There were a few things Exon was expecting, but none of them involved Mae going on her toes to kiss him. It surprised him, but soon he melted and kissed her back passionately. But was mindful to pull away as she did even if his body wanted to continue it wasn't the time...

..Actually that was bull shit. He was just being nice. Exon wanted too badly.

"Heh...We'll glad it's not mutual." Man that was lame. But he wasn't too good at this thing, but hell he was trying right?

"So.." He started. "..What now?"

In her head Mae was putting together the pieces of the puzzle Exon layed out before her. It took a moment, her mind was still cloudy from the whole being drugged ordeal, but when it came together she knew what it meant. It meant those feelings she had weren't just her. Exon had them too. That strange connection between the two of them. And with this realization, Mae embrassed the current situation.

Perhaps she would blame this all on her foggy mind later but when it came to it, Mae wrapped her delicate fingers around the collar of Exon's clothing and used it to push herself closer to him. Not to mention bring him down a hair, that way she could reach him even on her tip toes. But the momentum didn't stop there. She closed her eyes in that second and her cherry blossom pink lips to Exons. And there it was. Their first kiss.

Mae truely felt happy in this moment, even though it may come to embarrass her later. She smiled into the kiss but didn't draw away yet. She was willing to do everything in her power to make sure Exon knew just how she felt too.

When it came time for air to return to her lungs she let go of Exon and slowly pulled away. Her cheeks were as rosey as the first rose bloom in spring. "You're not alone Exon. I feel the same." She whispered huskily; trying to catch her breath was harder than she imagined.

"Of course I'll be around. I gave up my duties to travel around, remember?" He was actually a bit confused on what she meant. "Part of the reason I gave up that stuff was to travel around, but the other part is because of You."

We'll, he said it, and there was no point in skirting around the issue. You only lived once so Exon decided to come clean on something. "I never wanted to leave you in the first place but because of what happened, I didn't have a choice. Since the elders didn't want to budge, I decided to quit and my father didn't get mad at me when I explained it to him. The truth is Mae, I have strong feelings fo for you, more then a friend. I'm..not sure if its just a one-sided thing but I do."

'And here it comes..'

After realizing just what she had said, Mae fought back the urge to think about all her current friends. Cloud Strife, Reno and Rude, even Tseng. But the thought of Zack's untimely death made her decision that much more final. No doubt it would be a hard road to travel but, it wasn't like Mae had any living family here any more. Well, she concidered Exon the closes thing to family she had ever had in quite a while. And yet he was on a different scale all together. Honestly it was hard to place him.

Mae slid off the counter with ease, her skinny jeans helping the motion. "Then it's settled! I get to meet your family!!" Her grin was large as she thought more of it. All at once however, her face crumpled into a frown. "Hold it. I have to meet your dad, don't I? Whoa...when was the last time a guy brought me to meet the family..." Still the smile reappeared. "Oh well. I can't wait!"

"Yeah, you're right. They're Chocobo's. That's a great idea Exon!" Even more exictment! Mae twirled where she stood, so much happiness was coursing through her veins all at once. When she was facing Exon again, she threw her arms around him and giggled. Whatever saddness had been affecting her previously had suddenly vanished with Exon's purposal. A new world. A new life. All with Exon by her side...right? And not to mention; her dreams of a Chocobo ranch!! This couldn't be happening!

"Exon?" She said softly as she drew back from her hug. "You'll still be around...right?"

The statement didn't surprise Exon all that much. He knew Shinra even before they really went to shit that they were a shady bunch. Exon wasn't stupid despite what many others might have thought about his joking and easy going nature, but that usually ended up biting them in the back. He actually liked it better that way and even if that wasn't the case, he wasn't going to change who he was based on that. Life was too short.

"Mae, if you wanna leave I'll help you get out of here. I'm not sure Shinra and some of the more creepy people will let you. It's kinda like the mafia with once you're in, its life unless they break your legs first. You can come back with me to my home. My old man wouldn't mind, plus you'd be safe there in case your old buddies by some miracle managed to come." Exon smirked. "Course, they would have to deal with getting IN Alus first before they could get to my home. And let me tell you, the tech and military there makes the one here look like people rubbing sticks together and sling shots. I'll tell you about it later."

Then he got more serious. "How about we bring those over-sized birds? What are they called again? Chocobos? You said once you liked them, so how about you bring some along and start a farm? It'll be a new start plus you'd get to do something you always wanted to do."

The sudden outburst wasn't going to last long and Mae tried hard to keep most of it back. When Exon hugged her, she weakly wrapped her arms around him. Such a strange feeling of comfort came from this simple gesture. Mae felt herself become warmed by his touch and even put her head on his chest to further dive into this feeling.

