slumped down, letting his long legs sprawl.  “Lei Lei, how long after the Mako brothers, uh...hurt you was it before you...before you wanted to, um, be with someone again?”  Reno knew he was blushing, something he didn't know he was capable of, but he felt like a heel to be reminding his friend of what she'd been through.  



Elena put her pen down and gave Reno her full attention.  “After I recovered, I went out two nights later and picked a guy up,” she told him.



“Only two nights?  It's been two weeks since Kerri was hurt and we still haven't fucked,” Reno said.



“Let me finish,” she answered.  “I picked him up, slept with him, and didn't feel a damn thing.  No pleasure, no fear, no revulsion, just nothing.  I thought it meant that I'd lost the ability to become...aroused.”  Now Elena was blushing, but she was determined to continue. Reno was her friend, and he needed her advice, or at least her point of view.  “It came back, though.  You just can't force it.”



“How long?” Reno asked again.



Elena sighed.  “I can't tell you how long it will take for Kerri.  Everyone is different.  For me, it was about a month, maybe longer.  But then, I didn't have a lover to support me.  Kerri does.  Don't get me wrong, you guys were great, but...it's not the same.”



“I probably sound like a jerk, yo.  Like I don't care about what she went through.”  



“No, Reno.  Just the opposite.  If you didn't care you wouldn't be asking for advice, would you?” Elena said softly.



He sighed, running both hands through his hair.  “I don't want to rush her.  I just miss being with her that way, that's all.  It was so great between us.  I'm...I'm afraid if I push her too soon I'll ruin it, Lei Lei.”



“Does she let you get close to her?” Elena asked.



“You mean does she let me touch her?  Yeah.  She lets me hug her, and she sleeps right next to me at night.  She doesn't seem to mind me seeing her naked, either.” Reno answered.



“Does she know that you still want her?” was Elena's next question.



“I told her I did, yo.”



“But have you shown her, Reno?  Have you tried to make love to her?” she persisted.



“No.  I told you I don't want to push her.  I was waiting for her to make the first move, yo.”  He sounded defensive, but Elena ignored this.



“Since when have you waited for a woman to make the first move?  Where's the arrogant master of seduction that we all know and are irritated by?  That's who Kerri fell for, isn't it?”  Elena grinned at him.  “Try, Reno.  Show her that you still want her, that she's still the same woman that you fell for, that what happened didn't change her in your eyes.   Hearing it is nice, but actions speak louder than words.  Maybe that's what she's waiting for.”



“How did you know I fell for her?” Reno asked.



“You've never asked my advice on your sex life before, for one thing.”



Reno looked down at his hands for a moment, then pushed himself to his feet.  Leaning over her desk, he kissed her cheek.  “You're the best, yo.”



“Yeah, yeah.  Now get out of here and let me finish fixing your paperwork.”  She stood up so that she could return his friendly kiss.  “My heart's with both of you, you know that.”



“Thanks, Lei Lei,” he said before leaving her office.



*****



“You wanna lean back against me, Kerri?” Reno asked while they were sitting on the futon that night watching tv.  Kerri glanced at him, saw he was leaning back against the arm, his legs scratched out on the seat.  She was forcibly reminded of the first time she'd visited him, except that instead of a shirt and slacks, he was wearing only a pair of shorts.  For the first time since she'd been raped, she felt a tiny pulse of excitement.   



“Sure, Reno,” she answered, and slid across to settle herself between his thighs.  The redhead felt himself grow hard at the feel of her bare legs against his.  He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her close to his chest, thrilled to hear a faint sigh of contentment from her.  It was a start.  “I've missed this,” she said.



“So have I, yo.” he answered.  “That's not all I've missed, though.”



“What do you mean?” she whispered, and gasped when he felt him nibbling on her earlobe.  “Oh, that's what you mean.”  



Since she didn't protest, he continued trailing kisses down the side of her neck, across her shoulder.  “Does that feel good, Kerri?”  She moaned something that might have been assent.  “Do you want me to stop?” he asked.  Her answer to that was clearer; she shook her head quickly and pressed herself back against his erection.  Encouraged, Reno slipped his hand inside her shirt to cup a breast.  



Kerri dropped her head back onto his shoulder and whimpered.  “Take me to bed, Reno.  I've missed you.”



“I've been right here,” he teased, and laughed when she growled low in her throat.  He cradled her in his arms and rose from the futon, carrying her to his bed.  He set her down by the side and helped her remove her clothes before pulling her against him, capturing her lips in the way she was so familiar with for the first time in over two weeks.  Kerri wound her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, parting her lips for his tongue, and meeting it with hers.  Groaning, Reno cupped her ass and pulled her hips against his, grinding his cock against her, and Kerri felt her desire flame into pure lust.



Reno broke the kiss before he could lose control.  Breathing hard, he pushed her to the mattress beneath him, tenderly kissing her breasts, swirling his tongue around each hard nipple before drawing it into his mouth.  He held himself in check, trying to be gentle with her, not wanting to do anything to remind her of the rape.  



By the time he reached the sensitive bud at the apex of her thighs, Kerri was beside herself.  In a short time, Reno had conditioned her body to expect regular lovemaking, and she hadn't realized how much she'd missed his touch.  She cried out his name as she felt his tongue touch her clit, thinking of nothing but what he was doing to her.  



As he continued licking her softly, however, Kerri started feeling restless, uncomfortable.  It wasn't the same.  Finally, she propped herself on one elbow and reached down to pull him away.  “Stop, Reno.   This isn't right.”



He tried to hide the pain and disappointment he felt at her words.  “I'm sorry, babe.  I should have waited, given you more time.”  He started to get out of bed, but she stopped him.  



“It's not that, Reno.  It's that...” she sighed.  “You're not being you.  You're being...,” she stopped, trying to think of the right word.  “You're being polite,” she finished.



He laughed, surprised.  “Polite, Kerri?”



“Yes, polite,” she insisted.  “Do you think I can't tell that you're holding back?  You've never held back with me before.  You're dominating, you're dirty, you make me lose control, enough to where I'll do anything you want.  That's what I need from you.  Not what you were doing.  I can tell the difference.”



Though he felt his blood heat up at her words, he tried to explain.  “I was trying to be gentle, babe.  After what happened to you, I thought...”



“What Vertro did to me is a million miles away from what you do,” she interrupted.  “You've never hurt me, you've never done anything I didn't want.”  She reached out boldly and stroked his hard-on through his shorts.  “I want my Reno, understand?”



“I think so,” he replied.  His eyes gleamed.  “Now lay back down and spread those pretty thighs a little wider, so I can get in there and really work that sweet pussy.”



“Now, that's my Reno,” she whispered as she obeyed him.  “You're going to make me beg, aren't you?”



“You can count on it, yo,” he murmured just before slipping his tongue inside her, tasting her sweetness, using his thumb to tease her swollen clit.  Kerri moaned happily as he licked at her core.  Things were back to normal at last.



The End (until the sequel)