(Cloud Strife x Reader x Rufus Shinra) A Bolt from the Blue

Chapter 33 - Mr President

Someone calls your name through the stifling mist. You are tired and you want them to leave you alone so you ignore them. They call your name again but this time you feel the ground on which you are lying on shake uncomfortably. You want to tell them to go away but you are unable to speak.

The person continues to call you, each time their voice grows louder and more desperate and you become aware that you are lying in someone's arms. Your eyes flutter open. Your mind tries but is not able to focus on anything in particular.

There is a blurry shape in front of you but your eyes can't seem to recognise them. Fair skin, ashen fair hair, piercing blue eyes narrowed in concern, straight nose and lips pressed in an anxious line.

Rufus. You want to call out his name in relief but again your mind is recovering faster than your physical body can. You focus all your efforts on a frail smile and you want to lift one hand to his face to make sure he is not a fragment of your imagination, but your efforts are in vain as you cannot move a muscle.

"Hojo! You will pay for this!" Rufus roars suddenly.

You would have jumped at the unexpected outburst if you had control of your body. Instead you can only blink back the surprise.

"Come on. Don't worry. I'm here now. Let's get out of here." Rufus looks down tenderly into your face. Solace washes over you while you look on as if in an out of body experience.

Rufus tucks one arm under your knees and one behind your back. He stands with you in his arms, your head snuggled safely in his chest. His clean laundered scent encases you reassuringly.

BOOM.

An explosion rings out somewhere below you. The aftershocks reverberate in the walls and Rufus ducks protectively over you. Alarm flashes in Rufus' eyes but he keeps his composure as he steps back to the bed and lowers you gently back down to free his hands. He reaches into his trouser pocket and pulls out his phone. He presses a speed dial button and only has to wait a second before it connects.

"What the hell was that?" He asks bluntly.

"Mr Vice President, there seems to be an Avalanche attack on the building underway. I have intel that they have members they are trying to extract from the roof. Five Avalanche members are reported to have been seen fighting and escaping Hojo's lab. We have dispatched a helicopter and are ten minutes out." Tseng's muffled voice bleeds out from Rufus' phone.

"Damn. Ok keep me updated. I have found her in Hojo's labs thanks to Reeve's intel but she is hurt. I don't know what Hojo did to her but she is essentially unresponsive. I'm going to head to the roof to rendezvous with you so we can get her to safety. I'll intercept any intruders on the way if we cross paths. Send me plans to Hojo's labs so I can get out of this maze."

"Understood sir. But I know for a fact we only have basic building plans for the laboratories, especially that of the restricted level on the 68th floor." Tseng reports.

"Fine. Just send me anything you have. I need a route to the roof. I'll keep moving in the meantime. We're sitting ducks here."

"Be careful, Mr Vice President."

Rufus disconnects the call.

"We might have to fight our way out of here," He says softly, turning to you still lying lifeless apart from your anxious eyes staring up at him. He rakes a hand through his hair as he looks around the room and spots the dirty grey sheet you are lying on.

"You would laugh at my plan if you could. I can almost hear you say I'm not a child!" Rufus utters to you lightly, smiling to himself.

He sits you up on the sheet and hitches his white suit trousers up as crouches to turn his back to you while you slump forward onto him. He pulls both your arms over his shoulders and manoeuvres your legs to wrap around his waist. He tucks his dark navy tie into the gap in his matching shirt between the button holes to keep it out of the way.