There was a high chance that this was all caused by the spiked drink; but this was also the thoughts Mae had been keeping to herself ever since she heard the news. After gasping for a chance to breath between her sobs, Mae sat back from Exon and stared at his beautiful golden eyes.

"I-...I don't know. I don't want to quit but," She paused to take in a breath of air. "If ShinRa is letting people die like Zack. ... I heard they even ran tests on him like a rat before he was killed. These people are monsters..." It wasn't that Mae was stating a fact, this was Mae realizing just what ShinRa really was. Beasts. Creatures trying to survive by slaughtering others.

"When I joined, ShinRa was different than this. It was like they all had one true goal. But after Genesis left...everything crumbled. Now all the Turks are...are thugs." She looked into Exons eyes again, finding that strange comforting feeling deep within those pools, and prepared herself for what she was going to say next. "Exon? I want to leave ShinRa."

Exon was just coming back with a glass of water from his friends slightly messy kitchen, she really needed to get it cleaned up one of these days. Of course he wasn't one to talk since he was usually so laid back with these things that it was always the last minute before he cleaned up. After a certain point there was a limit to even how much of a mess he could tolerate of any one thing before he forced himself to clean.

When he came back to Mae, he paused hearing her ask if she was she was going to die before tearing up and saying she didn't want to end up like Zack. Exon had never once heard her break down or get emotional like that and it really shook him up.

Gently, he placed the cup of water away and went over and gave Mae a hug, she really needed one right now. "Shh, it's ok. No. I'm not going to let you end up like Zack, I'm way too damned stubborn too. Do you want to leave Shinra?" At the last question he was gently prodding her along to see if it was really her or the wine talking--but he was sure this was the real thing.

In the state Mae was currently in, she hadn't realized Exon keeping her on her feet. It was clear to everyone else, however, that if it wasn't for the man with the Angel wings, she would have been on her ass and wondering who pushed her. But nonetheless she half lead Exon into the kitchen.

The kitchen was messy as well. Mae rarely had a chance to stay home and clean, let alone cook. A few pans were dirty in the sink and a few plates were stacked on the counter-tops. It was evident Mae lived by herself with a time consuming job.

Once in the kitchen the Turk turned her back to a counter and used that for stability instead of Exon. "No I should be.....On second though, a glass of water would be nice." She answered pleasently as her eyes focused in and out upon the Angel. "The glasses are.... on the right of the sink." Slowly she pointed to the cupboard where she had last seen the glasses. Her own house and she was having a hard time remembering...What a night.

As she waited for her glass of water, Mae found herself looking at the lonely back wall in the hallway. "Exon? .... Am I...going to die?" It wasn't intended but Mae seemed to have blurted out something that had been on her mind for some while. "I'm not sick but...." Tears began to well in Mae's honey coloured orbs now. "I don't want to end up like Zack!" Perhaps the wine had something to do with it, or maybe even the drug in her drink; but for one reason or another, Mae was opening up like never before. Oh what a shame.

Exon didn't really want to let her go, she was still too weak and he found himself a bit more protective of her then normal. Finally he decided on a compromise, gently setting her down but supporting Mae and even opening the door for her, if she as so much as slipped, he would catch her.

"Take it easy. That crap is still in your system." The place wasn't much to look at honestly, but he had seen a hell of a lot worse. "Don't worry about the place, I usually stay at cheap hotels when I travel so this is actually a step up. You need anything? Water, anything?"

There were a few more things he wanted to talk to her about but for now they could wait until she was in her proper state of mind. It wasn't going to do any good to try to talk to her about anything too deep right now. One of the things he had wanted to talk to her about but been somewhat hesistant, and that was trying to get her to quit the Turks. He didn't want to lose her like he lost Zack . She had told him she wanted to start a Chocobo Ranch, maybe now it was time to try to make that possible before it was too late to pull out this Shinra death trap.

Boy what a bust. The worse day in the life of Turks everywhere. Blindsided by an underdog team against ShinRa. How pathetic.

Everyone who hadn't been drinking that night had faces of humilation. A sad sight indeed. Even for Tseng whose common facial feature seems to either be depressed or upset. He, Rude and Blair were left standing and left picking up the pieces left behind in Reno's drunken wake. Rude cocked his head slightly as he watched Exon taking Mae outside, but nodded in check. At least one Turk would get out alive.

Tseng, rather than trying to gather the slinky body of Reno, was on his cell phone and reporting in to the president of ShinRa. It wouldn't be long until Rufus came into power after his dad; it was something Tseng wasn't looking forward to. "AVALANCHE," Tseng continued to repeat into the small black phone. He turned to face Exon, waved him goodbye, then continued with his conversation.

Why was Mae the only one being taken out of this? Tseng knew Mae. He knew Zack too. They were close friends, Zack and Mae, and after his death, Mae had never quite been the same. It was an emotional stress that just needed time to heal over. But that wasn't all. Mae Revell also had Childhood friends back in Kalm. Information shows however, the two friends of Mae's had joined AVALANCHE some years ago. He wouldn't allow her to fight that battle just yet.

After leaving the poorly lit room of the bar, Mae opened her eyes groggily. "E-Exon.... My head hurts..." She mumbled drearily. The girl didn't bother to move much as Exon carried her; her world was spinning as it was. "My apartment.....on the other side of Loveless Street." Said the girl in the same tone of voice. Whether she had actually heard Exon asking about her home or not was unsure; but either way she told. Number and all. "When we...get there, I'll give you the key..."

The bar wasn't all the far from her place. To be honest, this wasn't the first time she had visited it. She and Zack had poked in before. Zack was kicked out for a month however.

The empty streets would make it easy to reach Mae's appartment complex; the signs as clear as day. Once she saw the outline of the familiar door she struggled to get down from Exon's strong arms. "Welcome...it's a mess inside...." She faintly smiled at this, still going in and out of her mental state.

Exon was enjoying Mae's company and was glad he got her to blush which made him smirk internally. 'Exon, you still got it.' He was about to say something else when she began acting a bit strangely and seemed to slip off as if she was tired but he knew that wasn't the case. For a moment, Exon paniced a little thinking something was seriously wrong, that was until Tseng came and began explaining things. He didn't really like him that much but he didn't think he was all bad.

"Don't worry, I will." It was also a excuse to get away from the Turks, he didn't really trust most of them but Reno was sorta okay in his goofy way. Reno was just quite and he didn't have much of a opinion either way. Gently, he picked up Mae and headed out the door, he was going to take her home for the night and let her sleep.

"All right, so where's your place?" He spoke to Mae while she was still able to talk. Exon was trying not to pay much attention to her curves or anything, something harder to do while he was carrying her back home. The Angel was actually thinking of talking Mae out of being a Turk. She had said once before she really loved chocobo's, so he was already thinking of what she could do for a living for a new life. A new life that a part of him secrectly wanted to share and be apart of.

Mae tried to take in as much as she could from Exon's explaination, but found it rather difficult to wrap her head around it. Much like the first time he stated he was an Angel. This was yet another moment she wondered 'what was he thinking about'. He said he gave up his spot.... Was there a reason behind that? Surely it had to be because of something other than their silly little friendship... Afterall, that's all this was..right? Just two friends hanging out, having a few.

Maybe it was the wine drowning her brain now, but now it was like Mae couldn't keep on a single thought. She tried to focus on what Exon said, but it didn't seem to phase her the way it should have any other day. Perhaps the bartender got her drink wrong...

With hazed brown eyes Mae looked to Exon and grinned. "I'd never just toss you out, unless you betrayed me or tried to kill me...But I'd worry about Reno or Blair first before you." She glanced over her shoulder quick to check on the rest of the Turks. It seemed they finally settled down, Tseng in the middle of their small crowd, talking rather seriously.

Exons comment brought her eyes away from her co-workers and back at the charming young man before her. She blushed about as red as her wine and smiled sweetly. "Well thanks Exon. It's nothing really..." Really it wasn't. Just a pair of form fitting jeans, and a blue and white t-shirt. "You look nice t-"

Before the brown haired woman could finish, Tseng was suddenly standing there, beside their booth about to interupt. "Excuse me but, you must be Exon. Mae keeps talking about you when she's suppose to be filling out paper work for me." Whether he was joking or not was hard to tell. "But I can't really talk right now. I have a favor to ask of you. Watch Mae please. Her drink was spiked. Her drink wasn't the only one. Rude and Elena have also passed out from the drug." Glancing over his shoulder revealed the two Turks on the floor, laying as if dead. "We're bringing them to the hospital, but we caught most of Mae's drug before she drank it.." He paused to look over at Mae.

She was drifting off as if falling asleep then and there. "I...I think I need to lie down...." She mumbled sleepily.

Tseng sighed; this night was an embarrassment to he and all of ShinRa. "I can't believe AVALANCHE caught us like this...." Tseng leaned over, taking the cell phone from Mae's pants pocket and handed it to Exon. "I apologize for the trouble but as of tonight she is off on leave. I'll give you updates from her phone."